Forging the Five Animals Amidst the Sword Rain, Gathering the Sword Pool in Fetal Respiration

Half of the mountain's mist dispersed, and a fine spring rain began to fall. The rain grew heavier, and it seemed as if each drop carried with it sword qi that had risen from this formidable mountain!

Though it was a lifeless mountain, the pervasive sword qi made it seem alive, like a magnificent, sculpted celestial god looking down upon the mortal beings climbing its body.

The Sixth Mountain of Sacred Mountain, as if formed from an immortal sword that had fallen to the mortal realm.

Dense fog obscured the area above the halfway point, but below it, peach blossoms bloomed, and the stone path was clear. A solitary figure in white was ascending the steps, alone and with great difficulty.

At the foot of the mountain, the sunny path had long since vanished, replaced by overlapping twilight clouds. As if angered by the humiliation of being cleaved open earlier, a torrential rain descended.

But the cultivators gathered at the foot of the mountain paid it no mind, their eyes wide as they stared at the figure on the stone path, a figure as stark as a white plum blossom.

"This person actually gave up the chance to become a Mountain Guardian to climb the mountain for the Minor Sacred Token?!"

"What a madman, daring to defy the Mountain Lord like this?"

"Perhaps... it's the will of Hua Jiebing, who just ascended to the heavens? Hua Jiebing thinks this young man is worthy of the Minor Sacred Token?"

Various voices chattered incessantly, their enthusiasm undampened even by the downpour.

Zhong Shun Chao, Ye Chong, and Luo Qingchen, after passing An Le, did not choose to descend. A flicker of eagerness stirred within their hearts.

An Le was ascending the mountain for the Minor Sacred Token.

Only the Mountain Lord was qualified to distribute the Minor Sacred Token. There were two ways to obtain it: one was for a family elder to pay a significant price to acquire it from the Mountain Lord.

The other was to catch the Mountain Lord's eye and pass their trial.

Neither method was easy. The Mountain Lord's temperament was unpredictable, and they might not be willing to make an exchange. The second method, relying on an intangible "eye for," was even more uncertain.

Therefore, when they learned that An Le had the opportunity and the courage to pursue the Minor Sacred Token, Zhong Shun Chao and Ye Chong were filled with admiration.

Their hearts burned with eagerness, and they did not descend but followed An Le, ascending the mountain with him.

Luo Qingchen, having been dealt a blow by An Le's unseen influence, wore a pained expression. He had intended to descend, but after careful consideration, he too joined Zhong Shun Chao and Ye Chong in their ascent.

They were climbing merely to contend for that sliver of a chance. If they performed better than the ascending youth, perhaps... they might gain the Mountain Lord's favor and obtain the Minor Sacred Token?

The heavy rain poured down, turning the washed stone path into a babbling stream that flowed like a short waterfall.

After the white-clothed youth, the three followed, climbing the mountain.

Seeing Zhong Shun Chao, Ye Chong, and Luo Qingchen follow them up the mountain and not be driven away by the Mountain Lord, the many cultivators gathered at the foot of the mountain felt a stir of ambition.

Climbing these mountain steps didn't seem impossible. What if... they could outshine the young man? Perhaps a legend could be forged.

In an instant, from the carriages halted in the torrential rain, cultivators emerged one after another, holding oil-paper umbrellas. They were like flowers blooming in the heavens and earth, like a hundred ships racing to ascend the green mountain's stone path.

An Le currently had no time to concern himself with the many cultivators who had followed him up, intending to seize this opportunity.

But even if he did, he wouldn't care. Since the Mountain Lord hadn't stopped them, it meant they had tacit permission.

Opportunity was there. If you were fated to connect with it, no one could take it away. If it was taken, then you were simply not fated.

Ascending high to witness the magnificent world, the vast river flows ceaselessly.

The water flowing down the stone path contained sword qi, like a rushing river, obstructing the path forward.

The moment An Le took his first step, he felt the sword qi emanating from the mountain. An invisible pressure bore down, making his shoulders feel as if they were carrying the mountain itself as he moved with great difficulty.

The Blood Essence from his perfected first realm of Body Tempering surged within him, but it was utterly incapable of suppressing the sword qi in the flowing water. His body swayed precariously, with the risk of being washed away.

After struggling to ascend about ten steps, he felt utterly exhausted, his progress agonizingly slow.

But An Le was not rushed. His gaze was fixed through the rain curtain, locked onto the next stone step. He felt the sword qi and the pressure, mobilizing the muscles in his legs as he stepped onto the next tier.

Zhong Shun Chao and Ye Chong followed behind An Le, their expressions peculiar.

"Why is he so slow?"

"The sword qi and pressure at the foot of the mountain have only just begun to surge, and he's already struggling this much at the start. Is he really trying to compete for the Minor Sacred Token like this?"

The two exchanged glances, their eyes filled with confusion. They didn't look down on him, but they were somewhat taken aback.

Seeing a part to infer the whole, seeing a leaf to know the deep autumn.

Although they couldn't see clearly, they could infer from this that the ascending youth's cultivation might not be high.

"First realm of Body Tempering, initial stage of Spirit Refinement with Fetal Respiration, nothing more."

Luo Qingchen spoke, hands behind his back. His scholar's robe fluttered, and sword qi swirled around him, keeping the wind and rain at bay.

Zhong Shun Chao and Ye Chong were instantly astonished. The other cultivators who had followed, holding their umbrellas, were also wide-eyed with shock.

With such low cultivation... he refused to become a Mountain Guardian, yet he wanted to contend for the Minor Sacred Token? Was he insane?

Wasn't that a bit overestimating himself?

The many cultivators, peering through the rain curtain, gazed at the young man's stubborn and faltering ascent, falling silent for a moment.

No one mocked him, however. After all, the young man had caught the Mountain Lord's eye and could have entered Sacred Mountain, but he refused.

They had no right to mock his courage in seeking the path of cultivation by striving for the Minor Sacred Token.

But many cultivators felt excited, as this meant their chances of seizing an opportunity and obtaining the Minor Sacred Token had grown even greater.

The roaring rain washed down as the cultivators, silent and wordless, continued their ascent.

Luo Qingchen stared at An Le's retreating back. After being discouraged so many times, the confident smile had vanished from his face. He watched for a long while, then let out a breath and cautiously stepped past An Le.

There was no change.

Following this, Luo Qingchen, hands behind his back, broke through the wind and rain, ascending the steps with an ethereal grace.

Zhong Shun Chao and Ye Chong, standing beside him, also chose not to follow An Le's slow, trudging pace. They passed the figure in white amidst the rain and continued their climb.

The rain poured down, and time waited for no one.

One after another, cultivators surpassed An Le, ascending the green mountain against the flow of the rain-soaked steps.

An Le gradually fell behind.

However, he was not the last. Behind him, another figure followed, gracefully holding an oiled paper umbrella, dressed in simple yet elegant clothes, her face hidden by a veil.

The young girl followed An Le, watching him quietly. Her gaze lingered on the Bamboo Sword at An Le's waist, her eyes narrowing slightly. She then observed the boy's laborious climb.

She wanted to see what made this boy dare to compete for the Minor Sacred Token.

An Le climbed step by step, the pressure growing with each one. Every drop of rain contained sword qi, aiming to pin him to the mountain path.

He could no longer pay attention to others; his entire focus was on climbing. The Blood Essence within him was assaulted by the biting spring rain, making it impossible to circulate, like shackles binding his body. He struggled to move, trapped between advancing and retreating.

This situation was his own choice, and he had no regrets.

He visualized the Sword Waterfall Diagram in his mind, seeing the billions of raindrops falling from the sky transform into billions of sword qi, like a cascading waterfall, like a galaxy.

At this moment, it perfectly mirrored the scene in the Sword Waterfall Diagram.

An Le did not hesitate, channeling all the Time Qi he had absorbed that day into the Sword Waterfall Diagram, increasing it from four strands to eleven.

With a thought, he entered the Fetal Respiration state, his mind exploring his surroundings, his breathing as calm as a gentle stream.

The Dao Fruit of Innate Swordsman seemed to awaken at this moment, like a greedy sponge, absorbing the sword qi mixed within the biting spring rain.

The Dao Fruit of Talent of the Ages trembled slightly.

An Le's mind grew stronger through his visualization. Within his Niwan Palace, a sword floated quietly, and strands of sword qi were born around him, weaving into a veritable sword pool.

Scenes from the past, which he had witnessed, flickered before his eyes.

He saw a young boy practicing the Five Animals beneath a waterfall.

An Le's eyes lit up. He looked up at the sky, the torrential rain like a waterfall, and he intended to temper his body with this cascading rain.

The young girl behind him suddenly widened her bright eyes beneath her veil.

This was because the boy, standing on the stone steps, had begun to practice the Five Animals.

Tiger Style, Bear Style, Ape Style, Deer Style, Bird Style... within the small space of the stone steps, he performed the Five Animals for body tempering!

The shackles that had been confining the boy's body shattered with a roar. Blood Essence surged beneath his skin, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, like a spring breeze arriving overnight, mixed with the rain and sword qi, gradually infused his limbs and the hundred meridians, seeping into his bones!

An Le, at this moment, entered the second realm of Body Tempering, forging Spirit Bones imbued with sword qi!

Spirit Refinement and Body Tempering proceeded simultaneously, Fetal Respiration condensed into a sword pool, and Spirit Bones imbued with sword qi were forged!

What kind of talent was this?!

The young girl holding the umbrella behind An Le looked on in astonishment.

If it were an ordinary cultivator in the first realm of Body Tempering, they would likely be like tender flowers in the mountains, their backs broken by this green mountain's sword rain.

Yet, the boy was going against the flow, drawing sword qi to forge Spirit Bones and observing the sword rain to gather a sword pool!

What spirit!

No wonder he had the confidence to gamble for the Minor Sacred Token.

On the mountain path, heaven and earth suddenly fell silent.

An Le opened his eyes, a smile on his lips. Having stepped into the second realm of Body Tempering and broken through the shackles, the sword qi emanating from the mountain steps felt gentle, and the pressure that had been there felt like a spring breeze.

He lifted his foot and stepped onto the next stone.

Then, step by step, he moved with fluid grace, no longer encountering any obstacles.

Luo Qingchen reached the 280th step and could no longer maintain his composure. The rain soaked his face and his scholar's robe.

He lifted his foot, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not place it on the next step.

Sword qi erupted, and the pressure was like a mountain.

On the 300th step, the Ink-Colored Azure Blade, stuck in the peach tree, let out a clear sword cry, cheering and leaping.

However, Luo Qingchen could only gaze at it, unreachable.

Rainwater slid down the corner of his eyes, carrying a sense of unwillingness.

Zhong Shun Chao and Ye Chong were the same; they sighed, knowing this Minor Sacred Token was not meant for them.

On the mountain path, oiled paper umbrellas were scattered haphazardly. Cultivators, no longer at ease, each encountered shackles and obstacles that were difficult to break.

Some had contorted faces, some gave up struggling, some sighed with resignation…

As expected, piggybacking on opportunities wasn't that easy.

Suddenly.

There were clear footsteps, splashing rainwater with each step, rhythmic and steady.

"Do not hear the sound of wind piercing the forest and beating the leaves, why not chant and walk leisurely."

Then, the white-clothed youth, who had been at the very back, a tattered Bamboo Sword at his waist, calmly ascended the steps.

There was no longer any difficulty or obstruction.

He overtook cultivator after cultivator who had stopped on the stone path.

He overtook Zhong Shun Chao and Ye Chong.

He overtook Luo Qingchen, who couldn't place his foot.

Ascending the three hundred steps, he arrived beneath the peach tree. The green mountains seemed to become charming because of it.

An Le reached out and, under everyone's gaze, grasped the Ink Pool.

He drew it out as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

After finishing this chapter in one go, I humbly request your crucial follow-up reads, as well as recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Old Li thanks you!