Chapter 132: One's Own Path

Having said almost everything that needed to be said, the Old Man of Ghost Mountain called out toward the exterior of the pavilion, "Baolin."

Before long, a female cultivator dressed in black ascended the stairs. Her face was devoid of expression, suggesting a reticent nature, and she made no effort to conceal the aura of a Golden Core cultivator. She bowed to the Old Man of Ghost Mountain and said, "Master."

"Take her to Ghost-Wail Mountain and ensure she settles in for her cultivation."

"As you command."

Real Person Baolin responded respectfully, then looked at Jiang Min and said indifferently, "Follow me."

Jiang Min followed her down from the high pavilion. Standing at the entrance, Real Person Baolin waved her hand, summoning a flying boat about ten feet long, and gestured for Jiang Min to board.

The vessel then headed west, departing the territory of the City of Villains and flying toward an endless expanse of vast mountain ranges.

From the plains to the hills, the scenery shifted constantly. As the flying boat traversed the valleys between the towering peaks, Jiang Min clearly felt the spiritual energy becoming increasingly dense, indicating the presence of vast spiritual veins beneath the mountains.

"Leaving the Eastern Plains and heading west, the spiritual energy grows richer. These rugged mountains house vast spiritual veins; it is no wonder this region can sustain so many Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators. The spiritual environment of the Central Plains is indeed far superior to that of the Eastern Plains."

"In the heart of the Central Plains lies a dynasty, the Great Hong Dynasty. I have heard that it is teeming with cultivators and is far larger and more powerful than the ten nations of the Eastern Plains. A senior sister of mine, whom I have never met, went to the Great Hong Dynasty to seek her fortune..."

The flying boat skimmed over a wide river winding between the mountains.

Jiang Min stood behind Real Person Baolin, pondering the environment of the Central Plains while gazing up at the high peaks on either side.

Suddenly.

A faint whistling sound, like the howling of ghosts and wolves, could be heard.

Ahead, a mountain peak appeared, where pavilions and towers could be seen intermittently through the shifting clouds and mist. As the flying boat rode the wind through a narrow gorge, the sound—resembling the mournful cries of ghosts—grew more distinct. Jiang Min finally understood the origin of the name "Ghost-Wail Mountain."

After the flying boat passed through the clouds, Real Person Baolin produced a token, passed through an invisible barrier, and landed on the peak.

Jiang Min looked around to see stone stairs and grand halls, with many black-clad cultivators moving about—all disciples of the Old Man of Ghost Mountain.

Real Person Baolin led her directly to the back of the mountain, to a natural cave dwelling, and called out to the adjacent cave, "Qingzhu."

A middle-aged female cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage flew out on her sword from the neighboring cave and bowed. "Real Person Baolin."

"This is a guest of the Master. She will stay here for the time being."

Real Person Baolin gestured toward Jiang Min standing behind her, then turned to Jiang Min and said, "Her name is Qingzhu. If you need anything, simply instruct her. When the Master sends word, I shall come to collect you."

"Thank you for your trouble, Real Person."

Jiang Min bowed, then leapt from the flying boat onto the threshold of the cave dwelling, watching as Real Person Baolin departed.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator named Qingzhu was courteous and polite, reiterating kindly, "Fellow Daoist, if you have any instructions, just call for me."

"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist."

After the pleasantries, Jiang Min turned and walked into the cave dwelling, shaking her head helplessly.

"Although this is a veiled form of surveillance and restriction, the hospitality at Ghost-Wail Mountain is truly beyond reproach."

She surveyed the dwelling; it was simple and elegant, fully equipped with chairs, a bed, lamps, and meditation cushions—clearly intended for guests. However, she remained cautious. With a thought, she expanded her divine sense—which was several times stronger than that of her peers—to inspect every corner of the cave. After confirming there was nothing amiss, she produced several array disks and set them up.

Only after stepping into the formation, which cut off all detection and probing, did she finally relax.

She took out a transmission jade slip and held it between her palms. Closing her eyes, she channeled her spiritual power to send a silent message.

"Master, the Villain War has concluded. Your disciple has attained Sword Intent and was fortunate enough to take first place. However, because of this, I have been brought to Ghost-Wail Mountain and am currently staying here."

"The reason is that the Old Man of Ghost Mountain has promised a chance to enter an ancient secret realm as a reward for first place. Yet, he is extremely secretive about this realm and has demanded that I help him retrieve a mysterious object. Fearing there may be hidden agendas, I am reporting this to you."

Before long, the jade slip stirred.

Worried that a powerful cultivator might bypass her formations, Jiang Min read the message with her heart, not letting the sound escape.

She heard True Monarch Guanqi say, "Go ahead. Send word once you emerge from the realm, and I will be there to receive you."

Hearing this, Jiang Min felt much more at ease.

The message continued.

"Now that you have attained Sword Intent, do you have any doubts?"

Since True Monarch Guanqi had brought it up, Jiang Min continued to channel the jade slip between her palms. "I do, Master."

"After attaining my Sword Intent, I began to study the fifth layer of the Thunder-Fire Ten Thousand Sword Manual—the Thunder-Fire Sword Intent—only to find that my own Sword Intent conflicts with the manual."

"The Sword Intent of the Thunder-Fire Ten Thousand Sword Manual is domineering and scorching, using thunder and fire to incinerate all things and shatter all evil. But my Sword Intent is sharp and aggressive, focused only on breaking all laws with the simplest of strikes..."

"The two are in complete conflict."

"If I use my own Sword Intent, I cannot learn this manual. Yet, if I abandon my own path to learn the Thunder-Fire Sword Intent, what is the meaning of having realized my own intent in the first place..."

What Jiang Min said was indeed the doubt weighing on her heart.

Although she was not entirely lost and had some intuition about her choice, having guidance from a master would naturally save her from taking unnecessary detours.

She had originally intended to ask him in person when they next met, but with the ancient secret realm approaching and the need to improve her strength, she decided to ask now that he had raised the topic.

After a short while, True Monarch Guanqi replied.

"Your Sword Intent is your Sword Dao; the Thunder-Fire Ten Thousand Sword Manual is the Sword Dao of the predecessor Thunder-Flame. Everyone has their own path."

"The fact that you were able to reach the realm of Sword Intent entirely on your own shows that you have already found a Sword Dao that belongs to you. Naturally, following another's path will lead to conflict."

"Choosing to follow the path of a predecessor is indeed fast and easy, but once you reach the end of that path, it becomes very difficult to strike out on your own or turn back."

True Monarch Guanqi’s tone was earnest.

"You are a child with a mind of your own."

"From the very beginning, you have been walking your own path."

"Going forward, try to learn more sword techniques, study more sword manuals, and spar with all manner of martial cultivators. Witness the myriad ways and laws of the world. Once you have seen enough, you will naturally achieve a state of enlightenment—a return to simplicity—until you can create your own sword techniques. That is the path best suited for you; that is your own Sword Dao."

"However, this is a very long process. Take your time. You may continue to learn the Thunder-Fire Ten Thousand Sword Manual and reflect well on the Thunder-Fire Sword Intent; this is your first step in coming into contact with various sword arts. When you return from the secret realm, I will take you to see other forms of Sword Dao."

True Monarch Guanqi spoke at length, but Jiang Min’s doubts had already been addressed.

Persist in her own Sword Dao, yet also witness the myriad ways and laws of the world, integrate them, and create her own techniques.

This first step would begin with the familiar Thunder-Fire Ten Thousand Sword Manual.

"Create my own sword techniques..."

Jiang Min had never considered this path, but hearing the insight of True Monarch Guanqi, the confusion in her eyes vanished, replaced by a newfound radiance.

Fortunate to have such an enlightened master.

Filled with gratitude, Jiang Min sent her final message: "Thank you, Master."