Yes, that martial uncle from Past Arrival Peak knew Jing Jiu.
The hundred-odd inner disciples beside Sword-Washing Creek all knew Jing Jiu.
Although he had spent the past two years at South Pine Pavilion and had only just entered the inner sect, he had long since become famous.
Of course, it was not because he had given a perfect answer, but because he was rumored to have an unimaginably perfect face, and to be unimaginably lazy.
When Jing Jiu entered the Sword-Washing Pavilion, the lively chatter stopped abruptly, and countless gazes turned toward him.
The Sword-Washing Pavilion divided disciples into several classes according to their realms and the qualities they had shown in the outer sect. Here were a dozen or so young disciples who, like Jing Jiu, had just entered the inner sect.
Long accustomed to being stared at, Jing Jiu walked forward and found an inconspicuous seat by the window.
But however inconspicuous the seat, his face was far too eye-catching. Even the immortal master who came into the Sword-Washing Pavilion to teach could not help glancing at him.
This immortal master had an otherworldly, unfathomable air. He was Lin Wuzhi, a third-generation disciple from Heavenly Light Peak.
Unlike his fellow disciples who had devoted themselves to Twofold Forgetting Peak, Lin Wuzhi did not display his sharp edge openly, nor did he have the imposing reputation of Zhuo Rusui, who was currently in seclusion. But he was, after all, the sect master's personal disciple. That he personally taught the most elementary knowledge of the Sword Dao showed how seriously the Green Mountain Sect took Sword Washing.
Of course, it might also have been because Lin Wuzhi had an amusing way of speaking, well suited to sparking these Sword Dao beginners' interest.
"What kind of sect is our Green Mountain Sect?"
Lin Wuzhi was not looking for the disciples to answer. Smiling, he went on by himself, "Certainly not a Chan sect, nor a demonic sect or a fire sect. We are a sword sect."
Jing Jiu gazed out the window at the willows beside the creek, thinking that after all these years, it was still the same seemingly amusing but actually tedious nonsense.
He wondered where Liu S sui was now, and how he was doing.
He thought there ought to be laughter here.
Sure enough, the young disciples' delighted laughter rang through Sword Pavilion.
Lin Wuzhi continued with a smile, "Naturally, a sword sect cultivates the sword, so the first thing we need to understand is the sword. Many sects in this world cultivate the sword. The No-Grace Gate uses swords, the Never-Old Forest uses swords, and that fellow Jian Xilai uses a sword too. But why is our great Green Mountain alone called the orthodox lineage of the Sword Dao? Because Green Mountain has nine peaks, the nine peaks have nine swords, and those nine swords can settle all beneath heaven!"
Jing Jiu thought there might be applause here.
Sure enough, the young disciples' excited cheers and applause rang through Sword Pavilion.
"Heavenly Light Peak's sword is named Heaven-Bearing, meaning to bear heaven's great charge, and its sword technique is also named Heaven-Bearing. Shangde Peak's principal sword is named Three Feet and uses the Snow-Flowing Sword Art; Cloud-Traveling Peak's principal sword is named All Emptiness and uses the Azure Bird Sword Art; Qingrong Peak's principal sword is named Jinse and uses the Uncaused Sword Art; Shiyue Peak's principal sword is named Returning Sun and uses the Six Dragons Sword Technique; the Peak Master of Past Arrival Peak's principal sword is named Like Years and uses the Seven Plum Sword Art; Jade Lake Peak's principal sword is named Tide Comes and uses the Eight Directions Sword Art."
When Lin Wuzhi stopped there, the disciples could not help feeling puzzled. One bold disciple raised a hand and asked, "What about the Ninth Peak?"
Lin Wuzhi said, "Divine End Peak's principal sword is named Fusi and uses the Nine Deaths Sword Art. But Grandmaster Uncle Jingyang took that sword with him when he ascended."
The disciples realized that one of the nine swords was still missing and asked, "Then what about Twofold Forgetting Peak?"
"Twofold Forgetting Peak Master Sword is named Nondual." Lin Wuzhi sighed and said, "It was also taken away when Grandmaster Uncle Jingyang ascended."
Jing Jiu was still looking out the window.
The bracelet on his wrist reflected the daylight, gleaming faintly.
Murmurs rose in the Sword-Washing Pavilion.
Grandmaster Uncle Jingyang's ascension was certainly a good thing, but why could he not simply have left? Why had he taken those two peerless, renowned swords with him?
Taking the Ninth Peak's Unthought Sword would have been one thing, but why had he also taken Twofold Forgetting Peak's Nondual Sword?
With two of the nine swords lost, however one looked at it, the Green Mountain Sect's strength had suffered a tremendous blow.
Listening to the disciples' discussions, Lin Wuzhi raised his brows slightly, somewhat displeased.
"Our granduncle's ascension was the greatest glory of our Green Mountain Sect, and a glory for those two swords as well."
He looked at the disciples and said gravely, "Our strength was diminished simply because we lost two swords? You must understand that a sword rises with its wielder. As long as the person is strong enough, the sword they wield will be strong enough. If one day you can cultivate to the Heaven-Connecting Realm, your swords will qualify to become the principal swords of Various Peaks, taking the places of the Nondual Sword and the Unthought Sword."
The disciples wore different expressions as they listened, and their thoughts differed as well.
Some disciples had their lofty ambitions stirred; others felt a heavy weight settle on their shoulders. More felt that these matters had nothing whatsoever to do with them.
They had only just entered the inner sect and had merely reached perfection in the Spirit Embracing Realm. The legendary Heaven-Connecting Realm was unimaginably far away.
Even if they were true geniuses, they had no confidence that they could reach that point on the great path of cultivation.
Across the continent, there were only a handful of Great Figures in the Heaven-Connecting Realm, and in the Green Mountain Sect, only the sect master.
Seeing their expressions, Lin Wuzhi knew what they were thinking. "However far you ultimately travel, if you lack the will to reach the end, why set foot on this difficult great path? A meal must be eaten one mouthful at a time, and a road must be walked one step at a time. Without taking a single step, how can you travel a thousand miles?"
The disciples' expressions grew slightly solemn at his words.
Lin Wuzhi said, "Once you receive the sword scripture today, you must study it carefully and cultivate diligently. Understood?"
Whether or not they had truly taken his words to heart, the disciples answered in unison, "Understood!"
Lin Wuzhi nodded and continued his lecture.
"The sword scripture is broad in scope, enough for your cultivation until the Sword Inheritance Assembly. Only after you gain a master at the Sword Inheritance Assembly may you choose one of those supreme sword arts I just mentioned. Before studying the Sword Dao, however, you must first lay a solid foundation and raise your realms as quickly as possible. Otherwise, what difference is there between a sword and scrap iron to you?"
"During the Sword-Washing Stage, you must pass the trials of the second realm."
"Our sect's second realm is itself divided into two realms: Zhitong and Guarding the One."
"What is Zhitong? Establish yourself in the origin, and your understanding will commune with the divine. In this realm, you must pour your Spirit Sea into your Dao Seed, helping it mature until it becomes a towering tree and bears Sword Fruit."
"When Sword Fruit forms, sword intent arises and establishes a stable connection with a flying sword. Only then can you control a sword against an enemy."
"This realm can also be called Guocheng, which is why I have always wondered whether that Great Figure who founded the Fruitful Accomplishment Temple secretly studied our sword scripture."
Jing Jiu withdrew his gaze from the window, accepted the sword scripture handed out by the steward, and opened it to the first page. There he saw those familiar words in ink.
Amid the unceasing laughter and cheerful chatter in the Sword-Washing Pavilion, he remained silent.
"Then what is Guarding the One?"
"Hold to the one and dwell in harmony. This means to hold fast to the Great Dao and attain harmony within yourself."
"In this realm, True Essence flows through the body like mercury and turns into Sword Essence. The Sword Fruit gradually takes on a golden quality as well, a sign that the Sword Pellet is about to form."
"Once the Sword Pellet forms, sword intent approaches solidity. A flying sword can cleave stone and cut metal. Within ten zhang, you can command it as readily as your arm commands your fingers, killing wherever your gaze falls."
"What interests you most is probably Sword Control."
"That's right. Congratulations in advance. As long as you can form a Sword Pellet, you will be able to travel by Sword Control. With sufficient Sword Essence, you could even fly straight to the Heavenly Light Peak Summit."
"Of course, there is another benefit. As mentioned earlier, once you reach this point, you can participate in the Sword Inheritance Assembly and become a personal disciple of one of the sword peaks."
The laughter and cheerful chatter in the Sword-Washing Pavilion continued.
Jing Jiu merely looked at the four familiar inked words on the sword scripture's first page, seemingly lost in thought.
"Someone just asked: unlike in the Initial Realm, in the second realm you cannot judge your cultivation progress by looking inward at your Spirit Sea, so what standard do we use?"
"The answer is very simple. At least, it is very simple in our great Green Mountain."
"The Nether Department looks at soul fire, the Fruitful Accomplishment Temple looks at the Chan heart, and we look at Sword Fruit. But once everyone has formed Sword Fruit, how do we judge? Then we look at your Sword Control ability."
"If your sword can kill an opponent a hundred zhang away with one strike, that is Mind Bearing."
"If your sword can fly more than ten li to kill an opponent, that is Wandering the Wilds."
"If your sword can travel a thousand li in one strike, naturally, you have reached heaven."
"If your sword can break through space and depart, slaying Outsider Heavenly Demons beyond this realm, then you are the strongest person on our Chaotian Continent."
These standards were not merely simple and crude; they even sounded somewhat absurd. The disciples in the Sword-Washing Pavilion discussed them among themselves, but seeing that Lin Wuzhi did not appear to be pretending, they could only believe him.
Whatever clamor arose around him, Jing Jiu kept looking at the four inked words on the sword scripture's first page.
-One Sword for All Things.
Before you continue