While Gu Qing Shan had his attention on the jade tag, a slender hand reached out in front of him.
And took the jade tag away.
It was only now that Gu Qing Shan realized someone was standing in front of him.
A beautiful young woman.
It was the Fine Sound peak master, Luo Bing Li.
——–only a great cultivator of Luo Bing Li’s level would be able to take a jade tag from Gu Qing Shan’s hand without him noticing them.
As Gu Qing Shan glanced at her, he remembered Xie Gu Hong’s words.
Xie Gu Hong constantly reminded him that he should keep an amicable relationship with peak master Luo, directly telling him that she was a trustworthy ally and that she was peerlessly strong to the point that he might not be her match.
——-among the seven peaks of Barren Cloud, when it came to individual deadliness, Luo Bing Li was the undisputed number one.
But despite Luo Bing Li’s unrivalled prowess, she doesn’t have much in the way of personal protection, and since she’s always the most eye-catching on the battlefield, it was necessary for her to always be protected by a large number of cultivators.
Remembering his Master’s words, Gu Qing Shan clasped his fist and respectfully greeted her: “Greetings, peak master Luo”
Luo Bing Li didn’t respond to that, instead, she scanned the jade tag with her inner sight before asking him: “How is it? What do you think of my peak’s disciple’s Guqin[1] skills?”
Gu Qing Shan stared at the jade tag in her hand and praised: “I can still hear it echo by my ears, not fading even after three days, it must have been peak master Luo’s excellent teachings”
Luo Bing Li lightly hit his head with her hand and spoke: “Save me the flattery, I’m telling you right now. I won’t allow you to woo female cultivators from my peak”
Gu Qing Shan spoke with a serious expression: “Peak master Luo, my heart is fully dedicated to Dao, I have no intention of looking for a Dao companion in our sect”
Luo Bing Li judged him with her gaze for a while before gradually loosening her expression.
As an accomplished Sound Cultivator, she was an expert at seeing through a person’s true thoughts and emotions, so she could tell if someone was lying or not without them making a vow to heaven and earth.
“That is good, then you may keep this jade tag”
Luo Bing Li gave the jade tag back to him.
“Thank you, peak master” Gu Qing Shan replied.
“Come with me, I have something to tell you” Luo Bing Li said.
Seeing her somber expression, Gu Qing Shan’s attitude also became serious and followed her up to the top of the mountain.
Grey Crane peak was named for its likeness to a Grey Crane, with a single long path that leads straight on like the beak of a crane.
The tip of the beak was also the peak of the mountain.
As Luo Bing Li reached the top of the mountain, she stood with her hands behind her back.
As a gust of wind blew past, her clothing fluttered with it, giving her an appearance not unlike that of a fairy descended from heaven or a goddess that could take flight at any moment.
“While we’re here, I can guarantee that no one will be able to listen in on our conversation” Luo Bing Li told him.
Gu Qing Shan glanced around.
The clouds drifting about the top of the mountain were slowly turning into a rain of spirit energy, soaking the water stream below as it flowed down, quietly yet turbulently.
As the two of them stood inside the misty rain, they were alone, no one would be able to find out what was happening here.
Gu Qing Shan spoke with a somber expression: “Peak master Luo, please go ahead”
Luo Bing Li spoke: “The situation at the frontlines is becoming more desperate by the day, great cultivators are falling one after another, humanity has only managed to barely contain the situation through sheer numbers alone, do you know of this?”
“I have heard” Gu Qing Shan nodded.
Luo Bing Li continued: “Earlier, the Divinities have finally given us a decree. They want the sect to send a group of disciples to the various Divine Palaces, where they will be personally taught by a Divinity or a Divinity’s servant god”
“Cultivating under the Divinities?” Gu Qing Shan asked again.
“Indeed, our sect has always had deep ties with the Divinities, so we were given quite a few quotas to send our disciples to cultivate at their Divine Palaces” Luo Bing Li replied.
Gu Qing Shan fell into thought.
The current situation was getting serious by the day, humanity was being forced back slowly but surely, unable to win against the Desolate monsters at all, even the Divinities themselves have faced losses.
It seems the Divinities want to once again increase the strength of humanity, raising a group of powerful soldiers for the sake of long-term war.
“Are the Divinities feeling pressured?” Gu Qing Shan unconsciously commented.
Luo Bing Li was shocked and hurriedly scolded him: “You sure are bold! Those aren’t words you can say!”
Whenever Divinities were openly discussed, nothing but unbridled calamity would follow.
Gu Qing Shan smiled: “My apologies, please go on, peak master Luo”
Luo Bing Li glared at him again before continuing: “The sect has decided to host a competition to pick out excellent disciples of each generation to be sent to the various Divine Palaces”
“The chance to be taught by Divinities themselves, huh? The disciples of every generation are probably going to go mad over this”
He then smiled: “But we’ve just concluded the sect competition a few days ago, haven’t we? To host another right away, don’t you find it troublesome?”
Luo Bing Li answered: “This time it’s different, the various peaks will be hosting competitions among their own disciples to pick out those who will receive the quota”
Gu Qing Shan was a bit surprised: “Is that really necessary? Hasn’t the peak masters been teaching their own disciples every day? They should know better than anyone who is and isn’t suitable”
Luo Bing Li replied: “That’s not something you need to concern yourself with. What I want to tell you here is that while the sect master has been absent, the disciples of your master peak has always been the role model of all other disciples, so through the discussions of every peak, we have decided to give your master peak two quotas”
Gu Qing Shan asked right away: “How many quotas are there in total?”
Luo Bing Li replied: “In total, there are 30 quotas”
“30 quotas? And the master peak only received 2?” he chuckled.
Luo Bing Li glanced at him: “Indeed, this was the result of discussion among all the peak masters. Because the Palace Master currently cannot be contacted from the frontlines, everyone has made his decision and hope that you will soon pick out two people”
She then added: “Huang Zhan and Shen Yang have been informed of all the related matters by Ancient Dawn peak master, telling them to be ready to compete for the master peak’s quotas”
Gu Qing Shan fell silent.
They informed Huang Zhan and Shen Yang directly without going through me.
Those two youngsters are indeed mentally strong, but they are still too young, how could they reject such great allure?
For any cultivator, the chance to be taught directly by a Divinity is one of the biggest opportunities they will ever receive!
Gu Qing Shan slowly calmed down.
Every peak will compete among themselves…
This means I will have to compete for the quota with Huang Zhan and Shen Yang.
… Gu Qing Shan was feeling a deep sense of ill-will and bad intent.
While Master isn’t here, they want to use this elimination competition to instigate discord among the disciples of the master peak.
How dare they?
Are they confident that Master wouldn’t be able to return just because they lost contact with him?
However, thanks to the fragment of time he experienced, Gu Qing Shan knew perfectly well that until the moment of the Heavenly Palace’s destruction, Xie Gu Hong was still fine.
He glanced at the mist outside the mountain peak.
The clouds and mist were swirling nonstop, constantly forming and dissipating.
Gu Qing Shan muses: “Which peak master came up with the idea to only give the master peak two quotas?”
Seeing that he was questioning a key issue, Luo Bing Li’s expression loosened somewhat.
She answered: “It was a suggestion from Ancient Dawn peak and Spirit Echo peak, Grey Crane peak and Perching Cloud peak expressed their support of this decision”
Gu Qing Shan continued to ask: “What about Clear Water peak and Fine Sound peak?”
Luo Bing Li replied: “We were against it, but as we were outnumbered, the decision was forcefully passed”
Gu Qing Shan clasped his fist with a stern expression: “Thank you, peak master Luo. As Master isn’t here right now, please teach me briefly about the situation of the sect”
Seeing his reaction, Luo Bing Li was pleased and answered: “Ancient Dawn peak and Spirit Echo peak are the heritage of the Life God, so they follow the Teachings of the Life God”
“What about Grey Crane peak and Perching Cloud peak?” Gu Qing Shan asked.
“These peaks are loyal to the faith of the Star God. You should know as well, the Star God’s relationship with the Water God has never been an amiable one”
Gu Qing Shan continued: “So Clear Water peak and Fine Sound peak follow the Water God?”
“Indeed, your Master has also followed the teachings and advise of the Water God—— the Water God is a unique existence among the Divinities, as they treat humanity the most amiably”
“That’s why they’re attempting to go against the master peak this time since my Master’s whereabouts are unknown?”
“Correct. On the frontlines, your Master sometimes takes humanity’s casualties into consideration a bit too much. And since Barren Cloud Heavenly Palace was the biggest sect of humanity, his actions are a guideline for other sects to follow”
“For a few certain noble existences, acting against your Master themselves will cause too many undesirable consequences, so…”
Her words made things very clear.
When Xie Gu Hong came to the frontlines to check the situation, he went missing unexpectedly.
And so only his three disciples are left on the master peak.
What a good chance this was.
If discord happens to be sowed among the three disciples and something unseemly happened, or if they did something irreversible during the competition, through the aid of certain parties, the news will immediately spread across the entire cultivation world.
Xie Gu Hong would then be marked with a ‘powerless to teach others’ title.
As the head of a sect, if he were to be plastered with that title, the only thing he could do was to actively step down from his position.
Even if he didn’t do it himself, the Divinities would naturally speak up and force him to.
Gu Qing Shan sighed.
He casually reached his hand out to grab a leaf that was flying through the wind.
The leaf was already half-withered, but the other half was still full of life, currently flying to somewhere unknown.
Was it going with the flow, or being swept away by the wind?
Gu Qing Shan let go, allowing it to continue travelling in the wind.
At this point, Luo Bing Li continued: “The decree of Divinities must not be violated, if they ordered us to send disciples to cultivate in the Divine palaces, then we must send them”
“Gu Qing Shan, as the Eldest Disciple of the master peak, you must conduct the competition. The peak masters will be present to watch, so you have to quickly think of a solution”
Gu Qing Shan just smiled and coldly replied: “That’s simple then, I give up”
“Give up?”
“Yes. There are only a total of three people in the master peak. The fact that competition had to be conducted openly for other peaks to watch in the first place is a big joke. So I’ll give it up”
“As for being taught by the Divinities… just let Huang Zhan and Shen Yang go”
Luo Bing Li was a bit shocked.
His swift decision was outside of her expectation.
“Gu Qing Shan, this is a chance to be taught by Divinities we’re talking about here. Not only will you be able to learn a lot of secret Divine Skills, but your cultivation speed itself might also increase rapidly, are you not tempted at all?” Luo Bing Li asked.
“It’s ok, let them go——– Master told me to teach my junior brothers for him, but now that the Divinities can do it for me, that’s one less responsibility for me, I can focus more on my own cultivation, so it’s a good thing” Gu Qing Shan replied.
Luo Bing Li slowly nodded.
She could sense that he was telling the truth, there wasn’t a single hint of regret.
Gu Qing Shan continued: “My only request is for them to be sent to the Water God Divine Palace”
“That much can be guaranteed” Luo Bing Li replied.
“If that’s the case, I have no more worries” Gu Qing Shan said.
Luo Bing Li was observing him.
As the Eldest Disciple of the sect, he gave up his chance to give the opportunity of a lifetime to his junior brothers, there was no way for anyone to find fault in that.
“Gu Qing Shan, you are quite decent” she commented.
Gu Qing Shan clasped his fist: “Then this matter is settled, I will keep today’s conversation in mind. Thank you, peak master Luo”
He turned around and was about to leave.
Luo Bing Li’s eyes moved a bit before suddenly asking: “Gu Qing Shan, we will not frequent from now on, so I have one final thing to ask you”
“Please”
“What do you think about the Divinities?”
This question was the most important issue of today.
Earlier, when Gu Qing Shan mentioned Divinities, she had scolded him, but now she was actively asking Gu Qing Shan about his view of Divinities.
Gu Qing Shan fell into thought.
His gaze drifted from the river below through the surrounding peaks before stopping at the master peak.
That’s right.
What do I think about the Divinities?
The various things he had seen before were quickly flashing through his mind.
Xie Gu Hong’s entrusting words echoed in his ears.
“If one day she does wake up, pass on her name for me. She is… Xie Dao Ling”
The voice faded away and turned into another scene of his past.
Bai Hua hall.
On the Ten-thousand Flowers Throne carved from immortal jade, that peerless woman asked him in a soft voice: “Are you willing to join Bai Hua sect?”
…
Standing among the fierce mountain winds, Gu Qing Shan suddenly chuckled.
“Peak master Luo, I heard that your Fine Sound peak’s instruments are the finest in the land, I want to ask for a jade flute”
After a bit of hesitation, Luo Bing Li took out and gave him a purple jade flute.
“This flute was something I intricately crafted and frequently carry on myself, make sure to treat it well”
“Thank you very much”
“However, have you…?”
“I have”
As Gu Qing Shan received the flute, he didn’t say another word and began to play it.
Ooooo——
As the very first note came out from the flute, a deeply sorrowful sword qi rose to the sky, circled around the intense water currents below before returning to the top of the seven peaks.
Luo Bing Li lightly nodded——– it wasn’t a good idea to discuss Divinities with words, so replacing that with the sound of the flute was a good idea.
She carefully listened.
Note after note came out from the flute, each one louder than the last.
Sword qi swirled intensely like a tide together with the sound of the flute, yet at the same time, it was flying as free as the clouds and cranes, jetting through the mist towards the faraway horizon.
As the tune was about to end.
The sword qi that filled the air transformed into a gust of wind that swept across heaven and earth, blowing the dark clouds and mist in the sky away.
The rain stopped and the ten thousand miles ahead were cleared of clouds.
Rays of sunlight appeared to illuminate the world below, carrying with it a soft warmth that gently caressed Luo Bing Li’s beautiful features.
The sound of the flute stopped.
Luo Bing Li silently stood there with a bit of turbulence in her eyes.
There was no longer anyone standing across from her.
Only the vitality-filled mountain scenery under the light of the sun was left.
Luo Bing Li lightly sighed and muttered: “No one is left when the tune ends, only the green peaks above the river”
[1] 古琴: Also called heptachord, Guqin is one of the oldest plucked instruments in China, which appeared not late than Yao and Shun period. Players pluck the string by the right hand and press by the left hand. The raw didn’t specify which instrument it was specifically, but it was most likely this one, considering the intention and setting.
