The Great Sword Hall Convenes, Cute Disciple's Bold Request

Mountains of Eternal Qi.

It was a grand range that cut across the Yuande Continent, dividing it into three main regions: the Eastern Reaches, the Central Heartland, and the Western Expanse.

The range started in the northeast as the Azure Dragon's Crest and wound through the land before splitting into two branches.

One branch, called the White Tiger's Fangs, stretched to the east.

The other branch, known as the Vermillion Phoenix's Talons, extended southward.

These mountains shaped the landscape and affected the flow of spiritual energy across the continent.

Sword Ancestor Village.

It was an old and hidden place, nestled deep in Sword Chain Mountain in the northeast region of the Eastern Reaches. This ancient village was always covered in mist and protected by strong natural barriers. Known for its legendary ties to a revered Sword Ancestor, the village served as a refuge for cultivators who pursue the path of the sword.

This village was also where the Sword God School was located.

...

Great Sword Hall.

In the hall, around a big white table, sat figures wearing the white and bright blue robes of the Sword God School.

Their presence was so powerful that any low-level cultivator who entered would likely collapse.

At the center of the table, one figure stood out.

His hair, long and silvery white, fell in wild waves past his shoulders, partially covering a face marked by years of cultivation. His fur-lined robe, decorated with intricate silver and deep blue patterns, showed his high status in the sect.

The silence was thick and heavy, making even the smallest sounds seem distant.

Finally, the silver-haired man broke the quiet, his voice a gravelly rumble that echoed off the stone walls.

"So, you're telling me that not only was the Ling Clan's young master hurt, but it was the remaining disciples of the Sacred Cloud School, who refuse to submit to our sect, who did it?"

This was Grandmaster Li Feng, the Sect Master of the Sword God School and a Dao Spirit expert. Just his name was enough to strike fear into every sect on the Yuande Continent!

His piercing, cold eyes scanned the gathered hallmasters with barely concealed impatience.

Feeling the silence drag on, Hallmaster Han Wu, head of the Sword Intent Hall, knew it was time to speak up. His position gave weight to his words.

"We were concerned that the Heavenly Sword Patriarch might return to the sect, so we allowed the San Jie Institute to recruit most of the Sacred Cloud School disciples. And the ones who refused were forced in as slave disciples."

He paused, waiting for a response from Sect Master Li Feng.

The lack of immediate reply was a good sign──it meant Li Feng was listening.

Han Wu decided to press on. His eyes narrowed, sharp like a deadly blade.

"Why don't we forget caution and just attack the Sacred Cloud School again?"

Last time, they sent their prime disciples to take over the Sacred Cloud School. Some members joined willingly, while others refused. The disciples who were sent killed all the male members and took the female members as slaves or servant disciples.

However, they decided to leave after finding out the Sacred Cloud School's cultivation resources were sealed. This made them believe the Heavenly Sword Patriarch was still active.

Knowing that the San Jie Institute was using its growing influence to pressure the Sacred Cloud School into submission, the Sword God School realized they needed to become active again.

The Sacred Cloud School was in a fertile, resource-rich area coveted by both the Sword God School and the San Jie Institute. These sects wanted to expand their territories and secure these valuable resources to support their cultivation.

After thinking for a moment, Hallmaster Lin Xian, head of the Sword Formation Hall, nodded.

"It would be unwise to let the San Jie Institute get ahead of us again. I'm willing to send all my disciples to crush whatever remains of the Sacred Cloud School."

The elderly man held up a clenched fist.

The other hallmasters listened carefully and agreed with what Hallmasters Han Wu and Lin Xian said.

"Yes, I shall do the same!"

"It's not as if the Sacred Cloud School has any disciples left to challenge us!"

"There's no point in being cautious. They're courting death by not submitting to us and giving up their resources. Tch, such selfish creatures!"

Now, everyone's eyes turned to the silent Sect Master Li Feng.

The grandmaster stroked his medium-length beard and spoke.

"If we attack the Sacred Cloud School with a large force, we'll tip off the San Jie Institute about our plans. This will end with us taking over the Sacred Cloud School, only to have to fight the San Jie Institute to keep it. Now that the secret of the Mountains of Eternal Qi's true potential is public information, we can't afford to lose our numbers in a pointless war with the San Jie Institute."

The hallmasters nodded in agreement with their sect master's wise words and discussed among themselves.

Hallmaster Han Wu then asked, "So, what is the way forward, Sect Master?"

That was the question on everyone's mind.

Their blood boiled with such intensity that they were ready to seize the Sacred Cloud School at the first command.

Sect Master Li Feng cautioned, "Apart from the Heavenly Sword Patriarch, there's another old beast in the Sacred Cloud School we must not provoke."

The four hallmasters fell silent, knowing exactly who their sect master meant.

Trying to sound confident, Elder Lin Xian interjected, "Um, Sect Master... isn't the Great Demon Immortal Dragon Emperor just a hoax? I've heard rumors that he was just the Heavenly Sword Patriarch's lazy pet cat."

The sect master clenched his teeth at such a simplistic view.

He glared at the hallmaster and retorted, "You clearly cannot comprehend the immensity of heaven and earth. Someone with a name like that can't be a fake! A being with such a powerful title is surely an expert who could shake the cultivation world with a mere flick of his wrist!"

Startled by the sect master's outburst, Hallmaster Han Wu fell back in his chair.

The other hallmasters weren't convinced but chose not to question Sect Master Li Feng.

Clearing his throat to regain his composure, the grandmaster spoke.

"For now, send the Ling Clan's young master back to the Sacred Cloud School. He must correct his mistake and take control of the remaining disciples in that sect. His cultivation base is moderate, so it won't awaken the Great Demon Immortal Dragon Emperor. If that happens at our current cultivation level, we may need to call our patriarchs for help."

The hallmasters quietly exchanged glances. They always felt underwhelmed whenever the supposed "threat" was mentioned.

Sect Master Li Feng then grinned viciously and adjusted his robes.

A proud smile formed on his face.

"I am on the verge of becoming a God. When I achieve that, we'll seize the Sacred Cloud Mountain Range and crush the San Jie Institute!"

The hallmasters looked at their sect master in shock.

They understood the implications of what he was saying.

2nd-Order cultivation, Ancestor Body Realm!

"Sect Master, are you truly sure?" Hallmaster Lin Xian asked, abruptly rising from his seat.

Li Feng responded calmly, "Only a fool would be unsure. Just give me one more year."

They had a plan in mind.

━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━

It had been a day since Liu Ming ate Yu Lan's cooking, which turned out to be quite the disaster.

He made two important discoveries.

First, Yu Lan was a terrible cook.

Second, food which would be poisonous to a regular person wouldn't harm a cultivator at Early Refined Spirit level or higher.

After experiencing her cooking, Liu Ming banned Yu Lan from ever entering the kitchen again.

It was a difficult decision to make, but to stay alive, it was necessary.

On a positive note, Liu Ming successfully cultivated the first three levels of the Sacred Qi Sword Formation Art.

The technique itself was divided into three stages, each with three levels.

The first stage was the Sacred Sword Formation.

The second stage was the Sacred Sword Dance.

And the final stage is the Sacred Sword Grand Convergence.

The first stage focused on creating spiritual swords. It taught cultivators to use their spiritual energy to form a sword made of pure, condensed energy called a "sacred sword".

Liu Ming had fully condensed one, and cultivating the third and final level of this stage required him to refine his sacred sword.

He meditated for hours, refining his spiritual energy and channeling it into his sword.

The goal was to make it nearly indestructible and capable of cutting through even the toughest defenses.

Once Liu Ming achieved the results he wanted, he tested his sacred sword. Its edge was now sharp enough to cut through fire, ice, and even the hardest stone!

With a fast enough swing, he could even shoot out beams of light in the form of slashes that could cleave boulders in half as if they were butter!

But he was still unsatisfied.

He wanted to cultivate the Sacred Qi Sword Formation Art to utmost perfection!

The next night.

Liu Ming sat in a lotus position, surrounded by numerous bamboo scrolls.

These scrolls contained all the information he had written down to redefine the Sacred Qi Sword Formation Art and design a faster, more effective way for less talented cultivators to understand it.

swish────SWISSSH~!

Using the Two-Fingered Sword Gesture, Liu Ming controlled a sacred sword, making it dance back and forth with the smooth and controlled motion of a flowing stream.

Suddenly, he shot the sacred sword forward, and it flew as if it would pierce through the wooden walls of the house.

────ZING!

But at the last second, Liu Ming stopped it.

Then, with another motion of his two fingers, he retracted the sword back into his grasp.

'I've spirit-refined my sacred sword four times, and the crest on the blade proves it. Its speed and power have improved considerably, so I think I'm ready to dive into the second stage of the Sacred Qi Sword Formation Art.'

After drinking some water, Liu Ming took a deep breath and began to study the bamboo scroll more thoroughly.

But then a knock sounded at his door.

"Hm?"

He stood up to see who it was and opened the door to find Xiu Meixiang standing there.

"Meixiang?"

She had an oddly shy look on her face, her cheeks pink, and she didn't look quite like her usual pure and innocent self.

Suddenly, from her cherry-colored lips, she asked a question that left Liu Ming wide-eyed.

"Brother Ming, can we sleep together~?"