After Bai Yinyue was satisfied with dual cultivating with Xia Tian for so long, she left the Ancient Sacred Realm and returned to Bai Kingdom, for she had to attend Hu Duan's banquet.
Xia Tian decided to stay in the Ancient Sacred Realm, for he wanted to cultivate and train in the training area, especially since he could adjust the gravity in the place as he pleased.
However, Xia Tian was no longer alone in space, and he was accompanied by many women.
Mo Xiaoqi, Yu Suyin, Yu Suya, Xia Xing, Murong Mengxin, Su Fei, Zhu Honglian, Bing Huang, and Shen Huang decided to accompany him to train, for they felt that they were not strong enough to face those beasts around the Fortress.
Since they decided to train with him, Xia Tian didn't make the gravity in the training area too heavy, or his women couldn't withstand it.
However, Xia Tian planned to increase the gravity of the place once in a while; only then could the women get stronger quickly.
Mu Ruxue, Yue, Nath, and Fu Jie also decided to return to the Ancient Sacred Realm, for the energy of heaven and earth inside was more beneficial to them.
As for Murong Yuexin, she trained with the senior women in the Fortress, especially since the Ancient Sacred Realm could only accommodate nine people simultaneously, apart from the beast women.
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Sheng Ling, who had fallen asleep before, finally woke up at night. However, she was shocked to see Estella lying beside her, especially since she was also completely naked. 'What happened? Who is this woman? Did she do something to me before? Moreover, I've never seen her before, and her cultivation is slightly higher than mine.'
But alas, Sheng Ling didn't know that Estella was much stronger than her, but her cultivation suffered a setback due to her injuries in the past battle. Although her injuries have improved a lot, het cultivation base has not recovered, especially since the energy in the Seven Star World has been thin for her.
"Oh?" Estella turned to her. "You don't have to look at me like that. Although I really want to enjoy your body, I didn't do anything to you, for I don't want to be punished by my Master."
"Your master?" Sheng Ling raised his eyebrows.
Estella nodded at her. "My Master is, of course, Xia Tian, or else I wouldn't be here, right? Since you kept releasing your Yin Energy before, I came into this room and absorbed it."
"I see." Sheng Ling nodded in understanding, and she was not surprised to hear that Estella used her Yin Energy to cultivate, for she already knew about such a thing before. "Has Xia Tian come out of his seclusion yet?"
"Not yet." Estella shook her head. "My master probably won't be out in a few days, so it would be best if you waited here."
"Why?" Sheng Ling asked in confusion.
"Hehe." Estella giggled and answered her. "Of course, so that I can absorb your Yin Energy again! My Master will dual cultivate with his women, so you will continue to release it, which is very beneficial to me."
Sheng Ling was speechless after hearing that, but he nodded in agreement. She felt that staying at the Xia Manor was the best choice for her, so the palace maids wouldn't see through her strange situation, and she wouldn't feel embarrassed towards them.
However, Sheng Ling frowned when she remembered her mother's condition, she knew that Sun Qingxue must be suffering a lot right now, but she couldn't do anything for her, especially since she couldn't see Xia Tian. 'Sigh, I hope he comes out of his seclusion soon; only then can I ask him directly about their relationship.'
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Meanwhile, Xiao Chen continued to grumble in his room in annoyance. She had previously sparred with Ling Chen at Bai Zhongying's request and was confident she could beat her easily.
However, what happened was precisely the opposite; Xiao Chen was rendered helpless by Ling Chen, especially since her speed was breakneck after she had trained in the higher realms for so long.
"How can that woman move that fast? I can't see her movements, and her sword skills are far above mine." Xiao Chen kept muttering as she imagined their previous fight, but she still couldn't see Ling Chen's weakness. "Sigh; I will ask her to spar with me again tomorrow, or else I will continue to be badly beaten by her.
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In the garden, Bai Zhongying was sitting with Jian Wuqing, and she was asking her various things about swordsmanship. "What do you think of my disciple, Senior?"
"Hmm? Are you curious about her loss to Chen'er?" Jian Wuqing turned to her, and Bai Zhongying nodded to her. "The swordsmanship you taught her is pretty good, but that little girl can't properly comprehend the dao of the sword yet, so she can't properly utilize her sword energy."
"En, that's true." Bai Zhongying replied with an approving nod.
"On the other hand, Chen'er can even use Sword Manifestation, so she is far superior to your disciple." Jian Wuqing explained with a proud smile, for she was truly proud of Ling Chen's progress.
Bai Zhongying's eyes widened upon hearing that, especially since she still couldn't use it. Yet, Ling Chen, who was much younger than her, could already use it.
Jian Wuqing then said again. "Unlike you guys, Chen'er has a dark past, and she holds a huge grudge in her heart. For years, she has only accompanied her sword and constantly thought of ways to take revenge against an enemy, and her grudge spurred her to become stronger, so she already understands the sword dao better than the three of you."
"I see." Bai Zhongying nodded in understanding. "Then how to comprehend the proper sword dao, Senior?"
"Before I answer your question, I want to ask you first."
"Please ask, Senior."
"What does your sword mean to you?"
"Hmm?" Bai Zhongying looked at Jian Wuqing in confusion, and she then replied. "My sword is my tool."
"I see." Jian Wuqing nodded slightly. "If you still think your sword as a tool, then you will never be able to comprehend the true sword dao."
"Eh?" Bai Zhongying was even more confused after hearing that.
Jian Wuqing took out her white sword and told Bai Zhongying again. "For Ling Chen and me, our swords are not just tools; they are our partners."
Bai Zhongying raised her eyebrows. "A sword is just an inanimate object; how can it be our partner?"
"You're wrong about that, little girl." Jian Wuqing shook her head in response and threw her sword into the sky. "Look at my sword carefully."
"Hmm?" Bai Zhongying was surprised to see Jian Wuqing's sword circling around in the sky by itself, and the sword looked excited. Soon, she saw a woman's figure coming out of the sword, and behind her were many energy swords. "Who is that woman senior? How did she appear from your sword?"
"Her name is Jian Ling, and she is the spirit of my sword." Bai Zhongying's jaw dropped after she heard that, and Jian Wuqing asked her again. "So, do you still think that a sword is just a tool?"
"But how can your sword have spirit, Senior?" Bai Zhongying asked as she kept her eyes on Jian Ling dancing in the night sky.
Jian Wuqing also looked up at the sky and answered Bai Zhongyin's question. "My sword has accompanied me since I started my sword path, so our bond is solid, and Jian Ling was born from our bond. Since then, she has accompanied me through thick and thin, and we have never been separated."
"Does that mean Ling Chen's sword also has a spirit like yours, Senior?" Bai Zhongying was wholly mesmerized by Jian Ling's movements, especially since her sword dance was straightforward yet powerful.
"Yes." Jian Wuqing nodded. "However, the spirit on Chen'er's sword is different from mine, so I forbid her from summoning it."
"Why?" Bai Zhongying turned to her again. "Wouldn't Ling Chen be stronger if she fought alongside her sword spirit?"
"You're not wrong about that." Jian Wuqing sighed heavily before continuing. "However, the spirit on Chen'er's sword is fierce and brutal, for it was born from her grudge. If she summons it, then it will also affect her."
"I see." Bai Zhongying then took out her sword and rubbed it. "How can I awaken my sword spirit, Senior?"
"Don't think of your sword as a tool, and strengthen the bond between you; then your sword spirit will be born."
Bai Zhongying could understand Jian Wuqing's words very well, but she felt at a loss as to what to do, especially since she had always thought of a sword as just a tool.
Jian Wuqing then said again. "Anyway, there are two ways for a sword to have a spirit."
"Hmm?" Bai Zhongying looked at her curiously.
"First, the swordsmith must put a spirit into the sword. Second, you can awaken your sword spirit by yourself." Bai Zhongying nodded in understanding. "But you only have one path now, and you must awaken it yourself unless you replace it with a new one. However, I believe that no swordsmith can do it in this world, and you must go to higher realms for that."
Bai Zhongying sighed heavily after hearing that, for she couldn't go to higher realms. "In that case, I will follow your advice and try to awaken my sword spirit, Senior."
- To Be Continued -
