“So, here’s the situation.” He Shi’an leaned half a step forward. “The three of us who ranked in the top three in the competition discussed it before and decided to go to the Cliff of Enlightennt together today.”
Lu Fengmian nodded and waited for him to continue.
He Shi’an’s expression grew even more awkward, and his voice dropped a little lower:
“But you also know what happened last ti at the Scripture Pavilion; we’re all a bit scared now. What if the cliff keeper at the Cliff of Enlightennt is in a bad mood too and throws us out again...”
He looked at Lu Fengmian with pleading eyes.
“So we wanted to ask whether we could... trouble you to take us there?”
Lu Fengmian fell silent.
Leading people to the Cliff of Enlightennt? He had to do that too?
He opened his mouth, wanting to say sothing, but swallowed it back.
At least these boys now knew to find soone to lead the way.
Compared with last ti, when they had chattered noisily at the entrance to the Scripture Pavilion before dawn, this was already a huge improvent.
“Fine,” he nodded. “Let’s go.”
He Shi’an’s eyes lit up, and he turned and ran.
“Wait,” Lu Fengmian called out. “Where are the other two?”
“They’re waiting at the martial arena!” He Shi’an turned around and said, “I run fast, so I ca to ask you first!”
Lu Fengmian chuckled softly and waved his hand. “Lead the way.”
The two of them headed toward the martial arena one after the other.
Along the way, Lu Fengmian silently recalled what he knew about the Cliff of Enlightennt.
He had been there twice before, both tis because he had stopped by during routine patrols. He did not know the na of the person guarding the cliff, and no one had ever told him, so everyone simply called him the “cliff keeper.”
A very taciturn person.
Every ti Lu Fengmian passed by, he would rely nod and not say a single word.
Compared with soone like Elder Shu, who made people recite books at the slightest provocation, this person should have been... easier to communicate with, right?
Lu Fengmian was not entirely sure.
But since the disciples had asked him so earnestly, as their senior brother, he could only go no matter what.
*
At the edge of the martial arena, two figures were waiting expectantly.
Seeing He Shi’an bring Lu Fengmian over, the two hurried forward to greet them.
“Senior Brother!” A tall young man with regular features took the lead in saluting. He was Zhou Wu from Baicao Peak.
“Sorry to trouble you, Senior Brother.” Another clear female voice followed right after.
Zhao Qingyin was dressed in a simple outfit, with cloud patterns embroidered at the cuffs from Lingzhuan Peak. When she smiled, her eyes curved slightly, making her seem especially approachable.
Lu Fengmian nodded, his gaze sweeping across their faces.
He knew Zhou Wu, the most outstanding disciple of Baicao Peak’s generation. During the competition, he had perford steadily and ultimately placed second. It was said that his comprehension was extrely high; every ti Baicao Peak’s elder ntioned him, he could not help revealing a smile.
Zhao Qingyin ca from Lingxuan Peak and had placed third in the competition. This young woman was extraordinarily gifted, her use of talismans already masterful, and she also had an open and generous personality that made her very popular within the sect.
“Is everyone here?” Lu Fengmian asked.
“Yes, all here!” He Shi’an leaned in and said, “We were just waiting for you to lead us there!”
Lu Fengmian glanced at him, then began walking in the direction of the Cliff of Enlightennt.
The three of them hurriedly followed.
The Cliff of Enlightennt was located at the northernmost end of the sect.
The four of them walked for nearly half an hour, and the scenery around them gradually grew desolate. The trees beca sparser and sparser until only bare rocks remained.
Ahead, a gigantic cliff stood across heaven and earth.
The cliff face was so flat it seed as if it had been sliced by a blade, without the slightest rise or dip from top to bottom. Its surface was smooth as a mirror, flashing with a faint and chilly light under the sun.
Lu Fengmian stood at the edge of the cliff and looked down.
It was bottomless.
Clouds churned below, and nothing at the base could be seen.
But he could feel the Dao aura slowly flowing beneath the clouds.
“It is said that back then, Grandmaster Lingyun split this mountain peak apart with a single sword strike, and the sword qi entered the earth veins, lingering for a thousand years without dispersing.” Zhou Wu stood beside him. “Later, the sect established the Cliff of Enlightennt here, allowing disciples to enter the valley and sense the lingering sword intent and Dao aura.”
Lu Fengmian said nothing.
He rely gazed at the churning clouds below the cliff, sensing that faint, lingering sharpness that remained clear and undiminished even after a thousand years.
The power of a single sword strike, lasting for a thousand years without dissipating.
What realm had Grandmaster Lingyun been in back then?
A person sat at the cliff’s edge.
A man in gray clothes sat cross-legged at the edge of the cliff, with the abyss beneath his feet. In his arms was a sword; the scabbard was ancient and plain, without any decoration.
He simply sat there without moving, like a stone that had grown from the edge of the cliff.
Lu Fengmian stepped forward and stopped a few paces behind him.
“Senior,” he cupped his hands in salute, “This disciple has brought several junior brothers and junior sisters to the Cliff of Enlightennt to cultivate.”
The cliff keeper did not turn around, and did not even change posture.
Lu Fengmian was not in a hurry. He simply stood there.
A mont later, the cliff keeper’s finger moved. He raised his hand and pointed below the cliff.
Zhou Wu understood and walked to the edge, then jumped down.
His figure was soon swallowed by the clouds.
Zhao Qingyin followed imdiately without hesitation.
He Shi’an walked to the edge of the cliff and turned back to glance at Lu Fengmian.
“Go on,” Lu Fengmian said.
He Shi’an nodded and jumped.
Only Lu Fengmian and the sword-holding man remained at the cliff’s edge.
Lu Fengmian waited for a while. After confirming that there was nothing unusual below, he turned to leave.
“You go down too.”
A voice ca from behind him.
Lu Fengmian paused, then turned back.
The cliff keeper still sat at the edge of the cliff, still did not turn around, and still held that sword.
But that sentence had definitely been spoken by him.
Lu Fengmian was silent for a mont.
“Senior,” he said cautiously, “this disciple only brought them here, not for the purpose of...”
“Go down.” The man’s voice was completely flat.
Lu Fengmian looked at him.
The cliff keeper said nothing more. The wind stirred his gray robe, revealing the gray boots underneath.
He had only co to see them off, yet unexpectedly he himself had beco the one being sent down.
He did not ask again for the reason. He rely cupped his hands once more and offered a salute to that solitary back.
“Many thanks, Senior.”
Sword intent slowly rose from below, like a whisper crossing a thousand years.
He took a deep breath.
Then he leapt down.
Lu Fengmian landed gracefully at the bottom of the cliff.
Beneath his feet was soft grass carrying the fragrance of morning dew.
He looked up. The churning clouds he had just passed through had now beco an unreachable canopy, sealing the top of the cliff tightly away.
He had originally thought that the bottom of the cliff would be barren.
After all, this was an abyss cleaved open by a sword a thousand years ago; without sunlight reaching in, how could life possibly exist?
But everything before his eyes completely exceeded his expectations.
Vegetation flourished, dotted with wildflowers, and nearby a small stream flowed gently, its water so clear that the bottom could be seen.
The strangest part was the plants; their leaves were thicker than those of ordinary plants, their flowers exceptionally vivid in color, and they gave off spiritual energy.
Nourished by Dao aura.
Lu Fengmian recalled what Zhou Wu had said, and a vague answer surfaced in his mind.
Sword intent and Dao aura that had not dissipated for a thousand years truly were the best nourishnt.
He walked forward a few steps and soon saw the three familiar figures.
Zhou Wu stood beside a giant boulder, looking up at sothing. Zhao Qingyin crouched by the stream, reaching out to stir the water. With his back to him, He Shi’an stood with both hands on his hips, surveying the surroundings as though selecting a suitable spot.
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