Chapter 154: The Ninefold-Tempered Sword Spirit Root!

Seeing the suddenly silent Pei Yuxin and Qingyin, Hong Lang and Yun Yi could naturally guess a thing or two.

Looking up toward the mountain gate, Hong Lang wore the expression of an ancestor manifesting his spirit, "The Ziyang Immortal Sword has found its master!"

Qingyin and Pei Yuxin both wore expressions of, No, it is not, you have got it all wrong, stop talking nonsense!

Yun Yi shook her head. Ignoring the expressions of the others, she simply sighed with emotion, "It seems a great era is about to arrive!"

"Just as the Xuanhua Dao Sect has gained Xian Xiangqiu, it appears our Ziyang Sword Sect is about to welcome another Dao Child!"

Hearing Senior Sister Yun Yi's words, Pei Yuxin hastily interjected, "It is not to that extent; Cao Xuan is merely an ordinary disciple with supreme-grade spiritual roots!"

Yun Yi glanced at her, "Enough. A bright pearl lying in dust is the most common occurrence in the world."

"Since Cao Xuan is already within our Ziyang Holy Land at this moment, if the Ziyang Immortal Sword has truly chosen its master, then if he is not the Dao Child, who could be!"

Observing Pei Yuxin, who wanted to say more yet hesitated, Yun Yi continued, "Rest assured, I am well aware that Cao Xuan is currently only at the mid-stage Golden Core realm."

"Even the immortal sword knows to protect its master, and even the nine tremors of Ziyang did not utter a single sound—do you think your senior sister does not understand this?"

"The immortal sword protecting its master, am I not right!"

Pei Yuxin and Qingyin remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Hong Lang also sighed, "For Lingyun and Cao Xuan to exist in the same era, I wonder whether it is her fortune or her misfortune!"

The two peak masters were not fools. According to the ancient records of the Ziyang Sword Sect, the previous three sword masters had all triggered at least three tremors of Ziyang before entering the mountain gate.

Yet that was also a manifestation of the Ziyang Immortal Sword protecting its master, because at that time, those individuals were already roughly at the Deity Transformation or Void Return cultivation realms.

Triggering three tremors was viewed by others as having potential, but nothing extraordinary.

In fact, within the current Ziyang Holy Land, there were quite a few geniuses who had triggered six tremors of Ziyang, including Fairy Yun Yi right before them.

Though her innate talent might not seem particularly unique, being much on par with Pei Yuxin's, how many among those who reached the Great乘 (Mahayana) stage were mediocre?

Naturally, that was the extent of it.

Cao Xuan had not triggered a single tremor, which, judging by his current performance, was completely unreasonable.

Sometimes, when things are abnormal, there must be a demonic reason behind it, so everyone naturally guessed this to be a manifestation of the Ziyang Immortal Sword shielding its master.

"I hope Junior Brother Hong Lang will not spread this outside; let this matter end here within my Sword-Washing Peak!"

Fairy Yun Yi finally delivered the concluding verdict.

"From now on, we shall simply treat Cao Xuan normally, avoiding any suspicion of forcing growth by pulling on the seedlings."

"A hundred or a thousand years from now, when Cao Xuan matures, that will be the moment our Ziyang Holy Land ascends to the absolute peak!"

---

Cao Xuan had no inkling of just how vital his Sword Dao Clear and Bright innate talent was in the eyes of the Ziyang Holy Land!

He simply continued to comprehend sword intent and purify his spiritual roots.

...

Half a month passed. Jiang Lingyun opened her eyes, a trace of pleasant surprise crossing her face.

"Just as Master said, is this what a sword spiritual root is like?"

Jiang Lingyun felt as though she had elevated to a whole new level, akin to the opening of a miniature grotto-heaven within the human body.

She finally understood what a top-tier prodigy truly was!

Jiang Lingyun herself possessed numerous physiques. Because she possessed an earth spiritual root, she had been considered a minor genius back in a second-rate sect.

However, after being appreciated by Hong Lang, the master of Heavy Sword Peak who happened to be traveling past, because she had comprehended sword intent, and truly coming to cultivate in the Ziyang Sword Sect, Jiang Lingyun had still harbored a tiny bit of secret disappointment when comparing herself to those senior brothers and senior sisters.

Even though her master told her that her future achievements would not fall short of theirs, her heart remained somewhat apprehensive.

It was only at this moment, with the formation of the sword spiritual root and the opening of her own miniature realm within, that Jiang Lingyun truly felt that it was indeed so.

"That senior brother of mine probably started out just like me, with very poor spiritual root talent, but from now on, that will no longer be the case!"

"I wonder what that senior brother's name is. He should have headed out quite a bit earlier than I did; I will ask Master later and then find a time to meet him!"

Jiang Lingyun had no other thoughts. The two of them were unfamiliar with each other now, so naturally he would not have waited for her.

At the same time, both were people who had gone through the process, and having undergone sword-washing together, there was nothing wrong with simply wanting to get acquainted.

She opened her eyes. At that moment, it happened to be Cao Xuan's silent phase; he was selecting his fifth flying sword and comprehending its sword intent, maintaining only the bare minimum of sword intent around his body.

Therefore, Jiang Lingyun did not immediately notice his presence.

Yet when she fully recovered her wits from the closed-door cultivation state, she discovered, to her astonishment, that she could still see that senior brother lingering at the bottom of the Sword-Washing Pool.

"Eh? Could it be that after finishing the sword-washing, one still needs to precipitate oneself at the bottom of the Sword-Washing Pool for a while?"

"Master never mentioned this to me!"

Jiang Lingyun felt a little worried, unsure of what to do for a moment.

Because the spiritual roots within her spiritual sea were indeed still somewhat turbulent, having just transitioned from an earth spiritual root into a sword spiritual root.

Jiang Lingyun thought for a moment: since a senior had done this, she should follow suit.

Thus, she sat cross-legged, caring not that her clothes clung tightly to her skin from being soaked in the waters of the Sword-Washing Pool.

At that moment, her master's voice came from the sky, "Lingyun, you may come out now!"

---

"Ah?" Hearing this voice transmission, Jiang Lingyun glanced at Cao Xuan, then pointed at herself, "Oh!"

Just as she flew out of the surface of the water and used true essence to steam-dry her garments, a surge of sword intent once again soared into the heavens.

"Oh my!"

When she arrived before her master, he remarked, "Not bad, not bad. The first forging of the sword spiritual root leans toward the later stage, which exceeds this master's expectations!"

Hearing her master's praise, Jiang Lingyun wore a somewhat peculiar expression.

Why did she feel as though her master's praise was somewhat insincere and not all that joyful?

Hong Lang wore a rather strange smile; he knew that as a master, he could not dampen his disciple's confidence and naturally had to offer praise.

And truthfully speaking, he was not wrong; Jiang Lingyun had indeed exceeded his expectations.

Yet, because of the pearl of great price that was Cao Xuan preceding her, he found himself unable to be overly jubilant for the moment.

"Alright, stay to the side and consolidate your sword spiritual root!"

"Later, when your Senior Brother Cao comes out, the two of you will go together to the Sword-Washing Terrace to polish your spiritual platforms and make your spiritual roots even purer."

"This is an opportunity that countless people in the Ziyang Sword Sect yearn for in vain. Quickly thank your Senior Uncle Yun Yi!"

Though Jiang Lingyun muttered inwardly, a sweet smile bloomed on her face, "Thank you, Senior Uncle Yun Yi!"

Looking at Jiang Lingyun, who possessed a lively spirit, Yun Yi found herself growing fond of her quite naturally.

"It is nothing. In the future, learn more from your Senior Brother Cao; his comprehension of the Sword Dao will be of immense benefit to your Sword Heart Clear and Bright!"

Jiang Lingyun hastily nodded, her curiosity toward that senior brother at the bottom of the Sword-Washing Pool growing ever stronger.

...

Cultivation knows no passage of time, and three months flashed by in the blink of an eye. Cao Xuan had already utilized all eight major accomplishments in Sword Dao comprehension, which, combined with his own innate major-accomplishment Azure-Sky Sword Intent, had unconsciously forged his sword spiritual root to the ninth refinement!

At this moment on the terrace of the Sword-Washing Pool, although a chessboard still lay before them, the group was playing with a distracted heart.

Even Yun Yi herself had her mind elsewhere. Pei Yuxin made a random move and inadvertently slaughtered a major dragon on the board.

Dropping the Go piece in her hand, she stared at the water's surface and said with a deeply shaken mind, "Little Cao... has Cao Xuan already refined his sword spiritual root to the ninth refinement?"