At the foot of the mountain, a bluestone path wound upward along the mountainside, linking the various halls of Guiyuan Peak.
It was afternoon, and sunlight filtered through the clouds and mist, casting dappled light and shadow across the stone steps.
Inner Disciples came along the mountain path in small groups, some carrying books, others with longswords hanging at their waists, conversing quietly in twos and threes.
"Have you heard? The Seven Kill Sect sacrificed fifty or sixty thousand people in Fenglin City. Our sect sent twenty-five disciples, and only five came back."
"How could that happen? The Seven Kill Sect is nothing but a bunch of remnants. How could they be so capable?"
"Apparently, they walked into an ambush. The Seven Kill Sect stationed suicide fighters at the Formation Flags, and the attacks they unleashed carried psychic attacks..."
"That Seven Kill Sect is truly vile, even more hateful than the demonic sects. Not only do they sacrifice living beings, they resort to dirty tricks like these."
"If we ever take a mission to wipe out the Seven Kill Sect, we'll have to be careful."
The disciples passed Chen Xuan with sighs of dismay, never noticing that the refined-looking youth in blue robes was one of the five survivors of this operation against the Seven Kill Sect.
Chen Xuan remained composed and continued toward the Scripture Pavilion.
Before long.
Chen Xuan arrived before the Scripture Pavilion.
It was a five-story building constructed entirely of bluestone, with sweeping eaves and upturned corners, magnificent in its grandeur.
Two stone lions stood before its doors. A golden plaque hung above the entrance, bearing the words "Scripture Pavilion" in vigorous strokes that conveyed boundless majesty.
Quite a few Inner Disciples were coming and going at the Scripture Pavilion's entrance.
Some emerged carrying thick stacks