WBICDPH Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Mist and Drifting Clouds

The Hundred Sects Sword Trial was held once every nine years. Unlike the inter-sect tournaments that emphasized friendly sparring, the disciples who participated in the Hundred Sects Sword Trial had to be the direct disciples of sect leaders or elders from sects of all sizes across the cultivation world.

This competition wasn’t about building friendships. After all, every contestant represented not only themselves but also the reputation of their master. Naturally, everyone fought with their full strength.

Because of that, the prestige of this tournament was extremely high. For example, Xiao Yunkong and the senior sister from Misty Pavilion both became famous in a single battle at the Sword Trial back then. The title of “Number One Genius of the Cultivation World” attached to them was only truly confirmed—and accepted by everyone—after that competition.

There was also one rather unusual rule: beast tamers were not allowed to participate in the Hundred Sects Sword Trial.

Moyu Zi had been dissatisfied with this rule for many years, but no matter how angry he felt, he could only swallow his complaints. There was simply nowhere to argue his case.

After all, beast tamers were rare to begin with, but more importantly, the cultivation world still held many prejudices against the path of beast taming. Quite a few people believed that beast tamers didn’t rely on their own strength in battle, but on their beasts.

They didn’t understand things like affinity with animals or knowledge about spirit beasts and medicinal plants. All they saw was that a beast tamer’s strength was directly tied to their contracted beast. Even a weak beast tamer could become unstoppable if they possessed a powerful spirit beast. In a competition, however, forcing an opponent to fight against the same beast was clearly unfair.

Supporters and opponents of beast taming could never convince each other, so the simplest solution was to cut the entire path out altogether. Beast tamers were banned from participating in the Hundred Sects Sword Trial.

This meant that if Lin Jin wanted to compete in the trial, he could only do so under the identity of a talisman cultivator or formation cultivator.

Liu Xun took this matter very seriously. The day Lin Jin emerged from his seclusion, she immediately arranged an examination for him.

To her surprise, his five years of seclusion had not been an empty boast. The boy’s progress was almost frightening. Not only had he developed many strange yet ingenious formations, but he could also draw Yellow-rank talismans with ease, and even some Profound-rank talismans were within his ability.

After the ninth level, advancing in rank as a talisman cultivator became incredibly difficult. Yet this boy had crossed both the Yellow and Profound ranks in just five years. If word got out, it would probably scare half the cultivation world to death.

Liu Xun was shocked, but she only offered him a few mild words of praise. She didn’t want the brat getting too proud. In her heart, however, she had already claimed third place in this year’s Sword Trial as if it were hers.

That senior sister from Misty Pavilion? Lin Jin couldn’t beat her.

Xiao Yunkong? Also impossible.

Let those two monsters fight over first and second place. Their kid was still young—third place should be more than easy.

Liu Xun felt secretly pleased.

Those old fogies from the other sects had mocked her for years for not having a direct disciple. The old bastard from Misty Pavilion had taken advantage of that to bully her precious kid for so long. This year, she would show them exactly how her disciple would slap their faces.

Lin Jin, of course, had no idea that he was carrying such an important mission of “slapping people’s faces.” He simply continued preparing for his first Hundred Sects Sword Trial as usual.

The day before departure, he gathered his two masters and his friends together and cooked a large table of food, bringing rare liveliness to his small courtyard.

Moyu Zi and Han Ao had been waiting for this meal for five years. The moment the dishes appeared, they devoured the food like starving ghosts. Hua Nanzhi had originally tried to maintain some dignity, but she soon realized that being polite meant going hungry. She was forced to join the battle for food as well.

Liu Xun, however, maintained her elegance throughout the meal. The main reason she could do so was simple—aside from the dog, no one at the table dared compete with her for food.

But the little dog had its own plate.

And the little dog had no interest in fighting with her for food.

The five people and one dog made merry in Lin Jin’s courtyard late into the night. Lin Jin bustled around the entire evening, adding several extra dishes at the last minute. In the end, everyone left with round, satisfied stomachs.

The meal was both a celebration of Lin Jin’s return from seclusion and a kind of rally before the Hundred Sects Sword Trial.

Early the next morning, Lin Jin packed his things, tucked the puppy into his clothes, and went down the mountain to the meeting place.

This year’s Sword Trial was being held at Misty Pavilion. Misty Pavilion and Yanyu Mountain lie far apart—one in the south and one in the north.

Because of the special nature of the competition—even disciples from the same sect might end up as opponents—the elders chose not to travel together. Instead, each elder would lead their own disciples separately to Misty Pavilion.

Liu Xun and Moyu Zi arranged to meet at the small southeastern gate of Yanyu Mountain. On the way there, Lin Jin ran into Han Ao, and the two walked over together.

Since emerging from seclusion, Lin Jin hadn’t found a chance to speak with Han Ao alone. Now was the perfect opportunity.

He glanced at him and smiled.
“How have the past few years been? Everything going smoothly?”

Han Ao scratched his head.

“What’s there to be smooth or not? Sigh… I just keep my head down like a turtle hiding in its shell. To be honest, I can’t even remember how long it’s been since I left Yanyu Mountain.”

Ever since returning from the last year-end examination, Han Ao had never stepped into another plot event. He hadn’t wanted to give up so easily, but every time he picked up that crude iron sword, memories of killing someone returned—the terror, the trembling, the cries of infants echoing in his ears. The torment left him sleepless.

During the years Lin Jin was gone, Han Ao simply stayed in Yanyu Mountain as an ordinary disciple. His cultivation hadn’t skyrocketed like the overpowered protagonist in the story, but for an elder’s direct disciple, it was still respectable.

Thinking about it, Han Ao sighed heavily.

“To be honest, I don’t even want to go to this Sword Trial. You know, this time—”

Before he could finish, Lin Jin raised a finger in a quiet gesture to stop him.

Han Ao froze for a moment, then saw Lin Jin gently shake his head.

They had already reached the southeastern gate, where Lin Jin’s two masters were waiting.

Some high-level cultivators habitually used their spiritual sense to monitor their surroundings. If certain words were overheard, they would be very difficult to explain.

Han Ao quickly understood and shut his mouth.

Lin Jin smiled and patted his shoulder.

“It’s fine. Someone else will compete for first place. We’re just going to make up the numbers. Treat it like a game—do your best and that’s enough.”

Han Ao nodded but said nothing more. The worry on his face didn’t fade in the slightest.

When they reached the gate, they discovered that more people than expected were waiting outside.

The morning sun was warm. Liu Xun stood under the shade of a tree with Hua Nanzhi, fanning herself with a round fan and looking impatient. Moyu Zi stood nearby chatting with Jiang Lou while basking in the sun. Behind Jiang Lou stood an unremarkable boy.

The boy looked about eighteen years old. He was dark and thin, his face dotted with freckles. He stood behind Jiang Lou with his head lowered, looking extremely uncomfortable.

“So annoying! That deadbeat Jiang Lou always sticks his nose in wherever he goes. I said we’d all travel separately, but he insists on tagging along!”

Liu Xun loudly badmouthed him right beside him.

Jiang Lou sighed helplessly.

“Hey, you crazy woman. You think I want to travel with you? If my other three disciples hadn’t gone off on missions and failed to return, do you think I’d bring my youngest just to be mocked by you? We’re just going to Misty Pavilion together. Why are you so hostile?”

“You useless furnace blacksmith! Don’t you have your own spirit beast to fly on? It’s less than two hours away, and everyone else is traveling separately. Only someone as shameless as you would insist on tagging along.”

“So what if I’m shameless? I like the excitement.”

Unable to argue with Liu Xun, Jiang Lou simply made a face at her and ran when she tried to swat him with her fan.

The two of them ran circles around Jiang Lou’s young disciple, scaring the poor boy so badly he didn’t dare move at all.

Lin Jin knew his master and Elder Jiang Lou had always been a pair of quarrelsome frenemies. Feeling helpless, he stepped forward and called out:

“Master, I’m here.”

The moment Liu Xun heard him, she immediately stopped chasing Jiang Lou.

She stood there gracefully, adjusting her hair ornaments and sleeves before grabbing Lin Jin’s wrist and pulling him aside.

“Perfect timing. Let’s go first. No need to travel with that nuisance.”

With that, she placed her fingers to her lips and let out a clear whistle.

A loud bird cry soon answered from the sky. A Flame Cloud Sparrow with a wingspan of three feet circled three times before landing steadily.

Its body was sleek and beautiful. Long crimson feathers grew from its forehead and tail, making it resemble a phoenix at first glance.

Liu Xun formed a hand seal, enlarging the bird several times. She leapt onto its back and waved for Lin Jin to follow.

Lin Jin stared at the Flame Cloud Sparrow—a creature he would never forget—and felt extremely uneasy.

He looked at the bird, then at Liu Xun, and cautiously tried to climb onto its back. But the moment he stepped closer, the bird twisted its head toward him, narrowed its eyes menacingly, and waved its long, sharp beak at him in clear warning.

Spirit beasts were intelligent. After living with humans for long enough, they understood human emotions.

Clearly, this bird still held a grudge against Lin Jin for roasting one of its chicks years ago.

“Oh my, Xiao Yun’er. After all these years, you’re still not over it?”

Liu Xun coaxed the bird in a tone Lin Jin had never heard her use before. But Xiao Yun’er remained firm. It turned its head away and shuffled two big steps farther from Lin Jin, firmly refusing to carry him.

Seeing this, Liu Xun sighed and waved him off casually.

“Forget it, you little brat. Xiao Yun’er’s still mad. Go see if Old Fish has room for you.”

With that, the Flame Cloud Sparrow flapped its wings and soared into the sky, leaving Lin Jin in a cloud of choking dust.

He brushed the dust away with his sleeve and glanced back at Moyu Zi.

Moyu Zi’s Taotie beast was already carrying Han Ao and Hua Nanzhi. It was clearly full.

That left only one elder.

Jiang Lou didn’t have a spirit beast. His flying artifact was an unfurled landscape scroll, large enough to hold several people.

He sat cross-legged on it and, seeing Lin Jin’s awkward situation, grinned and beckoned him over.

Lin Jin quickly bowed in thanks and stepped onto the scroll.

“Kid, your master—especially that woman—is heartless. Why not stop studying under her and come learn artifact forging from me?”

Jiang Lou winked at him as he guided the scroll into the sky.

Lin Jin gave an awkward laugh.

“You’re joking, Elder…”

He then turned to the boy sitting between them.

Lin Jin had never seen him before, so he assumed he was Jiang Lou’s new disciple.

He patted the boy’s shoulder.

“Hello. What’s your name?”

The boy startled and scooted slightly away before answering quietly:

“Qi Xiaolang.”

“Xiaolang?” Lin Jin widened his eyes slightly and smiled. “That’s a cute name.”

He pulled the puppy out of his clothes.

“I have a little dog. Puppy, come meet Xiaolang.”

The puppy snorted. Xiaolang looked embarrassed. Neither of them seemed very interested in him.

Qi Xiaolang was extremely shy and reserved, often unable to respond to Lin Jin’s attempts at conversation. Before long, Lin Jin was bored out of his mind.

He could chat a bit with Jiang Lou, but Jiang Lou spent most of his attention racing Liu Xun. The bird and the scroll practically turned into racing vehicles in midair. What should have been a journey of nearly an hour and a half was completed in just one hour.

When Lin Jin stepped off the scroll, his legs were slightly weak. He took several deep breaths before finally looking around at the scenery.

Although the body he now inhabited had once been a disciple of Misty Pavilion, when Lin Jin arrived in this world, he had already been on the way to Mingzhu Heaven. So he had no idea what Misty Pavilion actually looked like.

Now he finally saw it.

The place truly lived up to its name—Misty Pavilion, shrouded in drifting clouds.

It lay in the Penglai mountain range along the southern border of the cultivation world. Unlike the lush green Yanyu Mountain, the Penglai mountains were covered in pale pink peach blossoms, with Misty Pavilion hidden among clouds and flowers.

All of the buildings were made of wood. Wooden pavilions were built along the mountainsides, connected by long covered bridges linking peaks and halls together. Half of the bridges disappeared into clouds, while the other half faintly emerged from the mountains, giving the entire place the mysterious feeling of an immortal realm.

Lin Jin stared at the sight of Penglai Mountain’s Misty Pavilion in a slight daze—until a voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Disciple of Daoist Penglai of Misty Pavilion, Jiang Zhenfeng, greets all fellow cultivators.”

It was a clear, cool female voice.

Hearing it, Lin Jin froze and turned around.

Before him stood a tall woman dressed in pale jade-colored robes.

Her clothing and hair ornaments were simple, but even the plainest attire could not hide her jade-like beauty.

Her temperament was unique—cool yet sharp. Her skin was like snow and jade. She lacked the soft gentleness typical of women; instead, there was a touch of heroic spirit in her brows and eyes. She stood like a crabapple blossom beneath the sun—neither flower nor mist, unmatched even across ten miles of spring breeze.

“Liu Xun, Moyu Zi, and Jiang Lou of Yanyu Mountain have arrived with our disciples.”

Liu Xun handed over the invitation token. Jiang Zhenfeng glanced at it and gestured for them to enter.

“Within Misty Pavilion, spirit pets are not permitted,” she said. “Please calm your spirit beasts or contracted creatures and hand them over to us for temporary care.”

Hearing this, Lin Jin subconsciously touched the puppy hidden in his clothes.

When he looked up again, he accidentally met Jiang Zhenfeng’s gaze.

She was studying him thoughtfully.

When their eyes met, she did not look away. Instead, the corner of her lips curved into a faint smile.

Without the slightest hesitation, she said in front of everyone:

“Long time no see.”

Lin Jin’s heart skipped.

He had the strange feeling that Jiang Zhenfeng’s “long time no see” was not directed at the original owner of this body—but at him.

When he first heard her voice earlier, it had already seemed familiar, though he hadn’t been certain. Now, hearing those words, he was completely sure of his guess.

“…It’s you?”