Chapter 76: Chapter 73: The Mysteries of Hidden Spirit Mountain

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

In the Hidden Spirit Hall, all the Daoist disciples bowed in unison.

Li Chunsong waved his sleeve, signaling that everyone need not be overly formal.

Nangong Yue crossed her arms, as if to lift those bulging areas.

She had an inherently gentle demeanor, and at this moment, she was smiling as she looked at Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang, her gaze filled with undisguised admiration.

“Junior Martial Uncle, on this trip down the mountain, truly found two promising talents for our Daoist Sect,” she mused inwardly.

The two elders personally led them to the entrance of Hidden Spirit Mountain.

Within the courtyard, the Inner Sect disciples were not overly surprised.

After all, in all these years, it was their first time seeing the charred token.

Moreover, the names Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang were somewhat known even within the Inner Sect.

Seeing that the two elders had already left, they began whispering among themselves.

“Junior Brother Chu and Junior Sister Han have the qualification to ascend to the mountain top. Doesn’t that mean they have a chance to see that sword?”

“If they can successfully reach the top, certainly.”

“I wonder if the stone steps in the mountain top area are easy to traverse. After all, I didn’t even finish half of the mid-mountain area back then.”

“Undoubtedly, it must be more challenging; the level of difficulty will be higher as well.”

After a while, Junior Sister Chen, who had gone to call Elder Nangong, suddenly spoke up.

“If you had the ability to reach the top, would you really keep going just to see that sword?”

Given the unique rules of Hidden Spirit Mountain, everyone fell silent upon hearing this.

On the other side, Nangong Yue, as the person in charge of Hidden Spirit Mountain, was patiently explaining the rules of ascent to the two.

Han Shuangjiang listened intently, while Chu Huaixu had a general understanding in his mind.

Hidden Spirit Mountain had 9,999 stone steps in total, divided by three, with 3,333 steps each forming a section.

The entire mountain was covered by a No-Fly Array; anyone below the Ninth Realm could only climb step by step.

Because of the abundance of Spiritual Artifacts here, a spiritual pressure naturally occurred, similar to the pressure exerted by High Tier Cultivators.

Every Daoist disciple climbing the mountain had to withstand this spiritual pressure.

To cultivators, climbing the mountain might seem effortless, but the spiritual pressure posed the real challenge.

Many arrays were set up on the mountain; the higher you climbed, the stronger the spiritual pressure you had to bear.

The oppression it caused was not limited to the physical body alone.

For cultivators in the First Realm, their divine sense in the Sea of Consciousness was just beginning to form.

Under these circumstances, it came down to will, perseverance, and mental state.

Overall, the uncomfortable feeling was hard to describe; one could only truly feel it when ascending the mountain.

Nangong Yue led the way, her voice pleasant, with a southern accent carrying the soft tones of Jiangnan.

“There is one more thing I need to tell you both.”

“The stone steps on Hidden Spirit Mountain can only be climbed upwards; there is no going back.”

“Beside the steps are Magical Treasures and Spiritual Artifacts. If you decide not to take them and choose to continue upwards, there are no second chances.”

“The overall quality of the Spiritual Artifacts at the mountain top is certainly better than those at the mid-mountain, and those at mid-mountain are better than those at the foot of the mountain.”

“However, within the same section, going higher doesn’t necessarily mean better grades for the Spiritual Artifacts.”

“Moreover, I assume you both have the basic knowledge? A Spiritual Artifact needs to be carefully attuned; the one most suitable for you is the best.” The Artifact Refining Grandmaster explained.

Li Chunsong, standing silently to the side, occasionally rubbed his hands nervously.

At this moment, this compulsive gambler couldn’t help but express his own opinion.

“It’s because there’s no turning back that Hidden Spirit Mountain is not only a Treasure Mountain but also a Gamble Mountain!” The Charitable Gambling King said with excitement.

Nangong Yue gave him a slight glare, helpless in this regard.

Li Chunsong, however, became even more enthusiastic in his storytelling, saying, “While climbing the mountain, you’re unsure if there’s something better suited for you at the top, but you also don’t know if you’ve missed the best on the way!”

“It’s thrilling, isn’t it?” His face began to flush.

Chu Huaixu had already made up his mind, so he just listened casually.

Han Shuangjiang, however, grew more nervous the more she listened, never expecting the rules of ascending Hidden Spirit Mountain to be like this!

Nangong Yue, observing the two, added, “Each person climbing can only take one Spiritual Artifact. Due to the Daoist Sect’s emphasis on Fate Technique, and with so many relics from predecessors on the mountain, it must be a mutual selection.”

“Forcibly binding a Spiritual Artifact is not allowed. As you choose the Spiritual Artifact, it is also choosing you.”

“Only in this way can one bring the Spiritual Artifact down from the mountain.”

Upon hearing this, Li Chunsong, that gambling-addicted fellow, immediately added, “So, if you miss one above, perhaps none of the Spiritual Artifacts will choose you afterward.”

In his heart, Chu Huaixu grumbled, “What do you mean by ’you choose me, I choose you,’ as if it’s from ’If You Are the One’…”

At this moment, he spoke just in time to share his opinion, “So, actually, are newly refined Spiritual Artifacts easier to take down from the mountain?”

Nangong Yue heard this and smiled at him.

The Artifact Refining Grandmaster nodded slightly and affirmed Chu Huaixu: “It’s impressive that you thought of this so quickly.”

She continued, “Usually, only the lifebound magical treasures of cultivators can give birth to artifact spirits in the true sense.”

“For example, a sword has a sword spirit, and a blade has a sword spirit.”

“Take the sword embryos I crafted as an example, they are like newborns in the world, possessing a certain amount of spirituality but lacking much intelligence, not yet considered sword spirits.”

“They can be said to be quite naive, relying only on their nature and instincts to choose whom they find suitable.”

“Only when they become someone’s lifebound magical treasure does their spirituality have the potential, nurtured by the cultivator, to grow and become an artifact spirit.”

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

“Most of those relics are actually the lifebound magical treasures of those predecessors.”

“After they passed, the artifact spirits still exist but will become much weaker.”

“Normally, in a matter of months or years, their artifact spirits would completely dissipate into the world.”

“However, the arrays set up on Hidden Spirit Mountain ensure these artifact spirits do not completely dissipate over time, although they grow weaker.”

“But once they recognize a new master and become someone’s lifebound magical treasure, the old artifact spirits will completely vanish, and new artifact spirits will be born.”

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

As an Artifact Refining Grandmaster, she was passionate about the path of artifact refining.

Speaking of artifact spirits, she appeared akin to Li Chunsong when discussing gambling.

Han Shuangjiang, quite empathetic, had been quietly listening until now and said, “So, the spiritual artifacts left by these predecessors are actually upholding their last wishes?”

Nangong Yue nodded and replied, “Some of them certainly are.”

As lifebound magical treasures, they naturally cannot go against their master’s will and wishes.

Even if they are faced with death at that time.

Li Chunsong immediately interjected, “Some predecessors may leave a will, but some may not, simply leaving their spiritual artifacts on the mountain for a destined person. Thus, when spiritual artifacts choose people, the criteria are varied and unpredictable, isn’t it even more mysterious and unknown?”

“Treasure Mountain is also a Gambling Mountain!” he exclaimed, rubbing his hands.

The heartwarming atmosphere was disrupted by this incorrigible gambling enthusiast.

As Chu Huaixu listened to these words, some rather disrespectful metaphors came to mind.

For example, newly refined magical treasures are like… something easy to deceive.

While those relics are difficult old timers…

He quickly dismissed these messy thoughts, chiding himself and ashamed to be in the same league as a disruptive gambler like Li Chunsong!

In fact, Chu Huaixu had read many posts by Daoist disciples on the forum, with everyone declaring, “The gambling mindset is unacceptable!”

Clearly, they had missed spiritual artifacts on Hidden Spirit Mountain, regretting it deeply after descending the mountain.

The four continued chatting as they walked, soon arriving at the stone steps leading up the mountain.

Nangong Yue pointed to the two’s charred wooden tokens and said, “Before officially ascending the mountain, wear them properly, hanging at your waist.”

“The token is engraved with a small array linked to the mountain’s teleportation array. Once you have chosen a spiritual artifact, break it to be transported back to the mountain’s base,” she explained.

Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang, hearing this, followed suit and hung them at their waists.

The Ninth Elder saw they were ready, smiled warmly, and asked, “Which of you will go first? You need to stagger your ascent by the time it takes to burn an incense stick.”

The young disciples exchanged glances; Han Shuangjiang, the female protagonist in “Borrowed Sword,” was quite gallant, just as she was at the third stage of the Secret Realm. She volunteered again.

“I’ll go first,” she said.

“No, let me go first this time,” Chu Huaixu said.

Let me show you how it’s done!

“Go ahead,” Li Chunsong gestured upward, “Once you step onto the stone steps, you’ll feel the surrounding spiritual pressure.”

“The limit of spiritual pressure you can withstand is the furthest you can climb this time,” he said.

Earlier, on the Sect Leader’s command, he brought Hidden Spirit Mountain’s wooden token to Chu Huaixu.

But how far he could climb the 9,999 steps depended on him.

Chu Huaixu nodded, bowed slightly, and then confidently strode forward.

A breeze blew, lifting the hem of his black robe. He narrowed his eyes and took a step upward.

Standing on the first step, he carefully sensed and then….

—Nothing!

He continued ascending, each step quicker than the last, still feeling nothing.

To him, the surrounding spiritual pressure didn’t exist, unable to exert the slightest influence.

…

(ps: Second update, asking for monthly votes!

There’s more to come today, I’ll write another ten thousand words. I’m taking some medicine and getting some sleep; I’m feeling a bit feverish.)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep