Chapter 302: First Entry into Jiejian Mountain

Chapter 302 -299: First Entry into Jiejian Mountain

At dawn, the sky had just begun to brighten, sparse sunlight scattering across the domain of Liangzhou.

Jiejian Mountain, the only major sect in the Great Derivation with a surviving Fourth Turn master, was perpetually shrouded in a bone-chilling mist.

Its rugged ridges, like thousands of inverted swords, pierced the heavens. Waterfalls thundered from sheer cliffs, crashing into icy pools below.

To the outside world, the place was one of profound mystery. A sect composed entirely of women—it couldn’t help but fascinate outsiders.

And at this very moment, on the steps leading up the mountainside, a youth in simple white robes was ascending alone, his face an expression of unshakable calm.

The winding mountain staircase, built from tens of thousands of bluestone slabs and an insurmountable climb for ordinary people, receded steadily under his feet.

Though he moved with an ordinary person’s gait, each step cleared dozens of stairs, his figure flickering and shifting up the path.

In less time than it takes for half an incense stick to burn, the youth arrived before the sword-scarred main gate of Jiejian Mountain.

“May I ask which Senior Brother is visiting Jiejian Mountain?”

A woman in white robes with a longsword on her back blocked the path, her bearing in perfect accord with sect etiquette.

But when she saw the youth at the gate, her breath subconsciously slowed, and her mind went blank for an instant.

‘Where did I come from? Where am I going? What is at the end of the universe?’

These questions, which had arisen from the sheer boredom of guard duty, were now completely forgotten.

In her eyes, there was nothing but the youth’s pair of eyes, glittering like rubies beneath his silver hair.

The mountain wind rustled his flowing silver hair, revealing ears that seemed even more translucent than Kunlun snow jade, complementing his refined, cool features, which were like those of a fallen immortal.

A single glance was enough to trigger a vivid flashback—a serene memory from when she was three years old, lying by the lakeside at the foot of the mountain, counting the stars as she fell asleep.

‘My fated trial of love… perhaps it’s here… Or maybe I’m just dreaming on guard duty… Perhaps? Who cares anymore?’

Fang Can looked quizzically at the girl, who was staring blankly into space. “Senior Sister, Sect Leader Liu asked me to come to Jiejian Mountain. Could you please announce my arrival?”

The girl snapped out of her stupor as if waking from a dream. She took a long, deep look at the youth, trying to burn the image of his stunning beauty into her memory, before her expression turned wistful and melancholic.

Having seen the livestream from “Bai Xiao Sheng,” she naturally recognized the youth the moment she came to her senses. But this realization only deepened her despair.

She was only at the Profound Gate Fifth Layer, and breaking through to the Heaven-Ascending Road was still a distant, hopeless dream. The youth before her, on the other hand, had accomplished the monumental feat of slaying a Fourth Turn master just a few days ago.

Barring any surprises, the gap between them would only grow wider.

She never thought she’d fall in love at first sight only to have her heart broken in the very next moment.

‘A beauty like him only deserves to be with the strong,’ the female disciple thought, her gaze sweeping discreetly over Fang Can’s form. ‘A man that gorgeous… I wonder whose bed he’ll end up in? It’s not fair!’

Suppressing the regret welling up inside her, the disciple put on a gentle smile.

“Fang… Junior Brother, please come with me. I’ll guide you into the mountain.”

“Then thank you, Senior Sister.”

Fang Can followed the girl deeper into the mountain. Since Jiejian Mountain had long been isolated from the outside world, its gate was deserted, and only a single disciple was posted as a guard.

But once inside the sect proper, it grew much livelier.

Shortly after entering the gate, Fang Can could hear the clash of weapons mingling with the chatter and laughter of girls.

Then, after rounding a corner, he could see a group of swordswomen in matching white dresses in the distance, laughing and chatting as they sparred and practiced their swordsmanship.

Watching the scene from afar, Fang Can couldn’t help but feel impressed. It was much better than the Suxin Abode.

Both were sects of female cultivators, but getting close to the Suxin Abode meant being bombarded with squeals of “OOH” and “AAH.” The difference between the two was immediately obvious.

‘Now *this* is what I imagine a sect of female cultivators to be,’ Fang Can thought to himself. ‘Focused on practicing their martial arts, not on all that other nonsense.’

As Fang Can and the gate guard walked in, they began to attract the attention of the disciples practicing there.

Lv Zhirui, who had been engrossed in her sword practice, frowned slightly.

She noticed that the senior sister she was sparring with had become distracted. At the same time, all around them, one by one, her senior and junior sisters were holding their breath, their eyes wide.

It was only then that she noticed the junior sister on duty today had run over. With a stern face, she began to say:

“Junior Sister Yan, aren’t you supposed to be…”

Before she could finish her sentence, her breath caught in her throat.

And then came the standard reaction: silver hair… ruby eyes… refined, cool features… a vivid flashback…

Seeing the reactions of her fellow disciples, the gate guard sighed and instinctively moved to stand in front of Fang Can.

“Sisters, Junior Brother Fang has urgent business with the Sect Leader and will be staying on Jiejian Mountain for a few days. I’m taking him to see her now.”

“That’s not right…” Lv Zhirui cut in. “Your duty today is to guard the main gate. What if another visitor arrives? That would be neglectful. It’s better if I take Junior Brother Fang.”

Junior Sister Yan thought, ‘…Senior Sister, you’re being a little too obvious.’

But duty was duty. She could only sigh and say, “Then thank you for guiding him, Senior Sister.”

Two incense sticks’ worth of time later, after being handed off from an Outer Sect disciple to an Inner Sect disciple, then to an Outer Sect elder, and then to an Inner Sect elder…

It hadn’t been a long walk, but after changing guides five or six times, Fang Can was finally led by an Inner Sect elder to meet Liu Qingmeng.

Watching the elder leave with great reluctance, Fang Can decided to take back his earlier words. This Jiejian Mountain also seemed a little… off.

“Greetings, Elder Liu.” Fang Can said, entering and giving a respectful junior’s salute.

Watching the youth enter the main hall, Liu Qingmeng frowned.

To a Fourth Turn master, the commotion he had caused all the way up the mountain had been as clear as the lines on her own palm.

She was displeased with the behavior of this youth, who was handsome yet utterly oblivious to it. He was a disruption to her sect’s peaceful cultivation.

The woman tilted her head up slightly. With a wave of her hand, she condensed lightning into a white mask etched with thunder patterns and tossed it to him. “For the next few days, while you’re walking around the mountain, be sure to cover your face.”

“If you continue to flaunt yourself like this, do you intend to marry all of Jiejian Mountain? This is not the Suxin Abode, for you to toy with as you please.”

He raised his hand, gently caught the mask, and placed it over his face, hiding his world-troubling features.

Fang Can asked, “Elder Liu, where is Jiang Qian… Ning An? Since I’m here, why haven’t I seen her?”

Seeing the youth call her disciple by her full name, a shadow flickered in Liu Qingmeng’s deep blue eyes for a moment. Then, she replied indifferently:

“Ning An is in seclusion, fully focused on breaking through to the Fourth Turn. She likely won’t be able to come out for three to five years.”

‘Is that so…’ Fang Can felt a pang of regret. The path of the Martial Dao was long; partings were far more common than reunions. This was normal.

But for an eighteen-year-old like him, three to five years felt like an eternity.

Having reached his current level of cultivation in only half a year, it was difficult for him to appreciate just how monstrously fast a three-to-five-year breakthrough to the Fourth Turn was for other Martial Artists.