In the Sword Pavilion.
Luo Mingyue shattering the jade slip with a single sword stroke left Bai Nishang feeling as though she had eaten dog shit.
She wanted to fly into a rage.
Yet she could not! Who could she blame when she had been the one to hand that jade slip to Luo Mingyue in the first place?
And what was more!
When on earth had that bitch Luo Mingyue broken through again? Had she not chosen a piece of useless scrap iron for her sword?
How could she still break through?
After listening to Bai Nishang's account, Bai Yue was also furious.
"This Luo Mingyue is simply getting more and more lawless!"
"It seems I really must find an opportunity to teach her a proper lesson, otherwise she might actually start believing that just because she has the Inborn Sword Body, there is no one who can deal with her!"
"Mother, do you think Luo Mingyue's sword might not actually be a useless sword? Why else was she able to break through another level?"
Bai Nishang asked, unwilling to accept it.
Upon returning last night, she had specifically inquired with her mother about that sword, and only after learning that it truly was a scrap had she felt completely relieved.
Yet she never expected that in just a single night, Luo Mingyue would actually break through!
"It is definitely a useless sword, on that point you can rest assured, Nishang."
Bai Yue chuckled as she said, "The reason she was able to break through to the Foundation Establishment mid stage is, I imagine, simply because she had already reached a bottleneck, which allowed her to make the breakthrough at this juncture."
"But Mother, I have no sword manual right now, so how am I supposed to cultivate?"
Bai Nishang was utterly helpless.
Many of the sword manuals inside the Sword Pavilion were single extant copies; once destroyed, they were destined to be gone forever, and at the time, consumed by rage, she had failed to select another sword manual.
Now she truly regretted it! Without a sword manual, how was she supposed to cultivate?
"Years ago, your mother obtained a Earth-grade sword manual from an enemy. I had originally intended to give it to you, but you insisted on going to the Sword Pavilion to look for one."
"It's just as well now, you can take this Earth-grade manual of mine."
Bai Yue helplessly took a jade slip out of her storage bracelet and placed it before Luo Mingyue. "Don't let the fact that it's only an Earth-grade low-tier manual fool you; this is a growth-type sword manual. In the future, its power will increase alongside the number of swords you acquire, and it will even become comparable to Heaven-grade ones."
As expected of the female protagonist of "Wind Rising Over Canglan"…
Even though the "Fuyao Sword Manual" had been destroyed by Jiang Chengan, another sword manual still appeared, and moreover, it was one of those legendary growth-type sword manuals.
"The Myriad Sword Manual!"
Bai Nishang was astonished.
"Mhm."
"Take a careful look at it later, it should be no weaker than the one you chose."
"If not for the fact that your mother was already at the Golden Core mid stage back then, I would have wanted to switch to cultivating this 'Myriad Sword Manual' myself."
Bai Yue added.
"Mother, is there something else?"
A flicker crossed Bai Nishang's eyes.
Normally, her mother would summon her to the Peak Master's Palace and rarely came to see her on her own initiative; coming here so suddenly today must mean there is a reason.
"There is indeed a matter I need to remind you of."
Bai Yue's expression turned solemn.
"An extraordinary big shot may have arrived at our Spirit Sword Peak."
"Be more vigilant lately, and be polite to everyone on the peak, including those menial disciples. Do not offend a single soul."
"Mother, what is this all about?"
Bai Nishang's expression changed.
What extraordinary big shot?
And what did it have to do with those lowly menial disciples?
"The Sect Master suspects that someone of at least the Nascent Soul mid-to-late stage or above is hiding on our Spirit Sword Peak."
Bai Yue took a deep breath. "For now, neither the Sect Master nor I know his identity, which means he could be anyone at all."
"Truly an expert at the Nascent Soul mid-to-late stage or above?"
Bai Nishang drew a sharp breath, finding it hard to believe.
"Yes!"
Bai Yue nodded.
"The Sect Master said he felt the sword intent of the entire sect surging toward Spirit Sword Peak. This is a method only someone at the Nascent Soul mid stage or above could possess."
"Therefore, the Sect Master can be certain that person is definitely at the Nascent Soul mid stage or above."
"Then why is he hiding on our Spirit Sword Peak?"
Bai Nishang suddenly grew excited.
"It boils down to two possibilities."
Bai Yue had also thought of that possibility.
"First, to hide from enemies."
"However, in recent years, the Immortal Realm has been peaceful, and cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage or above rarely venture out, let alone engage in mortal feuds."
"Then there is only the second possibility."
"Some old monster's lifespan is drawing to a close, and he wants to take in a personal disciple to pass on his entire set of skills."
"Nishang, if you can become his disciple, your mother can rest easy for the rest of your life."
"Mother, I…"
Bai Nishang grew even more agitated. "I… I understand."
"Nishang will certainly perform well and strive to be chosen by that senior."
"Good!"
Bai Yue nodded with satisfaction.
"Remember, you must not speak of this to anyone, nor must you alert the enemy by startling the fish. Only then will your chances be greater."
"Especially Luo Mingyue; absolutely do not let her find out."
The thought that her Senior Brother, the Sect Master, actually wanted to take Luo Mingyue as his personal disciple cast a gloomy shadow over Bai Yue's heart.
"Mother."
Bai Nishang suddenly said, "Why don't we find a way to make that bitch Luo Mingyue leave the Sword Sect temporarily?"
"Won't that senior have no choice but to pick me then?"
Make Luo Mingyue temporarily leave the Sword Sect!
Bai Yue was stunned.
Now that was a good idea.
"Very well,"
Bai Yue said.
"Coincidentally, some time ago, people from her family came saying they wanted Luo Mingyue to return for a visit. We can just have her go back."
Bai Nishang's eyes instantly lit up. "Really?"
In her past life, Luo Mingyue's cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds, and she did not return to the Luo family until she reached the Golden Core stage.
Yet even that time,
Luo Mingyue had almost been forced to marry the crown prince of a mortal dynasty.
In the end, she had barely managed to escape with her life.
And now, Luo Mingyue only possessed Foundation Establishment stage cultivation; how could she possibly escape back here? Haha!
"Mother, let's do just that, send her back."
"It's about time that concubine-born daughter of the Luo Mansion went back to contribute to her family."
…
Luo Mingyue finally managed to find an Earth-grade low-tier sword manual just before the Sword Pavilion closed.
Although it was likewise quite suitable for her,
compared to that "Fuyao Sword Manual", it fell far, far short.
The Fuyao Sword Manual was an Earth-grade high-tier sword manual.
In her past life, it was precisely by relying on the sword seized by Bai Nishang and the Fuyao Sword Manual that Luo Mingyue had been able to rise rapidly.
Yet now she had lost everything!
How could she not feel a sense of loss?
"Does a mere piece of trash Earth-grade sword manual deserve such lingering attachment from you?"
The iron sword on her back "swished" out of its sheath, planting itself fiercely before Luo Mingyue as Jiang Chengan's voice rang out as well.
"Such garbage, I wouldn't want it even if you gave it to me!"
"Senior Sword Spirit,"
Luo Mingyue could only offer a bitter smile. "Today's Immortal Realm is not like your era ten thousand years ago; many powerful cultivation techniques have been completely buried by the passage of time."
"Earth-grade cultivation methods are already considered top-tier in the Immortal Realm."
As time passed, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth gradually grew thin, and many powerful Heaven-grade techniques could no longer be cultivated, becoming completely buried in the long river of time.
Therefore, in today's Immortal Realm,
Earth-grade cultivation methods already belonged to the pinnacle tier.
"Then take a look at what this is?"
Jiang Chengan sneered. "Heaven-grade cultivation methods? I have plenty of them."
As his voice fell, the body of the iron sword began to vibrate.
Immediately afterward, more than a dozen jade slips shot out from inside the black iron sword body.
Luo Mingyue's eyes widened instantly.
…