"Haaaa…" Lian exhaled deeply. "The air here really is different. All that time I spent cultivating felt suffocating."
His gaze drifted across the stone carvings lining Sword Peak, each one etched with ancient blade marks that carried faint sword intent.
"Senior Brother Yung," Lian said after a moment, "you mentioned something about the Delightful Sword. What is that, really?"
Hearing Lian call him senior brother made Bo Yung pause. A faint blush crept up his face.
"Mmm…" He exhaled sharply, placing a finger horizontally beneath his nose. "It's Master Bo. Because of his swordsmanship, he earned himself the title of Delightful Swordsman." He hesitated, then added, "Though I'm sure his… eccentric tendencies also played a part." He chuckled horribly.
"All I can tell you is you never want to be on the receiving end of his blade," He swallowed hard.
This time, instead of flying, they descended a long flight of stone stairs. Without the aid of Bo, the journey took far longer, and the echo of their footsteps rang through the mountain.
"Delightful swordsmanship, huh…" Lian murmured. "I wonder what it looks like. Lately, all the blade techniques I've been learning feel… stiff. I need some inspiration."
As he spoke, he glanced upward. Above them, disciples drifted down the mountain, riding their weapons—swords, axes, even folding fans—each moving with practised ease.
"Senior Brother," Lian asked suddenly, eyes fixed on Bo Yung's blade, "can you fly?"
Bo Yung laughed. "Of course I can. What kind of Martial Sovereign can't fly? I'm sure Master would beat me senseless if I couldn't."
"A Martial Sovereign ha…" Lian thought. That's the level Patriarch Xing was at. Still two whole realms above me.
"Do you want me to teach you sometime?" Bo Yung asked, turning his head slightly.
"I would be very grateful, brother," Lian replied, giving a short bow.
"Good," Bo Yung said as they stepped down the final flight of stairs. "Come find me during your free time. I'll show you."
They finally reached the bottom of the stairs, and as Lian stepped onto the platform, countless eyes turned toward him.
"Instructor Lin," Bo Yung said, bowing slightly, "I've brought him, as Master demanded."
"Mmm…" The instructor looked him over lazily. His curly hair draped down the sides of his face, framing a smug expression. "So this is the new disciple Bo has been bragging about." He scoffed. "He doesn't look like much."
Instructor Lin spoke without even glancing properly at Lian.
"Are you sure he can endure my training? Even disciples from well-known clans fail to keep up here."
"He'll be fine," Bo Yung replied with an awkward laugh. "Otherwise, Master wouldn't have brought him here."
"Hmph." Lin waved his hand dismissively.
"I'll take my leave then, Instructor Lin. I've been assigned a mission." Bo Yung turned and walked away.
"Blue robes…" Lian thought as he watched him go. "I haven't seen anyone else wearing those. Where do they train?"
His thoughts were cut short.
"You there, newbie," Lin said coldly. "Why don't you introduce yourself to your new comrades?"
He gestured toward the group of disciples dressed in white robes.
They all stared at him, some were even leaking killing intent.
Lian turned to face them. "My name is Xi—"
He stopped himself.
"How childish, they are trying to pressure me." Lian thought.
"I am Bo Lian," he said calmly. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
He raised a closed fist into an open palm, giving a proper martial salute.
"Look at that brat, all smug," someone in the crowd whispered. "He didn't even come through the proper channels. I bet he thinks he's one of us."
"Bo Lian…" Instructor Lin sneered inwardly. "How presumptuous. He's been here only a few days and already dares to bear the name Bo.
I'll have to bring him down a peg."
"Today," Lin announced coldly, "you will all learn the sect's movement technique."
He distributed jade talismans, each etched with the technique's inscription.
"After he fails to learn it in time, he'll despair and quit, Lin thought with satisfaction. I hate teaching riff-raff who crawl in through backdoors."
"You all have an incense still worth of time to learn it; those who fail will be punished," Lin announced.
Though he failed to let Lian know that all the others had learnt a basic version of the technique before this.
Most of them learnt the strud-step, which is the foundation of the new technique; what they were attempting to learn now was the second evolution of that basic step.
When the jade talisman reached him, Lian placed it atop his head. Instantly, the information surged into his mind.
"The flash Step Ha," he murmured.
Within a single breath, he entered his mindscape.
Ten hours passed there.
When he opened his eyes again, his expression was calm.
"Huh… this one wasn't too hard, he thought. It's easier than Shadow Steps."
"Then why aren't you meditating?" Lin snapped sharply.
"I've already mastered it," Lian replied flatly.
"What?!" Lin roared. "Don't fool around! Do you think this is some back-alley technique?" His face twisted with rage. "This is a legacy of Heaven's Gate! Speak nonsense again, and I'll punish you on the spot!"
"Hahaha!" The other disciples burst into laughter.
"He's done for now; he thinks himself some kind of genius. Instructor Lin is about to snap." They became even noisier.
"I can show you," Lian said casually, silencing them all.