Chapter 97 Still the Sword Comes (Part 1) "So that's how I found you."...
The people beside him all rushed into the valley. Lin Feiran was about to set off as well, but turned back to look at Ru Xian just as he was about to take a step.
He remained seated, only raising his hand to wave at himself.
Xun Feifei walked behind her, lowered her eyes and said, "You go first."
Lin Feiran glanced at the group of people, then turned around and walked forward alone. Lightning flashed beneath her feet, and she swam into the crowd like a blue fish, dodging left and right until she reached the center.
What exactly does the Valley of Pilgrimage look like? For those who came before, it may not have been so mysterious.
But those who rushed into the valley now, apart from a few cultivators who had come to force their way in, were all young people. Regardless of their original nature, at this moment they all had only sincere longing and hope.
Lin Feiran was the same.
Looking at the inverted sword mountain not far away, her heart was suddenly stirred, and even the frost wind blowing against her face felt warm.
When the pilgrimage valley was first announced, various sects were enthusiastic and held grand celebrations, but it ended hastily a month later, and everyone just treated it as a hoax.
But no one knows how the young man sitting on the gnarled old pine tree spent those confused and helpless days.
Zhang Chunhe had been treating her for a long time, and the sword hanging over her head finally fell.
He said that she was born with a weak pulse, which was incurable and had no cure. If she continued to practice swordsmanship, the end was not far away.
But if she were to switch to studying medicine, there might be a chance. The path might be difficult, but she could make it.
Spiritual veins and spiritual bones are innate talents, but they are also the foundation. Only with a solid foundation can one transcend the human path and ascend the ladder to heaven on the path of cultivation.
If she wants to go far, she has to take another path. The path of medicine is not simple, but it is the one that is least dependent on a foundation.
She thought, this is right.
Reason told her that this was the right thing to do.
But her hands, her eyes, her mouth, and her heart all said no.
So she lowered her eyes, clenched her fists slightly, and whispered the question she had heard a thousand times.
"Your Excellency, is there any other way?"
Zhang Chunhe looked at her without sighing or mocking her; he remained perfectly calm.
"At least I can't think of any other way."
His composure stemmed from his past experiences; he had seen far too many people like Lin Feiran.
I am no different from anyone else.
He was the same way back then, practicing swordsmanship desperately, wanting to prove something to his master, but in the end he still picked up a bow.
He looked at Lin Feiran, picked up his whisk, and stood up, saying, "You have the sword bone in your body, so it's normal for you to be unwilling. The path of medicine is just a suggestion. If you want to cultivate something else, or continue practicing swordsmanship, that's fine too."
"But your spiritual veins are destined to remain so throughout this life."
He turned around and left with Taihui and Qingyu, who were standing to the side sighing.
Lin Feiran stood quietly in the room, watching their figures. In the slightly narrow bedroom, only one window was wide open, letting in the sunlight from the snow-covered roof, blurring her face.
She wasn't so determined back then.
Although my heart was screaming and filled with resentment, a voice still managed to escape through the gaps in my cries.
She said, "Go ahead and try. You have a photographic memory and are so diligent. This is the best and most suitable path for you."
If you achieve success in medicine, they will no longer call you a useless person. If you achieve success in medicine, they will become your friends. If you achieve success in medicine, you will be just like them, no longer Lin Feiran who wanders outside the crowd.
It was around that time that rumors spread that the Pilgrimage Valley would open, and Daohe Palace immediately began preparations. In just five days, the first round of the sect's grand competition was completed.
At that time, Lin Feiran was still in the Sitting Meditation Realm and was not qualified to participate. Disciples like her had to be substitutes during the competition.
For example, sending broken disciples' swords for repair, distributing spiritual medicine to injured disciples, and perhaps even preparing medicine when busy.
While waiting under the competition platform, she would always watch intently.
If she were on stage, how would she defeat this person? How would she respond to his moves?
When she went to repair the sword, she would wonder what Sword Mountain looked like. Even though the ancient books described it in great detail, she still wanted to see it with her own eyes.
If she could go to the Sacred Valley, what kind of sword would she choose?
But after thinking it over, she put down her sword and still had to go to the pharmacy to get medicine. Her sharpness was now tinged with a bitter taste, and she became dull.
Fortunately, she is still on this path.
Although the valley eroded by the Mo River is not smooth, it is still relatively flat, with only a few streaks of ink remaining on the ground.
As the crowd surged into the valley, they saw that the cliffs on the side were inlaid with jade and spirit crystals, shining brightly. The ink threads underfoot were also extraordinary, the very ink needed for cultivating the Mystic Brush Path.
Once you get started, many people stop and start hammering and digging.
The pilgrimage valley is open for three days. First, find the spiritual treasures at the entrance; it won't take too much time.
Lin Feiran glanced to the side and saw that Shen Qi and his fellow students from the Imperial Academy had indeed stopped in their tracks, protecting their heads while digging out inksticks from the trampling crowd.
She had no interest in the treasures there, so she only glanced at them before leaving.
The white deer that had been standing in front of the valley gate had already fled; with a twitch of its ears, it ran into the woods.
Ancient texts contain geomantic maps of the Pilgrimage Valley, showing two ancient roads intersecting to form a cross, dividing the entire Pilgrimage Valley into four sections.
The upper left area is sandy land, where many magical treasures and artifacts can be found.
The lower left is a vast grassland, where countless medicinal herbs and exotic flowers grow in abundance;
The upper right corner is a swamp, which is also the habitat of monsters. The elder warned that all the monsters living here are ancient monsters, and told everyone not to go there.
To the lower right is a dense forest, where there are spiritual herbs and treasures, as well as rare and exotic beasts. Many predecessors have also encountered opportunities here.
As for Sword Mountain, it is not located within the four directions, but rather suspended at the intersection of two ancient paths.
To say it was suspended in mid-air would be an exaggeration; it was merely a small hill used to drop swords, originally situated on the ground.
Over time, the sword spirit, unwilling to remain in a subordinate position, used its flying swords to dig up and raise the hill. In order to block out the sun, it also shaved and trimmed the hill, which is now an inverted mountain that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom.
Looking up, one could see the sword mountain slowly rising, with its peak at the top and its base at the bottom, resembling a cone-shaped inscription that held the sky in its grasp.
The spirit swords that were originally hidden in the shade of the mountain were now all exposed to the sunlight. The various shapes and colors of the spirit light reflected out, which was originally just a kind of brightness, but it was like a seven-colored splendid display, which was dazzling to behold.
The radiance was so dazzling that it brought the surging crowd to a standstill, and everyone who looked up couldn't help but marvel.
"That, that could be the Kunwu Sword!" someone shouted, pointing excitedly at a spot.
On the summit, a striking red umbrella was held high, and beneath it, two spirit swords stood upright, embedded in a crevice in the rock, as if seeking respite from the heat.
"That's right! The one that glows with purple light and still possesses divine power is the Kunwu Sword, and the one that flows with white light beside it is the Tai'a, which ranks second!"
Someone responded loudly, equally enthusiastic.
Only these two swords on the entire Sword Mountain receive such treatment.
How could anyone not yearn for such a treasure, one of the finest in the world!
Lin Feiran looked up with the crowd, her gaze slightly deep.
"Stop looking! Only the top ten winners can go up the mountain to choose their swords. Even if we keep looking, most of us won't get a chance. Finding the treasure is the priority!"
Someone shouted, pulling everyone back to their senses.
In an instant, the eighty-one people who had rushed in prepared to disperse and head towards their respective desired destinations.
They split into almost two groups, half heading towards the grasslands and the other half surging into the dense forests, with only a very few intending to venture into the sandy desert in search of treasure.
Lin Feiran was going to choose a sword, and three days was not an urgent matter for her.
There has always been an unwritten rule for choosing a sword: the champion chooses first, the runner-up second, the third, and so on.
This is not because you all truly possess the heart of a gentleman, but rather because you are bound by the spirit of the sword within the sword, and have no choice but to do so.
The so-called "choosing a sword" means asking the sword spirit with the sword's heart. If the sword spirit acknowledges it, the sword can be drawn and the sword can be drawn. Otherwise, the sword cannot be taken away.
The sword is the king of all weapons; engaging in such an ugly struggle will only displease it.
Thinking of this, Lin Feiran set off for Sword Mountain, but also activated the Yin-Yang Fish to inquire about Ru Xian's situation.
"Ru Xian, have you entered the valley?"
A moment later, his reply came: "I'm in. Go get the sword first, I'll go into the dense forest to find medicine."
Lin Feiran turned around and looked to her right rear, subconsciously searching for the white figure in the crowd, but found nothing.
I didn't see you.
There was a pause on the other end, followed by a soft, slightly raised voice: "You were looking for me?"
The two are now friends, and he was teasing her on purpose, intending to make Lin Feiran feel embarrassed, but she said it bluntly.
"Of course I'll look for you."
Ru Xian herself fell silent.
"No need to look, I've put on some disguises, you won't be able to tell."
Before the word "movement" could be uttered, the white deer suddenly emerged from in front, its antlers seemingly inlaid with crystals that shimmered in the sunlight.
It raised its head and let out a loud cry. Lin Feiran, who was standing on the ancient road just a moment ago, stepped into the soft yellow sand the next moment.
The yellow sand wasn't too difficult for her, and she quickly regained her balance, while some people's steps faltered and they veered heavily into the sand.
"What's going on? I'm going into the grasslands, not searching for treasure in the sand!"
"I'm going into the sand to search for treasure, but it's still quite a distance away. How can I arrive in the blink of an eye?"
"Am I seeing things? How come there are nine suns in the sky?"
On the boundless desert, there was not even withered grass or broken stones, only nine blazing suns in the sky and a white deer in the distance.
It trotted back and forth on its light hooves, looking at the crowd as if to lead the way, but the crowd was still suspicious and no one stepped forward.
Lin Feiran looked up at the nine suns in the sky, his brows furrowed slightly. He then turned around and looked around. After a rough count, he figured that most of the people who had entered the valley were here.
She asked again, "Ru Xian, where are you?"
In the vast expanse of yellow sand, it's best to stay in one place and look out for each other.
“I can find it.” Lin Feiran interrupted someone, which was unusual for him.
Ru Xian's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at the straight, dark line on the vast yellow sand.
He stopped and suddenly said, "If you can find it, then come and find it."
Lin Feiran was neither surprised nor did she find this action troublesome under the circumstances.
The situation is still under control, so satisfying my friend's interests is not a big problem.
As she walked, taking in the faces of the people, she asked, "Ru Xian, do you have water in your mustard seed bag?"
No matter how powerful a cultivator is, they cannot conjure up a spring of water out of thin air, unless there is water already present here.
Water is extremely important if you want to walk through the yellow sand.
Ru Xian looked at the figure and raised her eyebrows, saying, "Yes. If you have no water in your hands, I, being of great kindness, may give you half."
Lin Feiran added, "Ru Xian, the situation seems unclear at this moment, but in fact there is only one choice: to follow the white deer."
Ru Xian said with some doubt, "I know."
After a pause, he still spoke up to remind him, "If you try to do two things at once like this, you won't be able to find me."
Even so, he still turned to look at the surrounding desert, surveying the terrain with his eyes.
The Feathered Clan possessed superior eyesight and could easily see the edge of the desert, but unfortunately, there was nothing unusual there either.
During his observation, he heard Lin Feiran ask a question.
"I almost forgot, Ru Xian, did that idiot come in with you?"
"certainly."
Lin Feiran's voice suddenly rang out behind him. He turned around in surprise and happened to see her calm face.
Ru Xian suddenly smiled, his thin lips curving slightly. He crossed his arms, lowered his eyes, and asked, "How did you find me?"
Lin Feiran grasped the jade ring on his wrist, pulled it down slightly, then leaned closer and whispered something, her warm breath brushing against his cold fingertips.
She said, "Like hailstones."
Then a very thin bolt of lightning, purple-blue and exceptionally beautiful, shot across his fingertips.
She raised her eyes, her eyelashes drawing a slightly thicker line, the gentle curve falling on her deep, serene eyes, making them particularly captivating.
"That's how I found you."
Author's Note: Lin Feiran: Like hail, like hail, like hail...
Since the sleet had already been anesthetized by the electric shock, it didn't feel much.
Lin Feiran seems easy to talk to on the surface, and in reality, she is easy to talk to, but at certain times she will reveal a little bit of unconscious aggression, which is quite attractive to Ru Xian. This is the value of the contrast between her appearance and her personality (not really).
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