As the cultivators of Maple City are examining the mountain range. Cui Wan, the city lord, arrives at the scene.
"We have seen the lord." All the cultivators bow and say in unison.
Cui Wan waves his hand and dismisses them. And he himself begins to examine the sight.
From just the devastated environment he can guess what sort of catastrophic battle has happened here.
He lifts his head and gazes at the split mountain there is still some sharp silver sword qi left.
Cui Wan knows it is the work of a great cultivator far beyond his level, perhaps a Rank 5 Master.
The sword qi is so resilient that it will stay there for years.
"Have you found anything noteworthy?" He asks coldly.
The cultivators there hesitate and they can guess the city lord is in a bad mood.
"City lord we have found a half-destroyed corpse. We expect it belongs to a Master cultivator."
"Bring it here… No, I will go and see it myself. Lead the way."
The cultivator obeys and leads the way soon they reach in front of a large pit.
Inside it lay the corpse of a cultivator. His body below his diaphragm has been completely destroyed.
His eyes are wide open in shock as if struck by something unexpected. Since his lower energy centre has been destroyed, it is difficult to identify his cultivation.
That would have been the case for someone but not for Cui Wan.
"This is the corpse of a perfect Rank 4 Master." Cui Wan says with certainty.
The cultivator beside him widens his eyes in surprise. Then he accepts it as if it were natural.
"Block off the entire mountain range and don't let anyone near it. I will investigate here myself." He commands.
"But city lord…"
"Don't worry about others, I will take care of it myself."
With those words, Cui Wan expands his consciousness. Feeling overwhelmed, the cultivator steps back.
"I will obey the orders." The cultivators say and leave.
Cui Wan gives him a look and begins his investigation.
A mile away from the mountain range someone in the shadows peeks at the site. He has seen Cui Wan arriving before so he doesn't dare to get too close.
"The city lord himself is here, something big really must have happened."
Even if Cui Wan wanted to seal off the mountain and block the information. It is not possible.
The commotion from the battle was so large that it made the earth tremble. The only reason the response is delayed is that it happened in a remote mountain range far away from nearby cities.
That time Cui Wan had thrown a banquet that lasted for days on the occasion of his son becoming a cultivator. He had dismissed it as just a minor tremor.
"I should go and report it to my lord." The shadow turns around and leaves.
He is not the only one present there after him; many other shadows also left confirming the event.
At the same time, the flying sword carrying Tian Ming and the others is just a few hundred miles away from reaching the flying sword sect.
Currently, the speed of flying swords is about thirty miles an hour. Ye Lei and his two juniors had been flying the swords for several days without pause.
If Ye Lei gets tired he lets his two juniors pilot it in his stead while he rests. Compared to mortals, cultivators don't need to eat or rest often.
Once a week is enough for them to relieve their physical burden. Instead of food, cultivators rely on the divine energy accumulated in their lower energy centre.
And if the energy is running out it can be replenished just by absorbing a divine essence stone found in the Divine Continent .
"Juniors hold tight, I am going to accelerate at full speed."
Ye Lei says as he accelerates he has already wasted more than half a month of his cultivation time.
He wants to reach the Flying Sword Sect as soon as possible and continue cultivating.
The flying sword accelerates and quickly reaches the speed of a hundred miles per hour.
I look at the sky from the position of the sun. I can guess the time is two o'clock.
As the sword accelerates I look at the scenery around me after becoming a cultivator. My senses have gotten sharper and I am adapting to the new environment better.
I turn my gaze to Xi Liu Su who is enthusiastically checking the scenery. She feels my gaze and smiles at me.
Suddenly I feel a sharp piercing gaze. Cui Miao is looking at me like he is ready to bite me.
Sigh
I sigh and close my eyes after just a couple of hours the flying sword halts. I feel it and open my eyes.
I turn my head up and a cool breeze touches my face. In my view, there is a magnificent mountain range shrouded in the mist. It is so vast that even the mist can't hide it.
Ye Lei takes a token from his storage ring and extends it in the air with a flash of light and a hole open in the mist.
Ye Lei pilots the flying sword and enters the hole.
I look back and the hole in the mist. It is already closing.
"No need to panic, this is just the external protective formation of our flying sword sect.
Most of the new cultivators here don't know what a formation is even if they have it would only be the name.
But their ignorance can't hide the bewilderment in their faces. Even someone like Cui Miao and Wang Xuan are also the same.
They have never seen a formation so vast and grand compared to this the formation of Maple City is like a small bubble of soap.
Soon we exit the hole and look at the magnificent mountain range. It is so vast I can't see an end to it.
It has a huge number of mountains. Some of the mountain peaks are so high that they touch the clouds in the sky.
Ye Lei carefully pilots the flying sword to a certain mountain peak.
As we land I can see a huge formation engraved on the ground similar to an energy gathering array but the scale is entirely different.
Around the formation, there is a circular stadium that can house tens of thousands of individuals.
And near the peak, there are five huge platforms possible for the high-ranking cultivators.
As we land on the formation we hear the noises of hundreds of disciples of the flying sword sect.
"Are these our new juniors?"
"This time there are twenty-five of them."
"Look, there is also a beautiful junior this time."
"And that guy there looks like he is from a really influential family."
Xi Liu Su flinches as this is the first time she has so much attention. Although she is considered the most beautiful girl in Maple City.
But because of the influence of Cui Miao no one dares to get too close to her. Of course with the exception of Tian Ming.
Both of them have been together since childhood and are quite close. This is also why Tian Ming is always targeted by Wang Xuan.
Cui Miao stays indifferent and Wang Xuan smiles and enjoys the gazes.
As for me I just take one look at their faces and turn around. The rest of us look flustered and some feel shy.
Some like the attention. They can feel that their status has risen as the mighty cultivators are looking at them, cheering for them and acknowledging them.
Then suddenly the atmosphere shifts as an old man with long black hair and an exceptionally long and pointed white beard makes an appearance.
"Oh look, the alchemy peak master is here."
Without even giving anyone a glance he jumps to one of the five high platforms.
"Haha, old geezer Gwak Young so you are the first here."
Gwak Young turns and looks at the man who is bare all the way down to the waist and has a metal tower-like figure.
A dark gold lustre shone on his skin, the light seemingly swirling on it as if it were made from gold.
"Hong Tian, I am your elder, show me some respect."
Hong Tian smirks "Why should I do that, you old fogey.
Gwak Young's expression became cold. "Tsk tsk even after becoming the peak master of Iron Sword Peak you haven't corrected your tongue."
"Compared to your lazy peak, we diligently practice swords so of course every part of us is sharp."
Sparks clash between the two of them as the disciples shake their heads. It seems it is a regular occurrence.
"Stop fighting you two aren't you tired. Fighting every time you see each other's face."
An enchanted voice sounds and alongside it an enchanting figure with long pink pigtails and golden crown-like ornaments appears on the third high platform.
She is dressed in a flowing white and pink gown, surrounded by swirling ribbons and cherry blossom petals.
"Fairy Chen Tao, you are still young and enchanting as always." Gwak Young praises.
"Tsk! What's the point of being youthful? Battles are won with a sword in hand, not a beautiful face."
"Only someone as ugly as you doesn't know the value of beauty." Gwak Young taunts.
"You old fogey, do you want to die?"
Seeing those two bickering again, a sigh escaped from the rosy lips of Chen Tao.
Hooot!
Both Gwak Young and Hong Tian stop bickering. Even Chen Tao is surprised.
All three of them look at another high platform.
There sits an elderly man with exceptionally long, flowing white hair and a matching waist-length beard. He is dressed in voluminous, traditional grey robes that drape heavily around him.
An owl with dark plumage and a distinct white face perches calmly on his right shoulder. His eyes are closed, and his expression is one of deep tranquillity.
"Senior Jang Hong you… You left your refinement room." Gwak Young says with shock evident on his aged face.