Chapter Fifty: Do You Want to Learn?

Lin Fei was momentarily stunned.

Immediately after, Yanqiu’s laughter echoed through the mountains as he turned and walked away.

However, halfway through his journey, Yanqiu suddenly stopped in his tracks, plagued by a lingering doubt: Why did she change her tune and start calling him Senior Brother so quickly?

He glanced back and saw Lin Fei and Qin Qianqian chatting and laughing as they walked down along the waterfall.

Yanqiu muttered to himself, "Why do I feel like I've just been played?"

Then, he shook his head and laughed with a carefree demeanor, "Oh well, as the ancients say, suffering a loss is a blessing, suffering a loss is a blessing."

Star-Punishment Hall of Xiling Mountain.

Outside the hall gates, four sword-wielding disciples stood rigidly at attention, their faces expressionless and their gazes cold.

Inside, the hall stretched into gloom, with flickering torches burning on both sides like the fires of the netherworld.

Feng Ning lay quietly on a cot in the side chamber, his face deathly pale.

Cui Lianyun walked in, gazed silently at him for a few moments without revealing the slightest emotion on his face, and then returned to the main hall.

Xiling Mountain governed the laws of the Sword Sect, radiating an aura of stern majesty from the inside out.

Guan Shao followed closely behind Cui Lianyun, the latter's tall and imposing figure almost completely enveloping him in shadow.

Looking toward Feng Ning, Guan Shao’s face was etched with fury: "This method is far too vicious. We absolutely cannot let this matter rest here. We must make that brat Lin Fei pay the price, otherwise where will the dignity of our Xiling Mountain be?"

Cui Lianyun raised his chin slightly, remaining silent.

The anger in Guan Shao’s heart refused to be quelled, and he continued, "Even as the Sect Master's direct disciple, he shouldn't be allowed to act so lawlessly. With all the careful nurturing our Xiling Mountain has invested over the years, if Mo Tian were to truly suffer some misfortune, wouldn't our Sword Sect lose yet another Void-Breaking Realm powerhouse in the future? Who will shoulder such a grave responsibility?"

For any sect or family to maintain perpetual prosperity, surface brilliance was merely an illusion; having successors to carry the torch and a profound foundation was the true root of its continuation.

Lin Fei’s action was undoubtedly an attempt to sever the future legacy of Xiling Mountain, which explained why Guan Shao was so incandescent with rage.

"Two in the Separation Realm, plus one in the Dust-Exiting Realm."

After a long silence, Cui Lianyun suddenly sighed, followed by a self-deprecating chuckle, "The two future Void-Breaking Realm powerhouses you speak of were actually defeated in a single move by that brat, and that brat is currently only in the Mortal Dust Realm. Tell me, given his talent, what realm will he reach in the future?"

Guan Shao argued, "That brat has too deep a mind and deliberately resorted to tricks. If it had been a fair duel..."

"You've cultivated for all these years, yet you are still so naive."

Cui Lianyun waved a hand to interrupt him, his tone heavy as he said, "On the Great Dao, who will ever talk to you about fairness? Living a pampered life within the Sword Sect, have you even forgotten this basic truth?"

Guan Shao’s face turned slightly pale. He bowed his head slightly and stopped arguing.

"You won't achieve any result by making a fuss over this, even if you take it all the way to the Sect Master."

Cui Lianyun seemed to recall something as he shook his head and continued, "Outsiders always say that ever since Senior Brother assumed the position of Sect Master, his temper has mellowed, but in reality, he simply remains in seclusion year-round and rarely interacts with people. That brat Lin Fei's temperament suits his taste very well. If this matter is blown out of proportion, it will do Xiling Mountain no good. Better to let it go for now."

"Understood."

Guan Shao’s voice seemed to grow somewhat low due to the chill within the hall.

Cui Lianyun sat upright on the main seat, his brows deeply furrowed, and suddenly asked, "What is the truth behind Lei Ming of Stepping-Sea Peak? Has it been investigated thoroughly?"

Guan Shao replied with a hint of uncertainty in his tone, "The cause of death has yet to be ascertained, but... there is a very high probability that he was a spy planted by the Dark Crows."

"The Dark Crows again." Upon hearing this answer, Cui Lianyun’s eyes flashed with deep disgust and helplessness.

As one of the seven sacred lands of the Great Tianji Continent, guarding the Western Sea, the Sword Sect's primary duty for thousands of years had been to protect the western frontier of the Tianji Continent.

The mysterious organization known as the Dark Crows specifically targeted the continent's young disciples, employing covert and ruthless methods. They were truly old adversaries of the Sword Sect.

Yet, after so many years, Cui Lianyun had still failed to uncover the origins and identities of the Dark Crows, with the only meager clues suggesting they might originate from the Endless Demonic Wasteland.

"A bunch of rats that only know how to hide in the shadows!"

Cui Lianyun let out a cold snort, his tone stern, "If Senior Brother Sect Master had listened to my advice back then and rallied the power of the four main peaks, calling upon the continent's seven sacred lands to pacify the Demonic Wasteland together, how could there be so much trouble today?"

As his words fell, a faint aura rippled outward from his body, and the air throughout the entire great hall seemed to grow turbulent in response.

The temperature plummeted sharply, sending a biting cold through the hall, and Guan Shao’s back was already soaked with cold sweat.

As a top-tier human sword cultivator, Cui Lianyun wished nothing more than to exterminate the evil entities of the Endless Demonic Wasteland down to the last one.

Yet more importantly, this matter also involved the pride of the Sword Sect and touched upon a hidden sorrow deeply etched in the hearts of the four peak masters.

It was a secret no one dared to mention openly.

Even the Sect Master was no exception.

...

In recent days, the bustling atmosphere of Dongming Mountain had gradually permeated the air, as if even the trees in the misty forest had sensed this vitality, seemingly thinning out by a few trunks without anyone noticing.

Beneath the waterfall, a delicate little wooden cabin had quietly appeared, adding a touch of warmth to the tranquil scenery.

Amidst the sea of flowers, the loyal yellow dog was no longer lonely; it had gained a new companion—a snow-white fox, and the two played happily among the blossoms.

After experiencing her initial confusion and unease, Qin Qianqian quickly integrated into the rhythm of life on Dongming Mountain.

She discovered that there were always some people in this world who could bring joy to one's heart at a single glance and remain a pleasure to be with for a long time.

In Qin Qianqian's eyes, Yanqiu was precisely such a person.

Every action of his—whether it was his soft-spoken words, his meticulous care in watering the flowers, or his casual chats—brought Qin Qianqian an indescribable sense of peace and reliance.

As for Lin Fei, he always lay quietly on the chair atop the cliff platform, his gaze seemingly piercing through the sky to contemplate the distant horizon.

As spring passed and autumn arrived, his posture never changed.

Qin Qianqian would sometimes curiously look up at the sky, only to see ethereal white clouds drifting by, and she couldn't help marveling inwardly that Senior Brother Lin Fei was truly a unique and eccentric person.

Xia怡 seemed to have also sensed the news of the Sect Master entering seclusion; the frequency of her visits gradually increased, going from once every half month initially to visiting every two days now.

Whenever Lin Fei opened his eyes, he was always greeted by Xia怡's expectant eyes, and by nightfall, he could practically hear her cheers echoing from beneath the cliff platform in his dreams.

Because of Xia怡's frequent visits, Lu Shuili and Lin Fei also gradually grew familiar with each other.

To her surprise, Lin Fei discovered that this outwardly cold woman was actually someone with a deep, consuming obsession with swordsmanship.

One lazy afternoon, the two gathered once again, deep in a discussion about the path of the sword.

"Some say that the way of the sword cultivator prioritizes lethality above all else, which is why the art of flying swords currently reigns supreme, while the ancient art of foot-swordsmanship declines day by day—an inevitable trend. What are your thoughts?"

"Those in the world who idolize flying swords do so merely because they seek shortcuts, chase fame and fortune, and are unwilling to delve deeply into the more arduous path of foot-swordsmanship."

"Then, do you believe foot-swordsmanship is truly superior to flying swords?"

"There are no superior or inferior sword techniques; the key lies in the user."

"And what if it is you?"

"That question is meaningless. The sword technique I choose is naturally the strongest."

Lu Shuili was momentarily at a loss for words. She knew that whenever the topic turned to the sword, Lin Fei was always utterly unshakeable, every word he uttered sounding absolute and unquestionable.

Lu Shuili sighed softly, a trace of regret flashing in her eyes, "Legend has it that an ancient sword immortal once created the Nine-Revolution Immortal Sword, every single stance of which possessed earth-shattering power capable of triggering heavenly anomalies. Unfortunately, by now, most of these sword stances have been lost to time."

Lin Fei remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "You wish to learn these sword stances?"