Watching the Mountain

Luo Qianfan fell silent for a moment, then smiled. "Since the Evergreen Sword Saint has so graciously invited me to battle, how could I possibly refuse?"

Zhang Zhentian waved his hand and said, "No. I want to defeat you convincingly. We will fight when you’ve recovered to your peak condition."

Luo Qianfan had just battled Shen Wuchen for ten days, so he was not in good condition.

Hearing Zhang Zhentian say this, Luo Qianfan glanced at him, then nodded and replied, "Fine."

After speaking, he sat down cross-legged, took out an Elixir, and began to heal and recover.

News that the Evergreen Sword Saint, Zhang Zhentian, was going to battle Luo Qianfan of the Profound Celestial Sect—one of the Upper Three Sects—instantly captured the attention of the entire Eastern Domain Cultivation Realm.

Both men had previously defeated Wuchen True Monarch—the youngest Nascent Soul True Monarch in the Cultivation Realm’s last hundred thousand years. They were peerless prodigies, the only ones in recorded history to have defeated a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator while still at the Golden Core level.

Their battle would essentially decide who held the title of the number one Golden Core combatant.

Many people, hearing the news, traveled thousands of miles to watch the battle.

Luo Qianfan sat there meditating for a month. The number of spectators grew, but everyone was extremely patient. No one urged him to hurry.

When he finally opened his eyes and looked at Zhang Zhentian, his face filled with battle intent, a stir went through the crowd.

"It’s starting."

*

*

*

Ten days later, Shen Wuchen looked at the battered Luo Qianfan and asked expressionlessly, "Are you still going to challenge me? I can give you a fifty percent discount next time."

The corner of Luo Qianfan’s mouth twitched. He shook his head and said, "Reporting to the True Monarch, the Upper Three Sects are not nearly as wealthy as you imagine."

Hearing this, Shen Wuchen nodded, a hint of regret in his eyes. "If any of your fellow disciples want to make a name for themselves, you can have them come find me."

A vein pulsed on Luo Qianfan’s forehead. He took a deep breath to suppress the urge to explode and said:

"I’m afraid I must disappoint the True Monarch. I am the only one among my peers who enjoys chasing fame and fortune. The rest are all indifferent to such things."

After speaking, he cupped his hands at Shen Wuchen, announced his departure, and left in a hurry.

Many people could see his desolate figure retreating and his pained expression. Even as he flew away on his sword, his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white.

After Luo Qianfan left, all eyes on the scene immediately fell upon the Evergreen Sword Saint, who was dressed in black martial attire and had a calm and steady demeanor.

At this moment, he wasn’t emitting any intimidating aura; in fact, his own qi seemed somewhat weak. Yet as he stood there quietly, everyone couldn’t help but hold their breath, their eyes filled with shock.

From this day forward, the Evergreen Sword Saint’s title as the number one combatant at the Golden Core level would, thanks to that last battle, spread throughout the entire Cultivation Realm.

In the eyes of the Cultivation Realm, the Upper Three Sects had always been powerful and mysterious. They rarely made public appearances. This time, one of them had appeared, only to become a backdrop that further enhanced the Evergreen Sword Saint’s fame.

Many people looked at the quietly standing Evergreen Sword Saint and couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. ’This Profound Pure Sect is truly remarkable. Their prodigies shatter everyone’s expectations time and time again.’

After the crowd dispersed, Shen Wuchen walked over to Zhang Zhentian, stared at him expressionlessly, and asked, "Why didn’t you break through?"

Zhang Zhentian shook his head. "Everything I said before was a lie. I never actually postponed my breakthrough. After my battle with you, I sensed an opportunity to break through, but I was always just one step away and couldn’t make it."

Shen Wuchen stared at him for a moment, then asked in a cold voice, "And now?"

A sharp glint flashed in Zhang Zhentian’s eyes as he replied with a smile, "Now I can."

Shen Wuchen nodded slightly and said expressionlessly, "Good. Then wait for me to reach the Divinity Transformation Stage, and we’ll fight again."

Zhang Zhentian fell silent for a moment upon hearing this. "It seems you’re very confident you can break through."

’That’s a Divinity Transformation Daoist Monarch we’re talking about.’ Although he was extremely confident in himself, he couldn’t make a bold claim like Junior Brother Shen that he would absolutely break through.

Even for the Nascent Soul Stage, he had only glimpsed a sliver of an opportunity to break through after being baptized in countless battles, finding it in the slivers between blood and fire.

But even that wasn’t enough. If not for his subsequent battle with Junior Brother Shen, his breakthrough would have remained a distant prospect.

But even after fighting Junior Brother Shen, he was still missing that final little bit. It wasn’t until this battle with the fellow who intended to humiliate Junior Brother Shen that he finally saw the path to the Nascent Soul Stage clearly.

After hearing Zhang Zhentian’s words, Shen Wuchen shook his head slightly and said, "I’m still far from it."

Zhang Zhentian let out a surprised sound and asked in confusion, "What are you lacking?"

Shen Wuchen expressionlessly uttered two words, "Spirit Stones."

He followed the Flying Immortal Stream, which deemphasizes enlightenment. To break through quickly, piling up resources is the fastest way.

Besides, he had to be fast. Otherwise, if Senior Brother Zhang caught up later, he would lose his chance to defeat him.

Therefore, he was truly desperate for resources.

*

*

*

Inside Xu Ran’s Cave Mansion, he looked at Shen Wuchen sitting across from him and asked with some confusion, "How did you even think of asking him for Spirit Stones under those circumstances?"

He had also heard the rumors in the Sect, but he didn’t think Shen Wuchen was the type to think so deeply about things. The guy was single-minded; how could he possibly understand so many intricacies?

He felt it must be a misunderstanding. Now that he was meeting with Shen Wuchen, he wanted to confirm it.

After hearing Xu Ran’s question, Shen Wuchen replied with a look of confusion, "The way he was talking back then, didn’t it just mean he didn’t want to give me the Spirit Stones?"

He paused in thought for a moment before adding, "I could tell he was heartbroken about those Spirit Stones, so that must have been what he was thinking."

Hearing this, Xu Ran was stunned for a moment, then let out a helpless laugh and shook his head.

’Just as I thought. Shen Wuchen definitely wouldn’t think about all those intricacies. Those people are just too good at overthinking things.’

This answer was the real Shen Wuchen.

Then he asked another question, "Weren’t you embarrassed to ask at a time like that?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Wuchen looked at him with a puzzled expression and asked, "Didn’t Master Xu say that once a disciple sets foot on this path, they no longer need to worry about face?"

"I was short on Spirit Stones, so of course I had to ask him for them."

"But it was indeed difficult to figure out how to ask. I was struggling at the time with how to phrase it politely, so as not to violate the Sect’s etiquette."

Xu Ran paused, momentarily stunned. ’Yes, that does sound like something Shen Wuchen would agonize over. He doesn’t care about his own face, but he does care about the reputation of the Sect and me, his teacher.’

*

*

*

"Senior Sister, what kind of person is the Sect Leader?"

It was another quiet mealtime. Xu Ran took the opportunity to ask Yue Qingyu.

He had been in the Sect for so long but had never met the Sect Leader. However, just after Shen Wuchen left, he received a message from Teacher Qing Xuan telling him to go to his place tomorrow, as the Sect Leader wanted to see him.

Xu Ran was quite surprised by this sudden news. He didn’t know why the Sect Leader would suddenly summon him. He had done so many things before, but the Sect Leader had never sought him out.

Yue Qingyu put down her chopsticks, thought for a moment, and replied, "Master is a rather serious person."

Xu Ran became thoughtful upon hearing this. He had seen a portrait of the Sect Leader—an old Daoist with the air of an immortal and a transcendent demeanor. His face did indeed look rather stern.

He nodded slightly, thinking to himself, ’In that case, I should dress a bit more formally tomorrow.’

The next day, he arrived at the main hall of Qing Xuan Peak. Teacher Qing Xuan was already seated there, along with two other people. One was the old Daoist with the air of an immortal and a stern face; Xu Ran recognized him at a glance as the Sect Leader.

Beside him was a middle-aged man with black hair whose face, at a single glance, suggested a life full of hardship and misfortune.

Xu Ran recognized this person as well. It was none other than the Supreme Elder of Purple Cloud Peak. When Ancestor Yanyang attacked, he was the one who had held him off.

After Xu Ran entered, the first to speak was Zi Yun Supreme, who wore a pained expression. He gave Xu Ran a slight nod, a smile playing on his lips, then turned his head to the Sect Leader beside him and said:

"Hehehe, our Elder Xu is clearly no ordinary man."

The Sect Leader nodded slightly, a proud look on his face, and chimed in:

"Of course. After all, he was recommended to the Sect by my disciple, Qingyu. How could he be an ordinary person?"

Hearing this, Xu Ran was slightly taken aback. ’This is what Senior Sister called serious?’