Chapter Thirty-Seven: Invitation

While the world outside was buzzing with intense discussion and lively activity, the Sword Sect, situated at the northern end of the continent, was also undergoing a period of shifting winds and clouds.

Fang Zhenghua, a disciple who had only entered the Inner Sect of Xiling Mountain a year ago, had utilized his astonishing talent to advance from the Mortal Realm to the Mud-Pill Realm in just one year, setting a new record for the fastest breakthrough in the history of the Sword Sect.

Zhao Xiuyuan of Beiyou Mountain had mastered the Crimson Flame Sword Technique. When combined with the Heaven-Burning Divine Sword in his possession, his power was formidable, to the point that even some of his profound senior brothers were unwilling to cross blades with him directly.

As for Xia Yi of Nanmi Mountain, she had soared to become the junior sister of the Nanmi Mountain Peak Master. Deeply doted upon, her status had skyrocketed. She had no need for rigorous cultivation and could wander wherever she pleased, receiving the respect and greetings of all disciples she encountered.

Compared to these three, Lin Fei’s presence was the most understated. Although he had become the personal disciple of the Sect Master, he remained obscure, with no news of him ever circulating.

At the summit of Dongming Mountain, Lin Fei held a letter. Scattered across the table were many others—missives from disciples of Tianya Peak, most containing simple greetings and expressions of concern.

Xia Yi’s letters were the most frequent. The handwriting was slanted and inconsistent in size, and the content was erratic, filled with her whimsical thoughts that often brought a smile to his face. Zhao Xiuyuan’s letters, conversely, were steady in tone and polished in vocabulary, reflecting his maturity and composure.

Fang Zhenghua’s letter, however, surprised Lin Fei slightly. It concisely described his current cultivation realm and insights, ending with a declaration that he would challenge Lin Fei once again in the near future.

Lin Fei did not take this to heart. He set the letter aside and opened the final one on the table. The sender was Qin Qianqian. The name felt vaguely familiar to Lin Fei; after a moment, he recalled she was the young girl who had practiced her swordsmanship diligently at the summit of Tianya Peak. In her letter, she mentioned that she had successfully reached the Mortal Realm and was currently at Broken Sword Cliff, preparing for the upcoming journey to the Sword Tomb.

Lin Fei spent half an hour carefully reading all the letters before standing up and letting out a long breath. Over the past year, the youth’s frame had grown much taller, the freckles on his face had gradually faded, and his skin had become increasingly fair. His long, shoulder-length hair, paired with his perpetually indifferent expression, made him appear even more detached and refined.

Lin Fei closed his eyes and began to immerse himself in his inner consciousness, absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy and integrating it into his body. During this period, he had finally begun true cultivation. His first step was to transform the spiritual sea within him into an inner elixir. For an ordinary person, this step would require years of effort.

However, Lin Fei’s situation was quite different. He required even more time because the spiritual sea within him was several times larger than that of an average person.

In these days, Lin Fei often recalled the life-or-death battle on Sword Tomb Mountain; even he could not help but feel a ripple of unease. If his opponent had been determined to kill him from the very beginning, or had never ventured within ten meters of him, he might truly have been in trouble. In the world of sword cultivators, a breakthrough in each realm represented a vast disparity that even he could not easily bridge. Of course, the key to defeating Lei Ming had been the four wooden swords he had refined with his spiritual energy, along with the unexpected strike from the sword spirit at the very end. But luck would not always be on his side. Therefore, he decided to treat his cultivation with greater seriousness.

At the peak of the mountain, the youth’s mind was completely immersed in his practice. Yan Qiu, the senior brother, had arrived at some point, sitting in a chair five meters away, quietly flipping through a scroll. In the distance, a young man in a green robe approached slowly. He wore a jade pendant and a long sword at his waist; he carried an air of scholarly refinement and a genial smile.

Lin Fei slowly opened his eyes, emerging from his meditative state. Yan Qiu, still focused on his book, spoke without looking up: "Mu Rong from Xiling Mountain. It is said he has consistently ranked seventh in the internal peak trials, earning him the nickname 'Mu the Seventh'."

Lin Fei shook his head and commented, "His smile is too deliberate. Compared to you, Senior Brother, he is far behind." Yan Qiu seemed quite pleased with this remark, his smile growing even brighter.

Mu the Seventh reached the bottom of the waterfall, stopped, and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Senior Brother Yan Qiu."

Yan Qiu, always maintaining a gentle demeanor, looked up and asked, "What brings you here?"

"Three months from now, Xiling Mountain will host the Sword Trial Assembly," Mu the Seventh said with a smile. "I have come specifically to deliver an invitation on behalf of Xiling Mountain."

The Sword Trial Assembly was a grand event for the younger generation of the Sword Sect. The second-generation disciples who had been in secluded meditation or traveling abroad would all return to participate. However, for many years, no one had ever proactively sent an invitation to Dongming Mountain, except for the ones Dongming Mountain held for itself. The reason was obvious: Dongming Mountain had always had only one disciple, and that disciple never practiced cultivation, so naturally, he would never participate in trials. No one would do something that seemed so foolish. If an invitation were sent and the recipient failed to appear, it would be not only an insult to Dongming Mountain but also a sign of disrespect to the Sect Master.

But this time, things seemed different. Because Dongming Mountain had welcomed its second disciple.

Mu the Seventh’s gaze was locked onto Lin Fei. His fingers flicked, and a dazzling golden light flashed, silently grazing Lin Fei’s cheek before landing on the stone table in the center of the cliff platform.

A playful smile played on Mu the Seventh’s lips as he spoke with a hint of provocation: "Junior Brother Lin, I wonder if you are willing to go to Xiling Mountain this time to display the fruits of your cultivation?"

Lin Fei sensed the hostility in Mu the Seventh’s words. The image of Feng Qian flashed through his mind, and he finally understood the source of this animosity.

Noticing Lin Fei’s silence, Mu the Seventh continued, "Regarding the matter between you and Senior Brother Feng, our Xiling Mountain naturally has the magnanimity to accept defeat. However..." Mu the Seventh’s voice paused, his tone becoming more serious. "Senior Brother Feng said that Feng Qian represents more than just himself. He is the successor to the Law Enforcement Hall and the second senior brother of Xiling Mountain. For you to act as you did in public was truly improper."

Lin Fei remained silent, his eyes revealing a sense of determination and unyielding resolve.

At that moment, Yan Qiu suddenly interjected, "Has Feng Ning come out of seclusion?"

A look of pride appeared on Mu the Seventh’s face. He bowed slightly, his tone filled with reverence: "Yes, Senior Brother Feng Ning finished his seclusion the day before yesterday."

Feng Ning, the senior brother of Xiling Mountain, had ranked twelfth on the Academy’s Hidden Dragon List a year ago. Now that he had emerged from seclusion, his strength was undoubtedly even greater. He might even be able to break into the top ten and become one of the premier figures among the Sword Tomb disciples; naturally, his status had risen accordingly.

Lin Fei finally spoke, his voice calm and firm: "And so?"

Mu the Seventh’s tone returned to a calm state as he said indifferently, "Actually, it is nothing major. You simply need to go to Xiling Mountain and offer an apology, and this matter can be put to rest."