Reflection

Sworthy Mountain rises ten thousand feet high, its imposing presence seeming to press against the sky.

The mountain's terrain is steep and rugged, with cliffs rising thousands of feet high and peaks standing tall and majestic, earning it the reputation of being unrivaled in the world for its danger and ruggedness.

At this moment, a group of people on horseback is still walking along the official road, but they can already see the towering Sworthy Mountain in the distance.

However, despite catching sight of Sworthy Mountain, it will still take quite some time for the group to actually reach it, even though they are traveling at a relatively fast pace.

"Oh, by the way, there are some things I almost forgot to mention," said Fling, who was walking at the front.

Upon hearing this, the eight true disciples behind him fell silent.

"Your first expedition has not been properly summarized or reflected upon," Fling suddenly said at this moment.

Hearing this, the eight true disciples couldn't help but be surprised.

Fling then smiled and said, "Do you think that competing with the South Peak is enough for reflection and summary? In fact, in all five major immortal sects, there is a similar rule that after each battle experience, it is necessary to summarize and reflect. Every battle, every experience, is actually a valuable treasure. Only by summarizing and reflecting on each battle and experience can one find their own shortcomings and progress faster."

However, recently, during the expedition, everyone had thought that the final assessment with the South Peak was enough for reflection and summary.

No one expected Fling to bring it up at this moment.

Fling smiled and continued, "You did indeed win over the South Peak this time. If I had asked you to summarize and reflect at that time, I doubt you would have had the mindset for it. So I decided to wait until your excitement had cooled down before pointing it out to you." At this point, Fling's expression had turned stern.

Once again, the eight true disciples were being reprimanded, and none of them spoke up.

"Let's start with you, Ada. You are the third senior sister among the top ten true disciples, but in this battle, you disregarded the overall situation and failed to harness the strength of your junior brothers. Instead, you acted individually. When we asked you to form teams on your own, it didn't mean you had to split up. One person's strength is weak, but together, the strength of many is strong. This is basic common sense. Look at the South Peak; they did well in this regard, unlike you compared to Mink of the South Peak," Fling said sternly, causing Ada to lower her head almost to the ground.

"As for you, Fountain, you did even worse. At least Ada had companions when she ventured into the underworld, but you went alone. That's quite impressive, but if your strength isn't overwhelmingly superior, then you should understand the importance of teamwork. I'll have to have a talk with Squaring about this," Fling said, his usually smiling face now serious and stern.

"Bob, your performance was mediocre, nothing outstanding," he continued.

"Harry, your performance also had issues."

Initially, everyone thought Harry's performance would be unassailable, but Fling seemed to have criticisms as well. "Your biggest problem is being too immersed in swordsmanship. During the battle, you noticed neither I nor Gling. If it had been enemies instead of us, would you still be alive? In battle, besides focusing on the enemy, you also need to be aware of your surroundings."

Harry nodded hurriedly. "I understand," he said. He couldn't argue with his seniors; Fling did have some valid points given his lack of battle experience.

"As for Flen, your performance was shameful. Go back and prepare for special training," Fling said to his disciple Flen, showing no mercy.

One by one, the criticisms continued, and even Squary and Round couldn't escape them. In the end, it seemed like everyone had something to answer for.

After passing through various restrictions and endless rays of light, they finally returned to the mountain.

Back at the North Peak, Fling said, "Alright, you're all dismissed. Do whatever you want."

With that, the eight true disciples scattered like birds and beasts.

Harry immediately rushed to the Long-Spring Yard halfway up the mountain.

Upon arriving, he found The Old Smith brewing medicine. After a brief wait, he took the medicine to the main hall.

Upon entering the main hall, Master Abbas, dressed in a white robe, was reading a book while stroking his white beard.

Harry naturally knew that in recent years, his master had hardly wielded a sword at all. Instead, he spent his time reading books and cultivating his character.

"Put the medicine there. Oh, Harry, it's you," Abbas said casually, thinking it was The Old Smith at first. However, he glanced casually and realized it was Harry, setting the book aside. "You're back."

"Yes, Master," Harry replied respectfully.

Abbas nodded. "This was your first expedition. Tell me about your experiences."

"Master, please take your medicine first," Harry said respectfully.

Abbas smiled and took the medicine bowl. "Alright, while I drink my medicine, you can talk."

"Yes," Harry nodded. "This expedition was against the Moon Demon Sect, near the surface. Initially, they had emerged from the ground, but by the time we arrived, they had all retreated underground. So, Fling allowed us to form teams and enter the underworld. However, for safety reasons, each person had a protective talisman."

Harry recounted their experiences from the start of the expedition, training in demon martial arts underground, to the final confrontation with the Moon Asura.

He explained how they discovered the Moon Asura's weakness during the battle and exploited it.

As Harry recounted his experiences, Abbas nodded occasionally.

Once Harry finished speaking, Abbas offered his comments. "Your proficiency in swordsmanship is indeed commendable. You have fully grasped the Sword's Heart of Wind and Cloud. As for Fling's concern about your lack of experience, you're still young, so it's normal. You'll improve with time. Your laziness is indeed a problem, and encountering such high-intensity battles is rare for you. There are indeed shortcomings. Let me share some of my past battle experiences with you..."

After a while, Abbas continued, "After this, you should stay at the North Peak for a while. There's no need to rush into the next task. You've made a name for yourself in this expedition. Next, let the other true disciples shine in other events. Don't hog the limelight. Everything is a matter of balance."

"Yes," Harry nodded.

-----------------------------

Meanwhile, in Caldwell's study...

Fling recounted the details of the expedition clearly.

As Fling spoke, Caldwell continued to write in beautiful calligraphy. After he finished writing the characters "Thunderous Shock, Snake Transforming into Dragon," Caldwell smiled and asked, "Fling, how are my characters?"

Fling nodded and smiled. "They're naturally good, but they still need some improvement."

"That's true. Those juniors also indeed need some improvement," Caldwell agreed, putting down his wolf-hair brush and looking out the window at the drifting clouds.

His study, located high on the North Peak, overlooked a cliff where the clouds floated leisurely.

"Above the clouds, atop the peak, one looks down on all beneath," he murmured, quoting an old saying, as he pondered the situation.