World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 443: A Place to Settle

Immortal Dao Conferences always made Wang Sheng feel a small sense of regret.

He had served as a referee in the first one, and he was stuck in the Small Nether Realm during the second and third. Now, he had lost the chance to compete and could only sit on the special viewing platform beside the main stage.

Still, it wasn't a great tragedy. Life was bound to have a few imperfections. Even Mu Wanxuan could only speak two words at a time. Yet in his eyes, that way of speaking had its own sort of charm.

When the grand tournament of the Immortal Dao Conference ended, a series of follow-up events awaited: discussions on the Dao, lectures, and cultural performances. However, Qing Yanzi had already left Mount Hua with Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan to find a base for the Pure Yang Sword Faction—a matter that had drawn the attention of cultivators across the land.

With the map that Mou Yue had provided, their search went far more smoothly. After inspecting three or four potential locations, they quickly decided to settle down on a nameless peak southwest of the Hua Republic. It was only a hundred li northeast of the Heavenly Dragon Temple and near a few long-established cultivation families.

The mountain wasn't tall or particularly striking. The neighboring peaks weren't connected, forming a typical karst.

This nameless peak stood straight up like a brush holder, with a winding river encircling half of it. At its base was a quiet town with convenient transport. Its scenery stayed picturesque and its climate mild all year round. Most importantly, the peak was far from the major Daoist sects.

The signal coverage here was also excellent, with nearly identical internet speed both on and off the mountain. It was a key factor in their decision.

Far to the north was the Shu Sword Sect. To the south, the land opened to the southwestern frontier of the Hua Republic. If the corrupt cultivators of the southern borderlands ever rose again, the Pure Yang Sword Faction would be a sword poised above their heads—one that was imbued with the might of heavenly tribulation.

Having selected a mountain, they now had to determine where to build their temples and dwellings. Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan returned to the foot of Mount Hua to pick up Xi Lian, who was still asleep, and Wang Xiaomiao, who had been under Yaoyun's supervision. Through Huai Jing's connections, they managed to slip the two "female patrons" into the guest quarters of Heavenly Dragon Temple.

For some reason, the abbot of Heavenly Dragon Temple was unexpectedly caring and welcoming toward female pilgrims. He sent monks to clean their rooms and kept delivering fruit, vegetarian meals, and bedding, leaving everyone both surprised and slightly uneasy.

The Buddhist light that filled the temple provided a calm environment, which was beneficial to Xi Lian's recovery. The abbot even arranged more than ten senior monks to chant sutras near their quarters.

Meanwhile, Qing Yanzi led his two disciples around the mountain. Eventually, they decided on a spot near the summit and drafted a general plan.

A Reflection Pavilion would be built near a cliff, allowing disciples who made mistakes to face the cliff in reflection[1]. They would construct their Daoist canon repository where the terrain was steep and defensible, allowing them to safely store the sect's techniques and treasures in it.

A sect without a grand main palace was incomplete, and a sect with a grand palace but no spacious plaza before it lacked spirit. At Qing Yanzi's instruction, Wang Sheng unleashed his Heavenly Ziwei Sword Art and shattered a pile of boulders into dust, clearing a wide area for the main palace and its plaza.

Although they would only recruit a few disciples to start with, Qing Yanzi planned to have them live together before they reached the Foundation Establishment Stage so they could build camaraderie. The male and female would naturally live separately. Once they established their foundations, they would each get a small pavilion or private room, ensuring solitude during cultivation.

To broaden their disciples' horizons, Qing Yanzi even proposed a multimedia room with internet access and entertainment facilities to enrich their daily lives. Conditions were far better now than in Wang Sheng's early years. Since these disciples would be their own people, they ought to be treated well.

Once they had completed the layout of the summit, they explored the rest of the mountain. The scenery was beautiful, and the steep terrain meant no mortals lived nearby. Old trees clung to cliffs, and streams cascaded into waterfalls, creating a refreshing, heart-calming atmosphere.

More importantly, the area was close to a qi node, where primal qi was thick. They even found a few animals and birds showing signs of spiritual awareness, proof that the place was a hidden blessed land long overlooked.

In the evening, the three returned to the Heavenly Dragon Temple. They gathered in their guest room, which had an old wood fragrance, to discuss their next steps.

Qing Yanzi pondered for a while. "Over the years, I've done some work for the authorities and saved a bit. We can hire a proper construction team, but since they'll be building on a mountain, it'll probably take them a year or two."

Wang Sheng smiled. "Why don't we just buy materials, draw up a plan, and build it ourselves?"

Mu Wanxuan nodded and rolled up her sleeves.

"Do not underestimate bricklayers," Qing Yanzi replied. "Can either of you even handle painting or carving?"

Wang Sheng blinked. "Aren't you good at everything, Master?"

"How about we leave the fine work to the craftsmen and gather some people to help with the heavy lifting?" Wang Xiaomiao suggested. "Golden Core Realm cultivators should have no trouble lifting a few thousand pounds of stone."

Wang Sheng laughed. "Even a late-stage Golden Core Realm cultivator like Shi Qianzhang can easily carry a whole lot more stones than that."

Qing Yanzi nodded. "That's brilliant, Xiaomiao. We'll leave the detailed work to artisans and handle the main structure ourselves. No need to hire outsiders. I'll send a letter tomorrow asking Junior Sister Jingyun to bring Little Wen here. With all of us working together, we should finish the main palace in a few days."

Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan rolled up their sleeves, eager to begin. Tomorrow, they would start their grand work in earnest.

***

The next day, Huai Jing followed the trio up the mountain. With the four experts working together, the ground trembled repeatedly, making the entire nameless "brush-holder" mountain rumble.

They had planned to use local materials, but good stone was hard to find. It wouldn't be appropriate to slice an entire layer off the mountain wall since it would ruin the local ecosystem. Hence, Huai Jing went out with Wang Sheng to search the nearby ranges. Not long after, the two flew back to the peak with several cut boulders.

The construction phase was simple. Following Qing Yanzi's instructions, they shaped the stones into uniform sizes, then drove a circle of bluish rock slabs, one meter wide and two meters tall, into the flattened mountaintop. Each slab was crafted with grooves and ridges on the northern side, and smaller stones were fitted tightly into the notches like stacked blocks.

Qing Yanzi handled the follow-up work. He wrapped soil with enchanted power and filled every gap between the stones. The foundations for the main structures, including the great palace and the Daoist canon repository, were completed.

Mu Wanxuan, the reincarnation of the immortal who once oversaw the Heavenly Court's greenery, was now in her element. She went to the southern borderlands to select fine timber for the buildings' beams.

Qing Yanzi, Wang Sheng, and Huai Jing worked through the afternoon. The mountain peak transformed, with outlines of several main buildings taking shape.

"Amitabha." Huai Jing wiped his sweat. He couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure what we're building won't collapse?"

Wang Sheng looked a little uncertain, but he still smiled and shook his head. "I'll go fetch Senior Sister."

He then used Soaring Red Feathers to fly off.

Flying while carrying heavy materials consumed a great deal of enchanted power, though. Hence, to save them from making multiple trips, he borrowed Yaoyun's Qiankun Ring to store the enormous logs that Mu Wanxuan had prepared.

To thank Huai Jing for his help, the four went down to the town below the Heavenly Dragon Temple at dusk. They treated him to a vegetarian meal at a small restaurant.

During the meal, Qing Yanzi, who was high in spirits, stood up to make a toast.

"Who would have thought that we would make so much progress in our construction on the first day? Junior Sister Jingyun and Little Wen will arrive tomorrow. With two more helping hands, finishing the main structures within three days wouldn't just be a dream.

"I truly didn't expect our sect to be so skilled not only in sword practice but also in building work! Let us toast with tea instead of wine! Tomorrow, we'll press on and complete the next stage!"

"Cheers!" Huai Jing enthusiastically responded and clinked his cup with Qing Yanzi's.

Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan both covered their faces with their hands, trying to avoid the curious stares from the other diners.

***

On the third morning, two Daoists descended from the sky. Jingyun, who had reached the peak of the Heavenly Abode Realm, joined the main "construction team."

Chi Wen, still at the early stage of the Golden Core Realm, stayed with Xiaomiao in the guest rooms of the Heavenly Dragon Temple to take care of Xi Lian, occasionally sending cold drinks and tea up the mountain.

The day's progress slowed noticeably.

Their motivation didn't wane. However, Jingyun questioned their simple stone-laying method. After a long discussion, they improved and refined the building plan. Among her criticisms, the most "constructive" was, "Are you really not leaving any windows in the great palace? Do you want to lock the Forefather Master in a dark room?"

Around three in the afternoon, they finished discussing how to construct the great palace's roof. They also decided to spend the rest of the day preparing for the roof work, including trimming the timber and buying tiles. The next day, they would officially begin construction, completing the great palace first before moving on to the finer details.

Qing Yanzi's knowledge finally came in handy. He took charge of the designs, from setting the main beams to outlining the flying eaves.

As Wang Sheng wielded Flying Haze to cut the massive logs that they had gathered the previous day, Chi Wen hurriedly flew in on her sword.

"Senior Brother, Senior Sister, Senior Xi Lian is awake. She wants to see you both."

Wang Sheng paused for a moment, informed his master, and quickly left with his senior sister. After a brief discussion with Jingyun, Qing Yanzi naturally decided to follow as well.

After all, Xi Lian would become an honorary elder of the Pure Yang Sword Faction in the future. It was only proper for the sect master and vice sect master to visit and offer their regards.

1. In Chinese culture, "facing the wall" is one of the ways parents punish children who made mistakes. ☜