Liver Become Mortal Sword Immortal: Section 12

This proved that his talent was exceptionally high!

Once one reached the Golden Core Stage on the Immortal Path, one's appearance became fixed. Unless one later found Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to nourish oneself, however one looked upon breaking through to the Golden Core would be how one looked thereafter.

"Ding. You circulated Sword Intent once. Proficiency +1. Current Sword Intent level: Tier 1 (1/100)."

A powerful aura of "intent" radiated from Yun Shu as he slowly opened his eyes.

He had now refined that artistic conception to the minor achievement stage. Minor achievement meant one had achieved something small; naturally, he could easily imitate the fluctuations of Sword Intent and break free from the Illusion Realm.

Nor did he need to enter the Illusion Realm to simulate it anymore.

Sword Intent was already in his mind, ready to be drawn upon at will and even further enhanced.

At this moment, not even half an incense stick had passed.

Yun Shu swept his gaze around. Everyone in sight remained motionless, their eyes closed as they contemplated their insights, trapped within the Illusion Realm. This Illusion Realm could not be called especially profound, but these young disciples who had yet to set foot on the path of cultivation should not have been able to break free.

But in the next moment—

Yun Shu saw a pair of slightly astonished eyes.

It was an incomparably beautiful and dignified figure, her expression almost entirely devoid of emotion, like someone from an Immortal Palace.

When she sensed Yun Shu's gaze, she looked back at him.

Yun Shu was naturally taken aback for an instant. Then he gave her a distant nod in simple greeting before withdrawing his gaze.

This was bad. On his first day entering the sect, he had already come face-to-face with the female protagonist.

Would this affect him somehow?

He was not foolish enough to confront the female protagonist head-on, much less steal her limelight. The female protagonist was born blessed with immense fortune, but she was also destined to be alone for life. A Great Female Protagonist was simply too perfect to seem human—no man could possibly be worthy of her.

Indeed, every person who followed or pursued her was merely a passerby in her life. Some were even buried outright by the plot.

Yun Shu did not want to die in the plot.

It was better not to attract the female protagonist's attention.

It would be enough if he could sip some broth by relying on the script. As for truly facing the female protagonist, Yun Shu had no such intention. The plot had never blinked when it killed.

The shock in Chu Huangyue's heart was hardly any less than Yun Shu's.

This was not the first time she had noticed Yun Shu. Earlier, he had emerged from the second trial right behind her. His strength should have been decent enough, but his aptitude was far inferior.

Still, one thing had caught her attention.

While others either looked at her with amazement or with disgusting gazes, Yun Shu seemed, intentionally or otherwise, to be keeping his distance from her?

At the very least, his gaze differed from everyone else's.

Moreover, from the start of the assessment to the end, he had carried an air of calmness. It was hardly confidence; it was the sort of sentiment born after confidence had reached its very peak.

As though victory were already in his grasp?

That was her judgment. She had never doubted her intuition.

He was an interesting person.

But that was all.

These thoughts flashed through Chu Huangyue's mind in an instant. Someone with a Triple Spiritual Root was not worth her paying excessive attention to.

She was merely curious how Yun Shu had awakened from the Illusion Array.

The moment she saw the first sword strike unleashed by the figure, she realized it was an Illusion Array.

Then she carefully committed every sword-drawing technique to memory, missing no detail. When she felt that strike had become seamless and natural, she awakened from the Illusion Array.

At the same time, she comprehended the Sword Intent within that strike.

If she were to imitate it now, she could reproduce seventy or eighty percent of its form, and ten percent of its spirit.

That already counted as minor achievement.

Could it be that he had also comprehended Sword Intent?

Or did he possess some secret treasure?

This made Chu Huangyue pay him a little more attention. A woman's thoughts were always meticulous; from a single glance, she had read something different.

Having just comprehended Sword Intent, Yun Shu did not continue paying attention to Chu Huangyue. Not only did he have no idea what she was thinking, but even if he did, he would not have cared much.

His intersection with the female protagonist might amount to nothing more than that single glance.

The female protagonist was accustomed to looking down on everyone, and she truly possessed the qualifications to do so. She would not think too highly of him.

He had always gotten full marks in character analysis.

With the remaining time, Yun Shu checked the Energy Points he had spent.

The ten Energy Points had been almost entirely drained, leaving only one. Strangely, this Sword Intent did not seem to have brought him any substantial advancement in cultivation, yet it had still deducted Energy Points.

Yun Shu circulated the Body Refining Technique and was pleasantly surprised to find that the aura within his body had become even more vast. Though he had not broken through to the fifth level, among those at the fourth level, virtually no one could possess such powerful blood and qi.

This should have been a benefit brought by Sword Intent.

Although it had not directly raised his realm, it had made his aura more seamless and natural, allowing him to wield his body with greater ease. As for its other benefits, perhaps they would only become apparent when he wielded a sword.

Fine, then. Good things like this really did consume Energy Points quickly.

Yun Shu felt that after entering the Outer Sect, he might need to work even harder at taking missions. Then there would be no middleman taking a cut, and he might have more freedom.

For the remaining time, Yun Shu observed the Cliff.

This should have been the work of that peak expert. To level mountains with a single stroke—who knew what stage that Sword Intent had reached?

At the very least, Yun Shu guessed it was already close to Return to Simplicity.

Sword Intent was divided into stages. As for the specifics, he would need to search for more books on the subject after reaching the Outer Sect. Only by learning more could he avoid stumbling about like a headless fly.

An incense stick passed quickly, and Elder Yang returned.

After sweeping his gaze over the area and seeing that no one had awakened within an incense stick, he shook his head slightly.

The Jade Token emitted a gentle glow. Everyone felt the pressure around them loosen and recede like the tide, and they all woke one after another.

Yun Shu, meanwhile, lowered his head so as not to draw attention. At this moment, he too woke like everyone else.

As for the female protagonist, she did not make much of a show of it either.

"This is the Introductory Manual. You may go back and read through it. Your accommodations have already been prepared; shortly, an Outer Sect Senior Brother will lead you there. As for anything else, you may come find me at any time," Elder Yang said. "I am in the sect's Law Enforcement Hall."

Everyone bowed. "Many thanks, Elder."

Elder Yang nodded without another word, then turned and left.

Behind them stood two Outer Sect Disciples. "Follow me."

After much fuss, Yun Shu finally arrived at the Outer Sect.

And received a new residence.

It was a very simple room, yet it had everything it needed. Outer Sect Disciples received far better treatment than Menial Disciples.

Yun Shu opened the manual and carefully read through its rules.

As an important component of the sect's strength, Outer Sect Disciples had ample resources. Upon reaching the Qi Condensation Stage, they could report it and directly receive an Immortal Art and a Spell Technique.

They were equivalent to Cultivation Methods and Martial Techniques.

However, most Immortal Arts came with corresponding Spell Techniques, so there was no need to cultivate additional ones separately.

Outer Sect Disciples could earn Contribution Points by accepting missions. Once they accumulated enough Contribution Points, they could acquire Cultivation Methods and Martial Techniques from the Outer Sect's Library Pavilion. Even the legendary Immortal Arts could be exchanged for.

These Immortal Arts were only Reprint Editions, but they were still exceedingly precious. If one were brought into the Mortal World outside, it could stir up storms of blood and rain.

Thus, it strictly stipulated that they could not be passed on to outsiders.

The sect's Regulations were quite strict. The manual alone listed a whole heap of offenses that could not be committed. As for the punishments, some were light and some severe, all decided by the Law Enforcement Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall.

"The Outer Sect truly is different." Yun Shu closed the booklet and thought to himself.

A month ago, entering the Outer Sect had still been his goal.

And he had fought relentlessly for two years for that goal.

"If Father knew I had become an Outer Sect Disciple, he would surely be very happy." Yun Shu sighed with emotion.

Two years ago, his father had spent a great deal of silver to send him here to Seek Immortality. After serving as a menial for two years, he had finally entered the Outer Sect. One foot had crossed the threshold of the Immortal Path.

"But no, this bit of cultivation is still nothing worth mentioning. Strength—I still need to improve my strength! I also need to go out and take missions, exchange for Cultivation Methods. With Cultivation Methods, I can become stronger!"

Fighting spirit ignited in Yun Shu's eyes. He tucked the booklet into his clothes and walked outside.

The Outer Sect's Training Ground was far larger than the Menial Disciples' Training Ground. It would not be an exaggeration to say that even with Yun Shu's current stamina and speed, running from one end to the other would take half an hour.

It stretched almost beyond the eye's reach.

It had been cleared out for today's assessment. Now that dusk was approaching, only scattered groups of two or three people remained.

An Outer Sect Deacon was there to maintain order, but there was scarcely anything to manage. He simply sat there, bored out of his mind, drinking tea.