"Junior Brother, you've officially mastered the basics of the Lingxiao Sword Technique. From now on, what you achieve will depend on how hard you work."
A cool breeze drifted across the mountaintop. Luo Lan stood in the wind, watching the young man before her with a serious expression as she gave him earnest advice.
For more than half a year, she had endured countless people's jeers and scorn, bearing all kinds of pressure. At last, she had guided her junior brother through the gates of the Lingxiao Sword Technique.
She felt a deep sense of accomplishment.
Luo Lan even felt that this was the most meaningful thing she had done in all her years in the outer sect.
"Senior Sister, don't worry. I'll train hard and never let down your high expectations."
Beneath the sunlight,
the young man, his face brimming with excitement, thumped his chest as he made his vow.
"Good."
Luo Lan patted the young man's shoulder with satisfaction and smiled. "A month from now, I'll check your progress right here, at our usual spot."
"Good."
The young man nodded firmly.
"Oh, right, there's one more thing. After I test you, if you pass, you can take part in the sect's True Intent Tournament for the Lingxiao Sword Technique..."
Luo Lan considered this for a moment before speaking.
The True Intent Tournament for the Lingxiao Sword Technique?
Chen Changming froze. What kind of competition was this? He had never heard of it.
"Our Lingxiao Sect was founded by the first Ancestor Lingxiao. His Lingxiao Sword Technique had reached nine-tenths true intent, but later generations of disciples had different aptitudes, and so did the degree of true intent they grasped in the Lingxiao Sword Technique. Naturally, its power varied too..."
Luo Lan explained patiently. "The True Intent Tournament for the Lingxiao Sword Technique is a contest of how much true intent each participant has grasped. That means anyone can enter, regardless of cultivation. As long as you've grasped more than three-tenths true intent, you'll receive a reward, and the top ten will get even better rewards."
"I see."
Chen Changming finally understood. Then he clenched his fists, determination appearing in his eyes.
"Junior Brother, train hard. I'll be going..."
Luo Lan patted the young man's shoulder and drifted away.
She had neglected her own cultivation over the past six months. For the next month, she would throw herself into training like a madwoman.
Chen Changming returned to his cave abode.
He slowly drew his treasured sword, flourished it in a graceful arc, and smiled. "Senior Sister, I'll give you a surprise."
That was right—a surprise.
Although he was an unparalleled good-for-nothing who learned the Lingxiao Sword Technique at a frighteningly slow pace, once he got the chance, as long as he managed to master the basics, he would soar to the heavens and raise the Lingxiao Sword Technique to a terrifying level!
"The Lingxiao Sword Technique, one hundred times!"
Three days later, a clap of thunder rang through his mind. A warm current surged up from the soles of his feet and flowed through his entire body as a mysterious sensation emerged.
He had broken through!
The young man lowered his sword. Sweat drenched him, his muscles trembled, and he panted nonstop.
It was pitch-black outside, and not a trace of light entered the cave abode. In the darkness, the young man panted heavily like a bull, his sweat pattering onto the ground, its sound quickly swallowed by his labored breathing.
After its first enhancement, the overall attack power of the Lingxiao Sword Technique had increased tenfold.
This left Chen Changming elated.
The Lingxiao Sword Technique was famed as the sect's guardian sword art, with astonishing destructive power. If it grew ten times stronger, its might would be even more terrifying!
"With less than a month left, if I train even harder, I can definitely break through to one thousand times!"
The young man murmured to himself. In the darkness, his exhausted face was drawn, but his eyes shone brighter and brighter.
Time was short.
But as long as he trained like mad in the Lingxiao Sword Technique, he should be able to break through before the deadline and take Senior Sister's test.
Over the past six months, the young man had swallowed his anger in the face of all the doubts and jeers.
This True Intent Tournament only assessed how much true intent a participant had grasped in their sword technique. It was a golden opportunity for a low-ranking outer-sect disciple like him, who was only at the third level of Qi Refining.
As long as he placed, he would win a reward.
Time trickled by.
"The Lingxiao Sword Technique, one thousand times!"
As a mighty peal of thunder rang out, the young man, drenched in sweat, crashed to the ground. He convulsed a few times, then lay motionless.
Twenty-six days had passed.
After training like mad, Chen Changming had reached one thousand repetitions a day ahead of schedule. The Lingxiao Sword Technique had been enhanced for the second time!
A mysterious sensation arose. Chen Changming took his time absorbing it, then closed his eyes and smiled happily.
After its second enhancement, the Lingxiao Sword Technique's power had increased tenfold once more!
At the same time, using the sword technique at this level took ten times more energy.
But while that would be a problem for ordinary people, it hardly affected Chen Changming. After breaking through to the third level of Qi Refining, the spiritual energy in his dantian had grown even more abundant.
"I wonder how much true intent I've grasped in the Lingxiao Sword Technique now..."
The young man murmured to himself.
Gradually, he drifted off to sleep. He was exhausted, and now that his wish had come true, he could finally enjoy a peaceful night's rest.
The next morning.
The mist lifted, and warm golden sunlight streamed through the window lattice, falling across the young man's face.
He opened his eyes, feeling refreshed. With a sudden flip, he sprang to his feet, picked up the treasured sword from the ground, slung it diagonally across his back, and strode out with his chest puffed up.
Today, he would take Senior Sister's test—and give her a surprise, too.
The sunlight was especially bright, and the young man was in high spirits. After the time it took an incense stick to burn, he arrived at a mountaintop.
A girl in white stood with her back to him.
In the gentle mountain breeze, her slender figure seemed to drift with an indescribable grace and ethereal beauty, making a breathtaking scene against the lovely mountain forest.
The young man held his breath and walked over softly, as though he didn't want to disturb the beautiful scene.
"Junior Brother."
Luo Lan turned around. Seeing the young man before her looking so refreshed and vibrant, she couldn't help but feel surprised.
They hadn't seen each other in a month, but she felt as though her junior brother had become a different person.
His vitality, essence, and spirit had undergone a complete transformation. An indescribable confidence shone on the young man's face.
The young man wasn't handsome; his looks were plain.
Yet every movement he made shook her heart. The sensation was like standing before a peerless divine sword on the verge of being drawn.
"Greetings, Senior Sister!"
Chen Changming smiled faintly and clasped his fists.
"Haha, I feel like you've changed somehow. Come on, let's spar and see how much your Lingxiao Sword Technique has improved!"
Luo Lan laughed heartily, without a trace of ladylike reserve, and raised her sword against him.
Chen Changming also drew the treasured sword from his back and smiled softly. "Senior Sister, you'd better be careful."
With that, his entire figure vanished.
A storm of sword light rained down from the sky.
Chen Changming had toned down the power of the Lingxiao Sword Technique. What he displayed now was on par with its first enhancement.
He didn't want to reveal his trump card just yet.
"What a fast sword!"
Luo Lan was startled. She hadn't expected her junior brother's swordsmanship to have transformed so dramatically. Delighted, she braced herself and began exchanging blows with Chen Changming.
Both of them used the Lingxiao Sword Technique, their attacks so fast that sword light clashed all around them, bursting apart again and again. The ringing of metal on metal carried far away on the mountain breeze.
After the time it took a cup of tea to cool,
"Enough. Let's stop."
Luo Lan leaped out of the circle and waved a hand, staring at Chen Changming in shock.
She was at the seventh level of Qi Refining and had practiced the Lingxiao Sword Technique for years. Yet when she suppressed her cultivation to exchange blows with him, she found herself at a disadvantage.
Only by fighting without suppressing her cultivation could she gain the upper hand.
"Senior Sister, forgive me..."
Chen Changming clasped his hands together, looking apologetic.
He had attacked too fiercely just now, and had unconsciously increased the power of the Lingxiao Sword Technique beyond the level of its first enhancement. A few of his unexpected sword moves had thrown Senior Sister into disarray.
"Ha! Junior Brother, so you really are a genius!"
Luo Lan rushed over excitedly and wrapped the young man in a bear hug. A soft, ample mass pressed against him, turning his face bright red.
"Senior Sister, I'm no genius. It took me half a month just to understand the sword technique..."
Chen Changming's face was scarlet.