Chapter 1

“Li Qingshan, as the Head Disciple of the Yuhua Sect, the prince of the Great Yan Dynasty, you were seduced and freed the Demonic Divine Concubine. Do you know your sin?”

“I am willing to relinquish my status as the Head Disciple and be imprisoned in Repentance Cliff to clean the Stele Forest.”

“Allowed. However, your cultivation prowess must be disabled, your root bone will be crushed, and you will not be allowed out in your entire life!”

“Sect Leader, countless techniques are recorded in the Stele Forest of Repentance Cliff.”

“How can someone with a disabled root bone be able to learn those mysterious techniques?”

“That… is quite true.”

“Eldest Senior Brother, Repentance Cliff is in the front. Please go in.” The voice startled Li Qingshan awake.

He lifted his head and looked ahead.

A cliff rose into the clouds. It was huge among the green mountains and white clouds. Yet it was isolated in all directions. Only a dozen chains crossed into the sky and connected two neighboring mountains.

This was Repentance Cliff of the Yuhua Sect.

“I never thought that I would get my cultivation disabled, my root bone crushed, and also lose my position as Head Disciple right after transporting here.” Li Qingshan chuckled wryly.

This body was originally the prince of the Great Yan Dynasty and was under the rule of the Yuhua Sect.

He had been found to have a perfect spirit root right after his birth and was extremely powerful. So he had been sent to the Yuhua Sect, and an exception had been made for him, as a new disciple, to become the Head Disciple.

His path after that was very successful. He kept cultivating and improving himself. He had a limitless future.

It could be said that he had a perfect start.

However, he violated the sect rules because of the Demonic Divine Concubine. As a result, his cultivation had been disabled, his root bone had been crushed, and he had to spend the rest of his life imprisoned on Repentance Cliff.

“A perfect start ended up like this.” Li Qingshan sighed.

Right now, his body was very weak. One could say that he was completely helpless.

Many disciples of the Yuhua Sect stood behind him. Looking at his somber back side, they were filled with lamentation.

“Our Eldest Senior Brother was a rare genius of the Yuhua Sect and was known to be the one with the most hope of overcoming the shackles of the world and becoming a Saint. I never expected he would end up in this state.”

“The path of cultivation was filled with difficulty and danger, and he was seduced by that Demonic Divine Concubine. He actually opened the Deity Slaying Matrix set up by the major clans and freed her, causing him to end up like this. The Sect Leader is already showing his sympathy by sparing his life.”

“Was the Demonic Divine Concubine that beautiful? She could even mesmerize our gentle Eldest Senior Brother to this point.”

“I heard that the Demonic Divine Concubine was the reincarnation of an important figure. Her seduction abilities are unparalleled. So it was not shocking that Eldest Senior Brother would fall for her.”

“What a pity. He was a genius who should be working on breaking the shackles of the world, but now he will spend the rest of his life in this cold Stele Forest.”

Li Qingshan heard the words of the other disciples. He sighed inwardly and crossed the chain bridge, heading toward Repentance Cliff.

The disciples watched as Li Qingshan entered Repentance Cliff. They then cut down the bridge, so ordinary people would not be able to leave.

Then they left.

As for Li Qingshan, his cultivation had been disabled and root bone crushed. Their Eldest Senior Brother was no longer part of the same world as them.

Repentance Cliff was the most mysterious place in the Yuhua Sect. Unfortunately, it was also the most terrifying place.

It was mysterious because there was the Million Stele Forest on Repentance Cliff. It was terrifying because, unless one came here due to an achievement, the others who came to Repentance Cliff had to stay here for the rest of their lives.

When Li Qingshan arrived, he was met with an elder.

He had a head of white hair, and his simple clothes were faded from being washed too many times. The elder had blurry eyes and leaned on a cane. The wrinkles on his ancient face were like the mountains and rivers of the world.

“No one has come to Repentance Cliff in a long time,” the elder said.

“And you are?” Li Qingshan asked.

“I am the Stele Keeper of Repentance Cliff.” The elder smacked his lips. Seeing how weak Li Qingshan was, he instantly understood everything.

“You committed a major offense and got punished?” the elder asked.

“Yes.” Li Qingshan nodded.

“Then, we will depend on each other to survive from now on. Come with me. It happens that I do not have many days left. After I tell you the taboos of Repentance Cliff, I can find a grave for myself.” The elder turned and waved his hand at Li Qingshan.

“Sir, what do I call you?” Li Qingshan asked.

“Just call me Stele Keeper. It has been decades, and I have long forgotten my name,” the Stele Keeper said.

Li Qingshan followed the Stele Keeper and walked across Repentance Cliff. Along the way, he saw countless steles that loomed tall.

These steles had withstood wind and rain, but they still stood tall. They would never be destroyed.

The content carved on the steles were all different. Some had a sword carved on it; some had a blade of grass; some had a pair of fists…

“This must be the Million Stele Forest of Repentance Cliff!”

“Repentance Cliff is known to have a million steles. Ever since the establishment of the Yuhua Sect, those who commit major offenses of sect rules are imprisoned on a stele and tossed into Repentance Cliff. They age and die quickly, but before they die, they will carve their most excellent skills on the stele.

“Thus, every stele here represents a senior with advanced cultivation.

“What was carved onto the steles was also the magnum opus of these seniors.”

Li Qingshan was murmuring to himself.

The Stele Keeper nodded and said, “We are required to wipe down the Stele Forest, so it does not become dusty. However, you must remember that you cannot look at the Stele Forest with care.”

“Why not?” Li Qingshan asked, not understanding.

“Every stele recorded the magnum opus left behind by a senior. Observing these skills requires great comprehension, which people call spiritual consciousness. Only then will you have a chance to comprehend it.

“However, you no longer have a cultivation, and your root bone was crushed,” the Stele Keeper continued. “You only have a spiritual consciousness left. If you put your heart into observing them, your spiritual consciousness will be absorbed. You would have nothing left, so you would become a soulless and spiritless shell.”

Li Qingshan nodded. He glanced at the steles as he passed by.

For some reason, he kept feeling that these steles had come back to life.

After walking for a while, they entered a corner of the Stele Forest, and Li Qingshan saw a bamboo hut.

There was a small bridge and flowing water beside the bamboo hut. It snaked across the land toward a river. Fish swam freely in the water, and they reflected the light.

There was a flowery garden behind the bamboo hut. Countless flowers bloomed in it, competing with each other in beauty. The fragrance filled the air, luring birds over to spiral in the air.

There were a few vegetable fields on the left of the bamboo hut with some vegetables planted in them.

A soft breeze flew over the flora and fauna. It was very idyllic.

“What do you think? My taste is quite good, right?” the Stele Keeper asked, chuckling.

“You made all of this?” Li Qingshan asked. He was impressed.

“When I first came, there was nothing here. After that, I started building it bit by bit and completed it. When I pass away, you can bury me, and all of this will be yours,” the Stele Keeper said as he pushed open the door to the bamboo hut.

“There are two rooms inside—one for you and one for me. You can take a rest. I will go sweep the steles and cook for you after returning.” The Stele Keeper left with a wooden bucket and rag. He quickly disappeared.

Li Qingshan did not rest. This day had been tumultuous for him, and he needed to calm down.

Walking around the bamboo hut, Li Qingshan also saw many steles.

He walked to the closest stele and saw that the content carved on this one was different from the others.

This one had a large river that flowed angrily.

“What a pity. Observing these magna opera requires high comprehension or spiritual consciousness to have a chance to comprehend them.

“My cultivation is disabled right now, and my root bone has been crushed. I only have a bit of comprehension left. I am unable to do anything while guarding this Million Stele Forest.” Li Qingshan sighed.

Despite sighing, Li Qingshan still stared at this stele.

It felt as if the large river was really attractive to him.

As if… it was about to come to life.

As he looked and looked…

He gradually fell into concentration.

[You observed the stele carefully and activated your maxed-level comprehension skill. You have now comprehended the Great River Sword Qi!]