Chapter 354 – The Madman Enters Mount Shu with Sword in Hand

A place that had given rise to countless myths and legends, one of the sacred grounds of Martial Studies that the descendants of Dragon Country yearned for.

The towering pines and cypresses formed a forest up close and a sea of greenery from afar, composing an endless expanse of lush vegetation that appeared vividly green and brimming with vitality.

Viewed from above, only a single mountain path wound through it, resembling a small white dragon coiled within the mountain forest, gazing down upon the vast landscape beneath the cliffs.

At that moment, a figure stood proudly at the foot of the mountain, a three-foot-long blade strapped to his back.

It was Ye Kuang!

This immediately drew the attention of countless onlookers. Clearly, while show-offs were a common sight year after year, they couldn’t help but find this chance encounter particularly amusing.

“Hey, is that kid here to seek swordsmanship too?”

“Unlikely. He looks to be only in his early twenties. At such a young age, wouldn’t he be neglecting his proper duties if he’s learning martial arts?”

“You’re right. I bet he’s just here to show off.”

“Tch, keep your voice down! Look, he’s turning this way!”

Ye Kuang overheard the murmurs, soft as the buzzing of mosquitoes, but didn’t know how to respond. Though somewhat exasperated, he found it inconvenient to say much.

Was he supposed to retort, “This kid is indeed here to seek swordsmanship”?

Naturally, he wouldn’t say such a thing. Doing so would only make him seem like someone trying to cover up the obvious—appearing eager to learn martial arts on the surface but actually just putting on a show.

With this in mind, Ye Kuang involuntarily stepped onto the path leading up Mount Shu.

This move, unsurprisingly, sparked another wave of exclamations.

“Hey, he’s really going up the mountain!”

“Wow, is he actually heading up to seek swordsmanship?”

“Come on, let’s follow and see.”

The scene before them was one of “the madman entering Mount Shu with sword in hand,” trailed by a crowd of curious onlookers eager to uncover the truth.

As events unfolded, the situation took a sudden turn, as if the madman with his sword was leading a multitude up Mount Shu to pick a fight.

At that moment, shouts echoed from the front while murmurs rose from the back, growing increasingly tumultuous. Without exception, everyone wore expressions of excitement.

Thus, Ye Kuang’s ascent soon spread like wildfire, and before long, he was implicitly regarded as a troublemaker coming to challenge the establishment.

For a time, he listened to the varied opinions behind him but dared not provoke public anger, as the consequences would be beyond his imagination.

For now, letting things take their course might be the best option.

Along the way, Ye Kuang held his sword horizontally across his chest, reflecting the countless curious gazes behind him.

In an instant, he couldn’t help but feel the immense pressure.

After all, going up the mountain was easy, but coming back down might prove difficult.

Though he feared no amount of gossip, if things truly escalated to that point, he wouldn’t simply resign himself to fate.

As the saying goes: one person’s wild guess can spark a frenzy of speculation among many, and when many speculate, it can evolve into a spectacle that shocks the world.

“The greater the storm, the more valuable the fish,” Ye Kuang murmured to himself.

No sooner said than done!

His figure abruptly shot forward, streaking up the mountain path like a sharp blade, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, the countless exclamations clamored across the entire mountainside.

On the other side.

At the Great Martial Arts Plaza atop Mount Shu.

“Ha!”

“Hah!”

At a glance, rows of Mount Shu Disciples, ten in a row and a hundred in formation, brandished their swords, diligently practicing Mount Shu Swordsmanship.Behold, a middle-aged strongman with long hair pinned up by a circlet spoke clearly: “Stillness in the sword’s cessation, landing without a trace. The sword dances through heaven and earth, soaring to the skies above, descending with unfathomable mystery.”

“Draw swords!”

“Hah…”

“Sheathe swords!”

“Hah!!”

At that very moment, a figure abruptly shot up from the ground, bursting into the crowd’s field of vision.

Tap!

With the sound of a light landing, like ripples disturbing a calm lake, countless white-robed swordsmen turned their heads in succession.

Naturally, the middle-aged strongman needed no explanation.

One by one, they cast suspicious glances toward the newcomer.

“Who might you be? You don’t appear to be a disciple of our Mount Shu.”

“Oh… This humble youth is Ye Kuang of the Ye Family, entrusted by someone to come and pay respects to your arts. I also wish to see what virtues Mount Shu possesses to claim supremacy in swordsmanship across the realm!”

These words struck like a stone causing a thousand ripples.

Even the middle-aged strongman couldn’t help but focus his attention upon hearing them.

Faced with such bold claims, how could any disciple of Mount Shu possibly turn a blind eye?

“Where did this wild youth come from? Has he lost his mind, daring to cause trouble right at our Mount Shu’s gates!”

“Audacious!!”

“Hahaha, this boy is quite amusing. Thinking he has some basic martial skills, he dares to be so presumptuous.”

It must be said that regardless of the white-robed swordsmen’s contempt, Ye Kuang’s brazen words had clearly provoked collective anger!

Hearing the uproar, Ye Kuang appeared completely unperturbed. He continued casually: “Well, this humble youth only knows some rudimentary sword techniques. Yet I wonder about your mastery of the sword path. Today I come firstly to learn your arts, and secondly… naturally to exchange some pointers through sparring.”

If the middle-aged strongman couldn’t discern the underlying meaning in these words, he would be unworthy of being an instructor.

At that moment, the strongman waved his hand grandly, stopping the rising anger of the crowd. Instead, he smiled and said: “Young man, do you know who you’re speaking to? This is Mount Shu, not some martial world arena for settling scores. Return to wherever you came from.”

But unexpectedly, Ye Kuang responded with a cheerful smile: “What if this humble youth refuses to leave?”

Truth be told, his ascent up the mountain was fueled by anger. Setting aside why he was being so provocative, his mere unwillingness to be controlled was already causing his edge to show.

In his mind, others might have their assumptions, but how could an ordinary man like himself resign to mediocrity? When all these factors accumulated, they didn’t represent humanity’s original state, but rather the layers of shackles binding the human heart.

Mortals, mortals – born as ordinary beings, how could their actions remain ordinary throughout their lives? These heavy chains, one might ask: how can mortals speak of roaming freely across the realm?

Is it not by wielding a sword as a mere mortal, sounding the path to the pinnacle of strength, to stand equal with deities?

And now, Mount Shu represented his second stop.

Ye Kuang intended to use his mortal body to defy the heavens, performing extraordinary deeds before ordinary beings.

Just as: you have your responsibilities and righteousness, I too have my goals and ideals.

This reckless courage, why fear countless hardships and uneven paths? Much like his journey so far, it had only deepened his understanding of humanity’s original will.

Refusing mediocrity, rejecting inaction – this wasn’t about clinging to life, but about remaining unbound by countless constraints. Born mortal yet possessing extraordinary courage.In an instant, Ye Kuang strode forward as if intending to force his way into Mount Shu.

This scene ignited immediate outrage among the crowd of swordsmen, who unanimously drew their swords and stepped forward to block his path.

They were all awaiting a single command—the approval of one man.

That was their mentor, the Middle-Aged Strongman!

Daoist Qianming!

Witnessing this, Ye Kuang showed no trace of panic. Instead, he calmly halted before the multitude, standing firm with his sword in hand.