Chapter Sixty-Three Report

  Clouds and mist surge, like smoke and fog, drifting and fluttering like silk, rolling and turning, like a divine footprint in a blessed land.

  Among those clouds and mist, a magnificent gate stands tall and majestic, with doors as red as vermilion and windows like blue clouds, powerful and heroic, with an aura that is awe-inspiring.

  On either side of the gate, two giant dragons carved from white marble stand upright. Their scales are clearly defined and lifelike, their whiskers fluttering in the air, their mouths open wide as if chanting, their eyes shining like sun and moon, gazing into the vast expanse, their five claws treading on clouds, as if about to swing their tails and soar into the sky, ascending to the nine heavens.

  These two giant dragons seemed to be real, at least thirty zhang high. Xiaochen only felt that standing under the dragon statue was like an ant, feeling a sense of powerlessness.

  Above the vermilion gate, a huge plaque was suspended, which measured about two zhang in length and half a zhang in width. The background was vermilion, with golden characters written in a style that resembled wild and unrestrained wind and grass. The strokes were bold and unbridled, giving off an aura of dominance and superiority. As soon as Xiao Chen glanced at it, he felt a surge of unbridled sword energy emanating from the characters, like a dragon soaring through the skies or a tiger roaring towards the heavens. It seemed as though a master swordsman had written those wild and unrestrained characters on the plaque, which were then adorned with golden trimmings, making the three large characters appear carefree and unbridled, with an aura of sharpness and grandeur.

  "Fei Long Institute!"

  Xiao Chen looked at the three big characters and slowly recited them.

  Just as Xiao Chen finished saying the three words "Fei Long Yuan", the crimson gate that seemed like a heavenly gate also opened at this moment, but it was not fully open. Instead, a small door was opened from one side of the gate, and a disciple wearing a red long shirt with a pale face walked out of the small door.

  "But Xiao Chen, Shixiong?" The disciple asked aloud.

  "That's right." Xiao Chen replied.

  "Follow me."

  Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen followed the junior brother into the courtyard that held an extremely important position within the Yunwu Sword Sect - Feilong Courtyard, where the martial arts practitioners gathered.

  As soon as I entered the gate, the scene changed dramatically in an instant.

  Xiao Chen only felt that outside the gate, it gave people a sense of fear, subjugation, and icy oppression. However, when entering through this crimson-colored large gate, that feeling instantly disappeared, replaced by a picturesque landscape like brocade.

  From the main gate, a wide road extends inward, about thirty zhang wide, all paved with polished and smooth, dark brown large bluestones, thick and heavy stones, tightly joined together, as far as the eye can see, this road is like a whole body, flowing like water.

  On both sides of the main road, there are thousands of buildings with flying eaves and green glazed tiles. From the main road, hundreds of small paths extend out, straight and crisscrossing, and red-robed disciples can be seen walking on these small paths everywhere.

  Raising one's head, the sky is high and vast, the green mountains are like a dark eyebrow, the flying waterfall hangs high, as if falling from the ninth heaven. The entire Feilong Temple is built on the mountain, standing in mid-air.

  Xiao Chen had never been to Feilong Institute before, and the various pavilions, towers, spiritual springs, flying waterfalls, lotus ponds, and golden scales... were so dazzling that he couldn't take his eyes off them.

  "Xiao Chen, junior brother, this way please." Just as Xiao Chen was enjoying the view, the red-robed disciple who had led the way spoke up and reminded Xiao Chen, leading him to a side path.

  "Oh." Xiao Chen responded with a single word.

  Under the leadership of that young man, Xiao Chen felt that Fei Long Institute was several times larger than Fei Yun Villa. The buildings were more magnificent and majestic, as if he had entered a royal palace.

  After passing through several long corridors, crossing a few archways, walking over the elegant narrow bridge, and passing by several lotus ponds, an elegant pavilion appeared before Xiao Chen.

  "Xiao Chen, Shidi has invited you. Qi Changlao is already waiting for you at the Three Talents Pavilion." The red-robed disciple said, leading the way only to this point, and after finishing speaking, he bowed to Xiao Chen with a martial salute before turning around and leaving.

  "Sancai Pavilion?" Xiao Chen repeated, adjusting his clothes to make himself presentable before walking in.

  Sancai Pavilion is one of the three major pavilions of Feilong Institute, a special institution for welcoming newly promoted disciples. When Xiao Chen arrived at the gate, he saw that the large doors were wide open.

  As soon as he stepped inside, he saw only one person, and to his surprise, it was Qi Changlao. Qi Changlao had a long white beard and piercing eyes, wearing a grey robe, sitting casually in the temple's guest chair, holding a Qinghua porcelain cup, swirling away the floating tea leaves, drinking his morning tea with a calm expression.

  "Qī Chánglǎo, Xiāo Chén reports." Xiāo Chén said after entering the door and bowing to Qī Chánglǎo.

  "En." Qi Changlao responded, putting down his teacup and standing up straight. He got straight to the point and said: "Xiao Chen, are you willing to devote your life to serving the Yun Jian Sword Sect?"

  Xiao Chen was taken aback by the words, not knowing what Qi Chang Lao meant by this. He had brought himself here early in the morning, and it was inexplicable how he would ask such a nonsensical question out of nowhere.

  "Could it be that the sect plans to reuse me? And then vigorously cultivate me?" Xiao Chen thought to himself, but felt that it was somewhat unlikely. However, from Qi Changlao's tone of voice, Xiao Chen could tell that Qi Changlao hoped he would say "pledge loyalty".

  Xiao Chen said: "Xiao Chen is willing to devote his life to the sect."

  It's just one sentence anyway. Whether loyalty or disloyalty is also a matter of the future. Since Xiao Chen is not a person of this world, his thoughts and ideas are the thoughts and ideas of his previous life.

  That's it, you pay me how much, I give you how much, is a typical modern thinking. Unlike the people in this world, who obviously don't get paid back for what they put in, but still blindly loyal, in Xiao Chen's view, that's just too stupid, he wouldn't do such things even if you killed him.

  "Good." Qi Chang Lao heard this and simply said one word, his serious face slightly relaxed at this moment, revealing a hint of a smile.

  "Xiao Chen, do you know why I'm asking you this?" asked Qi Changlao, his tone somewhat mysterious, his eyes piercing and fixed intently on Xiao Chen, watching for his reaction.

  "Xiao Chen doesn't know." Xiao Chen said honestly, and in fact, he really didn't know.

  Upon hearing this, Qi Changlao's expression eased up a lot. He felt that Xiao Chen was indeed very talented, but his adaptability was average, and he didn't have many tricks up his sleeve. His words were sincere and straightforward, and his identity was clean enough. This was exactly what Qi Changlao wanted. Although Qi Changlao had investigated Xiao Chen's background, he only found out that Xiao Chen had been in the Yunwu Sword Sect since birth. As for before that, he hadn't been able to find anything, so naturally, he assumed Xiao Chen was a native of the Yunwu Sword Sect, possibly even a descendant of some miscellaneous sect duties.

  "Originally, you were a Stellar War Body, and the sect didn't think highly of you. However, your leadership ability is incredibly strong, to the point where it's unprecedented for someone from the Outcloud Sword Sect in a hundred years. Therefore, the sect has changed its initial intention and decided to keep you, cultivating you, and you may bring great wealth to the sect in the future."

  Qī Zhǎnglǎo said slowly, Xiāo Chén heard this and slightly furrowed his brow, opening his mouth to ask: "Enormous wealth?"

  "Want to know? It depends on your own efforts. When you've cultivated enough, it will naturally inform you. Don't come ask me for now."

  Qī Zhǎnglǎo's face turned serious, and he continued to say: "Since the sect values your leadership ability, you should contribute your leadership ability to the sect, help the sect, repay the sect, and not waste the sect's cultivation of you."

  Xiao Chen heard this and thought to himself, "In that case, it's up to the sect to cultivate me. If they invest in me, I will naturally repay them. But if they just pretend to care and want to use me, then I won't repay them."

  In his heart he thought so, but on the surface, Xiao Chen was a serious and obedient student, listening attentively to Qi Changlao's words.

  "This time in the Yinghao Competition, your performance was outstanding. The style of defeating Qianming with one sword was breathtakingly beautiful, and the skill shocked everyone. If I'm not mistaken, you've already grasped the intent of the sword."

  Qī Zhǎnglǎo's words took a sudden turn, and he continued to speak.

  "What's 'Sword Intent'?" Xiao Chen pretended to be clueless, indicating that he didn't know and that it was an accidental usage. He dared not say that someone had taught him, or else it would be equivalent to betraying Ye Liu Xing, which would lead to big trouble for both of them.

  "Haha……" Qi Changlao looked at Xiao Chen's puzzled expression and laughed, muttering to himself: "Yes, since ancient times, how many people who understand the sword intent know how to cultivate it? If they knew, then everyone in this world would be using sword intent."

  "Qī Zhǎnglǎo, what did you say?" asked Xiāo Chén, pretending to be confused.

  "There's nothing." Qi Changlao's gaze returned to normal, "Follow me, today I will train you. Let's go to Daluo Palace, Ximen Wudi and the others are all good seedlings that I selected from Qingyun Upper Academy, they should be waiting anxiously by now."

  Xiao Chen had long heard of the Da Luo Palace, and on that day, Ling Shuiyan had mentioned it in front of him. The disciples who practiced martial arts were mostly in the Da Luo Palace, and their training was several times more cruel than that of ordinary disciples.

  "I wonder just how cruel the Dalo Palace is?" Xiao Chen followed behind Qi Changlao, his anticipation for the training methods of the Dalo Palace growing more and more. Xiao Chen was the type of person who became stronger when faced with strong opponents, never giving up. The more difficult and impossible the task, the more he wanted to challenge it from the bottom of his heart, and complete what others could not do.

  So for Da Luo Palace's 'household name' cruel training method, Xiao Chen is very much looking forward to it, at this moment his blood is boiling and he can't wait.

  Dalu Palace is not a palace, but a special training ground set up by the Yunjian Sword Sect. It's not located on top of Yunfeng Peak, but rather in the belly of Daming Peak. It's said to be a passage leading to hell, where ghosts and monsters roam, and many disciples have lost their lives there during training.

  There are three-zhang-tall demons, bloodthirsty and fond of killing, taking pleasure in killing people. There are also lonely souls and wild ghosts, gathering in groups, howling with cold wind, transforming into different forms, seizing the bodies of living people, swallowing their blood and vital energy.

  The Grand Palace, encompassing all phenomena, contains countless terrors within. Entering it is like wandering on the edge of death, with every step filled with trepidation, not a benevolent place.

  However, Xiao Chen suddenly felt a sense of longing for this kind of place. He wanted to become strong, as strong as the core disciples, able to turn the tide and possess great divine powers.

  "This is the transmission array method, once you step into the array, you will be transmitted to the Dali Palace on the top of the Great Ming Peak." Qi Changlao brought Xiao Chen to a secret room in the backyard of the Sanci Pavilion, where there was a circular stone staircase about half a meter high and two meters in diameter on the ground.

  On the circular stone steps, many lines are engraved, and upon closer inspection, it can be seen that those lines are slowly moving, as if they have life.

  Xiao Chen knew that this was the magic of the formation, the formation was vast and profound, able to communicate with the heavens and the earth's primordial energy on its own, refining it into a driving force for its own operation, and thus possessing all sorts of mysterious and wonderful effects.