Side Story: Difficulties of a Woman (I)

The first light of dawn sliced through a sea of clouds and cast its warmth onto an immortal sect called the Tower of Swords. This sect was located on a rocky mountaintop where natural erosion over eons left behind narrow towers of grey stone. These stone towers were then further elevated by human industry, creating narrow, flat spires of stone blocks that pierced the sky. From the distance, it looked like a forest of gray, towers of swords.

Each tower, large and small, was the residence of families, disciples, seniors, elders, and core disciples. And within the tallest tower, its tip hidden in the clouds, resided the venerable sect master Peng Yuefeng, an expert swordsman from a long line of expert swordsmen that had few equals in the Eastern Sanmu Subcontinent.

He wasn't as strong as a Spirit King but it could be said that his understanding of the way of the sword was peerless, that nobody alive could best him in sword skill alone. As a result, the Tower of Swords was filled to the brim with sword fanatics and sword lovers of all shapes and sizes, male and female, of all ages, all under one name… Peng.

This morning, amongst the thousands of sword practitioners waking up and preparing to hone their sword arts, there was one person that stood out in particular.

This young woman was no older than eighteen. Her cultivation was impressive for her age, at the beginning levels of the Mind Focusing Realm. She wore the same gray robes as the other female disciples, with wide sleeves and long dresses that flowed in the wind. It was an adequate outfit, obviously feminine but not too colorful or distracting, illustrating the serious nature of the path of the sword. Yet somehow, she was able to clearly stand out amidst a sea of similar outfits.

Her eyes were bright, filled with intelligence and determination. Her lips were small but plump like a red rose ready to be plucked. A straight nose, sharp eyebrows, slender neck, and rounded jawline that led to a perfectly oval face with skin as white as snow… Her features dazzled in the morning light, outshining the orange brilliance from the eastern horizon as well as the combined beauty of all the female disciples gathered in the courtyard.

"Morning, Sister Lingxi!"

"Good morning!"

"Sister!"

Lingxi was her name, or more accurately, Peng Lingxi. She was, like many others, a distant relative of the sect master. The sect was filled with branch families and branches of branches. Cousins, second cousins, third cousins, aunts and uncles, everyone was related to someone else.

Her family was small compared to others, with only a mother who was a commoner and a father who died early, a casualty of the difficult path that all cultivators took. Her background was ordinary but she was anything but. She had to be as it was only her talent that allowed her family to remain in the sect and survive.

Peng Lingxi nodded to her peers as she walked past them wordlessly. She carried with her an almost untouchable aura. Eyes filled with admiration as well as jealousy followed her steps until she eventually took her place at the front row.

"Attention!" A stern voice sounded from the raised stage.

A stout matron with graying hair pulled back in a bun stepped forward, her sword held behind her right arm, her left hand carrying an unfurled scroll.

"Morning, Elder Peng Lei!" The gathered female disciples said in unison, a hundred voices combining into a titillating chorus.

Elder Peng Lei was their master in all but name. The Tower of Swords had tens of thousands of disciples and it was impossible for the sect master to teach everyone. He only taught the core disciples while an army of elders took care of the rest.

"We will have a joint practice with our male cohort this morning..." Peng Lei began.

Squeals of excitement and fervent chatter erupted among the gathered female disciples. It was as if this was the most exciting thing they had heard in many months. Indeed, at their age, the opposite sex was perhaps the only thing that could distract their sword heart and occupy a greater place in their minds than the pursuit of cultivation.

"Quiet down, quiet down." She repeated this a few times until even the most excitable maiden shut their mouth, "For the joint practice, we will begin with some matches as a few of you need practice partners."

She paused and stared down at Peng Lingxi. All the heads turned and stared at her as well.

"Lingxi, this cohort that is coming today is the best within the Mind Focusing Realm. All of them are at the upper levels. Lingxi, I hope you can learn something from these male disciples and finally settle your sword heart. Perhaps you will finally be able to find a suitable partner."

Peng Lingxi looked up with an even expression, "Respected elder, my sword heart is firm as steel, keen like a blade's edge. If there is someone suitable for me, I am naturally willing to practice the sword with him. I hope that your optimism can hold true."

Elder Peng Lei's face contorted into a frown. She wanted to say something but couldn't figure out what. It wasn't like she could reprimand Peng Lingxi for her reasonable and respectful words.

Peng Lingxi wasn't like the other female disciples. It wasn't because she was stubborn or disliked men. She was simply too talented to pair up with ordinary male disciples. She was undisputedly the best disciple among the younger generation by far and it wasn't close.

But time was ticking and Peng Lingxi wasn't a little girl anymore. She couldn't delay this matter much longer. It was impossible to go on without a partner.

The problem lay in the sword art that female disciples of the Tower of Swords cultivated, the Sword of the Noble Lady. It was a sword art created by the sect ancestor's wife specifically for female sword practitioners. It was a complementary sword art to the male form which the sect ancestor wielded, the Sword of the Gallant Gentleman.

A gallant gentleman and a noble lady, it was a perfect pairing, a complementary union that benefitted both sides. It was one of the best sword arts for mortal cultivators that instilled righteousness, integrity, bravery, and loyalty. One relied on the other and it was impossible to attain the highest levels of understanding without a partner.

There was also one other sword art, the immortal sword art that was the foundation of the sect. However, this was reserved for the sect master and his core disciples. Named the Lonely Sword Wanderer, it was the polar opposite of the Sword of the Noble Lady and the Sword of Gallant Gentleman. The Lonely Sword Wanderer was a solitary sword Dao that required no partner. It's path to immortality was one of loneliness. It's immortal sword was lonely from beginning to end.

But Peng Lingxi wasn't a core disciple. She was just an ordinary disciple that had never even met the sect master in person. There was no other option for her.

Elder Peng Lei stared at Peng Lingxi. Peng Lingxi stared back without emotion. Neither backed down.

The awkward silence was eventually broken by the arrival of steady footsteps. A venerable male elder with long white hair arrived with around a hundred youthful male disciples in tow. They took up the space on the opposite side of the courtyard while the male elder walked up the steps to the platform in the middle.

"Elder Peng Lei! Morning!"

"Elder Peng Feihe!" Peng Lei greeted him.

The two elders conversed briefly, leaving their disciples to silently ogle their counterparts.

The attention of the female disciples varied. Some were staring at their practice partners while others examined the most handsome young men amongst the crowd. Practice partners were not set in stone and those that were unsatisfied with their current partners couldn't help but let their eyes roam toward better candidates.

The men, on the other hand, were all staring at Peng Lingxi like hungry wolves. She was the prize in everyone's heart and it had been this way for many years. She was the unattainable maiden that rebuffed all suitors. She never had a practice partner that lasted more than a single morning. No male disciple of equal cultivation and skill existed. Even direct descendants of the sect master that wished to practice their sword arts with her were denied time and time again.

As such, her status became somewhat legendary amongst the mortal disciples of the Tower of Gods. There were even wagers between those with influential backgrounds and deep pockets. Everyone was waiting for the day that someone could pluck this beautiful, stubborn flower.

Peng Lingxi closed her eyes and let out a steady breath, preparing for the matches that would soon start.

She didn't care what others thought of her. They could look but that's all they could do. Her heart would never waver from the path of the sword. This was her Dao and these talentless men all around her were useless distractions.

Elder Peng Lei's words soon came as expected, "Disciple Peng Lingxi! Come up to the stage to receive your first challenge!"