Chapter 24: Forging the Path to a New Sword

In the following two months, there were no further disturbances around Yu Xiu. Everything returned to the calm and quiet she was accustomed to on Chiyang Peak.

Losing her natal spiritual sword was a significant blow for a sword cultivator—at least half of their strength could no longer be utilized.
Recasting her natal spiritual sword was already on Yu Xiu’s to-do list.

When she had first arrived in this world, it had taken her four full years to gather the spiritual materials required for her natal sword. Now that she had more knowledge and higher standards, the materials she needed were even more complex—many of them rare and difficult to obtain.

Even as the sole personal disciple of Chiyang Peak and the Head Senior Sister of the younger generation of the Five Elements Sect, many of the materials required careful searching and could not be gathered in a short time.

Before long, she would be exploring a secret realm with Huangfu Hanrui, He Xiuran, and other fellow sect members. Yu Xiu couldn’t allow herself to go in unprepared.

While gathering materials for her new natal sword, Yu Xiu also prepared to purchase a temporary spiritual sword for the transition period.

As the leading sect among the three great immortal sects, the Five Elements Sect was naturally the most convenient place to obtain a high-quality spiritual sword.
Yu Xiu’s destination was clear: Cangling Peak.

As the combat division of the entire sect, Cangling Peak was home to a large number of weapon cultivators—particularly sword cultivators, who made up over fifty percent of its population.

The Peak Master of Cangling Peak, Master Cang Ling, was a renowned sword cultivator whose name was known across both the immortal and demonic realms. His only personal disciple, Jiang Hanxing, was also a peerless sword cultivator.

Three days after Yu Xiu returned to the Five Elements Sect, Jiang Hanxing also returned from clearing out another den of evil cultivators. The two met and briefly exchanged information about the recent case involving the missing Tianshuang Peak disciples.

From Jiang Hanxing, Yu Xiu learned that the other two dens had been destroyed by two Golden Core elders from the sect, but no further clues had been uncovered. No higher-level figures were found, nor even mid-level leaders like the two self-destructed cultivators she had previously encountered—only silence and severed trails.

All remaining leads seemed completely cut off. The mastermind was still hidden in the shadows.

Yu Xiu had learned from the Demon Lord that the mastermind likely hailed from the Han family of the demonic world, but there was no solid evidence.
Moreover, the enemy was merely at the Golden Core stage and had left behind no identifiable characteristics. The use of Gu worms was a common trait among Han family members, and there were many cultivators in that family who matched the description.
Unless the culprit came forward and confessed, there was no way to pinpoint who it was.

The Five Elements Sect couldn’t simply barge into the Han family’s domain and arrest someone based on speculation.

More importantly, all the known dens had now been wiped out. Of these, only the one in Qingshui Village had targeted Tianshuang Peak disciples. The others had been preying mostly on mortals. A few early-stage Qi Refinement cultivators had been attacked, but they were rogue cultivators unrelated to the sect.

The overall damage from this incident was limited, and the matter appeared to be contained. The Disciple Affairs Hall had already deemed the case closed.

Yu Xiu lowered her eyes and said nothing.

Jiang Hanxing understood. “I agree—something about this case feels off. If we don’t uproot the source, it may return to haunt us.”

Top-tier prodigies like them—even if not yet at a high cultivation stage—possessed strong intuition.
In the immortal realm, they were known as ‘favored children of the Heavenly Dao’, born with great fortune and destiny.

Yu Xiu gently shook her head. “We can only set it aside for now. No need to worry too much, just remain vigilant.”

She looked at Jiang Hanxing. “If any new leads arise, let’s inform each other immediately.”

This incident wasn’t yet significant enough to escalate to the elders.
In the cultivation world, the path was brutal. Both Yu Xiu and Jiang Hanxing viewed this as merely a minor trial—one they were more than capable of facing.

Jiang Hanxing nodded. “Mm.”

He shared the same view.

With the discussion over, Yu Xiu asked Jiang Hanxing to escort her to Cangling Peak. He got up and left.

On Cangling Peak stood a Sword Pavilion that housed hundreds of thousands of spiritual swords. Many sword cultivators of the Five Elements Sect had obtained their weapons there.

Cultivators like Yu Xiu, who forged a natal spiritual sword from scratch, were a rare minority in both the immortal and demonic realms. Most cultivators chose a preexisting weapon and gradually nurtured it into a personal or natal spiritual weapon over time.

The entry requirements for the Sword Pavilion weren’t high. Any disciple of the Five Elements Sect could enter by paying a spirit stone fee.
But whether one could gain the recognition of a spiritual sword and walk away with it—that depended entirely on their strength and fate.

However, ordinary disciples were only allowed access to the lower floors of the pavilion, where the sword quality wasn’t particularly outstanding.

Yu Xiu’s ambitions were not so low.

Even if it was just a temporary spiritual sword, she would treat it seriously and with care.

Based on her status, Yu Xiu could only reach up to the fifth floor of the Sword Pavilion. The pavilion had nine levels in total, and the higher the level, the better the swords stored within.

Thanks to her position as Peak Master Chiyang’s personal disciple, she had been granted access to the seventh floor—already an exceptional privilege.

The eighth floor was exclusive to Jiang Hanxing. Only he could enter, and he was not permitted to bring others.
As for the ninth floor, only the Sect Master and Peak Masters had authority to access it.

When Yu Xiu requested entry, even Jiang Hanxing—usually so calm and composed—was visibly surprised.
“Lingze didn’t make it?”

For a sword cultivator, a natal sword was of utmost importance. Even if Yu Xiu wasn’t particularly sentimental, she must have endured something extreme to lose Lingze.

Yu Xiu simply smiled and didn’t explain further.

Jiang Hanxing didn’t pry. He only felt a trace of regret—Lingze had been a truly exceptional sword.

After a brief pause, he said:

“Come back in three days. I’ll take you to the Sword Pavilion.”

Yu Xiu bowed slightly.

“Thank you, Senior Brother Jiang.”

***

Three days later.

At the hour of Chen (around 7–9 a.m.), Yu Xiu arrived at the appointed location to meet Jiang Hanxing.

At this time, the disciples of Cangling Peak were in the middle of their morning training. Dressed in their signature azure-blue uniforms, the entire peak was lively and full of youthful energy—a stark contrast to the serene stillness of Chiyang Peak.

This wasn’t Yu Xiu’s first visit to Cangling Peak. Aside from her own Chiyang Peak and Tianshuang Peak, which was the mandatory passage in and out of the sect, she had also visited Jinlü Peak and Cangling Peak several times.

Only Xuanji Peak remained unvisited. Its disciples were naturally more elusive, and since there were no personal disciples from her generation there, she had never had a reason to go.

Yu Xiu was widely known throughout the Five Elements Sect. Her iconic saffron-red robe, black hair held by a silver hairpin, and her elegant, serene demeanor made her easy to recognize.

Many Cangling Peak disciples greeted her respectfully with cries of “Senior Sister!” and even stepped aside to clear the way for her.

Yu Xiu responded with a soft smile—her bearing perfectly poised, warm but never too familiar or distant.