The others continued training in the Sword Mound for a few more days before telling Jiang Lu they were leaving.
None of the three were sword cultivators. They would make better progress meditating back at the sect than training inside the Sword Mound.
But Junior Sister Jiang's spirit sword had yet to take human form, and judging by her enthusiasm, she intended to stay for quite some time. She would be visiting other forbidden grounds later anyway; they could join her then.
Jiang Lu watched them leave and waved.
Training alone suited her perfectly. Besides, Senior Sister Mu's destined opportunity here had probably been that spirit sword. There was nothing else for her to find.
Jiang Lu looked away, tapped her toes against the ground, and shot toward the distant cliffs. As she ran, she told Qianming, "Keep clashing your sword intent against theirs!"
Few disciples came to this part of the Sword Mound. She had discovered by chance that the sword blades on both sides could temper her sword heart and help her comprehend sword intent.
Now she could faintly sense Qianming's thoughts. It felt like the legendary state of One with the Sword.
Once she reached that state, she could conjure the phantom of a spirit sword without wielding one. A single thought would be enough to strike with the force to subdue mountains and rivers.
Jiang Lu stood alone between the cliffs, eyes closed, a faint white glow surrounding her.
Piercing sword intent raged around her more fiercely than before. It tore hole after hole in her robes, but under its relentless pressure, her aura climbed rapidly.
Her Divine Sense and her body grew tougher beneath that unceasing pressure.
Qianming's sword shadow flashed around her. The surrounding sword intents dodged to either side whenever they saw it.