Sword Testing Platform, Flood Dragon True Intent Diagram

"Hm?"

Yi Yunya saw Zhong Ming's excitement and exhilaration, and it left her somewhat puzzled.

She did not understand why Zhong Ming was reacting like this.

The chance to view a True Intent Diagram is indeed precious, but surely it isn't worth this much?

It could only be said that she still did not understand Zhong Ming's circumstances. If she knew that he possessed Intent Reading and could comprehend its essence by reading True Intent Diagrams, her attitude now would definitely have been different.

While she was still puzzled, Zhong Ming pushed all the resources Yi Yunya had just given him back toward her.

"Young Master, what is this?"

"Don't misunderstand." Seeing the alarm on Yi Yunya's face, Zhong Ming smiled. "I have no intention of refusing our cooperation. I merely want to use these resources to exchange for another opportunity to view a True Intent Diagram."

"Are these resources enough? If they aren't, I still have some spirit stones that I can add."

"Also, does your Golden Jade Tower have a Flood Dragon Diagram? I want to exchange the Raging River Waves Diagram for the Flood Dragon True Intent Diagram."

Yi Yunya said, "It's enough."

"Golden Jade Tower has a Flood Dragon Diagram as well." At this point, Yi Yunya hesitated before speaking. "However, if Young Master wishes to view the Flood Dragon True Intent Diagram, you will need to wait for a while. I'll need some time to prepare."

"It's fine. There's no rush."

Zhong Ming truly was not in a hurry.

In fact, even if Yi Yunya had told him to go view it right now, he would not have gone.

When he had previously used Intent Reading on the Mountain Stream Diagram, Zhong Ming had discovered that in order to gain something from a True Intent Diagram, it was not only the quality of the diagram that mattered, but also Zhong Ming's own strength.

If his soul was powerful enough and his own accumulation sufficient, then he would be able to gain more when viewing a True Intent Diagram.

Otherwise, the instant he witnessed the mysteries of true intent, he might be unable to endure it, suffer severe damage to his mind, and be forced out of the Intent Reading state.

Although Zhong Ming had said he was not in a hurry, Yi Yunya still left Dragon Stream Peak and returned to Golden Jade Tower to busy herself.

As for Zhong Ming, he brought a long sword with him to the Sword Testing Platform and took up his position as team leader.

Yet while the two of them had left, the commotion on Dragon Stream Peak was only just beginning.

"Did I see that right? Yi Yunya joined Zhong Ming's team?"

Having undergone the cleansing of spiritual energy, most Dragon Stream Peak disciples had keen five senses. Zhong Ming and Yi Yunya had not concealed their conversation much, so many people noticed their exchange and heard that Yi Yunya was joining Zhong Ming's team.

And that left many people unable to understand.

"Yi Yunya comes from such a good background and is such a proud person. How could she submit to Zhong Ming?"

"...Could what Senior Sister Xue Yao said be true? On Dragon Stream Peak, Senior Brother Zhong Ming is actually the strongest!"

"But he was the fourth to break through, and he only received his Class A rating on the final day?"

Being the strongest while also being the last to break through was such a strange situation that many people could not comprehend it.

Yet this matter also made some people steel their resolve.

At that moment, Liu Wanyu found Jiang Yue and said to him, "Young Master Jiang, you are close with Zhong Ming. I wonder if you could invite Senior Brother Zhong Ming..."

"You want to join that person's team too."

The one who still addressed Zhong Ming in such a tone at this time was naturally not Jiang Yue, but his younger sister, Jiang Xiaoyu.

Hearing her words, Liu Wanyu let out a soft sigh. "This is the best choice. Whether Miss Yi Yunya has sincerely submitted or has other intentions, a team that has gathered Senior Sister Xue Yao, Yi Yunya, and Senior Brother Zhong Ming is already the strongest on Dragon Stream Peak."

"..."

Jiang Yue could not refute that.

At the same time, someone else had noticed this as well.

"Zhong Ming, Xue Yao, and Yi Yunya actually joined forces. I've become a lone man."

The one who realized it late was naturally Zhuang Yi, the last Class A disciple of Dragon Stream Peak.

Thinking of Xue Yao's icy disposition and Yi Yunya's original arrogance, Zhuang Yi immediately understood that those two women could never have cooperated.

"So Zhong Ming is the core of their team?"

A fanatical expression appeared on his face. "This is truly exciting. Zhong Ming, just what ability do you have to make two women give you their hearts?"

Zhuang Yi developed the urge to challenge Zhong Ming.

However, he was not doing so out of jealousy.

Zhong Ming had only realized Dragon Stream Peak's circumstances afterward, but Zhuang Yi, Yi Yunya, Xue Yao, Jiang Yue, Liu Wanyu... they had understood Dragon Stream Peak's situation before entering.

It was like the college entrance examinations in a previous life: ordinary students could only wait after the exams, while the top scorer would have admissions teachers personally come knocking.

Before entering Dragon Stream Peak, disciples from several peaks had approached them and explained the circumstances of the Seven Mysteries Sect's various peaks.

This advance notice caused several disciples who liked the sword to be recruited by other peaks.

Zhuang Yi, Xue Yao, and Yi Yunya each had their own reasons for staying.

Among them, Xue Yao had been personally invited by Senior Disciple Sister Mo Shuying. Mo Shuying had even used Dragon Stream Peak's sacrifices to make the other peaks back down before taking her in.

—Part of the reason Mo Shuying was preparing a precious magical artifact for Xue Yao now was because it had been agreed upon back then.

Unlike Xue Yao, Yi Yunya believed that Dragon Stream Peak was in a difficult situation, but that such circumstances would make it easier for her to befriend and recruit some hired muscle, which was why she came.

Strictly speaking, Yi Yunya was a merchant.

As a merchant, she did not need to refine artifacts or concoct pills. She only needed to know how to recruit people.

As for the Demon Suppressing Division, others needed to worry about such matters, but she did not.

Even her cultivation did not follow the conventional path of cultivation.

Because she was not a sword cultivator at all and had another purpose for coming to Dragon Stream Peak, Senior Disciple Sister Mo Shuying did not like her much and had always treated her as an outsider.

As for Zhuang Yi, apart from those two women, he also understood Dragon Stream Peak's situation very clearly. His family had strongly opposed him coming here and had even arranged a master for him at Molten Fire Peak.

Yet he still came because he genuinely loved the sword and yearned for the carefree, unrestrained spirit of sword cultivators.

He could barely be considered a sword cultivator with a sword heart—the reason it was only barely was that he had never undergone the tempering of life and death.

Only if he could still hold fast to his original heart then could he truly be considered a sword cultivator.

With such a disposition, the fighting spirit in his eyes came more from believing that he had encountered a worthy opponent.

"Should I make my move now?"

"No, not yet. Zhong Ming has only just advanced and has not accumulated much mana. I need to give him more time."

"Zhong Ming, I hope you won't disappoint me when the time comes."

"?!"

"What's going on? Why do I feel a chilling dread, as if someone is watching me?"

He turned and looked around, but naturally, Zhong Ming found nothing.

His halt also made Youlan stop.

"Young Master Zhong, did something happen?"

"Nothing."

Youlan had remained behind on Yi Yunya's orders. She had told her to stay and handle miscellaneous affairs for him.

Originally, Zhong Ming had not wanted her, but one sentence from Yi Yunya persuaded him.

"Senior Brother, Senior Disciple Sister has assigned you the position of team leader at the Sword Testing Platform, hasn't she? Although Senior Brother is only holding the post in name, it would not be good if you knew nothing about what is going on."

"Youlan has followed me for many years and is best at handling trivial matters. With her here, Senior Brother only needs to cultivate. You can leave everything else to her."

"...Thank you."

That was how Youlan came to follow at his side.

And she truly did save Zhong Ming a great deal of trouble.

Or rather, Zhong Ming's status meant that he encountered no obstacles at all when taking up the position.

"Greetings, Senior Brother."

The moment Zhong Ming arrived at the Sword Testing Platform, a group of people waiting there greeted him.

Among them were quite a few cultivators at Mid Qi Condensation, and even Late Qi Condensation.

Yet none of them looked down on him or showed him any hostility.

Even those Late Qi Condensation cultivators were the same.

Clearly, they understood the future prospects of a Class A disciple very well.

One did not strike a smiling face. Since others had respectfully bowed to him, Zhong Ming naturally clasped his hands and returned the gesture. "You are too kind. I should be the one calling you Senior Brothers..."

After a round of amicable conversation, Youlan behind Zhong Ming stepped forward and began handling the trivial affairs for him as his representative.

As for Zhong Ming, now that he had free time, he did not immediately enter cultivation.

Finding a large tree beside the Sword Testing Platform, Zhong Ming leaned against it and sat down. Then he turned his gaze toward the platform and carefully watched the group currently fighting there.

As he watched them, Zhong Ming narrowed his eyes and activated his special skill—Intent Reading!

After using Intent Reading over the past few days, Zhong Ming's understanding of it had grown deeper and deeper.

He now knew that apart from books and illustrated volumes, if he focused wholeheartedly on observing other things, he could also read some of their essence.

And the reason he activated this skill now was:

"Among every three people walking together, there must be one who can be my teacher... I hope I can learn something from you."

Zhong Ming clearly intended to use Intent Reading to observe the strengths and weaknesses of others' swordsmanship, then compare them against his own.

"With Intent Reading, cultivating this way will surely bring great gains... Come to think of it, Intent Reading is a Divine Skill too..."