He spoke casually, but when Shi Xuan heard this, he gave Lu Shenzhi a deep look.

Although this person appears lazy and carefree, he has a firm will. He has been isolated for ten years in a body devoid of all five senses, living in solitude and darkness. The mental pressure he has endured is not something an ordinary person can bear. Yet, under such circumstances, he has still made achievements in formations, which is truly remarkable. He is a ruthless person.

Lu Shenzhi continued, "You need to pass through two formations to get from the Cliff of Contemplation to here. One is at the entrance, and the other is where I am. I'll draw them out for you in a moment. Just do as I say."

Shi Xuan raised an eyebrow and smiled maliciously, "So here's the question: what did Senior Brother do back then to be punished and sent here?"

"Hmm?" Lu Shenzhi frowned, the small red mole between his eyebrows barely visible. He seemed reluctant to speak, but Shi Xuan kept looking at him with inquisitive eyes.

After a long pause, he finally sighed softly, "Actually, it's nothing. I wanted to try alchemy at Hundred Herbs Peak back then, but something unexpected happened..."

"It's you!" Shi Xuan immediately realized. He had heard that the rule of not allowing disciples from other peaks to refine pills at Baicao Peak was only established in the last ten years or so. It was said that a disciple from another sect had once caused a huge disturbance and almost blew up half of Baicao Peak. Since then, Baicao Peak had forbidden disciples from other peaks from going there to cause trouble.

Although Shi Xuan only said two words, the two exchanged a glance, and everything was understood without words.

The image of the eldest brother seems to have become more vivid. Looking at his serious way of urging people to practice swordsmanship, one would think he was a strict and upright person. But now his true colors have been revealed. It turns out that he was a troublesome guy in his youth who even changed the rules of the peak!

Time seemed to stand still for a few moments before Shi Xuan coughed to break the silence. "Now that Baicao Peak is practically one of our own, I need to find another mountain to blast."

Lu Shenzhi twitched his lips. "Actually, it's not necessary to blow up the mountain. The sect rules specify what mistakes will result in being punished by reflecting on one's mistakes at the Cliff of Repentance."

Shi Xuan clicked his tongue with a hint of regret and joked, "Then I can't be as famous as my senior brother and go down in history."

Look at that arrogant attitude! If Lu Shenzhi were alive, he would definitely take her to the sword-fighting arena for a duel and teach her a lesson.

No, it's not impossible here. Lu Shenzhi decisively stood up, drew his sword, and said, "Now let my senior brother test your progress these past few days!"

"Huh?" This is just a sudden attack? Shi Xuan tried to salvage the situation: "We haven't finished discussing the Cliff of Repentance yet..."

Lu Shenzhi remained unmoved.

Shi Xuan had no choice but to reluctantly draw his spirit sword, muttering as he did so, "If Senior Brother hits too hard, I might not be able to recover for several days, and then I don't know if I'll have the strength to make a mistake."

Even if she gets killed in a dream contest, it won't stop her from causing trouble the next day. That's practically a blatant threat.

Lu Shenzhi was amused by her, but he still held back when he made his move. After all, she was his junior sister, and he needed her help.

*

The next day, Shi Xuan began attending classes with this year's new disciples.

It wasn't even Chen Shi (7-9 AM) yet, but the Sword-Touching Hall was already packed. Shi Xuan entered right on time and found a seat at the very back.

Despite trying their best to avoid drawing attention, all the disciples of the Sword Wiping Hall turned to look at Shi Xuan, the legendary figure who represented the Lianfeng Sword Sect and won the championship of the Six Sects Alchemy Competition.

In fact, they had been taking classes together for more than half a month and were already familiar with each other, except for Shi Xuan, who was still a stranger to them.

When Shi Xuan was taking basic classes, he was busy researching elixirs at Baicao Peak. When he was taking swordsmanship classes, he was at Fuyuan Sect participating in the alchemy competition. So for many people, they had only seen Shi Xuan once from afar at the sect's new disciple initiation ceremony.

There were thirty disciples in the Sword Wiping Hall at a glance, the vast majority of whom came from the main peak, Siyuan Peak, and Qingdai Peak. Of the four sword peaks of the sect, only Fuyu Peak did not accept inner or outer disciples, and only occasionally announced a personal disciple.

As soon as Shi Xuan sat down, the little girl with her hair in two buns sitting in front of her turned around with a sweet smile to greet her: "My name is Xiang Rong, and I am an inner disciple of the main peak. I have heard about you for a long time. You are really amazing!" She even gave a thumbs up as she spoke, which was very playful and cute.

Shi Xuan nodded to her and returned a polite smile.

"Even if he's good at alchemy, he's only good at it. He might as well go to Hundred Herbs Peak to become an alchemist. Why bother learning swordsmanship?" The male disciple next to Xiang Rong muttered, echoing Xiang Rong's words.

"Dong Jingwei, what nonsense are you talking about?" Xiang Rong scolded, "Shi Xuan won first place in the Alchemy Competition on behalf of our Lianfeng Sword Sect, and obtained the most entry qualifications for the Silver Frost Secret Realm for us. Maybe you are also a beneficiary!"

The disciple named Dong Jingwei turned to look at Shi Xuan, then at Xiang Rong, and said stiffly, "I didn't mean to say she was bad, but everyone has their own expertise. She's so good at alchemy, so it's more appropriate for her to continue studying alchemy."

"Your name is Dong Jingwei?" Shi Xuan asked, and before he could answer, he continued, "Dong Jingwei, you don't know this, but if I didn't come to learn swordsmanship, wouldn't it be a waste of my innate sword talent?"

Her words were sarcastic and her expression carried a smug "I'm just that good" air, with an arrogant and haughty tone.

"You!" Dong Jingwei was furious. He said with a face full of anger, "So what if you have a natural sword bone? You spend all your time refining pills. Giving you this natural sword bone would be a waste!"

She hadn't appeared since the new disciples began their classes, spending her time refining pills at Hundred Herbs Peak and participating in the Pill Refining Competition. Her mind was clearly not on swordsmanship. Yet, she occupied the position of a personal disciple, enjoying preferential treatment everywhere. Even during the new disciples' initiation ceremony, she had a private room in the Spirit Tempering Pool. Resources that others desperately sought were easily obtained by her—how unfair!

Shi Xuan held up an index finger and waved it in front of his eyes, chuckling, "Whether it's a waste or not isn't up to you to decide."

Dong Jingwei stood up abruptly and shouted, "Siyuan Peak's Dong Jingwei wishes to invite Fuyu Peak's Shixuan to the Sword Meeting Platform after morning lessons today to exchange sword techniques!"

The disciples of the Sword Wiping Hall were initially only secretly watching the commotion at the back, but Dong Jingwei's loud shout immediately drew everyone's attention.

He's about to have a formal showdown with Shi Xuan.

Although Shi Xuan didn't attend a single class, no one felt that the competition was unfair, since Dong Jingwei was only an inner disciple, while Shi Xuan was a direct disciple.

In the Sword Sect, invitations to duels between cultivators of the same realm are generally accepted. The path of a sword cultivator is one of unwavering determination, a cultivation of sharp will; how could one easily retreat and needlessly damage one's Dao heart?