My wish was Green Mountain's Ninth Peak

Sword light slipped from her sleeve and hovered quietly before Zhao Layue. It was the little blue sword.

The Green Sword was exceedingly ancient, but otherwise there was nothing particularly special about it.

Three months after Zhao Layue entered the inner sect, the Green Sword had acknowledged her as its master on Sword Peak. This had astonished many people, but many others had felt it was a pity.

The material of the Green Sword was relatively ordinary.

They thought that, had Zhao Layue been a little more patient, she could very well have obtained a better sword.

She prepared to wield her sword, but was stopped.

The Shiyue Peak elder presiding over the assembly looked at her with immense kindness and said, "There's no need to see yours."

Some outstanding disciples might have insisted at this point that they receive the same treatment as their fellow disciples, as only that could demonstrate the sect's fairness. But whether because of Jing Jiu's influence or because she too found sword demonstrations boring and troublesome, Zhao Layue said nothing and simply withdrew the sword into her sleeve.

Naturally, no one challenged her either.

Gu Qing, the only person qualified to challenge her, had already lost to Jing Jiu.

What came next, naturally, was the most compelling part of the Sword Inheritance Assembly-choosing and being chosen.

Unlike the heated scene when they had fought over Jing Jiu, the cliffs were very quiet, which only added to the tension.

"It seems everyone understands the procedure."

The Shiyue Peak elder addressed the people from the various peaks among the cliffs with a solemn expression. "Then let us proceed in order."

From the meaning of those words, everyone knew very well what would happen next.

It seemed that such things had happened before in the history of the Green Mountain Sect's Sword Inheritance Assembly.

When every peak wanted a disciple, overly fierce competition could easily cause problems.

At such times, the procedure needed to be settled in advance.

The Nine Peaks would speak with that disciple in order.

This order was actually the reverse order, beginning with the lowest-ranked peak.

The first to step forward was Jade Lake Peak.

The martial uncle in the upper stage of Wandering the Wilds, who had only become Jade Lake Peak's master the night before, said a few words.

Then the master of Past Arrival Peak came forward and said a few words.

Clearly, they had no confidence in securing Zhao Layue. They merely gave brief introductions to their peaks' characteristics and offered a few words of persuasion.

The master of Shiyue Peak intended to take Jing Jiu as his disciple, so another elder stepped forward instead.

The gentle voice of the Qingrong Peak Master echoed among the cliffs for a long time. Only then did people realize that this woman, the highest in cultivation and seniority in the Green Mountain Sect, was determined to secure Zhao Layue.

Considering that Zhao Layue had spent the past two years cultivating hard on Sword Peak, Cloud-Traveling Peak thought its chances were fairly good and also spent a long time making its case.

Next came Shangde Peak.

At this Sword Inheritance Assembly, Shangde Peak remained as unpopular with the disciples as in previous years. Many people thought it had even less of a chance.

No one expected a cold, commanding voice to ring out.

"You are the future of our Green Mountain. A mediocre teacher would only hinder your cultivation. Let me do it."

Yuan Qijing, the Shangde Peak Master, who had not taken a disciple for many years and seldom even attended the Sword Inheritance Assembly, had actually come-and had decided to impart the sword himself!

Shangde Peak might have been unpopular, but who was Yuan Qijing? He was Green Mountain Sword Law!

Who among the Nine Peaks had greater seniority, higher authority, deeper cultivation, or more qualification to take Zhao Layue as a disciple?

An uproar swept the gathering, then quickly subsided into dead silence.

Just then, another unexpected turn occurred.

"Little Layue, would you be willing to study the sword with me?"

The voice was gentle and distant, like a wind laden with moisture along the coastline, settling upon everyone's hearts.

Everyone was astonished.

Because that was the Sect Master's voice.

No wonder Elder Bai had stepped forward earlier on Heavenly Light Peak's behalf to accept Liu S sui as a Sword-Inheriting Disciple. It turned out that the Sect Master had been saving his own place for Zhao Layue.

Could Zhao Layue have been the person the Sect Master had chosen from the very beginning?

Was that mystery finally about to be solved?

The problem was that the Sect Master had already accepted Zhuo Rusui as his final disciple some years ago. Was he going to make an exception?

Zhuo Rusui, Liu S sui, and now Zhao Layue-if all three innate Dao Seeds went to Heavenly Light Peak...

The atmosphere among the cliffs grew somewhat tense.

Both Qingrong Peak and Cloud-Traveling Peak, which ordinarily followed Heavenly Light Peak's lead, took great issue with this.

Even Jade Lake Peak, Shiyue Peak, and Past Arrival Peak, which had not had many expectations to begin with, felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Why should it have them?

But who would dare compete with the Sect Master for a disciple?

"Just let her choose for herself."

Yuan Qijing's voice was utterly cold.

Only he could stop the Sect Master from continuing.

Because he had once been the Sect Master's senior brother on the same peak.

"Indeed."

The Qingrong Peak Master said, "Yue'er, stay calm. Do not let certain things unsettle your mind. You may choose however you wish. Do not be afraid."

Zhao Layue had remained silent throughout.

Neither Shangde Peak's sudden intervention nor the Sect Master's personal invitation had caused any change in her expression.

Only now, upon hearing the Qingrong Peak Master's words, did her thick brows rise like swords and her eyes become incomparably bright.

From Chaoge City to Green Mountain, from South Pine Pavilion to the inner sect, countless people had wanted to know which peak she would choose at the Sword Inheritance Assembly.

She had never spoken of her thoughts, nor revealed even the slightest hint of her stance, all so she could wait for this opportunity.

"I may choose however I wish?"

She repeated the words of the Qingrong Peak Master.

Yuan Qijing said coldly, "Indeed. No one can stop you."

Zhao Layue's gaze passed over the high cliffs toward a certain place among the Nine Peaks in the distant clouds and mist.

Some people, including the Qingrong Peak Master, suddenly felt that something was about to go wrong. They wanted to stop her, but it was too late.

"Divine End Peak."

Zhao Layue spoke softly.

"What?"

"What is she saying?"

Zhao Layue smiled slightly, shallow dimples appearing in her cheeks.

"I said, I want to inherit the sword of Divine End Peak."

The cliffs fell silent. Everyone was utterly shocked, and many thought they had misheard.

Countless gazes fell upon Zhao Layue.

Who could have imagined that she would refuse the Sect Master and Yuan Qijing, and choose Divine End Peak!

Divine End Peak was Green Mountain's Ninth Peak.

The question was, how could she choose that peak?

The voice of the Qingrong Peak Master rang out again.

Her voice was no longer as soft and gentle as usual, but carried a measure of chill and solemnity.

"Do you know that Divine End Peak has not participated in the Sword Inheritance Assembly for hundreds of years?"

Zhao Layue said calmly, "I know. It is because Great-Uncle Jingyang never took disciples."

For hundreds of years, Jingyang had been the only person on Green Mountain's Ninth Peak.

Jingyang had devoted himself to pursuing the Great Dao and had never considered such matters as passing on his legacy.

The Green Mountain Sect had long since grown accustomed to the Sword Inheritance Assembly having nothing to do with Divine End Peak.

"Since you know that, why do you still wish to choose the Ninth Peak?"

There was a hidden edge in the Qingrong Peak Master's voice. "In a few more years, the Ninth Peak will establish a new lineage, but that is something for your junior brothers and sisters to consider."

Before Jingyang ascended, no one had dared say anything even if he refused to take disciples.

Now, how could the Green Mountain Sect possibly leave Divine End Peak empty like this?

Green Mountain's sect rules were very clear: if no one inherited the sword at three consecutive Sword Inheritance Assemblies, that peak's lineage would be considered broken, and a new branch would be established.

The question was, would Divine End Peak still be the Divine End Peak she wanted to join after a new branch was established?

Zhao Layue looked toward the cliffs and remained silent for a long time.

Many scenes from the past dozen years seemed to emerge upon the stone walls and flowing water.

She had been exceptionally intelligent since childhood and had finished reading three thousand books at a very young age.

Then she had begun preparing to cultivate, and cultivating.

Cultivation was an extremely arduous undertaking, monotonous and dull, and often accompanied by suffering of both mind and body.

In Chaoge City, she had been a young noblewoman, yet she could endure hardship even better than the snow monsters of the Ice and Snow Kingdom.

After coming to Green Mountain, her diligence had become impossible to describe. In Master Meng's words back then, she worked so hard that she did not seem like a genius at all.

In the budding years of her youth, she had sat on Sword Peak for three years, her hair disheveled, her face filthy, her whole body covered in dust. What had it all been for?

It had been to earn the right to inherit the sword, and the right to choose freely.

"Why? Because I do not want to see some new peak."

She said, "I want to continue Divine End's lineage."

The Qingrong Peak Master fell silent for a while, then asked, "Why do you want to do this?"

Zhao Layue said, "Because I was the Sword-Inheriting Disciple Great-Uncle Jingyang chose in the first place."

Jing Jiu sat on the blue stone, looking at the stream, and thought, So that was how it was.

(As I said yesterday, there is only one update today as well. The stockpile is still undergoing emergency resuscitation. I'll try for two updates tomorrow.)