Chapter 636: People of the Sea Demon Palace

The radiant female mentor was stunned.

She had expected to wake up in either the Alien Race’s territory or in the presence of the academy’s senior administrators.

She never expected it to be Luo Tian.

“Master Luo, didn’t you leave to take care of something?”

The radiant female mentor asked, her body weak from just having woken up.

Before, she had been complaining that Luo Tian was only interested in his own leisure, couldn’t be of any help, and had even left abruptly.

But now, Luo Tian had rescued her, which made the female mentor feel a little ashamed.

“I finished my business and was on my way back when I happened to find you all being held captive.”

Luo Tian explained briefly.

Qin Aolan was long gone.

Just then, a team of humans arrived. They were the ones who had been pursuing the Alien Race party to rescue the captives.

But instead of finding the enemy, they stumbled upon the captives who had already been saved!

When they learned Luo Tian was the one who did it, no one could believe it!

Luo Tian was just one person, while the enemy was a large group with more than a dozen members whose Cultivation was higher than his.

But the proof was right before their eyes.

Luo Tian had saved their people; they were indebted to him. Besides, they didn’t dare rashly question a mentor from the Saint Institute.

「A few days later」

The team returned safely to Celestial Brilliance Academy.

News of the successful rescue spread, and Luo Tian quickly became the academy’s hero.

The senior administrators who had once been dismissive and cold toward him now took the initiative to curry favor, even sending gifts of gratitude. Luo Tian’s treatment had changed dramatically.

「For the next two months」

During the next two months, Luo Tian still didn’t have to teach any classes or handle other duties. He could focus solely on his Cultivation.

‘The strength of Myriad Sword Qi is affected by the Realm of my Celestial Furnace Sword Body and the level of my Sword Intent…’

Luo Tian realized this after deep contemplation.

‘My Celestial Furnace Treasure Body’s Realm is already quite high, so a breakthrough in the short term will be difficult.’

‘The same goes for my level of Sword Intent.’

‘If Liu Lu were to cultivate this Body Refining Technique, even at the same Realm, the power of each of his Sword Qi would probably only be equivalent to the Celestial Pool Realm Third Layer, or perhaps even weaker.’

‘After breaking through to the Celestial Pool Realm, Sword Intent also has varying levels of depth. My current Sword Intent is even stronger than Liu Lu’s, who is at the Sixth Layer of Celestial Pool Realm. I’m not far from the next transformation.’

‘If True Intent can also be categorized into Minor Achievement, Great Achievement, and Perfection…’

‘…then my current True Intent has reached the Great Achievement Realm, not far from Perfection.’

‘Sword Intent is all about personal comprehension. There’s still room for improvement.’

The Celestial Sword Technique Luo Tian cultivated could advance his comprehension of Sword Intent.

But he had taken his Cultivation of the Celestial Sword Technique as far as it could go.

This Sword Technique was inherently incomplete, but he could perform further Inference on it.

Luo Tian thought for a moment. ‘Instead of performing Inference on the Celestial Sword Technique, why not do it for the Nameless Sword Manual?’

‘It would certainly be more difficult and consume more Celestial Book Energy.’

‘But the rewards would also be much greater.’

‘I’ll give it a try.’

Once the idea took root, Luo Tian was eager to try.

His consciousness entered the Celestial Book World.

“Celestial Book, how much will it cost to perform an Inference on the Nameless Sword Manual…”

“Over 100,000 pages…”

The Celestial Book didn’t give an exact answer.

The Celestial Book possessed its own Spiritual consciousness; it knew that in Luo Tian’s current state, this was an impossible task, so it didn’t bother performing a precise Inference of the exact cost.

“Alright, what if I only perform the Inference on the first part?”

Luo Tian had been mentally prepared for this and asked again.

“The Nameless Sword Manual is divided into twelve volumes. Performing an Inference on the first volume will consume one thousand pages.”

A line of text appeared on the Celestial Book.

Ever since Luo Tian broke through to the Celestial Pool Realm, one page of Energy cost one thousand Spiritual Essence Coins.

That meant one thousand pages would cost one million Spiritual Essence Coins.

The price was steep, but not completely outrageous.

The second volume of the Nameless Sword Manual required 1,300 pages, which was 1.3 million Spiritual Essence Coins.

This was only because Luo Tian already possessed the Celestial Sword Technique and a portion of another Sword Technique he had obtained from Guan Hongfei, which lowered the cost of the Inference.

Moreover, the later volumes of the Nameless Sword Manual would surely require even more Energy.

‘But then again,’ he thought, ‘ordinary people would never have the chance to even look at the Nameless Sword Manual, yet I have a way to derive it through Inference.’

Luo Tian took out his Spiritual Essence Coins and, after replenishing the Celestial Book’s Energy, commanded, “Perform the Inference for the first two volumes of the Nameless Sword Manual.”

VMMMM!

The Celestial Book erupted with a cyan glow as 2,300 pages flipped by in an instant.

Once the Energy was depleted…

…a ball of cyan light surged into Luo Tian’s mind, containing the contents of the first and second volumes of the Nameless Sword Manual.

Reading the true Nameless Sword Manual was a completely different experience from cultivating the Sword Technique Secret Skills derived from it.

The first two volumes contained an immense breadth of information, including much Sword Dao knowledge that Luo Tian had never encountered before. He even found some of it profound and abstruse.

Then, Luo Tian officially began his Cultivation of the first volume of the Nameless Sword Manual.

Even with the most basic first volume, Luo Tian felt a certain degree of resistance. Its difficulty was comparable to that of cultivating the Void Yin Sword Technique.

「Inside a special training ground at Celestial Brilliance Academy」

SWISH! FZZT! FZZT!

Luo Tian brandished his [Spirit Wind Sword], practicing over and over.

His Sword Techniques were complex, with each move containing numerous variations that would dazzle any observer.

If a Celestial Level Martial Artist of the same rank were watching, they would get a headache just trying to secretly learn the moves.

Luo Tian also found the Sword Techniques overly complex. At times, he would get turned around and have to pause to think things through.

But as his Cultivation deepened, he felt the Sword Techniques were gradually simplifying.

「Two months passed in a flash」

Luo Tian’s teaching assignment was over. He could leave whenever he wished.

In the training grounds, Luo Tian was still practicing his Sword Techniques.

But now, his Sword Techniques were slow and appeared extremely simple, exuding an indescribable rhythm and beauty.

Each strike was clean and decisive, yet it seemed more profound than it looked, leaving one with an unfathomable feeling.

WHOOSH!

Luo Tian stopped his practice and let out a long breath.

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

The sound of applause came from nearby.

“Master Luo’s Swordsmanship has a natural perfection to it, a feeling that the greatest principles are the simplest. I, Zi Yue, have gained much just by watching from the side for a short while.”

“Master Luo will surely become a Sword Dao Master in the future.”

The radiant female mentor praised.

To earn the title of Grandmaster didn’t necessarily mean one’s strength was the greatest, but their understanding of the Sword Dao had to have reached an exceptionally deep level!

The Pale Ring had three great Sword Dao Masters. Their understanding of the Sword Dao was transcendent, and they often gave pointers to powerhouses whose Cultivation was much higher than their own.

The renowned Ling Sha Martial Venerable himself had once received guidance from a Sword Dao Master.

The radiant female mentor found it hard to imagine that someone as young as Luo Tian could have such a profound grasp of the Sword Dao, and she gave him such high praise in the heat of the moment.

“You flatter me.”

Luo Tian smiled faintly. After cultivating the Nameless Sword Manual, his understanding of the Sword Dao had indeed become more profound than ever before.

But now, it was time for him to leave.

The Ancient Secret Realm at the Wuji Saint Institute would be opening soon, and he had to hurry back.

In his absence, his students might be at a disadvantage.

“Farewell, Master Luo. Please come back anytime you have the chance. The doors of Celestial Brilliance Academy will always be open to you.”

The radiant female mentor said, reluctant to see him go.

Many of the senior administrators of Celestial Brilliance Academy watched as Luo Tian disappeared over the horizon.

“Logically speaking, the mentors the Wuji Saint Institute sends for these teaching assignments are always the bottom-of-the-barrel ones. But why do I feel that this Master Luo is among the more outstanding Junior Tutors at the Saint Institute?”

“No! Master Luo is one of the most outstanding Junior Tutors at the Wuji Saint Institute.”

Zi Yue said.

Luo Tian had survived a month in Heaven-Burning Valley, rescued her single-handedly, and possessed an understanding of the Sword Dao that she could only look up to in admiration!

She refused to believe that the Wuji Saint Institute had many other Junior Tutors on par with Luo Tian.

… …

「Over a month later」

Luo Tian arrived at the Martial City Spirit Hall near the Wuji Realm.

Among the treasures he had previously obtained from Qin Aolan, there was one high-value item he had no use for at the moment. He decided to sell it here.

Besides that, Luo Tian also wanted to gather some intelligence.

‘What could Qin Aolan, a member of the Mermaid Race, possibly have left behind at the Wuji Saint Institute?’

As he walked through the Martial City Spirit Hall, the air buzzed with the sounds of myriad conversations.

He overheard talk of war fronts in certain regions, rumors concerning the Five Ancient Clans, and even bits of information from beyond the territories of the Human Race.

Of course, it was impossible to know if any of it was true.

Luo Tian went to the Celestial Net intelligence agency and commissioned an inquiry. He would have to wait some time for the results.

He had just stepped out of the Celestial Net agency.

“Luo Tian?”

A startled cry, filled with intense killing intent, suddenly came from nearby!

Luo Tian turned his head and saw a cold-faced man who was, surprisingly, an acquaintance.

“Teng Yuanxing!”

Luo Tian was a little surprised.

Teng Yuanxing was a genius from the Sea Demon Palace and had once been number one on the Earth List.

Later, he and the higher-ups of the Sea Demon Palace had pursued Luo Tian all the way to the Pale Ring, only to be besieged by Giant Lu Beasts.

Luo Tian didn’t know what happened after that. He had assumed Teng Yuanxing was either dead or had returned to the Broken Ring.

He never expected to run into him here.

“Teng Yuanxing, who is this?” a sharp-faced man in lavish robes next to Teng Yuanxing asked.

“He’s the man the Sea Demon Palace is looking for!”

Teng Yuanxing’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“Oh!”

The sharp-faced man nodded, sizing up Luo Tian with an arrogant posture.

“Luo Tian, let’s see you try to escape this time!”

Teng Yuanxing bellowed, striding forward angrily.

During his time in the Pale Ring, Teng Yuanxing’s Cultivation had also improved; he had now reached the Celestial Pool Realm Fourth Layer!

He had already been planning to enroll in the Wuji Saint Institute in half a year, both to improve himself and to search for traces of Luo Tian.

But since he had run into him now…

…he would capture him first. Otherwise, who knew where Luo Tian would hide next.

“But I’m not running, am I?”

Luo Tian chuckled.

‘What’s there to fear from Teng Yuanxing alone? This isn’t the Broken Ring.’

Teng Yuanxing couldn’t be bothered to waste time talking to Luo Tian.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

A ghostly green nebula swirled into existence around his body, emitting a vast and boundless aura.

He struck out with his palm, and a monstrous, ghostly green palm print containing tyrannical Demon Power shot forward.

Facing Teng Yuanxing’s Attack, Luo Tian stood calmly in place and asked with some curiosity, “This is the Martial City Spirit Hall. You dare to attack me here?”

Fighting was strictly prohibited in the Martial City Spirit Hall!

Many onlookers, attracted by the commotion, began to gather.

“Hahaha, Luo Tian, you underestimate me!”

Teng Yuanxing laughed boisterously as his palm strike landed!

BOOM!

A violent explosion erupted, sending waves of ghostly green energy sweeping in all directions and pulverizing the cyan jade floor.

Teng Yuanxing was quite satisfied with his strike. He had suffered many setbacks when he first arrived in the Pale Ring. But he was a supreme genius, and after overcoming numerous hardships, his strength had improved tremendously.

When the smoke and dust ahead cleared…

…Teng Yuanxing saw that Luo Tian was still standing calmly in the same spot, without a single scratch on him!

“With a palm strike like that, it’s difficult for me *not* to underestimate you,” Luo Tian said nonchalantly.