Chapter One Climbing the Mountain

  Tianxian Peak, with a height of several thousand zhang, is one of the most precipitous peaks south of Chongwu Continent. Unlike other peaks that are located within the Southern Wilderness, Tianxian Peak lies outside it and borders the Great Qin Kingdom.

  And Tianxian Peak is famous in the south of Chongwu Continent, shaking the entire Chongwu Continent, all because on top of Tianxian Peak, a large sect is stationed -

  Tianjian Sect

  Tianjian Sect, with a history of over 3,000 years, has a profound foundation. The disciples of Tianjian Sect have always been reclusive and rarely seen outside, except for some generals from the Great Qin Empire who can occasionally catch a glimpse of them. Of course, there are exceptions - some disciples in Tianjian Sect also travel to various places on the Chongwu Continent to temper themselves through the sect's trials.

  It is said that more than 3,000 years ago, the Tianjian Sect was founded by a powerful and respected warrior. For many years, it helped the residents of the southern part of the Chongwu Continent to slay the demonic beasts that emerged from the southern wilderness, earning the respect of the people. At that time, in the south of the Chongwu Continent, there was even a wave of enthusiasm for joining the Tianjian Sect. However, the sect did not accept just anyone as its disciples; martial arts talent and character were equally important, which is why the sect's legacy continued to be passed down through generations with very limited number of disciples. Especially the inner door disciples, they are even rarer.

  Today, however, the usually deserted Tian Xian Peak welcomed three dusty figures.

  "Master, slow down a bit, we're almost there, why are you walking so fast? I'm exhausted," a soft and pleasant voice suddenly came from the mouth of a lovely girl in a blue dress, with a hint of dissatisfaction, clearly directed at the gray-robed old man walking swiftly in front.

  "Girl, don't you want to see your master?" The old man in gray turned his head back, with a teasing expression on his face, "It seems like just the other day, who was it that urged the carriage to hurry along..."

  The lovely girl, however, was not affected by the old man's words and still had a reasonable tone: "How can that be compared... That was us in the carriage, without consuming our physical strength. But today is different, it's us climbing the mountain ourselves, of course we should go slower."

  Having said that, without waiting for the old man in gray to refute, the lovely girl turned her head and looked at a blue-shirted youth who was several years younger than her on another side, "Brother Qingyan, do you think what I said is right or not?"

  "Huh?" The young man's mind was clearly elsewhere at this moment, and he stared blankly at the girl who was staring intently at him.

  These three people were the Sword-Bearing Elder Fan Yiran of the Tianjian Sect, the Sect Master's disciple Liu Yanran, and the Young Master of the Ling Family from Moyun City, Ling Qingyan. The three had set out from Moyun City several days ago and had now arrived at the foot of this treacherous peak.

  Since the last "Yong Huang Dian" incident, Tianjian Sect's Jianzhang Elder Fan Yiran had all his disciples who came out with him except for Liu Yanran return to the sect first. He and Liu Yanran, however, stayed at the Ling residence for five days before setting off on their journey back with Ling Qingyan.

  At this time, Ling Qingyan's right hand injury had also fully recovered.

  During the few days of staying at the Ling family, Fan Yiran also directly told the master of the Ling family, Ling Ao and his wife, as well as the elders of the Ling family that he wanted to take Ling Qingyan as his apprentice. After the people of the Ling family knew about it, except for Shangguan Yun who seemed a little reluctant to part with Ling Qingyan, everyone else was overjoyed.

  The status of the Sword Elder in the Tianjian Sect, the Ling family naturally understood. Once Ling Qingyan became a disciple of the Sword Elder, it was equivalent to having an unshakeable backing for the Ling family. From then on, as long as they didn't offend the interests of those large families and sects, and didn't do anything too excessive, the Ling family could almost walk sideways in the surrounding areas of the Great Qin Kingdom.

  "Little brother Qingyan, are you homesick?" Liu Yanran asked softly as she looked at Ling Qingyan who had just come back to his senses from being stunned.

  "Hmm," Ling Qingyan nodded calmly, but a hint of nostalgia flashed in his eyes.

  In this life, he was the first to leave Moyun City. In the past 15 years, the Ling family had given him many things that he did not have in his previous life... As a result, his attachment to the Ling family was also extremely deep.

  This time, he suddenly left the Ling family, who had lived for fifteen years, and was deeply reluctant in his heart. Especially this life's deep love for his mother... Thinking of his mother's many reminders before he left, Ling Qingyan felt a pang of sadness.

  His mother couldn't bear to part with him; how could he bear to part with her?

  However, since he was born on this martial continent that emphasizes the supremacy of martial power, as a man, he is destined to hold up half the sky for his family. Going out of Moyun City is an inevitable thing, after all, he can't stay in the Ling family as an ignorant and useless young master, let alone be a frog at the bottom of the well.

  It's just ahead of schedule.

  Although reluctant, Ling Qingyan also knew that this was an opportunity for the Ling family, and his father and the elders would not be willing to let it go, nor did he want to miss it.

  The Tianjian Sect will be the first stop for him to step onto the vast and majestic Wudang Continent stage!

  "Haha, Ling Xiaozi, what do you think of this Tian Xian Peak..."

  Fan Yiran, who was standing beside him, also saw the hint of sadness in Ling Qing's eyes and changed the subject, asking.

  Although Fan Yiran has already taken Ling Qingyan as his own disciple and explained it to the Ling family, he is still deeply moved by the sect's idea and insists that only after performing the master-disciple ceremony in front of the ancestral hall with Ling Qingyan can they be considered true masters and disciples.

  Upon hearing Fan Yiran's words, a hint of gratitude flashed across Ling Qingyan's slightly immature face. How could Fan Yiran not know what he was thinking? Ling Qingyan glanced around at the scenery, feeling that nothing had changed, and then looked up towards the summit once again...

  Only the top of the peak is invisible, and it's hard to see where it ends. A little higher, it's almost like clouds and fog are everywhere. In a daze, Ling Qing felt a surge of emotion in her heart, and at the same time, a poem from her previous life slipped out:

  "When will is strong, all mountains become small."

  Although the voice was light, Fan Yiran's ears were extremely sharp and he had clearly heard every word. At first, Fan Yiran was taken aback, but then his gaze also turned towards the depths of the peak, and after a long time, a look of astonishment flashed across his face as he recalled the scene of standing on the summit looking at the surrounding mountains, and responded to the poem spoken by Ling Qingyan, feeling an inexplicable sense of perfect match.

  At this moment, Fan Yiran also looked at Ling Qingyan in disbelief, "Ling Xiazi, is this a poem you wrote yourself?"

  "Hmm?" Ling Qingyan heard this and was taken aback for a moment, then could only nod his head.

  In the previous life, this poem was written by Du Fu of the Tang Dynasty... However, in this life, there is no existence of Du Fu. To avoid Fan Yan's repeated questioning, Ling Qingyan had to admit that he wrote it himself.

  Fan Yiran looked at Ling Qingyan, whose expression remained calm and unruffled, and couldn't help but shake his head, thinking to himself: "This young master of the Ling family always seems extraordinary in every way, sometimes he's so mature that it's hard to believe he's only fifteen years old."

  "What's wrong with you?"

  His gaze inadvertently swept over Liu Yanran, and Fan Yiran found that at this time, Liu Yanran had lost her usual liveliness and was quiet to the point of being frightening. Ling Qingyan also heard the sound and looked towards Liu Yanran, and for a moment, he didn't know why Liu Yanran had become like this either.

  "Master, do you think I'll ever see my biological parents again in this lifetime?" Yan Ran suddenly turned her head, staring intently at Fan Yi Ran, a pair of eyes that were once exceptionally lively now appeared subdued, with tears welling up inside.

  Actually, just now when I asked Ling Qingyan if she missed home, I thought of her parents... then I thought of her own parents whom she had never met and whose life or death was unknown.

  Fan Yiran was stunned and didn't know how to respond to Liu Yanran. Ling Qingyan, on the other hand, was even more unclear about the situation, although he was worried about Liu Yanran, but couldn't find a way to start talking.

  For a while, the three of them continued to walk towards the top of Tianxian Peak, but the atmosphere was unusually dull. It turned out that Liu Yanran, who had been talking the most and was also the most lively along the way, was now quiet too.