Unyielding 

To the east of the Jin Empire, near the place that’s called the Endless Sea, a sword ray perfectly straight similar to a perilous peak flew up and pierced the Heavens, the tip of the pale silver sword emitted an immense dark energy that covered around a thousand Li¹.

This, is the number one sect of the Jin Empire; The Heavenly Sword Sect!

Three years ago, when Ye Yun was still twelve years old, he came here from a far away place, after countless examinations was he able to become a Errand² disciple.

Just becoming a Errand disciple in the Heavenly Sword Sect of the Jin Empire was enough to make officials and martial artists look up to oneself.

However, a Errand disciple like Ye Yun in the Heavenly Sword Sect is nothing more than crickets and ants. There are thousands of others just like Ye Yun, they have no status, it can be said they’re the lowest of servants.

However, if a Errand disciple were to pa.s.s the exam to become a External disciple, it would be just like a carp transforming into a dragon and raising straight up into a clear sky.

In the outer courtyard, Errand disciples walked back and forth with a hurried expression on their faces as there are countless tasks that have to be done every day.

“In just one month from now the exam’s to become a External disciple will be held, with my current cultivation, will it be enough?” Ye Yun stands on a stone block atop the mountain looking into the distant, through layers of clouds, hidden deep inside he could faintly see the balcony of the Main Hall; A place where only the official disciples can be.

Bam!

The piercing sound of a whip tearing the wind echoed behind Ye Yun.

“Ye Yun, you still haven’t collected one hundred Feather Gra.s.s so why are you still standing around wasting time in this place?” Liu Dao Lie wearing a gown embroidered with clouds emerged behind Ye Yun’s back, carrying a whip in his hand and appeared with a scornful expression on his face.

Ye Yun clenched his teeth, slightly, as the back of his body gave off a burning sensation.

Liu Dao Lie is his shishu3, everyday, nearly a thousand of Errand disciples in this valley are under Liu Dao Lie’s jurisdiction. Liu Dao Lie’s talent is very ordinary, or even worse compared to some of the Errand disciples, but because he joined the sect before the others his cultivation is a bit higher compared to them. He has a cousin which is Liu Yu whom is the disciple of the Heavenly Candle Peak. The Heavenly Candle Peak within the Heavenly Sword Sect is merely a small part that create some external Elixir4, but because they are the official External disciples, they are allowed to study some Saint Arts. When comparing them to the Errand disciples, it’s like comparing Heaven and Earth.

Every day, Ye Yun usually meets with Liu Dao Lie’s complaints, but Ye Yun is dreaming of becoming a Saint, therefore he buries all the hatred deep down within himself.

Upon hearing no reply from Ye Yun, Liu Dao Lie squinted his eyes, he then suddenly let out a high tone followed with a sneer then raised his hand and whipped at Ye Yun.

“So? Still insisting on me repeating the question again?”

This one whips was on top of Ye Yun’s eyebrows, and it immediately left a b.l.o.o.d.y stripe across his face which hurt so much that his scalp wanted to explode. If the whip had hit a bit lower then Ye Yun’s eyes would have been injured.

“It"s still eighteen short.” Despite the blood dripping from Ye Yun’s face, he still managed to control his anger.

With a heavy voice Liu Dao Lie continued “You still dare to waste time when it still differs this much.” with a sneer on his face he continued “Seems like you don’t want to absorb the spiritual stone this month but want to go to the Spiritual Beasts Tower instead.”

The Spiritual Beasts Tower specialized in taming beasts in the Heavenly Sword Sect, in order to increase the interaction with the tamer and the beasts battle experience, they needed sparring partners and some Errand disciples at the Heavenly Sword Sect was forced to become their sparring partners. With the cultivation of a Errand disciple to enter the Spiritual Beasts Tower as those tamed beasts sparring partner, the chance of them surviving is almost null.

“Liu Dao Lie-shishu, just like last month, there should be enough time to find the missing eighteen Feather Gra.s.s at the end of the month. “Ye Yun did not feel any fear, on contrary, his anger was burning fiercer within his heart, but knowing that he’s no match for Liu Dao Lie, all he could do is endure as he clenched his fists to the point where his fingernails pierced his palm and blood came dripping out.

“Last time was at the end of the month, but today is today” Liu Dao Lie with a sneer on his face looking at Ye Yun and said: “The Heavenly Candle Peak changed the requirements, before nightfall, you must hand over the rest.”

“Before nightfall?” Ye Yun almost immediately lost his temper but was then unable to contain his anger any longer and let out a cry: “There are less than three hours left, how can I possibly make it in time?”

“There are still three hours left, how come there is not enough time? Besides, I have heard that you have a lot of discontent towards me, perhaps I should send you to the Spiritual Beasts Tower as it fits you better there.” Liu Dao Lie laughed, with scornful eyes he glanced at Ye Yun then turned around and left.

Ye Yun looked at his back, clenched both his fists as his body trembled all over.

Although Feather Gra.s.s is not an extremely rare herb but to find eighteen of them in less than three hours is almost impossible. It took him over half a month before when trying to find eighty-two Feather Gra.s.s, now in a short amount of time to get all the remaining herbs won"t be an easy task.

After listening to Liu Dao Lies’ words, Ye Yun knows Liu Dao Lie has been eyeing him, now he just have to grab this opportunity and eliminate Ye Yun for good.

“Liu Dao Lie! Although I was discontent towards you but I always endured it without uttering a word, just because I don’t fawn over you like others, you are now trying to get rid of me, I, Ye Yun, hereby swear that once my cultivation surpa.s.ses yours, I’ll make you pay a heavy price.”

Ye Yun’s heart beat violently. Every breath he took felt like fire burning in his chest and abdomen.

Yet he knows very clearly, first and foremost he has to overcome this crisis.

……

The Cloud Dragon Mountain of the Heavenly Sword Sect stretches thousands of li, strange peaks amounts to forest, strange rocks rugged like spikes, demonic beasts roam freely inside of the mountain and herbs can be found everywhere. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, the Heavenly Sword Sect gradually drove back the demonic beasts deep inside the mountain and let them live in a place called the Demonic Beast Valley. This is to avoid disciples entering the Cloud Dragon Mountain and being attacked by the demonic beasts while cultivating spiritual materials.

However, the Heavenly Sword Sect didn’t let them all stay in the same place but rather divided them into different area depending on their level; By using sealing technique, the higher level demonic beasts are isolated within the deepest part of the mountain, thus, the Demonic Beast Valley became a place for the Heavenly Sword Sects’ disciples to hone their skills. Depending on one’s capability, one can enter an area with similar level to oneself to hone one’s skills.

Feather Gra.s.s grows everywhere inside of the Demonic Beast Valley. To a External disciple, the two outermost area has some low level demonic beasts that they can easily kill. But for a Errand disciple without the Saint Arts of the Heavenly Sword Sect, even if it’s the two outermost areas, it can be dangerous.

“In the past half of the month, I’ve practically searched everywhere in the outermost area, in which I should practically have found all the Feather Gra.s.s in this area, the only option left is to enter the second area, that is the only way to collect the remaining Feather Gra.s.s in such a short amount of time to complete the task.”

A distance of twenty li to the east of the outer courtyard, there exists an old tree that reaches through the clouds, this tree can be seen from the outer courtyard, and that is one of the gateways to the Demonic Beast Valley, pa.s.sing through this old tree is to enter the Demonic Beast Valley.

Ye Yun sweating as he appeared under the tall old tree, he then glanced in front of him, knitted his eyebrows and then entered the Demonic Beast Valley.

The moment Ye Yun put his foot inside the tree, the scenery before his eyes immediately and dramatically changed; The bright clear sky is nowhere to be seen, the white clouds that leisurely floated in the sky is nowhere to be found, and the Heaven and Earth seem to have sunk into total dusk. From time to time the howling and whinny sounds of the demonic beasts in the deepest part echoing through the cave would make one to tremble in fear.

This is the Demonic Beast Valley, a place where disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect hone their skills.

Ye Yun raised his hand gently and a faint soft light started to emit from his body, it then gathered at the top of his head and lighted up tens of Mi5 ahead.

This faint soft light is called Glimmering Art that all Errand disciples must practice. In the Demonic Beast Valley, only this faint soft light that’s known as Glimmering Art is capable of breaking through the darkness and allow one to see their surroundings.

In the past half month, due to Glimmering Art, Ye Yun was able to search every nook and corner of the outermost area of the Demonic Best Valley and was able to find all 82 Feather Gra.s.s, besides patience and a strong will, it also requires luck. Although the outermost area of the Demonic Beast Valley doesn’t have strong demonic beasts, however, if a Errand disciple such as Ye Yun were to encounter a group of level one demonic beasts, then he could be killed by them.

To be able to find eighteen Feather Gra.s.s in less than three hours is impossible. Unless, one were to leave the outermost area and enter the second area, because there are much more Feather Gra.s.s in the second area, furthermore, it’s unlikely for a Errand disciple to enter this area, and is less likely for a External disciple to waste their time on these low level herbs. By entering the second area, it’s estimated that the task would be completed in one hour, however, the lowest level of a demonic beast is at level two, even level three demonic beasts exist in this area. Because Ye Yun is still at the Third Stage of Body Refining Technique: Marrow Refining Realm, this is like herding sheeps into a tiger’s den.

A stele appeared in front of Ye Yun, under the faint soft light that shone down, a faint l.u.s.ter of crimson flowing down could be seen.

This stele is the mark of the second area.

Since Ye Yun had made up his mind, he no longer hesitated. He took a deep breath and quickly walk past the stele.

Glimmering Art emitted a faint soft light that flickered with every blow of the wind, and immediately the vision changed to ten Mi.

Outside of ten Mi, everything was pitch-black.

“No wonder External disciples practice arts that’s of higher level than Glimmering Art, with just the second area of the Demonic Beast Valley and it’s already this dark, if I were to enter the third area, I’m afraid my Glimmering Art won’t be of any use anymore.” Ye Yun was able to see the surrounding was due to that faint soft light, his complexion became more serious, with that kind of vision, to be able to find the remaining Feather Gra.s.s as quickly as possible, one can imagine how hard it would be.

Since Ye Yun already entered the second area, as he doesn’t want to waste any more time, he bent down, slowly walking forward and concentrate on finding the Feather Gra.s.s.

Usually, no Errand disciple dare to step into this second area, and few External disciples are to enter the second area to look for this Feather Gra.s.s of little to no value material, according to Ye Yun’s thinking, he ought to be able find some.

Sure enough, with less than ten minutes, under the faint soft light of Glimmering Art, a little herb about half a Chi6 tall appeared in front of Ye Yun, blue stolon, blue leaf, this is the Feather Gra.s.s most remarkable characteristics that one would know at a glance.

Ye Yun was overjoyed, he didn’t expect to be able to find one Feather Gra.s.s this easily in the second level, at this rate, completing the task within two hours would be possible.

The second herb was easily found, and the third, the fourth…

Ye Yun didn’t expect to find this many so easily, with just an hour of effort, he was able to find eight herbs already.

“Liu Dao Lie, you didn’t think that I would be this lucky, right? Once I surpa.s.s you, I’ll be sure to fully pay you back all the humiliation I have endured.” His eyes shine with killing intent as he saw the ninth Feather Gra.s.s.

“Something is amiss, how can there be so many Feather Gra.s.s growing in the same area?” Ye Yun now discover what he has been neglecting, “No good, Feather Gra.s.s attribute is cold, and third level demonic beasts like to eat Feather Gra.s.s to enhance their Cold Ice within their body, could it be…”

Hiss!

At the time Ye Yun realised something was amiss, a cold figure like arista appeared behind him, cutting through the void, with a sizzling sound it launched toward Ye Yun’s sleevesless vest.

Every hair in Ye Yun’s body stood up, and he rolled forward by reflex. The blue cold figure like arista launched pa.s.s his vest and teared a part of it.

Ye Yun raised his head just to see two long thin full-bodied white serpents within ten Mi lying on the gra.s.s, under the faint light, they emitted an ice-cold chillness, the crimson flickering tongue created a terrifying sizzling sound.

Level three demonic beast, Ice Spirit Snow Serpent!