Chapter 323 - 210: Blood Lingzhi, Examination (Part 2)

Chapter 323: Chapter 210: Blood Lingzhi, Examination (Part 2)

Lin Zhen listened, looking pensive, her beautiful eyes sparkling:

"So that’s how the Sword Peak is divided. The masters never mentioned this. In that case, does it mean the Sword Intents of our predecessors are like that ninety-ninth-tier stone platform, able to help us comprehend profound Sword Dao? Perhaps this is the true way to ascend the Sword Peak!"

Xie Yuan shook his head and said humbly, "It’s just my own personal take on it. It’s hard to say how useful it really is. Think of it as just one possible method."

It wasn’t that his comprehension was exceptionally high; he simply understood the true nature of the Sword Peak better than others, which was why he had noticed the difference.

Lin Cheng nodded repeatedly. "Great, I’ll give that a try next time!"

Lin Zhen had also been eager to try, but upon hearing that, she sighed. "It’s not that easy to enter the Sword Peak, is it? Who knows when we’ll have accumulated enough merits and contributions to get in again."

"True. It’s a real shame we didn’t comprehend things like the Cloud Dragon Nine Forms or the Thousand Mountains Mist Concealment Sword this time. What a pity!"

Lin Cheng looked regretful.

Lin Zhen glanced sideways at her brother and couldn’t help but say, "You didn’t even comprehend any of the Inner Sect’s swordsmanship, so what’s there for you to feel regretful about?"

Gaining comprehension on the Sword Peak wasn’t so easy. Neither of them had managed to fully grasp a complete swordsmanship form, let alone the profound ultimate techniques of the Sword Sect.

However, by entering such a sacred ground for the Sword Dao and being constantly immersed in Sword Intent, both of them had gained quite a bit—in fact, their gains were substantial.

In their Sword Dao cultivation, the two were still beginners. Being able to enter such a sacred place to gain insights was like standing at the foot of a mountain and getting a glimpse of the scenery above the clouds from a high peak.

Though it was just a glimpse, it had all but reshaped their understanding of the Sword Dao. It gave them a high-level perspective, and looking down from that vantage point, everything below became clear and unobstructed.

In the less than a month since coming down from the Sword Peak, both of their cultivation levels had advanced by leaps and bounds, and their swordsmanship improved daily.

Lin Cheng had already broken through to the Fourth Training, while Lin Zhen had even touched the threshold of the Qi and Blood Metamorphosis Realm.

For two people who had never practiced martial arts a year ago, reaching such a realm after only one year was something they had never even dared to imagine in their wildest dreams.

They had gone from being lonely, helpless orphans of a wealthy family to having at least the power to protect themselves. No longer did any uncles, relatives, or friends dare to try and seize their family’s assets.

It was all thanks to the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect being such a Major Sect, which gave them a high starting point. Otherwise, there was no way the two of them could have cultivated so quickly.

And as for being able to enter the Sword Sect, the Lin family siblings still often spoke of Xie Yuan to this day, filled with immense gratitude.

Well, Lin Zhen spoke of him a little more often.

But even within the Sword Sect, reaching this realm in a year was considered outstanding. This was especially true for Lin Zhen. It was said that she had already caught the attention of Luo Shuang, the Peak Master of Yao Yue Peak, who was considering whether to accept her directly into Yao Yue Peak.

Such progress was naturally the result of talent, hard work, and opportunity. The gains from a single trip into the ancient ruins had allowed them to stand out not just from their peers of last year, but from the entire Outer Sect. Without the help of the Treasure Medicine, even though Lin Zhen’s talent was considered above average, she probably wouldn’t have earned Luo Shuang’s favor.

Within the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect, the Inner Sect, broadly speaking, included the Ruyun Peak Disciples’ Great Hall as well as the various other peaks and halls.

But in a narrower sense, the Inner Sect only referred to the Ruyun Peak’s Inner Courtyard, a place for collective cultivation similar to the Outer Sect.

As for the Direct Disciples and Core Disciples of the elders from the various peaks and halls, their status and prospects were naturally a cut above those in the Ruyun Peak’s Inner Courtyard. Therefore, many disciples would try to perform well in front of the Grandmasters, hoping to be taken under their wing.

In the Inner Courtyard, besides the instructors from Ruyun Peak itself, the various Grandmaster elders would take turns giving lectures on the Dao. As a result, Inner Sect Disciples had more opportunities to interact with Grandmasters, learn profound swordsmanship, and cultivate the Great Dao. They also often had the chance to be promoted to Core Disciples on other peaks, or even be accepted as a Direct Disciple by an elder.

A promising seedling like Lin Zhen, who had caught an elder’s eye right after arriving at the Inner Courtyard, was the object of envy for countless people.

’Ever since we met Master Xie, our luck has changed for the better...’ Both of them were thinking the same thing.

After a moment of reflection, Lin Cheng asked, "Junior Brother Zhang, you were on the peak for so long. Did you have any profound insights?"

"Nothing I’d call profound. I just made some small gains with the Cloud Mountain Sword Form," Xie Yuan said evasively.

"The Cloud Mountain Sword Form?"

This...

The siblings looked at each other, speechless. They had never heard of anyone having a grand nine-day epiphany on the Sword Peak only to comprehend the Cloud Mountain Sword Form.

Lin Cheng asked hesitantly, "Junior Brother Zhang, is there something special about your Cloud Mountain Sword Form?"

’Could it be a variation or a modified version?’ he wondered.

"Not at all. It’s just the same Cloud Mountain Sword Form we learned in the Outer Sect, the one everyone knows."

Lin Zhen couldn’t help but ask, "In nine days, all you comprehended was the Cloud Mountain Sword Form? But... that’s..."

Xie Yuan sighed. "I wanted to comprehend the Floating Light and Shadow Sword too, but my cultivation level and comprehension just weren’t up to it."

The Lin family siblings were speechless for a moment.

They had been quite excited after hearing Xie Yuan’s "strategy" for the Sword Peak. If he had even figured out the methodology, shouldn’t he have comprehended some profound swordsmanship techniques?

They were eagerly waiting to hear what advanced techniques Xie Yuan had comprehended, only for the answer to be the Cloud Mountain Sword Form that everyone knew?

After a moment of silence, Lin Cheng offered some words of comfort: "It’s alright, Junior Brother Zhang. Any progress in your swordsmanship is a good thing. Just by staying in there, you can gain a lot of insight into the Sword Dao. You don’t necessarily have to learn some profound swordsmanship. You can always learn from the masters later."

"That’s right, Junior Brother Zhang," Lin Zhen added, trying to console him. "The masters have said that compared to the Sword Peak, every swing of the sword in your daily practice is more important. If the second-generation patriarch hadn’t had a thirty-year foundation, he wouldn’t have been able to achieve enlightenment in a single day. Don’t be discouraged. Make sure to practice diligently."

Xie Yuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’Do I really look that discouraged?’