"What is this..."
Lin Zhao gazed up at the sky, his sword heart humming as if in reverence of ancient deities.
In the air, figures were enveloped by sword light, emanating not only profound sword intent but also a primordial aura, as if ancient sages had carved their path through the great wilderness with naught but a sword.
The world had no sword cultivators, no sword dao, yet these pioneers, with each swing of their blade, forged a path to the heavens for all sword cultivators.
The sensation was ineffable for Lin Zhao.
After a mere glance at the myriad ancient sword immortal figures in the sky, Lin Zhao was profoundly shaken, as if he had touched something momentous.
"Huu..."
He exhaled gently, his mind withdrawing from the secret realm. His perfect sword heart continued its ceaseless hum.
"Old Huang, Mu Zhi, Tang Guangjun."
Lin Zhao called out their names atop the mountain peak.
Though the Mountain Lord's cultivation was not high, his words carried the weight of law; when he spoke, it came to pass!
Figures swiftly ascended the mountain. The first to arrive was Huang Tingyu, a wine flask in hand, reeking of alcohol, seemingly fresh from the proprietress's shop. Mu Zhi, clad in a white dress, was a vision of beauty. Tang Guangjun, as unkempt as ever, eyed the Mountain Lord, his thoughts preoccupied with the noodles in his pot, praying they wouldn't burn.
"Something up?" Huang Tingyu asked.
"Yes, something is,"
Lin Zhao frowned and said, "While practicing my sword just now, I seemed to have touched upon something akin to a taboo. If I'm not mistaken, it should be the bottleneck of the upper five realms."
"Oh?"
Mu Zhi exclaimed with joy, "My Lord, this is a good thing!"
"Indeed, it is a good thing."
Lin Zhao knitted his brows. "But I have no clue. The bottleneck of the upper five realms is ethereal; I can't grasp it at all. I feel that in this state, I wouldn't break through even in ten thousand years."
"Impossible!"
Tang Guangjun slapped his thigh. "My junior brother, the Mountain Lord, is a born sword immortal. If he doesn't enter the upper five realms, what can he be called a sword immortal?"
"???"
Lin Zhao looked at him with some surprise.
Huang Tingyu grinned. "Brother Tang, your flattery has landed on a horse's hoof!"
"Oh dear..."
Tang Guangjun's face turned pale. Would this affect his position as the last ranked retainer?
Mu Zhi smiled faintly. "My Lord, do you remember how Chi Zhongyu broke through to the upper five realms?"
"Ah?"
Lin Zhao's eyes lit up, and he chuckled. "I remember. He went to the Sword Mound at the Fusu Great Wall, and afterward, his state of mind was partly opened, allowing him to break through to the eleventh realm as a sword immortal."
"Precisely."
Mu Zhi continued, "If My Lord wishes to become an eleventh-realm sword immortal, this method might also be viable. But... the Sword Mound is perilous. Mu Zhi is merely suggesting it; My Lord doesn't have to go."
"Old Huang, what do you think?"
"What's there to say?" Huang Tingyu clapped his hands. "If you want to go, then go. You can see Lin Wanhua. Whether you break through or not is secondary. If you can hold Lin Wanhua's hand, the trip won't be in vain."
"Scram, scram, scram."
Lin Zhao's face darkened. "I shouldn't have called you up the mountain."
"Mountain Lord!"
Huang Tingyu smiled meaningfully. "You shouldn't have asked me this question. Think about how Huang Tingyu broke through. It was through bloody battles with ancient demon souls in that ancestral forbidden land, a fight for survival that earned it. Lin Zhao, you have unparalleled talent in the sword dao. Are you the kind of person who can enter the eleventh realm while lying down?"
Lin Zhao frowned. "I don't think so. Otherwise, my sword practice would have been smoother."
"That's right then."
Huang Tingyu said, "We are all somewhat 'clumsy' in the sword dao. Since we cannot break through by talent, we can only fight for it, gamble for it. If we lose, we die; if we win, our future is bright. Look at my status on the mountain now?"
He rubbed his nose. "When the proprietress serves me wine, she specifically adds an extra corner, hoping I can guide her foolish son who has no talent and is unteachable. A thirteenth-realm great sword immortal's guidance is no small matter."
"Alright, alright."
Lin Zhao took a deep breath. "Then let's make a trip to the Fusu Great Wall. Old Huang, you and Tang Guangjun will stay and guard the Snow Territory Heavenly Lake. Mu Zhi will accompany me. Before we leave, Mu Zhi, hand over the Great Juque Umbrella formation to Old Huang's care."
"Yes, My Lord!"
Mu Zhi smiled sweetly.
Tang Guangjun rubbed his nose, feeling as though he had been once again overlooked.
Huang Tingyu's smile was meaningful. The Mountain Lord had never favored you, Tang Guangjun, not once.
...
In the afternoon, at the Fusu Great Wall.
Lin Zhao and Mu Zhi appeared as streaks of sword light on the city walls. Immediately, a young man with a sharp nose flew over on his sword. It was Qin Ran. Upon seeing Lin Zhao, Qin Ran immediately shouted, "Brother Lin Zhao!"
"Qin Ran!"
Lin Zhao laughed heartily, looking at Qin Ran's tenth realm. "Your breakthrough speed is even slower than mine!"
"Ah?"
Qin Ran scratched his head. "I've actually been practicing my sword as much as I can. But I'm just a born sword seed. Unlike you, Brother Lin Zhao, who is comparable to the legendary born sword god seed!"
"Born sword god seed?"
Lin Zhao was speechless. Did everyone in Fusu Great Wall have such chuunibyou-esque names?
Just then, a faint figure drifted over. It was Lin Wanhua, her white robes like snow. After landing, she ruffled Qin Ran's hair. "Go practice your sword; you're not needed here."
"Yes, Aunt!"
Ever since he began learning the sword from his aunt, Qin Ran had become her most loyal lackey. Her words were no different from an imperial decree, and he swiftly flew home on his sword to practice.
Lin Wanhua looked at Lin Zhao and smiled. "You don't visit without a reason; you must have something you need from me."
"That's right..."
Lin Zhao smiled. "Miss Lin, while practicing my sword recently, I feel like I've touched the threshold of the eleventh realm, but I have no idea how to proceed. So, I've come to seek your help, hoping to follow in someone's footsteps."
"Oh?"
Lin Wanhua pursed her red lips. "You want to break through in the Sword Mound like Chi Zhongyu?"
"I'll try. I don't know if it will work."
Lin Zhao frowned. "It would be best if I could break through. If not, I believe the tempering within the Sword Mound will still greatly benefit me."
"Have you thought it through?"
Lin Wanhua said softly, "The Sword Mound is incredibly dangerous. If you get trapped, you might never get out. Even if Mu Zhi guards outside, she might not be able to save you in time."
"Then what should I do?" Lin Zhao asked, surprised.
Lin Wanhua chuckled. "If I were to guard outside with her, then there would definitely be enough time to save you."
Lin Zhao gave her a thumbs-up. "As expected of Lin Wanhua; you've started boasting!"
Lin Wanhua and Mu Zhi giggled together.
"Are you ready? If so, let's go to the Sword Mound."
"Let's go."
...
Not long after, three streaks of sword light descended before the Sword Mound: Lin Wanhua, Lin Zhao, and Mu Zhi.
"Tsk, what day is it?"
On a nearby rock face, Wei Yan, a twelfth-realm old sword immortal locked by a restriction, craned his neck to look. "Oh, it turns out the lovers have arrived. No wonder young lady Lin has personally come to the Sword Mound."
"..."
Lin Wanhua's pretty face flushed, and her beautiful eyes showed anger. "Old Sword Immortal Wei Yan, speak less; lest you suffer physical pain."
"Alas..."
Wei Yan grinned. "Lin Zhao, be mindful of yourself. Although your tenth realm appears stable, it's truly not as good as Chi Zhongyu was back then. Don't enter the Sword Mound and never return. If that happens, our Fusu Great Wall Lord, Lin Wanhua, will become a young widow. Unmarried for life, what a pity."
"Sword Immortal Wei..."
Lin Zhao felt a bit embarrassed. "Miss Lin and I are just friends; we're not at that stage yet, are we? Don't speak carelessly..."
Lin Wanhua was about to draw her sword and attack Wei Yan. Upon hearing Lin Zhao's words, she began to ponder which target would be more appropriate for her sword strike.
"My Lord."
Mu Zhi smoothed things over. "Let's go into the Sword Mound. I'll guard the entrance for you."
"Alright!"
Lin Zhao drew his sword and stepped forward, entering the Sword Mound filled with sword souls in a single stride. Behind him, Mu Zhi, holding her sword Chengxin, stood at the Sword Mound's entrance, half in and half out. This way, she could observe Lin Zhao's condition and avoid competing with him for the sword dao fortune within the Sword Mound.
Lin Wanhua, meanwhile, sat cross-legged on a blue rock and began practicing her sword. As the Lord of Fusu Great Wall, half of Fusu Great Wall was essentially her lifeblood. Sitting here, she could already perceive everything within the Sword Mound.
...
Inside the Sword Mound.
Lin Zhao drew his sword Zhanlu, unscrewed the cap of the orange gourd, and faced an area thick with the aura of death. In a blood-red wilderness, ancient swords were scattered everywhere, stuck haphazardly into the ground. Above each ancient sword floated a figure – a sword soul, the former owner of that sword.
"Tsk tsk."
An old man's sword soul squatted above a sword hilt, picking his nose. "The young lad named Chi Zhongyu who came here last time was quite interesting; he shattered my old man's sword soul with just three swords. The young one who came this time... seems much weaker, doesn't he? His tenth realm lacks depth..."
"Indeed."
A gray figure appeared above the hilt of a golden sword, his hands clasped behind his back, exuding an aura of absolute dominion. He chuckled. "With this lad's foundation, he's probably not even fit to carry Chi Gongzi's shoes!"
"Hmph!"
Further away, a female sword soul hovered above a broken sword. "Our Chi Gongzi has a graceful demeanor, exuding the presence of a sword immortal. Him... he doesn't seem that impressive."
"Hahaha..."
Lin Zhao laughed heartily, pointing his sword forward. "I apologize for disappointing all of you. But it's alright; if Chi Zhongyu could beat you, I certainly can too. You don't need to worry about it."
"Seeking death?!"
A group of sword souls were enraged and attacked from all directions. In an instant, more than a dozen sword lights surged towards Lin Zhao.
Lin Zhao's gaze turned cold, and he immediately swung his sword. A hidden dragon in the abyss appeared around him, forming a solid sword qi shield that repelled the barrage of sword lights.
...
Outside the Sword Mound.
Lin Wanhua frowned. This fellow, didn't he know that the sword souls in the Sword Mound could be challenged one by one? Why insist on fighting a group? Was he trying to show off how capable he was...
However, that sword strike just now did have a certain sword immortal flair...
A smile bloomed on Lin Wanhua's lips, a sweet smile.