Lin Xuan

Profound Heaven Sect, Sword-Practicing Peak.

On an open stretch of mountain terrain, dozens of youths in white were practicing swordplay. Dazzling spiritual power wrapped around their swords as the blades sliced through the air, sending ripples shivering across it.

Not far away, a group of youths in rough clothes gazed at them longingly, their eyes filled with envy.

"If only I could be one of them. Then I could learn and practice swordsmanship too. Just thinking about it gets me excited!" one youth in rough clothes said.

"Keep dreaming! They're disciples of the Profound Heaven Sect, while we're Sword Slaves. How could we ever practice swordsmanship like them?"

"Want to become a disciple of the Profound Heaven Sect? Easy. Just do what Lin Xuan did!" a voice said mockingly.

The youths in rough clothes burst into laughter, but all their eyes turned toward the same spot.

Among the trees stood a youth in rough clothes, about sixteen or seventeen years old. He had delicate features and a slender build, and he held a black iron sword, thrusting it again and again. Sweat had long since soaked his clothes, but he seemed not to notice.

"Lin Xuan? Hmph, that useless piece of trash couldn't become a disciple of the Profound Heaven Sect even if you gave him a hundred years! Forget everything else—in our group, he's at the very bottom. What makes him think he could become a disciple of the Profound Sword Sect?"

"Exactly. I heard he tried to break through to the Meridian Condensation Realm a few days ago, but failed and vomited blood nonstop. His cultivation even fell to the Third Level of Body Tempering, and he still hasn't recovered!" The voice was full of gloating.

"And look at him—he's been practicing the same sword move every day for three months. It's nothing special, either. He's probably practiced himself stupid!"

Many of them spoke loudly. Lin Xuan heard their words, and a trace of bitterness rose in his heart. But his grip on the sword only tightened. His small face set, he continued practicing.

In the path of martial arts, Body Tempering was the foundation, while the Meridian Condensation Realm marked the true beginning. Only by opening the spiritual meridians within the body could one hope to travel farther along the martial path.

"Brother Wang is already at the Ninth Level of Body Tempering, right? Once you break through to the Meridian Condensation Realm, don't forget about us!" Seeing that Lin Xuan wasn't reacting, the youths in rough clothes cursed him under their breath, then began fawning over the youth beside them.

"Of course! Brother Wang will break through in another two months. Maybe then he'll become a disciple of the Profound Heaven Sect!"

Wang Yang glanced at Lin Xuan disdainfully, then said, "I won't need two months. A month at most, and I'll break through!"

"Really? Brother Wang is amazing!" The youths around him eagerly showered him with flattery.

"Brother Wang, look how arrogant Lin Xuan is. Why don't you teach him a lesson?"

Wang Yang had long been displeased with Lin Xuan. He glanced at the white-robed disciples practicing their swordplay and judged that they still had a long time before their break. Then he got up and walked toward Lin Xuan.

The other youths in rough clothes hurried after him, eager to watch Lin Xuan make a fool of himself.

Lin Xuan was wholly focused on his sword practice. He lunged forward and thrust his sword straight out. A flash of sword light flickered, leaving a mark on the tree trunk.

What they didn't know was that Lin Xuan had practiced this move for three years. Ever since that day, he had practiced it every single day, no matter the circumstances. He had never stopped.

Whoosh! A pebble flew toward the back of Lin Xuan's head, cutting through the air with a force fierce enough to make one's heart jump.

Lin Xuan tilted aside, avoiding the strike by the narrowest margin. He stopped and looked over angrily. Wang Yang and a group of youths in rough clothes stood not far away, clearly looking for trouble.

"Well, aren't you nimble? You actually dodged that?" Wang Yang said with a grin.

"What do you want?" Lin Xuan tightened his grip on the sword and spoke in a low voice. If he'd been any slower, that blow might have left a bloody hole in his head. He had no grudge against these people, yet they'd struck with such vicious intent!

"I hear you've been practicing one sword move for three months. It must be pretty powerful. Show it to us."

Lin Xuan looked at them coldly and said nothing.

"What, you're afraid? Or have you practiced for three months without making any progress?" Wang Yang laughed arrogantly.

"Brother Wang, show him what you can do. Let him see how powerful you are!"

"Kid, let me show you what real swordsmanship looks like!" Wang Yang stepped forward, a sharp aura surging from him like a smoldering volcano ready to erupt at any moment.

"As expected of someone at the Ninth Level of Body Tempering. Just his aura makes me feel awful!" several youths in rough clothes exclaimed in alarm.

Wang Yang sneered. He drew his Refined Steel Sword, twirled it in a flourish, then thrust it at Lin Xuan.

The youths in rough clothes widened their eyes, eager to see Lin Xuan collapse helplessly. They'd long been fed up with this oddball who didn't fit in. They were all Sword Slaves—what was he acting so high and mighty for?

Lin Xuan sighed. His pale hand closed around the black sword, and in the next instant, his gaze turned exceptionally sharp.

Draw, leap, thrust, sheathe.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. By the time everyone came to their senses, Lin Xuan had already sheathed his black iron sword and was standing there coldly.

"Impossible! This can't be!" Wang Yang turned back in horror. A lock of his hair had been cut off, and a thin line of blood marked his neck, fresh blood trickling from it.

Hiss!

Everyone sucked in a sharp breath. They never would have imagined that Wang Yang, at the Ninth Level of Body Tempering, would be defeated by Lin Xuan, who was only at the Third Level—and in a single move, no less.

"Who is Lin Xuan, really? And what kind of sword technique did he use?" That was the question on everyone's mind.

"What's going on? Why are you all gathered here? Are you trying to rebel?" a sharp voice rang out.

"Bad luck—the Profound Heaven Sect disciples are taking a break." The youths in rough clothes trembled, then quickly plastered smiles on their faces and rushed to greet the white-robed disciples.

"Master, you must be thirsty. This is Nine-Night Spirit Tea. I brewed it through the night!"

"Young Master, here's a Secret Spirit Pill. It'll restore your strength quickly. Please take one."

All the youths in rough clothes bowed and scraped as they tended to the white-robed disciples. Even Wang Yang was no exception. His frightened expression vanished, and he hurried over to one of the disciples in white.

"Master, your pill," Wang Yang said respectfully.

The youth took the pill and swallowed it. His gaze fell on Wang Yang's neck, and his brows immediately furrowed.

"What happened? How did you get that wound on your neck?" asked the white-robed youth, Chen Feng.

"Mas... Master..." Wang Yang trembled. If his master found out that he'd lost to someone at the Third Level of Body Tempering, he would likely meet a terrible end.

At that moment, the other white-robed disciples gathered around too. One of the Sword Slaves explained what had happened, and they all turned to look at Lin Xuan.

"A mere Sword Slave dares to be this bold? Believe me, I can kill you!"

"Looks like you're getting more and more unruly!"

"Young Master, he's Miss Tang Yu's Sword Slave," someone reminded them.

"Oh? Tang Yu changed Sword Slaves? How come I didn't know?"

"What, do you have a problem with that?" A clear voice rang out from beyond the crowd. A girl in a fitted, pale outfit walked in.

She had delicate features, fair skin, a curvy figure, and long legs.

Many people secretly swallowed hard. Even the white-robed disciples' mouths went dry, their eyes gleaming.

"Lin Xuan, let's go." Tang Yu ignored them all. She tossed the treasured sword in her hand to Lin Xuan, then walked away beside him.

"Are we really just going to let them go?" one disciple protested.

"Relax. I can't touch Tang Yu, but a mere Sword Slave? I can kill him in a heartbeat. Aren't we going into the mountains tomorrow to prepare for that matter? Bring the kid along and make sure he gets a good taste of it!"

"You dared to cross me, Chen Feng. You're dead!" The white-robed disciple watched Lin Xuan's retreating back, a cruel smile spreading across his face.

Lin Xuan followed the long-legged beauty along the path, attracting plenty of attention. Of course, most of those gazes were directed at Tang Yu.

Tang Yu didn't care about the attention at all. Smiling at Lin Xuan, she said, "I saved you. How are you going to repay me?"

"Mm, thanks," Lin Xuan said earnestly.

"You—"

The girl bit her silver teeth, puffing out her cheeks as she glared at Lin Xuan. But then she seemed to think of something and blinked before saying softly, "Lin Xuan, there's something wrong with my sword. Take a look for me."

The girl handed him a sword. Its dark green scabbard was made from the hide of a fine demon beast, and several gemstones set into it sparkled in the sunlight.

Lin Xuan paid none of that any attention. He snatched the sword, drew it, and examined the blade carefully.

Its water-blue blade was like the sky, but there was a small black spot near the tip, dulling the sheen of the whole sword.

"Hey, you really don't take care of your sword at all." As he muttered, Lin Xuan cut his finger with the sword's edge and let the blood flow. He touched the spot with his bloodied fingertip, and soon the black mark disappeared. He then let his blood run over the entire blade before stopping.

"All done." He handed the sword back to the girl.

The girl took it happily and waved it through the air a few times, making it whistle. The blood had already seeped into the blade, which now gleamed like a blue gemstone.

"Wait!" The girl saw Lin Xuan turn to leave and called out sharply.

"Tang Yu, I fixed your sword. What else do you want?" Lin Xuan sighed and asked helplessly.

"I want to practice swordsmanship. Spar with me." Tang Yu drew her sword in a huff.

"Come on, you're a Fourth Level of Meridian Condensation Spirit Warrior, and you want someone at the Third Level of Body Tempering—a Spirit Disciple—to spar with you? Are you trying to kill me?" Lin Xuan immediately refused.

Those who reached the Meridian Condensation Realm were called Spirit Warriors, while those in the Body Tempering Realm were called Spirit Disciples.

"Relax, I won't use spiritual power." Tang Yu's lips curled into a smile. She turned her wrist, and the blue sword suddenly thrust toward him.

"This girl's serious!" Lin Xuan was startled. He hurriedly shifted aside and raised his sword to block. With a clang, the swords collided, and a mighty force struck him, driving him back three steps.

"See? I didn't use any spiritual power!" Tang Yu said with a grin, her sword moving again, sweeping toward Lin Xuan like a gust of wind.

"Hehe, this is the Clear Wind Sword Technique I just learned. See how it feels."

The sword in Tang Yu's hand whipped up gust after gust, making Lin Xuan's clothes flutter. Damn it, not this again. Every time she learns a new sword technique, she uses me to practice!

Lin Xuan had been a Sword Slave at the Profound Heaven Sect for three months. During that time, he'd lost count of how many times this little devil had tormented him. Whenever he sparred with her, he always ended up injured.

With that thought, he heard a rip as his clothes were slashed open in a long gash. Lin Xuan was vexed, and his sword began to counterattack again and again.

Although he'd never managed to open his spiritual meridians and so couldn't truly cultivate, Lin Xuan had a remarkable talent for sword moves. In his hands, even ordinary techniques became extraordinary, as if he'd been born with the ability. That was why Tang Yu often asked him to practice swordplay with her.

Seeing that Tang Yu wasn't using spiritual power, Lin Xuan swung his sword in a half-circle, knocking her attack aside. Then he brought it down in a slash toward her wrist.

Tang Yu was startled. She whirled through the Clear Wind Sword Technique, trying to deflect the attack, but Lin Xuan's sword was like a venomous snake, pressing her at every step. Each time, it precisely and cunningly sealed off her moves.

"Hmph!" Tang Yu grew annoyed and unconsciously used her spiritual power. A burst of light flared from her blue sword, blasting Lin Xuan away.

Thump!

Lin Xuan flew back two meters and fell to the ground, his chest roiling with blood and qi. In the face of spiritual power, he was like a small boat in a raging sea, liable to be overturned at any moment.

"If I could open my spiritual meridians, I wouldn't have fallen so low!" Lin Xuan thought, his expression darkening.

"Heavens, you gave me such good talent, yet won't let me open my spiritual meridians. You might as well just kill me!"

Seeing Lin Xuan lying on the ground pretending to be dead, Tang Yu walked over and kicked him. "All right, stop pretending. I barely even used any force."

Lin Xuan winced in pain and sat up with an "Ow!" "Give me a healing pill, or you won't have anyone to practice swordplay with next time."

Tang Yu rolled her eyes at him, then reluctantly pulled out a vermilion pill and tossed it over. Other people's Sword Slaves bowed and scraped, obeying their masters in everything. But Lin Xuan was different—he barely paid her any mind and acted even more high and mighty than she did.

Still, Lin Xuan always had unique insights into sword techniques, and he was better than the other Sword Slaves at nourishing swords. So Tang Yu only bullied him and never dared to really hurt him. In the three months since she'd started practicing swordsmanship with Lin Xuan, her sword skills had improved a lot.

"You could be a swordsmanship genius, but you can't cultivate spiritual power. So just stay by my side, and I won't let you suffer!" Tang Yu offered a few words of comfort, then left.

Lin Xuan took out a small white porcelain bottle, put the vermilion pill inside, and carefully tucked it away. It was a healing pill with excellent effects. He always saved these pills for later, in case he needed them.

After putting the pill away, Lin Xuan headed toward his little hut. He needed to reach the Ninth Level of Body Tempering as soon as possible and try to open his spiritual meridians again.