Bloodline Tree – [Clan Building]

“That’s such a powerful sword intent,” Yufan remarked in astonishment once again.

“You say that every fight,” Wusu said, rolling his eyes.

‘He’s not wrong.’ Xinmo thought to himself. The difference between inner and outer disciples was truly huge.

‘To think that they are our age, yet they are so powerful already.’

Xinmo was watching the yearly Battle of the Peaks, where the Qi Refiners of the various Peaks of the Sword Sects fought one on one in a sort of tournament. Apparently, the results influenced how the resources of the Sect would be allocated, so everyone down below fought with everything they had.

That probably had more to do with their pride, though. No one wanted to lose face in front of so many onlookers, bringing shame to their Peak.

“Thanks for bringing us, Xinmo. This is amazing,” Yufan said, patting Xinmo’s shoulder, his eyes still glued to the arena down below.

“No worries,” Xinmo said.

Somehow, he had managed to make friends over the past few years. He didn’t really know how it happened. Yufan and Wusu had starting working in the same Hall where he was helping Elder Yiwen, and slowly they got familiar with each other.

“How did you manage to get us in, by the way? Did Elder Yiwen arrange it?” Wusu asked. Watching the Battle of the Peaks wasn’t something outer disciples like them got to enjoy, usually.

Xinmo hesitated for a moment. The truth was that his sisters had arranged it. It certainly wasn’t an issue for them to get Xinmo and his friends seats.

But Xinmo hadn’t told them about his sisters yet. For some reason, he always came up with an excuse when he went to see them.

“I know someone at Jiandan Peak who arranged it for me,” Xinmo eventually answered. Not lying, but not telling the entire truth.

“You do? Who?” Wusu asked.

“Is it a girl? Is she competing?” Yufan asked, turning his attention from the battle below for the first time.

Xinmo rolled his eyes. “We can talk about it later. Let’s focus on the fight.”

The two of them looked at each other, shrugged, and turned their attention down to the arena again.

The ‘arena’ was actually just a natural valley. Though it was walled off, giving the fighters an area around two miles long and half a mile wide. The seats for onlookers were built into the mountainsides of the valley.

Xinmo assumed some kind of formations were activated as well, as he felt like the battle was a lot closer than it actually was. It was like he was right down there with the people fighting, their intents sending shivers down his spine.

“Why isn’t he using his sword?” Yufan asked.

Two boys had just entered the arena; both seemed to be about the same age as Xinmo, but he could feel that they were a lot stronger.

‘They should be at the peak of Qi Refining, or close to it. Just what kind of spirit roots do they have?’

Xinmo thought he was advancing at lightning speed. He practiced his body cultivation for hours every day, and didn’t shy away from spending the spirit stones he had been given by his grandfather to buy precious resources.

As a result, he had managed to reach the Master stage a little over a month ago. That was a lot faster than his mother did it, and she had managed to advance to the Foundation stage, so Xinmo was very happy when he advanced.

But looking at the boys down below, he was once again reminded that there were mountains beyond mountains.

‘They have surely comprehended sword intent as well. Maybe even the 3rd tier.’

“Xinmo, do you know?” Yufan asked, shaking his shoulders slightly.

“Sorry,” Xinmo said, shaking his head. “They said he was from Xiujian Peak, didn’t they? He won’t use his sword easily.”

“They really don’t use their swords there? What’s the point of being swordsmen, then?” Wusu asked.

“I don’t know much about it,” Xinmo said, shaking his head.

It wasn’t a lie. Xinmo felt there was a lot of mystery shrouding Xiujian Peak. He did know a few things, though; he had been asking his sisters extensively about it every time they met.

‘Will he use it? In what way?’

Xinmo leaned forward slightly, focusing on the skinny, pale disciple of Xiujian Peak as he almost danced around the arena, avoiding the attacks of his opponent. He was fighting a heavier-set boy from Zhong Peak.

The Peak Master of Zhong Peak was True Person Zeren, the one Bian Fenglin said his father’s sword intent resembled the most.

Xinmo didn’t really see it, though. He felt that his father’s sword intent was a lot more impressive. They both had a certain quality of ‘heaviness’ but Xinmo thought his father’s sword intent was heavy as a side effect. It wasn’t the purpose of the sword intent. It was just the surface of it, not the core.

This Zhong Peak Disciple, though, felt like it was heavy just because it was supposed to be heavy. There was nothing more to it. It was empty.

‘Then again, he’s just a disciple. I’m sure the Peak Master is different.’

Xinmo might not be in a position to judge either. He hadn’t even comprehended sword intent at the 1st tier yet.

But he knew it wouldn’t be long before he did.

He couldn’t comprehend his father’s sword intent; it wasn’t suitable for him. He didn't have the same experiences his father had, and some things had to be lived through to be understood.

He couldn’t comprehend his sister’s sword intent either. Or, well, he had never even tried. He didn’t like the idea of sharing the same intent as them for some reason.

If he couldn’t grasp the sword intent his father had, he wanted to comprehend his own.

He just had no idea of what kind of intent that was, or how to begin comprehending it.

At least, that had been the case until about five years ago, when he found out about Xiujian Peak.

It wasn’t that the sword intent they practiced was something he wanted to completely copy; it was just that hearing about it had sparked an intriguing thought within him, and given him an idea of a sword intent that would suit him. Something similar to Xiujian Peak’s sword intent, but slightly different, something that would be his very own.

“Is he just going to avoid him forever? This is boring,” Yufan complained.

“It’s a very impressive movement technique, though. I wonder how many merit points it would take to buy,” Wusu said.

Xinmo nodded, agreeing. That Zhong Peak Disciple should have sword intent at the 2nd tier, and the Xiujian Peak Disciple didn’t even parry it, just dancing around the attacks.

Xinmo had no idea how he did it. It seemed impossible.

‘Whatever. I can achieve the same effect with body cultivation. What need is there to avoid an attack if it can’t even hurt you?’

Several minutes passed, and the fight continued in the same manner, nothing much happening.

“Is he trying to tire him out or something?” Yufan questioned.

“I don’t thi-” Wusu began, but Xinmo put a hand over his mouth, shutting him up.

‘There it is!’

Suddenly, the Xiujian Peak Disciple stopped running away from his opponent, and took charge, running straight at him.

The Zhong Peak Disciple’s face turned grave, but he didn’t run away. He took a deep breath, and slowly lifted his sword, truly taking his time this time around. Xinmo almost felt the weight of the sword land on his shoulders all the way up on the stands.

‘Heavy, but no true weight.’ Xinmo scoffed in his mind.

“He’s about to use his sword!” Yufan cried out.

And indeed, the Xijian Peak Disciple put his hand on the hilt of his sword for the first time, and in one swift motion, just as his opponent's heavy sword slashed down on him, he unsheathed the sword, and cut.

The weight lifted from Xinmo’s shoulder, and the Zhong Peak’s disciple flew back in the air, his blood trailing in the air behind him. He would probably have been dead if not for the Golden Core Elder overseeing the competition protecting his life.

“A…Amazing,” Wusu stuttered as Xinmo dropped his hand from his mouth.

“Amazing,” Yufan agreed, nodding.

It was the first time outer disciples like them had seen the sword intent of Xiujian Peak. Xinmo had reacted a similar way the first time he saw it, during a tournament five years ago.

But now, Xinmo had to hold himself back from shaking his head.

‘Too eager. Is this really the ‘hidden blade’ of Xiujian Peak?’

Xinmo hadn’t had contact with anyone from Xiujian Peak, really, but he had an idea of the various intents that the Sword Sect had a legacy of up to the 9th tier. It was pretty well-known, and he had gotten his sisters to explain it to him.

The sword intent of Xiujian Peak was supposed to be hidden, concealed, nourished within its sheath. When least expected, it should be unleashed with great power, striking with far more power than other intents.

But Xinmo couldn’t see any of that.

‘This is holding back? This is concealing one’s edge?’

He didn’t have much time to think about it, though, as the next opponents were entering the arena, and a very familiar name was announced.

“Core Disciple Shu Xinxi, of Jindan Peak!”

The 13-year-old girl had an indifferent expression on her face as the crowd applauded her. She looked at the boy on the other side of the arena, at least four years older.

“Inner Disciple Hu Chuding, Rongyu Peak.”

Xinmo clenched his fists nervously. This was the first time his sisters would take part in a tournament. He was really afraid something would happen.

‘They are just 13. Just what is that Master of theirs thinking?’

“Did that Elder just say Shu? Shu Xinxi?” Yufan asked.

“Is that the same Shu as Shu Xinmo?” Wusu asked.

“My little sister,” Xinmo said, nodding. He hadn’t thought about the announcement. There really wasn’t any hiding their relationship now.

He wasn’t even sure why he had hidden it in the first place.

“No, wait,” Wusu said, shaking his head. “Core Disciple? Your sister is a Core Disciple?”

“Not now,” Xinmo said, waving him off.

‘I hope she remembers to-’

Xinmo didn’t have time to finish his thought. The Elder started the fight, and Xinxi swung her sword.

That was it.

The Disciple of Rongyu Peak cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground. That was despite someone obviously interfering and saving him.

‘That…’

Xinmo had talked with his sisters a lot about these tournaments. He had watched plenty over the years, and believed he had some insight.

All they had said was, ‘What’s there to think about? Just cut them down!’

And Xinmo had to admit, they were right.

He breathed out in relief, glad that everything had worked out.

‘Still. That was just the first opponent. Just a regular inner disciple. Things won’t be so easy all the way.’

His sisters had comprehended 3rd tier sword intent, but they weren’t the only ones in this tournament that had taken that step.

“Your sister is incredible!” Yufan shouted out.

Wusu nodded eagerly, agreeing.

A proud smile made its way to Xinmo’s face; he couldn’t help it.

‘I guess they are alright.’

An hour or so later, it was Xinjiang’s turn. Just like her sister, she cut down her opponent straight away. No suspense at all.

Xinmo hadn’t been that worried after seeing Xinxi do it, but he still felt himself unclench his fists after the battle was over.

‘Tomorrow will get a lot more difficult. And if they make it even further…I really hope the Elders here are on their toes.’

Once the sun started to set, the first day of the tournament came to an end, and everyone started leaving.

Xinmo wanted to see his sisters, but he knew that was impossible at the moment. He would have to wait until the tournament was over.

Wusu and Yufan kept going on about his sisters all the way back, curious about Xinmo’s family.

When Xinmo dodged their questions, they somehow became convinced that his background was really mysterious and powerful. Xinmo really didn’t know what to do about it.

“I’ll have my uncle look into it; he’s sure to know about the Shu Clan,” Wusu said.

“It really isn’t-” Xinmo began explaining once again, but his attention was pulled by a strange phenomenon in the sky.

The wind started blowing, and somewhere far away, looking like Rongyu Peak, dark clouds were gathering.

“This! Someone is forming their core!” Wusu exclaimed.

‘Core Formation? Rongyu Peak?’

Xinmo couldn’t help but think of Bian Fenglin. Rongyu Peak was the Peak his father was the Peak Master of. He was certain to go there to form his core.

‘Looks like he finally did it.’

Xinmo stopped to watch, as did Wusu and Yufan, and all other disciples around them.

‘I hope he succeeds.’

Xinmo rubbed the hilt of his sword as he looked up to the sky, awaiting the infamous lightning tribulation to begin.

He recalled the last time he saw Bian Fenglin, when he had asked him to prove him wrong.

Xinmo had every intention to oblige. Unfortunately, it would still take a while longer.

‘I wonder what he would say if he found out I haven’t even used my sword once in almost five years. Would he just give up all hope on me?’ Xinmo thought with a small smile.