"Ah?"
Chen Mengjun's delicate body trembled slightly, looking at the receding figure with disbelief. It was too much like him.
A short while later, her heart fluttered again. When she looked again, she found the stones by the riverbank empty. There was no young sword cultivator fishing at all, only a faint and ethereal sword intent lingering on the water's surface.
Another trace of profound sword intent remaining in heaven and earth?
"Mengjun."
Xie Yiying descended gracefully, looking at the ripples on the water in the distance. She also sensed the existence of that incomplete sword intent, having discovered it only slightly later than Chen Mengjun. To put it bluntly, this incomplete sword intent still appeared because Chen Mengjun had a feeling, and had little to do with her, Xie Yiying. She frowned and asked, "What did you see?"
"Master..."
Chen Mengjun pursed her red lips, lowered her head with some guilt, her pretty face blushing slightly. "Just now, I saw someone fishing by the river. His back was so much like him, but in an instant, the fisherman disappeared. A trace of incomplete sword intent appeared on the water."
"You miss him too much."
Xie Yiying smiled faintly.
"I'm sorry... Master, Mengjun is too useless." Chen Mengjun's pretty face was filled with guilt. "I should have focused all my thoughts on practicing my sword, but I still can't help but think of him..."
"It's alright."
Xie Yiying chuckled. "He is Lin Baiyi. He will never become your inner demon. Thinking of him might even strengthen your sword heart. You don't need to deliberately forget him, nor should you feel guilty for thinking of him and letting down your master."
"Yes, Master!"
"That trace of incomplete sword intent is your opportunity. Refine it."
"Okay!"
...
Early morning, deep in the Southern Wilderness.
The Lingteng Sect, a sect nestled among the mountains. Most of the disciples in the Lingteng Sect were martial artists. The Sect Master, Li Yuchen, was an eleventh-realm Tianyuan martial artist. The sect had only one elder who was a spiritual cultivator. The rest of the upper echelons were almost all martial artists. Therefore, the spiritual energy on the mountain where the Lingteng Sect was located was extremely abundant, with everyone cultivating a breath of true essence, causing killing intent to permeate within a radius of hundreds of miles.
Early morning, clouds and mist shrouded the mountains.
At the sect's entrance, an old man in a grey and white robe appeared, leaning on a cane. Behind him followed a group of people from the Qingtian Sect and the Tianxiao Gate. The moment the old man appeared, the news had already spread throughout the Lingteng Sect.
"They're here."
In the Ancestral Hall, the powerfully built Sect Master Li Yuchen slowly turned around. Looking at the elders, venerators, protectors, and inner disciples, he frowned. "Everyone agrees, right? Those who know the times are heroes. Fighting against heaven leads to no good end. The current situation of our Lingteng Sect is hard-earned. The Tianxiao Gate is a bloody example. We absolutely cannot repeat their mistakes."
"Yes!"
The elders clasped their fists in unison. "We will follow the Sect Master's orders."
"Let's go, greet our guests!"
"Yes!"
At the foot of the mountain, just as the Five Peaks Ancestor arrived at the sect entrance, he saw figures of martial artists soaring through the air. Leading them was the Sect Master of the Lingteng Sect, Li Yuchen, his Tianyuan martial artist aura surging. After he descended gracefully, he and a group of elders and venerators knelt on one knee and said in a deep voice, "I, Li Yuchen, Sect Master of the Lingteng Sect, dare not defy heaven. Hearing of the Ancestor's visit to the Lingteng Sect, I have led the entire sect to kneel and welcome the Ancestor. We are willing to serve you diligently!"
"Good, good, a promising young man!"
The Five Peaks Ancestor's face was filled with joy. "The Lingteng Sect is truly a group of heroes!"
"Thank you for your praise, Ancestor!"
Li Yuchen stood up and stood behind the Five Peaks Ancestor, acting like a sycophant.
Liu Chenqing frowned but remained silent.
"Alright."
The Five Peaks Ancestor narrowed his eyes, looked to the north, and said with a smile, "This evening, we will mobilize the army and march north. It's time to meet those so-called renowned sects of the north."
"Yes, Ancestor!"
Everyone bowed in unison.
...
Afternoon, on the earth, the sound of horns blared in unison.
The Barbarian King Meng Rong, commanding the Southern Wilderness, was leading tribesmen from various tribes to set off, their forces directed towards the Jade Gate Pass on the northern human border. Following Meng Rong's command, dozens of barbarian tribes dispatched their troops. The barbarian cavalry converged, stretching for tens of miles. This expedition alone involved over 400,000 barbarian cavalry, the largest in centuries.
Amidst the floating clouds.
The Five Peaks Ancestor stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the endless stream of barbarian troops on the ground. A smile played on his lips. To plunge this world into war brought him immense joy. As for what purpose it would achieve, or whether it would completely overthrow this world, he cared not.
Unconquerable heart, only conquest and slaughter filled his mind.
Behind the Five Peaks Ancestor, Liu Chenqing frowned, saying nothing. He looked at the dense barbarian cavalry on the ground, knowing that this war was unavoidable. What could he do? Send someone to the north to report? Difficult. The Five Peaks Ancestor's divine abilities were vast, his eyes and ears already spread throughout the Southern Wilderness, and any slight disturbance would be detected by him. If his act of relaying information were discovered, the entire Qingtian Sect would likely face destruction.
For now, he could only take it one step at a time.
...
Nightfall.
White Creek River.
Chen Mengjun, dressed in a green gown, still stood by the White Creek River. After a whole day of tempering, she had finally succeeded in refining that ethereal incomplete sword intent. The moment she finished refining it, a trace of sword intent, as if chiseled by an axe, appeared on the sword heart within Chen Mengjun's spiritual nexus. The aura of her entire sword heart became even more ethereal and profound.
She frowned, vaguely feeling that she had touched the threshold of the twelfth realm. This made Chen Mengjun somewhat flustered. She had originally thought the twelfth realm was extremely distant, a realm that people like her master could possess. As for herself, she, the humble Chen Mengjun, what qualifications did she have to be called a twelfth-realm Great Sword Immortal?
Yet, she had reached this point. If she continued at this pace, in at most half a year, Chen Mengjun would naturally and smoothly enter the twelfth realm.
"Master!"
She turned around and took a step covering dozens of feet, landing beside her master, Xie Yiying. She immediately went to share the good news with Xie Yiying.
"I see it!"
Xie Yiying was receiving a bowl of vegetable porridge from a young disciple. She carefully handed it to Chen Mengjun and said with a smile, "It's a little hot, drink it slowly. You don't need to tell me about refining sword intent; we can see it."
"Yes, Master."
Chen Mengjun happily took the vegetable porridge and took a small sip. It had a fragrant taste. The rice for the porridge was bought from mountain hunters, and the vegetables were wild herbs from the great wilderness, so it tasted exceptionally fragrant and refreshing, leaving a lingering taste.
Xie Yiying also held a bowl of vegetable porridge and sat on a stone beside Chen Mengjun, sipping it. Looking at her disciples, Xie Yiying was filled with joy. During this excursion, Chen Mengjun's progress had been the most rapid, taking a big step closer to the twelfth realm. Besides Chen Mengjun, several other disciples had also made considerable progress. Two of them were increasingly showing signs of the eleventh realm, while several younger disciples had their Nascent Soul realm becoming more solid, laying an excellent foundation for their sword cultivation.
These women would all be the pride of the Lingyan Sword Sect, the inheritors of the next generation.
Thinking of this, Xie Yiying's eyes narrowed into a smile. She had had the opportunity to marry in the past, but she had never considered it. Firstly, she could never forget that refined scholar in her heart. Secondly, she had the trust of her master. Now, seeing the younger generation led by Chen Mengjun grow up, Xie Yiying felt that her years of effort had paid off. Even if she died one day, she would have the face to see her master. She, Xie Yiying, had never disappointed her master.
Just then, Xie Yiying suddenly perceived a subtle ripple in the porridge bowl. At that moment, her heart felt as if it were fiercely squeezed. She abruptly put down the porridge bowl, stood up, drew her sword, and frowned, "Such heavy killing intent! All disciples, prepare for battle!"
"Ah?!"
The young disciples were still immersed in the joy of their picnic, even joking with each other. The sudden turn of events was only reacted to by Chen Mengjun, an eleventh-realm disciple, who immediately drew her sword and, along with Xie Yiying, faced the dark forest.
"Whoosh—"
In the evening breeze, a chill swept through.
"Be careful!"
Xie Yiying hurriedly slashed out a sword screen, but the sword energy seemed to be penetrated. That wisp of cold wind whirled past, followed by two female disciples holding porridge bowls, standing motionlessly and looking at Xie Yiying, "Master..."
The next moment, the bodies of the two female disciples shattered, turning into a scattering of bloody rain, instantly perishing!
Amidst the whistling sound of the wind, a dark figure streaked through the air, a fist imbued with golden swirling energy descending from above, smashing fiercely towards Xie Yiying's head.
Xie Yiying's heart suddenly tightened. She had roamed the martial world for many years, but she had never felt such fear as she did now. The opponent's combat power was even more terrifying than Qi Lian Dao and Tan Xin from the Nine Nether Dragon Court whom she had faced in the past. That punch did not seem to come from the forces of the three realms; it was filled with killing intent and profound, mysterious energy.
In a flash, Xie Yiying drew three swords in quick succession!
The sword light collided with the golden fist energy. With a loud "boom," the opponent's fist energy retracted and then released, launching a second attack with lightning speed. Xie Yiying's protective sword aura was instantly shattered. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, as she retreated, she saw Chen Mengjun swing a sword towards the opponent. At that moment, Xie Yiying's heart nearly stopped. She hurriedly activated a life-bound flying sword, dragging Chen Mengjun's body backward, and shouted, "Everyone, hurry and leave! I'll cover the rear!"
"Master!"
Chen Mengjun looked at Xie Yiying being hit by a punch and swaying miserably in the wind, feeling as if her heart were being crushed.
"Listen!"
Xie Yiying gritted her teeth, lightly patted a delicate sword box behind her, and immediately, streaks of flying swords shot into the sky, forming the Seven Profound Sword Formation behind her. She looked back at her disciples with immense fondness and said, "All of you, go back and cultivate well, and avenge your master in the future!"
...
"Waffling!"
In the wind, the visitor's cloak was blown open by the evening breeze, revealing a pale golden head. It was the Five Peaks Ancestor, filled with traces of incomplete ancient divine power. He could not only control the power of mountains but also the power of the incomplete wind god. This decaying body was the remnant body of an ancient wind god. Looking at the twelfth-realm Great Sword Immortal who had deployed the Seven Profound Sword Formation before him, the Five Peaks Ancestor sneered, "A mantis trying to stop a chariot, truly ignorant of its own strength!"
Xie Yiying's sword light swayed, switching from defense to offense, controlling a Seven Profound Sword Formation and charging towards the opponent. Instantly, the sky was filled with a dense rain of sword light.
In fact, she should not have done this, but she had no choice but to.