Jian Dan spent a full day studying the newly received mission token back in her cave dwelling. The task itself was straightforward, but it still felt thorny.
The content read: one month from now, the Chilang Secret Realm would open. Jian Dan and Tao Chengfeng, acting as team leaders, were to escort two hundred disciples from Tianjian Sect into and out of the secret realm. The majority of these disciples were at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages. The more they brought back safely, the better. All the preparatory work prior to departure would also fall on the two of them.
Jian Dan and Tao Chengfeng were the only two mid-stage Golden Core cultivators who passed the selection. Normally, a low-tier secret realm like Chilang would only require one Golden Core cultivator to maintain order. The fact that both were dispatched suggested to Jian Dan that this was only the surface of the assignment. There had to be more beneath it.
With that thought in mind, Jian Dan slipped the token back into her storage pouch and left her cave dwelling, heading straight toward the Affairs Hall on Jianyue Peak.
"Steward Lü, it has been a while."
"So it's Shan Zhēnrén. Indeed, long time no see."
After the usual pleasantries, Jian Dan got to the point.
"When I returned from the Purple-rank secret realm, I had a reward pending that I never claimed. I wonder if it's still available."
"Ah, you must be referring to the reward for selecting a sword from the Sword Tomb?"
"That's right."
"Technically, that reward should have been claimed when you were still at the Foundation Establishment stage. You are now a Golden Core cultivator."
"Oh? Is that a problem?"
Jian Dan met Lü Zhēnrén's eyes, unwavering. Lü Zhēnrén smiled, then smoothly changed the subject, giving a brief explanation of the Sword Tomb tradition within the Tianjian Sect.
"Only disciples who have cultivated sword intent are qualified to enter the Sword Tomb and select a sword. Which sword you obtain depends entirely on your fate. Some disciples, even after developing sword intent, wait until reaching the Nascent Soul stage before entering to choose their sword."
"You should already know, the Sword Tomb is where the blades of Tianjian Sect's former greats are laid to rest. Sword intent runs rampant within. The deeper you go, the more dangerous it becomes. That said, outer-region swords aren't necessarily inferior, but cultivators will always strive for the best."
"Well said, Lü Zhēnrén. Are you worried I'll reach the inner zone? I wouldn't dare overestimate myself."
"Haha, Shan Zhēnrén jests."
Lü Zhēnrén chuckled, not saying more. Still, he couldn't help thinking to himself that this particular Zhēnrén might just manage it.
Returning to business, he put on a formal demeanor and said, "Please hand me your identification jade. I will retrieve the spiritual key to activate the Sword Tomb, then take you there."
"Much appreciated, Zhēnrén."
Once the formalities were handled, Lü Zhēnrén escorted Jian Dan via teleportation array to the Affairs Hall on Tianjian Peak. As the principal peak among the Inner Nine, Tianjian Peak was far more abundant in spiritual energy. More importantly, it was a floating mountain, orbiting steadily along a fixed path.
The moment she stepped off the array, Jian Dan could sense the rotation of the mountain. She said nothing about it though, as a Yuányīng Zhēnjūn was already standing ahead.
Jian Zhi Zhēnjūn noticed that the Outer Peaks' teleportation array had activated for the first time in ages, and today it had delivered two people.
"Greetings, Zhēnjūn. I am Lü Mingyi, steward of Jianyue Peak's Affairs Hall. I'm here today to bring one of my peak's disciples to the Sword Tomb to claim a sword."
Lü Mingyi presented the spiritual key. Jian Zhi Zhēnjūn accepted it and gave Jian Dan a glance before saying,
"Lü-shizhi, wait here. You, come with me."
Jian Dan followed Jian Zhi Zhēnjūn out of the hall. Two celestial cranes descended in front of them. Jian Zhi Zhēnjūn leaped onto one, and Jian Dan mounted the other. With a resonant cry, the cranes took off toward the back of Tianjian Peak.
From above, Tianjian Peak appeared cloaked in layers of lush spiritual flora. Clear spring water cascaded from multiple aerial springs into winding mountain streams. Mist swirled in the air, and spirit beasts occasionally darted between the trees. Celestial cranes flew in formation overhead. In one clearing below, sword cultivators were practicing their forms.
Up ahead, Jian Zhi Zhēnjūn called back,
"You have three days to choose a sword. Whether or not you succeed, you will be transported out at the end. I will meet you back at the Affairs Hall then."
"Thank you for the reminder, Zhēnjūn."
Less than an hour later, the cranes arrived at the mountain's rear, which was composed entirely of steep cliffs and jagged rock walls. Sparse tufts of grass jutted out from cracks in the stone.
Jian Zhi Zhēnjūn dismounted in front of the Sword Tomb's entrance. Embedded in the ground stood a stone carving of a broken sword, with the single word "Tomb" etched into it.
He inserted the spiritual key into the character. The broken sword flared with blinding light, surrounding Jian Dan in its glow. Within a breath, her figure vanished. The broken sword dimmed and returned to silence.
Jian Dan felt herself drawn into a sealed space. Instantly, sword intent came roaring toward her like a storm. She activated a protective shield, but within moments, fine threads of sword energy tore it apart.
With her shield destroyed, the surrounding sword intent grew even denser, forcing Jian Dan to draw her Twin Moons Dragon Sword from her storage pouch and engage the pressure head-on. Fortunately, the sword intent on the outer perimeter wasn't overwhelmingly lethal. She managed to cut her way through, and after cleaving the final wave of sword energy, she finally stepped into the true Sword Tomb.
Before her stood a towering mountain, its surface densely embedded with swords of every shape and type. Sword intent swirled around the peak, forming a protective barrier.
Jian Dan looked down at her damaged dual swords and frowned. Even with three days, let alone thirty, she doubted she could take a single step closer. No wonder the sect had offered this reward so freely. The swords were there, but one needed true skill to claim them.
She paused in thought, then decided to try another path.
If she couldn't reach the sword, then she would draw the sword to her.
She had a Chaos spiritual root, and she cultivated the Primordial Chaos Art of the sword. This environment, dense with sword intent, was perfect for her to push the technique toward fusion. If she succeeded, the sword would have no choice but to come to her.