Borrowed Sword

Chapter 71: Qualification for Hidden Spirit Mountain

Inside the bedroom, Chu Huaixu closed his Character Panel, since Han Shuangjiang was still present, he refrained from studying it further.

After the two exchanged a few more words, the young girl—clearly not very old yet exuding a mature and commanding aura—stood up and asked a mom-like question:

“Hungry?”

Chu Huaixu nodded. He truly was hungry.

“All right, I’ll go make food. You get some more rest,” she said.

That graceful silhouette disappeared from the bedroom just like that.

Chu Huaixu sat on the meditation cushion, raising his eyes to glance out the window.

“I’m beginning to understand a bit of the Dao Ancestor’s strength,” he thought as he sensed the spiritual energy within his body.

“86 + 86, that’s a total of 172 points of spiritual energy.”

“More importantly, the later things go, the greater this advantage becomes.”

“So this is the true subtlety of the Dao Canon, huh?”

“Does this mean the reason others can’t reach the Fifth Level is because they haven’t cultivated both body and spirit?” Chu Huaixu speculated inwardly.

His current conclusion was that the prerequisite for Dao Canon was a powerful physique.

But he wasn’t sure if an ordinary peak Qi-Opening Stage body cultivator would meet the requirement.

He suspected not.

After all, an ordinary body cultivator might not last more than a few punches in front of someone like him, a peak practitioner of Sword Refining Art.

He shook his head and chuckled, deciding not to dwell on it for now.

“Whether others can train it or not—what’s it got to do with me?”

He wasn’t even sure if Xu Ziqing, who also cultivated the Sword Refining Art, could manage the complete version of the Dao Canon.

Because Chu Huaixu still had one variable: the system.

“Weird… in that case, why is my compatibility with the Dao Canon only 33%?”

“Logically, it should be higher.”

“Except for my [Spirit Embryo Attribute], [Comprehension], and [Spirit Gathering] being too low, I should be a perfect fit for Dao Canon,” he mused, amused by himself.

“What, looking down on my [Comprehension 1]?”

At that thought, he suddenly remembered: “I still haven’t used the 1 point of [Random Attribute Points] from the system reward!”

Rubbing his hands, the Attribute Wheel reappeared.

“[Comprehension], give it to me!” He was ready to invest in brainpower.

At his command, the wheel began spinning.

In the end, as if fated, the pointer once again landed on [Physique].

Outside the bamboo house, in the courtyard, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang sat facing each other, eating.

“Is the food too little?” she asked after taking a bite of vegetables, observing the way Chu Huaixu devoured the meal.

“It’s fine. But we can make more starting next meal,” he admitted—he was really, really hungry.

After gaining 1 point in [Physique], he clearly felt his strength increase.

Immediately after came a ravenous hunger—his appetite had grown significantly.

“Tch, I’m evolving into a glutton now. That’s something,” he joked.

Han Shuangjiang silently nodded. “Then I’ll make more starting tomorrow,” she said.

“Mm, okay.”

Watching his reincarnated-hungry-ghost way of eating, she was too embarrassed to offer him the rice from her own bowl.

So she started picking fewer dishes, saving them for Chu Huaixu.

The Big Ice Block took small bites of plain rice and asked, “You’ve entered the First Realm, haven’t you?”

“Yes.” Chu Huaixu didn’t hide it.

Han Shuangjiang looked at him but chose not to ask further.

Still, she was deeply astonished. After all, Chu Huaixu had only just returned to his room and then let out that blood-curdling scream.

“Does that mean he only circulated one cycle of energy and broke through?” she speculated.

No doubt about it, she was going to start pushing herself again. Once she returned to her room, she’d have to train like mad.

With a Top-grade Spirit Embryo, to still be surpassed by him—that was embarrassing.

Due to her upbringing, Han Shuangjiang had a slight sensitivity about being underestimated.

After finishing their meal, Han Shuangjiang did the dishes again.

But she was now eager to cultivate, and for a moment, she did miss the days when Junior Brother Xu was around.

After finishing all the chores, the Big Ice Block returned to the bedroom.

She sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion and officially began cultivating the Six Sovereigns Canon.

In just half an hour, she successfully entered the introductory stage, generating spiritual energy within her and stepping into the First Realm.

The girl opened her eyes, the coldness on her face softened slightly, revealing a satisfied smile.

She exhaled deeply and subtly adjusted her plump buttocks on the cushion, shifting her posture.

Now that she was in the First Realm, she could begin learning techniques.

She wanted to try practicing Myriad Swords Converge.

Many cultivators in the current era dreamed the same dream.

After all, it was considered the strongest sword technique—an ultimate skill of the Dao Ancestor.

However, no matter how she tried, she simply couldn’t learn it.

“Turns out I was overestimating myself,” the Big Ice Block sighed.

“You’ve just stepped into the First Realm. Don’t bite off more than you can chew,” she admonished herself.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring bamboo house, the man who had just changed into his last clean black robe was also sitting on a meditation cushion, frowning.

To Chu Huaixu, today had been a day of great gains.

He received an attribute point, discovered the Dao Ancestor’s secret, and learned the real Dao Canon!

Before him lay a path to the heavens—though walking it would be hard on his body.

Yet humans are always greedy.

He was still feeling quite spirited.

Just like the line from Xin Qiji: “My spirits rise, do not waste it with idle days of dance and song.”

“I’ve already learned Dao Canon… so what about Myriad Swords Converge?” he thought.

Back in the Scripture Pavilion, he had heard the system prompt in his ear.

But note—the system said “Congratulations on obtaining Myriad Swords Converge,” not “learning it.”

Simply put, the system had backed it up for you—you didn’t have to memorize it manually. Other than that? Completely useless.

If you wanted to learn it, you still had to spend Experience Points.

Raising the skill to Level 1 meant you’d learned it—entered the beginner stage.

Chu Huaixu, who had no spiritual energy before, didn’t meet the learning requirements, so in his Skill List, Myriad Swords Converge was grayed out—unavailable for upgrade.

But now, it was no longer grey.

Sitting on the cushion, he narrowed his eyes and raised a brow.

“Why does this feel exactly like when I played Borrowed Sword?” Chu Huaixu thought.

The exact requirements to learn Myriad Swords Converge had never been settled in the Xuanhuang Realm, not even after a thousand years.

Even the current Sword Sovereign, who had already mastered it, couldn’t explain why.

Likewise, the system had its own logic and rules.

“One million Experience Points gives you a chance to learn it.”

“It’s like a lottery—no one knows how many tries it’ll take.”

Chu Huaixu looked at this system prompt and felt a headache coming on.

He only had a few hundred Experience Points left…

Just a moment ago, he’d still been daydreaming, thinking: “I’ve already learned Dao Canon and have Sword Heart Clarity—maybe I’m different from others?”

Yeah, no. Just like every other player!

“One million Experience Points—that wouldn’t have been cheap even before I transmigrated.”

“Back then, leveling from 48 to 49 only cost a bit over half a million.”

“But the problem is… this just gives a chance to learn it.”

Chu Huaixu remembered it vividly—since the level cap back then was 49, many high-level players had hoarded Experience Points.

Some, in a fit of desperation, tried to learn Myriad Swords Converge, and none succeeded. They all went on the forums to rant.

Ironically, this only made more people want to “try their luck.”

Then they went to the forum post and piled on, cursing along with the others.

Chu Huaixu, for one, had never tried it. If he had Experience Points, he’d rather spend them upgrading his other Skills, continually improving his overall strength, then go serve as a play companion to carry others.

After all, that was his job—he relied on Borrowed Sword to earn money. He couldn’t afford to squander it.

“The play companion scene is actually quite competitive.”

Without hesitation, Chu Huaixu tossed Myriad Swords Converge into a corner to gather dust.

Clearly, it wasn’t something someone at his current stage should covet.

“We’ve got a long road ahead.”

The next day, Chu Huaixu got up on time for breakfast and noticed that today’s breakfast was more abundant than usual.

“You reached the First Realm?” he asked Han Shuangjiang with a smile.

“Mm.” She nodded.

“Good. Then let’s go update our Outer Sect disciple identity tokens later.”

“Mm.”

After the meal, they headed to a place called the Disciples’ Courtyard, also located within Book Mountain.

The one in charge of the Disciples’ Courtyard was Mo Qingmei, one of the nine Outer Sect Stewards.

Just as Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang walked into the courtyard, they happened to run into Steward Mo.

This woman, who had unrequited love for Niu Yuanshan in her youth, later always wore a cold face around Senior Brother Niu and often claimed publicly that she had long since moved on.

“Hmph! I don’t even know what I ever saw in him!”

When she walked in, she overheard Chu and Han registering, and upon hearing their names, she seemed to take special interest.

That day by the Cold Pool, Niu Yuanshan had been guarding the Secret Realm with Liu Tianfeng. The Stewards who arrived later could all guess that Steward Niu was quite close with Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang.

Mo Qingmei personally helped the two of them with the registration, her face showing a warm, kind smile like a family elder.

As she handed them their Outer Sect disciple identity tokens, she reminded them:

“There’s something you both must pay attention to.”

“Please speak, Steward,” Chu Huaixu replied, already guessing what it might be.

“In the Storage Tokens for Outer Sect disciples, there are three Qi-Gathering Pills awarded by the sect. I suggest the two of you cultivate diligently these few days and take them.”

Looking at them, Mo Qingmei continued, “You should already know that our Dao Gate has a treasure mountain called Hidden Spirit Mountain.”

“On Hidden Spirit Mountain, there are many magical treasures and spiritual artifacts.”

“But earning the qualification to go up the mountain is no easy task.”

“When did you two visit the Scripture Pavilion to obtain your cultivation methods?” she asked.

“Yesterday,” the two answered honestly.

Mo Qingmei nodded, pleased. “Very good. In just one day, you’ve already learned your methods and officially begun cultivation.”

“But now comes the most important part.”

“You must break through to the First Realm, First Heaven as quickly as possible.”

Chu Huaixu understood clearly—that meant reaching Level 11.

Level 10 only meant entering the First Realm; Level 11 meant reaching its First Heaven.

Mo Qingmei went on: “Starting from the day you received your cultivation method from the Scripture Pavilion, if you break through to First Heaven within ten days, you’ll qualify to enter the base area of Hidden Spirit Mountain.”

“If you reach it in seven days, you may enter the mid-mountain area.”

“If within three days—and you must be cultivating a Heaven-rank method—you’ll earn the right to go to the mountaintop area.”

“The higher you go, the better the quality of treasures. The Dao Ancestor’s own sword rests at the summit,” Mo Qingmei said with a smile.

She didn’t know why, but she found these two Outer Sect disciples especially pleasing to the eye.

Her face bore a kind, elder’s smile as she warmly asked:

“Would you two be willing to tell me what rank your cultivation methods are?”

The two exchanged a glance and answered in unison, “Heaven-rank.”

“Good. Very good.” Mo Qingmei smiled even brighter, though no one knew what exactly she was so happy about or on what grounds.

However, she didn’t press them about which two Heaven-rank methods they had.

In the end, they weren’t that close.

She quickly reined in her smile, as if worried about wasting their time, and urged them, “You two, hurry back and cultivate. Don’t waste time here with me.”

“Yes,” they responded in unison.

On the way home, Chu Huaixu noticed Han Shuangjiang’s pace had quickened.

Clearly, she felt a sense of urgency.

Hidden Spirit Mountain—that was Hidden Spirit Mountain!

Many outstanding disciples of the Dao Gate had obtained their Life-bound Artifacts there.

“I’ve heard that there are Top-grade Spiritual Artifacts, even Super-grade ones on the mountain,” Han Shuangjiang thought.

Chu Huaixu looked at her and casually asked, “If you get a chance to go up, what kind of artifact would you prefer?”

Without hesitation, Han Shuangjiang replied, “Sword!”

She had already decided—she wanted to be a sword cultivator, and nothing would change that.

Since childhood, she’d heard many tales of female sword cultivators and deeply envied their free and unrestrained way of life.

Then, Han Shuangjiang countered with a question, “What about you?”

“Me too—sword!” Chu Huaixu grinned mischievously.

Unfortunately, the Big Ice Block wasn’t one for jokes. Toss her a bad gag, and she wouldn’t even try to catch it. She simply picked up the pace again.

Seeing her trying hard to hide her inner urgency, Chu Huaixu also sped up to match her.

Truthfully, he too wanted to break through within three days—even though he already had a token to reach the mountaintop.

“But that one was a gift from the Sect Master. It’s a special privilege!”

“But no one said you can’t earn another one on your own!” the Dead Fox thought to himself.

He wasn’t sure if that would count as against the rules—but that didn’t matter. He could always test it out first.

Besides, he hadn’t told Mo Qingmei that he already had a pass token.

Chu Huaixu had known from a young age:

“If you think it’s the right thing to do, then do it.”

“If you think it’s the wrong thing… then do it secretly.”