The next moment.
Su Yun's whole body trembled, and the aura radiating from him instantly surged.
"Congratulations, Junior Brother Su Yun! Your cultivation has advanced greatly, and you've broken through to the fourth level of the Profound Mastery Realm!"
"Congratulations, Su Yun! You've finished your Enlightenment and broken through!"
After Su Yun's breakthrough ended, the disciples and elders present all spoke up.
Even Elder Mu, seated at the head of the room, looked delighted and sighed inwardly.
Su Yun was truly a monstrous talent!
"I also have all of you senior brothers and sisters, as well as the elders, to thank for your generous explanations. I've gained a great deal."
Su Yun cupped his hands in thanks.
He meant every word.
"The purpose of the Dao Discussion Meeting is to help the disciples improve together, strengthen our unity, and raise your abilities."
Elder Mu beamed.
Then he looked around at everyone and said,
"Now, everyone has finished sharing what they wanted to discuss."
"Next, you can bring out any treasures you have and trade them with one another."
"If you have any information to share or trade, you can bring that out as well."
"As usual, we elders will first put up a few treasures as prizes."
With that, Elder Mu took out a long blade.
Its body was as dark as ink, while its hilt was ice-blue. A shimmering, frigid light spilled from it.
Then he introduced it.
"This is the Ice Ink Blade, a low-tier Mysterious Grade weapon forged from thousand-year ink iron and ice-soul crystal. It possesses tremendous power and is exceptionally sharp."
"This blade can also unleash a force of ice-soul energy to slay enemies. It also enhances ice-attribute blade techniques to a certain degree."
Elder Mu stroked the blade, his smile warm.
His words immediately drew the attention of many disciples.
A Mysterious Grade weapon!
Among the Inner Sect disciples, weapons of this level already ranked among the very best.
Many Inner Sect disciples were still using Human Grade High Tier or Yellow Grade weapons.
Su Yun, for example, was still using the Human Grade High Tier blade he had exchanged for at the beginning.
Disciples who could use Mysterious Grade weapons were either powerful in their own right or came from influential backgrounds.
They were exceedingly rare.
"That blade looks pretty good."
Su Yun glanced at the Ice Ink Blade, and his thoughts stirred.
He had originally planned to buy a weapon in Wanyang City.
Unfortunately, he had spent all the silver on Human Grade High Tier blade techniques.
So he had no choice but to put the idea of buying a weapon aside for the time being.
A moment later, the two white-bearded elders beside Elder Mu also brought out their treasures.
"Since Elder Mu has been so generous, we naturally won't hold back either."
"This is a Spirit Source Pill, a third-tier pill."
"Martial artists below the Qi Sea Realm can take this pill to quickly recover from their injuries and return to their peak, so long as they still have a breath left."
One of the elders took out an exquisite emerald-green jade box.
As soon as it opened, a rich medicinal fragrance poured out.
The other elder brought out a low-tier Mysterious Grade blade technique, which was also quite good.
After that, some Inner Sect disciples brought out items they wanted to trade.
Almost all of them asked for Contribution Points.
Some disciples also wanted large amounts of silver notes.
The Ice Ink Blade that Su Yun had his eye on was one such item.
Elder Mu had set its price at two hundred thousand Contribution Points.
"Too bad. I've spent nearly all my Contribution Points exchanging for the Great Sun Profound Heaven Technique."
Su Yun withdrew his gaze and sighed inwardly.
The price of two hundred thousand Contribution Points was steep, putting off many disciples.
Even a few especially wealthy disciples thought it over and gave up on the exchange.
In the end, Elder Mu walked over to Su Yun, holding the Ice Ink Blade and smiling.
"Su Yun, this blade is yours."
With that, he held out the Ice Ink Blade.
"Thank you, Elder Mu!"
Su Yun was taken aback, then accepted the blade and replied with a smile.
By now, he understood Elder Mu's intentions.
Elder Mu had named the price of two hundred thousand Contribution Points to discourage the disciples who wanted to exchange for the Ice Ink Blade.
Now that no one had taken it, he could give the blade to Su Yun openly.
If he had simply given it to Su Yun without going through this process, some disciples would inevitably have been displeased.
After all, some of the disciples here were connected to the Great Yun Imperial Family, and Elder Mu did not want to offend them.
Besides, if the matter caused certain people to take an interest in Su Yun and even ostracize him, it would defeat the purpose.
"Su Yun, focus on your cultivation."
"I look forward to seeing you claim first place at this year's Disciple Ceremony!"
After chatting for a while, Elder Mu said with a smile.
"I will."
Su Yun nodded.
Then Elder Mu left.
"What a fine blade!"
Su Yun tightened his grip on the Ice Ink Blade. It felt cool to the touch, and the corner of his mouth lifted into a smile.
With this blade, his strength would rise a little further.
"Have you heard?"
"Three days ago, Crimson Blade Guest, the top disciple of our Outer Sect, sensed a trace of Dao resonance in Heavenly Blade Canyon. He successfully comprehended three-tenths of Blade Momentum and broke through to the Mystic Profound Realm!"
"Is that true? I've been to Heavenly Blade Canyon too, but I didn't comprehend a thing!"
"Maybe that's what a true martial prodigy is like. He's not as amazing as Junior Brother Su Yun, but he's still terrifying."
At some point, Su Yun heard a few disciples beside him talking about Heavenly Blade Canyon.
His interest stirred, and he quickly asked,
"Senior Brother Song Que, what kind of place is Heavenly Blade Canyon?"
Song Que was drinking at the time.
Hearing this, he paused in surprise, then answered after thinking it over.
"Heavenly Blade Canyon is nine hundred li east of the sect."
"People say that twelve hundred years ago, a Peerless Blade Saint passed through there while hunting down a Terrifying Great Demon."
"He struck with a single blade, like a thunderbolt hurled down from the heavens. The slash stretched hundreds of li and ultimately slew the demon."
"That's why the canyon came to be known as Heavenly Blade Canyon."
"Traces of that blade strike still remain in the canyon, containing a measure of profound Dao resonance."
"Some exceptionally gifted geniuses have comprehended Blade Momentum there, and some have even created blade techniques."
Su Yun was astonished when he heard this.
One slash stretching hundreds of li!
Just the lingering traces of the attack could let martial artists comprehend Blade Momentum and even create blade techniques.
That Martial Saint's strength had truly been terrifying!
"Junior Brother Su Yun, your comprehension is incredible. If you go there and study it, you might make great gains!"
Song Que's eyes lit up, and he quickly urged him.
"I was planning to go."
Su Yun smiled.
He had been worrying over how to quickly improve his Blade Momentum.
Now that he had learned of a treasure trove like Heavenly Blade Canyon, he naturally wanted to see it for himself.
Some time later.
The Inner Sect Dao Discussion Meeting finally came to an end.
Every disciple had gained something, more or less.
By then, Su Yun had returned to his residence.
Early the next morning, he got up and left.
In the faint light of dawn, Su Yun rode out on horseback.
He galloped toward Heavenly Blade Canyon.
"I need to head this way."
Su Yun was holding a map and riding a swift horse along the official road.
After several hours, he finally arrived at Heavenly Blade Canyon.
Su Yun dismounted and looked out.
Mountains rose and fell across the boundless land, stretching on without end.
A broad blue river cut through several mountain ranges and flowed eastward.
Trees covered the mountains on both banks, and birds and beasts called out from the forest.
But the scenery was not the most striking thing here.
It was the terrifying blade scar that cut through the mountain range!
That single slash had stretched for hundreds of li and carved out a canyon!
"What a terrifying blade scar."
Feeling a surge of Killing Intent and blade energy coming from somewhere beyond his sight, Su Yun's heart tightened.
Then he steadied himself and walked deeper into the canyon.
The core area.
It was already packed with people, filling every available space.
Martial artists in all kinds of clothes sat with their eyes closed, lost in thought as they focused on comprehending the blade scar.
"No room left?"
Su Yun frowned.
After waiting a while, a very thin old monk slowly rose to his feet.
With his head bowed and a blank expression, he walked past Su Yun.
Looking dazed, he murmured to himself,
"I've sat here for years, yet failed to grasp its essence."
"I came empty-handed and leave empty-handed, my hopes dashed."
Clutching a rusted iron blade, the old monk staggered away, his face forlorn.
Cultivation was like rowing upstream: if you did not press forward, you fell behind.
Without sufficient talent and potential, it was hard to reach the summit.
Su Yun glanced at him, then looked away.
"So this is the blade scar left behind by that Blade Saint?"
Then he stepped forward, took the spot where the old monk had been sitting, and reached out to touch the blade scar.
Here, he could reach out and touch the scar. It was a spot very near the front.
Clearly, the old monk who had just left must have been quite powerful.
Otherwise, he would never have been able to claim this spot for years.
"Let's begin comprehending it."
Su Yun calmed his mind and focused.
His gaze sharpened as he began to study the scar in earnest!
Gradually, he seemed to grasp something, and flickers of inspiration surfaced in his mind.
Until, at a certain moment.
A voice rang out in his mind.
"The Slaughter Blade Art has detected a profound blade scar. It is exhilarated and is ceaselessly comprehending it. Cultivation efficiency has surged!"
"The Slaughter Blade Art's inspiration has burst forth. Comprehension complete. Great gains achieved. It has successfully reached minor mastery!"
Before you continue