No rotation is necessary.

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At the Sword Exchange Pavilion, the atmosphere was far from harmonious.

As soon as Chu Liang finished his sentence, an awkwardness suddenly settled over the group.

The disciples of Mount Shu were said to be like family... except for those from Silver Sword Peak and Jade Sword Peak.

Originally, these two peaks were both among the five main sword peaks of Mount Shu, sharing a close bond since ancient times. Yet, in this generation, the two peak masters could not be more different: Wang Xuanling, the master of Jade Sword Peak, stood as the foremost among the peaks, commanding respect with an imposing presence and an unyielding, rigid temperament. Meanwhile, Feng, the master of Silver Sword Peak, was youthful and spirited, never willing to let anyone overshadow her. Thus, whenever the two met, disputes inevitably arose.

With their masters openly at odds, the disciples naturally followed suit. Especially since word of a wager between Wang Xuanling and Feng had spread throughout Mount Shu, the disciples of Silver Sword Peak were now regarded as rivals by those of Jade Sword Peak.

It was simply that most of them rarely encountered the lone disciple of Silver Sword Peak... and so, they did not recognize Chu Liang.

Chu Liang himself remained unchanged, his face still bearing a faint, calm smile. At times like these... as long as you remained unfazed, the awkwardness would belong to others.

The expressions of several Jade Sword Peak disciples were stiff. After a brief pause, Lin Beilang, always quick to break the tension, laughed out loud, “Hey, hey, hey!”

He threw an arm around Chu Liang’s shoulder. “I heard Silver Sword Peak only has one disciple. It’s quite something that we’ve run into you today—what a coincidence!”

“Yes, quite the coincidence.” Chu Liang smiled and nodded.

“Well, we’ve already collected our task slips, so let’s get moving,” Lin Bei added, turning to his fellow Jade Sword Peak disciples and raising his voice.

Though it sounded like he was urging them to depart, his real meaning was clear: since the task slips had been taken, there was no backing out... best to get on with it.

Hearing this, the other three Jade Sword Peak disciples nodded and turned to leave as well. Their expressions were unnatural, and they didn’t spare Chu Liang another glance.

Still cold and distant.

Chu Liang paid it no mind, walking alongside Lin Bei at the rear. In his view, it mattered little who his companions were—as long as there were monsters to fight.

Lin Bei, with his thick eyebrows and broad face, was exceedingly enthusiastic, introducing the other three Jade Sword Peak disciples to Chu Liang as they walked.

The tall, hard-featured youth at the front carried a broad sword on his back. His name was Fang Ting, and he was the leader of their group, a disciple at the early stage of the Golden Core realm.

Chu Liang nodded, unsurprised.

Ordinary Mount Shu disciples wore the standard flying sword wristbands, which could change shape and be worn on the wrist. Those who carried their own swords tended to have more powerful weapons—and were usually stronger themselves.

Though the Golden Core realm was only one level above the Divine Will realm, it was separated by a formidable bottleneck, the barrier between the Human and Earth Gates—a hurdle many could never cross in their lifetimes, making the gap vast.

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Beside him stood a female disciple, dressed in a pale yellow short jacket and skirt, with white inner layers and trousers adorned with tassels. She was petite and adorable, her face as fair and soft as a goose egg, with gentle eyes—a timid appearance that easily sparked a protective instinct in others.

“This junior sister is Xu Ziqing. We’re mostly here to accompany her, since it’s her first time going down the mountain for a mission,” Lin Bei explained with a grin. “Her brother is our Jade Sword Peak senior disciple Xu Ziyang. He’s been in seclusion lately, so we’re taking her instead.”

Xu Ziyang—upon hearing the name, Chu Liang understood.

Mount Shu had declined for many years, and its outstanding young disciples paled in number compared to the other celestial sects. In this generation, the few who gained early renown included Jiang Yuebai and Xu Ziyang.

Xu Ziqing and Lin Bei were both at the initial stage of the Divine Will realm, having only recently broken through.

Typically, disciples who had just entered the Divine Will realm would embark on their first missions in teams like this, guided by their seniors. Chu Liang’s eagerness to descend the mountain alone and hunt monsters on his first mission was rare.

The final male disciple was at the mid-stage of the Divine Will realm, ordinary in appearance, named Lu Ren.

...

The group exited the Sword Exchange Pavilion and reached the edge of Tongtian Peak, where Xu Ziqing raised her hand and summoned a spell with a clear cry.

At her fingertips, sparks of light gathered, and in the distance, a loud, resonant call rang out.

A moment later, a gigantic white bird, several yards long, emerged from the sea of clouds, cloaked in mist and frost. As it landed and spread its wings, the cold dissipated.

This young girl even had a spirit beast as her mount—something her cultivation could never sustain. Clearly, her brother doted on her greatly.

“Hey—” The white bird immediately lowered its head, nuzzling Xu Ziqing with its soft, feathery neck. She laughed and hugged it, then invited everyone to climb onto its back.

Yet, after calling the Jade Sword Peak disciples, she didn’t invite Chu Liang—she simply turned and went up herself.

Chu Liang didn’t mind, following suit of his own accord.

On long journeys, flying by sword might be fast, but it was tiring and cold. Having a mount was certainly preferable.

Seated atop the white bird, surrounded by long, soft feathers and the rushing wind, they soon ascended to the heights. Their destination was called “Southern Domain Mountain.”

Southern Domain Mountain sat at the border between the Southern Domain and Central Plains, spanning over eight hundred miles and forming a towering barrier between the two lands. Its peaks and valleys were deep, its forests vast, home to countless legends of monsters and demons—few dared to venture into its heart.

However, their mission was only to reach the mountain’s outskirts, a small peripheral forest—not particularly dangerous. With a Golden Core disciple leading them, the task should not be too difficult.

On the bird’s back, Fang Ting, Xu Ziqing, and Lu Ren sat at the front, while Chu Liang and Lin Bei sat far behind.

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“The Jade Spirit Flower with the face of a person is said to be a twin bloom from a single branch. It was first discovered by one of our Mount Shu elders, but it wasn’t mature at the time and couldn’t be harvested, so the task was handed to the Sword Exchange Pavilion. Now, with its blooming season approaching, we’re going to complete the mission...”

Lin Bei chattered endlessly beside Chu Liang, explaining the details of their task. Yet Chu Liang realized that his fellow disciple wasn’t particularly warm-hearted; he was simply a compulsive talker.

Since their first meeting, Lin Bei hadn’t stopped talking—he seemed afflicted by some peculiar ailment that made it uncomfortable to keep his mouth shut.

Chu Liang even suspected that the three up front weren’t distancing themselves to isolate him, but rather to avoid Lin Bei...

Boom—

After about half an hour, the white bird reached the foot of Southern Domain Mountain, landing smoothly amidst a ripple of wild wind.

“There are many monsters and fierce beasts within Southern Domain Mountain. We can’t fly any further; from here we must proceed on foot,” Fang Ting, the leader, finally spoke.

“The woods are full of plant spirits and monsters, and even in daylight the air is thick with miasma. We must hold our breath and use internal energy as we walk. Our true essence won’t be replenished, so we must be careful not to waste it.”

“I need to conserve my cultivation, so the task of clearing the path will fall to Lu Ren, Lin Bei, and Chu Liang in turns. Any objections?” he commanded, expressionless.

Though the miasma in the forest could be dangerous, cultivators who had reached a certain realm could circulate their qi and hold their breath for long periods without issue. However, without breathing, they couldn’t replenish their true essence, making each person’s energy precious and limited.

Yet, someone had to clear the way, dealing with any plant spirits that blocked their path.

As the strongest, Fang Ting needed to conserve his strength for any emergencies, not wasting his energy on trivial matters. Xu Ziqing, being the weakest and on her first mission, would remain protected in the center. The other three would rotate the task.

A fair and reasonable arrangement.

But...

“I have a bit of an objection.” Chu Liang, who had stood quietly at the rear, suddenly spoke.

“Hmm?” Fang Ting frowned at him.

All eyes turned to his smiling face, their gazes tinged with suspicion—wondering what tricks this disciple from Silver Sword Peak might be up to.

Then, Chu Liang said, “The task of clearing the way and fighting monsters can be handled by me alone—no need to rotate.”