"Brother Tie! Please take the seat! Brother Tie! Have so tea! Brother Tie! This is a precious ’Flowers Painting’ from my collection! Please have a look!"
Tie Dan swept the floor, rolling his eyes,
"What do you want."
Tang Tong imdiately turned and kowtowed, nearly prostrating himself fully into the dust,
"This humble brother lacks talent! I wish to team up with Senior Brother! Please, Brother Tie, take in!"
Tie Dan almost kicked him away,
"Scram!"
Tang Tong grinned shalessly,
"Don’t misunderstand, Brother. I know you’re not into that, and I don’t an anything inappropriate. I just want to find a protector, soone to cover for . But it’s true that I sincerely wish to beco sworn brothers with you, sever a chicken’s head, burn yellow paper, and beco brothers from different parents!
But I know I’m not very skilled, afraid you might look down on . So I’m willing to serve as a little brother, helping out whenever needed. Even if it ans climbing the mountain of knives or descending into boiling oil, I’ll stick with you!"
Tie Dan, "All for a al?"
Tang Tong jumped up,
"Hey! Isn’t a al enough? I haven’t eaten this well since entering the mountain! The favor of a drip of water should be repaid with a gushing spring!
Besides, you’ve treated to more than just one al. There’s the few barbecues before, and you saved my life, helped vent so frustration too!
Enough said, Brother Tie! You’re my boss now!"
Tie Dan couldn’t be bothered to deal with him.
He’s just looking at him because he can fight, after all. People like this, who want to use him to gain benefits, always existed in the past and will continue to exist in the future.
Tang Tong wasn’t discouraged and laughed,
"I’ll just assu Brother Tie you agreed. Oh, by the way, I went to inquire around earlier. Three major events happened in Jianghu, and I need to report them to you!"
Tie Dan had to admit, at least this guy was quite clever, knowing his current lack of knowledge and that he could be of use. And since he was sweeping, he didn’t refuse to chat, nodding to indicate he was willing to listen.
After all, even Tie Dan needed a balance of work and rest. His body covered in scars from previous Sword Wind attacks hadn’t healed yet, and now he had to brave six formations just for three als a day. Even Tie Dan was feeling a bit overwheld, imnsely tired both physically and ntally...
So Tang Tong wielded the broom, gesturing, writing, drawing, exaggerating, and at least gave Tie Dan a bit of a concept regarding the current world affairs.
First and foremost, he had to discuss the matter of the Demon Palace.
Not much to say, in the end, the affairs of the world boil down to the family matters of the Immortal Emperor.
Simply, the position of the Immortal Emperor isn’t suited for everyone. Without the caliber or tactics of an Immortal Venerable or Emperor Wu, the light consequence would be being overshadowed, and the serious consequence could be assassination.
The current Immortal Emperor was already partly overshadowed. Due to the previous abolition of the Crown Prince and the Witchcraft Disaster, the foreign relatives were eradicated, severely diminishing the Immortal Army’s power, forcing reliance on the eunuchs within the palace and competing with the Immortal Gate for power. Hence, the Three Constellations vie for power and engage in internal strife all day and night, creating constant chaos.
In essence, the core contradiction within the Demon Palace cos down to the chaos among the Party mbers.
The aristocratic families across the land face suppression by eunuchs, building up grievances over ti. Now the conflicts intensify, even turning from court brawls to secretly sending assassins, reaching a point of no return.
Due to the upper-level conflicts, the war in the South and with the Demon Clan reached a stalemate. The eunuchs feared the Gate Valve would incite rebellion within the army and were reluctant to grant them power. However, letting them go themselves—these eunuchs couldn’t convince the masses and took advantage to embezzle, selling official posts for profit, leading to the Guardian Immortal Army’s grievances skyrocketing. Thus, the army morale was low, getting entangled in the Southern Barbaric Wilderness, which drained the kingdom’s provisions, causing a heavy financial burden on the Demon Palace.
Then there’s the movent from the Demon Sect.
Rumors have it that the Demon Sect is rapidly advancing, with many Western Region countries sending envoys and alliances, diverting tributes originally for the Immortal Emperor to the Demon Sect Headquarters. The influence of the Demon Palace was entirely cleared from the Western Territory. The current Demon Sect Leader is also bold, agreeing to impart the Demon Sect Techniques to the foreigners of the Western Regions. As long as they believe in the Demon Sect and worship the Divine Lord, all races are allowed to cultivate the Divine Skills from the Heavenly Book. Thus, the sect’s influence rapidly expanded through massive evangelization.
In order to support the expenses for a large number of newcors’ cultivation and breakthrough materials, the Ten Extres Venerable Masters of the Demon Sect reached a consensus to pause their offensive on the Demon Palace. They gathered the Demon Sect’s main force to prioritize expanding into Kunlun, incorporating the entire Kunlun Fairyland into the Demon Sect’s sphere of influence, planning to later use the sect’s full force, unite the entire Western Alliance’s power, and counter-attack the Royal Capital.
With the Demon Palace and Demon Sect both setting their developnt directions, one southward and the other westward, the Mystic Sect stands at a decision point.
But it’s truly difficult since the Mystic Sect’s biggest issue is its few mbers. Each has its own sche, making it hard to unite forces. The cultivators are also focused on cultivation and attaining the Dao, having little interest in worldly matters such as unifying the mortal world. For the Mystic Sect, centered around master-disciple inheritance, expanding like the Demon Sect with indiscriminate recruitnt is impossible. So, managing to maintain a province like Qianzhou is already comndable; talking about developnt directions is premature.
"However, I heard that recently the various sect leaders are frequently gathering. Many visited Nine Yin Mountain to et the Sect Leader, seemingly planning a collective action. Whether targeting the Three Constellations or Western Regions, it’s unknown, but we uninitiated disciples will undoubtedly join in for training, seeking opportunities for breakthroughs."
Breakthroughs, huh.
Actually, Tie Dan estimated that with the support of the ’Mountain Demon Bone,’ he had enough materials to break through the Golden Core Realm and forge the Taibai Sword Embryo.
What he needed was a secluded place for focused cultivation, to heal old injuries and smooth out his Dao Breath and sword energy, solidifying his cultivation, and then borrow a Sword or Elixir Furnace to refine the ’Mountain Demon Bone,’ removing impurities to prepare for a breakthrough.
Yes, staying at Nine Yin Mountain for secluded cultivation is ideal. With abundant Spiritual Qi, Miracle Spiritual Elixirs, and protection from the Sword Sect, it was a perfect place for serenity and cultivation. Given three to five years, there should be no issue in casting his sword.
But the problem was that the main sect wouldn’t allow him peace, nor even let him stay.
Only by winning the Cloud Platform Competition, ascending the Ninth Peak, and being accepted as a Golden Core Disciple could one obtain Daoist talisman rights, receive sect sword transmissions, and peacefully cultivate on the mountain.
For those serving children doing chores at the foot of the mountain, the ti to cultivate at Cloud Platform Peak was limited. Aside from having to take turns descending the mountain for chores, there’s daily sweeping of the mountain gate, farming, a variety of manual labor including chopping wood, clearing trash, stoking fire, cleaning tables, alchemy, boiling dicine, warehouse inspection, knife sharpening, sword wiping...
Yes, they were purely laborers assigned for chores.
Moreover, Tie Dan and Tang Tong were at the lowest level of servants, unable to get even odd jobs with minor benefits like elixir refining or planting dicine. Their main task was just sweeping...
Yes, every early morning before the sun was up, carrying brooms waiting for immortal cranes to pick them up, then flying to other flying islands to begin sweeping.
Because the Cloud Platform Immortal Peak had endless flying islands and countless secret realms, with a large number of palaces and temples, many of which hadn’t been inhabited for hundreds of years. So rest assured, there was always ground to sweep every day.
Of course, it wasn’t just the sect turning a blind eye to the dust. It was mainly to send people on patrols, occasionally inspecting various secret realm dwellings for loosened seals or signs of stealthy intrusion.
Day in and day out doing such pointless jobs, where is the ti for cultivation?
Moreover, this wasn’t just a one-day or two-day task.
It was for ten years.
Since joining the sect, they first sweep, sweep for ten years.
Then dicine Garden or Beast Cage, assigned to another place for another ten years.
Following that, warehouse, alchemy room, kitchen, another designated place for another ten years.
After thirty years of laborious tasks, one qualifies to enter the Academy or Sword Institute to learn the true skills of the Sword Sect.
Then, after diligently practicing for another decade or so, one qualifies to venture down the mountain to gain experience.
Then, in sixty years, when the Cloud Platform Competition occurs, only then can one, selected from among the Nine Peaks’ children, be qualified to compete in sword duels.
The winners receive Daoist talismans, sword transmissions from masters, get bestowed with Daoist nas, and formally enter the sect.
The losers are sent down the mountain to contribute to the sect while enjoying earthly riches.
This is the current rule of the Sword Sect.
Does it sound excessive? Actually, it’s reasonable.
At least for disciples like Tang Tong, following this progression isn’t bad at all—quite satisfactory even.
Although sweeping was leisure, in ten years, one can refine Qi stably, ensuring a solid Foundation Establishnt, and accumulate basic skills in reading writing, learning arithtic, preventing future misunderstanding during classes like hens and ducks talking. It also offers plenty of ti to bond with sa sect, becoming acquainted with cultivation world affairs, shedding the ignorance of a naive newcor.
Then, while assisting in dicine Garden or Beast Cage, not only could one support the sect, but also learn practical astronomy and geography under senior brothers’ guidance, increasing knowledge and experience, laying a strong foundation for future worldly travels, and Jianghu experiences.
By the third decade, barring major errors, one is considered part of the sect, exposed to elixirs, magic treasures, als in key areas, accumulating foundational knowledge of the Five Arts, starting to determine one’s future advancent direction, shifting from a re newbie. In daily tasks, exploiting one’s office helps accumulate so personal cultivation capital.
Thus, when formally apprenticed, entering the Academy or Sword Institute to learn Secret Sword techniques, having at least thirty years of cultivation under one’s belt, with solid basics and experience, additional resources at disposal, ntored by prestigious masters in sect’s secret transmission Heart Sutra techniques, one’s combat strength and cultivation can leap to new heights.
After diligently refining and preparing for forty long years, fully prepared, they are released off the mountain for several decades of Jianghu experiences, each one worthy of claiming lineage transmission of Sword Sect disciplines, potentially rivaling talents like Yue Peng or Zhou Feng, vying for the Immortal Fate of sword transmission disciples.
So despite Tang Tong enduring nine years, if he could just endure one more year, he could begin soaring high.
But Tie Dan, upon hearing it, wanted to leave the mountain imdiately.
Are you joking with ...
No, thirty more years of grueling work?
Let’s not ntion that the master’s great vengeance is unfulfilled; how can ti be wasted here idly?
In thirty years, even everyone across Nine Yin Mountain isn’t enough for him to kill.
And the Secret Sword Tie Dan forged needs to taste blood every seven days...
"Want to leave the mountain? Sure, just voluntarily apply to chop wood off the mountain.
We have plenty of leftover celestial food now, grab so to bribe the mountain’s crane, have it carry us directly to Yang County.
I’m familiar with the place, so Brother Tie, where would you like to go wandering?"
Tang Tong carried the broom, patting his chest to assure.
So Tie Dan stated his demand,
"Anywhere, just find a place to kill,"
Tang Tong, "..."
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