Although Elder Qin said that they should continue flying in this direction for an hour or so, it takes them nearly another four hours of flight to detect the first signs of the Heavenly Sword Villa.

Their speed is influenced, mostly, by the approaching storm front and the heavy winds. Lan Xiaohui is not sharing her perceptions with me, but I can detect the fluctuations in atmospheric pressure to deduce that this is no simple, small, or passing storm. I am certain that in front of her, all Lan Xiaohui sees is a wall of dark clouds that rises dozens of kilometers high. It wouldn’t be strange if it was raining or snowing so heavily that it was very difficult to see the ground, or very far into the distance.

With all these things in mind, it is no surprise that they travel so slowly, especially considering that this terrain is unfamiliar to them, that they were warned not to land and, by implication, not to get close to the ground, on top of poor visibility and likely searching for a small target.

After all, the Heavenly Sword Villa is a secluded, or hidden clan. If it was so easy to spot, wouldn’t everyone already know about it?

However, what they notice at that moment is not some strange architecture, or a small courtyard, but rather, a very simple valley. I see the image of it, as if Lan Xiaohui has intentionally decided to show me, for that brief moment, what she sees. I didn’t even consider the possibility that Lan Xiaohui might be able to do something like this.

This valley does not look extraordinary in any way. It is slightly pinched on all sides by sheer cliffs, but a cultivator would likely not consider it to be worthwhile for exploration, especially considering the caliber of demonic beasts in this area.

That is also exactly why it stands out. Now that Wu Yulan and Lan Xiaohui know that a secret sect exists here, naturally, it is the most inconspicuous place that stands out the most.

As they carefully descend toward the valley, and the arches of stones bridging the canyon-like structure, I notice several places where there are signs of civilization. Old, overgrown, and broken statues sit on one side of the mountain, built into its face with small pathways cleared out that lead to caves inside the mountain. On the other side of the mountain, in the distance, I detect the same paths.

As they approach closer, their direction becomes less random and more certain.

“Look, there’s an old stone courtyard over there. Do you see it?” Lan Xiaohui asks and points out to Wu Yulan.

“Mm, I see it. It looks abandoned,” Wu Yulan says, squinting into the distance.

“This might be it. What do you think?” Lan Xiaohui asks.

Wu Yulan nods and points into the distance. “That arch there has writing on it. I see the character ‘Secluded’ but the other one is too weathered to be legible.”

Lan Xiaohui peers into the distance that Wu Yulan points out and then also nods. “It is probably ‘Sword’. This is certainly it.”

Wu Yulan frowns. “Maybe they moved further down the valley, or do you think they remain here in this abandoned-looking place?”

Lan Xiaohui shrugs. “Let’s find out. I don’t detect the presence of any demonic beasts here, so it should be safe.”

Soon enough, the courtyard comes into my perception radius as well and I can see why they are suspicious about it.

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

The massive gate entrance is very reminiscent of the large sect gates, with two large pillars on either side rising dozens of steps into the air where multiple cross beams form a platform that once, certainly, had a plaque or symbol of some sort, but no more.

Moss covers the structure of the gate and the structure of the pillars has been severely damaged over the years. This gate must’ve existed for multiple hundreds of years to become this way. Possibly even longer.

The courtyard beyond the gate is not as old as the gate itself, but it is a mix of new and old construction — new, in this case, meaning at least a few centuries ago. Wild flowers have broken through the cracks in the brick-paved courtyard and it most certainly looks abandoned.

However, beyond the courtyard, there is a large wall set into the face of the mountain cliffs, and a large door that has been well-maintained over the years.

When the two approach the door, it opens on its own and reveals a large hallway that leads further into the mountain. But this place is not a cave. The walls, ceiling and floor have been engineered and constructed from marble and decorated with precious metals and jade. It is wide enough to remind me of Star City’s main streets, where dozens of people could walk side by side and still have room. Even the ceiling is at least a dozen steps above their heads.

Torches provide light in the hallway, but even so, it is difficult to see very far in the darkness, at least for them.

As they step into the hallway, the door closes behind them rapidly and loudly. However, they do not even react to it. They simply stand there, struck dumb by what they are feeling.

Every atom in this place reverberates with an ancient and powerful sword force. It is like a tuning fork that has been struck by an incomparable sword, singing secret litanies of the Supreme Sword even now, hundreds of years later.

Even that waterfall formation world, or that secret world of the [Empty Moon Prana] was not like this — not to this degree.

For hundreds of years, sword cultivators who stand at the peak of this continent have maintained, built, and lived here, and their attainment of the sword remains burned into every stone and speck of gold.

Just this hallway would be enough for Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulan to sit down, even if it weren’t a comfortable feeling to sit under such a sword and meditate. In three months, if they did such a thing, their sword attainment would likely progress by leaps and bounds.

It is like an endless sea of sword qi, more powerful and ever-present the deeper they go.

To sword cultivators, such a thing is enough for them to drop their guards and, like moths attracted to the flame, walk forward.

Even I find it fascinating to the point that I disregard paying attention to my surroundings and instead focus more on the sword qi itself. But even so, it is not that I am completely blind to my surroundings, it is just that I do not sense the threat at all until it is too late.

From behind Lan Xiaohui, a sword appears on her shoulder, edge pressed into her neck. When the sword appears, the two of them stop and they do not make a single move, not even to look at the owner of the sword.

I see her clearly now, even though I did not see her approach or where she came from. It is a strange experience when I look upon her.

She has black hair and blue eyes. She seems young, perhaps even younger than Lan Xiaohui — by a year or two — yet her cultivation is at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm. However, I do not sense her aura at all, which is also why I failed to notice her.

Her cultivation is so deep, and yet I do not sense any spiritual pressure from her. This is so unusual. Even Lady Yue had some spiritual pressure. On the other hand, the force I feel from her blade is enough to make me wonder if I, with my body made of steel and profound cultivation, would be able to withstand even one strike.

Even merely looking at her sword, leisurely resting on my owner’s shoulder, feels like a burning needle inside my processors.

“Intentions?” the figure asks in a monotone manner. Just one word.

Lan Xiaohui swallows. “Esteemed senior, we have been sent by Lady Feixue to look for the Heavenly Sword Villa. We would not dare to intrude upon you otherwise,” my owner explains.

“Not your senior,” the figure says, sparing on words and syntax.

Lan Xiaohui, however, trembles at the words and their meaning. Not your senior. In other words, younger than you.

There is a moment of silence before Lan Xiaohui speaks again. “Lady Feixue gave me something and said that you would recognize it. It is in my hand. May I be allowed to show it to you?”

When the figure says nothing for a while, Lan Xiaohui takes this to mean approval and slowly opens her hand, revealing the small jade sword.

A moment later, the sword leaves Lan Xiaohui’s shoulder. The figure appears in front of them and begins slowly pacing deeper into the structure.

“Follow,” the figure says.