40 Since You're Here, This Mountain Will Open for You

The streets and alleys were incomparably quiet in the rain. The carriage slowly stopped, and the horses breathed out hot air from their noses. From time to time, they would raise their hooves and gently kick.

The young man stood beside the carriage with an umbrella. His handsome face was slightly stunned.

An Le did not expect Madam Hua to personally send him to the Sixth Mountain.

Madam Hua looked at An Le and said coldly, "Get in the carriage. Why are you still standing there?"

An Le, who had returned to his senses, smiled gently and bowed to Madam Hua. Then, he put away the umbrella and wanted to sit sideways in the shaft of the carriage.

"Young Master, this is my seat. Please enter the carriage."

The old coachman, who was pulling the reins and wearing a bamboo hat and raincoat, was a little speechless as he reminded.

"Come in."

In the carriage, Madam Hua's voice floated over.

An Le was slightly embarrassed. He apologized to the coachman and shook off the water stains on the oil paper umbrella in the drizzle before lifting the curtain and stepping into the carriage.

Compared to the cold spring outside the carriage, there was a carbon stove in the carriage to boil water. The temperature was rather warm, and the spring cold had nowhere to enter.

In the carriage, Madam Hua was dressed simply today. She was dressed in plain white clothes and looked like a woman who was out on a leisurely trip. She held a book in her hand and there were some preserved fruits on the table, brewing hot tea.

Of course, Madam Hua wasn't the only one in the carriage. Lin Zhuifeng and Lin Qingyin were also sitting inside. Lin Qingyin nodded slightly at An Le while Lin Zhuifeng pursed his lips and held back his laughter.

"Greetings, Madam."

An Le was not embarrassed. He entered the carriage and bowed to Madam Hua. She nodded and gestured for him to sit down.

The horse's hooves landed lightly on the stone floor, like the sound of an ancient bell ringing, accompanying the carriage.

After a moment of silence, An Le began to absorb the Age Qi unceremoniously. He first harvested the Age Qi from Lin Zhuifeng and Lin Qingyin.

Lin Zhuifeng had more than ten wisps of Age Qi on her, which was enough for An Le to harvest a few times. However, Ninth Sister Lin Qingyin had already been drained dry. After absorbing three wisps, there was no more Age Qi.

This was the second cultivator to be sucked dry by An Le. The first was the constable of the Black Office, Huang Xian, and the second was Lin Qingyin.

They were all guides on the path of An Le's cultivation. He was grateful to them.

After absorbing the normal ones, An Le finally targeted Madam Hua's Age Qi.

At this point, An Le's depleted Age Qi reached seven wisps again.

He was not in a hurry to use these seven wisps of Age Qi because the peace in the carriage was finally broken.

"Young Master An, did you think that First Madam was the only one in the car, so you didn't dare to enter?"

Lin Zhuifeng was wearing a green outfit with a fire stick at her waist.

An Le's shy and innocent look made Lin Zhuifeng laugh.

When An Le heard this, he was not embarrassed at all. A smile bloomed on his handsome face like a spring breeze.

"I never expected Young Master to head to the Sixth Mountain with us. Do you want to try and see if you can catch the eye of the Sixth Mountain Lord and become the Mountain Guardian of the Sixth Mountain?"

Lin Zhuifeng did not intend to stop. She continued, "However, Young Master's cultivation level is indeed a little low. Although the Mountain Guardians are chosen based on their cultivation level and fate, your cultivation level is too low, so the chances of you being selected are even lower."

"It's fine. Just treat it as a chance to see the world." An Le smiled.

Lin Zhuifeng admired An Le's carefree attitude. Of course, she couldn't rule out the possibility that it was because An Le was good-looking. If it was someone else who was uglier, Lin Zhuifeng would definitely spit out the word 'hypocrite'.

"If Young Master also wants to charge at this Mountain Guardian, then we are opponents… First Madam, between Young Master An and me, who do you think is more suitable to be the Sixth Mountain Guardian?"

Lin Zhuifeng turned to look at Madam Hua.

"You're going to the Sixth Mountain to watch the show. Give up."

While reading, Madam Hua looked up and stabbed her heart mercilessly.

Lin Zhuifeng was stunned. She puffed up her cheeks and was about to retort.

"Alright, be quiet and nurture your mental power."

Madam Hua glanced at Lin Zhuifeng, who was still chattering non-stop.

Lin Zhuifeng immediately shut her mouth and lowered her head. She was not convinced and started to nourish her mental power.

Lin Qingyin pursed her lips and smiled. She sat quietly and closed her eyes to rest.

Madam Hua held the Great Confucian's book, Wen De, and looked at An Le. After pondering for a moment, she said, "The Mountain Guardian position looks at the fate of every Sacred Mountain Lord. Do you know how to talk to the Sacred Teacher?"

An Le was stunned. Unexpectedly, Madam Hua suddenly changed the topic. He shook his head honestly. "I only know that it's very difficult to converse with the Sacred Teacher. Even many geniuses can't do it."

"Did Madam talk to the Sacred Teacher?"

An Le was suddenly curious.

Madam Hua turned to look out of the window. At some point, the carriage had already left Lin'an Prefecture and was galloping on the official road that had been awakened by the spring rain and was filled with new grass and young flowers.

"I've never seen the Sacred Teacher in Sensory Temple."

Madam Hua muttered, then retracted her gaze and looked at An Le. "There are three conditions for conversing with the Sacred Teacher. All three must be met."

"Firstly, to win the Hall Examination and become the top scholar of the temple. This step is not difficult. Since ancient times, the Imperial Court has changed, and top scholars of both genders have appeared frequently. It's not rare for top scholars to appear. Secondly, to obtain a Little Sacred Token from the Mountain Lord, that is proof to meet the Sacred Teacher and converse with him."

An Le was shocked when he heard this. This was the first time he had heard of such secrets.

"Is this the condition set by the Sacred Teacher?" An Le was a little curious.

Madam Hua shook her head and did not answer immediately. She picked up her teacup and drank a cup of hot tea before saying, "The Sacred Teacher never set rules."

"This is the rule set by the First Mountain Lord."

Lin Zhuifeng was no longer in the mood to cultivate her mental power. Hearing that even she did not know about it, her eyes widened. "First Madam, you only mentioned two conditions. What about the third condition?"

Madam Hua smiled. "I don't know about the third condition."

The carriage suddenly fell silent.

Madam Hua didn't know…

Then what was the point of talking for so long?

"The third condition is that every person who wants to meet a Sacred Teacher will face a different situation. It might be extremely easy, but it could also be extremely difficult."

"After completing the first two conditions and ascending the Sacred Mountain, you will face the last test."

"Most people fail the last test."

Even Madam Hua couldn't help but sigh.

An Le took a deep breath, and his heart trembled slightly. Countless cultivators had come one after another just to talk to the Sacred Teacher and enter the Sacred Mountain, but too many talented people had failed.

An Le could not help but wonder if he would have the chance to meet the Sacred Teacher and talk to him.

He did not know, because this was the lifelong goal of many cultivators. Perhaps, it would also become An Le's goal.

However, An Le was puzzled. Why did Madam Hua tell him this?

What did this have to do with the Sixth Mountain Lord choosing the Mountain Guardian today?

"We're here!"

Just as An Le was deep in thought, Lin Zhuifeng suddenly shouted excitedly in the car. She leaned over to the window on the other side and lifted the silk curtain. A thin spring rain poured in through the window, bringing with it the coldness of spring.

Through the carriage window, An Le caught a glimpse of the tall mountain rising from the ground. The Sword Pavilion was towering and stood majestically on the ground like a huge sword that had stabbed into the mortal world.

Indistinctly, An Le felt that on that tall mountain, there was someone looking at the mortal world. His gaze seemed to cross over the layers of mountains and land on him.

Green mountains desire to talk to the exalted you. They come nonstop in droves like galloping horses.

Hesitant in the misty rain, they yearn to come but stop.

An Le suddenly felt something. The broken bamboo sword on his waist trembled slightly as if an invisible sword intent wanted to rush into the sky from the bamboo sword.

In the carriage, Madam Hua pursed her lips and smiled, her eyes shining.

She raised her hand slightly, and the restless sword will of the Broken Bamboo Sword returned to calmness.

...

...

In the ethereal pavilion, chatting and laughing alone on the thousand peaks.

The Sixth Mountain.

In a pavilion amidst the misty rain.

A middle-aged man in green clothes stood quietly on the spot. The spring breeze blew over from outside the pavilion with the spring rain beads. His clothes fluttered like blades as they cut through the misty rain.

There was a pine sword case beside him. He placed one hand on the case like a statue.

At the foot of the mountain.

Spiritual energy intertwined as Qi Blood permeated like smoke. Mental power dispersed like fog. Numerous cultivators gathered at the foot of the mountain. All sorts of competitions had already begun in order to enter the Sixth Mountain and become the Mountain Guardian.

Although the Sixth Mountain had yet to be opened at this moment, the cultivators had formed a tacit understanding. Under the invisible conflict, some people left the venue regretfully, while others ascended to the high ground in high spirits and quietly waited for the Sixth Mountain to be opened.

The man's Primordial Spirit swept across and retracted. The person he wanted to see was not among these people.

Suddenly, he looked up and sensed the sword intent coming from afar.

He had stored 3,000 swords in his case and was naturally sensitive to sword intent. The young painter that Zhao Huangting mentioned had arrived.

The corners of his lips could not help but curl up on his sculpture-like face, making him look stiff but sincere.

The man patted the sword case and opened it an inch, spitting out two sword lights.

The sword light circled around the man and slowly moved forward. Then, the man tapped his finger lightly.

The sword light shot out like a rainbow.

The man raised his hand and put his palms together. Two sword lights instantly intertwined. Then, the man spread his hands like pulling a curtain.

In an instant.

With the Sixth Mountain as the center, it was as if a sword aura that pierced through the world slashed past. The sky was filled with evening clouds, the spring wind in the mortal world, and the spring rain that filled the sky slowly parted like a curtain!

"Since you're here, this mountain will open for you."

"Open the mountain!"

As soon as he finished speaking, after the sky was torn apart, the sunset clouds, spring wind, and spring rain revealed a patch of light. The radiance of the sun shone down from the nine heavens.

It sprinkled down on the mortal world as if paving a golden and resplendent path of sunlight.

It invited the carriage on the mountain path to go straight to this golden sunny road that led straight to the Sixth Mountain.