Chapter 7: Black Water Crows

Seven days later.

Atop the main peak of the Shenxiao Sword Sect.

Thousands of people had gathered together — men and women, old and young — each uniformly carrying a three-foot sword on their back. Some wore green robes, others wore blue robes.

Those in green robes were quite young, while those in blue robes were relatively older.

Lin Feng and Ye Qingxuan were among them, both dressed in green robes.

In the Shenxiao Sword Sect, there were strict rules about attire — one could not simply wear whatever they pleased.

All disciples wore green robes without exception.

It made no difference whether you were an Outer Disciple, an Inner Disciple, or a Core Disciple.

However, to distinguish between the three, aside from the characters "Outer," "Inner," and "Core" printed on the chest, the sashes also differed.

Outer Disciples wore green robes with green sashes, Inner Disciples wore green robes with yellow sashes, and Core Disciples wore green robes with white sashes.

Blue robes were worn exclusively by Stewards.

Any Outer Disciple who failed to advance to Inner Disciple before the age of forty would automatically become a Third-Rank Steward.

Any Inner Disciple who failed to advance to Core Disciple before the age of fifty would automatically become a Second-Rank Steward.

Stewards were divided into three ranks: Third-Rank Steward, Second-Rank Steward, and First-Rank Steward, corresponding respectively to the Sea Condensation Realm, Illusion Breaking Realm, and Spirit Traversal Realm in terms of cultivation.

Third-Rank Stewards were the most numerous and the weakest. Though they bore the title of Steward, in practice they did all the menial chores within the Shenxiao Sword Sect, their status only marginally higher than that of Outer Disciples.

Second-Rank Stewards had it considerably better, needing only to manage the Third-Rank Stewards.

As for First-Rank Stewards, their status already surpassed that of many Inner Disciples.

If a First-Rank Steward managed to break through from the Spirit Traversal Realm to the Sky Mastery Realm, they would immediately transform and join the ranks of the Elders. Even the most ordinary Elder was incomparable to a Steward.

To earn respect and gain access to more cultivation resources, one had no choice but to keep climbing upward.

If one could become a Peak Master or a member of the Elder Council, they would already be counted among the core upper echelons of the Shenxiao Sword Sect.

The thousands gathered at the main peak were all the disciples and Stewards the Shenxiao Sword Sect was sending into the Nine Nethers Secret Realm.

Among them were four Core Disciples, each with a bone age of roughly twenty-something. Aside from Lin Feng, all of them were geniuses among geniuses — the sect's most heavily cultivated prospects.

There were one hundred and twenty-eight Inner Disciples, all under fifty years of bone age, possessing great cultivation potential. Some Inner Disciples were talented enough to rival even Core Disciples; they simply hadn't been noticed at first.

At every Sect Tournament, some Inner Disciples would catch the eye of a Peak Master or a member of the Elder Council and be taken in as Core Disciples. That was why they gave everything they had at the Sect Tournament — all in the hope of becoming Core Disciples and receiving the sect's focused nurturing.

There were eight hundred and twelve Outer Disciples. Most of them had barely met the Shenxiao Sword Sect's entry requirements. The fate of the vast majority was to wait out their time limit and become Third-Rank Stewards, with only a small number advancing to Inner Disciple and eventually becoming Second-Rank Stewards.

As for an Outer Disciple advancing to Core Disciple? It wasn't unheard of, but it was extraordinarily rare — throughout the entire history of the Shenxiao Sword Sect, there had been only a handful of such cases.

The remaining Stewards numbered over a thousand, almost all of them middle-aged in appearance. Their talent was average; they had barely been accepted by the Shenxiao Sword Sect, and making something of themselves was exceedingly difficult without a Fortuitous Encounter.

Stewards were the ones most eager to enter the Nine Nethers Secret Realm and take their chances. Without this opportunity, they might spend the rest of their lives in mediocrity.

Even advancing one step further to become the most ordinary Elder would be a blessing.

Whether in terms of status or resources, Elders far outstripped Stewards.

To earn respect and gain more cultivation resources, one had no choice but to keep striving upward.

Those who became Peak Masters or members of the Elder Council were already counted among the core leadership of the Shenxiao Sword Sect.

Each time the Nine Nethers Secret Realm opened, the various factions of Li Continent would send large numbers of disciples inside to compete for Fortuitous Encounters.

While searching for opportunities, they could also achieve the effect of tempering themselves through experience.

A flower raised in a greenhouse can never truly grow strong.

To become powerful, one must venture out into the world, even face life and death.

At this moment, Luo Yuntian, the Sect Master of the Shenxiao Sword Sect, was delivering words of encouragement to those about to depart.

Calling it encouragement was generous — it was really more of a rousing speech to fire everyone up.

He spoke of how many people, since the Nine Nethers Secret Realm first opened, had soared to greatness within it and ultimately become the powerful figures of Li Continent.

The content was simple.

But the effect was unmistakable.

Born into this age where the strong prey upon the weak, who didn't want to grow stronger? Who didn't want to become a great figure who held the power of life and death over others?

With the exception of Lin Feng, everyone was striving with all their might to grow stronger.

Seeing the excitement on everyone's faces, Luo Yuntian felt the moment was ripe. He waved his hand broadly.

"On this journey into the Nine Nethers Secret Realm, our Shenxiao Sword Sect shall stand above all others. Twelfth Elder — these people are in your hands. I expect you to bring back the same number you take today when you return three months from now."

"By your command, Sect Master!" The Shenxiao Sword Sect's Twelfth Elder, Gu Mingzhou, stepped forward and replied with a cupped-fist salute.

He was one of the members of the Shenxiao Sword Sect's Elder Council, a man of formidable power.

"Move out!"

In an instant, Gu Mingzhou leapt into the air, and the rest followed, taking to the skies on their swords.

To protect the safety of their disciples, the Shenxiao Sword Sect had dispatched a full twenty-four Elders — each at least at the Sky Mastery Realm — to accompany them along the way.

The great procession set off in force toward the location where the Nine Nethers Secret Realm would open.

Two thousand people riding their swords through the sky was a truly spectacular sight.

Lin Feng blended into the crowd. Wanting to appear as inconspicuous as possible so he could quietly slip away on his own after entering the Nine Nethers Secret Realm, he made sure not to stay too close to Ye Qingxuan.

Ye Qingxuan was nothing like him.

She not only possessed a face of peerless beauty, but was also the heaven-blessed prodigy of the Shenxiao Sword Sect — known to every single person within the sect.

One only had to look at the crowd of men surrounding her to know just how popular she was.

Lin Feng had no desire to draw attention to himself.

The unfamiliar faces all around him made him realize something.

He had lived in the Shenxiao Sword Sect for twenty years, yet he knew so few people?

Although the Shenxiao Sword Sect was one of the top factions in Li Continent, with a large membership, and accepted a new batch of disciples every year — as the Senior Brother who had been a member for over twenty years, he had truly been far too reclusive all this time, rarely going out. Of the more than two thousand people in the procession, Lin Feng could count the ones he recognized on one hand.

As the Senior Brother of the Shenxiao Sword Sect, he was truly unqualified for the role.

* * *

At the same time.

The various major factions of Li Continent were each sending out their own processions, departing one after another.

Every time the Nine Nethers Secret Realm opened, it was considered a grand occasion for Li Continent.

While not enough to determine the shifts in Li Continent's balance of power, it would still have a certain degree of influence.

Everyone hoped that their disciples would find a Fortuitous Encounter within the Nine Nethers Secret Realm and soar to greatness.

After two days of sword riding, the Shenxiao Sword Sect's procession arrived at the edge of the Ten Thousand Mountains and came to a halt.

The Ten Thousand Mountains was one of the Three Forbidden Zones of Li Continent. Its depths were filled with countless dangers, and even powerful cultivators had to tread with extreme caution when entering.

Fortunately, the location where the Nine Nethers Secret Realm opened was not deep within the Ten Thousand Mountains, but rather at its outer edges. Otherwise, the Shenxiao Sword Sect's procession might well have been wiped out before even reaching their destination.

The Three Forbidden Zones were not to be taken lightly.

Even at the edges, one had to exercise extraordinary caution.

Lin Feng blended into the crowd, gazing at the Ten Thousand Mountains ahead — one of the so-called Three Forbidden Zones of Li Continent. Apart from an endless, unbroken expanse of forest stretching as far as the eye could see, it didn't seem particularly remarkable.

At this moment, the Twelfth Elder Gu Mingzhou, who stood at the front, called out in a loud voice: "We are about to enter the Ten Thousand Mountains, one of the Three Forbidden Zones of Li Continent. Everyone stay close and do not fall behind. I have no time to wait for stragglers. The Sect Master only asked me to bring all of you back — he said nothing about whether you'd be corpses or living people. Understood?"

"Understood!" everyone answered in unison.

Everyone naturally understood that the Sect Master's words were merely a figure of speech.

Never mind the danger-laden Nine Nethers Secret Realm — even in ordinary operations, it was impossible to send out a group and have every single person return.

"Very well! Follow me!"

Gu Mingzhou took the lead and stepped into the Ten Thousand Mountains.

The procession of over two thousand continued forward on their swords.

Two hours passed quickly.

Not a single mishap had occurred.

Lin Feng occasionally glanced down at the dense forest below, somewhat curious about what dangers the legendary Ten Thousand Mountains — one of the Three Forbidden Zones — actually held.

But nothing happened.

Then, at that very moment —

A vast, rapidly moving dark cloud appeared ahead.

In the blink of an eye it was close, accompanied by a cacophony of cries.

Caw, caw, caw...

Upon hearing the sound, Lin Feng felt nothing out of the ordinary, but the people around him swayed as though drunk, some even losing their footing on their swords.

"Snap out of it!"

A thunderous shout rang out.

Everyone snapped back to their senses in that instant.

"Everyone pay attention! These are Black Water Crows. Their offensive power is not particularly strong, but their cries carry a powerful hallucinatory effect. You must hold firm to your Dao-heart and not relax for even a moment. If you fall into an illusion and drop down, you know what happens!" Gu Mingzhou called out loudly.

"Yes, Twelfth Elder!"

"Keep moving forward! As Sword Cultivators, we must have the resolve to press on without hesitation. Whatever stands in our way — I shall cleave it with a single sword strike."

Gu Mingzhou led from the front. Sword in hand, he swung once, sending a sword beam dozens of meters long slashing toward the densely packed Black Water Crows.

The other Elders followed suit.

Dozens of sword beams tore into the flock.

Countless Black Water Crows were cut down, plummeting from the sky.

The deaths stirred the ferocity of the Black Water Crows, driving them into an even more frenzied chorus of cries.

Caw, caw, caw...

Several of the weaker Shenxiao Sword Sect disciples could no longer endure it. They fell into illusions, lost control of their sword riding, and plunged downward.

The moment they crashed into the dense forest of the Ten Thousand Mountains, agonized screams rang out.

Ahhh...

Then silence.

It all happened with terrifying speed.

Every disciple's eyes filled with fear, and at the same time, they steeled their resolve.

Lin Feng's gaze flickered.

It seemed there was something truly terrifying lurking in the forest below.

The Shenxiao Sword Sect's Elders had the opportunity to save the fallen disciples, yet they made no move to do so.

For one thing, the Elders' attention was needed for the greater number of people. For another, this was itself a kind of test.

If one couldn't even withstand the low-level spiritual assault of the Black Water Crows, it indicated limited talent — there was no point wasting further effort and resources on them.

The world of cultivators was just that realistic and cruel.

Once you chose the path of a cultivator, you had to be prepared to face death at any moment.

Never mind the others.

Even Su Mubai, once the greatest genius of the Shenxiao Sword Sect, had been abandoned by the sect after his foundation was damaged.

Had Luo Yuntian not taken the position of Sect Master, remembered their old bond, and taken into account that Su Mubai had been injured in service to the sect, Lone Existence Peak and the Haoran Sword would have long since changed hands — and Lin Feng could never have become the Senior Brother of this generation of the Shenxiao Sword Sect.

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Edited by Fat Goose