5077 Sword and Mountain
Jian Wushuang felt his heart surging with emotions he hadn't experienced in a long time, an indescribable excitement resurfacing once more.
Even though that glimmer of hope had seemed elusive and intangible, it had materialized in a way that felt predestined by the heavens.
The Sancun Mountain, a place so elusive and difficult to find, had been stumbled upon almost by accident.
For a moment, Jian Wushuang was unsure of how to react.
As for the young disciple lying in the lush grass, though he appeared somewhat nervous, curiosity and admiration overwhelmed him.
The appearance of Jian Wushuang breaking through the sky left a profound impression on him, an overwhelming power etched into his memory, never to be forgotten.
Collecting his thoughts, Jian Wushuang spoke, "Is this the secluded place of the Divine Craftsman Xu Tuo?"
"Ah, Xu Tuo?" the young disciple paused, "Who is he?"
Before he could respond, a burly man who had been standing by the shore stepped forward and asked, "Visitor, what business do you have with my master?"
Jian Wushuang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "I came here to seek guidance from the Divine Craftsman on some questions that have troubled me for days."
The burly man furrowed his brow, "My master doesn't meet visitors easily. Even if you come, there's no guarantee you'll get to see him."
"I still wish to see him; otherwise, I won't have peace of mind," Jian Wushuang said, bowing respectfully and placing Nan Xuan aside.
At this moment, a slender man discreetly tugged on the burly man's sleeve and whispered, "Senior Brother, we shouldn't bring him there. It's been so long since Master last had a visitor. If we take him now, Master might become angry with us..."
"Didn't you see that Junior Brother is in his hands? If we don't let him go now, disaster will befall us!" the muscular man said.
The slender man sighed and said no more.
Afterward, he bowed and said, "If the visitor insists, we will guide him. However, can we release my Junior Brother first?"
Jian Wushuang was taken aback, realizing his earlier mistake. He quickly sent the young disciple back to the shore.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he landed, a burly man raised his hand and delivered two blows to his head.
The young disciple felt wronged and said, "Senior Brother, why are you hitting me..."
"If I don't teach you a lesson, how will you remember anything?!" the burly man said angrily.
Then he turned around and bowed, "In that case, please follow us, Guest."
Jian Wushuang nodded and picked up the still unconscious Nan Xuan, following closely behind.
With that, nearly fifty burly men with bare chests and carrying backpacks walked along the water's edge, heading towards the mountains.
The youngest and most inexperienced disciple walked at the rear of the group, clutching a sword blank in one hand and touching his head with the other, muttering softly, "So my master's name is Xu Tuo..."
Like an ink painting, the ink-covered mountains stretched into the distance, with green being the dominant color.
Jian Wushuang carried the still unconscious Nan Xuan and walked at the forefront of the group, alongside the burly man.
They walked in silence, but during this time, Jian Wushuang observed all the details.
These accompanying men had extremely strong arms, and most of them had burn marks on their forearms, as well as shiny iron shavings on their pant legs, indicating years of ironworking.
At the same time, these men addressed the master craftsman Xu Tuo as their master, which was enough evidence that they were at the Three-Inch Mountain.
"Guest, may I know your name?" the burly man finally spoke.
Jian Wushuang nodded slightly. "My surname is Jian, and Wushuang is my name."
"L-Lord Jian," he suddenly hesitated, "My master has a peculiar temper and has never appeared publicly. It's likely not an easy task to seek an audience with him."
"Are there any obstacles?" Jian Wushuang asked.
The burly man nodded, "Master has a peculiar temper and has never appeared publicly, so in order to maintain his peace and quiet, he has set up three trials. Only by passing all three trials can one have a chance to see him."
"Very well, I'll proceed," he said, his gaze calm, showing no sign of hesitation.
Jian Wushuang's decisiveness and composure surprised the burly man. By the time he realized it, Jian Wushuang was already on his way alone.
The group of men remained in place, staring intently at his departing figure.
The lean man crossed his arms, a playful expression on his face. "Do you think he can truly pass all three trials?"
One of the men spoke up, "If he can pierce a hole in the sky, what can possibly stop him?"
At this point, a solemn-looking man interjected, "Even if one could pierce the sky, it doesn't necessarily mean they can overcome our master's three trials."
"Don't forget, no cultivator has ever seen our master's true face."
"But he doesn't look like an ordinary cultivator."
"Even if he's formidable, can he be a Yan Immortal? Remember, even Yan Immortals can be restrained when they arrive at Sancun Mountain."
The burly man waved his hand, "Enough, stop arguing. Our immediate concern is to meet our master and let him decide."
"Then let's hurry; I have a bad feeling about this."
As their footsteps grew fainter, the group of men disappeared from the scene, not entering the mountain.
...
This was a mountain. To be precise, it was a Sword Mountain!
Every hundred steps, there stood a sword, or what could only be described as sword-like shapes, slanting into the ground, enduring countless millennia.
An indescribable sense of solemnity and desolation pervaded the area.
Stepping into this vast and heavy Sword Mountain, Jian Wushuang became cautious.
If there were indeed mountain trials, this Sword Mountain was undoubtedly the first one. To have a chance to meet the Divine Craftsman Xu Tuo, he had to be extremely careful.
Looking out, just the foot of the mountain alone had no less than 100,000 sword blanks.
However, all these sword blanks were made of ordinary iron and had no resonance with the one who wielded them, not even a hint of sentience.
Walking through this place, amidst the grand sword formations, made Jian Wushuang contemplative.
He speculated on who might have crafted these mindless sword blanks and why they had been abandoned halfway.
Just then, Nan Xuan woke up from his slumber, stretched lazily, and looked weary. "Young friend, where exactly are we?"
Jian Wushuang sighed and proceeded to explain the unexpected turn of events to him.
Listening intently, Nan Xuan exclaimed, "Could it be? Such a stroke of luck?"
"Regardless of whether it is correct or not, we have to try."
After uttering these final words, Jian Wushuang continued to advance.
"Young friend, wait for me."
Two figures moved forward with unwavering steps, paying no heed to the gusts of sword wind sweeping toward them.
Soon, Jian Wushuang discovered the clues within this Sword Mountain.
The sword blanks that covered the entire mountain foot gradually became sparse as they ascended.
