Nine Nights

On the second night, Liu S sui came to Jing Jiu's cave abode again. He did not stay long, leaving after only a few words.

As an innate Dao Seed on whom the entire Green Mountain Sect pinned great hopes, Liu S sui was now under far too much pressure. There were many equally gifted disciples in the inner sect; even if their talent fell slightly short of his, they cultivated harder than he did. Not to mention that he was now learning swordsmanship from Gu Han and often encountered those monsters on Twofold Forgetting Peak. Naturally, he could not relax.

On the third night, Liu S sui came, made Jing Jiu's bed, folded his bedding, and brought him tea and water.

Jing Jiu noticed that he had some trouble walking on his left leg, then discovered a wound on the back of his neck.

"Were you beaten again?"

Liu S sui hurriedly explained, "It had nothing to do with Senior Brother Gu. I was injured during a sword bout."

Jing Jiu said nothing more.

Perhaps because he had lied, or perhaps because he had defended Gu Han in front of Jing Jiu, Liu S sui felt the atmosphere grow somewhat awkward.

"Then, young master... shall I go?"

Jing Jiu ignored him.

Wind rose outside the cave. Sword light illuminated a corner of the night, then vanished in an instant.

Jing Jiu raised his head and looked toward that spot in silence.

He knew Twofold Forgetting Peak's way of doing things very well. Any disciple they took a liking to would be kept under extremely strict control. The pressure Liu S sui faced was bound to be immense.

On the fourth night, the courtyard gate was pushed open again, but tonight's visitor was not Liu S sui. It was the fat man he had met once on Sword Peak that day.

"My name is Ma Hua. It's a very unremarkable name, and I rank thirty-seventh on Twofold Forgetting Peak, which is also very unremarkable. But of course, I'm far more important than you, though you're more famous than I am. You should know perfectly well why I'm here tonight. Yes, I'm delivering a message for Third Senior Brother Gu: don't see S sui again. There's no need to rush to speak. I know you look down on these methods, and as long as you don't join Twofold Forgetting Peak, we have no grounds to interfere with you. But don't forget, S sui is learning swordsmanship with us now."

Ma Hua looked at Jing Jiu and said with a smile, "S sui is being punished under the peak rules every day now. The injuries aren't serious, but they still hurt. Tell me, what's the point?"

Jing Jiu glanced at him.

Ma Hua continued, "At South Pine Pavilion, S sui could give up cultivation to follow you. But you know he can't make that choice now."

Jing Jiu knew that what he said was true. As an innate Dao Seed, having come among the Nine Peaks and encountered those alluring Great Dao sword arts, who could simply give them up?

"Of course, we won't force him to choose."

Ma Hua said with a smile, "In fact, if he can't come to see you, you can always go to see him."

The meaning hidden in those words ran deep, but to Jing Jiu, it was as clear as stones in a shallow stream.

Jing Jiu was somewhat surprised. "You want me to join Twofold Forgetting Peak?"

Ma Hua looked at him and said with a smile, "I don't think the same way Gu San does. I don't care whether you got into the inner sect by taking pills or some other means. All I know is that you're this lazy, yet you've still made it this far. That can only mean you're a true genius too, and there's nothing our Twofold Forgetting Peak likes better than geniuses."

The problem was that Jing Jiu did not like Twofold Forgetting Peak.

He pointed outside the cave, indicating that his guest should leave.

Ma Hua's smile did not fade. Instead, it deepened. "Interesting. Interesting."

On the fifth night, Liu S sui came.

Jing Jiu saw no external injuries on him, but he saw weariness on his face, and some hesitation in his eyes.

The cave abode was very quiet. After finishing his chores, S sui stood before him with his head lowered and said, "Sword practice is too hard, and there's too much coursework. I can't come every day..."

Jing Jiu raised a hand. S sui understood what he meant and stopped speaking.

"Cultivation requires concentration to begin with."

Liu S sui raised his head and looked at Jing Jiu's profile.

Jing Jiu was reading the Sword Scripture and appeared very focused.

Liu S sui knew that he simply did not want to look at him.

The young master was lazy and never read.

On the sixth night, Liu S sui did not come.

On the seventh night, he came.

On the eighth night, he did not come.

The ninth night.

Jing Jiu raised his head and glanced out the window, confirming that it was already late. He probably would not come.

After that, he never looked out the window again.

The days that followed remained just as monotonous, with little worth mentioning.

The disciples of the Sword-Washing Pavilion cultivated diligently. The dozen or so disciples who had entered the inner sect with him climbed Sword Peak ceaselessly every day. It was said that several had glimpsed hope of success. Only Jing Jiu remained as he had been at South Pine Pavilion, basking in the sun every day and carefully placing grains of sand in his dish, waiting for time to turn his ocean-like Spirit Sea into the nourishment his Sword Fruit needed.

Thus, he once again became an oddity.

But unlike at South Pine Pavilion, the immortal master Lin Wuzhi from Heavenly Light Peak was responsible only for answering the disciples' questions, and paid no attention whatsoever to the fact that he never attended lessons.

The other disciples were somewhat curious at first, but after observing him for a while and finding him exactly as the rumors described, they stopped paying attention to him and rarely even discussed him.

After all, the path of the sword was arduous and perilous, demanding diligence and constant progress. Who had time to concern themselves with others?

Some days later, North Crane Pavilion and other places sent in another group of new disciples who had passed the assessment. Several disciples came from South Pine Pavilion as well, including Xue Yongge, Junior Sister Yushan, and the youth surnamed Yuan from Lelang Commandery. It seemed Master Lü's departure had not affected them greatly.

At the Sword-Washing Pavilion, Xue Yongge made quite an effort to publicize Jing Jiu's laziness and bad habits. Unfortunately, he found little response.

Junior Sister Yushan and the youth from Lelang Commandery said a few words in Jing Jiu's defense, then made a special trip to visit him.

Jing Jiu still did not quite understand, but he behaved much more warmly than he had at South Pine Pavilion.

He remembered Junior Sister Yushan's name, and treated her and the youth from Lelang Commandery to two mountain fruits.

That night, two apes crossed the mountain to visit. Finding no fruit to eat, they could not help feeling somewhat aggrieved.

Time passed slowly and peacefully in this way.

Liu S sui came secretly twice, making his bed, folding his bedding, sweeping the courtyard, and exchanging a few words.

Whether because the pressure was now too great or because cultivation was too arduous, he spoke less and less.

Only a few days later did Jing Jiu learn from Junior Sister Yushan that the date of the Sword Inheritance Assembly had been set for early spring of the following year.

Counting carefully, there were only six months left until the sword inheritance.

The most eagerly anticipated person at this Sword Inheritance Assembly was, of course, Zhao Layue. It could even be said that all eyes were on her. Reportedly, even other sects were discussing which peak had already reserved her as its sword inheritor, and which peak she herself would ultimately choose to inherit a sword from.

Apart from Zhao Layue, Liu S sui drew the most attention.

Everyone was curious about this innate Dao Seed's speed of cultivation.

Liu S sui had already formed his Sword Pellet. If he could reach perfection in the Guarding Unity realm and qualify to participate in the Sword Inheritance Assembly, he would certainly become the focus of contention among the peaks.

If so, he would become the second-youngest sword inheritor in history.

Early the next morning, Jing Jiu left his cave abode.

He was going to find Liu S sui.