98: Chapter 98 The Fifth Life, The Blazing Sun Illuminates the Martial Path (Forty-Six)

The three mountain-guarding disciples behind him also widened their eyes in succession, quickly bowing in salute, their gazes filled with worship and awe as they looked at Chu Shi.

As the second person in the Holy Land in three hundred years, they had heard the legends of Chu Shi countless times; seeing him in person now, they were naturally incredibly excited.

Chu Shi took the token, tucked it into his robes, and slightly raised his hand in return, saying, "Junior Brother Zhang, there is no need for such formalities."

Zhang Cheng straightened up, his face full of enthusiasm, and quickly asked, "Senior Brother Chu, you mentioned earlier that you are here to visit Senior Brother Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan?"

"That is correct," Chu Shi nodded slightly.

"I am an old acquaintance of Senior Brother Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan. I have come to visit him today, and I must trouble you, Junior Brother Zhang, to relay the message."

"It is no trouble at all."

Zhang Cheng agreed readily without a hint of hesitation, immediately turning his head to instruct a young disciple behind him.

"Little Li, go up the mountain immediately and report to Senior Brother Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan at the Yuanlan Courtyard. Tell him that Senior Brother Chu Shi from Lieyang Peak has come to visit, and ask for his decision."

"Yes! Senior Brother Zhang!" The young disciple immediately acknowledged the order, turned around, and ran quickly toward the mountain.

After giving the order, Zhang Cheng turned back, offered an apologetic smile to Chu Shi, and cupped his hands, saying, "Senior Brother Chu, I am truly sorry. There are rules within the peak; for those who are not disciples of this peak, unless they have an Elder's written order or the introduction of a Core Disciple, we cannot allow you to ascend the mountain without authorization. I must ask you to bear with us and wait here for a moment."

"Rules are rules, and it is only right," Chu Shi said in a calm tone, without any displeasure. "Senior Brother Zhang is merely performing his duties faithfully; there is no fault in that, so please do not take it to heart."

Seeing that Chu Shi was so approachable and devoid of any arrogance typical of a genius, Zhang Cheng felt even more admiration. He quickly led Chu Shi to a sheltered spot by the mountain gate, brought out some spirit tea, and kept him company, his words filled with the intention to build a friendship.

Chu Shi did not put on airs either; his experiences and insights from multiple reincarnations far exceeded those of these ordinary disciples. With just a few words, he piqued Zhang Cheng's interest, making him yearn for the customs and the vast landscapes that Chu Shi described.

After a while, a flurry of hurried footsteps came from the mountain path above, accompanied by a hearty and excited shout from afar: "Brother Chu!"

Chu Shi looked up and saw a purple figure galloping down the mountain path. His figure was agile, his speed extremely fast; in just a few breaths, he reached the front of the mountain gate.

The person who arrived was none other than Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan. He today wore a well-fitting purple martial outfit that outlined his tall and straight figure. His hair was tied high with a jade crown, and a few loose strands on his forehead were slightly disheveled by the wind.

His face was full of an excited smile, his eyes incredibly bright, and from a distance, he had already opened his arms toward Chu Shi.

Running up to Chu Shi, Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan didn't say a word and raised his hand to pat Chu Shi heavily on the shoulder. The force was not light, carrying sincere joy, yet his mouth was full of complaints: "You brat! You finally decided to come out! You've been in seclusion for three whole months without a single word; I thought you had forgotten about me, your friend!"

He looked Chu Shi up and down, feeling the restrained yet profound life aura on Chu Shi's body, his eyes widening even further. His tone was filled with amazement and envy: "My god! You actually broke through to the Iron Skin Realm! Am I sensing this correctly? It's only been three months! Chu Shi, are you even human!"

"I've been training desperately for these three months, to the point where I'm losing hair, and I've only barely reached the mid-stage of the Stone Skin Realm. There are still the late-stage and peak-stage minor realms to go, followed by the grinding and self-adjustment to complete the life transformation, which is another huge hurdle. I'd be lucky to complete the breakthrough within a year. Compared to you, my status as the Seventh Prince of the Canglan Princes Mansion is practically worthless!"

Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan's nature had always been straightforward and open; his current excitement and envy were not fake in the slightest.

Chu Shi watched him like this, the calmness in his eyes melting away a little, revealing a faint smile: "It was just luck; I received some guidance from my master and managed to break through. On the contrary, Brother Xiao, breaking through to the mid-stage of the Stone Skin Realm in three months is already quite astonishing. Moreover, the martial path is about steady progress; it is a grand and righteous road, so why rush for temporary speed?"

"Luck?" Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan rolled his eyes, looking completely unconvinced. "How many times have you said 'luck'? You're practically 'Brother Luck'! Who doesn't know you? I'm afraid you've been in seclusion ever since we parted ways after the trial. It's not that I want to lecture you, but as a disciple of a prominent family, with no deep hatred forcing you, why work so hard? It's just cultivation, cultivation, and more cultivation; you really should balance work and rest."

After speaking, he turned to look at Zhang Cheng nearby and waved his hand: "Junior Brother Zhang, this is my brother, Chu Shi. I'm taking him up the mountain first, and I will come back to you later to complete the procedures. I hope you can accommodate us."

"Senior Brother Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan is too polite. Senior Brother Chu's visit is an honor for our Zhengyang Peak," Zhang Cheng quickly bowed and said with a smile, "Senior Brother, please take Senior Brother Chu up the mountain; the paperwork is not important."

Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan nodded, then turned to Chu Shi and smiled: "Let's go! Brother Chu, come up the mountain with me! I just received a batch of high-quality Morning Sun Mist Buds in my courtyard, as well as a set of spirit chess pieces just sent from home. Today, the two of us brothers will have a good gathering, taste tea, play chess, and enjoy the peace!"

With that, he put his arm around Chu Shi's shoulder and enthusiastically led him toward the mountain. The two walked side by side, their steps unhurried, slowly making their way up the mountain path paved with bluestone, admiring the scenery of Zhengyang Peak along the way.

Zhengyang Peak was indeed one of the peaks with the deepest heritage among the nine peaks of the Holy Land; the scenery along the way was completely different from Lieyang Peak. Lieyang Peak mostly consisted of crimson rocks and flame pines, exuding heat and ferocity everywhere.

But Zhengyang Peak was covered with vigorous ancient pines and emerald spirit bamboos. The mountain streams gurgled, with translucent white spirit fish swimming in the water, and colorful spirit flowers blooming along the road, their fragrance faint and elegant. The morning sun shone through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground. When the wind blew, the branches and leaves swayed, causing the light and shadows to dance, accompanied by the crisp chirping of birds and the sound of the stream, creating a unique and elegant charm.

"How about it? The scenery of our Zhengyang Peak is not worse than your Lieyang Peak, right?" Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan said with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of pride. "Your Lieyang Peak is full of fire, hot and sweltering; it's not as elegant as our place."

Chu Shi nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings, and said calmly, "It does indeed have a unique scenery. Peak Master Lieyang is fierce and mighty, while the Peak Master of Zhengyang Peak is upright and balanced; each has its own merits."

As he walked, he clearly felt the changes in the Heaven and Earth Origin Qi. The higher they went up the mountain, the richer the Heaven and Earth Origin Qi became, and this Qi was upright and gentle, making it relatively easier for the human body to absorb. It was clear that the predecessors of Zhengyang Peak had spent countless efforts and set up numerous Qi-gathering formations to harmonize the Origin Qi, creating such a treasure land for cultivation.

The Zhengyang Peak disciples they met along the way all bowed and saluted when they saw Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan in his purple robe and Chu Shi, calling them "Senior Brother." However, many disciples were seeing Chu Shi, this new face of a Core Disciple, for the first time, and they all peeked at him, clearly curious.

After walking for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the two reached the mountainside of Zhengyang Peak. The terrain here was flat, backed by green mountains and facing an open valley, offering a superb view. From afar, one could see the sea of clouds churning, with the morning sun shining on it, creating thousands of golden rays—a magnificent view. And right here on the mountainside, a quiet courtyard was situated.