Sword Qi to the Sky

Chapter 400 Scholar
The noisy crowd was still discussing it, not understanding how Li Fan could do it.

"Is it a trick?" someone said. "Could it be that there is a loophole in this formation? Those who asked about Baiyujing before forced their way in, but no one thought of using a trick to get up?"

"This possibility cannot be ruled out." Many people agree with this view; otherwise, how can what they just saw be explained?
"The path to Baiyujing is always taken step by step. Isn't this method too opportunistic?" A voice rang out from above the crowd. Everyone looked towards the speaker and saw that it was a cultivator from Lingxiao Pavilion.

At the top of the stairs, Li Fan turned back and looked over there, saying, "Why don't you give it a try?"

The man's expression froze for a moment, then he sneered, "Once you enter Baiyujing, someone will expose your true colors."

Li Fan ignored her and looked at the woman in front of him. An Zhiyao from Baiyujing Academy had skin as white as snow and an otherworldly temperament. No wonder she was known as a fairy.

As if sensing something, Li Fan looked to his side and saw Lu Yuan looking at him.

"?"

What's so interesting about him?

"Greetings, Fairy An," Li Fan said politely.

"May I ask your name?" An Zhiyao asked Li Fan curiously. Standing here, she could see things more clearly and understood how Li Fan had done it. It was definitely not as simple as some people said, that he had used tricks and opportunism.

“Lu Qingqiu,” Li Fan replied.

"Lu Qingqiu." An Zhiyao murmured to herself, but she had never heard of this name before. Coming back to her senses, she stepped aside slightly to make way for Li Fan and the others, saying, "Please."

"Thank you, fairy." Li Fan walked past An Zhiyao, stepped through the Heavenly Ladder Gate, and entered Baiyujing Academy.

Countless eyes watched his departure from the outer area of ​​the staircase. Before the third checkpoint of the staircase, Yun Tiansheng stared at Li Fan's departing figure with a cold expression. He took a step forward and also entered the formation.

…………

At Baiyujing Academy, towering palaces stand in rows. At the top of these palaces, there is a spacious area where many cultivators sit cross-legged, all possessing extraordinary bearing; they are all disciples of Baiyujing Academy.

At that moment, they were listening to a teacher give a lecture.

But strangely, the man looked extremely young, even similar in age to some of them.

He had the appearance of a scholar, holding a book in his hands, and his voice was soft and pleasant, making people feel very comfortable.

At this moment, the scholar closed the scroll in his hand, looked at the crowd, and said softly, "Alright, that's enough for today."

"Sir, I have a question." A voice came from the crowd. The scholar looked up at the speaker and smiled, "What is your question?"

"Sir, you say you don't understand cultivation, so why are you preaching here?" The man stood up and asked loudly, his eyes carrying a hint of provocation.

He was at the Core Formation stage of cultivation and came from a prominent family in Jade Capital City. He was exceptionally intelligent from a young age and cultivated at an extremely fast pace. Later, he successfully embarked on his journey to Jade Capital to seek the Dao.

However, to his surprise, when he arrived at Baiyujing Academy, there were no famous teachers to teach him, just as he had imagined.

This first 'teacher' turned out to be a young man who claimed to know nothing about spiritual practice.

"I'm here because someone from the academy asked me to. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here, so you wouldn't have to resist me." The scholar remained polite and gentle, sensing the other person's emotions. Someone chuckled and said, "Sir, you are indeed honest."

"As for your other question, the 'Tao' exists between heaven and earth. Whether I understand cultivation or not, it is there. From the moment we are born, we are in the 'Tao'. The rising and setting of the sun is the Tao, birth, aging, sickness and death are the Tao. Even if we do not know or understand it, we are all touching 'it', and naturally we will have different understandings of it. I am just sharing some of my understandings with you, so what's wrong with that?"

The scholar spoke slowly, and upon hearing his words, many people fell into thought. Some gained some insights, while others found it absurd.

"If you don't understand cultivation, how can you possibly touch the Dao?" The man frowned and continued to ask.

"What is cultivation? Cultivation can be divided into Qi cultivators and martial arts practitioners, and there are many different realms. Qi cultivators cultivate by utilizing the universe and all things in heaven and earth, while martial arts practitioners first develop their own hidden potential. The former seeks from the outside in, while the latter seeks from the inside out. All of these processes are also processes of exploring the 'Dao'. I don't understand cultivation, but that doesn't mean I can't observe and comprehend the existence of the Dao."

The man remained silent, looking at the scholar's handsome face, unsure how to respond.

"A bunch of nonsense."

A cold shout came from afar, and everyone turned around to look, only to see two figures striding towards them.

The two men exuded extremely sharp auras, like two sharp swords. They were none other than Shen Jing and Yue Yunxiao, who were the first to enter Baiyujing Academy.

The speaker was none other than Shen Jing. After climbing the steps outside the Heavenly Gate, they continued on their way, passing through several places, and finally arrived here, where they heard the scholar's words.

The students of Baiyujing Academy all sized up Shen Jing and his companion, and naturally knew why they had come.

Outside Baiyujing Academy, geniuses from all sides ascended the Heavenly Ladder in formation, seeking guidance from Baiyujing. Now, some have already arrived here.

"Sir claims to have insights into the Dao. Now that someone has come to ask him a question, how will you answer?" The man didn't pay much attention to Shen Jing and his companion who had arrived. On the contrary, he was more interested in seeing how this 'sir' would perform.

The scholar's gaze also fell on Shen Jing and Yue Yunxiao. Shen Jing looked at the scholar and said, "The process of seeking the Dao is the process of cultivation. How can someone who does not understand cultivation understand the Dao? Is this how the teachers of Baiyujing Academy teach the Dao?"

"Are you a sword cultivator?" the scholar asked Shen Jing.

"Yes," Shen Jing replied.

"If you wield a sword, can you master the way of the sword?" the scholar asked.

"No," Shen Jing said.

"Then how did you master the way of the sword?" the scholar asked again. "Was it because you wielded the sword that you mastered sword techniques and comprehended the way of the sword, or did you first comprehend the 'rules' of the sword before learning sword techniques?"

Shen Jing frowned upon hearing the scholar's words; he was caught off guard by the question as well.

Yue Yunxiao, standing beside him, also seemed lost in thought.

This is the most basic truth in the world, yet it seems that no one is willing to think about it.

"Wonderful."

At this moment, a cheerful voice came from behind the scholar, and an elder walked towards them. Upon seeing the elder, the students of Baiyujing Academy all bowed and paid their respects.

"Mr. Yan." The scholar bowed slightly. The figure who approached was dressed in a simple and clean black and white Taoist robe, and his gaze toward the scholar was full of appreciation.

"Young master, you're too kind," the old man said with a smile in return. The disciples of Baiyujing Academy were used to it, but Shen Jing and Yue Yunxiao were extremely puzzled.

Mr. Yan, they probably guessed the old man's identity.

"Greetings, sir." Yue Yunxiao also bowed in greeting. Shen Jing, not daring to be presumptuous in front of his senior, followed suit and bowed as well.

"Since you two arrived first, the others should be arriving soon. There's no need to rush. Let's wait for everyone else to arrive," the old man said to the two.

"Okay." Yue Yunxiao nodded.

At this moment, people from the surrounding area began to arrive, all of them cultivators from Baiyujing Academy.

Since someone has asked about Baiyujing today, they naturally want to come and see for themselves.

After Li Fan and his two companions stepped into the Heavenly Gate, they were greeted by a misty, ethereal scene. A mountain range formed a 'bridge' in the distance, and they flew through the air, heading forward. Looking up, they could see a towering palace in the distance.

Baiyujing Academy is very large. As you walk forward, you can see cultivation caves everywhere. In different directions, people are flying through the air, seemingly heading towards the center of Baiyujing Academy just like them.

After a while, they arrived at the palace complex and continued forward, crossing many more steps. In the distance, there was a square where many cultivators had gathered.

"arrive."

Li Fan and the others landed and looked up ahead. There was a palace that reached the sky and pierced the clouds. This was the origin of the Jade Palace in the sky.

"You came quite quickly."

A cheerful voice came from ahead. Qi Zhanyun had arrived a step ahead and laughed heartily when he saw Li Fan and the others.

Many people turned around, and when Shen Jing saw Li Fan and the others arrive, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

"Not bad," Li Fan replied with a smile, glancing at the crowd. When his eyes fell on the scholar, he paused, a strange look appearing in his eyes.

Does this work too?
(End of this chapter)