Martial Cultivator

Windspirit Mountain had been established for several centuries. Back then, the Windspirit’s ancestor, having cultivated bitterly as an itinerant cultivator to the end of Nepenthe, founded a daoist lineage upon this mountain.

Afterward, Windspirit Mountain took in disciples on a large scale, recruiting rogue cultivators from the world and gradually expanding. It eventually divided into nine peaks, each with its own peak master.

Even so, Windspirit Mountain still stood outside the Three Schools and did not belong to Confucianism, Buddhism, or Daoism.

It was a genuine major sect of itinerant cultivators, though now that it had a sect, they hardly seemed like itinerant cultivators anymore.

Over the centuries of development, authority across the nine peaks gradually consolidated, ultimately concentrating in two: Lonely Moon Peak and Wuwang Peak.

For generations, Lonely Moon Peak had held the position of mountain lord, while Wuwang Peak oversaw most of Windspirit Mountain’s businesses, remaining a force strong enough to rival it.

Beneath a cassia tree on Lonely Moon Peak.

An old man with white hair and beard sat cross-legged on the ground. A chessboard lay before him, the black and white pieces locked in balanced, fierce battle, looking like a scene of sweeping grandeur.

But no one was seated opposite the old man. It was unclear who he was playing against.

Before long, a figure appeared in the distance. When they arrived, they looked anxious and were panting heavily.

The old man continued watching the contest of black and white on the board and asked calmly, “Has the sky fallen?”

As he spoke, he picked up a white piece, considering where to place it.

With a heavy thud, that person dropped to their knees, trembling as they spoke: “Martial Uncle... Martial Uncle is dead!”

The white piece in the old man’s hand had not landed yet. In the next instant, it was crushed to powder by him. His white hair stirred faintly as he said coolly, “Chen Wannian actually dares to do such a thing?!!”

As for the scheme on Lonely Moon Peak, as the peak lord of Lonely Moon Peak, he naturally knew all about it. In his original plan, even if by some stroke of luck Chen Wannian managed to survive, the disciples of Lonely Moon Peak would still be able to return safely. After all, Chen Wannian’s wife was still on the mountain. Given Chen Wannian’s temperament, he was never one to take things to the extreme.

“Could it have been someone from Wuwang Peak who acted? If they wanted to win Chen Wannian over, they wouldn’t have allowed him to die.”

The old man reached out and picked up a black piece. As it turned out, the one he had always been playing against had been himself, and only himself.

He did not believe that someone like Chen Wannian would commit such an act. But if Wuwang Peak intended to push them off the mountain lord’s seat, then they were certainly capable of anything.

In that case, this explanation did make sense.

As long as there was no evidence left behind, then even if they knew the truth deep down, there would be nothing they could say or do.

“Wuwang Peak has been lying low for so many years, and now they finally couldn’t hold back. But is being mountain lord really so easy”

The old man glanced at the person who had come, then slowly stood up and said calmly, “This old man will go consult the Mountain Lord. For now, none of you are to act rashly.”

The old man’s figure faded away as he departed for the main peak.

......

......

In a secluded little courtyard on the main peak. Even before approaching, the stinging stench of medicine already assaulted the nose. The old man wrinkled his nose slightly, and his expression darkened.

Judging from the pungency of the medicinal odor, the Old Mountain Lord’s condition had worsened.

In truth, it was not so much an illness as it was old age. Now in the twilight of his years, he was clearly not long for this world.

Most cultivators pursue longevity and freedom in their cultivation. But in this world, no matter how far one walked along the Great Dao, one still cannot escape the barrier of life and death.

As for the Mountain Lord, the old man still held deep affection for him. The two were true fellow disciples. When he first came to the mountain, their master had been in seclusion for many years, striving to break through to a higher realm. It was this senior brother who had taken on the duty of teaching and imparting the Dao to him. Though they bore the titles of fellow disciples, in truth, their relationship was no different from that of master and disciple, even father and son.

Sighing, the old man steadied his emotions and pushed open the door. A young man was currently in the courtyard boiling medicine. Upon seeing the old man, he forced a smile and greeted him rather wearily, “Martial Uncle.”

The old man nodded. This young man before him was now rightfully the young mountain lord of the mountain. Once his senior brother passed away, this Windspirit Mountain would belong to the youth.

Inside the house, it did not take long to spot the withered old man lying on the sickbed. The old man greeted him ”Senior Brother” softly. Only then, did the frail man open his eyes to look at him.

The two exchanged glances in silence, but they both revealed a faint smile.

The old man spoke plainly, “Those sent to kill Chen Wannian are all dead.”

A trace of pain flickered in the old mountain lord’s eyes. After a long silence, he slowly said, “Was it Wuwang Peak’s doing?”

The old man shook his head. “Uncertain for now. But logically, it should have been their move. Otherwise, based on Chen Wannian’s temperament, he wouldn’t have gone so far. Even if he knew we intended to murder him, he wouldn’t have taken lives.”

The old mountain lord nodded and sighed. “All these years, Wuwang Peak has coveted the position of mountain lord. Now that there’s finally a chance, of course they’ll use all sorts of means. Junior Brother, I actually...”

Old Mountain Lord paused, then continued, “I’m already like this. Feng’er is still young, he may truly be no match for them. Perhaps... we should just relinquish the mountain lord’s position and trade it for a lifetime of peace for Feng’er...”

The old man shook his head and rejected the notion immediately. “Senior Brother, how could you even think such a thing? After you pass, Feng’er will have no one to shield him. Do you really think they’ll spare him? If we back down now, the only thing behind us is an abyss. By then, it will be far too late for regret.”

Old Mountain Lord sighed heavily. “Now that Chen Wannian has completely thrown in with their side, even if I pass the position of Mountain Lord to Feng’er, once they force a coup, I fear Feng’er’s fate will be even worse.”

The old man thought for a moment, then shook his head. “The situation isn’t that dire. The game isn’t over yet. If we can seize Chen Wannian’s wife right now, we can gain control over him. At that point, there will still be other opportunities.”

They had previously decided to eliminate Chen Wannian precisely because his wife had already fallen into Wuwang Peak’s hands, leaving them with no other choice. But if they could now take control of Chen Wannian’s wife again, perhaps everything could turn around.

The Old Mountain Lord said, “It won’t be that simple.”

The old man opened his palm, revealing a black stone in the center, and said, “It may not be as difficult as you think, Senior Brother.”

The Old Mountain Lord said no more, only gasping for breath with difficulty. He had little time left. If it were not for the fact that he still had a son, he would not be concerning himself with any of this.

The old man placed the black stone beside the Old Mountain Lord’s pillow and said softly, “Senior Brother, you imparted the Dao to me, taught me daoist techniques. This junior brother will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life. This position of Mountain Lord belongs to Feng’er, so it will definitely belong to Feng’er. Even if this junior brother dies on this mountain, I’ll make sure to accomplish this for senior brother.”

The Old Mountain Lord looked at his junior brother, then shakily reached out a hand and patted his head. With a trace of affection, he said, “Junior Brother... you’re already a white-haired old man now.”

The old man’s eyes grew wet, and he said nothing.

......

......

A group of three had already descended the mountain.

Chen Wannian and his son, along with a young martial artist named Chen Chao, who had originally intended to go to the Myriad Heaven Palace but now chose instead to head to Windspirit Mountain.

Chen Wannian was a bit anxious, so he traveled at a very fast pace. But at the same time, he was also uneasy. When they were still about a hundred miles away from Windspirit Mountain, the middle-aged martial artist wanted to speak several times, but swallowed his words each time.

Chen Chao had long seen through Chen Wannian’s concerns. Seeing him hesitate to speak, he took the initiative and said, “Mr Chen is worried that, when the time comes, this official might go back on my word. Or perhaps Windspirit Mountain will insist on a fight to the death, refusing to release your esteemed wife. Or worse, they may use Mr Chen’s esteemed wife to coerce you into attacking this official, leaving Mr Chen unsure of what to do.”

Chen Wannian did not bother trying to hide anything. Since his thoughts had been laid bare, he admitted frankly, “That is exactly it. This Chen cares deeply for my wife’s life. If Lord Warden Commander doesn’t have a foolproof plan, this Chen fears things will be difficult to manage.”

Chen Chao shook his head and smiled. “This official can guarantee that this matter will be handled properly. Mr Chen need not worry. If your esteemed wife truly dies on Windspirit Mountain, then this official’s own head will remain there as well.”

Chen Wannian fell silent for a moment, then solemnly said, “If this matter can be resolved properly, then this Chen’s life will belong to you in the future, Your Excellency. This Chen will fight and die for Great Liang without a word of grumble.”

“Look at you, saying things like that again?” Chen Chao shook his head. “If this official really wanted that kind of loyalty, then what’s the difference between you being in Great Liang or Windspirit Mountain?”

Chen Chao smiled and said, “What this official wants is a genuine sense of belonging from you, Mr Chen. If this official binds Mr Chen to Great Liang with threats or promises of gain, that kind of relationship will never last.”

Chen Wannian nodded. Indeed, there were many things in his temperament that did not quite match that of a typical martial artist. But when he thought about it, it made sense.

Not everyone in the world could be like the Great Liang Emperor.

Chen Lian smiled and said, “I believe Lord Warden Commander definitely has a way to rescue Mother.”

Before Chen Wannian could respond, Chen Chao suddenly said, “Let me tell Mr Chen in advance, no matter how Windspirit Mountain behaves later, or how they try to threaten you, you must act indifferent. At that moment, this official will tie my own fate to your esteemed wife’s. Do you trust me, Mr Chen?”

Chen Wannian nodded solemnly. “I’ll follow Your Excellency’s command in everything.”

At this point, the silhouette of Windspirit Mountain was already visible in the distance. Chen Chao smiled faintly and exhaled a breath of stale air. He was not sure whether a fight was coming.

And if it did come to that, so be it.