Chapter 133 Great Perfection Seems Flawed
This mountain was called Zhuo Peak. It was not very magnificent or grand, with nothing extraordinary about it.
Completely ordinary and empty, just like a wild land. Withered vines, old trees, black crows…under the red color of the setting sun, an evening mist arose. This little peak didn’t appear like an immortal mountain at all.
Zhou Peak had many broken ruins and debris laying about. Thistles and thorns were everywhere, and there wasn’t even a mountain path.
Within the sky, seven figures were flying over. They slowed down when they arrived here, and descended.
These young disciples were all only around twenty years old. For this main peak that had been empty for many years to finally have people come looking for immortal destiny was quite surprising to them, so they purposely came over for a look.
“Greetings senior master Li.” There were both men and women in this group. After giving greetings to this senior, they then sized up Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue.
“Senior, what kind of test must we take?” asked Ye Fan.
This thin and somewhat weak-looking senior was the only person on Zhuo Peak. He was known as Li Ruoyu, the one in charge of this mountain. He shook his head, saying, “Actually there’s no need for a test. So many years have pa.s.sed without people coming here, so if you want to stay here then you can both pa.s.s.”
To the sides, those seven or eight young Taixuan disciples all started to laugh lightly. They couldn’t understand why these two would pick this declined peak.
“I bet that their apt.i.tude is bad, so they couldn’t be selected by the other main peaks. Therefore they came here to avoid failing any tests.”
“I guess that’s pretty smart of them to think of such a way to stay. But who doesn’t know how useless that is? Once they pick this mountain, they won’t be able to enter the others.”
“Every few years there will be some people who think they’re smart and stay here. But in the end, they all left in dejection.”
These young disciples’ whispers were all ridicule. They were disciples of the main gate in front of this one, and the inheritance there was in its most golden age.
Ji Ziyue had applied makeup on her face that made her appear cat-like, only revealing her two sharp eyes. She cast a glance at those disciples before looking at the senior and saying, “Senior Li, how about we still follow the rules and give us the proper test.”
“There’s no need,” Li Ruoyu shook his head.
“Senior master Li, since they want to take the test to prove themselves, then just give them the chance.” Those disciples all started to lightly laugh.
“Right, maybe they really do have immortal bones. In the future, they can help bring Zhuo Peak back to a golden age. Senior master Li, just test them.”
This also was a result of Zhou Peak’s decline. They wouldn’t dare act this way on the other main peaks. Even just ascending the mountains had to first be reported. But on the other side, it also meant the senior’s temperament was very good.
“Fine,” Ji Ruoyu nodded. Doddering and shaking, he walked out from those ruined temples.
Zhou Peak was covered with debris and rubble everywhere, without a single intact building. There was a wide piece of land between them with nine jade steps. Although its light had faded with the pa.s.sing of time, it was still very bright and undamaged, looking very gentle.
“So it’s the Nine Steps to Heaven test,” a women proclaimed in amazement.
Li Ruoyu was the sole Elder in charge of running Zhuo Peak. Sighing sorrowfully, he said, “Five hundred years ago, normal Taixuan disciples had an incomparable desire to climb onto the Nine Steps of Heaven and become a disciple of Zhuo Peak. That sight back then was so amazing…”
“It really is the Nine Steps to Heaven. I’ve heard about it before, but I didn’t think it was on Zhuo Peak.”
“Nowadays the Nine Steps to Heaven have practically been covered in dust. This place is completely empty and has long since lost its former glory. Who would still come here to climb these steps?”
“This place is completely empty and has long since declined.”
Those young disciples all quietly continued with their disdainful ridicule.
“Back in the day, how many peerlessly talented figures came to climb this staircase, that sight…” Li Ruoyu sighed.
“Senior master Li, you can’t keep reminiscing on the past,” the young disciples gently laughed, disapproving of his recollections.
“This test is just stepping over nine stone steps?”Ji Ziyue was curious, feeling that such a test was not at all special.
“Right, go try it,” Li Ruoyu nodded.
“Oh future talent of the Zhuo Peak, let’s see whether you can pa.s.s this test.”
“Remember not to fall off before even taking the first step.”
These Taixuan disciples all laughed again. They all thought that Ye Fan and Ji Ziyue were only here because they were talentless, none of them believing they could pa.s.s this test.
Ji Ziyue didn’t care at all about their ridicule. She gracefully walked over like a b.u.t.terfly to the Nine Steps to Heaven.
The Nine Steps to Heaven were made of nine different ancient jades, each a different color from the others. There was no resplendent divine light from them, only a slight sparkling.
Ji Ziyue took the first step, the green ancient jade flashed up, it appeared very easy. Taking the next step, the second jade step lit up red, like sunset clouds. She felt a slight pressure and knit her brow. The third step, the ancient jade turned blue, sparkling brightly. Now she felt it was getting hard.
The fourth step…the fifth step…By the seventh step, she felt it was incredibly difficult, as if she were as heavy as a mountain, her whole body dripping with sweat.
She didn’t know, but Li Ruoyu had already revealed an amazed expression on the third step. He was long since flabbergasted by the time she reached the seventh step.
BANG!
Ji Ziyue took the eighth step and the ancient jade lit up purple. She felt as if she were carrying the sky, the pressure making it impossible for her to breathe.
BANG!
The ninth step! After she took this step, immortal music filled the air and divine lights filled the air. She had smoothly climbed the Nine Steps to Heaven, causing a wondrous sight to appear on Zhou Peak.
“This…” Li Ruoyu’s face was covered in shock, his whole body trembling slightly, as if he couldn’t believe this. “Back in the day, I heard that people that could ascend the seventh step were all ready top talents. Even when Zhuo Peak was in its golden age, I’ve never heard of anyone ascending the ninth step…”
Those young disciples were all filled with disbelief, none of them having expected such a result. Even in decline, Zhuo Peak had actually managed to attract a great talent.
Ji Ziyue immediately understood, but it was too late for regrets. She had thought she needed to take every single step, but there was absolutely no need. She secretly sighed, miserably muttering to herself, “c.r.a.p, I didn’t want to stand out here. What am I supposed to do?”
“This is impossible. Doesn’t this mean she’s better than the top talents?”
“After all these years, the Nine Steps to Heaven have probably been damaged, otherwise there’s no way she could have pa.s.sed through them.”
All of those disciples felt it was hard to believe.
Just at this moment, a rainbow flew over from the main peak in front of them. A forty-plus year old middle-aged man descended, cupping his hands to Li Ruoyu and saying, “Greetings, senior brother Li.”
“Greeting uncle master.” Those young disciples all bowed to him.
“I saw a strange sight flash here, so I came over to check. What happened?”
“Uncle master, just now…” Those young disciples all quickly explained what had happened.
“What?!” The middle-aged man was also shocked.
Figures flashed, and another seven or eight people descended, each with white hair. They were also from that main peak in front – the Star Peak.
Once they learned what happened, they all revealed shocked expressions. They then pulled Li Ruoyu to the side, but were too embarra.s.sed to say anything.
Let alone Li Ruoyu, even those disciples could guess what they wanted. With a shocking talent like Ji Ziyue appearing, they naturally wanted to take her in as a Star Peak disciple.
“I know what you want,” Li Ruoyu sighed. “The current Zhuo Peak has already declined. For her to stay here really is a waste of her cultivation. As long as she wants, you can bring her away.”
Those seniors all cupped their hands to Li Ruoyu in thanks. To s.n.a.t.c.h a disciple like this truly did make them feel a bit shameful.
In an instant, Ji Ziyue was surrounded by several of the Star Peak’s seniors. Each of them were acting very kindly, like they were looking at a precious jewel, constantly nodding.
“Hey, old white-haired grand-daddies, can you not smile like this? Why do I feel like you look just like wolves?” Ji Ziyue muttered in dissatisfaction.
Those old men didn’t mind, involuntarily laughing and taking turns to praise Ji Ziyue and to talk about the Star Peak’s glory, directly telling her they wanted to take her in as a disciple.
“I only want to stay within Zhuo Peak. I’m not interested in the other main peaks.”
“Zhuo Peak has already declined for many years and there’s no inheritance left. But the Star Peak is in a great golden age. It’s definitely within the top three of all 108 main peaks.”
“But I really am not interested in the Star Peak.”
Those disciples were all stunned. Even when those Elders were persuading her so actively, she actually gracefully declined. If this news got out, there might be people collapsing to the ground in shock.
“You should be wanting to study that legendary secret art right? Unfortunately, its inheritance was severed many years ago and hasn’t appeared since.” Those Elders all systematically persuaded her, saying, “Once you enter Zhuo Peak, you won’t be able to enter the other main peaks. But disciples of those other peaks are able to make new selections.”
“Right, once you enter my Star Peak, if the inheritance here once more reappears, you can always return.”
The disciples were all disgusted, never thinking that these Elders would act in such a way just to accept a disciple.
“Let me think about it…” Ji Ziyue had unwittingly brought attention to herself, something that went against her original goals. “Fine, I can enter your Star Peak, but you can’t let these people talk about it.” She pointed to those young disciples to the side. She wanted to lie low within the Taixuan sect and didn’t want to attract attention.
“Don’t worry about that…” The Star Peaks Elders all started smiling.
Ji Ziyue knew that since the Taixuan sect was just a supreme power, they would do background checks on all their disciples. But she didn’t really care, as even if they knew who she was, they couldn’t do much. As long as she could hide here for a couple months and temporarily stay away from those people in the Ji Family that wanted to harm her, it was fine. Even if the Taixuan sect somehow found out her status, they could only turn a blind eye to it, otherwise they might bother those old seniors within the Ji Family.
The end result was that Ji Ziyue was quietly accepted into the Star Peak and became one of their disciples.
“There’s another person. Let’s see how his talent it.” Those people were all very interested in Ye Fan since he had come here with Ji Ziyue. Maybe he was also a great talent!
Ye Fan completely sealed his Sea of Bitterness, turning it as firm as divine iron without the slightest ripple. He didn’t wish to carelessly expose himself.
“He’s definitely not ordinary…”
Before they could even finish speaking, Ye Fan had taken the first step. With a flash of green light, he was sent flying several meters, cras.h.i.+ng onto the ground.
“This…not even one step?”
“This kind of talent really is too…” They were all speechless.
“Fellow brothers, please loosen the rules and also accept him into the Star Peak,” Li Ruoyu spoke up for Ye Fan.
“This…” The Star Peak’s Elders all quietly muttered, but in the end they nodded. For them to s.n.a.t.c.h a great talent, they had to at least do something for Li Ruoyu.
“Many thanks for senior’s good intentions, but I don’t want to enter the Star Peak. I just want to stay here,” Ye Fan bowed to those Elders.
Those Elders all became bewildered. What was going on today? Since when did Zhuo Peak become so enticing to people? The offers from their flouris.h.i.+ng Star Peak were repeatedly declined. They didn’t knwo whether the first talent had done this because she was arrogant or something, but for this person to also act this way was really too much of a blow.
Those disciples were driven mad. Back then, they had suffered greatly and pa.s.sed through all kinds of tests before finally standing out from others and becoming a Star Peak disciple. But today there were actually two people who felt the Star Peak was beneath them, causing them to become angry. For that talented maiden it was whatever, but for such a youngster to also act this way, how could it be endured?
Ji Ziyue blinked her large bright eyes and laughed, saying, “Maybe I should also stay here…” This peak was the goal of the two of them. Only that secret art was something they were interested in.
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In the end, the Star Peak’s people left and Zhuo Peak became cold and lonely again, leaving only Ye Fan and Li Ruoyu.
Night fell, and the starlight was like water as it spilled down. The Star Peak in front of them appeared very hazy, enveloped by light.
Ye Fan looked on from a distance and was surprised. The Star Peaks could actually condense the power of the stars. That place was hazy, starlight flas.h.i.+ng, looking just like an immortal realm.
Li Ruoyu stood at the mountain peak, saying, “That is the Star Peak’s inheritance. It uses the sky’s river of stars as energy. When cultivated to the peak realm, it can condense the starlight to form an immortal body, making your battle prowess unmatched.”
“I believe that Zhuo Peak is not inferior and will once more rise up.” Ye Fan was rather attracted to the Star Peak’s ability, but he was much more interested in the secret art.
“Five hundred years ago, Zhou Peak was filled with immortal mist and auspicious lights. It was a beautiful place experts would flock to. Unfortunately, it gradually declined…”
“What needs to be done for the inheritance to reappear? Those Heaven Steps…” Ye Fan suspected the Nine Steps to Heaven contained the secret art’s inheritance.
Li Ruoyu shook his head, saying, “The entire mountain is the scripture, so the inheritance is not within the Nine Steps to Heaven. Only when the mountain is filled with wondrous light and the immortal air is circulating, only then can the inheritance once more appear.”
“Is there no other way?”
“In countless years, only one exception ever occurred. A peak talent managed to properly cultivate the secret art when the inheritance was not present, in the end becoming one of ancient history’s almighty supremes, his power shaking the world.” Li Ruoyu sighed in amazement.
“How did he get it?” Ye Fan’s eyes immediately lit up.
“No one knows. Before leaving, he only said twelve words.”
“What twelve words?”
“Great perfection seems flawed, great status seems humble, great skill seems clumsy…”