Lin Qingcheng and Su Yue glanced at each other, unsure of how to respond. The person before them was Peng Xiling, the most talented disciple of the Tower of Swords. Lonely Hero Peng, he was equally as famous as their sister Wu Qianyu. But what they didn't expect was that Peng Xiling would be so courteous. Instead of standing up for his own sect, he directly apologized even though he didn't have to. It seemed that Wu Qianyu's words about this person weren't false at all.
"Ahem," Lin Qingcheng cleared her throat, "Sir Peng, that is very kind of you."
Peng Lingxi smiled, "Don't mention it. This is something I should do as their senior brother."
"Senior Brother…" One of the people behind her spoke up, "How… how can you take their side?"
"This is not right! This is going against the sect master's order…" Another person chimed in but they were quickly interrupted.
Peng Lingxi's sheathed sword shot out and slapped the two across the head. The miscreants howled and jumped back, clutching their faces with miserable expressions.
Lin Qingcheng watched the exchange with great interest. This Peng Xiling truly had the aura of a senior brother. He was upright and heroic yet decisive and firm when he had to be. It was eye-opening for her who rarely acted according to her status. She still had a long way to go before she could become someone like that.
Peng Lingxi faced the ten fellow disciples with a frown, "You guys can scram. This sword truth, I will take care of it."
The one named Peng Kai looked reluctant for a brief moment before bowing respectfully. The rest did so as well. They had no standing to compete against their senior brother for sword truths. It could only be considered their bad luck. Even if these people were unwilling, there was absolutely no one they could complain to.
"Yes, senior brother!"
The group picked up their things and quickly disappeared into the forest.
Peng Lingxi once again faced Lin Qingcheng and Su Yue with a friendly smile, "Miss Lin, I can immediately recognize. However, this miss, it is a little difficult for me. May I ask, are you Miss Su Xue or Miss Su Yue?"
Her appearance was quite dazzling under the rays of sunlight that peaked through the foliage.
Su Yue blinked rapidly until she finally recovered from her daze, "Ah, sorry, I am Su Yue. Sir Peng, well met."
Peng Lingxi laughed lightly. Her Brother Chen's disciples were each so excellent. She couldn't feel a strand of wickedness from either woman. He certainly had good taste.
This didn't cause any jealousy, only more admiration. It meant that her man's judgment was good. It was only fitting because he was the one she had chosen.
She gestured to the tall tree behind her, "Miss Lin, Miss Su Yue, although I wish that our two sects can be friends, it is still difficult for me to simply let go of a sword truth within this Forest of Swords. After all, it is everyone's greatest purpose of entering this realm. However, unlike those rascals, I am willing to have a fair competition with you both. What do you say?"
"Oh?" Lin Qingcheng said, "I heard that Sir Peng is already at the lesser realm of Spiritual Growth while us two are only at the 8th Level of the Spirit Initiate Realm. There is quite a gap between us."
Peng Lingxi replied, "You two can attempt to climb up first. You can even try to climb up together. I can wait half an hour and you can have as many attempts as you like. If you are able to snatch the sword truth, then it is yours. However, if you can't, then I will take it."
Lin Qingcheng was once again impressed. This person was so confident and straightforward. Although she had not interacted with Peng Xiling for very long, they had already left a deep impression. It was no wonder that even Sister Wu Qianyu could get along with him.
Wait… that wasn't quite right. This person was actually a woman.
Lin Qingcheng covered her mouth to hide a giggle and said, "Very well, Sir Peng. We accept your conditions."
"Great!"
Lin Qingcheng and Su Yue approached the tall tree and looked up from the base. The trunk was so thick and up close, it seemed almost flat. It was smooth like glass and hardly any imperfections could be seen.
After a brief discussion, Su Yue stepped back. Lin Qingcheng gathered her spiritual energy and prepared to give it a try. She channeled all of her strength into her legs and leaped up.
She popped into the air, gradually approaching the trunk as she rose. At the apex, a pair of golden gauntlets appeared in her hand and she shot a powerful palm attack downward against the smooth bark.
With that burst of energy, she once again flew upward. But then she ran out of ideas and could only uselessly grab at the tree before she fell back down.
"How did I do?" She asked.
Su Yue shot her a wry smile, "I think that was only around thirty meters."
"Ah… so bad?" Lin Qingcheng patted her head in embarrassment, "Let me try again."
Second attempt, third attempt, fourth attempt… She barely reached fifty meters in height at most. It was quite a sad sight.
Although she was good at running and she was quite agile during fights, her movement was still crude and not based on any high-level movement technique. It was quite impressive for her to reach fifty meters given that she knew almost nothing about sword arts.
Su Yue went next. She gathered ice around her hands and feet and attempted to climb up that way. She was able to make the trunk freeze for the first fifty meters with ease. But when she went further, it became more and more difficult. The intensity of sword intent interfered with her ice art, causing her hands and feet to slip. By the time she neared a hundred meters, her ice art no longer had any effect and she also fell back down.
The two of them eventually sat down on the ground dejectedly. They had expended a lot of energy but they had made little progress. This sword truth was simply too profound. They couldn't grasp it at all.
"My turn." Peng Lingxi said and drew her sword.
She channeled energy from her spiritual sea as she brought out her immortal sword art. She started at a distance from the base of the tree and broke out into a full sprint. Her body became a gray blur as she flashed toward the trunk.
First Move, Crossing Streams and Rivers!
Her feet fiercely stamped into the ground and she shot up. Her robes fluttered in the wind as she became a gray arrow.
The Lonely Sword Wanderer was a Dao that focused on movement, sword and movement becoming one in order to travel across the lonely world.
Her sword flashed out, colliding against an invisible strand of sword energy along the tree trunk. A split second later, that strand of energy had already disappeared. But that was enough and her body continued flying upward.
Second Move, Rambling Past Hills and Valleys!
Third Move.
Fourth Move.
Fifth Move, Ascending the Skies Alone!
Peng Lingxi finished the first wandering and entered the second wandering. Her spiritual aura doubled in size. Her speed increased precipitously. She flew past the one-hundred-meter mark without any sign of falling back down.
This sword truth was a work of genius. It not only tested a sword cultivator's understanding of movement; it also gave them an opportunity to break their limits so that they could touch the sky. The most significant difference between mortals and immortals was the latter's ability to overcome the ground and soar across the sky.
If one could climb two hundred and fifty meters with their own ability to obtain this sword truth, they were already one step closer to becoming an immortal!
Peng Lingxi reached the two-hundred-meter mark and felt strong resistance. Her body felt incredibly heavy. She was like a rock that was about to plunge back down.
She gritted her teeth. She rotated the sword energy within her body and summoned the third wandering, her strongest possible form.
In an instant, the spiritual aura around her became almost tangible. Her eyes flashed with sword light. Her sword shot out resolutely, directly attacking the tree trunk.
With sounds akin to swords clashing, her figure once again became a blur. She closed the last few meters in a single breath and swept past the highest branch, making the tip of the giant tree sway as if it was suddenly hit by a strong gale.
Pa!
Peng Lingxi finally returned to solid ground, a sword held in one hand and a slender sword truth in the other. Hiding her tiredness, she shot a smile at the two witnesses to her performance.
"Looks like I managed it." She said simply as if it had been rather easy.
Lin Qingcheng shook her head in defeat, "Sir Peng is really impressive."
"Well done!" Su Yue chimed in.
"Haha, Miss Lin and Miss Su Yue are too kind."
The three exchanged a few more pleasantries before bidding goodbye. The sword truth had been claimed so there was nothing else here. They all had better things to do than stand around and chat all day.
Peng Lingxi left in complete satisfaction. Not only had she smoothly obtained another sword truth, she had also met two more disciples of Chen Wentian and left what was hopefully a good impression. There was nothing more she could ask for.
---
Thank you to all my patrons!
Support me and read ahead by 70 or even 140 chapters!
p atreon.com/kigreenwriting
Join my discord for updates, delays, and my ramblings :)
d iscord.gg/dY5UApw