Chapter 313 - 208: All in a Fog, No Taking Risks

Chapter 313: Chapter 208: All in a Fog, No Taking Risks

"However..."

When Xie Yuan heard Li Xingtuo begin without any doubt, only to then pivot, his heart clenched.

"The Cloud Mountain Sword Form is a combination of training and combat. Achieving even minor mastery should place you at the early stages of the Fourth Training. You’ve perfected it, so why are you still at the Third Training?"

Li Xingtuo wore a somewhat puzzled expression.

Xie Yuan’s eyes narrowed sharply.

’I forgot!’

He had perfected the Cloud Mountain Sword Form long ago. Since then, he had been concealing his Swordsmanship and Cultivation Realm, completely forgetting that it was also a training method.

He’d only intended to report this accomplishment and see what would happen next, but he’d exposed a massive flaw right out of the gate!

’What should I do?’

’Should I just try to bluff my way through?’

’Or should I just confess?’

Thinking of that classic old saying, Xie Yuan steeled himself and was about to speak when he saw Li Xingtuo say:

"Hmm, you’ve only just had your breakthrough. It’s just that your Swordsmanship level has risen, but your cultivation hasn’t caught up yet. I imagine with your understanding of the Cloud Mountain Sword Form, your future training will yield twice the results with half the effort. It won’t be long before your Cultivation Realm catches up."

"Er..."

’It can be explained that way?’

’There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with that logic.’

Xie Yuan froze for a moment, swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue, and cleared his throat.

"The Sect Leader is right. I’ve also felt like I’m about to break through recently."

"Good."

Li Xingtuo offered a word of praise, then raised his eyes slightly.

"But speaking of which, you’re only at the Third Training, yet you stayed on the Tier Eleven stone platform for nine days. Logically, with your level of Blood Qi, you shouldn’t have been able to last that long."

Xie Yuan’s expression immediately became solemn again. He lowered his head, cupped his hands, and explained:

"Sect Leader, I obtained some Blood Dragon Pills with my senior brothers and sisters in the ruins earlier. I was in peak condition after taking them, which must be why I was able to last so long."

"Nine days? You must have been popping those Blood Dragon Pills like candy, then?"

Li Xingtuo said with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile.

Xie Yuan braced himself and said:

"I was eager to advance my training and couldn’t resist taking a few extra."

"Oh, is that so? It’s understandable, given it was your first time finding treasure in the ruins."

Li Xingtuo nodded, but then he couldn’t help but slowly add with a smile:

"However, the first through ninth tiers of the stone platforms are for the External Training realm. Tier Ten and above are all for the Qi and Blood Metamorphosis Realm. No matter how many Blood Dragon Pills you took, the fundamental nature of your Blood Qi hasn’t broken through, so how could you possibly stay there for nine days?"

’What?’

’Tier Ten and above are for the Qi and Blood Metamorphosis Realm?’

Xie Yuan was stunned. He had thought it was Tier Nineteen.

He couldn’t help but ask:

"Sect Leader, didn’t you grant us access up to Tier Nineteen?"

"And didn’t you just pass Tier Ten? Truly a surprise."

Li Xingtuo clapped his hands and laughed.

Xie Yuan was speechless.

His eyes darted back and forth as he tried to think of a rebuttal.

But it seemed there was no way to talk his way out of this.

Lin Zhen is at the Fourth Training, is exceptionally talented, and also took Blood Dragon Pills, yet he only lasted one day on Tier Eleven.

Publicly, he was only at the Third Training. If the platform had been meant for the External Training realm, he might have been able to force an explanation using talent or willpower. But it was a platform for the Qi and Blood Metamorphosis Realm! How could someone at the Third Training withstand the pressure—meant for a realm a minor and a major stage higher—for nine whole days?

’I guess I’m just too thick-skinned and tough to even notice the difference...’

Xie Yuan closed his eyes, ready to confess and hope for a lighter sentence, when he heard Li Xingtuo speak again:

"Did you happen to find some unique treasure in the ruins? Otherwise, none of this makes any sense."

’Huh?’

Xie Yuan opened his eyes. Seeing Li Xingtuo’s probing gaze, a flash of inspiration struck him.

’That’s right, I was in the ruins, wasn’t I?’

’I can just blame it all on the mysterious ancient ruins!’

"...Yes, yes, that’s right! I remember now! On the second floor of the ruins, I accidentally consumed a sky-blue pill. I think it massively enhanced my physique!"

"Then why didn’t you mention it before?"

"...I passed out right after taking it. Then, after a series of twists and turns, the ruins vanished like an Illusion Realm. I thought it was all a dream and completely forgot about it."

"Oh, I see. No wonder you could stay on Tier Eleven for nine days. So you consumed some unknown Treasure Medicine."

Li Xingtuo nodded with a look of understanding.

He shook his head and said:

"You can speak carelessly, but you can’t eat things carelessly. You’d better remember that for your future explorations of ruins."

"...Yes."

Xie Yuan felt that there was a hidden meaning in Li Xingtuo’s words, but his expression seemed completely serious.

Caught but not quite caught, exposed but not completely exposed—Xie Yuan himself didn’t know what to make of the situation. He just felt mentally and physically tormented.

In this situation, he couldn’t possibly confess voluntarily, so he could only continue to brace himself and play dumb.

Li Xingtuo looked Xie Yuan up and down again and smiled.

"Whether it was in the ruins or on the Sword Peak, this can all be considered your good fortune. Especially being able to gain insights on the Sword Peak for so long—it shows your talent for the Sword Dao is not lacking. Make good use of your gifts. Work hard in your cultivation once you enter the Inner Sect, and don’t let them go to waste."

After speaking, he waved his hand.

"You may leave."

Xie Yuan almost thought he had misheard. He asked in disbelief:

"Sect Leader, er... I’m dismissed?"

"Is there something else?"

Li Xingtuo asked, raising an eyelid.

"N-no."

Xie Yuan gave a bow and subconsciously started to leave the place that had put him under such immense pressure. His back was practically soaked with sweat.

However, after a moment’s thought, he still felt uneasy and asked tentatively:

"Sect Leader, I’d like to request a two-day leave for the Lantern Festival to go down the mountain and celebrate. Would that be permissible?"

Hearing this, Li Xingtuo immediately put down the scroll in his hand. His calm eyes, which betrayed no thoughts, stared fixedly at Xie Yuan.

Xie Yuan’s scalp tightened. Just as he was about to say to forget he’d even asked, he saw Li Xingtuo raise an eyebrow.

"For something like that, you just need to tell your masters in the Inner Sect. Do you really need to report it to me? If I had to approve every disciple’s leave request, where would I even stack all these scrolls?!"