Chapter 22 - The Three Peaks… Dance His Way Around It

The Sword Pavilion mountain in the Inner Sect was similar to the other divisions that had different factions within them. These factions were made up purely of disciples, and usually the leader of these factions were usually Conclave disciples.

The Academy itself encourages its member to form factions so as to build unity and a sense of camaraderie between each other.

Though the factions was only made up of disciples, they’re some that hold some amount of power within the various divisions. In the Sword Pavilion’s case, the strongest faction was called the Divine Sword Faction.

It was led by a Conclave disciple that was considered to be the most talented sword genius out of all the Sword Pavilion disciples in the Academy. This person was not only hailed as the number one sword genius among the Sword Pavilion disciples but was even thought to be the Celestial Academy’s number one genius.

It was said that when this disciple entered the Academy he had set off a wave across the continent due to the fact that he was discovered to possess a Sword Constitution. This type of physique was a rarity in the cultivation world, and the person in possession of this physique would have a natural ability to cultivate sword techniques and comprehend the Sword Dao to a terrifying level. Among the people who had possessed the Sword Constitution, they had all become powerful experts after dominating their generation.

His fame was even equal to that of the Crown Prince of the Maple Continent.

Along with the Crown Prince and this person from the Celestial Academy, there was another rather mysterious figure from the Divine Star Academy, that was considered to be the most talented geniuses of this generation, and were thus given the title of the Three Peaks.

The Sword Pavilion’s mountain in the Inner Sect layout wasn’t complicated to navigate.

After claiming the steps leading up to the mountain, one would enter the outer region where they’re several open pavilions for visiting guests.

Passing through the outer region, one would enter the inner region where the disciple courtyards were located, as well as the Center Square that branched off in various directions that leads to the many different areas and buildings in the middle region.

Most of these buildings in the middle region were actually business operations of the various Sword Pavilion Factions. The most valuable things that were sold within these buildings were Spirit Artifacts, Medicinal Pills, and even some cultivation techniques that were acquired outside of the Academy by other disciples.

They also sold various miscellaneous items for disciples' daily necessities.

Passing this usually bustling middle region, you’ll enter the core region of the mountain. This was a forbidden area on the mountain and was off-limits to disciples because this was where the six Elders who oversee this branch of the Sword Pavilion in the Inner Sect reside in yearly meditation.

The only person who had the authority to interrupt their meditation was the Head Deacon, who was currently the person in charge of the Sword Pavilion and who only answers to those six Elders.

On one of the many paths leading from Center Square, two young men in their late teens were walking towards one of the may building that sold various miscellaneous items. Like many others, they both had an insignia on their robe’s right chest signifying which faction they were a part of.

The insignia on these disciple’s chests was that of a white tiger with golden wings, signifying they were from the Soaring Golden Wing Tiger Faction. Though despite its name sounding grandiose and ambitious, they were actually one of the low-level factions, who to some person’s annoyance, would purposely give their Factions such a name to deceive newcomers into thinking the Faction was thriving when in reality they would be trapped in the Faction and become a tool of exploitation.

This incident was extremely prominent within various other divisions, as once a disciple joins a faction they would have sign a cultivator's blood oath contract that would bind them to the agreements within the said contract. One of the many clauses in the contract stipulates that if a person wanted to leave their current faction they would have to compensate the price of resources the faction had given to them in Academy Points during their time there.

This wouldn’t be a big deal since the people who were tricked into joining a ‘Puppet Faction’ were only there for a short period of time, so the resources given to them were little. But hidden deep within the contract obscure by fancy and articulate wording was the fact that interests would be added onto what that person owed over a certain period of time.

With this fact in mind, a six-person group, the limited number able to form a faction, would use this loophole to lure person’s into the faction, feed them with some nonsensical rubbish about ambition to become a top faction, and then have them blindly sign away their lives.

In the contract what those people would do is use the newcomer's lack of knowledge to place an exorbitant interest rate in the fine prints of the contract. After signing, they would spend Academy Points out of their own pockets and give those newcomers cultivation resources for their current level, saying it was a welcoming gift.

Since the Academy had a rule that the amount the person leaving the faction owe should be at a certain limit before paying the fine is required, the persons’ leading the Puppet Faction would have that person go close indoor meditation to absorb all those valuable pills they gave him or her.

After exiting their meditation full of excitement, the person tricked would feel like they were hit with a ton of bricks when they realized that they were suddenly in debt and were being forced to do all sorts nasty and horrible things.

If they wanted out, they would have to somehow cough up the money they don’t have and pay the fine. But since they had just entered the Academy getting Academy Points weren’t so easy, thus they resort to going on dangerous and life-threatening missions that most people avoid, to pay it all back.

And you can guess that this leads to their unfortunate demise.

The Soaring Golden Wing Tiger Faction is just one of dozens of factions that do this.

As the two young men from the Soaring Golden Wing Tiger Faction were about to enter the store, one of them suddenly spot two children who were about fourteen to fifteen years of age, heading for the large Techniques Pavilion at the end of the street.

Looking at the slightly shorter and skinnier kid following behind the one in the front, he saw that he was wearing the Outer Disciple robes. Though it wasn’t uncommon for Inner Disciples to put out missions to have an Outer Disciple act as their servants, it was nonetheless so for Outer Disciples to accept it since that sort of thing was humiliating. Anyone who would willingly take up a mission like that would have had to be very desperate for the bit of Academy Points the mission offered. It just wasn’t worth it to be reduced to a servant for a less than adequate price.

After glancing at the Outer Disciple, that young man thought back on his days of just joining this wretched faction, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for this youth. Just as he was about to turn away from the two youth, he just so happens to take a cursory glance at the other youth in the Sword Pavilion’s white robes who was in the lead.

That youth had a bottle gourd blocking half of his lowered face, but even so upon seeing the second half his eyes suddenly widen in disbelief. After which he stopped and grabbed onto the shoulder of his compatriot while pointing and said in a slightly loud voice, “Isn’t that the second prince of the Maple Continent? How did he become an Inner Disciple much less a member of our Sword Pavilion!”

Hearing that, his compatriot along with a few others who were within earshot followed the direction the young man was pointing at and looked at the two youths.

Between the gasps and shocked exclamation of the surrounding disciples, one could hear the voice of a young boy swearing profanities. Under the gazes of the crowd, Xi Shen's already hurried footsteps became even faster as he left the area chattering disciples behind.

Upon reaching the large double-door entrance of the Techniques Pavilion, Xi Shen let out a sigh of frustration.

Walking up the steps of the entrance, Xi Shen touched his storage ring and took out the identity medallion that signifies him as a Sword Pavilion member, which was golden and had a white sword carved in its center.

Xi Shen then showed it to the two mountain of a man bodyguards that were standing at the entrance in battle attire.

Seeing the medallion in Xi Shen’s hands, their intense gaze that was giving off a heavy pressure turned away from Xi Shen. Seeing this as confirmation to enter Xi Shen walked through the double doors and entered the three-story pavilion.

However, the voice from one of the bodyguards echoed out, “No one without a Sword Pavilion identity medallion can enter the Techniques Library.”

Hearing that, Xi Shen turned around to see Yang Su being shoved back by some invisible force.

This made a frown appear on Xi Shen’s face.

There were strict rules prohibiting Outer Disciples from entering the Inner Sect, however, there were some exceptions that allowed it and Yang Su being Xi Shen’s assistant was one of them. Despite Xi Shen being given the Inner Sect and Sword Pavilion rules when this uniform was delivered to him, he had only taken a cursory glance at them. A rule such as that might have been in there, but so was the one where only disciples in the Sword Pavilion could cultivate the techniques stored in the Techniques Library.

Xi Shen really didn’t care for such rules, not because he was arrogant and thought highly of himself, but simply because he didn’t like being told what he can’t and can’t do. That was just his nature and even if he wanted to change he couldn’t.

Xi Shen looked between the two bodyguards who currently had placid expressions on their faces, and said, “Fine.”

But even though he didn’t like being told what to do, he wouldn’t stupidly go around and break every rule there is to break.

Why would he do that, when he could dance his way around it?

After saying that, Xi Shen took back out the identity medallion he had stored away, and tapped the surface with his index finger.

*******

Hey there you lovely reader! yes you! why don't you leave that power stone and golden ticket you have stashed away for another book here? Maybe I'll release another chapter today, no wait that's too little... ooh I know, how about I do a mass release?(ahem someday in the future ahem) huh? huh? not a bad deal am I right? So what are you waiting for? give.. I mean, donate your power stones and golden tickets to support this novel... *Awkward laugh...hahaha*

See ya!! ~waves gb~