Liu S sui had been learning swordsmanship from Gu Han all along, but he was not qualified to enter Twofold Forgetting Peak and still practiced beside Sword-Washing Creek.
Jing Jiu knew the place, but he had not even left his cave abode, so naturally he had never been there.
Following Sword-Washing Creek upstream, the water gradually widened until, at its end, a smooth stone cliff several hundred yards high rose straight ahead.
Clear water flowed down the cliff, rippling as it passed the densely packed sword holes, a beautiful sight.
Every few yards across the creek, a row of round stones protruded above the surface, slick and wet, difficult to stand steadily on.
More than a dozen disciples stood on the stones practicing swordsmanship.
Their sword intent was chilling. Occasionally came the sound of air being sliced, a flash of white light vanishing in an instant, and swords flew out from time to time.
Some flying swords pierced deep into the cliff before flying back, their disciples looking calm and confident.
Some flying swords fell into the water while still several yards from the cliff, and their disciples jumped in to retrieve them, looking rather bedraggled and ashamed.
Some disciples stood on the bank a little farther away, watching these scenes with envy.
They had yet to obtain swords from Sword Peak, while these fellow disciples could already send their swords through the cliff from more than ten yards away, having entered the Shouyi Realm.
Jing Jiu saw Liu S sui standing on a stone in the creek and walked over.
The disciples were astonished to see him and began talking among themselves.
It was just like when he had first walked out of his courtyard at South Pine Pavilion.
Liu S sui recalled his flying sword and looked at the distinct sword hole in the cliff, rather pleased with his progress. Then he saw Jing Jiu.
He was delighted, but intense unease immediately showed on his face. Unable to speak conveniently, he shook his head at Jing Jiu and signaled with his eyes for him to go back first; he would come find him shortly.
It was too late.
Gu Han had already noticed the commotion behind him. He turned toward Jing Jiu and asked coldly, "Need something?"
Dozens of gazes settled on Jing Jiu.
Jing Jiu glanced at him without speaking.
Not everyone saw Jing Jiu's look, but everyone understood his meaning very clearly.
If I didn't need something, what would I be doing here?
That being so, the question was naturally pointless.
The atmosphere beside the creek immediately grew somewhat uneasy.
Unexpectedly, Gu Han did not lose his temper. Instead, he asked, "What is it?"
Jing Jiu said, "None of your business."
An uproar broke out beside the creek. Disciples and instructors alike were utterly shocked.
An ordinary disciple actually dared to speak to Senior Brother Gu Han of Twofold Forgetting Peak with such an attitude!
Jing Jiu had not intended to humiliate Gu Han. He did not even quite understand why everyone looked so shocked.
He was merely answering Gu Han's question.
What he wanted to do truly had nothing to do with Gu Han.
But he had not considered what his answer meant to everyone listening.
Extremely nervous, Liu S sui hurried back from the creek.
He wanted to offer a few words of explanation for Jing Jiu, but Gu Han stopped him.
"It's already been half a year, and your cultivation has still made no progress. There's not even a shadow of a Sword Fruit."
Gu Han looked at Jing Jiu expressionlessly. "I hear you want to use Uncle-Master Mo's sword. Do you think you're qualified?"
Jing Jiu said, "Yes."
Silence fell beside the creek.
Someone could not hold back a snort of laughter.
People had imagined how Jing Jiu might respond to Gu Han's reprimand, but no one had expected him to end the conversation with a single word.
He had not hesitated at all before saying yes.
Gu Han's face darkened somewhat, and he said coldly, "You'll never step onto the true great path to heaven by relying on pills. Give up that idea."
This time, the answer came not from Jing Jiu, but from a gentle voice filled with authority.
"The great path leads to heaven. Who can judge which method is correct?"
Everyone moved aside, and Gu Han bowed slightly as well.
The newcomer was Uncle-Master Mei Li of Qingrong Peak. Her face was like winter plum blossoms in the snow, beautiful without being gaudy, with a chill all its own.
She looked at Gu Han and said, "Regardless of who leads someone through the door, cultivation rests with the individual. How Jing Jiu cultivates truly has nothing to do with you. You shouldn't interfere."
Gu Han said expressionlessly, "I certainly don't care whether he lives or dies. I only want to rein in that mouth of his."
The crowd parted again. Junior Sister Yushan and the youth surnamed Yuan from Lelang Commandery hurried over with Lin Wuzhi.
Lin Wuzhi looked at Gu Han and smiled. "Junior Brother Gu, Jing Jiu is in my class. Even if someone wanted to discipline him, it wouldn't be your turn."
Gu Han drew a deep breath, gave Jing Jiu a long look, then turned to leave.
"Decide for yourself which path you'll take from now on."
Naturally, he was not speaking to Jing Jiu, but to Liu S sui, and his meaning was perfectly clear.
If Liu S sui did not leave with him now, but stayed with Jing Jiu instead, he need not try to set foot on Twofold Forgetting Peak again.
Liu S sui glanced at Jing Jiu, then turned toward Gu Han's retreating figure, his young face filled with hesitation and conflict.
Jing Jiu turned and walked in another direction.
Watching his retreating back, Uncle-Master Mei Li of Qingrong Peak showed a look of appreciation.
"Jing Jiu, you should still work a little harder. Get a sword into your hands first."
She called after the departing Jing Jiu.
Jing Jiu neither turned nor stopped walking.
"Oh... all right."
Watching Jing Jiu disappear around the bend in the creek, Uncle-Master Mei Li narrowed her eyes slightly, her thoughts unknown.
Lin Wuzhi walked up beside her and smiled. "Uncle-Master, is Qingrong Peak interested in Jing Jiu too?"
Uncle-Master Mei Li glanced at him. "If you're representing the sect master's wishes, then naturally we won't compete."
Lin Wuzhi said, "It's Uncle-Master Mo's wish. He wants to see whether Jing Jiu has any hope."
Uncle-Master Mei Li gave a cold laugh. "Then forget about it. As long as Jing Jiu can inherit a sword, he's bound to enter our Qingrong Peak. Just look at that child's face. Where else could he go but here?"
The two exchanged a glance, then parted.
For the Green Mountain Sect, the Sword Inheritance Assembly had an enormous influence on the various peaks' legacies and foundations.
If a peak could gain a truly outstanding disciple, then decades or even centuries later, it might gain an unparalleled expert in the Sea-Breaking Realm.
If you missed that outstanding disciple, it was tantamount to presenting that unparalleled expert to another sword peak with both hands.
Jing Jiu was clearly an unusual disciple. Who would not pay attention to him? If he ultimately proved to be useless, that would be that. But the Sword Inheritance Assembly was still half a year away, and failing that, there was always the next Sword Inheritance Assembly. Who would cut off all hope in advance?
Perhaps only a place like Twofold Forgetting Peak, which had no need for a legacy and no shortage of geniuses, could produce someone like Gu Han.
Jing Jiu understood perfectly well why Mei Li of Qingrong Peak and Lin Wuzhi had stepped forward to help him out, but he did not care.
Even now, he himself was still unsure which peak he wanted to join.
Back in his cave abode, he opened his hand and looked at the pale blue pill in his palm, remaining silent for a while.
This pill was called the Xuanji Pill. It was tremendously helpful in stabilizing the Sword Pellets of disciples in the Shouyi Realm, and naturally it was extremely rare.
Yesterday, Junior Sister Yushan had told him about the Sword Inheritance Assembly. Thinking S sui might need it, he had made today's trip, and then encountered today's incident.
Remembering the look Gu Han had given him before leaving, Jing Jiu raised his brows slightly. A faint smile appeared on his exquisite face as he murmured, "Somewhat interesting."
For Jing Jiu, boredom was a very rare feeling, and finding something somewhat interesting was equally rare.
Before leaving, Gu Han had given him a long look, using his Sword Sense to examine his body inside and out.
Overbearing and fierce, utterly unreasonable and condescending.
Jing Jiu had not encountered such a thing in many years.
He found it somewhat unfamiliar, and somewhat displeasing.
Back then, if I had encountered such a thing and felt displeased, what would I have done?
Jing Jiu quietly thought back.
If displeased, naturally I would have killed him with one stroke.
Of course, that would not do now.
Gu Han's offense did not warrant death.
He was not someone who enjoyed killing.
More importantly, to kill the other person with one stroke...
First, you had to have a sword.
He had no sword at present.
And without a sword, naturally he could not participate in the Sword Inheritance Assembly.
It seemed he really did need a sword.
The bracelet on his wrist trembled slightly.
"I can't very well use you."
Jing Jiu said, "Besides, I promised Little Mo."
He needed a sword.
Swords were on Sword Peak.
So Jing Jiu went to Sword Peak.
Before you continue