Fang Xuan passed through the corridor along the side of the great hall, heading toward the courtyard behind the main building.
The back garden was even more secluded than the front hall, planted with various rare and exotic flora, and featured a small pond where several koi fish swam lazily.
Inside a hexagonal gazebo, the Sword Peak peak lord, Shen Chen, sat beside a stone table, savoring tea alone.
He wore a plain green daoist robe; his expression was stern and his gaze profound, making it impossible to discern his mood.
Seeing Fang Xuan approach, he set down his teacup.
That look was the first layer of testing.
It was calm and scrutinizing, carrying the weight of someone long accustomed to a high position, as if he intended to pierce through the physical shell to see the true nature of Fang Xuan’s heart.
Fang Xuan walked steadily, his pace even and his breathing calm.
His eyes held a touch of curiosity within their clarity, allowing Shen Chen to observe him freely.
Shen Chen watched for several heartbeats, his heart sinking slightly.
He was too composed.
At this age and with this level of cultivation, facing the slight golden core spiritual pressure he had deliberately released, the boy showed no sign of constraint or spiritual fluctuation, as if it were merely a gentle breeze.
He secretly increased the spiritual pressure a notch, but Fang Xuan remained unchanged, even offering a bashful smile.
A skeletal age of roughly seventeen years.
The Void Core Realm, with spiritual power so thick and pure that his foundation was incredibly solid, showing no signs of the instability caused by medicinal piling or impetuous progress.
This talent... was likely even more terrifying than Ning Xian’s back then.
Shen Chen lifted his teacup and took another sip, suppressing the sliver of wariness in his heart.
According to what Qingqing had said, this boy not only possessed startling talent but was also quite arrogant, showing great disrespect toward her and clearly siding with that waste, Ning Xian.
He was too great a threat and had to be dealt with as early as possible.
"Sit." Shen Chen pointed to the stone stool opposite him, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Thank you, Peak Lord." Fang Xuan sat as instructed, his posture respectful but not subservient.
"Not bad." Shen Chen set down his teacup, a trace of a kind smile appearing on his face.
"It seems you have learned quite a bit from your Senior Sister Ning. To have your cultivation progress so rapidly is truly a blessing for our Sword Peak."
"The Peak Lord overpraises me. It is because Senior Sister teaches so well; I simply do not dare to be slack," Fang Xuan replied modestly.
"Mhm, guarding against arrogance and rashness is very good."
Shen Chen nodded, then shifted the topic. "According to the sect's custom, when a disciple breaks through to the Void Core Realm, the elders should provide a reward."
"Since you have stabilized your realm, you may take this token to the first floor of the Scripture Pavillion to select a suitable cultivation method or sword scripture."
As he spoke, he drew a wooden identity token glowing with a faint green light from his sleeve, placed it on the stone table, and pushed it toward Fang Xuan.
"Thank you, Peak Lord." Fang Xuan accepted the token.
"Furthermore," Shen Chen continued, looking at Fang Xuan.
"The triennial Qingyun Secret Realm is about to open. This time, you shall represent Sword Peak. It will be good for the other peaks to see that our Sword Peak has a worthy successor."
Fang Xuan’s heart darkened slightly, but his face appropriately showed a look of being overwhelmed by the favor. "This... the spots for the secret realm are precious, and my seniority is shallow. I fear I cannot shoulder such a heavy responsibility..."
He remembered the Qingyun Secret Realm.
In the original story, this was an important trial grounds controlled by the Qingyun Sect, opening once every three years.
Inside were many spirit herbs rarely seen in the outside world, and it was even possible to find cultivation methods and artifacts left behind by predecessors.
Spots were usually allocated through a sect tournament, with each peak receiving them based on their ranking.
In the original work, Ning Xian had used her extraordinary combat talent during a sect tournament while still in the Qi Refining Realm to secure a good rank for Sword Peak, winning a spot for the secret realm.
In the end, Shen Chen had forcibly transferred that spot to Shen Qingqing, using the excuse that her "injuries were not yet healed" and he "feared it would damage her foundation."
Now, Shen Chen was giving the spot directly to him, even making him the representative of Sword Peak.
Something was wrong.
If his goal was simply to reward or win him over, then with his Void Core Realm strength, if he participated in the tournament, first place would be practically guaranteed unless he encountered another hidden monster.
There was no need for Shen Chen to go through the trouble of "hand-picking" him, as it would only invite criticism from other disciples and ruin Fang Xuan's reputation.
To kill him in the secret realm?
It was indeed fraught with danger, and the death of a disciple or two wasn't unheard of.
However, the spot was personally given by Shen Chen. If he died in the secret realm, Shen Chen would inevitably face suspicion and accountability.
This was a risky move unless he had absolute certainty he could clear his name, or... he had an even larger scheme.
Perhaps he wasn't planning to act against Fang Xuan, but against someone else...
....
"It matters not." Shen Chen waved his hand, his tone brook no argument. "This master has a clear understanding of your strength. This matter is settled; just prepare yourself well."
By doing this, he would first incite the disciples to denounce Fang Xuan, as the rules of Sword Peak for the last century dictated these spots could not be given so easily.
Secondly, if Fang Xuan were to kill a few disciples in the secret realm, what would happen then...
At that time, he would certainly be under suspicion.
But a Fang Xuan who already had a bad reputation on Sword Peak and was known for slaughtering fellow disciples...
He would be the target of everyone’s enmity.
....
"Yes, I will not fail the Peak Lord's expectations."
Fang Xuan stopped declining and respectfully accepted.
Whatever the scheme was, he would go and see. He was indeed interested in the resources within the secret realm.
Shen Chen seemed satisfied with his compliance and lifted his teacup again, his gaze thoughtfully tracing the crisscrossing patterns on the stone table.
"Can you play chess?" he asked suddenly.
Fang Xuan shook his head. "In reply to the Peak Lord, I am dull-witted and have not yet studied the art of chess."
"Truly?" Shen Chen looked up, his gaze falling on Fang Xuan once more. "Or... are you feigning ignorance?"
Fang Xuan met his gaze with a face full of sincerity and innocence.
"The Peak Lord must be joking. I am young and focused only on cultivation while at home. I have truly never dabbled in such refined matters."
Shen Chen stared at him for a moment and then suddenly smiled.
"It is just as well. A chess game is like the affairs of the world—step-by-step calculation, taxing to the mind and body. Focusing on cultivation is the righteous path."
"The Peak Lord’s teachings are wise." Fang Xuan lowered his head.
"Go then. Head to the Scripture Pavillion early to choose a cultivation method, study it well, and prepare for the secret realm."
Shen Chen waved him away, refocusing his attention on the teacup in his hand as if everything that had just happened was merely casual conversation.
"I shall take my leave."
Fang Xuan rose, bowed, and then slowly backed out of the gazebo.
It was not until his figure disappeared at the end of the corridor that Shen Chen slowly set down his teacup, the corners of his mouth curling upward.
"No matter how high the talent, he is ultimately just a seventeen-year-old brat."
He whispered to himself, his voice full of the certainty and disdain of one who controlled the entire board.
"So what if his heart is a bit steady? Experience, methods, human schemes... what do you have to fight me with? I... have lived for over two hundred years."
The ancient dual cultivation technique he had attempted with Qing'er last night was remarkably potent. Remembering her devotion, he decided to have her attend to him again tonight for another lengthy session.
....
Outside the hall, beneath a flowering tree.
Seeing Fang Xuan walk out of the back courtyard unharmed, Ning Xian’s heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled back into place.
But immediately after, a deeper worry crept into her mind.
She watched Fang Xuan approach; the youth’s face only carried the relaxation of completing a task, and he even winked at her.
Yet Ning Xian could not bring herself to smile.
Shen Chen’s attitude and the reward of a cultivation method... it looked like favor, but it was actually a series of traps.
She knew Shen Chen too well; this was definitely not simple appreciation or an attempt to win him over.
Junior Brother was still too young and too reckless.
He shouldn't have revealed his Void Core strength so quickly... even though she knew he might be hiding other trump cards, Shen Chen’s cunning and ruthlessness were far beyond imagination.
Her original plan was to use Fang Xuan as a variable to test the waters, to stir up trouble, and even use Shen Chen’s hand to see Fang Xuan’s limits and true purpose.
But now... looking at Fang Xuan’s handsome profile which still held a bit of youthful air, and thinking of how he had just obediently listened to her...
She suddenly felt that the previous plan was too risky.
What if... what if Shen Chen’s schemes exceeded what Fang Xuan could handle? What if something really happened to him?
This thought made Ning Xian’s heart ache for a moment.
No.
She had to change her plan—at the very least, she had to keep a closer eye on him.
As for how to watch over him...
She would just have to go back and... punish him again.
Training his swordplay without focus, being insufficiently respectful to his senior sister, eating too little...
In any case, she could always find a reason.
She had to let him know that from now on, he could no longer act so recklessly.
Rate on N.U.
