Chapter 93: Desiring to Walk the Cultivation Path Again

No, no, that's not right!

How could it possibly be Master! Soon, the light surrounding that figure gradually faded, and one could barely make out some of her features.

A little similar, but not actually her!

Phew~ that really scared me half to death.

See, I told you, how could Master possibly be here! After letting out a sigh of relief, Chi Jiuyu began carefully examining the distant figure.

Boundless divine radiance swirled around her body, and her red hair hung down to her ankles.

The red moon behind her had already become illusory; one could see countless streams of light flowing within it. Chi Jiuyu only glanced at it once, yet felt that all sword Dao from ancient times to the present was contained within, causing her to become intoxicated without meaning to.

Fortunately, this state lasted only a brief instant.

So this is Moon Shadow? Martial Uncle's life-bound sword? Before she could see Moon Shadow's true appearance, the red moon in the sky vanished completely, and Moon Shadow transformed into a streak of red light that dove down.

Smack! Another hit. Chi Jiuyu felt a sting on her forehead and hurriedly covered it with her hand.

"Mm!"

Hey, you're doing it again! That streak of red light was seen falling into Xu Xing's hand, transforming into a sword that was entirely crimson, with divine light flowing across it.

Chi Jiuyu stared at it for a while.

Hm? Isn't this the sword he was holding when I fought that Nascent Soul stage Martial Uncle earlier? "Moon Shadow, long time no see, you've worked hard." Xu Xing gently stroked the sword's body.

Hum~ the sword body trembled lightly, and surging airflow spread outward like a hurricane.

The oppressive, gloomy everything within the Secret Realm seemed to be swept clean by this violent airflow.

The sky's light grew bright, towering perilous peaks sprouted vegetation, and scattered rocks were cloaked in green moss.

The silver-gray tide that seemed about to devour the world—those Tongxuan Grass Monsters—began to shrink, returning to their true forms, becoming individual Tongxuan Grass plants growing on the ground.

The vast, desolate Secret Realm became full of life in the blink of an eye.

After witnessing all this, Chi Jiuyu couldn't help but look at the blue-gold longsword floating beside her.

"If only my sword were this badass too," she muttered softly.

Then she felt that chilly sensation again, which naturally still came from the Moon Shadow in Xu Xing's hand.

Hey, I'm praising you for being badass and you're still not happy! This sword sure has a temper.

"Alright, don't bicker with her."

Xu Xing lightly flicked the sword body, and Moon Shadow fell silent along with it.

"Don't worry, Martial Uncle, I'm not that petty." Chi Jiuyu waved her hand with a rather generous air.

Emm……

Forget it, better not explain.

"Let's go, meet the two people who were left till the end."

As the words fell, the surrounding scenery began to recede.

……

……

Inside the combat space, Zhang Yunlu looked at Lin Qiu Xian, who still hadn't fallen, her gaze growing increasingly wary.

Could he also regrow severed limbs like that strange Xiao Fan?

Better chop his body into pieces too.

The moment this thought surfaced in her mind, Zhang Yunlu saw the already finely minced head turn into tiny specks of light, but rather than dispersing, they gathered upon Lin Qiu Xian's headless body.

Just as I expected!

She tapped her foot and charged straight at Lin Qiu Xian, about to put her thought into action.

"Young people shouldn't be so impulsive."

As the voice reached her ears, Zhang Yunlu felt a weight on her shoulder.

Hm?!

She instinctively turned and slashed back, but a sword strike powerful enough to cleave through Foundation Establishment was stopped by a single slender, fair finger—not even the skin was broken.

"A fine sword strike, already possessing one part of the elegance I had during Qi Refining stage." The calm tone carried a hint of approval.

It was like an elder seeing a junior's performance and then speaking out in praise.

Yet it was Chi Jiuyu—her right hand held her sword behind her back, her left hand extended a single finger to stop Zhang Yunlu's longsword, quite the bearing of a master.

In fact, she truly was a master; it was just that ordinarily people easily overlooked this point.

Zhang Yunlu was taken aback.

"……Chi Jiuyu?"

"That's right, it's me." Chi Jiuyu said calmly.

As someone who had been through it, she knew this well.

Cultivators after comprehending Dao are very prone to getting a swelled head; at this time one must appropriately give them a little setback, to let them understand what it means that there is always someone greater. Only this way would it not affect their future cultivation.

Zhang Yunlu withdrew her sword, looked past Chi Jiuyu to Xu Xing behind her, and bowed respectfully.

"Senior."

Xu Xing stepped forward and nodded slightly: "Well done."

Hm? Chi Jiuyu looked at her Martial Uncle—how could he praise her at a time like this? He should be making sure little Yunlu doesn't grow proud and complacent.

That was exactly what Master had said to her back then.

"Being able to reach where I am now is entirely thanks to the fortuitous chance Senior bestowed upon me." Zhang Yunlu said earnestly.

Without this encounter, she would have been nothing more than the most ordinary high school student.

"You needn't be so self-deprecating; you truly did well this time."

Among all the fortuitous chances he had ever given out, what Zhang Yunlu received was actually not that great, yet she had accomplished what most people failed to accomplish.

"Next, are you prepared to join the Xiang Jianzong?" In the end, he still had to ask once more.

"Yes." Zhang Yunlu nodded. "I plan to submit my application at the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall once this round of trials is over."

According to the staff's explanation, having completed the practice of the Cai Refinement Method gave her a very good chance of passing the Xiang Jianzong's entrance trial; now that she had comprehended the Principle, her confidence should be even greater.

"Huh? Submit an application?" Chi Jiuyu no longer kept up her expert demeanor and complained, "When did the threshold for joining our Xiang Jianzong get so high?"

Little Yunlu still didn't understand the weight of 'comprehending the Principle.'

A young Qi Refining cultivator who had comprehended the Principle like this could enter any Immortal Sect without even taking the test.

If it were the Orthodox Alliance, Little Yunlu would be trained as a reserve councilor the moment she entered.

"Since you have this idea, there's no need to submit any application. From now on, just come back to the Sect with us."

Can it really be like this?

Zhang Yunlu paused and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior, but I'd like to tell my brother first. May I go to the Xiang Jianzong on my own afterward?"

Leaving without a word would make her brother worry.

"What's there to it? We'll just go tell your brother in a bit, won't that do?"

Xu Xing glanced at Chi Jiuyu.

You and your fast mouth—you've already said everything, so what's left for me to say? "As for your elder brother, he has his own destiny; you need not worry. However, before you leave, I can take you to see him one more time."

Zhang Xiu's talent is also quite good, but his path is already set, so naturally he cannot be recruited into the Xiang Jianzong.

The Long Xiang Qing Tian Sect is the most suitable place for him.

"Then I'll trouble you, Senior."

At this moment, Lin Qiu Xian had also recovered. Looking at the few people not far away, his eyes were first filled with confusion.

It's Little Grandmaster Uncle? Then isn't the person beside him...

"Disciple Lin Qiu Xian greets the Patriarch!"

Lin Qiu Xian dropped to his knees and kowtowed, his voice trembling slightly.

Excited, but also a little anxious.

He was excited to meet the Patriarch, but anxious because he had lost in this trial.

Seeing this, Zhang Yunlu quickly stepped aside.

Chi Jiuyu deliberated for a moment, then stepped aside as well.

By seniority, she was of the same generation as his family's Old Ancestor, so accepting his bow seemed fine, but he was ultimately bowing to the Grandmaster Uncle; she shouldn't steal the spotlight.

"Being able to block one sword from a cultivator who has comprehended the Principle is not bad."

Immediately, Lin Qiu Xian felt a force lift him up—gentle, yet impossible to resist.

Is blocking one sword already considered not bad?

His heart grew even more bitter, and he couldn't help but recall that illusory, ethereal, yet extremely pure and powerful stirring he had just felt.

Comprehending the Principle...

He took a deep breath, as if he had made some extremely important decision.

Wanting to kneel again but being stopped by that gentle force, Lin Qiu Xian could only bow with hands clasped.

"This disciple wishes to walk the path of cultivation anew. I humbly ask the Patriarch to grant it!"

Caught a cold, slept early.

So this morning I'll post this chapter first; the remaining two chapters will be posted a bit later.

The temperature has been dropping fast lately, everyone should take care to keep warm.

(End of this chapter)