Chapter 828: Peach Blossom Village

Whoosh, whoosh!

As the final bit of incense burned away, Chu Liang and the Sword Emperor reached the corridor's end. A flawless white wall stood before them, with a raised platform at its base. A glowing circular rift shimmered on its surface.

It seemed that stepping into the rift would lead to the next level of the Sword Domain. However, doing so likely meant no return. That was why the Whale-Riding Immortal wasn't in a hurry and stood waiting atop the platform instead.

A gleaming sword floated above the rift, releasing a burst of swordlight each time it pointed skyward. Its craftsmanship rivaled that of the Heavenly Cloud Ancient Sword. Yet here, within this hidden realm, it served only as a part of the formation.

After stepping onto the platform, Chu Liang waved away the last remaining clone and turned to look back. Thanks to his efforts, no more lives were lost. The remaining challengers had pushed forward at full speed and were now nearing the end.

Jiang Yuebai and Elder Yin arrived soon after. As the incense burned down to its final moments, the remaining challengers behind them surged forward with everything they had. But just as they were about to reach the end, the swordlight flashed again!

If they stopped now, the incense would burn out, and the beam of swordlight would strike them immediately. But if they kept moving, they would still die.

At that critical moment, the Whale-Riding Immortal shouted, "Keep going!"

The shout struck their ears like a thunderclap. Without a moment's hesitation, those who heard it surged forward.

The swordlight flashed, and in an instant, three streaks of white light shot out. The Whale-Riding Immortal swept his wide sleeve, wrapping the beams in one motion.

Boom!

His sleeve tore apart with a sharp rip, and he stumbled back a few steps. With his cultivation, he could barely withstand a strike from the swordlight.

Because of that well-timed intervention, the last few challengers crossed just in time and landed within the safe zone on the platform.

With two generations of the Mount Shu Sect's Flying-Sword Race champions working together, everyone there was finally brought to safety.

"Thank you, benefactors!"

In a single motion, the surviving challengers knelt and bowed solemnly before Chu Liang and the Whale-Riding Immortal, their hearts filled with gratitude and awe.

"There's no need for this," Chu Liang said, helping them to their feet. "It was just a small effort, that's all."

"Save your thanks for later. Let's see what awaits in the next level of the Sword Domain," the Whale-Riding Immortal said before charging ahead without hesitation.

Whoosh!

With another flash of swordlight, they descended. What awaited them was an endless expanse of pink.

Jiang Yuebai's nose twitched. "It smells wonderful."

"This place is…"

Chu Liang glanced around. Peach trees in full bloom filled the land, with petals drifting gently like falling snow. They had only just arrived, yet it felt as though they had wandered straight into a dream.

Just as they had expected, the rift behind them disappeared, sealing off any possibility of turning back.

They had only just landed when a thunderous blast sounded from the distance. Boom!

Everyone tensed up immediately. Having just experienced a life-or-death ordeal in the corridor, the tension still clung to them. The moment they heard the sound, they instinctively assumed danger.

But to their surprise, what emerged from the peach grove was a lively crowd men and women dressed in various colors. There were dozens of them, led by an elderly man wearing a tall hat. They surrounded the group with warm smiles and overflowing enthusiasm.

"Welcome, new friends!" the elder called out warmly. "I'm the chief of Peach Blossom Village. You must be tired after completing the Sword Manipulation Trial. Please, come rest in our village. If you choose not to continue onward, you're more than welcome to settle down here."

He pointed toward a cluster of houses not far away. It was a fairly sizable village, although it naturally couldn't compare to the City of the Heavenly Palace outside.

This appeared to be a haven for those who had passed the Sword Manipulation Trial but chose not to challenge the next level. In time, they had kids and gradually established this mountain village.

Several of the challengers who had come with them were clearly tempted to stay. Now that they had seen the truth, they realized that if it hadn't been for Chu Liang and the Whale-Riding Immortal, few of them might have survived. Charging forward likely meant death, and they knew they couldn't count on being rescued again and again.

However, Chu Liang and his companions had no intention of staying. With a sweep of his hand, the Whale-Riding Immortal said, "We won't be resting. Kindly direct us to the entrance of the next trial, and we'll head over there immediately."

"Eh…" the elder uttered as he gently lifted his hand. "There is no need to rush. It is tradition here that before taking on the next trial, you must first complete a task for the village."

"What is it?" the group asked.

The elder replied, "Have a child."

…

In isolated, sparsely populated places like this, reproduction was a major challenge. Over time, intermixing of bloodlines became unavoidable. With bloodlines constantly mixing, it was only a matter of time before someone like Di Nufeng appeared—referring to her low intelligence, of course.

In a place like this, every new bloodline was incredibly valuable, so the requirement to bear children was understandable to a degree. But for Chu Liang and the others who planned to continue to the next level, this task would be a bit too challenging and difficult.

The Whale-Riding Immortal spread his hands helplessly and said, "Elder Brother, you're making things difficult for us. For strong young men like us, I suppose your request is fair. But look at this old man! Do you think he can still do it?"

While he spoke, he pointed at Elder Yin. He pointed to Elder Yin, who had struggled to survive outside and had only just managed to pass the Sword Manipulation Trial. At this moment, he looked worn and fragile.

Yet upon hearing the Whale-Riding Immortal's words, Elder Yin straightened his back and said firmly, "Who says I can't?"

Well, what do you know. Even with one foot in the grave, a man still can't stand being called incapable.

With that attitude, even if Elder Yin's lifespan came to an end and he lay on his deathbed, he'd still muster his final breath to prove he could do it if anyone dared to question him.

"It hasn't been easy for us here," the village chief sighed. "Honestly, I don't think this elder brother is much older than me, and yet I'm still trying hard day and night…"

"Aren't there already a few strong young men who've chosen to stay behind?" the Whale-Riding Immortal asked, gesturing toward the others. "We're in a hurry. Please let us go first."

"Not happening," the village chief said flatly, shaking his head. "Rules are rules. If you don't accept them, you're not going anywhere. Your cultivation might be higher than everyone here, but I'm the only one who knows the location of the next trial. And if you won't stay, I won't tell."

"Tch…"

Seeing how stubborn the old man was, the Whale-Riding Immortal began considering other options. With his mastery of the Brahma Sound of Wisdom, getting the village chief to talk wouldn't be difficult. But if he did, it would almost certainly escalate into a conflict.

Chu Liang quickly raised his hand and said, "If I may, could we speak in private for a moment?"

With that, he pulled the village chief aside, took out a spirit plant, and said, "Village Chief, what do you think this is?"

"Just a treasure of nature," the village chief scoffed. "Spiritual qi is the last thing we're short on around here. You'll find these growing all over. Take them if you like."

"I see…" Chu Liang let out a slightly awkward laugh and thought,

This bribe failed.

Since that didn't work, he paused for a moment, then took out another item and asked, "What about this?"

This time, he pulled out a book. The village chief took one look and his eyes went wide. "Ooh?"

"Shh…" Chu Liang raised a finger to his lips. "Keep it down. I've got plenty more just like this. Tell us how to get to the next trial, and they're all yours."

It was one of the illustration books he had picked up outside as a gift for his respected teacher.

During his travels, he had purchased a number of rare illustration books for Di Nufeng. Most were banned within the Yu Dynasty and could only be found outside the nine provinces. He hadn't had the chance to deliver them yet, but now they were proving useful.

Sure enough, the old village chief looked troubled, clearly conflicted.

"Elder, think about it," Chu Liang said solemnly. "Wouldn't these help raise the village's birth rate quite a bit? I'm telling you, this kind of stuff is rare outside. If you're not interested, I'll just keep it for myself."

"Alright, alright!" the village chief gritted his teeth and said, "I'll take you there!"

Seeing the village chief's sudden change of mind, Jiang Yuebai looked at Chu Liang and asked with curiosity, "What did you give him that made him change his mind almost instantly?"

"Heh, just gave him something he liked," Chu Liang said with a grin. "Wanna take a look?"

"What is it?" Jiang Yuebai asked, blinking as curiosity got the better of her and she reached out.

Without a word, Chu Liang handed her one of the illustration books. A moment later, a dull sound echoed through the air.

Thud!

While leading the way, the village chief glanced back and noticed Chu Liang being flung through the air, rising and crashing on a mountain far ahead.

The old man shook his head with a sigh. "This young hero is quite… impatient."

Elder Yin chuckled mischievously and remarked, "He's young. A little eagerness is only natural."

Elder Yin turned to the Whale-Riding Immortal and said, "The next path is recorded in the map collection. The second trial of the Heavenly Palace of the Sword Domain is the Sword-Bearing Trial."

"Sword-Bearing Trial?"

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"In this second trial, we'll enter a vault filled with swords. Flying swords will rain down on the challengers one by one. Each one is of the power of the Heaven-Raising Sword, extremely powerful. Not only will we have to dodge the flying sword, but we'll also need to catch it and use it to pass the trial. That's what 'sword-bearing' means."

GLTD Alternate Universe's Thoughts

Translator: GT