Immortal of the Ages

Chapter 016 - Sword Pavilion Disbanded!

The Grand Hall was the most solemn place in the Azure Spirit Sword Sect. The sprawling edifice stood magnificent against the horizon, its exterior plaza expansive and imposing. However, what struck Yun Xiao the most was the signboard hanging atop the entrance—a plaque of azure and gold. Inscribed upon it were four powerful characters, each stroke resembling the edge of a blade.

"Everlasting Noble Spirit...!" Yun Xiao whispered as he read them. To be honest, the towering hall in front of him, with green mountains and floating clouds, and the distant sound of ethereal music... This was the very image of the Immortal's world he'd dreamt of in his childhood. And now, that dream was realized.

Yun Xiao and Cai Maomao stood before the Grand Hall. As the sun broke the dawn, sending a golden haze across the foggy land, about ten or so people were waiting for them outside the hall.

"So many people?" Yun Xiao murmured.

Cai Maomao chuckled awkwardly, "Not many! This is all that remains of our Sword Pavilion." Each of the Seven Peaks house thousands of Sword Cultivators. Compared to that, the main branch of Azure Spirit was now noticeably diminished.

"Here he is! The newest member of our Sword Pavilion, Yun Xiao!" Cai Maomao enthusiastically introduced. Among them, the one he seemed to respect the most was an elderly man in grey. With a full head of white hair, the old man was called Grandpa Qin by Cai Maomao. Grandpa Qin's eyes were cloudy, clearly blind, but his face wore a smile.

In addition to Grandpa Qin, three elders—two men and one woman, all middle-aged Sword Cultivators—were introduced as Elder Zhou, Elder Zheng, and Elder Wang. There were also some disciples around Yun Xiao's age.

Cai Maomao pointed at a beautiful woman in a green robe, "Junior Brother Yun, this is Sister Qin Tong, Grandpa Qin's granddaughter. She's also... well, my future partner in the Dao... The others are all single!"

"Who said I'm your Dao Partner, you shameless buffoon?" Qin Tong retorted, chasing after Cai Maomao and giving him a playful smack.

Everyone was used to their antics and laughed at their display.

"Junior Brother Yun's looks are simply divine!" Luo Jiang, another disciple, remarked with admiration.

"To be frank... It's enough to make this brother's heart race," Luo Hai added with a chuckle.

A few female disciples were also quietly sizing Yun Xiao up, whispering among themselves.

"So handsome."

"Never thought a man could look so ethereal."

"If someone in this world could truly become an Immortal, he should definitely possess such stunning features."

...

It was undeniable. Even Yun Xiao felt that his appearance, a gift from the Creator Immortal, was simply exceptional when he looked in the mirror. Familiarity on the path to immortality needed no prior acquaintance. After some light-hearted conversations, Yun Xiao quickly blended in.

"You're all just focusing on the superficial. Not only is my junior's face striking, but his talents are also unparalleled!" Cai Maomao boasted, slinging an arm around Yun Xiao's shoulders.

"Really?" The ever-smiling Grandpa Qin inquired, "Yun Xiao, have you tested your Sword Soul on the Heavenly Path? What grade was it?"

Yun Xiao replied with a hint of embarrassment, "Grandpa Qin, the Sword Inheritance Stone exploded."

The gathering fell silent for a moment.

"I get it," Elder Zhou commented, "Yun Xiao and that prodigious talent from the First Sword Peak, Jiang Yue, must have tested their Sword Souls at the same time." When mentioning Jiang Yue, respect was evident in his eyes. "For the first time in the history of the Azure Spirit Sword Sect, there's been a talent whose Sword Soul shattered the stone," he mused.

Although this incident had been the talk of the town the night before, the mere mention of it still sent shivers down everyone's spine.

"That's nothing! My buddy Yun Xiao here was first on the Heavenly Path, even surpassing Jiang Yue, and got himself a five-century-old demon bone as a reward!" Cai Maomao exclaimed with a smirk.

"Seriously?" The members of the Sword Pavilion looked surprised. The buzz about Jiang Yue had overshadowed Yun Xiao's achievement, so they weren't aware of it.

Grandpa Qin chuckled, "It seems Yun Xiao is quite talented!"

"Indeed!" Qin Tong nodded in agreement.

"If anyone dares call Junior Brother Yun just a pretty face, they'll have to deal with me," Cai Maomao declared with a hint of humor.

"In this lifetime, just defeating a super Comet grade talent like Jiang Yue is already an achievement to be proud of!" a young girl in a purple dress named Zhou Zi remarked with admiration.

Grandpa Qin, ever curious, asked, "Yun Xiao, would you be willing to show everyone your Sword Soul?"

A Sword Cultivator's prowess could be gauged by revealing their Sword Soul.

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"Sure!" Opening his palm, a three-foot-long azure Sword Soul gently spun, emanating a powerful aura.

"Is that... a Green Lotus Sword Soul?" a disciple murmured.

The type of Sword Soul was relatively common. In terms of quality, Yun Xiao's Sword Soul was ranked at the lower end in the sect. He anticipated some disappointed faces. But to his surprise, they responded with admiration. "Impressive! Truly impressive!"

"Yun Xiao, you've just started, but you've already attained nine layers of Sword Aura. That's even higher than the three elders here!"

"It seems, besides acquiring that five-century-old demon bone, you've also been doing your duty of slaying demons and killing many creatures!"

Grandpa Qin might have been blind, but he could sense energies. He had a fairly good idea of what was happening. "Indeed, it's a nine-layer Sword Aura! This aura... it's so powerful."

"My Sword Soul might be of a higher grade than Junior Brother Yun's, but I only have a three-layer Sword Aura. His Sword Soul's power is much greater than mine," Qin Tong remarked, genuinely surprised.

"Exactly!" Grandpa Qin nodded approvingly, addressing Yun Xiao with a weighty tone, "Young man, the grade of the Sword Soul doesn't matter. Who said one with a low grade Sword Soul can't dominate? The grade is the constraint given by the heavens, but the Sword Aura is our pathway to the skies! Never be disheartened!"

"I understand," Yun Xiao nodded.

"Indeed! With a nine-layer Sword Aura, he can even rival those with Comet grade Sword Souls," Elder Zheng said, the only female Sword Cultivator among the elders.

"Excellent! Truly excellent! Our Sword Pavilion has gained another prodigious Sword Cultivator!" Grandpa Qin exclaimed with delight. He produced a dark green badge, a token of the Azure Spirit Sword Sect's discipleship, and handed it solemnly to Yun Xiao.

"Yun Xiao..." Grandpa Qin declared with gravity, "Carve your name onto this badge. From now on, the Sword Pavilion will be your backbone. We are your guides on the path to immortality, and the other disciples will be your brothers and sisters. We share our honor and our challenges."

"Yes, sir." Yun Xiao received the badge with both hands, a hint of pride shining in his eyes.

"Once an Azure Spirit disciple, always an Azure Spirit disciple!" Grandpa Qin declared, his voice husky, every word heavy with a lifetime of memories.

On the front of the dark green badge was engraved the word Sword Pavilion. With the Sword Soul in hand, Yun Xiao delicately inscribed his name onto the badge's black back. From that moment, he was the Sword Pavilion's very own Yun Xiao. As the final stroke settled, the younger disciples around him broke into cheerful grins.

"It's been three years since we've had a new disciple in the Sword Sect!"

"Our Junior Brother Yun is the most handsome in Azure Spirit. No doubt about that, right?" Cai Maomao chimed in, beaming.

"Why the hell does his handsomeness matter to you?" Qin Tong snapped with a playful roll of her eyes.

Grandpa Qin let out a hearty laugh. Then, turning to the three elders, he asked, "What about the initiation gifts?"

"I'll start," said Elder Zhou, stepping forward, his gaze full of emotion and intent. After a brief hesitation, he took out a jade vial from his robe. "The Sword Pavilion has seen hard times these past three years, and my pockets aren't as full as they once were. But I gift to you this single Dragon Spring Pill. May you always walk alongside your sword, soar beyond the clouds, and live as free as your name suggests." With that, he handed the jade vial to Yun Xiao.

"Dragon Spring Pill!" The other disciples exchanged envious glances upon hearing this.

Elder Zhou watched Yun Xiao's reaction and teased, "What's the matter? Is it beneath you?"

"No," Yun Xiao responded, holding the vial closely, "I just don't feel worthy." The Dragon Spring Pill, while not as potent as the Divine Sea Pill, was a rare pill that would boost the energy of those in the Dragon Spring Realm. For ordinary elders like Elder Zhou, it was a significant gift.

"No worries," Elder Zhou said, patting Yun Xiao's shoulder. "The first lesson for a man cultivating the path of Iimmortality is to be straightforward, no dilly-dallying."

"You trying to say female Cultivators are all talk?" Elder Zheng quipped, stepping forward. She handed Yun Xiao another jade vial, her eyebrows raised defiantly, "Here's another Dragon Spring Pill. Refuse it, and it means you're looking down on women!"

Yun Xiao was at a loss for words.

The last elder, a chubby man named Wang, also handed Yun Xiao a Dragon Spring Pill, laughing heartily, "Young man, you truly are a looker!"

Grandpa Qin, not wanting to be outdone, pulled out an even larger vial and tossed it to Yun Xiao. "Catch! Three inside."

A total of six Dragon Spring Pills! They lay heavy in Yun Xiao's hands, their weight symbolic of the hopes and expectations of the sect. Facing the benevolent gaze of the elders, he found himself speechless.

"You are our first disciple in three years," Grandpa Qin began softly, "a beacon of hope for all of us. So, don't feel burdened.

"We of the Sword Pavilion, we've watched our traditions fade," he continued, his voice heavy with emotion. "You understand that pain, don't you?"

"But what about them?" Yun Xiao asked, turning to look at his newfound senior brothers and sisters. He knew they hadn't received such care. Their envious glances gave it all away.

"Junior Brother Yun." Qin Tong glanced around at the group and then continued, "You're our junior. As your senior brothers and sisters, we only wish the best for you. It's just the natural order of things!"

"That's right!"

"Accept them!"

"If you don't, I'll gladly take a couple!" Cai Maomao said, his eyes nearly bleeding with envy.

"Shut it!" Qin Tong smothered his mouth.

"Mmm... Murdering your husband!" Cai Maomao protested.

Laughter once again rippled throughout the hall.

Yun Xiao's gaze settled on the genuinely jovial group and the noble-hearted elders. He suddenly felt that being placed in the Azure Spirit Sword Sect by the seven great Sword Peaks was quite the stroke of luck. "It seems the path of cultivation isn't as brutal as they say. The true brutality comes from people," he mused, "And every person is unique."

With that, Yun Xiao graciously accepted the six Dragon Spring Pills. His heart, like those six pills, found its home amidst the green mountains and blue waters.

"Dear elders, Yun Xiao's initiation to the Immortal Path rests in your hands," Grandpa Qin said, turning to the three elders..

"I excel in the Flying Sword. I can guide him in that art," Elder Zheng remarked with a gentle smile.

"My specialty is the Palm Sword, perfect for close combat," Elder Zhou said.

"And as for the art of soaring the skies on the Sovereign Sword, leave that to good old me!" Elder Wang chuckled, his belly jiggling.

Upon seeing Elder Wang's hefty figure and thinking about him soaring in the sky, Yun Xiao couldn't help but cough a little. A rather impolite image of a flying pig danced at the back of his mind.

"Still, this is great!" Yun Xiao began, "I might have a Sword Soul, but I've never trained in Flying Swords, Palm Swords, or the Sovereign Sword. These skills are pivotal, whether it's manipulating a flying sword, using the Palm Sword for close combat, or wandering the world on a Sovereign Sword."

These were lessons the Azure Spirit Sword Sect could bestow upon him. Red Moon and Blue Star, from that ancient bronze coffin, only contained pinnacle Dao techniques without these foundational combat arts. In other words, these three elders were invaluable mentors in his Immortal journey.

"Thank you Grandpa Qin. Thank you three elders," Yun Xiao expressed his gratitude, his heart burning with fervor.

"When can you start your sword training?" Elder Zhou asked straight out.

"Anytime!" Yun Xiao replied.

"Elder Zhou, for now, Yun Xiao is staying with me," Cai Maomao declared proudly.

"Fine, then every morning, bring him to me for Palm Sword training," Elder Zhou instructed.

"In the afternoon, he can practice his Sovereign Sword with me," Elder Wang added.

"And when night falls, it's the perfect time for Flying Sword attacks. Bring Yun Xiao to me then," Elder Zheng said.

Their dedication was palpable. They were eager to set Yun Xiao on his cultivation path.

This was the Grand Hall!

Yun Xiao cast his eyes once more upon the inscription on the plaque that read Everlasting Noble Spirit. "I've always heard that the Sword Pavilion embodies the spirit of the Azure Spirit Sword Sect," he murmured to himself. Today, he felt the weight of that legacy. A majestic spirit that lived on forever! Surrounded by mountains with birds soaring above, ethereal clouds, clear springs, and swords that commanded respect from all directions, he loved it here.

However, the peaceful atmosphere was suddenly shattered. Whoosh! Whoosh! A group of Sword Cultivators arrived, flying on their swords. They darted low, their Sword Souls sweeping through the dense forests of the Pavilion, causing birds and beasts to scatter in alarm and leaves to sever from branches. Their arrival was the height of rudeness.

Clang! Clang! More than twenty figures descended in front of the magnificent hall, raising a cloud of dust, heading straight towards the gathered members of the pavilion, expressions mocking.

"They're from the Eight Swords Assembly..." Elder Zhou's face shifted slightly.

"What do they want?" Grandpa Qin's expression was frosty.

"If I had to guess," Elder Zheng's voice was laced with fiery anger, "these lapdogs of the First Sword Venerable are here to force our pavilion to disband and banish us from the Azure Spirit."

"All on the account of the Eight Swords Conclave?" Elder Wang clenched his fists, his voice filled with determination, "If they dare to dismantle the pavilion, I'll stake my life against theirs!"

Eight Swords Assembly? Yun Xiao was unfamiliar with this faction. Moreover, wasn't it the Seven Swords Conclave? He took a step back, standing beside Grandpa Qin, alongside his fellow disciples.

"Zhou Zi, go fetch Sister Zhao," Elder Zheng whispered to a young woman in purple robes.

"Yes." Zhou Zi left quietly.

By now, the group of over twenty people had boldly approached the front of the hall. The man leading them was a middle-aged figure in a bright red sword robe. With a long beard and eyes that seemed aflame, his breath was like a steel whip, his movements exuding an imposing air.

"That's the Third Sword Venerable, Wu Wu," Cai Maomao whispered with distaste into Yun Xiao's ear.

The Third Sword Venerable? Yun Xiao knew that the Azure Spirit had seven sword peaks, and the leader of each peak was a Sword Venerable.

"Elder Wu?" Yun Xiao didn't recognize the Third Sword Venerable, but he did recognize the man standing next to him. The man had a coarse appearance, none other than Elder Wu Yu of the Third Sword Peak, who had previously been close to Yao Qingqing on the Sword Inheritance Platform.

Besides the Third Sword Venerable and Elder Wu Yu, most of the others were also elders, their ages all over 35 years old. Each had a deep, piercing gaze, all wearing unsettling smiles.

"Blind Qin," the Third Sword Venerable smirked, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "It's been a while. Never expected you to still be around, flourishing in your old age?" His very first words sent a ripple of anger through the members of the Sword Pavilion.

Grandpa Qin stroked his long beard, the corners of his lips lifting in amusement. "Naturally, I've accumulated good karma all my life, so it's only fair that I live this long. On the other hand, Wu Wu, with all the bad deeds under your belt, I reckon you'd have to reincarnate a few times just to catch up."

The Third Sword Venerable chuckled, his laughter hearty and infectious. "You always did have a sense of humor." However, a fleeting fiery malevolence flashed in his eyes, not escaping Yun Xiao's keen observation.

"Wu Yu, hand over the roster," the Third Sword Venerable beckoned.

"Yes, Sword Venerable!" Elder Wu Yu promptly retrieved a bamboo scroll and passed it forward.

Grandpa Qin, addressing the Third Sword Venerable, chimed in. "Wu Wu! Have you lost your ability to count? It's the Eight Swords Conclave in Azure Spirit, not seven!"

On hearing this, Yun Xiao whispered to Cai Maomao beside him, "Eight Swords Conclave? What's the difference?"

"There's never been a Seven Swords Conclave," Cai Maomao hissed through gritted teeth. "They're deliberately mocking us."

There was no need for further explanation. Yun Xiao understood the insinuation.

At this point, the Third Sword Venerable said with a cheeky grin, "Fine, fine. Eight it is. Just give us the names for the tournament, and we'll be on our way. We won't even take a single thread from here." His tone dripping with sarcasm, several of Yun Xiao's fellow disciples nearby bristled with anger.

Elder Zhou stepped forward, reaching out for the roster. Yet, just as he was about to grasp it, the Third Sword Venerable snatched it away, leaving Elder Zhou clutching at thin air.

Elder Zhou frowned, "What's the meaning of this?"

The Third Sword Venerable smirked, "I just thought... given the Azure Spirit Sword Sect's spirit, shouldn't all eligible disciples participate in the challenge?"

Elder Wu Yu burst into laughter, adding fuel to the fire. "Exactly! After all, the disciples here, all added up, barely make a handful of misfits. Just a few strokes of the pen, and I can fill it out for Elder Zhou."

The atmosphere was electric, and the tension palpable. The playful jabs and jests were not lost on anyone present.

Elder Zhou huffed, a fierce determination burning in his eyes. "Alright, then, you do it! Everyone in the pavilion will fight!" Beneath his robe, his fingernails nearly dug into his flesh, such was the force of his anger.

Elder Wu, with a smirk, accepted the roster. But just as he was about to make a mark, he feigned shock, his eyebrows raised dramatically. "Good heavens, what a disaster!"

"What could possibly have shocked you so?" The Third Sword Venerable teased, a mocking glint in his eyes.

Elder Wu sighed dramatically, playing his role. "Oh, this is quite the pickle."

The other members from the Eight Swords Assembly leaned in, curiosity piqued. "What is it, Elder Wu?"

With a face full of mock pity, Elder Wu lamented, "Upon my calculations, it seems that Zhao Xuanran is twenty-two this year. She's overage and can't participate in the Eight Swords Conclave. Without her, the Sword Pavilion won't have its Top Sword!"

A ripple of feigned shock spread. "No Top Sword? According to the Azure Spirit Laws, they can't participate without one!"

"To think, the prestigious main branch of Azure Spirit, doesn’t even have a chance to be the underdog in the Eight Swords Conclave!"

The expressions of the Eight Sword Assembly members were a mix of faux pity and poorly-hidden glee.

The Third Sword Venerable played along, looking shocked. "Elder Wu, you better not be spouting nonsense. How pathetic would a sword lineage have to be to not even participate in the Eight Sword Conclave? Is the Azure Spirit's long-standing tournament going to go from the Eight Swords Conclave to the Seven Swords Conclave instead?"

Elder Wu, tapping into his inner drama king, put on a mournful face. "Not being able to participate is a minor issue, but according to the Azure Spirit Laws, there's something even more heartbreaking!"

"Heartbreaking?" The Third Sword Venerable feigned surprise, clapping Wu on the shoulder. "Do enlighten our sword brethren here about this heartbreak."

Elder Wu cleared his throat, taking on a somber tone. "When the eight sword factions united under the banner of the Azure Spirit Sword Sect, we set down the eight Azure Spirit Laws. Law number eight states..." His voice dropped, letting the suspense hang in the air. "Should any branch become so weak that they can't even partake in the Eight Swords Conclave, they must dissolve immediately and leave the domain of Azure Spirit!"