"No, you're a genius—a genius unlike anyone I've ever heard of..."
Luo Lan stopped pressuring the boy and rested both hands on his shoulders. She said excitedly, "Look at you! At first, you really were slow to learn, as slow as a snail. But once you got the hang of it, you made incredible progress! Hahaha!"
Chen Changming smiled.
Everyone in the village had called him ill-fated and short-lived, yet every achievement he had made had come from that very misfortune.
Luo Lan threw an arm around the boy like he was her brother and laughed, "Come on. The timing's perfect—we're going to the True Intent Tournament for the Lingxiao Sword Technique."
"Uh... all right..."
Chen Changming still wasn't used to this kind of closeness, and he was afraid someone might see them. He hurriedly pulled away.
This Senior Sister really did think of herself as a man!
Luo Lan was carefree and paid no mind to the boy's embarrassment. She strode ahead, and Chen Changming hurried after her.
After crossing two mountains, the pair climbed Lingxiao Peak.
It was the main peak of the Lingxiao Sect. The Sect Master Hall stood there, and a plaza in front of it was used for grand sect events.
Outer-sect disciples were normally forbidden to enter.
It was Chen Changming's first time there, and he looked around curiously, taking in the scenery and letting out one admiring exclamation after another.
"Some of these places were only just rebuilt. Those bastards from the Blood Demon Sect wrecked a lot of things when they retreated!"
Pointing at some newly constructed features, Luo Lan couldn't help cursing in anger.
"Damn the Blood Demon Sect!"
Chen Changming chimed in.
The Blood Demon Sect had destroyed so many fine spirit fields in the Spirit Rice cultivation area, costing him a huge source of resources.
"By the way, Senior Sister, how are things in the Spirit Rice cultivation valley now?"
Chen Changming asked suddenly.
"We've managed to restore it somewhat, so we can plant a little Spirit Rice. Fortunately, there aren't many people in the sect, so we don't use much..."
Luo Lan answered honestly.
Chen Changming nodded. He did want to grow Spirit Rice, but now that he was an outer-sect disciple, he no longer had the qualifications.
Fortunately, he could earn contribution points by completing missions. The income came quickly, and the rewards were generous.
Thinking it over, he no longer felt any resentment.
For someone as insignificant as him, making a living in this complicated world meant one thing at one time and another at the next. What kind of livelihood could last forever?
Back when he was a little beggar, he had nearly frozen to death in Xiliang City. If that scoundrel hadn't backed him into a corner, how could he ever have killed someone?
After killing the man, he fled the city and happened to be discovered by the Silver-Robed Immortal Master, who was passing by. That had completely changed his fate.
Thinking of the Silver-Robed Immortal Master reminded Chen Changming of the key the Red Great Bird had left in his chest. The little green spot the key had turned into hadn't reacted at all, and he had no idea how long it would take the other party to retrieve it.
"Now that my sword technique has improved, it's time to start working on the Heavenly Furnace Body-Forging Art..."
Chen Changming thought to himself.
He had never had time to practice this body-tempering technique. Now that his Lingxiao Sword Technique had improved, he was ready to begin cultivating it.
His aptitude was so poor that even managing his cultivation time was a struggle. He often had to neglect one thing to focus on another, but there was nothing he could do about that.
After the time it took to burn a stick of incense,
the pair finally arrived at the plaza halfway up the mountain. Hundreds of people had gathered there, including both outer- and inner-sect disciples.
"Senior Sister!"
"Greetings, Senior Sister!"
When the outer-sect disciples saw Luo Lan, they hurriedly made way for her, their expressions especially respectful.
Luo Lan smiled and nodded. She led Chen Changming to the middle of the plaza and into the area where the inner-sect disciples had gathered.
"You've all heard, right? Chen Changming has a Five Elements Mixed Spirit Root, but Senior Sister took a liking to him and taught him the Lingxiao Sword Technique for over half a year!"
"Ah, I'm so jealous!"
"Senior Sister has such a kind heart and is so warmhearted. Why doesn't she look upon me with favor too? It's heartbreaking..."
"Ah..."
The outer-sect disciples chattered among themselves, deeply envious of Chen Changming's good fortune.
Hearing them talk, Chen Changming couldn't help but feel moved.
Without Senior Sister, how could someone with trash aptitude like him even dare to learn the Lingxiao Sword Technique?
He would have been lucky just to learn the Breeze Sword Technique.
Yu Hailong was among the crowd. After greeting Senior Sister, he leaned in with a mysterious air and asked in a hushed, envious voice, "Hey, Chen Changming, how's your Lingxiao Sword Technique coming along?"
"So-so."
Chen Changming smiled lightly, then asked, "Senior Brother Yu, have you learned the Lingxiao Sword Technique?"
Yu Hailong blushed. "No. I only learned the Breeze Sword Technique. I'll learn the Lingxiao Sword Technique later. I just came to broaden my horizons today and see how other people use it..."
"Mm-hm."
Chen Changming nodded with a smile and said nothing more.
So-so?
Hearing the two junior brothers' exchange, Luo Lan's lips curled into a mysterious smile.
Chen Changming was sure to be the dark horse of this tournament!
His Lingxiao Sword Technique was so formidable that even she had trouble defending against it. If she had been at Qi Cultivation Level 3 too, she would have lost their sparring match just now.
Luo Lan was delighted.
She had withstood all kinds of pressure and finally taught such a good "disciple." All her hard work had been worth it.
Since word of Luo Lan teaching Chen Changming the Lingxiao Sword Technique had spread throughout the sect, many inner-sect disciples also turned their attention toward them.
"Senior Brother, that kid next to Luo Lan is the Five Elements Mixed Spirit Root good-for-nothing. I can't believe he even had the nerve to enter the True Intent Tournament!"
Dozens of disciples from Skyfire Peak had gathered together. Shi Kelang stood respectfully beside a young man and pointed in a certain direction, speaking in a low voice.
The senior brother beside him was the top inner-sect disciple of Skyfire Peak.
Ma Tianxing.
He was already at Qi Cultivation Level 9 and was only a step away from reaching Qi Cultivation Level 10.
"Heh. He's no threat..."
Ma Tianxing smiled faintly, not taking him seriously at all.
He had come to compete in the Lingxiao Sword Technique True Intent Tournament as well. Although he was from Skyfire Peak, he also cultivated the Lingxiao Sword Technique.
Seeing that his Senior Brother wasn't concerned, Shi Kelang sighed inwardly.
His Senior Brother's cultivation was so advanced that his standards were naturally high. He wouldn't even consider an outer-sect disciple with a Five Elements Mixed Spirit Root worth noticing.
The inner-sect disciples from the Lingxiao Sect's six peaks had gathered across the plaza. Some glanced at Chen Changming beside Luo Lan, showed a faint hint of disdain, then looked away.
"The Sect Master is here."
Someone called out softly.
The crowd stirred and turned as one toward the Sect Master Hall.
The doors slowly opened, and a line of people filed out.
The Lingxiao Sect's Sect Master, the peak masters, and several elders with real authority were all among them.
The plaza fell silent at once.
After all, the row seated in front of the hall was made up of the Lingxiao Sect's highest-ranking figures, who were usually as elusive as dragons glimpsed only in passing.
The disciples in the plaza were fortunate to witness them all today, and they engraved the appearance of every high-ranking figure in their minds.
"The Lingxiao Sword Technique True Intent Tournament is held once every three years. I wonder whether this time it'll bring us any surprises..."
A middle-aged man said with an expectant look and a light laugh.
This was Li Yue, the Lingxiao Sect's Sect Master.
Guo Haichuan, the Skyfire Peak Master, coughed and chuckled. "Sect Master, quite a few promising talents emerged last time. For example, my Skyfire Peak's Ma Tianxing, Blackwater Peak's Jin Huanyu, and Greenwood Peak's Zhao Liuhe. The outer sect produced no shortage of talent too—such as Elder Luo's precious granddaughter..."
At the mention of Elder Luo's precious granddaughter, the Lingxiao Sect's high-ranking figures all wore peculiar expressions.
Elder Luo's granddaughter had good talent, but she'd stubbornly chosen to join the outer sect. It had caused quite a stir throughout the sect at the time. In the past half year, she'd done something even more astonishing: teaching an outer-sect disciple with a Five Elements Mixed Spirit Root to cultivate the Lingxiao Sword Technique.
No one knew what had gotten into that girl.