Chapter 73: The Mystical Power of Hidden Spirit Mountain

“Disciple greets the Sixth Elder and the Ninth Elder.”

Inside Hidden Spirit Courtyard, all Dao Gate disciples saluted together.

Li Chunsong waved his sleeve, indicating they need not be overly formal.

Nangong Yue folded her arms across her chest, as if propping up that full, round area.

She was naturally gentle in temperament, and at this moment she smiled brightly at Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang, her eyes scanning them up and down with undisguised appreciation.

“This time, Little Martial Uncle descending the mountain truly brought back two promising seedlings for our Dao Gate.” She sighed inwardly.

The two Elders personally escorted them to the entrance of Hidden Spirit Mountain.

The inner sect disciples in the courtyard were not too surprised.

After all, having served for so many years, this was the first time they had seen the Charred-black Wooden Token.

Moreover, the names Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang had been heard from time to time even within the inner sect.

Seeing the two Elders already departing, the disciples began whispering.

“Junior Brother Chu and Junior Sister Han have the qualification to head toward the mountaintop—doesn’t that mean they might see that sword?”

“If they can reach the summit, naturally.”

“I wonder if the stone steps in the summit area are easier to climb… back when I was at the mountainside, I didn’t even finish half the path.”

“It must surely be more difficult, with the test far harsher.”

After a while, Junior Sister Chen—the one who had gone to summon Elder Nangong—suddenly spoke.

“If you all had the ability to reach the summit, would you really keep climbing? Just to see that sword?”

Given the particular rules of Hidden Spirit Mountain, her words made everyone fall silent.

Meanwhile, Nangong Yue, as the person in charge of Hidden Spirit Mountain, patiently explained the climbing rules to the two of them.

Han Shuangjiang listened intently, while Chu Huaixu already had a general understanding.

Hidden Spirit Mountain had a total of 9,999 stone steps, divided into three zones of 3,333 steps each.

The whole mountain was covered by a flight-restriction formation, so anyone below the Ninth Level could only ascend by foot.

Because countless Spiritual Artifacts were here, they naturally generated a spiritual pressure, akin to the coercion of high-level cultivators.

Every Dao Gate disciple who climbed had to withstand this pressure.

Though climbing itself was not strenuous for cultivators, this spiritual pressure was the true test.

The higher one ascended, the stronger the pressure became.

And the oppression it brought was not only upon the body.

For a First Level cultivator, whose divine sense in the Sea of Consciousness had only just begun to form, the trial tested willpower, perseverance, and mental fortitude.

In short, the discomfort was indescribable—it could only be experienced firsthand when ascending.

Nangong Yue walked ahead, guiding them. Her voice was melodious, carrying the soft, lilting tone of a Jiangnan woman.

“There is another matter you two must know.”

“The stone steps of Hidden Spirit Mountain can only be climbed upward, never downward.”

“Along the steps, Spiritual Artifacts will be placed. If you do not choose them and continue climbing, there will be no chance to regret it.”

“The Spiritual Artifacts at the summit are of higher overall quality than those on the mountainside, and the mountainside’s are naturally better than those at the foot.”

“However, within the same zone, it does not mean that the higher you climb, the higher the grade of the artifact.”

“What’s more, I trust you two at least understand this much: a Spiritual Artifact must be carefully attuned to. The one that suits you is the best.” The Artifact-Refining Grandmaster spoke.

Li Chunsong had been silent at the side, occasionally rubbing his hands together.

Now this dead gambling addict could not resist giving his own opinion.

“Precisely because there is no turning back, Hidden Spirit Mountain is not only a treasure mountain—it is a gambling mountain!” The Benevolent Gambling King spoke excitedly.

Nangong Yue rolled her eyes at him, but she could do nothing about him in this regard.

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Li Chunsong, however, became more animated the more he spoke: “When climbing, you won’t know whether a better match awaits above, but neither will you know if what you missed was the very best!”

“Thrilling, isn’t it?” His face flushed red.

Chu Huaixu had long since made his decision, so he only half-listened.

Han Shuangjiang grew increasingly nervous—the climbing rules of Hidden Spirit Mountain were far harsher than she had imagined!

Seeing their expressions, Nangong Yue added, “Each climber may only take one Spiritual Artifact. Since the Dao Gate values fate, and many relics of predecessors rest upon this mountain, it must also be a two-way choice.”

“You cannot force an artifact to recognize you. While you choose the artifact, the artifact is also choosing you.”

“Only then may you bring it down the mountain.”

Hearing this, Li Chunsong instantly interjected again: “Which means, sometimes, if you miss one earlier, perhaps no artifact later will choose you!”

Chu Huaixu muttered inwardly: “What do you choose me, I choose you—this is starting to sound like If You Are the One.”

At that moment, he only voiced a thought: “So, newly-refined artifacts are actually easier to take down the mountain?”

Nangong Yue glanced at him with a smile.

The Artifact-Refining Grandmaster nodded slightly, acknowledging him: “It is good that you thought of this so quickly.”

She continued, “Generally speaking, only when a cultivator’s life-bound treasure is born will a true Artifact Spirit emerge.”

“For example, a sword may have a Sword Spirit, a blade may have a Blade Spirit.”

“Take the sword embryos I forge, for instance. They are like newborn infants of Heaven and Earth, possessing a trace of spirituality but lacking true wisdom. They cannot yet be called Sword Spirits.”

“They remain in a state of innocence, acting only by instinct to choose whom they feel is suitable.”

“Only after becoming someone’s life-bound treasure can that wisp of spirituality grow under the cultivator’s nurture, and eventually become an Artifact Spirit.”

“But relics of the predecessors are different.” Nangong Yue shifted the topic.

“Most of those relics were indeed their life-bound treasures.”

“Even after their passing, the Artifact Spirit remains, though weakened.”

“Normally, in a matter of months or years, those Artifact Spirits would dissipate into Heaven and Earth.”

“But the many formations on Hidden Spirit Mountain preserve them, preventing complete dissipation—though they still weaken with time.”

“Once they recognize a new master and become another’s life-bound treasure, the old spirit vanishes entirely, and a new one is born.”

“It is both death and rebirth.” Nangong Yue spoke eloquently.

As an Artifact-Refining Grandmaster, she was utterly devoted to her craft.

When she spoke of Artifact Spirits, her demeanor was not unlike Li Chunsong discussing gambling.

Han Shuangjiang, with her strong empathy, who had been quietly listening all along, now spoke: “So, the relics left behind by these predecessors… in truth, they carry their will?”

Nangong Yue nodded in reply: “Indeed, some do.”

For life-bound treasures could never betray their master’s intent or wishes.

Even if what awaited them was death.

Li Chunsong chimed in at once: “Some predecessors may have left a will, but some did not—they simply left their artifacts here awaiting a destined one. So the criteria for selection are varied and unpredictable, making it all the more mysterious and unknown, right?”

“Truly, the treasure mountain is also a gambling mountain!” He sighed again, rubbing his hands.

The solemn mood was once again ruined by this dead gambling addict.

Chu Huaixu listened and could not help but think of some rather irreverent comparisons.

Like how newly-forged treasures were especially gullible.

While the relics were like stubborn old men.

He quickly banished these inappropriate thoughts, reproaching himself—ashamed to be likened to Li Chunsong, this atmosphere-ruining gambling addict!

In fact, Chu Huaixu had read many Dao Gate forum posts where players declared: “One must not have a gambling addict’s mindset!”

Clearly, many had missed artifacts on Hidden Spirit Mountain and later regretted it bitterly.

The four of them continued chatting as they walked, soon arriving at the stone steps.

Nangong Yue pointed at the Charred-black Wooden Tokens in their hands: “Before climbing, wear them at your waists.”

“These tokens contain a small formation connected to the mountain’s teleportation array. After choosing an artifact, crush it, and you will be transported back to the foot of the mountain,” she explained.

Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang did as instructed, hanging them at their waists.

The Ninth Elder smiled gently: “Which of you will go first? The two of you must be staggered by the time of one incense stick.”

The two young disciples exchanged a glance. Han Shuangjiang, the female lead of 《Borrowed Sword》, was as valiant as ever, just like during the third trial in the secret realm, and once more volunteered.

“I’ll go first,” she said.

“No, this time I’ll go first,” Chu Huaixu replied.

Let me, your elder brother, set the example!

“Go on.” Li Chunsong pointed upward: “Once you step on the stone steps, you will feel the surrounding spiritual pressure.”

“The maximum pressure you can withstand will be the limit of how far you can climb.” He spoke.

Back then, on the Sect Master’s orders, he had given the Hidden Spirit Mountain token to Chu Huaixu.

But how far he could climb on these 9,999 steps—depended on himself.

Chu Huaixu nodded, clasped his hands to the others, and strode forward.

A gust of wind blew, lifting the corner of his black robes. His eyes sharpened, and he took his first step upward.

Chu Huaixu stepped onto the first stone step, carefully feeling it. Then—

Nothing!

He kept climbing, faster and faster—yet still felt nothing.

The surrounding spiritual pressure, to him, was as though it did not exist, having no effect whatsoever.