Chapter 9: There’s No Need For a Rotation

Chapter 9: There’s No Need For a Rotation

The atmosphere at the Sword Exchange Pavilion was far from relaxed.

The moment Chu Liang responded, an abrupt wave of awkwardness swept through the surroundings.

The disciples of the Mount Shu Sect functioned as a cohesive family, except for two notable factions within the sect: the Silver Sword Peak and the Jade Sword Peak.

These two peaks were part of the Mount Shu Sect's Five Peaks of Swordsmanship and had always maintained a close connection, akin to branches of the same tree throughout the sect's history. However, the Peak Master of the Jade Sword Peak, Wang Xuanling, held the esteemed position of Grand Peak Master and had always possessed an imposing and stubborn nature. On the other hand, the Peak Master of the Silver Sword Peak, Di Nufeng, was young and in her prime, unwilling to accept anyone surpassing her in status. As a result, the two would engage in heated arguments whenever they crossed paths.

The two Peak Masters had showcased their rivalry, providing an example for their respective disciples to emulate. Especially since the recent gambling wager between Wang Xuanling and Di Nufeng had spread throughout Mount Shu, the disciples of the Jade Sword Peak naturally regarded the Silver Sword Peak as their enemy.

However, they hadn't had many opportunities to encounter the only disciple of the Silver Sword Peak in their daily lives, so they didn't know Chu Liang.

Chu Liang showed no change in his expression. He still wore that faint smile on his face. In moments like this, as long as one didn't show any awkwardness, it would be the others who felt awkward.

The facial expressions of the Jade Sword Peak disciples appeared rather stiff.

After an awkward pause, Lin Bei laughed, "Heheheh!"

He wrapped his arm around Chu Liang's shoulder and added, "I heard that there's only one disciple in the Silver Sword Peak, and we happen to meet the one today. What a coincidence!" New novel chapters are published on

"Yeah, it's quite a coincidence," Chu Liang replied with a smile and nodded.

"We've already accepted the mission slips, so let's set off quickly," Lin Bei said loudly, looking at his fellow disciples from the Jade Sword Peak.

It might have seemed like he was urging them to depart quickly, but the underlying meaning was that since they had already accepted the mission slips, there was no turning back. They might as well continue as planned.

Upon hearing this, the other three disciples of the Jade Sword Peak nodded and walked out. Their expressions seemed unnatural, and they didn't spare Chu Liang a second glance.

Their demeanor was rather cold.

Chu Liang didn't mind and walked alongside Lin Bei. To him, it didn't matter who he was with as long as they could slay some demons.

Lin Bei, with his big eyes and thick brows, was very friendly. He introduced Chu Liang to the other three disciples of the Jade Sword Peak.

Leading the group at the front was Fang Ting, a tall and imposing young disciple with a stern and aloof expression. He carried a broad longsword on his back and was currently at the beginning stage of the Golden Core Realm.

Chu Liang nodded. It was just as he had expected.

Ordinary disciples of the Mount Shu Sect typically wore the Flying Sword Bracelet, which had been specially crafted by the sect. This bracelet could transform into a sword and be worn on the wrist. Those who carried their own swords were generally more skilled in swordsmanship and often wielded more power.

Nonetheless, the destination for their current journey was a forest situated on the periphery of Southern Bastion Mountain, which was not particularly dangerous. What's more, with a disciple at the Golden Core Realm leading them, this mission shouldn't be overly challenging.

Fang Ting, Xu Ziqing, and Lu Ren occupied the front of the bird's back, while Chu Liang and Lin Bei took seats at the rear, a considerable distance away from them.

"The Human-Faced Jade Essence Flowers referred to a pair of flowers that shared a common stem. A senior at the Mount Shu Sect happened to come across these flowers. However, at the time, the flowers weren't mature and couldn't be collected. Therefore, that senior assigned this task to the Sword Exchange Pavilion. Days have passed, and the flowers' maturation date draws near. That's why we're undertaking this mission..."

Lin Bei continued to talk incessantly beside Chu Liang, offering him information about the mission. Yet, Chu Liang realized that this fellow disciple wasn't trying to be cordial; he was just a chatterbox.

Lin Bei hadn't stopped talking since they met, as if he suffered from some peculiar condition that made him uneasy when he didn't speak.

Chu Liang even suspected that the reason the three people in front of them had opted to sit so far away was not to isolate him but to isolate Lin Bei.

Boom—

After about half an hour, the white bird descended at the foot of Southern Bastion Mountain, causing a gust of strong winds. The group safely touched down.

"Southern Bastion Mountain is filled with many demons and fierce beasts. We can't continue flying openly. From now on, we must proceed on foot," said the leader, Fang Ting, finally breaking his silence.

"In this forest, there are many peculiar creatures, and it's shrouded in miasma even during the daytime. We'll need to hold our breath and circulate our internal qi as we advance. This means our foundational qi won't be replenished. Hence, if we engage in combat, we must exercise restraint."

"I need to conserve my cultivation energy, so the task of clearing the way will be rotated among you three—Lu Ren, Lin Bei, and Chu Liang. Any objections?" he ordered with an expressionless face.

While miasma filled the forest, cultivators of a certain level had clear and unobstructed meridians, allowing them to hold their breath for an extended period without issues. However, the drawback was that they couldn't replenish their foundational qi without more air going into their bodies, making their qi a precious and limited resource.

But if there were more of those plant demons obstructing the way, someone would need to clear the path.

As the one with the highest cultivation level, Fang Ting needed to conserve his cultivation energy for potential emergencies and couldn't afford to waste his foundational qi on clearing the path. Meanwhile, as the weakest in cultivation and on her first trip down the mountain, Xu Ziqing was to be protected in the middle of the group. The remaining three would take turns.

This arrangement was undoubtedly fair and reasonable.

However...

Chu Liang, who had been standing at the back of the group, suddenly spoke up. "I have a suggestion."

Fang Ting frowned at him. "Yes?"

Every eye in the group was locked onto his smiling face, harboring a touch of suspicion. They were unsure of the intentions of the disciple from the Silver Sword Peak.

Then, they heard Chu Liang say, "I can handle the task of clearing the path and obliterating the monsters on my own. There's no need for the rotation."

1. The Chinese measurement unit "chi" is an ancient unit of length traditionally used in China and other East Asian countries. It is approximately 0.333 meters ?