Chapter Eighty-Four: An Encounter Once More

Qin Feng's days at Sword Mountain of Shu passed by in relative comfort, and in the blink of an eye, several months had slipped away.

During these months, Qin Feng had been steadily consolidating his physical cultivation, lingering at the threshold of the second tier of the Human Steel Realm, needing only a final push to ascend to the third. Since he was in no rush to advance, his mindset was relaxed and at ease.

Little did he expect that this very sense of calm would align perfectly with the path of a spell cultivator. So, even without diligent effort, he managed to raise the foundational Qi-nourishing technique of the "Shu Sword Canon" to the seventh tier. Of course, this was largely thanks to his solid foundation and high cultivation, which made progress smooth and unimpeded.

Dual cultivation of body and magic—he never imagined it would truly manifest in himself.

Still, Qin Feng’s main focus remained on physical cultivation; he practiced spell techniques mostly for health and to stabilize his realm. He didn’t take it too seriously.

One day, Qin Feng was in his courtyard, attempting to ride the heavy Wu Sword and practice swordflight. His expression was solemn, his white robes lending him an air of a sword immortal. Forming a hand seal, he sent the Wu Sword floating into the air. Qin Feng leaped atop it, but the moment his foot touched the blade, he suddenly felt a crushing weight, and both he and the sword toppled backward in a most undignified fall.

With a thud, he nearly bruised his backside.

“Damn, still not working!” Clutching his sore rear, he sprang up and shot a rude gesture at the Wu Sword lying on the ground.

The sword was simply too heavy, making flight difficult to control, and it affected the gravity field—something he still couldn’t fully adapt to. Out of ten attempts, eight or nine would end with him losing control and crashing down. Occasionally, he could succeed, but only for a short distance, and clearly, the Wu Sword was not built for speed. When it did fly, it was neither graceful nor swift.

Qin Feng could only shake his head in frustration.

Of all the disciples on Sword Mountain of Shu, he was likely the only oddball unable to soar with his sword. The dream of becoming a sword immortal seemed to be fading.

“Kid, using the Wu Sword as a mode of transport is a real waste! If you truly want to fly, why not ride on me? That would be so much flashier!” At that moment, the Celestial Demon opened the demon eye in Qin Feng’s palm, blinking as it tempted him.

Qin Feng rolled his eyes so hard he nearly sought a steel needle to poke the demon’s eye out. The idea of flying through the sky atop a coffin was infuriating—it would be no different than declaring himself a devilish outcast for all to see. He would become a pariah, hunted wherever he went.

Shaking off his gloomy mood, Qin Feng slung the Wu Sword across his back and set out on foot from his courtyard.

Outside, disciples soared past on their flying swords, streaking through the sky like shooting stars—a magnificent sight.

Most of those who entered with him had already mastered the art of swordflight, many rising directly from their dwellings to visit whichever peak they fancied.

He, however, still had to climb the hanging stairways.

Though he could occasionally succeed at swordflight, Qin Feng dared not risk it. One misstep, and a fall from that height would leave him shattered.

His passage drew a fair amount of attention, naturally due to the massive Wu Sword on his back.

It certainly looked impressive, but most people regarded him with bemused smiles.

Nevertheless, carrying such a heavy weapon did aid his physical cultivation. The Wu Sword allowed him to adjust his gravity field. Climbing the hanging stairs under extreme weight significantly improved his physique and helped him stabilize his position in the Human Steel Realm’s second tier.

This was why he insisted on carrying the Wu Sword rather than storing it in his ring.

Leaving Azure Origin Peak, Qin Feng ascended the stairways between the mountains.

This time, he was heading to Sword Origin Peak to visit an old friend—Senior Brother Zhan Bai.

Zhan Bai was an inner disciple, and the foremost of the Seven Swords of Cloud on Sword Mountain of Shu. The privileges he enjoyed were extraordinary: not only did he reside with Master Li Xingjian on the densest spiritual peak, Sword Origin, but he also had his own independent cave dwelling.

Such treatment was the envy of all outer disciples.

Half a year had passed since their last meeting. Qin Feng wondered how Senior Brother Zhan Bai was faring, and whether Fang Xinyi, whose soul was wounded, had found a path to recovery.

The tall, white-robed figure of Zhan Bai flashed through Qin Feng’s mind, and he smiled with relief.

If there was anything left on Sword Mountain of Shu worth cherishing, it was the brotherhood forged through life and death with Zhan Bai.

Sword Origin Peak was the chief of the nine suspended peaks, and thus the largest. Azure Origin Peak, though sizable, was still dwarfed by it.

To reach his destination, Qin Feng had to climb twelve hanging stairways.

With the Wu Sword’s weight, this journey would take nearly three days and nights.

This was why he hadn’t hurried to visit Zhan Bai before. He had hoped to master swordflight first, which would have reduced the trip to a mere couple of hours. But fate had other plans. After nearly half a year of effort, he still hadn’t managed to master the art.

Thus, he could only proceed on foot.

Step by step, climbing the endless stairs with the added weight of the Wu Sword, Qin Feng was soon drenched in sweat. Yet the physical release brought a satisfaction he had never known.

It seemed he was not far from reaching the third tier of his physical cultivation.

This thought bolstered his determination.

Along the way, people would occasionally pause their flying swords to watch, puzzled as to why a disciple would choose to climb the stairs in Sword Mountain of Shu.

Wasn’t this just asking for hardship?

But when they saw the broken sword on his back, understanding dawned. Clearly, the sword had lost its spirit and was difficult to fly.

Streams of people passed by, some stopping so often that it created a minor traffic jam in the area. Many, curious and unaware of the situation, gathered around.

Qin Feng was exasperated. Was he some kind of circus act?

He was just climbing some stairs, yet people found it so intriguing…

Helpless as he was, unable to fly, he could only continue upward, hoping to leave the crowd behind before attracting even more attention.

But his hope was in vain. The stairway stretched endlessly, its end nowhere in sight.

Just as Qin Feng was growing increasingly frustrated, several mocking voices drifted up from not far behind him.

“Well, well, Sister Huo, isn’t that your good-for-nothing fiancé Qin Feng?”

“That’s right, I heard he comes from the Qin family, but after he failed to awaken his bloodline soul, he joined Sword Mountain of Shu. Luckily, he had a five-colored mixed spiritual root and, during the sword trial at Burial Sword Mountain, barely managed to pull out a broken sword, which got him into the outer disciples. Who would have thought, Sister Huo, that you’d be engaged to such a useless man. What a shame, such a bright flower planted in a pile of manure.”

Giggles and laughter rang out, silvery and unkind, mocking Qin Feng or perhaps trying to wound Huo Siyen.

Qin Feng turned to look behind him.

The first person he saw was Huo Siyen.

At this moment, she kept her head down, deliberately avoiding his gaze, causing Qin Feng’s brow to furrow.

Around her were several young men and women in white, all in the standard attire of Sword Mountain of Shu, but theirs were tailored with particular elegance—especially those worn by Huo Siyen and her female companions. The girls stood upon their flying swords, surrounding Huo Siyen at the center, but she stood out most—not only for her striking beauty, but also for the extraordinary sword beneath her feet.

“Azure Radiance!”

He hadn’t expected her to obtain that sword.

Qin Feng recognized it at once. It was the first decent flying sword he had encountered when he first entered Burial Sword Mountain. The Celestial Demon had remarked on its quality but noted it was unsuitable for him, as the sword spirit favored female cultivators.

Not far from Huo Siyen stood the face Qin Feng loathed most—a face that made him want to retch every time he saw it.

None other than Li Haoran, the only son of Master Li Xingjian, head of Sword Mountain of Shu.

And it was he who had been the loudest in mocking and jeering…