Chapter 29.3 Shangyang Peak
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It was night.
Xuyia Courtyard.
Chu Junyu took out the thin, jet-black book again, with faintly visible handwriting.
Pei Jing tried to convince him, “What do you think about the Shangyang Peak? It’s adjacent to the Inner Peaks, and it’s abundant in spiritual energy and resources. Have you seen the Master of Shangyang Peak? He’s the most distinguished Elder among the crowd, with a high cultivation level at the late Gold Core stage. He’s considered a top expert in Yunxiao. I think it’s a good choice. Shall we go together?”
Chu Junyu typically ignored him.
Pei Jing: “Brother, are you still hoping for Tianqian Peak? It’s impossible. Give up on that. Look at Shangyang Peak, it’s so good. It lacks nothing, and I heard it has the most female disciples among all the peaks in Yunxiao. Quite rare, isn’t it? Do you know how few female cultivators there are in all of Yunxiao? It’s pitiful. Just look at our newly admitted disciples this time, not a single female disciple among them!”
Chu Junyu’s slender fingers lightly moved across the paper, unaffected.
Pei Jing decided to play the emotional card. “If you don’t go to Shangyang Peak, then you’ll never see me again.”
Upon hearing this, Chu Junyu responded, “Are you trying to convince me of the benefits of not going to Shangyang Peak?”
Pei Jing: “…Wow, you’re really heartless.”
Chu Junyu closed the book, moonlight cascading onto his fingertips, creating a cold, shimmering glow. His expression was icy, his gaze lowered as he said, “I can go to Shangyang Peak.”
Pei Jing: “Hmm?”
Chu Junyu: “I want to keep Ji Wuyou, the person you mentioned, out of my sight.”
Pei Jing took a while to grasp the situation and asked, “Why?”
Chu Junyu: “No particular reason.”
Pei Jing: Impressive. Chu Junyu is truly a hidden big boss, always so elusive and different from others.
Not only did he dislike Pei Yuzhi, but he also didn’t like the protagonist.
However, even if Chu Junyu didn’t say anything, Pei Jing wouldn’t have had much interaction with the protagonist during this period. Perhaps he would secretly assist but maintain a distance in public. After all, he still had unresolved matters of his own, and according to the plot, it was during the Outer Peaks’ Grand Selection that Pei Yuzhi, in his true identity, would officially take Ji Wuyou as his disciple.
The Outer Peaks’ Grand Selection was still far off.
Shangyang Peak was completely different from Yinghui Peak. Yinghui Peak had very few people, only their group of new disciples, giving it a quiet and chilly atmosphere. On the other hand, Shangyang Peak was bustling with activity. The Consulate Hall, Training Pavilion, Sword Ponds, Alchemy Chambers—every place had Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters. The attire was no longer limited to just blue and white. It showcased various vibrant colors. Sword flying and a lively atmosphere filled the air.
When they first joined, there were people guiding them, but now that a year had passed, they were well aware of the Sect’s rules.
The Peak Master of Shangyang Peak, being a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, naturally wouldn’t have time to meet with them.
Everything was arranged by a Senior Sister.
Upon entering the Outer Peaks, they were relieved of many trivial rules. No more classes or confinement.
They could choose to seclude themselves or travel as they pleased, managing their own time. The peak provided designated spiritual stones and herbs each month, and the Consulate Hall frequently assigned tasks.
The Senior Sister said, “The resources of Shangyang Peak are among the best in the Outer Peaks of Yunxiao. However, once you enter here, don’t become conceited. Beyond the Outer Peaks, there are thirty-six Inner Peaks, each with exceptional individuals. Every ten years, there is the Outer Peaks’ Grand Selection where the top one hundred disciples eligible for the Inner Peaks will be chosen. This is the only opportunity to enter the Inner Peaks. Remember to focus on cultivation and not slack off.”
Pei Jing felt a sense of familiarity with her words. It was as if he had heard similar things many times on Yinghui Peak.
The Yunxiao Sect emphasized self-discipline and solitude. Every step taken by new disciples had to be reminded by their predecessors. They were not allowed to underestimate themselves or become conceited. It was repeatedly mentioned, repeatedly taught, in an attempt to deeply engrave this character into their bones.
On the first day at Shangyang Peak…
Pei Jing first went to the Consulate Hall of this mountain peak.
In his opinion, the most important aspects of each mountain peak were the Scripture Repository Tower and the Consulate Hall.
The Inner Peaks, particularly Huiyuan Peak, housed the largest Scripture Repository Tower and Consulate Hall of Yunxiao. It was a place that he frequently visited. However, the other mountain peaks also had their own Scripture Repository Towers and Consulate Halls. Although they offered a smaller collection of books and fewer tasks, it was more than sufficient for disciples in the Qi Gathering Stage.
In comparison to the tasks assigned by the Consulate Hall of Huiyuan Peak, those from Shangyang Peak couldn’t quite measure up. The tasks were categorized into five levels, with only Foundation Establishment cultivators being eligible for tasks of the fourth level and above. At Shangyang Peak, the available tasks mostly fell into the first and second levels.
Pei Jing playfully accepted a task to raise a spirit mouse. The spirit mouse was only the size of a palm, fluffy, with its eyes closed, lazily basking in the sun. On his way back, he poked the mouse’s head here and there, trying to wake it up. The spirit mouse gradually shrank and seemed on the verge of going into hibernation. In the end, it simply shoved its entire head into its belly, refusing to be bothered by him.
Pei Jing laughed out loud. “Isn’t it so adorable?”
While playing with the spirit mouse, he passed through the hidden corridor among the flowers and plants in the Consulate Hall of Shangyang Peak, faintly overhearing the sound of people conversing.
They were all very familiar with each other, like old friends.
The setting sun cast shadows of people on the interlocking redwood corridors.
One person said, “To think that Zhang Yiming is in the same peak again. Luckily, I don’t have to see him every day. I can’t help but get angry whenever I see him.”
“What? Do you have a grudge against him too?”
The usage of the word “too” in this context was quite peculiar.
Pei Jing stopped and showed a slightly perplexed expression.
The person continued, “That’s right. I formed a grudge with him as soon as I entered Yinghui Peak. It had nothing to do with him originally, but he unnecessarily poked his nose into my business! Because of Chu Junyu’s indifference when my Brother needed help, my Brother’s chance to join Yunxiao was wasted in vain. I couldn’t let it go and wanted to teach Chu Junyu a lesson. Along the way, someone scared me away with his tricks. It’s been a year, and it should have dawned on me by now. Needless to say, it was Zhang Yiming who played those tricks. I should have realized it when he and Chu Junyu came out of the well together, huh!”
“Please, don’t get me started. I was deceived by that brat and ended up in the fields with Xiao Chen, carrying water and manure for a whole year. My hands were calloused from the labor. It’s an unforgettable experience.”
The previous person expressed doubt, “If you were sent to manage the fields but still managed to enter Shangyang Peak, your talent must be quite exceptional.”
“Hey, exceptional talent my foot. Carrying water and manure for so long, working myself to exhaustion, actually made it easier for my mind to calm down. I often meditate after the exhausting work, and it brings twice the results with half the effort.”
“In my opinion, Zhang Yiming is a sneaky bastard who sets invisible traps for others. It would be better to keep some distance from him in the future.”
Among the group of cultivators, there were also those who hadn’t become enemies with Pei Jing.
They sighed, “Initially, we thought he relied on connections to enter, his background was dubious, and he was always sticking around Chu Junyu. We thought he was a petty person. But the Yunhui Grand Competition truly opened our eyes.”
“Although his motto was ‘only seeking one defeat,’ and he was quite arrogant, it was admirable that he had the courage to step forward at that time.”
The person who spoke first scoffed, “Don’t praise him. What courage is there? He’s shameless to a certain extent. ‘Only seeking one defeat’ might be his innermost thoughts, not just empty bravado. He might genuinely think he’s invincible.”
Someone burst into laughter.
Ji Wuyou couldn’t get a word in and looked around anxiously. It felt as if he had returned to his small village, facing a group of children, trying to fit in but not knowing which way to go. The others chatted and laughed, walking along the corridor. He followed behind, feeling dejected and scratching his head, unable to come up with anything to say.
However, someone noticed him and looked at him with a barely visible disdain and aloofness. With a smile on their face, they asked, “Ji Wuyou, why haven’t you said anything all this time?”
Ji Wuyou was taken aback when his name was mentioned, and his heart nearly jumped to his throat. Feeling flattered and surprised, he stammered, “I, what should I say?”
A cultivator dressed in a sky-blue robe with fair complexion spoke slowly, “I’m quite curious. How did you end up on the stage that day without any reason? And how did you manage to stay, especially in Shangyang Peak?”
The others turned their heads as well. Before stepping into the cultivation world, they were all born into privilege, pampered and esteemed, like branches and leaves of noble families. Their initial impression of Ji Wuyou was that of a dirty beggar, someone who didn’t belong in their world. Once that impression was formed, it was hard to change. They maintained a facade of not showing disgust on the surface, but there was an underlying barrier, a sense of aloofness as if they were superior beings.
Suddenly asking him now was simply out of curiosity.
Everyone chimed in.
“Yes, I also want to ask about that.”
“Where did you come from?”
Ji Wuyou felt a bit embarrassed being stared at by so many people. He scratched his head and spoke cautiously, “Well, I… I was deceived by someone to come here. At the mountain gate, by sheer luck, I encountered a large bird and followed it into this place. As for going on stage, it was an accident. Someone told me that if I defeated the person on stage, I would never go hungry or thirsty again… so I went up. And as for why I stayed, I don’t know either.”
The crowd responded, “…Is that it?”
It seemed like he didn’t know much despite being asked.
Someone frowned and asked, “But why were you dressed like that when you entered the mountain gate? Were you a beggar before?”
The question was sharp and probing, tinged with anger. After all, that day he was one of the decorated cultivators who had been defeated by Ji Wuyou.
The others seemed to be enjoying the spectacle but found it amusing.
Ji Wuyou stood there, dumbfounded, and said, “No, I wasn’t a beggar. I just lost my Master and couldn’t find my way back.”
“Couldn’t find your way back? That’s why you were covered in mud and hadn’t bathed for days.”
Ji Wuyou furrowed his brow in distress, unsure of what to say.
Someone laughed and said, “No wonder, you always have a peculiar smell about you, quite unpleasant.”
Apparently, in their eyes, the self-esteem of the weak could be trampled upon at will.
“When he squeezed through the crowd, I deliberately moved away. I didn’t want to be subjected to that stench, haha.”
Ji Wuyou stood there, dumbfounded, feeling helpless and not knowing what to say. He could only laugh along with them. It was like back in the village when the children threw stones at him and called him a fool. If he laughed, the children would also laugh. In the eyes of others, it seemed like they were just playing a game.
However, this time the outcome was different.
He laughed.
The others, however, did not laugh anymore.
Someone sneered and said, “What a fool, he can even laugh when being insulted.”
“Will you become a fool too if you spend too much time with a fool?”
“Hahaha, that’s a good question.”
The group increased their pace, deliberately leaving him behind.
Ji Wuyou was left standing there, feeling even more helpless. He didn’t know what he had done wrong. Even when all eyes were on him, he spoke cautiously, afraid of upsetting them. But it seemed like he had still messed up.
“It’s boring. Let’s just curse Zhang Yiming together.”
“After all, there’s so much to curse about Zhang Yiming.”
“He’s cunning and malicious, universally disliked. We hope that justice will be served and he’ll get what he deserves.”
“I don’t want to deal with him anymore. I just hope to never encounter that nuisance again. Nothing good ever comes from meeting him.”
“Hahaha, everyone despises him.”
The golden glow of the remaining days shimmered among the flowers and plants.
The evening sun cast its warm rays. During the most beautiful twilight on the Shangyang Peak, Ji Wuyou, as usual, felt a profound sense of loneliness and hunger. The feeling of hunger was innate, accompanying him for a long time, but loneliness was a word he had learned in recent years. It must be loneliness. The entire world seemed to have only him left. He lowered his head, wearing freshly changed clothes that were clean, accentuating his slightly darkened skin. No matter how hard he tried, the mud in the crevices of his fingers couldn’t be washed away. However, when he sniffed, there was no odor…
Pei Jing witnessed and heard everything from the second-floor corridor.
It felt somewhat absurd to him.
This was a plot that didn’t exist in “Executioner’s Sword.” It was probably the world’s automatic completion, considering it was an upgraded cultivation novel. No matter how miserable the protagonist was, it wouldn’t be to this extent.
He held his spirit mouse in his hand, descending the stairs with slow steps until he reached the side of the bewildered and lonely young boy in the midst of light and shadows.
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