“Such a fine sword!”
Tai Lingxuan applauded happily.
Yun Lian slowly sheathed her sword, a small trace of pride and satisfaction in her smile.
Her eyes glanced challengingly at Gu Qiushui, unconsciously laced with a hint of provocation.
Well then, dear senior sister, my sword is still the stronger one.
No matter how much you refuse, envy, or disparage, that is an undeniable fact.
However, Gu Qiushui’s face showed none of the resentment or jealousy Yun Lian expected.
Instead, she eagerly stepped forward, placing a hand on Yun Lian’s shoulder and exclaimed:
“Wow, your very first strike reached this level already? Little junior sister, could you be a sword prodigy?”
Yun Lian was taken aback, puzzled by Gu Qiushui’s reaction.
Why was she so happy that she was stronger?
Or was she pretending to be happy for her but secretly plotting against her?
Yun Lian’s mind churned with suspicion, yet Gu Qiushui continued:
“Junior sister Yun Lian, if you understand the sword path before I do, you must teach me!”
“Ah… y-yes…”
Caught off guard by Gu Qiushui’s words, Yun Lian responded somewhat sluggishly, still pondering what her senior sister’s true intentions were.
She couldn’t understand it—no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t figure out Gu Qiushui’s motive.
Yun Lian remained alert but composed, bowing slightly toward Tai Lingxuan. “Thank you for your instruction, Master!”
Tai Lingxuan smiled gently, nodding approvingly. “Yun Lian, it seems your talent for the sword path is truly exceptional.”
“Unfortunately, I am not well-versed in swordsmanship myself.”
“Considering this, joining our Hehuan Sect might not have been the best choice for you.”
As she spoke, Tai Lingxuan let out a quiet sigh.
Yun Lian maintained her respectful stance but couldn’t help wondering about Tai Lingxuan’s words.
What did she mean by saying joining Hehuan Sect was not the best choice?
Was Master just making excuses to expel her from the sect?
Could it be that even her benevolent Master was jealous of her talent?
That was unacceptable—she still had a mission to complete.
As Yun Lian silently contemplated how to dispel Tai Lingxuan’s “thoughts,” Gu Qiushui spoke again, this time addressing Chen Yuyang.
“Yuyang, you also use a sword, don’t you want to give it a try?”
Chen Yuyang smiled faintly and waved his hand.
“My main cultivation is a fire-element technique, which doesn’t quite align with this Canglan Sword Manual.”
“So it’s not a matter of being unable to perform the move, but just not matching it well~ Alright then, you little brat, don’t try to keep things from your senior sister. Come on, show me! What does it matter if it fits or not? Don’t you understand that only by gathering the strengths of all schools can you advance further?”
Gu Qiushui laughed, taking on the senior sister’s authoritative tone as she nudged Chen Yuyang forward with a slap, simultaneously pressing her own sword into his hand, urging:
“Come on, hurry up! You’re a man, why dawdle?”
Chen Yuyang smiled wryly and nodded helplessly.
All things have yin and yang.
Everything in the world essentially originates from the collision between the Primordial Fire and the laws of Heaven and Earth.
It wasn’t that Chen Yuyang couldn’t wield powers of other elements; it was simply unnecessary in most cases.
Because such evolution required an understanding of the laws of Heaven and Earth, even perceiving oneself as part of those laws.
If the goal was just to kill enemies, directly invoking the Primordial Fire was simpler, more brutal, and straightforward.
Only when casting specific spells or setting certain formations did this evolution show some of its worth.
But generally speaking, it was rarely useful, and Chen Yuyang didn’t focus on it much.
For merely swinging a sword, there was no need to bother with it.
Thus, the sword stroke Chen Yuyang executed lacked sword aura or spiritual fluctuations—only a pure technique.
And then…
The sword was swung.
A simple action.
Yet, at the moment this sword stroke was completed, A chill rose from Tai Lingxuan’s spine.
The same sensation was felt by the grinning Gu Qiushui and the contemplative Yun Lian.
At that instant, the same question arose simultaneously in the minds of the three women.
“What… kind of sword strike is this?”
Chen Yuyang lowered his arm somewhat guiltily, stepping before Gu Qiushui and handing the sword back. “Senior sister, see for yourself. I… I can’t do it.”
“Can’t do it…”
Gu Qiushui stood dumbfounded, still recalling the feeling from moments ago.
Indeed, Chen Yuyang hadn’t even unleashed sword aura; this move was technically a failure…
But…
Why did it feel even more terrifying?
Yun Lian’s heart was struck as well.
She also sensed the sword hanging at her waist tremble slightly.
Her own sword… was afraid?
That sensation flashed by in an instant.
Even the most perceptive Tai Lingxuan couldn’t fully explain what it was.
Sword intent?
No, that wasn’t sword intent.
If it had been sword intent, it would have been more concrete, more tangible.
Not a fleeting chill like this…
“Yuyang, try another strike!”
Taking a deep breath, Tai Lingxuan chose a simpler and more direct approach rather than guessing further.
“Ah… another one…”
Chen Yuyang sighed internally, feeling a bit troubled.
His difficulty wasn’t simple—he had already mastered the sword path.
What he wielded was not mere sword intent but the true essence of swordsmanship.
The sword is the king of all weapons, an instrument of slaughter.
The true essence of the sword path is the essence of killing.
Even if he had no murderous intent, that essence still inadvertently leaked out.
How to swing this sword without letting that true essence escape?
For a conscientious person like Chen Yuyang, this was genuinely challenging.
Pretending was hard—especially with something ingrained so deeply in his bones.
Unless…
Chen Yuyang’s eyes brightened as he suddenly thought of a compromise.
The next moment, the sword stroke was swung again.
No spiritual energy flowed—only a plain and unadorned sword move.
And then…
At the completion of the strike, Tai Lingxuan seemed to glimpse some illusory images.
They were towering waves, one crashing after another, ceaseless and relentless.
At the same time, Gu Qiushui and Yun Lian sensed similar visions, but facing those endless surging tides, they felt even smaller and utterly powerless to resist.
This was…
Tai Lingxuan was the first to break away from that sensation, staring in shock at the young swordsman.
Sword intent!
And it was almost tangible, capable of affecting one’s mind and spirit!
If, in a life-or-death battle, an opponent unleashed such a strike… even a brief hesitation or pause could be catastrophic!
Yuyang’s swordsmanship…
How could it be so powerful!
Before today, she had never taught him anything, nor was her own sword technique refined enough to condense such sword intent.
She herself had only just scratched the surface of the sword path, slightly more advanced than Yun Lian at best.
Meaning, this sword intent was something Yuyang had discovered himself?
Beyond that, Tai Lingxuan could not imagine any other possibility.
A long moment passed before Gu Qiushui and Yun Lian fully came back to reality from that strange yet vivid feeling.
“Junior Brother Yuyang, this is…”
Gu Qiushui swallowed hard, while Yun Lian stared at the boy with eyes full of disbelief.
“Sword intent!”
“True sword intent!”
“And it fits the Canglan Sword Manual perfectly!”
“But… how is this possible!”
“How old is he? Even if he started practicing swordsmanship in the womb, he’s only fourteen or fifteen now.”
“Such a complete sword intent—even our sect leader…”
“Impossible! It must be some mistake!”
Yun Lian desperately denied it, her eyes sharp enough to pierce the boy’s skin, trying to see through him to his core.
But how could she see through the truth of a young boy’s body, shaped by centuries of accumulation?
In truth, Chen Yuyang’s sword talent was average, and his comprehension unremarkable.
But time made up for everything.
“Yuyang, what’s the story behind this?”
Tai Lingxuan took a deep breath and asked the question everyone wanted answered.
Chen Yuyang nodded slightly and then told the story he had already prepared for the moment he swung the sword.
“Master, this was a chance I found inside the Ziyang Secret Realm.”
“At that time, I drew away a demon beast to protect Yan Luo and hid inside a cave.”
“Unexpectedly, the cave turned out to be a relic left by an ancient great master. There, I obtained a complete sword intent condensed by that ancient master.”
With this sword intent, I broke through to the Golden Core stage and even killed the demon beast pursuing me.
Tai Lingxuan suddenly understood.
Chen Yuyang had mentioned his secret realm experience before but had not elaborated on his breakthrough.
So this was the fateful opportunity behind it.
However… a flicker of caution immediately appeared in Tai Lingxuan’s eyes.
Although it was a good thing, what if a remnant soul of that ancient master remained within the sword intent, intending to possess him…
The chance was slim but not zero.
Still, no need to ask now. She would investigate thoroughly when Yuyang was free later.
After hearing this, the three women were silent for a moment.
Gu Qiushui was amazed.
She had thought the opportunity she gained in the Qianghuang Secret Realm was considerable, but this little junior brother had also acquired such a chance without showing off.
After all, swordsmanship is easy to learn but hard to understand.
Receiving a sword intent inheritance was far superior to simply obtaining a sword manual.
Yun Lian, however, felt deeply struck.
She had practiced swordsmanship since childhood.
Her skill was unrivaled among peers.
It had always been a source of pride.
But here, she was easily surpassed by a lucky fellow… no, not just surpassed, but utterly crushed.
The sword intent she had grasped paled in comparison to his complete and refined sword intent.
Damn it, why…
“Well, that’s excellent! Yuyang, mastering sword intent at fourteen means your future is boundless if you focus on this path!”
Tai Lingxuan said sincerely, her pride swelling as she watched Chen Yuyang’s growth.
The better he became, the prouder she felt.
Chen Yuyang’s fortune brought her more joy than her own.
Yet Chen Yuyang gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
“No, Master, your disciple actually has no intention of pursuing the sword path.”