Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Joining the Sword Institute
On a tree-lined path outside the imperial city, one that had lain abandoned for many years.
Lin Haitao walked in front, scattering yellow paper from his hands and muttering something that sounded like a eulogy.
Shen Daoxing followed behind him.
He was extremely curious about the Sword Institute. Wang Hu had told him it possessed an invincible form of swordsmanship.
After a long while, the two arrived at the top of a mountain.
They stood beside a dilapidated memorial archway, surrounded by overgrown weeds. There was nothing else, giving the place a desolate and lonely air.
The old man stopped abruptly, his expression suddenly turning solemn. "Remember, my Sword Institute is the supreme sanctuary of the East Continent. Once you enter, there is no turning back."
’The supreme sanctuary of the East Continent!?’
The East Continent was vast and contained countless nations. The Martial Kingdom was but a drop in the ocean, completely insignificant. To claim the Sword Institute was the supreme sanctuary of the East Continent was an outrageous exaggeration.
Lin Haitao’s entire demeanor changed, his voice now carrying a trace of majesty. "From this day forward, are you willing to enter the Sword Institute and fight for the sake of the sword?"
Shen Daoxing took a deep breath and nodded. "I am!"
Lin Haitao said gravely, "Remember this: if a disciple of the Sword Institute fails to become a Sword King in the future, they will be expelled!"
Shen Daoxing blinked. ’Is the Sword Institute really that confident?’
Sword King!
This was a title for the most elite Swordsmen. Every three years, the hundreds of nations in the East Continent would select ten top Swordsmen and name them Sword Kings.
In the thousand years since its founding, the Martial Kingdom had yet to produce a single Sword King.
This showed just how difficult it was to become a Sword King.
Shen Daoxing asked, "Are the other disciples of the Sword Institute all Sword Kings?"
Lin Haitao shook his head. "No."
Shen Daoxing asked again, "Then were they all expelled?"
Lin Haitao said, his face expressionless, "No. They all died on Celestial City Mountain."
Shen Daoxing: "..."
Anxiety gnawed at him. He felt that Lin Haitao was all talk. ’Is the Sword Institute really some "supreme sanctuary"?!’
’Why does the Sword Institute keep losing to Celestial City Academy?’
Lin Haitao pointed ahead. "Step past this archway, and from this day on, you will be a disciple of my Sword Institute. Once you step through, the decision is final. I am giving you one last chance to think it over."
Entering the Sword Institute meant becoming a mortal enemy of Celestial City Academy.
Celestial City Academy was the number one academy in the Martial Kingdom. Its influence was deeply rooted, and it boasted countless experts and masters. Many of its former prodigies had even ventured beyond the East Continent.
The Sword Institute, in contrast, was in utter ruin. It was now holed up on this mountainside like a stray dog.
But while others might have a choice, Shen Daoxing did not.
From the moment he left Celestial City Mountain, his only option was to join the Sword Institute.
Seeing Shen Daoxing remain silent, Lin Haitao lifted his chin and declared righteously, "I saved you from dire straits, but I am not one to use a favor to demand repayment. If you do not wish to join the Sword Institute, I will not force you."
"Since you’ve put it that way, Senior, I will naturally comply."
Without much hesitation, Shen Daoxing followed Lin Haitao and strode past the archway.
Lin Haitao said, "Recite the oath with me."
Then, Shen Daoxing and Lin Haitao recited a short oath, after which Lin Haitao had Shen Daoxing offer a drop of his Life Essence Blood.
Upon seeing this, Lin Haitao’s tense expression completely relaxed, and a smile touched the corners of his mouth. "Good. From this day forward, you are a disciple of my Sword Institute."
Shen Daoxing had a bad feeling. He asked, "How many disciples does our Sword Institute have in total?"
Lin Haitao said nonchalantly, "My Sword Institute is a place that cultivates Sword Kings. As they say, an army’s value lies in its elite soldiers, not its numbers. So for now, it’s just you."
Shen Daoxing’s eyes widened, a look of disbelief appearing in them.
’The whole Sword Institute... and I’m the only disciple?’
Shen Daoxing took a deep breath. "Besides yourself, sir, are there any other masters in the Sword Institute?"
"Yes!"
Lin Haitao nodded. "There are two others. They’re in the back courtyard. I’ll take you to meet them now."
The two then walked toward the back courtyard of the Desolate Mountain.
They saw about a dozen interconnected thatched huts. The plaster on the courtyard walls was peeling off, and some walls even had clearly visible cracks.
The ground, however, was very clean, with few weeds.
"This is the Sword Institute’s temporary residence. We usually receive guests here."
Lin Haitao said without batting an eye, "It may be a bit crude, but it has everything it needs."
"!?"
Shen Daoxing’s heart sank. ’The Sword Institute’s environment seems even worse than the Shen Family’s.’
’Is this really the supreme sanctuary of the East Continent!?’
Lin Haitao clapped his hands and announced loudly, "I tricked... er, recruited a new disciple on Celestial City Mountain! You all can come out and meet him."
The surroundings were completely silent. There wasn’t the slightest movement.
After a long moment, the wooden door on the far left opened.
A woman in a long black dress emerged. Her figure was full and alluring, with captivating curves like a ripe peach. Her eyes were as clear as autumn waters, but as Shen Daoxing met her gaze, he noticed a complex and subtle emotion flicker in their depths from time to time.
Lin Haitao said enthusiastically, "Junior Sister, this is the new student I recruited."
"You shouldn’t have brought him into the Sword Institute. He’s still so young."
The woman said coldly, then turned and shut the door.
’Young!?’
Shen Daoxing frowned slightly. ’Something about that feels strange.’
"She was complimenting you."
Lin Haitao gave a dry laugh. "That’s just how my Junior Sister is. She’s always fond of praising others."
Shen Daoxing gave Lin Haitao a suspicious look. "What about the other person?"
"He’s a bit odd. You’ll be training here from now on, so you’ll meet him sooner or later. No need to rush it."
Lin Haitao smiled. "There are plenty of rooms here. Just pick one and settle in."
Shen Daoxing nodded and walked toward a nearby thatched hut.
The huts had clearly been uninhabited for a long time; they were all covered in dust inside.
Shen Daoxing entered a relatively clean room and began to look around.
"What’s this?"
Just then, Shen Daoxing discovered more than twenty memorial tablets arranged on the room’s wall.
"Memorial tablet of Sword Institute student Tang Mu!"
"Memorial tablet of Sword Institute student Bao Qiaosong!"
...
Every single one of these wooden plaques was a memorial tablet for a student of the Sword Institute.
Seeing this, Shen Daoxing’s expression turned incredibly strange.
...
「The moon was bright, the stars were few, and a crescent hung high in the sky.」
Lin Haitao was sitting cross-legged on his bed, cultivating. Suddenly, as if sensing something, he opened his eyes and smiled. "Junior Sister, since you’re here, why don’t you come in and talk."
From the doorway, the woman in black said coldly, "By recruiting him into the Sword Institute, you’ve doomed that boy."
Lin Haitao said lightly, "Chen Guanggu wants him dead. If I hadn’t intervened, he would have died for sure."
The woman’s voice was grave. "One is a straightforward death. The other is being forced to face despair and be slowly tortured to death."
Lin Haitao smiled faintly. "I think he’s different."
The woman scoffed. "What about the students before him? You said they were different, too, but didn’t they all die at the hands of those people from Celestial City Academy?"
’The students before him!?’
At her words, Lin Haitao’s smile vanished, and his brows furrowed deeply.
The woman said hauntingly, "Just let the little guy live a few more days. He’s still young. He shouldn’t have to bear these responsibilities, nor should he have to face despair and death at such a young age."
After speaking, the woman turned and left.
A long time later, Lin Haitao let out a soft sigh and muttered to himself, "Then who should bear these responsibilities? Who should face despair and death?"
It was a question no one could answer for him.
