Mu Bai

When Su Yu stepped into the Inner Sect Main Hall, Elder Mo Yuan was already standing inside.

To his surprise, a man who looked to be in his early thirties stood beside Mo Yuan.

The man wore a black robe, his features sharply defined as if carved by a knife. Sword Light seemed to flow through his eyes whenever they opened or closed.

Just standing there, he naturally radiated a fierce aura that made the Nascent Sword Intent within Su Yu tremble.

Elder Mo Yuan, this disciple, Su Yu, has completed the arrangements.

Su Yu stepped forward and bowed, but his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the unfamiliar man.

That sharp, exposed edge bore some resemblance to the Nascent Sword Intent he had comprehended, yet it was countless times more powerful.

Before Mo Yuan could speak, the man's gaze suddenly sharpened.

In an instant, Su Yu felt an overwhelming Sword Intent bearing down on him like a landslide, so fierce it seemed ready to pierce straight through him.

His Nascent Sword Intent flared in response, forming a thin layer of protection over his body.

The man gave a soft exclamation, and the pressure vanished at once, as if it had all been an illusion.

He swept his sleeve, and an invisible soundproof barrier enveloped the three of them.

Good! So it truly is Nascent Sword Intent! The man could barely contain his excitement; even his voice trembled.

Then, as if realizing he had lost his composure, he gave a slight cough and said solemnly, "I am Mu Bai, the current Disciplinary Elder of the Inner Sect. To comprehend Nascent Sword Intent at the Qi Refining Realm..."

His eyes fixed brightly on Su Yu. "Neither I in my day nor that brat Ye Chen managed it."

Su Yu's heart jolted.

So this was the other person in the sect, besides Ye Chen, who had comprehended Half-step Sword Intent.

No wonder that Sword Intent pressure had been so terrifying. If the other man hadn't deliberately held back, Su Yu's Nascent Sword Intent probably wouldn't have lasted a single breath.

There truly was a world of difference between Half-step Sword Intent and its nascent form.

This disciple, Su Yu, pays his respects to Elder Mu Bai.

Su Yu bowed respectfully, though a storm was raging in his heart.

The elder looked young, but his cultivation was unfathomably deep, and his Sword Intent had already reached the pinnacle.

Mu Bai gave a slight nod, approval deepening in his eyes. "Good. You're steady, neither proud nor impatient. Elder Brother Mo Yuan, you've really found yourself a treasure this time."

Mo Yuan stroked his beard and laughed. "I've said all along that this boy is no ordinary talent. However..."

He turned to Su Yu, his expression growing serious. "Elder Mu Bai has come today to discuss an important matter."

Mu Bai's gaze was as sharp as lightning as he studied Su Yu. "There is indeed something to discuss, but it is not an order. It concerns the sect's expectations of you."

He stood with his hands behind his back, Sword Intent flowing around him. "Your comprehension is astonishing, and your cultivation talent is decent. But that is nowhere near enough to make a name for yourself on the Nine Heavens Continent. Strength is what matters most."

Mu Bai's voice grew heavier. "If you aren't strong enough, then no matter how high your comprehension or how great your talent, you'll still be like a fleeting flower—here one moment, gone the next. Worse, your exceptional talent may invite even more assassins."

He paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "How many assassination attempts has your senior brother Ye Chen survived? More than a dozen. Last time, a Essence Transformation Realm Martial Artist even attacked him. If he hadn't been strong enough, he would have died long ago. And greater dangers await him in the future."

Mu Bai looked directly into Su Yu's eyes. "As for you, the dangers you face may be even greater. This road is covered in thorns. Are you prepared?"

Su Yu met Mu Bai's gaze without fear, his voice firm. "This disciple was prepared long ago. The path of martial cultivation goes against the heavens. If I shrink back for fear of danger, I might as well be an ordinary person."

He gently rested his right hand on the Lone Swan Sword at his waist, then continued, "Besides, I believe true powerhouses are forged through trials of life and death. Those assassinations and crises will only drive me forward."

A flash of brilliance lit Mu Bai's eyes, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. "Good! With that resolve, you'll live up to your talent."

He stood with his hands behind his back, his tone turning grave. "The sect has high hopes for you. We want you to break into the top hundred of the Inner Sect within a year. If you succeed, the sect will spare no effort in cultivating you. If you don't..."

He paused, his gaze like a sword. "You won't be punished, but the resources provided to you will naturally be reduced. Do you understand?"

Su Yu straightened his back, his gaze as firm as iron. "This disciple understands. I will not disappoint the sect."

Mu Bai nodded in satisfaction, then changed the subject. "Have you chosen your Inner Sect cultivation technique?"

"I haven't chosen one yet," Su Yu answered honestly.

"Excellent."

A meaningful glint passed through Mu Bai's eyes. "Given your aptitude, you may choose your cultivation technique and martial skill by the standards of a Core Disciple, as an exception: one Low-grade Yellow-tier Cultivation Technique and one Mid-grade Yellow-tier Martial Skill."

His tone turned solemn. "Remember, a cultivation technique is the foundation of your practice, so choose carefully. I've already spoken to Elder Wei at the Scripture Repository. You can go straight there tomorrow."

With that, he swept his sleeve and withdrew the soundproof barrier.

Seeing this, Mo Yuan stroked his beard and smiled. "Su Yu, train hard. If one day you reach the pinnacle, it may be the sect that has to rely on you."

With that, he nodded to Mu Bai. "Young Mu, I'll leave this child in your hands."

Before the words had even faded, he had already streaked away in a flash of light.

Mu Bai watched in the direction Mo Yuan had left, then turned to give Su Yu one final reminder. "Remember, the key to sword cultivation is perseverance."

When he finished speaking, he seemed to move without moving at all; his whole figure shot through the air like a sword drawn from its scabbard, leaving behind only a wisp of fierce Sword Intent that lingered for a long time.

Su Yu stood where he was, feeling the remnants of Sword Intent in the air. He felt the pressure, but his fighting spirit burned just as brightly.

He gripped the Lone Swan Sword at his waist and silently vowed to make a name for himself within a year.

Night fell. Su Yu sat cross-legged in the Quiet Room of his new residence.

Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows across the bluestone floor.

He took out a Storage Bag and poured out more than fifty Level 1 Beast Cores. The translucent crystals shimmered faintly in the moonlight.

Brother Sword, I'll have to trouble you again.

Su Yu gently stroked the Ancient Sword. Its blade quivered faintly, as though answering his words.

Ever since he entered the Spirit Condensation Realm, he had increasingly sensed that this sword was extraordinary.

As the Beast Cores were absorbed one by one, the Ancient Sword gave a faint hum, greedily devouring their energy.

Su Yu could clearly feel a stream of pure spiritual power flowing continuously through the hilt and into his body.

Yet when the last Beast Core crumbled to dust, Su Yu opened his eyes and furrowed his brow. "Does the Spirit Condensation Realm really require this much spiritual power?"

More than fifty Level 1 Beast Cores would have been enough to carry him through several cultivation levels back in the Qi Refining Realm. Now, they had only advanced his cultivation from the early stage of the first level of the Spirit Condensation Realm to the late stage.

He let out a quiet sigh and ran his fingers over the blade. "Looks like I'll have to hunt Level 2 Demonic Beasts from now on."

A Level 2 Beast Core contained more than ten times the energy of a Level 1 one, but Level 2 Demonic Beasts were also far stronger than their Level 1 counterparts.

Silence returned to the Quiet Room, but Su Yu didn't slacken for a moment. He regulated his breathing and began circulating the Essence-Nurturing Technique.

Although this technique from the Su Family was only Human-grade Low-tier, its strength lay in its balance and steadiness, making it ideal for laying a foundation.

As spiritual power flowed through his meridians, he could clearly feel the changes in each acupoint.

Tomorrow, I must choose a suitable Yellow-tier cultivation technique at the Scripture Repository, Su Yu thought.

Once a cultivator reached the Spirit Condensation Realm, the quality of their cultivation technique directly affected their cultivation speed.

What's more, the Low-grade Yellow-tier Cultivation Technique Elder Mu Bai had promised was one normally reserved for Core Disciples.