Chapter 63 - Three Parties Contend for Supremacy
The flowers and plants on Still Water Peak had been desolate for many years.
The weeds had long since grown over a person's head, concealing the simple small wooden cabin deep within.
It made this place look like a piece of wasteland.
But at this moment, Yan Yan—dressed in embroidered gold, long-tasseled sword attire, a sword jade dangling from her waist, holding the Heavenly Cry Sword horizontally with one hand to block numerous elders—knew that there was still a person living inside.
A person who should have been the Sect Master of this sect.
As the sword master of the Heavenly Cry Sword, the sixth of the Tianchen Seven Swords, her age was considered rather young among the sword masters.
She rarely delved into the internal affairs of the Sword Sect on usual days, merely studying the Sword Path on her own peak... She loved the sword very much; she regarded the sword as a very precious thing.
Therefore, even in the current situation which was so quarrelsome it couldn't be resolved, she still supported Luo Hongyu.
This postnatal Sword Heart Clarity, a worldly rare genius of the Sword Path, was also their future Sect Master in name.
"Yan Yan, you've put us off with excuses in the past. What excuse do you have today!"
Yan Yan sighed, quite troubled, looking at the old man before her with his white hair and beard.
On any other day, she definitely wouldn't have been able to match the names and faces of these old men before her.
But after wrangling for so many years, even a clueless person like her knew this old man was Elder Liu, who was in charge of the affairs of all the disciples within the sect…
He was also the biggest proponent of demanding Luo Hongyu return the Main Peak.
According to custom, Still Water Peak was the Sect Master Peak; in other words, if one was not the Sect Master, one had to hand this peak over.
Now, Luo Hongyu had never walked out of that small cabin, so naturally, it was impossible for her to inherit any Sect Master position.
If she was unwilling, then logically speaking, she really should hand it over.
But…
Although she didn't know the specific details of that earth-shattering upheaval six years ago, Yan Yan at least was clear on one point: that this Still Water Peak was definitely very important to Luo Hongyu.
Wanting her to hand it over was impossible.
However, these elders before her who had come to force her hand weren't any good sorts either.
The peaks with the most abundant resources in the Tianchen Sword Sect were only the Sect Master Peak, the peaks where the Seven Swords' wielders resided, and some places that nurtured the sect's elites; even these elders' peaks were a notch below.
None of them wanted to be the Sect Master; they themselves knew that the Tianchen Seven Swords weren't all dead yet, so it would never be their turn.
Therefore, what they were thinking of was merely to divide the luggage and run.
"Elder Liu, listen to a word of advice from this Yan. As for what else you want to do, this Yan has no right to interfere. Only this Still Water Peak, it's best you don't have other ideas about it."
"This is also for your consideration."
Everyone else said the Lu Lan Sword had broken, Luo Hongyu's sword heart was gone, and even if she had broken through to Nascent Soul, she had already suffered a great loss of vitality and would find it hard to achieve anything great.
However... did they know why she, Yan Yan, only guarded this mountain peak and didn't continue further up?
There was definitely a reason for that.
She previously had some self-awareness as one of the Tianchen Seven Swords, so she had thought of coming to the peak to see what was the matter with the withdrawn Luo Hongyu.
As a result, the moment she got close to the small cabin... she was met with an attack from Luo Hongyu.
At that time, due to the element of surprise and various reasons... Yan Yan soon had no choice but to retreat.
And then?
Then she started treating this place as a training ground, coming over from time to time to receive a lesson.
And out of a simple principle of equivalent exchange, she planned to help Luo Hongyu block people who might cause her trouble.
And to ensure as much as possible that these old men wouldn't splatter their blood on Still Water Peak.
Of course, these old men clearly wouldn't know of Yan Yan's painstaking good intentions.
"Since she has no intention of taking on the Sect Master's responsibilities, then she should rightly hand over Still Water Peak! Is there anything wrong with what I've said?"
"Now that the Old Sect Master has died and you Tianchen Seven Swords have lost two of your number, we are already in a precarious situation, at a time of critical survival!"
"And she is so remiss and passive; the position of Sect Master has remained unresolved for six years! If we don't quickly take measures, must we wait until we see our Tianchen Sword Sect's thousand-year foundation ruined in a single day before we act!"
Elder Liu's words were sincere and his tone moving; his face was full of the sorrowful sighs of an old courtier of Tianchen for the last years of this dynasty.
The first time one heard it, perhaps one might still be slightly moved.
But after so long, Yan Yan had long become immune.
She patted the Heavenly Cry Sword and asked helplessly:
"Alright, then who do you elders think should be the Sect Master?"
The several old men looked at each other in blank dismay and finally came to a conclusion.
That's a matter for you Tianchen Seven Swords.
Alas.
Fame, status, and wealth; spiritual energy and magical artifacts—if one possesses so much yet lacks something to truly love and rely on, then what benefit does great wealth bring to a person?
Yan Yan truly couldn't figure out these people's thoughts.
Just as she was planning to use her usual hard and soft tactics to try and get these old men to go down the mountain, she suddenly sensed a slight unusual movement from behind her.
This feeling... was as if something had opened.
"...Young Master, after six years, you're finally willing to come out?"
"...?"
Hearing this call from Elder Liu, Yan Yan was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly turned her head to look.
She saw that the small cabin, which had been submerged in wild grass, had opened at some unknown time.
From inside, a woman walked out.
She was wearing the most common disciple's attire of the Tianchen Sword Sect, and had also long since lost that ever-victorious, sharp sword intent of her former years.
The her now, in terms of aura, was no different from an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator.
If one had to say there was any difference, it would be the mask she was currently wearing.
That white fox mask.
Yan Yan recognized that mask.
It was the thing belonging to that sword attendant by Young Master Luo's side, Luo He.
Regarding that Luo He, Yan Yan didn't know much, only that he had been by Luo Hongyu's side since he was very young.
And... after that incident six years ago, he seemed to have disappeared.
Looking at it now, could it be that the Young Master's situation was related to him?
But before Yan Yan could think carefully, Luo Hongyu had already started walking.
It was as if she had ignored everyone before her, walking straight down.
Even though the entire group of elders had come for her.
But upon truly seeing Luo Hongyu, who had locked herself away for six years, walk out again, for a moment, besides that Elder Liu who had braced himself, not a single person dared to make a sound.
Clearly, she was no longer that slowly rising genius new star...
Tap tap, tap tap.
Luo Hongyu walked to Yan Yan's side.
Yan Yan felt the gaze from under the mask seem to rest on her for an instant.
That gaze made her feel... a little cold.
Afterwards, she retracted her gaze and continued to walk downwards.
"Wait! Everyone has waited for you for six years, you have to at least give an explanation..."
Seeing Luo Hongyu ignore them, Elder Liu, in a moment of desperation, actually intended to directly reach out and grab Luo Hongyu's shoulder.
Then, inevitably, the direction he reached out would meet the mask on Luo Hongyu's face.
And so...
Swish.
Accompanied by a heart-rending scream and the flustered sounds of the other elders, a neatly severed hand silently fell to the ground.
Luo Hongyu did not dodge, but she had intentionally turned her face to the side; blood splattered onto her face, but did not splash onto the mask.
And on her hands, there was no sword at all; in fact, she hadn't made a move at all.
This was an exclusive skill of a Nascent Soul sword cultivator: Original Spirit transforming into a sword.
"Young Master."
Yan Yan no longer hesitated, drawing the Heavenly Cry Sword to block Luo Hongyu, lest she strike again.
Although it wasn't as serious as Elder Liu had said, the current Tianchen Sword Sect was indeed in an unprecedentedly weak period, and many people were waiting for an opportunity to act.
If Luo Hongyu, who had finally gotten herself out of the wooden cabin, had her first act upon leaving be to chop down her own elder…
That would be troublesome.
As she did this, Luo Hongyu also finally stopped and looked directly at her.
Both at the Nascent Soul realm…
Yan Yan felt an immense pressure.