The sword seller, dressed in red, deserves applause for the prankster.

Seeing Chi Miao making such a fuss, Chong Shuai subconsciously glanced at Yan Ge.

Yan Ge looked to be in a great mood, as if there was some exciting part to come.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and said earnestly:

"Actually, Thunder Punishment Peak is quite good. Many people have some misunderstandings about Thunder Punishment Peak, but it is still part of Nine Swords Mountain, so there is not much difference."

Chi Miao took a deep breath and asked the question:

"Is the cultivation environment on Thunder Punishment Peak as good as on other peaks?"

"Uh... um... just like that?" Chong Shuai really wanted to say yes, but the cultivation environment of Lei Fa Peak flashed through his mind, and his eyes darted around, unable to utter a single word of "yes".

Chi Miao: "Okay, if the environment isn't good, how about the teaching quality at Lei Fa Feng?"

Chong Shuai: "Cough."

Yan Ge: "What do you mean by coughing? I find that very offensive."

Chong Shuai: "Well... let's just leave it like that?"

Chi Miao continued to press for answers.

"What about resources? Treasures? Or what advantages does it have compared to other peaks?"

After a long silence, Chong Shuai looked at Yan Ge.

Yan Ge said proudly, "None of what you're describing exists at Thunder Punishment Peak!"

Chi Miao looked up at the sky, her face filled with despair: "You have nothing, then what do you have?"

Yan Ge approached Chi Miao, looking mysterious.

"Now that you're here, you'll know what we have here, won't you?"

Chi Miao: "Hehe."

Seeing that the two were really going too far with their antics, Chong Shuai, as the sect leader, had no choice but to step in.

He walked up to Chi Miao, his eyes serious and determined.

"Chi Miao, do you believe in us?"

Chi Miao was both amused and exasperated: "I really want to believe you, but you have to tell me why, give me some hope!"

"Alright, if you want the reason, I'll tell you." Chong Shuai put his hands behind his back, spread his sleeves, and a formation appeared around him, isolating everyone else except the three people involved.

Chong Shuai opened his mouth and said:

"Because these matters are a secret of Nine Swords Mountain, we will keep them from others. We ask that you keep this secret for us after you learn about them. Would you agree?"

Chi Miao pursed her lips and thought for a while before agreeing.

"it is good."

"Since you say 'good,' then I'll speak."

"Actually, your joining Thunder Punishment Peak was the result of discussions between me and the elders. Your talent is very high... so high that even we cannot predict your future. We... dare not become your masters, for fear of delaying you."

"Thunder Punishment Peak is practically a land of annihilation in the eyes of outsiders. Any prodigy who comes here will be driven mad, or even die mysteriously. Therefore, everyone fears it. But please believe us... we would never send a peerless genius to his death without a reason!"

"Lei Fa Peak is very likely to be an opportunity for you."

Although Chi Miao didn't know what had happened at Lei Fa Peak.

Even just hearing Chong Shuai say it gives you a clue; this place... is definitely not simple.

"What kind of opportunity are you talking about?"

"You will understand when the time comes, but I am certain... we all have a strong feeling that you will get this opportunity, and this opportunity... is the only chance to ensure your longevity in the future."

Chi Miao was momentarily dazed: "The only chance to prolong my life?"

Does she look like she could die easily?

Gou Shi System: "Yes, you're good at courting death."

Chi Miao: "..."

Chi Miao looked at Chong Shuai in front of her, and there was an indescribable sorrow and heartache in the other's eyes.

Chi Miao couldn't understand it for a moment.

What's there to worry about? What's there to feel sorry for?

But she still instinctively asked, "Can I know why I can't live a long life?"

"Of course, it's better for you to know these things sooner rather than later."

"You already know about the Sorrowful Sword and the Heavenly Sorrow Immortal, but what you don't know is that the cultivation world hasn't produced an immortal for a very, very long time."

"No, to be precise... in the tens of thousands of years of records in the cultivation world, only the Heavenly Sorrow Immortal has been confirmed to have ascended to immortality."

"Ascending to immortality, achieving eternal life... This is the ultimate reason why so many people choose this path. Humans cannot avoid death, only ascension. Therefore, you can understand how tempting the method of ascension is for us cultivators. Some people are willing to do anything... to obtain this method of immortality."

"A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime. The Sorrowful Sword in your hand is the key to opening the cave left behind by the Heavenly Sorrow Immortal. In everyone's eyes, as long as one can enter the Heavenly Sorrow Cave and obtain the inheritance, one can unlock the method of ascension."

"Therefore... the moment you made a pact with the Weeping Sword, you were destined to bear the covetous eyes of countless people."

Chi Miao understood the cause and effect, but simply asked, "Even Nine Swords Mountain couldn't protect me?"

Yan Ge, who had been silent all along, laughed: "Nine Swords Mountain? What is Nine Swords Mountain? The Ten Great Sects in the eyes of the world are nothing compared to this. Which powerful figure in the world doesn't covet the method of ascension? How can you guarantee that other sects won't wipe out my sect for the ascension method? And how many can my sect kill?"

"Protect it? If the Weeping Sword hadn't been unable to be taken out of the Sword Tomb, Nine Swords Mountain wouldn't have survived to this day! It would have been wiped out long ago!"

Very well! So this Sorrowful Sword is a hot potato that anyone who touches it will die!

Chi Miao pursed her lips and hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.

"Is it too late for me to throw away the Weeping Sword now?"

Yan Ge: "..."

Chongsu: "..."

The Weeping Sword flew out hastily.

"Master, don't throw me away! Didn't we agree to never leave each other, and that I could only be taken from you after stepping over your dead body? I am your sword in life, and I will be your sword in death!"

Chi Miao really wanted to die right now.

She's dug a hole and buried herself in it!

She laughed, but her laughter was more painful than crying.

"Should I kill myself now?"

Yan Ge: "What a spineless attitude! What kind of mentality is that?"

Chi Miao: "I'm just being prepared! What if some scoundrel tries to steal my sword and then uses me as a furnace? I'd end up losing both my sword and my money!"

Yan Ge: "I think you have potential!"

Chi Miao scratched her head sheepishly: "Oh dear, I know I'm talented, anyone with eyes can see that, but it's not really appropriate to say it now, it's kind of embarrassing."

Both of them fell silent.

Suddenly, I had the urge to stab Chi Miao to death right here.

Their reason told them that these were their own people and they couldn't be killed!

Chi Miao: "Moreover, I think everyone in the cultivation world is in a rather abnormal mental state. This is a conservative estimate; there might be even more shocking things, like being trained into puppets, never to be reincarnated, and being used as a tool for venting for lifetimes. The more I think about it, the scarier it gets!"

"Your cultivation world is truly monstrous!"

Yan Ge couldn't hold back any longer. He drew his sword and pointed it at Chi Miao: "Try spouting another load of nonsense! I'll really kill you, you believe me!"

Chi Miao quickly admitted defeat and raised his hands.

"No, harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth!"

Yan Ge thought he had managed his emotions very well today, but he still couldn't believe that Chi Miao could make him so angry.

Chonglu quickly separated the two.

"Chi Miao is right, harmony brings wealth. Elder Yan, please rest, I'll talk... I'll handle the matter."

Yan Ge then reluctantly walked to the side.

Chong Shuai pinched the bridge of his nose and looked at Chi Miao before speaking.

"Besides what I just mentioned, the most important reason is still your own."

"Your death is imminent."