The morning mist over the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect still carried the faint, lingering stench of blood from the battle. Along the bluestone mountain paths, disciples busily repaired the mountain-protecting grand formation corroded by demonic qi. Beside the eastern gate's formation core, several inner disciples gathered around the sword mark Ling Yun had left when he shattered the Soul Devouring Banner yesterday, their eyes brimming with awe—the smooth cut held not even a trace of lingering demonic qi, fully displaying the Chaos Sword Intent's power to shatter evil.
"Senior Brother Ling Yun!" An outer disciple came running over with a scroll of sword techniques in his arms, his expression excited. "This is the middle volume of the Flowing Cloud Sword Canon that the Sect Master asked me to deliver to you. He said that with your current strength, you are qualified to cultivate the high-level sword techniques within."
Ling Yun accepted the sword manual. As his fingertips brushed its yellowed pages, he could sense the faint spiritual aura of the sword path contained within. He looked toward the Sect Master's hall. After yesterday's battle, Ye Chen had not only given him the sect's last three Spirit Gathering Fruits, but had also granted him special permission to enter the top floor of the Scripture Depository and consult ancient sword-path texts rarely found in the Mortal Realm—clearly, Ye Chen now regarded him as the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect's hope for the future.
"Brother Ling Yun, so you were here." Su Qingyuan's voice came from behind him. She carried a bamboo basket filled with crystal-clear pills and several fragrant spirit herbs. "These are Sword Heart Grass I ripened with my Wood Spirit Body. They can stabilize your sword intent. There are also three Breakthrough Pills—they'll be useful when you break through to the Sword Master Realm."
Ling Yun took the basket, the fragrance of spirit herbs curling around his nose as warmth surged through his heart. "Sister Qingyuan, I've made you worry again."
"Why be so polite with me?" Su Qingyuan smiled and shook her head, but then her expression darkened slightly. "When I returned to Medicine Immortal Valley to deliver a message yesterday, Father said that the valley's ancient records state that the Blood Fiend Hall infiltrated the Mortal Realm a hundred years ago in search of the Ancient Sword Cultivator Ruins. The fragmentary sword manual your Ling Family guarded back then also seems to be connected to the Spirit Realm's Myriad Sword Cave—perhaps they destroyed the Ling Family for that very sword manual."
"Myriad Sword Cave?" Ling Yun's heart stirred. Sword Elder had once mentioned that it was a holy land for sword cultivators in the Spirit Realm, containing the Sword Soul Origin. If the Ling Family's sword manual was connected to the Myriad Sword Cave, then the truth behind his family's destruction must be buried deep within the Spirit Realm.
"That's right." Su Qingyuan nodded. "Father also said that the champion of the Qingyun Region Inter-Realm Sword Assembly will receive not only a Spirit Realm Teleportation Token, but also a Sword Soul Fragment. It is the key to opening the ruins surrounding the Myriad Sword Cave. So in this sword assembly, you must not only take the championship—you must also watch out for people from other factions. They may be after that Sword Soul Fragment too."
Just then, a green-clad figure swept over. Murong Shuang gripped the Wind Chant Sword, its tip pointed at Ling Yun. "Ling Yun, I heard you're entering the Inter-Regional Sword Convention? Perfect—I signed up too. How about we spar? We can treat it as a warm-up before the competition."
Ling Yun raised a brow, handed the sword manual to a nearby disciple, and gripped the Sky-Rending Sword. "Sure. I've also been wanting to see just how much my strength has improved after fusing three attribute sword intents."
The two moved to the Training Ground. Upon hearing the news, disciples flocked over, and even several elders stood in the distance to observe. Ye Chen watched the two facing each other in the arena, a hint of satisfaction flashing through his eyes—with two such geniuses, why should the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect fear that it could not rise again?
"I won't hold back." Before Murong Shuang's words had faded, the Wind Chant Sword had already transformed into a transparent sword shadow, stabbing straight toward Ling Yun's face. Her Wind Sword Intent surged to its limit, her figure swift as lightning, and her sword move carried the piercing shriek of tearing air. It was the high-level technique from the Flowing Cloud Sword Canon, Wind Blade Thousand Rends.
Ling Yun's gaze sharpened. His Clear Sword Heart instantly saw through the trajectory of her sword move. He neither dodged nor retreated. Chaos qi revolved within his dantian as fire, wind, and earth attribute sword intents coiled around the Sky-Rending Sword. Crimson, azure, and yellow intertwined into a three-colored curtain of light. "Three Forms of Qiankun: Three Talents Guard!"
The instant the light curtain blocked the wind blades, Ling Yun moved. His Breath Concealing Steps shattered the bluestones beneath his feet as he circled to Murong Shuang's side. The Sky-Rending Sword, bearing the weight of the Earth Attribute, thrust straight toward her ribs. This strike appeared slow, yet it sealed off every possible angle of evasion—this was the new sword path he had comprehended after his battle with the Sabertooth Bear.
Murong Shuang was startled inwardly, never expecting Ling Yun's sword moves to become so steady and composed. She hurriedly withdrew her sword to block. The Wind Chant Sword collided with the Sky-Rending Sword, azure and three-colored sword intents interweaving and forcing the surrounding disciples to retreat again and again. "Not bad. You've fused the three attribute sword intents very skillfully." Excitement flashed in Murong Shuang's eyes. "Again!"
Her sword momentum shifted, and her Wind Sword Intent stirred the air currents across the Training Ground, forming countless tiny wind blades that swept down upon Ling Yun. Ling Yun took a deep breath. The Sky-Rending Sword trembled faintly as gray Chaos qi seeped into his sword intent. "Flowing Fire Seven Forms: Burning Wind Break!"
Crimson flames and azure wind traces entwined, forming a spinning sword wheel that ground every wind blade to pieces. At the same time, borrowing the sword wheel's thrust, he shot forward like an arrow, the Sky-Rending Sword aimed straight at Murong Shuang's sword hilt. This strike would not wound her, but it could send her weapon flying—it was the method Sword Elder had taught him, using skill to overcome force.
Seeing this, Murong Shuang hurriedly released her grip. The Wind Chant Sword flew from her hand, while her left hand clenched into a fist and smashed toward Ling Yun's chest with wind attribute spiritual power. Ling Yun turned aside to evade, caught the Wind Chant Sword by its hilt with his right hand, and returned it to her. "I concede, Senior Sister Murong."
Murong Shuang took back her sword. Her face flushed faintly, yet she did not deny it. "You won. It seems the championship of this Inter-Regional Sword Convention is yours for the taking."
The surrounding disciples erupted in cheers, while the elders nodded one after another—Ling Yun's progress had already far exceeded their expectations.
After nightfall, Ling Yun sat on the top floor of the Scripture Depository with an ancient sword tome in hand when Sword Elder's voice sounded in his sea of consciousness. "That Sword Soul Fragment is very important. Not only can it open the outskirts of the Myriad Sword Cave, it can also nourish the Sky-Rending Sword and allow it to awaken faster. But remember this: among the contestants in the Inter-Regional Sword Convention, there is one person you must beware of—Chi Yang, the genius disciple of the Crimson Cloud Sword Sect. The Crimson Sun Sword Intent he cultivates restrains the Fire Attribute, and he has already reached the Early Sword Master Stage."
"Early Sword Master Stage?" Ling Yun's heart tightened. He was still at the Late Great Swordsman Peak, only one step away from the Sword Master Realm.
"That's right." Sword Elder's voice was grave. "Not only is Chi Yang strong, but he also has the Crimson Cloud Sword Sect backing him. They have always wanted to swallow the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect whole. This Inter-Regional Sword Convention, they will certainly target you. You must break through to the Sword Master Realm before the assembly, or victory will be difficult."
Ling Yun nodded, closed the sword tome in his hands, and took out the Sword Heart Grass Su Qingyuan had given him. He sat cross-legged and circulated the Qiankun Sword Canon. The spiritual qi of the Sword Heart Grass slowly seeped into his body, merging with the three attribute sword intents in his dantian. The Sky-Rending Sword rested across his knees, its blade glowing with a faint gray light as though resonating with his sword intent.
"Chaos Sword Body, open!" Ling Yun shouted in a low voice. Gray qi spread from his dantian throughout his body, and the three attribute sword intents began to circulate wildly. He could clearly feel the spiritual power within his meridians gathering, charging toward the barrier of the Sword Master Realm.
At that moment, a faint sound suddenly came from outside the Scripture Depository. Ling Yun opened his eyes, and his Clear Sword Heart instantly detected a black figure moving along the wall—it was a Blood Fiend Hall scout!
He rose without a sound, the Sky-Rending Sword in hand, his Chaos Sword Intent suppressed to the utmost. When the shadow approached the Scripture Depository window, Ling Yun burst out. The Sky-Rending Sword carried the Power of Seeing Through Illusion as it stabbed straight toward the shadow's back. The shadow reacted swiftly, turning to fling out a black poison needle while retreating rapidly.
"Trying to run?" Ling Yun coldly snorted. His Breath Concealing Steps unfolded, and he caught up with the shadow in an instant. His left hand seized the man's shoulder as Chaos qi seeped in, sealing his spiritual power. "Speak! What did the Blood Fiend Hall send you here for?"
Fear flashed through the shadow's eyes, but he gritted his teeth and refused to speak. Ling Yun frowned. Just as he was about to press further, the shadow suddenly spat black blood and collapsed to the ground—he had taken poison and killed himself.
Ling Yun searched the shadow's corpse and found a black token hanging at his waist, engraved with the words "Blood Fiend Hall · Mortal Realm Branch." He put the token away, his vigilance growing ever stronger—the Blood Fiend Hall had already infiltrated the core region of the Qingyun Region. It seemed that in this Inter-Regional Sword Convention, they would never let the matter rest.
Returning to the Scripture Depository, Ling Yun sat cross-legged once more. The interruption had made him understand even more clearly that only by raising his strength as quickly as possible could he protect himself and those around him in the coming crisis. He took a deep breath and once again drove his spiritual power toward the barrier of the Sword Master Realm.
As the night deepened, the light atop the Scripture Depository grew brighter and brighter. The three attribute sword intents intertwined into a pillar of light that blasted through the pavilion roof and pierced the night sky. In the distance, Ye Chen and Lin Feng looked at the pillar of light, their eyes filled with joy—Ling Yun had finally broken through to the Sword Master Realm!
Ling Yun slowly opened his eyes, feeling the surging spiritual power within his body and the more condensed three attribute sword intents. A determined smile curved across his lips. The Sky-Rending Sword trembled softly in his hand, as though it too rejoiced at his breakthrough.
"Inter-Regional Sword Convention, here I come." Ling Yun tightened his grip on his sword, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes. He knew that this was not merely a contest for a place in the Spirit Realm—it was a new beginning on his road to revenge.
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