Chapter Nineteen: What a Millennia-old Sect

From a distance, the entire sky and land were shrouded in drifting clouds and mist. Seen from afar, it seemed as if tens of thousands of colors shifted and changed without end, but up close it was nothing more than a thin veil of white fog, through which the surrounding scenery could be seen in full. The occasional call of cranes echoed from near and far, adding an ethereal aura, while now and then the roars of other strange beasts could be heard.

Palaces and pavilions rose one after another, connected in grandeur; anyone who saw them would be awed by their magnificent scale and overwhelming presence. Dominated by gold, purple, and white, the structures exuded dignity and nobility, unsullied by the mundane world. Now and then, streaks of light flashed across the sky. Farther off, things grew indistinct; no doubt there were mountain-protecting arrays at work.

“So this is Mount Li. It truly does resemble the abode of the immortals,” Wu Yue remarked with admiration. “By the way, why aren’t you using flying swords?”

Xue Xiaoyu withdrew his gaze and replied, “My flying sword broke long ago.” At that, he felt a surge of delight—he was about to become friends with a guest elder of Mount Li! To think such a powerful sect had been unknown to him before—what a pity. But now, ha! Old man Zhuge, come and seek your revenge if you dare. Suddenly, even the mission—to kill Chen Jishan—didn’t seem impossible.

“How do we get up the mountain?” Xue Xiaoyu asked with a grin.

“Well, well, we still have a way to go to reach Mount Li. Flying is not permitted here. There are more than two hundred li left; let’s walk the rest of the way,” Chen Shujuang said.

“How powerful must Mount Li be, when even its outer branches are so impressive! Truly a sect of a thousand years!” Xue Xiaoyu exclaimed in wonder.

Chen Shujuang gave a dry laugh, while Yu Fu wore a strange expression.

Seeing Wu Yue and Xue Xiaoyu still wanting to ask more, Chen Shujuang hurriedly interjected, “The sect leader is already waiting for us, and no doubt has prepared a banquet. Let’s hurry.”

As they followed the winding paths, Wu Yue grew increasingly uneasy. Clearly, there were times when they could have taken a direct route up the mountain and saved time. Yet Chen Shujuang always replied with a smile, “That would be discourteous. Let’s walk properly.”

Suddenly, Chen Shujuang stopped, pointed to a mountain ahead, and said, “There, that’s Mount Li! Ha! See, it stands apart from the other peaks!” It was a poor joke.

There was a tall mountain, with several smaller ones surrounding it. The only feature they all shared was—desolation. From afar, Wu Yue could make out a few black dots at the summit.

“Umm, isn’t there something a bit off?” Wu Yue felt an ominous foreboding deep within.

But Xue Xiaoyu burst out laughing. After all, he’d roamed the world for years and seen many things. “I’ve heard some great sects use supreme powers to carve out a piece of the world from beyond the realm, making it their sanctuary. Mount Li must be one of those,” he said.

“Ahem, ahem, let’s go up the mountain.”

Chen Shujuang was the first to rise into the air. Wu Yue suppressed his doubts and followed Xue Xiaoyu, riding the spiritual energy skyward. Left behind was Yu Fu…

“Hey! What about me? You’re leaving me to climb again! Forget it, I’ll go up later, in case a fight breaks out and I get caught in the crossfire…”

A stone stele, three men tall and two men wide, stood before them, engraved with the two characters for Mount Li. Wu Yue stared at the inscription for a long time, lost in thought, seeking to glean some insight from the calligraphy, as was customary.

Meanwhile, Xue Xiaoyu glanced around and noticed an old man not far behind the stele, dressed in a clean but worn robe, sitting beside a bundle of firewood, hands tucked into his sleeves, smiling warmly at them.

“You people from Mount Li are very down-to-earth, aren’t you? Anyone can just show up?” Xue Xiaoyu shot a glance at Chen Shujuang.

Chen Shujuang managed a bitter smile, then stepped forward a few paces and said, “Sect leader, why are you sitting here?”

The old man smiled, a simple, honest smile that seemed to belong to a farmer in the fields. “I was supposed to come welcome you all, but Forty-nine just finished gathering some firewood and asked me to keep an eye on it for him. So here I am, waiting for you.”

He stood, brushed the dust from his robes, picked up the bundle of firewood, and grinned. “Let’s go. Your junior is preparing the meal.”

“I want to leave,” Xue Xiaoyu said through gritted teeth, his face full of the frustration life had dealt him.

“Alright,” Chen Shujuang replied simply.

“You’ll just let me go?” Xue Xiaoyu looked at him in shock, feeling strangely abandoned.

Chen Shujuang smiled, shy and honest. “Of course. Mount Li means freedom to come and go. Besides, we never asked you to come, did we?”

Wu Yue snapped out of his reverie, having gained nothing from the stele—well, except that the calligraphy was quite nice. At that moment, he overheard the others’ exchange.

“Since you’re here, make yourself at home,” Wu Yue said to comfort Xue Xiaoyu. He was deeply curious; this sect was too peculiar for words. He had always believed that when something was out of the ordinary, there was more to it than met the eye.

The old man led the way, each step measured and unhurried. Chen Shujuang walked beside Wu Yue. As for Xue Xiaoyu, the hot-blooded, quick-witted young man, he was now seething with anger at having been deceived—and, upon reflection, mostly by himself.

A thousand-year-old sect? A private world? Where had all the sincerity between people gone?

The further Wu Yue walked, the more uneasy he felt. Normally, mountains should have abundant spiritual energy, but here it was oddly thin.

“Let’s rest here for a bit. Sit wherever you like, make yourselves at home,” the old man said, all hospitality. “Ah, I forgot to introduce myself: my name is Jiang Ruhai, acting sect leader of Mount Li.”

The reception room was plainly furnished. Indeed, there were no distinctions of rank; everyone took a seat as they pleased. Wu Yue pulled up a stool. Chen Shujuang produced a teapot from who knows where, poured tea for everyone, and finally for himself, declaring, “The finest tea—worth an ounce of silver per jin!”

Xue Xiaoyu took a sip and instantly spat it out, face dark. “Truly the finest tea,” he growled.

“Let’s get to the point,” Wu Yue said, cradling his cup but not drinking, suddenly wary of poison.

Jiang Ruhai gave his customary hearty laugh, leaned back, and began, “According to the records, Mount Li has existed for over seven thousand years. It wasn’t originally here; more than a thousand years ago, the sect leader at the time, by great magical power, moved it here. So, in the Qin Kingdom, even those who have heard of Mount Li know only that it is a millennia-old sect. To be frank, today’s Mount Li is no longer even a proper sect, let alone a great one. We have nothing: no resources, no disciples, no spiritual treasures.” Jiang Ruhai’s explanation was forthright, without the slightest attempt to hide the truth.

Xue Xiaoyu let out a laugh of disbelief. “And yet you’ve managed to survive until now?”

Jiang Ruhai’s face was full of reminiscence. “Indeed, Mount Li still endures. Who could truly cut off Mount Li’s destiny… haha.”

“So what does Mount Li have?” Xue Xiaoyu asked, not ready to give up.

“Of course, Mount Li has a secret.”

“What secret?”

“These secrets are known only to the sect leader.”

“So only you know?”

“I don’t know either. I’m only the acting leader.”

“Then who is the sect leader?”

“There isn’t one yet. So no one knows the secrets. But Mount Li does have a famous sight: once every hundred years, heavenly lightning strikes the mountain. It’s quite spectacular.”

“Damn it, that’s a ‘sight’? Thunderbolts are there for people to watch?” Xue Xiaoyu roared.

“They’re for Mount Li to witness,” Jiang Ruhai replied calmly.

“But it’s not without its benefits. The heavenly lightning may destroy Mount Li, but it also serves as a kind of protection. At least no other sect dares to covet Mount Li,” Chen Shujuang added.

As the questions continued, Wu Yue was silent for a moment, then quietly said, “If this is all there is, why should I join Mount Li?”

Jiang Ruhai nodded. “To be honest, if I were you, I’d turn around and leave. But since Mount Li’s divination identified you as the one to break our calamity, I believe there’s meaning in it. Why not stay here for a few days, and if you still wish to leave, I won’t stop you. Even if you choose to go, I promise to help you unconditionally, once, in the future.”

Wu Yue smiled. “Very well. What a noble ancient sect indeed.”