Chapter 209 - 178: The Mystery of the Sword Cave

Chapter 209: Chapter 178: The Mystery of the Sword Cave

At the moment of crisis, Xie Yuan paused. Wrapping an arm around Situ Qin, he leaped away from the edge.

With nothing to leverage in midair, they were about to plunge into the bottomless abyss. But with an elegant twist, he shifted sideways toward the nearby cliff face.

"SWISH SWISH SWISH—"

Invisible Sword Qi shot out from a crevice in the rock. Xie Yuan and Situ Qin looked out just in time to see a bird dozens of feet away suddenly pierced through, falling from the cliff with a mournful cry.

They looked at each other, their hearts pounding in their chests.

A thrilled smile spread across Situ Qin’s face.

"This is actually a little dangerous!"

She looked at Xie Yuan, only then realizing she was still huddled in his arms, held tightly against him.

Her beautiful face flushed slightly. Situ Qin looked up at Xie Yuan and smiled.

"Master Xie, how long do you plan on holding me? I know Lightweight Skill, you know..."

Xie Yuan awkwardly let go. In his two moments of panic, he had forgotten that Situ Qin’s martial arts—especially her Cloud Dragon Step—were far superior to his own.

With a light twirl, Situ Qin landed on a jutting rock. She straightened her clothes and shot a glance at Xie Yuan.

’I could have handled that myself,’ she thought, ’but this feeling... isn’t so bad either.’

Her face grew a little warmer. She then looked curiously at the crevice they had just seen, her eyes wide.

"What was that? Why would Sword Qi erupt from there?"

A faint, pleasant fragrance lingered where she had been. Xie Yuan composed himself and also stared at the crevice, his brow furrowed.

"It’s strange. That Sword Qi didn’t seem like it was generated by a person. Perhaps... it’s related to the Sword Peak?"

Xie Yuan had clearly felt that the earlier gust of sword wind was identical to the breeze in the Back Hall of the main peak—a breeze that carried the Sword Intent of the Sword Peak.

That breeze was no different from an ordinary wind. Only those with exceptional talent could perceive the difference and feel the Sword Intent within it. It was harmless.

However, the gale of Sword Qi that followed, and the initial burst that had startled Situ Qin, could truly be called Sword Qi. It was formless and intangible, yet it could wound people, piercing a bird from dozens of feet away. It was quite dangerous.

"The Sword Peak?"

Situ Qin’s large eyes darted about, her interest piqued.

"I’ve heard the Sword Peak is incredibly strange, crisscrossed with Sword Qi and filled with drifting Sword Intent. For those with low cultivation, entering means certain death. However, highly skilled Swordsmen can go inside to seek enlightenment, which is a great boon to their Sword Dao cultivation. Some even comprehend profound swordsmanship there. Generally, one must be at least at the Qi and Blood Metamorphosis Realm to be permitted entry, and even then, their time is strictly limited."

Xie Yuan nodded.

"That’s what I’ve heard, yes. But... how come you seem to know more about this than I do? Are you a member of the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect, or am I?"

Situ Qin giggled.

"Haven’t you always been a bit slow on the uptake?"

"..."

Xie Yuan was speechless. When it came to knowledge of the Martial Dao, he truly couldn’t compare to Situ Qin. Even regarding matters of the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect, as a mere miscellaneous disciple, he wasn’t qualified to know much.

Seeing that the crevice had fallen silent, the two slowly approached, studying it with great interest.

Situ Qin’s eyes lit up.

"Master Xie, what do you think is in there? A master in seclusion? A peerless, famous sword?"

Xie Yuan hesitated.

"This doesn’t look like a place where a Sword Sect master would cultivate. As for a Treasure Sword... that doesn’t feel right either."

This place was on a cliff face and looked as if no one had set foot here since ancient times. If a Sword Sect senior were to enter seclusion here, they would have left a marker or assigned disciples to stand guard, to avoid being disturbed.

As for a Treasure Sword...

Xie Yuan blinked. He had never heard of a Treasure Sword that could intermittently release Sword Qi on its own.

In his estimation, the source of the Sword Qi was more likely something else entirely.

Situ Qin nodded, her excitement growing.

"I don’t think so either. I bet this crevice winds through the mountain’s core and is a passage that leads straight up to the Sword Peak! That’s why it’s channeling the strange Sword Qi from there."

Her idea matched Xie Yuan’s own thoughts. He also suspected this crevice might connect to the location of the Black Celestial Book on the Sword Peak.

He glanced at Situ Qin and saw her peering into the crevice, craning her neck and looking eager. He suddenly grew wary.

"Miss Qin, you’re not thinking of going in there, are you?"

"Don’t you want to? This is the Sword Peak we’re talking about. The secrets of the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect might be right here."

Situ Qin said with a smile.

Xie Yuan fell silent for a moment. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t interested. All his play-acting since joining the Sword Sect—wasn’t it all for this very purpose?

However, the gust of sword wind just now had been powerful. The crevice looked barely wide enough for one person to pass through. If they went inside, there would be nowhere to dodge. They would have to take it head-on.

Just then, they both sensed a faint whistling from within and immediately pulled their heads back.

"SWISH—"

Several jets of Sword Qi shot out, carrying a few stone fragments with them. The force was not to be underestimated.

Xie Yuan watched the fragments fly off the cliff. After a moment of thought, he said:

"If they’re all this powerful, we could probably endure it and pass through. But I don’t know if there will be even fiercer Sword Qi further in..."

"There probably won’t be."

Situ Qin said with surprising certainty.

She pointed to the score marks around the mouth of the crevice.

"Look, the marks here vary in depth, all carved by the Sword Qi. This new one was from the gust just now, and it’s already one of the deepest marks. That means the maximum force is about this much."

Situ Qin turned her head, her excitement palpable.

"So, Master Xie, what do you say? Shall we go in and investigate?"

Xie Yuan’s heart skipped a beat. Even with a gust like the last one, the worst that could happen was some minor injuries. There was some danger, but it was limited.

’If that’s the case, it’s worth a try.’

Seeing his expression, Situ Qin knew what he was thinking and smiled slightly.

"My cultivation is higher, so I’ll go first... Hey!"

She had just poked her head inside when Xie Yuan grabbed her, pulled her back, and squeezed into the crevice himself.

"How could I let a young lady like you go first? I couldn’t bear the responsibility if something happened."

Situ Qin watched Xie Yuan head inside and said anxiously:

"Hey, come back! On an expedition, the one with the higher cultivation should naturally take the lead!"

"But you couldn’t shield me even if you were in front..."

Hearing this, Situ Qin was speechless.

Her height was average among women—a perfect figure—but compared to the tall Xie Yuan, she naturally seemed petite.

"Besides, I practice a hardening art, which makes me better suited to take the lead anyway. I’m heading in. Follow me when you’re ready."

Without looking back, Xie Yuan gave a wave and moved forward, ducking his head in the narrow crevice.

Situ Qin gazed at his broad back, her beautiful eyes shimmering brightly. She pursed her lips slightly, then lifted her foot and followed.

Xie Yuan advanced through the narrow crevice. He secretly activated his Golden Bell Shield, bracing himself with one hand against the rock wall as he slowly moved forward.

They hadn’t gone deep yet, so the daylight from outside still illuminated their path. But with every step they took, it grew darker.

Xie Yuan ran his hand along the rock wall. It felt smooth and solid, clearly having been polished by Sword Qi for an unknown length of time. It was completely different from ordinary rock.

"It’s surprisingly smooth and dry in here, not damp and difficult to traverse like a normal cave."

Xie Yuan murmured this subconsciously in the dim environment, when he suddenly felt a light breeze from ahead.

He immediately channeled the Golden Bell Shield, and a barely perceptible golden light enveloped his body.

The sword wind blew against him, feeling like countless tiny blades pricking his skin. Xie Yuan frowned. Although he wasn’t injured, it was still painful.

"How are you?"

Situ Qin’s concerned voice came from behind him.

Xie Yuan’s brow relaxed, and he said nonchalantly:

"It’s nothing. Just a bit of wind and frost."

"Stop reciting lines from a play."

Situ Qin smiled wryly.

The two continued onward. Gusts of sword wind came intermittently—sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes strong, sometimes weak. At times they blew continuously, and at others, there was a long silence, making one think the cave’s abnormality had ceased.

By now, only a faint glimmer of light remained in the cave. Xie Yuan took out a fire starter and blew it into flame, illuminating their surroundings.

The area was instantly brightened. The rock walls were incredibly smooth, even reflecting a little light. The farther in they went, the wider the cave became, until it was broad enough for two people to walk side-by-side.

They examined the surrounding walls, their expressions turning a bit more solemn.

"The marks here are deeper. It seems most of the Sword Qi was absorbed by the walls here, so its power was diminished by the time it reached the outside."

They glanced at each other, nodded slightly, and decided to continue exploring.

For now, the sword wind seemed manageable. This place was so strange; it had to be related to the Sword Peak, the very foundation of the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect and the birthplace of many legends. It was worth investigating. Besides, there were no other dangers here apart from the Sword Qi. Based on the passage, the scale of the Sword Qi seemed predictable. If things got too hairy, they could always just retreat.

The two pressed on, gradually feeling the gusts of sword wind become more frequent.

’Whether it’s a gentle breeze or a strong gust, the Sword Intent here is already stronger than in the Back Hall. If I could constantly seek enlightenment here, shouldn’t there be some reward...?’

As Xie Yuan was silently pondering, he suddenly heard a faint whistling wind from ahead, accompanied by the clatter of small stones. He was instantly on alert.

Having walked for so long, the two had already summarized a pattern, roughly dividing the sword wind into three types.

The first was a breeze of Sword Intent, like a gentle caress on the face, possessing only Sword Intent and no power.

The second was a whistling sword wind, like the ones outside the cave, with varying degrees of power.

The third was Sword Qi mixed with stone fragments. The cave had been polished by Sword Qi for countless years, its walls already smooth and solid. If a gust could still scour fragments from the walls, its power must be immense. Combined with the sharp projectiles, the danger was greatly increased!

This gust was louder than any before it and carried stone fragments. Xie Yuan frowned, pulled Situ Qin behind him, and both pressed themselves as close to the rock wall as possible. The passage was wider here, so they didn’t have to stand in the center.

"WHOOSH—"

A fierce gale blasted them. Xie Yuan felt a piercing pain all over his body, as if he were being stabbed repeatedly with a sword. Occasionally, stone fragments would strike him, only to be repelled by the golden light. The stones remained intact, a testament to their weapon-like hardness.

As Xie Yuan was enduring the onslaught with his Golden Bell Shield, a small, jade-white hand suddenly reached out from beside him. It struck out several times, unleashing palms of clear light in front of him. The palm wind collided with the sword wind, neutralizing much of it and instantly reducing the pressure on him.

The sword wind blew for several breaths before finally subsiding.

Xie Yuan let out a breath of relief. Given the power of that gust, an ordinary External Training practitioner would probably have been riddled with holes.

"Thanks."

Xie Yuan said in a low voice.

"What for? You were taking the brunt of it. I had to do something."

Situ Qin said with a pout.

"Yeah, that gust of sword wind..."

Xie Yuan was about to say that it was quite powerful—likely the same one they felt outside, the fiercest in this place—when he suddenly paused.

He discovered that the progress of his Black Celestial Book had actually increased by a point.

"What about the sword wind?"

Situ Qin asked when he didn’t continue.

"...It felt pretty good."

Xie Yuan’s eyes lit up, and he grinned.

’This sword-cave is a great place!’

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Situ Qin muttered. Then she tilted her head slightly to listen for a moment, and her eyes widened.

"It sounds like the passage changes up ahead. Let’s go see."

She patted Xie Yuan on the back and quietly moved to his side, taking advantage of the wider space to walk beside him.

The pair took a few more steps, rounded a bend, and followed an upward slope. Suddenly, the view before them opened up dramatically.

The passage came to an abrupt end here. Before them was a vertical shaft that ran from top to bottom, as if connecting heaven and earth. Its top was lost in the heights above, its bottom in the depths below. Their tunnel opened out onto the side of this massive shaft.

Xie Yuan held up his fire starter, and the shaft was instantly illuminated.

Although the vertical shaft wasn’t enormous, its walls were as smooth as glazed porcelain. The fire starter’s light reflected off them, filling the space with a brilliant radiance.

Stunned by the strange and magnificent sight, the two were speechless for a long time.

"These walls are so smooth... were they all polished by Sword Qi? What kind of Sword Qi could do this, and for how long...?"

Situ Qin murmured.

Xie Yuan, however, was staring at the shaft, frowning in thought. After a moment, his eyes widened.

"How could a passage like this be formed inside a mountain? It looks as if someone pierced through the entire Cloud Mountain with a single sword strike from the summit!"

They looked at each other, and both saw the shock in the other’s eyes.

Suddenly, a strange whistling sound rose, as if another sword wind was gathering. They looked up and felt a faint stinging on their faces.

"Not good, run!"

The sword wind was still at the mountain’s peak, but an incomparably sharp Sword Intent was already rushing toward them. Xie Yuan’s expression changed drastically.

This was the true sword wind! What had blown into their side passage was merely an aftershock, weakened countless times over!

Xie Yuan grabbed Situ Qin, about to dive back into the tunnel.

But the sword wind was so fast that in the blink of an eye, it traveled from the unknown heights of the summit to arrive right before them!