Comprehension Results

"Junior Sister Nan Jin, have you passed the test on the sixth level of the Deep Sea?"

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. Not yet... But after fighting A-009, I vaguely sensed the existence of some 'origin.' I shouldn't be far from a breakthrough."

"It's normal for Assault Type Transcendents to advance more slowly. Take things one step at a time. Don't rush; build a solid foundation."

"..."

Luo Er, Zhong Wei, and Nan Jin chatted idly for quite a while.

Gu Shen's consciousness had entered the Awakening of Insects Dream Realm. Clearly, a "long" stretch of leisure lay ahead, making this the perfect time to exchange insights on Transcendent cultivation.

"Junior Sister Nan Jin." Luo Er smiled and asked, "I heard from our teacher that you withstood A-009's attack?"

"It's complicated. Hard to explain in just a few words."

Nan Jin shook her head. "It doesn't really count as withstanding it... If A-009 had continued its rampage, I would already be dead."

At the critical moment, A-009 had stopped attacking.

She looked toward the sleeping boy on the bench, her gaze complicated... She had wanted to save Gu Shen, yet at the crucial moment, Gu Shen had ended up saving her instead.

"If I remember correctly, the last time we met was in the Great Capital District. Back then, you weren't even as tall as me. You hugged your sword and crouched in a corner, stubborn as grass growing from a crack... And now, you've already become someone capable of standing on your own."

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo gestured with her hand, sounding rather emotional.

"Draw your sword against me."

Then she withdrew her hands and clasped them behind her back. "Let me see how much you've improved over these past few years."

"Senior Sister..."

Nan Jin's heart stirred.

This was an excellent opportunity.

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo was extremely strong. Other than their teacher, no one could be more suitable as her sparring partner!

"Alright."

Without hesitation, she drew the longsword at her waist.

Ever since fighting A-009, she had always felt that something was missing... This was the best chance to temper herself!

With a hum.

At that moment, the wind in the Training Field reversed in unison. Fierce sword aura flowed from the patterns engraved upon the blade like a stream. Countless threads of silver light hung suspended in the air, then formed a vortex and began to spin.

An invisible pressure slowly descended upon the silent Training Field—

Zhong Wei smiled and took two steps back, sitting on the same bench as Gu Shen. He watched the scene leisurely. Above his head, countless strands of heavy pressure rolled down along with the sword's momentum, but the moment they reached the space above the bench, they melted away like ice and snow, effortlessly neutralized.

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo's ponytail fluttered in the wind.

She stood there plainly, watching the Sword Domain Nan Jin had unleashed, her brow slowly furrowing... Why did this Sword Domain seem so familiar?

That was it.

She remembered. The profiling image on the rooftop had been very similar to this. The method Gu Shen had used after his Transcendent awakening to kill that Assault Type Transcendent in reverse was identical to Nan Jin's Sword Domain.

"Was it a coincidence?"

There was no time to think further.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the cry of the sword—

Luo Er looked up. Silver-white sword aura surged toward her like a tide, like a raging sea that nearly swallowed her whole.

The entire underground Training Field was swept by sword aura. Iron Wall and the enormous glass mirror panels shattered completely, like brittle shells stripped away by waves, while the sword aura formed a tornado.

Within that violent, frenzied tornado, only one bench remained undestroyed.

Zhong Wei rested his chin on his hand as he watched the spectacle, admiration and regret both present in his eyes.

Battle intent blazed in Nan Jin's eyes. She raised her sword high with both hands. Though she possessed a woman's body, she resembled a deity with the strength to split mountains. Countless silver rays gathered into a single line and slowly descended toward Senior Apprentice Sister Luo—

This strike possessed unparalleled power.

But it was far too slow. If this had been a contest on the surface, her opponent could have easily escaped.

But they were underground now, and... her opponent was Senior Apprentice Sister Luo.

Luo Er would not dodge, nor did she wish to.

Since she had allowed Nan Jin to attack, she had absolute confidence that she could take this blow.

As the vast blade of light descended, Senior Apprentice Sister Luo still did not move a single step. She merely stared at the blazing, dazzling sword light, seeing every inch of its internal structure clearly... Then, she raised one hand.

At that moment, time seemed to slow.

The scraps of metal sheeting rolling around the outer edge of the sword-aura tornado transformed into mechanical arms under Senior Apprentice Sister Luo's five gripping fingers. If someone split mountains, then she would part the sea.

Rumble—

After Senior Apprentice Sister Luo made her move.

Countless furious sword auras wandering through the air rapidly dissipated. With every inch Nan Jin forced downward, she could feel her willpower and physical strength draining at an astonishing pace.

Nan Jin gripped the sword with both hands and widened her stance. The hem of her windbreaker was blown open by the explosive airflow, nearly level with the ground. Her low roar was drowned out by the sword cries ringing through the void. The engraved patterns on the silver sword shone brighter than ever. In her struggle against Senior Apprentice Sister Luo, she felt pressure even greater than what A-009 had given her. The sword was only a little distance away from striking Senior Apprentice Sister Luo...

Yet even with all the strength in her body, Nan Jin could not complete that final downward push.

In the end, even forcing it down another centimeter became an impossible dream.

A difference of mere inches was like a Natural Barrier.

Crack!

The silver sword let out a crisp sound, a crack blooming across its surface, yet it still could not advance a single inch.

Just a little more.

Just a little more...

Nan Jin had no intention of giving up.

The last bit of distance!

Break it! Shatter it!

The instant before her strength was exhausted, the silver sword finally broke through and cleaved all the way down.

Drip.

A drop of sweat fell to the ground, splashing into glittering fragments.

Nan Jin stared at the sweat sliding down her cheek and the broken blade fragments scattered across the floor, her heart filled with exhilaration.

That strike of hers... had been delivered.

Although Senior Apprentice Sister Luo was completely unharmed and remained calm and composed, the place where she stood was now different from before.

A careful observer would notice that Senior Apprentice Sister Luo had shifted slightly to the side. Where she had originally stood, a sharp strand of sword aura had blasted out a shallow pit.

Pieces of shattered metal sheeting were controlled by powerful, stable mental power and restored to their original form, as though someone had smoothed sheets of paper flat with their fingers before pasting them back onto the Training Field's inner walls.

"You're stronger than I imagined. Breaking through the sixth level of the Deep Sea is only a matter of time."

Luo Er raised her hand, and the broken blade fragments flew into her palm, gathering into a complete, tangible combat sword.

Everything returned to normal.

"Did you comprehend this move while fighting A-009? Not bad. Its killing power is formidable." She walked over to Nan Jin and handed out the sword. "But when it comes to precise control... you're still lacking. If you could perfectly command every strand of sword intent, this strike would have been enough to injure me."

"..."

Nan Jin silently committed her senior sister's guidance to memory.

"Perfectly commanding every strand of sword intent is simply too demanding."

Zhong Wei stood up and said solemnly, "Junior Sister, your strike already carries the essence of 'origin.' Among people your age, there probably aren't many who can reach this level. Don't be too harsh on yourself."

Nan Jin accepted the longsword with both hands. She sensed a subtle change in weight, as though a section of the sword tip was missing.

She froze slightly.

The entire Training Field had been restored by Senior Apprentice Sister Luo's mental power, but the pit where she had originally stood remained. A section of broken blade was embedded there.

"The tip of this sword... let it remain here as a memento. You should know that in the entire Adjudication Court, there are only a few people capable of hurting me."

Luo Er rose onto her toes and patted Nan Jin's shoulder. "It wasn't easy for you to reach this point. Zhong Wei is right. Don't be too hard on yourself. Sometimes, stopping is also a form of cultivation."

Their teacher had sent her a message.

Nan Jin had been cultivating desperately over the past few years. There was nothing wrong with wanting to become stronger, but everything had its process. Advancing step by step was the natural order. Those who shone brilliantly from the very beginning were often the ones who burned through the strength of their lives the fastest.

"Thank you..."

Nan Jin merely shook her head and said no more. She neither accepted nor rejected the advice.

"Without realizing it, more than four hours have already passed."

Zhong Wei stroked his chin and muttered, "Gu Shen still hasn't woken up..."

According to Senior Apprentice Sister Luo's profiling results, Gu Shen should indeed be a Mental Affinity Transcendent.

More than four hours of comprehension time was not actually long. The Awakening of Insects Breathing Method was difficult to comprehend, and within the Adjudication Court, there were countless geniuses who required seven or eight hours.

But for an anticipated S-Rank, taking more than four hours without comprehending Awakening of Insects... was truly a little too long.

If news of this spread, it might negatively affect Gu Shen's evaluation.

As the one who had woven the dream, Luo Er could still sense certain movements within the dream world... She released her mental power to investigate and found that Gu Shen was extraordinarily relaxed at the moment. He did not look like he was comprehending Awakening of Insects at all.

"This kid sounds like... he's snoring?"

Zhong Wei was a little dumbfounded.

Then, that relaxed mental power gradually gathered. It was a sign that he was about to awaken.

"Four hours... thirty-nine minutes..."

He glanced at the time.

"As an S-Rank Mental Affinity Transcendent... that's really a bit slow."

Compared horizontally with other Mental Affinity Transcendents, this result was simply too mediocre.

"It's fine. As long as he comprehended it. I took eight hours back then." Luo Er raised her brows. "Gu Shen still has a long road ahead of him."

A serious expression appeared on her face as she said earnestly, "Remember, what happened today must not be leaked. The time taken to comprehend 'Awakening of Insects' may affect the Adjudication Court's evaluation results."