38: Chapter 38 The Sword Testing Platform

The Mount Qingcheng Sword Testing Platform is located atop Zhangren Peak.

This place differs from the solid, square testing grounds of Wudang Mountain — Zhangren Peak thrusts into the sky like a giant sword, its summit leveled into a platform, with three sides overlooking deep chasms and a sea of clouds churning beneath. The platform's surface isn't paved with smooth stone slabs; instead, it retains the original appearance of the mountain rock, with jagged stone stalagmites, crisscrossing fissures, and moss covering the ground. It's said that generations of Sword Cultivators from Mount Qingcheng have tested their swords here, never deliberately smoothing the terrain because 'a true swordsman should be able to wield a sword in any landscape.'

By the time Lu Mingyuan arrived, seven people were already standing on the platform.

Six men and one woman, all wearing the attire of Mount Qingcheng's third-generation Disciples, with cultivation levels ranging from the Middle Stage to Perfection of the Foundation Establishment realm. The leader was named Jiang Yichen, around thirty years old, with a pale, beardless face and a trace of aloof coldness between his brows—the unique temperament of someone who has spent long years in solitary communion with the sword.

'Disciple Lu, after two months of studying the manuals, ascends the platform today to test his sword,' Jiang Yichen's voice was clear and cold, devoid of emotion. 'The rules are simple: the challenger must win three consecutive matches. Opponents progress from weakest to strongest. You may choose when to concede on your own.'

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Lu Mingyuan like the tip of a sword. 'The Pavilion Keeper of the Sword Pavilion instructed that we must not hold back against Disciple Lu. Please.'

As soon as the words fell, the first Disciple stepped forward.

This person was named Zhou Yuan, Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, wielding a broadsword. His opening move was Mount Qingcheng's introductory sword technique, 'Green Pine Welcomes the Guest'—but in his hands, this move held none of the softness of 'welcoming a guest,' instead possessing the tenacity of 'entwining roots.' The sword's momentum was like a century-old pine tree taking root on a cliff face, standing firm against winds from all directions.

Lu Mingyuan did not employ his Chaos Sword Qi.

He held his green bamboo staff, meeting the attack with the Wudang Mountain 'Suppressing the Mountain' Sword Intent. When the two swords met, Zhou Yuan's blade bent like a bow but did not break; instead, he used the rebounding force to spin and attack again. This was a classic application of Mount Qingcheng swordsmanship's 'softness overcomes hardness'—bending when meeting strength, coiling when meeting rigidity.

Lu Mingyuan was not alarmed but pleased. The 'Earth Sword' Concept within him flowed naturally, and his sword momentum grew increasingly heavy and profound. Though Zhou Yuan's swordplay was tenacious, it could not breach that mountain-like defense. After thirty exchanges, Zhou Yuan conceded of his own accord.

'First match, Lu Mingyuan wins.'

The second Disciple stepped forward, a short, stout young man at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment named Ding Yan. He did not assume a sword stance; instead, he inverted his sword and planted it in the ground, palms pressed together.

'Senior Brother Ding cultivates the path of 'No Sword,'' Jiang Yichen said plainly. 'Disciple Lu, be careful.'

Ding Yan opened his eyes, pointed two fingers like a sword, and slashed through the empty air.

An invisible Sword Qi shot through the air, so fast that Lu Mingyuan almost couldn't block it in time—the green bamboo staff barely intercepted it, the impact numbing his tiger's mouth. Immediately after, a second and third strike followed. The Sword Qi poured down like a torrential rain, striking from tricky angles, specifically targeting his lower body and blind spots.

This was an extremely difficult branch of Mount Qingcheng sword techniques to master: abandoning the tangible sword to cultivate intangible Sword Qi. The purer the Sword Intent, the sharper the Sword Qi.

Lu Mingyuan ceased his defense. The 'Heaven Sword' Concept within him surged. With a light turn of his wrist, his Chaos-colored Sword Qi transformed into fine threads of sword silk, clashing with the invisible Sword Qi.

A series of explosive airbursts erupted in the air, like firecrackers detonating.

Ding Yan unleashed thirty-six consecutive Sword Qi strikes, all of which Lu Mingyuan received. On the final strike, Ding Yan's spiritual power faltered, his Sword Qi dissipated. He shook his head with a bitter smile. 'I've lost. Disciple Lu's Sword Qi... is strange. Clearly a chaotic mass, yet it can simultaneously balance hardness and softness.'

'It's about each finding its proper place,' Lu Mingyuan sheathed his sword. 'The hard defends, the soft maneuvers, each fulfilling its role.'

Ding Yan seemed thoughtful as he retreated from the platform.

'Second match, Lu Mingyuan wins.'

The third Disciple stepped forward.

This was a female Daoist named Su Wan, at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, the only woman among the seven. Her features were delicate, and a slender, flexible sword hung at her waist, its scabbard adorned with simple black bamboo patterns.

'Disciple Lu,' she gave a slight bow. 'You have fought two consecutive matches. Do you require rest?'

'Unnecessary,' Lu Mingyuan felt the Qi within him flowing freely, far from his limit.

'Then I shall not stand on ceremony.'

Su Wan drew her sword.

The moment the sword left its scabbard, Lu Mingyuan's heart tightened. It wasn't Killing Intent, nor was it oppressive force, but an extreme 'swiftness'—so fast that by the time the sword was drawn and its light was already at his face, he only then heard the metallic scrape of blade against sheath.

He sidestepped. The sword light brushed past his ear, severing three strands of hair.

His green bamboo staff pointed toward Su Wan's wrist, but she slipped away like a swimming fish, her second strike already at his waist. Lu Mingyuan lowered his staff to block. When sword and staff met, there was a sticky sensation—the flexible sword coiled around the bamboo staff like a venomous snake, sliding along the shaft toward the fingers gripping it.

He had no choice but to release his grip. The green bamboo staff flew from his hand.

Su Wan's third strike aimed straight for his throat.

At the critical moment, the various Concepts within Lu Mingyuan responded naturally—the Earth Sword stabilized his stance, steadying his form; the Heaven Sword flowed to his fingers, using them as swords; Chaos became a sea, encompassing both Concepts; clarity and stillness focused his spirit, making it clear as a mirror.

He pinched the sword tip between two fingers.

The flexible sword trembled violently, like a spirit snake caught in a vise. Su Wan channeled three surges of spiritual power in succession, but the blade didn't budge an inch.

'This is... Wudang Mountain Sword Intent?' Su Wan frowned. 'But it's not just Wudang Mountain.'

'It is Sword Heart Clarity,' Lu Mingyuan released his fingers. 'My sword finally knows where it should be.'

Su Wan sheathed her sword, giving him a deep look. 'You've passed. But there is one more match—not against me.'

She stepped aside, revealing Jiang Yichen, who had remained silent behind her.

Jiang Yichen took a step forward.

He did not draw his sword, only looked at Lu Mingyuan. Under that gaze, Lu Mingyuan felt the space within three feet around him suddenly solidify—it wasn't the 'demarcation of boundaries' of Wudang Mountain's sword domain, but a purer form of 'Sword Intent suppression.'

'Do you know why the first three, knowing they would surely lose, still chose to cross swords with you?' Jiang Yichen asked.

Lu Mingyuan thought for a moment. 'To exhaust me?'

'Yes, and no,' Jiang Yichen said. 'The first three battles were to warm you up and to let the observers see your methods clearly. Mount Qingcheng never fights unprepared battles—if you truly win three consecutive matches, the fourth will be against me.'

He finally drew his sword.

The blade had no luster, the hilt no adornment, not even a tassel—just an ordinary blue steel sword. But when the sword left its scabbard, the six Disciples at the platform's edge took a simultaneous step back.

'This sword is named 'Guarding Simplicity,'' Jiang Yichen's tone remained calm. 'Thirty years ago, I first entered Foundation Establishment with this sword; thirty years later, I still haven't changed it. The Dao of Mount Qingcheng's sword lies not in the sharpness of the blade, but in the purity of the heart. For thirty years, I have guarded this one sword, not daring to let my heart grow cluttered.'

He executed a sword move.

It was just the move 'Immortal Points the Way'—sharing the same name as a move in Wudang Mountain sword techniques, but embodying a completely different Concept. Wudang Mountain's 'Immortal Points the Way' points the way like a mountain, steady and weighty; Mount Qingcheng's 'Immortal Points the Way' points the way like a cloud, elusive and hard to grasp.

Lu Mingyuan met Mount Qingcheng sword technique with Mount Qingcheng sword technique.

Using the move 'White Clouds Emerge from the Ravine,' his Sword Intent was like clouds without intent, using softness to transform hardness.

When the two swords made contact, his arm went numb—Jiang Yichen's sword actually contained three layers of hidden force, stacked one upon another like waves crashing against the shore. Lu Mingyuan retreated three steps before dissolving this force.

Jiang Yichen gave him no chance to catch his breath; the second strike arrived.

It was still 'Immortal Points the Way,' but the angle, speed, and force had all changed—these thirty years of guarding simplicity had refined a single sword technique into a thousand variations. From the same opening stance, the sword tip could thrust toward any direction; the Sword Intent could be hard or soft, heavy or light.

Lu Mingyuan no longer countered with Mount Qingcheng sword techniques.

His sword momentum shifted, transforming into Wudang Mountain's 'Suppressing the Mountain.' The sword descended like a mountain, not seeking variation but seeking stability. Jiang Yichen's myriad changes collided with the mountain, and his offensive momentum stalled.

But Jiang Yichen immediately changed his technique.

'Green Pine Welcomes the Guest' used softness to break hardness; 'White Clouds Emerge from the Ravine' used emptiness to counter substance; 'Purple Mist from the East' used vitality to transform rigid defense... The three moves alternated like flowing clouds and water. Lu Mingyuan defended like a mountain, but under the continuous erosion of these three moves, the mountain's foundation gradually loosened.

He had to change.

The various Concepts within him flowed—clarity and stillness, vast and righteous, pure yang, Wudang Mountain, Mount Qingcheng, talisman techniques... each returned to its proper place, each fulfilling its role. The Heaven Sword ascended, the Earth Sword grew profound and heavy, and Chaos mediated in the center.

For the first time in actual combat, he simultaneously operated both the Heaven and Earth Swords.

The right hand wielded the Heaven Sword, weaving a dense sword net with the agility of Mount Qingcheng and the variations of talisman techniques, entangling Jiang Yichen's offensive. The left hand wielded the Earth Sword, solidifying an unbreakable sword domain with the weight of Wudang Mountain and the rigidity of pure yang, protecting the vital points around his body.

Finally, a ripple appeared in Jiang Yichen's eyes. 'Dividing the mind for dual use?'

'It is each finding its proper place,' Lu Mingyuan's sword momentum expanded. 'Heaven belongs to heaven, earth belongs to earth, heart belongs to heart.'

The two swords operated in parallel, Yin and Yang giving rise to each other. The Heaven Sword trapped the enemy, the Earth Sword defended; the Heaven Sword maneuvered, the Earth Sword stood firm. Jiang Yichen's thousand variations were resolved one by one by the Heaven Sword; his three layers of hidden force were weakened layer by layer by the Earth Sword.

Fifty exchanges.

Seventy exchanges.

One hundred exchanges.

Jiang Yichen suddenly sheathed his sword and retreated.

Lu Mingyuan also sheathed his sword and stood still. Both men's breathing was somewhat ragged, but a bright light shone in their eyes.

'One hundred and seven exchanges,' Jiang Yichen said. 'You did not lose.'

'You did not use your full strength,' Lu Mingyuan stated truthfully. 'On the final strike, your sword momentum had already begun, but you withdrew it.'

Jiang Yichen fell silent for a moment, then actually lifted the corners of his lips slightly—his first expression of the day, faint, yet like the first crack in an icy river.

'Because if that strike had been unleashed, victory or defeat would be uncertain, life or death would be uncertain,' he said. 'You and I are not mortal enemies. There is no need to see the true chapter.'

He sheathed his sword and turned to leave, but paused again. 'The 'Concepts' within you are very mixed, many, and chaotic. But they are attempting... to find their proper places. This is a good thing, and also a dangerous thing. The good is that if the placement succeeds, your path will be broader than anyone else's. The danger is that if the placement process is skewed, the mixed Concepts may clash. At best, it could lead to Qi Deviation; at worst, the foundation of your Dao could collapse.'

He turned his head slightly, his gaze like a sword. 'Junior Martial Uncle Qingxuan says you are the 'person who will face the tribulation.' The tribulation approaches; you must hurry. But haste must not bring disorder.'

Lu Mingyuan gave a solemn bow. 'Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Jiang.'

Jiang Yichen nodded, then descended from the Sword Testing Platform. His back was solitary and steep as a sword, disappearing into the mists of Mount Qingcheng.

Lu Mingyuan stood alone at the platform's center, looking at the green bamboo staff in his hand. A fresh, shallow mark marred the staff's surface, left by Su Wan's flexible sword—it was the first sign of defeat he had experienced today, and also the first notch carved into his sword Dao.

He suddenly understood why Mount Qingcheng carved sword marks into trees.

Every defeat, every mark, was a reminder to oneself: there is still inadequacy here.

He sheathed his staff and descended from the Sword Testing Platform.

Mountain wind brushed his face; the sea of clouds churned. In a crevice of the Sword Testing Platform's rocks, a wild orchid had bloomed at some unknown time, its petals pale purple, facing the thin winter sun, blooming quietly and stubbornly.

Lu Mingyuan crouched down to look at that orchid.

The image of Qingxuan using purple mist Sword Qi to hasten the growth of moss in the Sword Pavilion surfaced in his mind.

He pointed two fingers like a sword, his thoughts stirring slightly—a wisp of Chaos Qi condensed at his fingertips. He tried to make it softer, softer still, until it transformed into a faint purple, almost imperceptible warmth.

His fingertip lightly touched a petal.

The orchid trembled slightly, and a second bud quietly bloomed.

It wasn't sword technique, not even a spell. It was merely transforming the 'vitality' Concept of 'Purple Mist from the East' into a faint glow at his fingertip.

He stood up and did not look back again.

Below the mountain, smoke from the cooking fires of Mount Qingcheng's guest lodgings was curling upward.