Remould the Glory of Sword Art

"Undying Spring, so this is how it's meant to be used?"

It took Xie Xuanyi a long while to calm down.

In his dantian, the few wisps of vapor that remained, he no longer utilized but "sealed" them away instead.

Chen Ke trembled slightly, as if reluctant to end the experience.

Wiping the sword body with the Undying Spring...

If such a thing were spoken aloud, countless people would call it absurd.

"Don't worry."

Xie Xuanyi patted his flying sword and said softly, "I'll wipe you down regularly in the future..."

Receiving this promise,

Chen Ke became much more obedient and returned to the Sword Qi Cave Heaven quietly.

"Cause and effect, cause and effect, is this what cause and effect is?"

Xie Xuanyi felt somewhat emotional.

When he acted against the Nine Death Forbidden, he hadn't thought too much about it.

After using the Undying Spring, he unexpectedly gained a significant reward... Given the current situation, this drop of Undying Spring would probably take only a month to fully repair.

Then, he would be able to make use of it again.

Whether it was to help Jiang Huang alleviate the death Qi or to apply it to Chen Ke's sword body to mend the remnants of the Dao, both would be extremely beneficial.

The oil lamp flickered as its flame died out and dawn's light shone through the window. It had been a long night, but dawn was now here, and Xie Xuanyi looked back at Jiang Huang, who slept soundly... Tonight's struggle against the Nine Death Forbidden had been a violent disturbance to his divine soul. The little guy would likely need a good, long sleep before he could wake up.

He went out to the courtyard, where birds flapped their wings against the sky and a gentle breeze passed through, the sounds of passersby already audible from not too far away, very lively.

Today was the day when the Sword Qi Ceremony officially began.

Xie Xuanyi put on the jade token given to him by Huang Su and left through the door.

This time, he did not wear a cloak. With countless people coming to worship at the gateway to Da Sui Sword Palace, wearing a cloak would, on the contrary, draw attention... At the foot of Lotus Peak, it remained tranquil, but in the direction of Golden Turtle Peak, there was a bustle of voices. The Sword Qi Ceremony was held there, lasting for a full fifteen days.

During these fifteen days, anyone wishing to join Da Sui Sword Palace as a cultivator first underwent a talent assessment.

Then came the grouping and the tournament.

Elder brothers from the peaks, elders, and guest elders would all be watching...

According to the tradition of Da Sui, the final winner of the Sword Qi Ceremony would be taken in under Lotus Peak.

Of course, securing a position in the top ten was already to be considered among the very best.

After the Sword Qi Ceremony, the Xuanshui Cave Heaven would open. According to the rules, besides some "specially invited" honorable guests, only the young prodigies who ranked in the top ten would have the privilege to step into this cave heaven!

Those who entered the cave heaven would all gain fortune.

Treasures, flying swords, mental methods, sword techniques, sudden insights...

Someone had once asked Da Sui's Sect Leader, what kind of fortune was inside Xuanshui Cave Heaven.

The normally rule-abiding Sect Leader surprisingly answered the question, a rarity indeed.

However... the answer was very justifiable.

Da Sui Sect Leader's response was simple.

"Inside the cave heaven, the fortune is profound and everything one could wish for is available. How much one can take depends on their own fate."

This answer didn't surprise anyone. It was commonly known that Xuanshui Cave Heaven was a "Grotto Heaven blessed land" overseen by Da Sui Sect Leader Zhao Chunyang. By rule, it only opened once every sixty years. Even the former Lotus Peak Master Xie Xuanyi had never set foot in it, from which one could infer that the fortunes within were immeasurable.

Of course, what attracted so many people to Xuanshui Cave Heaven was also due to the three words "Xie Xuanyi". His contribution was undeniable.

In those days, Xie Xuanyi's reputation really resounded far and wide.

If he hadn't passed away prematurely, died in the North Sea... there wouldn't have been an opportunity to open Xuanshui Cave Heaven to outsiders.

Every sixty-year cycle would have been directly overseen by Xie Xuanyi, who would have solely cultivated with it!

…

…

Xie Xuanyi bypassed Golden Turtle Peak, avoiding the crowd, and went straight to Xiao Chong Mountain.

He had no interest in the Sword Qi Ceremony.

Not that he had lost his desire for sword-fighting.

Just that competing in a sword match with a bunch of boys and girls twenty years younger than himself... was meaningless and devoid of suspense.

In Lingqu City, Fang Yuan Boutique had provided an extremely detailed dossier.

This dossier specifically inventoried all the young "talents" from various forces who might attend Da Sui's opening to pay their respects.

The Sword Palace was not accepting disciples over thirty years of age for this cycle's intake.

And within this constraint, those with Qi-controlling Realm cultivation were already "as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns", considered to have decent talent. Joining the Sword Palace wouldn't be a problem, and being accepted into the main peaks was also highly likely.

But to become a "True Disciple" was still a bit out of reach.

Xie Xuanyi glanced over it briefly.

To compete for the top ten in this Sword Qi Ceremony, one needed at least Cave Heaven Realm cultivation.

From all four directions, cultivators coming to worship the mountain totaled thirteen Cave Heavens... participating in this Sword Qi Tournament.

If nothing unexpected happened.

These thirteen would all become True Disciples beneath the main peaks!

And among them, the strongest was that Prince Jiangning, Xie Sheng.

The dossier from Fang Yuan Boutique suggested that Prince Jiangning possessed the strength of a Perfect Cave Heaven, a downright crush.

The Cave Heaven had ten levels.

With each level ascended, the Lifebound Flying Sword undergoes a refinement.

A Perfect Cave Heaven of ten levels could easily crush and shatter a first-level Cave Heaven.

A Perfect Cave Heaven cultivator's Dao embryo was already mature, with just rooting and sprouting left, waiting for the final ascension to the Yin God.

And a first-level Cave Heaven might have just discovered where their Dao lies.

Of course,

Xie Xuanyi's "first-level Cave Heaven" was an exception.

On the path of the Sword Dao, he had already traveled very far.

While others were condensing Sword Qi Cave Heavens, he was reconstructing his Sword Qi Cave Heaven, which was a distinction in itself.

For him, the path through the Cave Heaven was just a matter of traveling faster or slower.

The path of the Dao, Xie Xuanyi had already seen crystal clear.

Golden Turtle Peak bustled with activity.

But Xiao Chong Mountain was a lot more peaceful.

Xie Xuanyi walked silently up the mountain stairs. Due to the hanging jade token, cultivators working in various capacities for the Sword Palace greeted him and paid their respects as they passed by.

Xie Xuanyi nodded in acknowledgement, one by one.

The journey was slow, and he found himself reminiscing about the years spent cultivating at the Da Sui Sword Palace.

Before he had found Si Qi and Huang Su.

There were actually only four people in the direct lineage of Lotus Peak.

Brother Zhou Zhiren, Sister Jiang Miaoyin, and Junior Brother Qi Lie.

In the order of admittance, Xie Xuanyi was the second.

Although he was born into the Jiangning Xie Family, Xie Xuanyi's fate truly could not be considered good.

His parents had passed away early.

The elders in the clan had exhausted their familial affections and sent him to the Da Sui Sword Palace. At that time, the Jiangning Xie Family had already fallen from grace, and the "familial affections" from a distant relative essentially meant sending him to a Guest Elder, with the original intention being to join the Sword Palace, even if only as an errand runner, as a way to account for his deceased parents.

But Xie Xuanyi's talent was too great.

The day he held a sword.

The Guest Elder from Xiao Chong Mountain, who had taken on the familial affections of his deceased friend, realized that he might have unintentionally picked up a future "Sword Dao Leader."

So, after carefully instructing him for several months.

The Guest Elder sent the six-year-old Xie Xuanyi to Lotus Peak...

After that, Xie Xuanyi caught the eye of the Sect Leader of Pure Yang.

The story that followed is well known to many in the Dachu Dynasty.

But in the eyes of the person concerned.

All this did not happen as "startlingly and astonishingly" as one might think; even in Xie Xuanyi's eyes, these spirited past events were nothing more than the daily life of cultivating at the Da Sui Sword Palace.

Engaging in Sword Dao challenges, winning without fail, counted for little.

Climbing to the top of the Heavenly Pride List, becoming the young generation's Sword Dao Leader, also counted for little.

When he immersed himself in the North Sea, his consciousness falling into a daze...

What he missed was not the songs of the world, not the peak of empty fame.

It was just the simple porridge and dishes on Lotus Peak back in the day, some old acquaintances.

"Hurry up, a little faster!"

Just then, from the entrance of Xiao Chong Mountain, a shouting voice echoed from a distance.

Several carriages arrived, accompanied by calls, and the originally quiet Xiao Chong Mountain suddenly bustled with activity.

The disciples of Xiao Chong Mountain were in a state of turmoil, shouting for their fellow disciples to help unload the heavy books from the carriages. There were more people coming to the opening of the Sword Palace than expected, and the tasks of Xiao Chong Mountain were exceptionally heavy. Today coincided with the Book Collection Pavilion's book sorting and archiving, and they were far from having enough hands.

The disciples of the Sword Palace at the gate were all summoned to help.

"Junior Brother, I wonder if you could lend a hand?"

A disciple carrying heavy books issued an apologetic invitation to Xie Xuanyi, "There's simply too much to do today, and it's really troublesome, sorry, sorry."

Xie Xuanyi hurriedly picked up a thick stack of files from the carriage and rushed over.

"Why is it so busy?" he asked subconsciously, "The sorting of files should be shared by True Hidden Peak."

"What are you talking about, what day is it today?"

The disciple of Xiao Chong Mountain replied with a bitter smile, "The disciples from True Hidden Peak are already busy with their own tasks. Golden Turtle Peak is busy presiding over the Sword Qi ceremony, and there's no need to mention Yu Ping Peak and Lotus Peak..."

Yu Ping Peak was a forbidden place, its disciples rarely ventured out under normal circumstances.

Lotus Peak disciples, on the other hand, were of noble status and scarce in number.

Halfway through speaking, the disciple from Xiao Chong Mountain caught a glimpse of the jade token at Xie Xuanyi's waist and quickly changed his expression, "Senior Brother... I am truly sorry, I should carry these myself."

On hearing this, Xie Xuanyi was startled for a moment, then understood the reason.

The jade token given by Huang Su was indeed useful.

But the lotus engraved on the jade token was truly "intimidating."

Wearing this token.

It meant he was a disciple of Lotus Peak, at least belonging to that kind which has a dedicated residence under Lotus Peak.

Of course, it's not only the Sect Leader of Pure Yang who could accept disciples on Lotus Peak.

Lotus Peak jade tokens, although rare in Da Sui Sword Palace, still numbered in the dozens. However, those qualified to issue this token were all figures of at least the revered Yin God caliber, either extremely distinguished Guest Elders or Great Practitioners who had once held high positions in the Sword Palace.

The disciple from Xiao Chong Mountain would not be curious about the status of the owner of a Lotus Peak jade token...

This was the Sword Palace.

No one could fake a jade token.

"There's no need,"

Xie Xuanyi smiled and said, "I'm free today. Since Xiao Chong Mountain is short on hands, I might as well help out."

Hearing this, the Xiao Chong Mountain disciple seemed much relieved.

The disciples of Lotus Peak were rarely seen on ordinary days. Most of them, who had not left the mountain for ten years, were actually recognized by most.

However, this young man in front of him was somewhat unfamiliar.

On the way there and back, after delivering files more than a dozen times, Xie Xuanyi and the Xiao Chong Mountain disciple chatted idly and generally learnt about the current situation on Xiao Chong Mountain.

Just as he was headed to the carriage to transport files for the last time.

A voice as warm and mellow as a spring breeze rang out, tinged with a hint of reproach.

"Mai Qing, how can you trouble Lotus Peak with the trivial matters of Xiao Chong Mountain?"

As soon as the voice sounded.

Xie Xuanyi's body stiffened briefly for a moment.

He turned around and sure enough, he saw a familiar figure—

At the gate stood a middle-aged scholar in a purple robe. Ten years had passed, Jiang Miaoyin had become haggard, but Huang Su was spotless.

And eldest Senior Brother Zhou Zhiren looked even more "restrained."

Time had left its mark upon him, with a few more streaks of grey at his temples.

But his entire demeanor had become deeper and more substantial.

"Peak Master Uncle... it's my fault, Xiao Chong Mountain really has too much to do,"

The disciple moving books along with Xie Xuanyi quickly apologized with his head bowed.

"How many times have I said it? The chores of Xiao Chong Mountain should not trouble the other main peaks... Nevermind,"

Zhou Zhiren shook his head.

He came forward personally, rolled up his sleeves, and took the stack of files originally meant for Xie Xuanyi into his arms.

Their gazes met for a moment.

Xie Xuanyi's complex emotions were perfectly concealed by an ordinary facade.

Zhou Zhiren looked intently at the young man before him and after a moment, he asked seriously, "This Junior Nephew... have we met somewhere before?"