The Training Ground in the core area was even more imposing than those of the outer and inner sects. Its bluestone floor had been polished smooth as a mirror by millennia of Sword Intent, while faint cyan Spirit Gathering Array patterns were embedded along its edges. In the morning mist, spiritual energy flowed through the patterns like streams; one breath was enough to clear the mind.
When Ling Yun arrived, Murong Shuang was already waiting in the center of the Training Ground. She had shed her Moon-white Sword Robe and changed into more convenient dark training clothes. The Silver Sword Tassel at the tip of her hair swayed gently in the morning breeze, and she held the Green Peak Sword slanted in one hand. Wind Element Sword Intent swirled around her, forming a faint cyan barrier that flickered in and out of sight—clearly, she had entered a cultivation state beforehand and approached even a sparring match with the rigor of real combat.
"Just in time. Let me first see your 'Cloud Roll.'" Before Murong Shuang's words had faded, she swept forward like a flowing wind. The Green Peak Sword traced a delicate arc as she unleashed the "Rain Fall" sword technique. Dozens of hair-fine wind blades scattered from the blade, blanketing Ling Yun like spring rain and sealing every direction in which he could evade.
This strike was sharper than it had been at the Scripture Depository. The wind blades carried Murong Shuang's initial understanding of Basic Sword Intent, and every one of them bore a faint force of "pull," leaving Ling Yun nowhere to dodge. He did not meet them head-on. The five-colored Sword Intent pearl in his dantian spun at high speed as Basic Sword Intent spread outward, forming a pale golden intent domain that firmly protected the space within three feet around him. The moment the wind blades touched the domain, invisible force tugged them aside. Their trajectories shifted slightly, and they grazed past his robes to strike the bluestone floor, leaving dense, shallow marks.
"Your use of Basic Sword Intent is more proficient than yesterday." A trace of approval flashed through Murong Shuang's eyes. She turned her wrist, and the Green Peak Sword swept out violently. The "Cloud Roll" sword technique activated, gathering pale cyan Sword Qi into a vast cloud overhead. The wind pressure contained within it even depressed the ground slightly. "But this 'Cloud Roll' is the real test. If all you can do is defend, you will never defeat Sword Master Realm guards."
The cloud crashed downward. Ling Yun felt his shoulders sink as even his intent domain was pressed slightly out of shape. He took a deep breath and stopped defending passively. The Sky-Rending Sword pointed slantwise toward the sky, and the Five Elements Sword Intent within him circulated along the pathways of the Seven Streams Sword Technique. Pale cyan wind and pale blue water Sword Intent surged forth first, resonating with the Wind Element Sword Intent in the cloud above—this was the method of "sword technique resonance" he had comprehended in the Scripture Depository last night: use Sword Intent of the same origin to draw in an opponent's sword technique, then use the Chaos Sword Body to transform it for his own use.
Buzz—
The Sky-Rending Sword lit up, and a crack actually appeared in the cyan cloud overhead. Pale cyan Sword Intent slowly flowed through that crack into the blade. Murong Shuang's expression changed slightly. She hurriedly activated her Wind Spirit Physique, trying to seize back control of her Sword Intent, but the Sword Intent within the cloud was like wild horses breaking free of their reins. It was firmly drawn in by Ling Yun's Chaos Sword Qi. Not only could she not reclaim it, it instead became "nourishment" for his sword technique.
"Take this!" Ling Yun shouted lowly. The Sky-Rending Sword carved a blue-cyan arc through the air, and a composite sword technique melding "Cloud Roll" and "Rain Fall" tore forth. The pale cyan cloud was no longer a restraint; it transformed into a spinning vortex of Sword Qi, scattered throughout with pale blue wind blades carrying Water Intent. It retained the trapping force of "Cloud Roll" while adding the ambushing might of "Rain Fall," slashing straight at Murong Shuang.
"What a splendid way to borrow force and return force!" Excitement flashed through Murong Shuang's eyes. She no longer held back, raising the Green Peak Sword above her head as her Wind Element Sword Intent surged explosively. "Wind Sweeping Clouds!"
A cyan Sword Qi condensed to the extreme poured from the blade, sweeping across the entire field like a tornado and colliding with Ling Yun's composite sword technique. Boom! The two streams of Sword Qi, both dominated by wind, crashed together. The mist over the Training Ground was instantly blown away, several fine cracks split open across the bluestone floor, and even the glow of the surrounding Spirit Gathering Array patterns dimmed somewhat.
Ling Yun staggered back five steps, his palm tingling slightly—Murong Shuang's "Wind Sweeping Clouds" had reached the Sword Intent solidity of the Sword Master Realm, making it superior to his current composite sword technique. Yet he was not discouraged. Instead, understanding dawned in his heart. In that collision, he had successfully absorbed part of the Sword Intent from "Wind Sweeping Clouds," making the wind Sword Intent in his dantian more solid. This was precisely the advantage of the Chaos Sword Body.
"Not bad. You managed to keep your Sword Intent from scattering under a Sword Master Realm technique, and you could even absorb Sword Intent to grow." Murong Shuang sheathed her sword, walked over to him, and handed him a lustrous white jade pendant. "This is the Wind Intent Jade Pendant. It can stabilize Wind Element Sword Intent. Your composite sword technique still had flaws in its transitions just now. Use this to assist your practice, and you will master the rhythm faster."
Ling Yun accepted the jade pendant. It felt warm and smooth in his hand as a stream of pure Wind Element Sword Intent slowly seeped into his body, perfectly replenishing the expenditure from their spar. He looked up at Murong Shuang and found that although her tone still carried a touch of pride, her eyes held only the pure exchange of the sword path. At this moment, she was no longer the lofty inner sect genius, but an ally growing beside him.
"The Sword Intent of Sword Master Realm guards is more solid than mine. They excel at 'Sword Intent suppression' and will use their own Sword Intent to forcibly scatter your intent domain," Murong Shuang continued. "If you want to win, you must find their flaw within three moves and use a composite sword technique to strike directly at the vital point. The Chaos Sword Body's absorption ability is the key—do not waste that advantage."
"I understand." Ling Yun gripped the Sky-Rending Sword tightly, his fingers brushing over the three Sword Intent crystals set into the grooves of its hilt. "There are still three days until the assessment. I will reinforce the transitions between my sword techniques."
"Good." Murong Shuang turned away, her dark training clothes cutting a crisp arc through the morning light. "At this time tomorrow, I will spar with you using Sword Intent at the strength of the Sword Master Realm. Be prepared."
After Murong Shuang left, Sword Elder's voice rang out in his mind. "Murong Shuang's guidance is crucial. The core of the Sword Master Realm lies in 'solidifying Sword Intent' and 'commanding Sword Intent.' Your current advantage is the union of composite Sword Intent and Basic Sword Intent, but the purity of your Sword Intent is still insufficient. Over the next three days, first use the Wind Intent Jade Pendant to stabilize your Wind Element Sword Intent, then try integrating metal, earth, and wood Sword Intent into the Seven Streams Sword Technique. Raise the power of your composite sword techniques by another level."
Ling Yun nodded and sat cross-legged in the center of the Training Ground, holding the Wind Intent Jade Pendant in his hand. Pale cyan Wind Element Sword Intent merged with the Five Elements Sword Intent in his dantian, while the trajectories of the Seven Streams Sword Technique replayed endlessly in his mind. From "Wind Chant" to "Rain Fall," from "Cloud Roll" to "Thunderous Movement"—the lightning-related technique of the seventh form, laying the groundwork for his future awakening of Fire-Attribute Sword Intent—the details of every transition became ever clearer.
Quite a few core disciples gradually gathered around. Seeing Ling Yun cultivating alone, some began whispering. "That is Ling Yun, the one who came up from the outer sect? They say he has no spiritual root, yet he comprehended Basic Sword Intent and can even spar with Murong Shuang without falling behind?"
"That is far from all. I saw him take out the complete volume of the Seven Streams Sword Technique at the Scripture Depository yesterday. Even Elder Liu looked at him differently!"
"Tsk, tsk. The core disciple assessment will be interesting now. I wonder whether he can defeat Sword Master Realm guards..."
The discussions reached his ears, but Ling Yun was utterly unaffected. He immersed himself completely in the tempering of the sword path. The Sky-Rending Sword lay quietly across his knees, its ancient patterns slowly lighting up as his Sword Intent circulated, as though it too anticipated the coming assessment. It was not merely the key that would open the gates to the Misty Secret Realm, but also an important step for him to prove the value of the Chaos Sword Body and advance toward his target of revenge.
The morning light gradually grew brighter, and the glow of the Spirit Gathering Array patterns in the Training Ground became increasingly rich. Ling Yun's pale golden intent domain intertwined with the Five Elements Sword Intent, forming a dazzling halo. He knew that the next three days would be the critical period for breaking through his own limits. Only by making every possible preparation could he become famous in a single battle during the assessment and embark on the journey to the Misty Secret Realm.
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