Chapter One: The Chronicle of Sword Mountain’s Love

Sword Mountain, Sword Worship Peak.

The usually empty main peak was, on this day, awash with people—so much so that even the layers of clouds and mist had been scattered by the surge of human presence.

This was not only the long-awaited grand sect tournament of the righteous path’s great clans.

It was also that, during this very tournament, the next master of Sword Mountain would be chosen.

Such a momentous event naturally drew guests from all directions.

At this moment, within an elegant Sword Pavilion, the Sword Mountain’s master, Shen Wuyai, was exchanging words with the other leaders of the righteous sects.

After a round of pleasant conversation, talk inevitably turned to the matter of selecting the next sect master.

Someone, toying with his cup, laughed lightly: “Master Shen, your disciples are truly outstanding among their peers. I suspect the champion of this tournament will likely be one of these young friends?”

At these words, everyone’s gaze fell, as if by agreement, upon four individuals nearby.

Two men and two women—the four direct disciples.

Xiao Lin was among them.

However, he was not the first to receive attention.

Following the others’ gazes, Xiao Lin looked toward a young man clad in white.

He stood tall and straight as jade, with sword-shaped eyebrows and star-bright eyes; ethereal, otherworldly, his bearing was both refined and unearthly.

Most crucially, even before these mighty elders, he remained composed, exuding a distinguished presence.

“This must be Master Shen’s senior disciple, is it not? To call him a ‘banished immortal’ is no exaggeration. If the future leader of the righteous path looks thus, our way is truly flourishing.”

Senior Brother Li Changhe, unperturbed by praise or blame, cupped his hands in salute. “You flatter me, elder.”

Xiao Lin thought to himself, “His cultivation is high, but he is indecisive. The calamity at Sword Pool—all of it started because of him.”

He then glanced at a young woman whose expression was calm.

Though she wore plain robes, they could not conceal her peerless beauty.

Yet compared to the fierce sword intent hidden within her slender frame, even such striking looks seemed insignificant.

Someone, unable to hide their astonishment, whispered, “Is that... the ‘Dustless Sword Heart’? Born to walk the way of the sword, destined to shake mountains and rivers. Where did Master Shen find such an exceptional seedling?”

By the end, a note of envy crept into the speaker’s voice.

Shen Wuyai only smiled and said nothing.

Second Senior Sister Gu Jianyao was not one for words; she merely nodded coolly. “Thank you for your praise, elder.”

Xiao Lin thought further, “No matter how untainted her sword heart, one day she will awaken. But to open her heart for a Demon Lord, of all people...”

In contrast to the senior brother and second senior sister, Third Senior Sister Tang Qianxue seemed rather unremarkable.

Someone laughed, “Why is it, after all this time, Xiaoxue, that your cultivation is still at the same level? It seems I’ll have to inform your father.”

Tang Qianxue muttered under her breath, “Even Master hasn’t scolded me, and you’re already running to tell…”

The words were met with laughter, revealing her unusual background.

Her father, it seemed, was on close terms with the sect master.

Even Li Changhe and Gu Jianyao could not help but smile.

Only Xiao Lin could not bring himself to laugh. “So what if her cultivation is low now? Just wait and see. Before her dark transformation, she loses to everyone; after, she defeats them all.”

Finally, it was Xiao Lin’s turn.

A white-bearded elder stroked his beard. “I’ve heard a little of your deeds, young friend. You wiped out an entire band of formidable bandits, saving innocents from peril. But… it is said you did not even spare the children.”

Xiao Lin was about to speak, but Shen Wuyai threw him a glance and spoke coolly, “He takes the road less traveled, and his methods are harsh, yet his heart remains uncorrupted.”

Sensing the moment, Xiao Lin wisely fell silent, neither agreeing nor denying.

Children?

He did not believe those children—whose hands were stained with others’ blood—were innocent.

He knew only that if the roots are not destroyed, the weeds will grow anew with the spring breeze.

Given the chance, he would do it again.

Fortunately, Shen Wuyai supported him.

It was a pity, though—this master of Sword Mountain, his own teacher…

Was about to die.

This was Xiao Lin’s third year since transmigrating into this world.

He still vividly remembered the trailer he’d seen before crossing over, for a 3D xianxia anime called “Sword Mountain Romance”.

And this place—was exactly the world of “Sword Mountain Romance”.

According to the plot teased in the trailer, this sect tournament was not truly about selecting the next master of Sword Mountain. In reality, Shen Wuyai was choosing which disciple would kill him.

As for the exact reasons...

Xiao Lin did not know.

Such crucial plot points clearly wouldn’t be revealed in a trailer.

He only knew the general fate of his sect.

Some would turn dark, some would betray the sect, some would lose their memories...

As for the later developments, he could learn them in advance—but only by spending “Popularity Points”.

As a transmigrator, he had, as expected, awakened a popularity point system.

After all, an anime had viewers.

And viewers meant popularity.

Popularity, in turn, meant strength—

If he wished, he could exchange popularity points for anything.

Because of this, Xiao Lin had already crafted a persona for himself.

Chang Yin, Rainbow Cat, Duanmu Yan—all were good options.

But for now, he needed the talent and confidence of Fire Linfei the most.

This way, he would become the junior apprentice who was both decisive and ruthless, yet not without humor—a righteous soul bordering on the demonic.

In this, he would stand in sharp contrast to his indecisive, overly sentimental seniors, allowing him to stand out.

Once the anime aired and the fans came pouring in, he would gain endless followers and an inexhaustible stream of popularity.

Though Xiao Lin had no desire to play a role forever,

He understood that if he let the plot unfold as it was meant to,

In the end, this world would truly be destroyed.

To the audience, it would be nothing but a show.

But to him, it was a real world.

When the nest is overturned, how can any eggs remain unbroken?

Even if not for the masses, for his own sake—

Xiao Lin had to intervene and change the course of the story.

Except, this anime bore one fatal label:

Romance.

This meant not only that the main characters were all hopeless romantics—

Things like “killing for the sake of love” or “I’ll make the world die with you” were routine.

It also meant the whole world was little more than a stage.

If the story demanded it,

The male and female leads could go from mere Qi Condensation to awakening past-life memories and breaking through to the highest realm in a blink.

Though this particular anime was not that exaggerated,

The protagonists’ cultivation still soared at a terrifying pace.

To stop them, he had to keep up with their unreasonable speed.

A persona that drew fans was essential.

And character was only one part of a persona.

The other, naturally—

Was matching strength.

In the next instant, a light screen appeared before Xiao Lin’s eyes, visible only to him.

Name: Xiao Lin

Age: 16

Cultivation: Qi Condensation, Perfection Stage

Innate Talent: Righteous Spirit Aplomb

Cultivation Technique: Asura Heaven-Suppressing Art

He had received this talent from the system’s “newcomer’s gift pack”.

Righteous Spirit Aplomb: Your heart is ever filled with noble spirit; even should the world change, you will hold firm to your sense of justice.

This was not only the foundation of his persona,

But also the source of his strength—

Asura Heaven-Suppressing Art: Only those who possess an ‘extreme qi’ can wield it. This qi transforms all things and suppresses all enemies. The greater the qi, the stronger the power.

Extreme qi came in righteous and demonic forms.

Xiao Lin wielded the Asura Heaven-Suppressing Art with righteous qi.

However, this art did not come from the system,

But existed natively within this world.

Few practiced it, though.

For all its might, it exacted a terrible price.

Once mastered, one must face all things without fear.

Should their resolve ever falter, they would suffer a dreadful backlash.

If their conviction collapsed entirely, it would mean certain death.

Some demonic cultivators could wield the art with evil qi,

But none could guarantee their heart would never waver, never know fear, doubt, or retreat.

But Xiao Lin possessed Righteous Spirit Aplomb.

Even should his body perish and soul scatter, so long as he upheld his justice, he could press ever onward.

They complemented each other perfectly.

Xiao Lin silently recalled the rules of the sect tournament.

He remembered that only the top eight would advance to the final trial—facing Shen Wuyai’s “illusion”.

He did not know what would happen if he killed Shen Wuyai in that illusion.

But at the very least, it would earn him a great surge of popularity, enough to strengthen himself against the crises to come.

Therefore—

Even though he had entered the sect late, and his seniors were already Foundation Establishment cultivators, far beyond him in strength,

He would still strive for a place among the top eight.