Tian Ran
It was autumn, thus the busy villagers, field of yellow corn and jubilant laughter. Mu Yu admired the sight of Waterstream Village, the most ordinary village as they came. They produced few cultivators, but the villagers were wonderful human beings. He celebrated being part of the village and making them proud with his defeat of Sha Yan.
Village Chief Bu was the only one who knew Mu Yu furtively left to avoid ruining the celebratory mood in the village. Village Chief Bu watched Mu Yu leave on his flying sword, respecting the boy’s wishes. He sent Mu Yu off with a smile and then turned to prepare for the children’s story time.
Mu Yu needed to rendezvous with Lan Ling’er, lest she be worried, since it had been three days since they separated. Mu Yu sat with one leg on his sword and the other dangling off it. It took eight to ten hours to reach Pine City from Waterstream Village on foot. Mu Yu had been leisurely flying for less than two hours, yet already sighted the city’s silhouette.
The academy was located at the centre of Pine City, which was the central business district for cultivators. Air traffic was fairly populated. Mu Yu used to find the sight of cultivators flying in, when he used to drop in with the villager’s hunters, a grand sight to behold. After joining the cultivators in the sky, however, it wasn’t so intriguing.
Since it was still early, Mu Yu didn’t rush off to meet up with Lan Ling’er, deciding to take a stroll in the bustling city instead. Flying was forbidden within the city. All cultivators flying in had to land in the academy’s grounds. Green Pine Sect set the rule to prevent disturbing the ordinary citizens’ life.
Cultivators were permitted to freely go about in the city but wouldn’t reveal their cultivation or hassle the ordinary folks. Green Pine Sect had a team of enforcers who supervised cultivators’ behaviours in the city. Only cultivators could recognise another cultivator.
Lan Ling’er informed Mu Yu the business district for cultivators was called Green Sect, which was located to the rear of the academy. The entrance to the academy was through a formation that resembled an ordinary wall to those who didn’t cultivate.
“Excuse me, have you heard of Celestial Sword Nine Guides?” asked a maiden behind Mu Yu as he was contemplating taking a stroll.
The maiden was adorned in green clothing. Her beautiful eyes could compare to stars. Her dimples and twin braids added an innocent touch to her face. She was a tad shorter than Mu Yu. Her blemish-free appearance and attire had people indulging in double takes. There was no question she was a cultivator judging from her spiritual energy.
Mu Yu and Cheng Yan had met many young female cultivators when venturing off the mountain in the past, but Mu Yu was never attracted to any. While Lan Ling’er was pretty, her beauty lied in her outgoing and energetic personality. People often thought she was venerated, but Mu Yu merely deemed her pure and reserved
“What is Celestial Sword?”
Mu Yu only went along with the Celestial Sword business at Waterstream Village for fun; he didn’t actually have the foggiest idea as to what it was.
“You don’t know it, either? Have you heard of Sword Shadow Dust Gale?” The girl flapped her eyelids.
Mu Yu shook his head. Although he might’ve been ignorant, his shifu certainly wasn’t. He reasoned his shifu would’ve mentioned it if it was something famous.
“Why does nobody here know of Celestial Sword Nine Guides? I’ve asked over ten people already. How does nobody know of Sword Shadow Dust Gale? Everyone should’ve heard of Celestial Sword Nine Guides.” The maiden muttered, “And here I refused to believe Senior Sister Piaopiao when she told me I wouldn’t find anyone who knew. Xiaoxiao said everyone knows of Celestial Sword Nine Guides. Senior Sister Miaoyu shouldn’t be aware I sneaked out, but I need to find Sword Shadow Dust Gale…”
Mu Yu heard someone about Xiaoxiao but still didn’t follow. The only thing he ascertained was it wasn’t an issue of ignorance on his part. There was one place he knew that would hold more information, so he suggested, “Piaopiao, perhaps you can inquire with the academy. They are well-informed.”
“My name is Tian Ran. Piaopiao is my senior sister.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t remember after you muttered so many names in one breath.”
Unless Tian Ran deliberately discharged her cultivation, Mu Yu couldn’t discern what realm cultivator she was.
“Where is the academy you speak of?” questioned Tian Ran, surprising Mu Yu enough to wonder if she as the illegitimate daughter of some sect elder.
“I am on my way there now. How about you follow me? There are lots of cultivators there.” Realising he had yet to introduce himself, Mu Yu added, “I’m Mu Yu.”
“Senior Mu Yu, which sect are you from? Are there lots of sects here?”
“You’re not from this area?”
Mu Yu pondered if Tian Ran was a rogue cultivator – self-taught cultivators. Still, she was rather too ignorant of the cultivation world to be one.
Mu Yu: Coming out here when you’re so ignorant, you might end up kidnapped as what happened to my senior.
“I… come from far away.”
“The biggest sect here is Green Pine Sect. I’m from Dustfallen Sect. If you have an ounce of common knowledge, you’d know Dustfallen Sect.”
“What’s Dustfallen Sect? Are they strong?”
Mu Yu’s knee almost gave in. He was going to say… but he decided to give up in the end. Green Pine Sect was all the rage, after all. Whenever people mentioned number one and sect in a sentence, it was either Dustfallen Sect or Green Pine Sect.
“We’re an awesome sect, but we don’t have many members.”
Mu Yu wasn’t embarrassed if he was boasting about Dustfallen Sect. A sect was required to have two Golden Core Realm cultivators to be acknowledged as a sect in the world of cultivation. Outsiders could keep telling themselves Dustfallen Sect was only acknowledged as a sect because Feng Haochen and Uncle An were Golden Core Realm cultivators, but Mu Yu knew they actually had three Golden Core Realm cultivators. Putting aside the twins, he was also on par with those in his age bracket.
A sect’s rise and fall depended on the number of Golden Core Realm cultivators within their ranks. Daoist Qingsong from Green Pine Sect had reached Golden Core Realm’s Ninth Layer, and they had over ten Golden Core Realm adepts in addition to him. Daoist Qingsong could mobilise the entire world of cultivation with a single command.
Tian Ran followed behind Mu Yu.
“How many is few?”
“Our sect consists of eight people.”
“Huh? Eight people can sustain a sect?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Reputation.”
Despite Mu Yu believing Tian Ran to be ignorant, he himself was fairly ignorant. He just felt better since he knew more than her.
“This is the academy.”
Seeing the large door to the academy was nostalgic. The academy hadn’t withered whatsoever from the time he was a twelve year old boy drowning in a bleak future to the present day.
“Let’s go.” Mu Yu gestured with his hand.
There were no sentries at the doors. Cultivators didn’t need to notify anyone when entering. The two cultivators chatting at the entrance ignored Mu Yu and Tian Ran coming in. Another two cultivators soared up on their swords as Mu Yu entered.
“Oh, so all cultivators gather here. No wonder why there were hardly any on the streets,” enthused Tian Ran.
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