The four descended the mountain and arrived at the capital of the most prosperous mortal empire below.
Qin Sang took out all the gold and silver stored in his mustard seed bag and handed it to Song Ying. These riches alone were more than enough to make them prominent magnates in the mortal realm. Once everything was settled, Song Ying accompanied Qin Sang back to Wenyue Cultivation Market and arrived before the Song clan's ancestral grave.
Retrieving the Sword Intent decree required not only the bloodline of the Song clan, but also a unique talisman.
Taking the talisman from Song Ying, Qin Sang extracted a drop of her blood and infused his spiritual power into it. The talisman floated into the air of its own accord and sank into the burial mound of the Song clan ancestor.
Moments later, the grave split open down the middle, and a beam of green light shot out into the air.
Qin Sang beckoned with his hand, catching the green light in his palm, and found it to be a small sword-shaped talisman.
Was this the Sword Intent decree of Shaohua Mountain?
Curious, Qin Sang probed it with his spiritual sense. The sword talisman trembled faintly and flared with brilliant light, releasing an incomparably sharp aura. Qin Sang's face paled slightly, and he dared not probe any further. Clutching the sword talisman, he said to Song Ying, "I must trouble you to accompany me on a trip to Shaohua Mountain, Miss Song."
Qin Sang activated the Sky-Soaring Shuttle and carried Song Ying as he flew toward the mountain gate of Shaohua Mountain.
Before, he had only caught a distant glimpse. Now that he arrived close to Shaohua Mountain, he saw that its entrance was likewise shrouded in mists and sealed by a grand array.
Not daring to intrude recklessly into the array, he landed with Song Ying at its edge, sent the sword talisman flying into the formation, and quietly waited.
Before long, an escaping light sped out from within the array, paused briefly in midair, and then flew straight toward them, revealing the figure of a white-haired old man.
A Foundation Establishment cultivator!
Qin Sang felt a jolt of reverence and assumed an even more respectful demeanor.
The white-haired elder looked at the two of them, his gaze finally settling on Qin Sang. "Was it you who just sent in the Sword Intent decree?"
Qin Sang bowed. "Reporting to Senior, it was indeed this junior."
The white-haired elder nodded. "Are you both descendants of the Song clan?"
"This junior's name is Qin Sang; I am not a descendant of the Song clan," Qin Sang said, gesturing toward Song Ying beside him. "This young lady is named Song Ying, and she is of the Song clan's bloodline."
The white-haired elder's brow furrowed slightly. He said to Song Ying, "Raise your hand."
After taking Song Ying's blood to verify it against the Sword Intent decree, the white-haired elder suddenly said in a heavy voice, "Miss Song, what is your relationship with him? Why would you hand the Sword Intent decree over to an outsider? Did he coerce you?"
Qin Sang was taken aback. Just as he was about to open his mouth, the elder gave him a cold glance; that murderous glare instantly broke Qin Sang out in a cold sweat, and he lowered his head, not daring to utter another word.
Song Ying bowed and said in a calm tone, "Reporting to the Immortal Master, Big Brother Qin did not coerce me. Instead, he lent a helping hand in Wenyue Cultivation Market and freed me from my plight. Now, I am the only surviving descendant of the Song clan, and I have willingly given the Sword Intent decree to Big Brother Qin."
Qin Sang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Still unconvinced, the white-haired elder said earnestly, "You need not be afraid, nor should you worry about threats from others. Since you have come to our mountain gate, if you have any grievances, simply speak them to me. Shaohua Mountain will certainly uphold justice on your behalf."
Song Ying shook her head firmly. "Immortal Master, every word I spoke is the truth. It is entirely of my own free will."
Only then did the white-haired elder's expression soften. "Since you have given the Sword Intent decree willingly, you cannot regret it later. Do you understand?"
Song Ying acknowledged. The white-haired elder raised his hand slightly, clouds coalescing in his palm to manifest a cyan luan. He said to Song Ying, "Mount it; it will carry you down the mountain."
Qin Sang cupped his hands in farewell. "Miss Song, until we meet again."
Having seen Song Ying off, the two entered the grand array.
Once through the array, the scenery changed dramatically. Before their eyes stood a peculiar peak, as though cleaved clean through the middle by a single sword slash, creating a towering thread-of-sky chasm. The slopes on both sides were covered in peach blossom trees, currently in gorgeous full bloom. The entire mountain looked draped in a crimson carpet, petals fluttering across the sky like colorful butterflies, their exotic fragrance washing over him in breathtaking splendor.
Following behind the white-haired elder, Qin Sang passed through the split in the mountain. He saw several young women playing among the peach blossom trees, laughing and chatting in utter carefree bliss.
They will be my senior and junior martial sisters in the future, Qin Sang thought to himself.
Seeing their approaching streaks of light, the maidens reined in their smiles and peered curiously at Qin Sang before offering respectful salutations to the elder, calling out in sweet unison, "Disciples pay respects to Martial Uncle Wen!"
The white-haired elder chuckled and nodded, his attitude far more genial than it had been toward Qin Sang.
Passing beyond this mountain, the horizon suddenly opened wide before them.
Azure skies and white clouds spanned an endless expanse of waters, studded with dozens of sword-like peaks scattered like stars. Below, shimmering ripples flowed as flocks of immortal cranes soared into the air and countless brocade carps spouted water. From time to time, cultivators could be seen soaring on their artifacts, exchanging polite salutations.
Taking in the sights of Shaohua Mountain, Qin Sang could not help but recall a line of poetry from his previous life, feeling how perfectly it fit this very scene:
"If one asks of Penglai's realm, clouds rest on green mountains, and water lies in the sky."
...
The two touched down on the largest yet most ordinary-looking mountain in Shaohua Mountain and walked into a wooden hall. After inspecting Qin Sang's spiritual roots, Martial Uncle Wen's expression showed a hint of surprise. "A five-element spiritual root? Given your age, this cultivation of yours isn't low, but your chances of breaking through to Foundation Establishment in the future are exceptionally slim. Are you certain you want to squander this Sword Intent decree?"
Qin Sang was taken aback. "Can this junior pass it down to my descendants as well?"
Martial Uncle Wen glanced at him. "It is not without precedent. I could replace the essence blood of the Song clan ancestor with yours. If any of your descendants possess outstanding talent in the future, they could use this Sword Intent decree to enter Shaohua Mountain."
Qin Sang took a deep breath and said decisively, "Thank you, Martial Uncle Wen, but that will not be necessary. In my heart lies only the immortal path, unwavering and steadfast!"
Martial Uncle Wen advised him no further. Taking a drop of his essence blood, he refined an identity waist badge, then summoned a disciple to handle Qin Sang's entry affairs.
The routine details of sect initiation were largely similar to those at the Yuanzhao Sect. This senior brother was surnamed Zhuang, only a year older than Qin Sang, but his cultivation had already reached the tenth layer of the Qi Refinement stage. According to him, he had already received a Foundation Establishment Pill and was preparing to attempt a breakthrough.
Shaohua Mountain had a rule: any disciple who managed to reach the tenth layer of Qi Refinement before the age of forty would receive a Foundation Establishment Pill free of charge.
This was an unexpected pleasant surprise for Qin Sang, though he also understood that given his talent, attempting to establish his foundation at the tenth layer of Qi Refinement with only a single Foundation Establishment Pill was wishful thinking.
Only by continuing to cultivate and pushing his cultivation to the peak of Qi Refinement might his chances of breaking through be slightly higher.
"Junior Brother Qin, this mountain is called Daomen Peak, symbolizing that upon stepping through our gates, one commits oneself wholly to the Dao. Remember well never to let the mortal world bewilder you and delay your cultivation."
Qin Sang nodded in agreement. Listening to Senior Brother Zhuang's explanation, Daomen Peak and the nearby peaks around it were where Shaohua Mountain's newly initiated disciples cultivated. When sect uncles and senior brothers gave lectures on the Dao, it was also held at Daomen Peak.
"Do you see what lies ahead?"
Qin Sang rode the flying sword issued by Shaohua Mountain, flying out of Daomen Peak behind Senior Brother Zhuang. Senior Brother Zhuang pointed toward the peach blossom mountain at the very forefront, a look of yearning in his eyes. "That is Jianmen Pass, cleaved open by a senior of ours with a single strike of a sword."
Chapter 103