Zhao Layue knew what Gu Han wanted to ask, but she had no intention of answering and continued forward.
"Stop!"
Gu Han spoke in a low voice.
He drew a deep breath, brought his emotions under control, and said to her retreating figure, "Various Peaks have already grown decrepit. Green Mountain's future lies only with us..."
Zhao Layue did not let him finish.
"You're wrong. Green Mountain's future lies with me, not with you."
With that, she continued toward Sword Peak and soon disappeared into the wind and snow.
Watching the black speck grow smaller and smaller in the snowstorm, Gu Han silently wondered, What about Jing Jiu, then? Why exactly are you paying attention to him?
The wind and snow suddenly swirled into chaos as a flying sword cut through the air toward him. He stepped onto it and rode against the wind, turning into a trail of white smoke.
Drifting upward, Gu Han soon arrived among the slopes of a beautiful peak to the southwest.
The peak was lovely, yet fierce sword light flashed everywhere among its cliffs and terraces, brimming with murderous intent and the iron tang of blood. Even the snowflakes falling from the sky melted into wisps of smoke.
This was Green Mountain's second peak, Twofold Forgetting Peak.
Gathered here were the finest disciples from Various Peaks. Most had already cultivated to the Wuzhang Realm, and a very few had even entered the Wandering the Wilds Realm.
Gu Han liked this feeling very much.
Like most young disciples on Twofold Forgetting Peak, he disliked the ways of the other peaks, including the Sword Inheritance Assembly. In their eyes, these were merely pointless attempts by Various Peaks to snatch talented disciples to perpetuate their own lineages, serving no purpose beyond causing severe internal strife.
The sword light vanished into the cave abode atop Twofold Forgetting Peak.
"We can't keep watching from the sidelines like this. For some reason, Layue is rather resistant to us."
Gu Han spoke to the figure facing away from him.
"I'll speak to Junior Sister. You must make sure nothing goes wrong with Qing'er and S sui."
Without turning around, the man asked, "Also, I'd like to know what exactly you think of Jing Jiu now."
Gu Han fell silent for a moment, then said, "I don't like him."
The man turned around. His features were delicate, his expression gentle.
He was Guo Nanshan, the Green Mountain sect master's first disciple, and he also held another position: chief disciple of Twofold Forgetting Peak.
"Ma Hua has already proved that his judgment was correct."
Guo Nanshan smiled. "But I still support what you did. No matter how talented someone is, it means nothing if he cannot endure tempering. That boy endured your repeated humiliations without even daring to draw his sword. How could he vanquish demons, defend the Dao, and serve our Green Mountain in the future?"
Gu Han said expressionlessly, "That fellow doesn't even have a sword. What is there to draw?"
Each snowfall came harder and faster than the last, then gradually ceased. The withered yellow grass turned green again, and another early spring arrived.
The Sword Inheritance Assembly was about to begin.
It was said that Zhao Layue had ended her arduous cultivation on Sword Peak and returned once more, but no one had seen her, not even in Jing Jiu's cave abode.
The Sword Inheritance Assembly was a very important affair for the Green Mountain Sect, and naturally, great care was taken with every aspect of it.
Seats had been arranged in advance at the end of Sword-Washing Creek. On the cliff face hundreds of yards high, immortal masters from Past Arrival Peak had used Divine Abilities to move several enormous boulders into place as platforms. The boulders were broad enough to accommodate thousands of people, while white clouds and shallow streams flowed together among the cliffs, heightening the sense of an immortal realm.
The ordinary disciples along the creek practiced their lessons in tense silence, occasionally unable to resist glancing up at the sky.
The senior disciples of Twofold Forgetting Peak who had been vanquishing demons and monsters in the world, along with the elders of the various peaks stationed in Chaoge City and elsewhere, had all been returning one after another.
Most eye-catching were the representatives of the various sects who had come to observe the ceremony. More than a dozen monks had come from Fruitful Accomplishment Temple, and several imperial officials from Chaoge City. The Water-Moon Convent, Hanging Bell Sect, and other sects on friendly terms with the Green Mountain Sect had even sent important figures such as elders. It was said that even the Wind Saber Sect in the distant north had sent someone.
Among the inner disciples who had spent years washing their swords by the creek, all those with confidence in themselves had registered for the assembly.
Zhao Layue and Liu S sui, both innate Dao Seeds, were naturally the focus of everyone's attention. It was said that even an elder of the Hanging Bell Sect had inquired about Liu S sui. As for Zhao Layue, she was the center of all eyes. Had it not been inconvenient, the Water-Moon Convent would probably have gone to see her long ago.
Everyone wanted to know which peak Zhao Layue would choose at the Sword Inheritance Assembly.
The revelation of that answer would also unravel another mystery that had troubled the Green Mountain Sect for years.
Before Zhao Layue was even born, the Green Mountain Sect had foreseen that she would be an innate Dao Seed and had secretly protected her ever since. Which great figure had arranged all this?
Besides Zhao Layue and Liu S sui, more than a dozen other disciples also attracted considerable attention.
These disciples had all performed exceptionally well during Sword Washing. Three of them, like Liu S sui, had been singled out early by Twofold Forgetting Peak and had received Gu Han's personal instruction in Class One since the year before last. Among them, a disciple named Gu Qing had the highest cultivation realm and was greatly valued by the sect.
Barring any surprises, this disciple named Gu Qing would certainly inherit a sword without difficulty.
Gu Qing was not well known, because he had always studied swordsmanship on Twofold Forgetting Peak as a sword attendant and seldom appeared along Sword-Washing Creek, making him somewhat mysterious.
To some who knew the inside story, Gu Qing's cultivation and strength even seemed to surpass Zhao Layue's slightly, making him arguably the strongest of this generation's Sword Washing disciples.
For he was the sword attendant of Guo Nanshan, chief disciple of Twofold Forgetting Peak, and he was also Gu Han's younger brother.
Before the Sword Inheritance Assembly began, the Green Mountain Sect had a very important matter to settle.
That was the succession to the position of peak master of Jade Lake Peak.
The death of Lei Poyun, the previous master of Jade Lake Peak, involved hidden circumstances. Moreover, this was the Green Mountain Sect's own affair, so it was handled very discreetly.
Apart from the Green Mountain sect master and the masters of the various peaks, no one witnessed that battle, much less the envoys from other sects who had come to observe the ceremony.
That night, the light of a single sword cast its chill across the Nine Peaks.
Sword intent swept through heaven and earth, the Green Mountain Grand Array activated, and the Northern Guardian opened his eyes and swallowed several streams of starlight before victory was finally decided.
A reclusive elder from Jade Lake Peak defeated Chi Yan of Shangde Peak and successfully assumed the position of peak master.
In the faint morning light, the Green Mountain Nine Peaks had long since awakened. Countless voices drifted faintly from the end of the creek.
Jing Jiu glanced in that direction, crossed to the opposite bank, and went to the Sword-Washing Pavilion, where he knocked on the door.
Everyone had gone to the cliff at the end of the creek. The Sword-Washing Pavilion was unusually quiet and should, by rights, have been deserted.
Lin Wuzhi had not left, as though he had been waiting for him all along.
"I thought you wouldn't come."
He smiled at Jing Jiu.
Jing Jiu said, "I'm used to doing today's business today." (Note)
Lin Wuzhi opened the registration book he had prepared long before and handed him a brush.
Jing Jiu took the brush and wrote his name in the registration book.
"Martial Uncle Mo really appreciates you. For the sake of my waiting here for you, give him some more consideration."
Lin Wuzhi patted his shoulder. "Although... he really isn't particularly good-looking."
Jing Jiu thought for a moment, then said, "I really don't care about beauty or ugliness."
Looking at his face, Lin Wuzhi sighed and thought, True enough. No one is as good-looking as you anyway.
Jing Jiu headed out of the Sword-Washing Pavilion.
Lin Wuzhi gathered up the register, preparing to deliver it to Shiyue Peak for filing. Looking up at Jing Jiu's retreating figure, he suddenly thought of something.
What about your sword? Why haven't you gone to get it yet?
When he reached the end of Sword-Washing Creek, both banks were packed with disciples waiting to take part in the Sword Inheritance Assembly.
There were also many figures on either side of the cliff face, hundreds of yards high. They were probably from the Nine Peaks.
Cloud and mist hung above the cliff, obscuring everything within. Presumably, the important figures of the Green Mountain Sect and the envoys from the other sects who had come to observe the ceremony were there.
Who would the Water-Moon Convent send this year? Given Junior Sister Lian's status, she probably wouldn't come in person. Would it be her disciple?
Looking at the mist-shrouded cliff, Jing Jiu found himself thinking of some old acquaintances, which was rare for him.
The creekside was bustling, with people everywhere.
"Senior Brother Jing, over here!"
Junior Sister Yushan stood and waved to him, indicating that she had secured a place for him in advance.
Jing Jiu glanced over and saw that it was indeed a good spot from which to watch the battles, but there were too many people.
He liked peace and quiet, disliked bustle, and did not want to go anywhere crowded.
His gaze naturally settled on the quietest place beside the creek.
It was not secluded. It was a large bluestone in the creek, at the spot closest to the cliff.
It was so quiet because a solitary figure stood out on the bluestone.
Zhao Layue was there.
No disciple dared get too close.
Jing Jiu walked over quite naturally and sat down beside her just as naturally.
(Note: I think this line is truly wonderful. In the past, I definitely would have spent more than a hundred characters explaining it at length, hahahaha, but this time I restrained myself!)
Before you continue