Chapter 488: Three Sects

This Jin Dan sword cultivator had casually given Wang Yu the sword scripture he had written.

Although he had heard Yan Lingxiang say that this sword scripture was only half-complete, lacking the true cultivation methods and corresponding sword incantations, it still contained methods for forging and nurturing one’s life sword—equally priceless.

“Wang friend, you got lucky this time—we seem to have caught Master Luo in a good mood. I only knelt once, and you were even granted something.” After watching the emerald lightning streak away, Yan Lingxiang exhaled deeply and stood up, his face still pale with fear.

“Is Master Luo really that terrifying?”

“Terrible? More than that—he back then… never mind. I just swore in my heart not to speak nonsense behind his back again. Let’s hurry on.”

For the rest of this journey, we won’t patrol anywhere else—head straight back to Bishui Palace.

After we return this time, I’ve decided to enter seclusion for a few years.” Yan Lingxiang had meant to say more, but suddenly remembered something and changed his tone.

“As you say, but what do we do with this sword scripture? Can I really comprehend its contents?” Wang Yu naturally had no objection, but he hesitated, holding the jade slip in his hand.

“Since Master Luo gave it to you, of course you can study it. And I’ll advise you—even if your mind changes later, you should at least glance through it a little.”

“Otherwise, if you meet Master Luo again and he asks about the scripture’s contents and you can’t answer a single thing, your fate…” Yan Lingxiang trailed off, his expression half-spoken.

“I understand. As a forger, I’ve always been interested in sword cultivators’ methods of forging life swords. When I have time, I’ll study it.” Wang Yu suddenly realized.

“Sigh, helping the Sima family really cost us—no benefit at all, and we lost tens of thousands of spirit stones.” Yan Lingxiang glanced at the sword scripture in Wang Yu’s hand, then at his waist pouch, muttering to himself.

“Yan brother, since you didn’t actually get that second-rank demon fish, I can’t keep the spirit stones you gave me—I’ll return them as they are.” Wang Yu blinked, reached one hand to his waist, and pulled out several high-grade spirit stones of varying colors, tossing them into the other’s hands.

These were precisely the “tens of thousands of spirit stones” Yan Lingxiang had previously given.

“How could I possibly accept this? But since Wang brother insists, I can’t refuse.” Yan Lingxiang looked at the high-grade spirit stones in his hand and beamed.

Wang Yu smiled faintly at this.

Moments later, the bone boat shuddered and shot off.

Faint voices drifted from the bone boat.

“Wang brother, last time you asked where to find chaos stones—I actually know a place. There are countless chaos stones there; it’s the largest gambling stone field in the Chaotic Spirit Domain, and has produced many items listed on the Chaos Ten-Thousand Spirits List.”

“There’s such a place? Then I’ll rely on Yan brother’s guidance.”

“Haha, no problem, no problem. Given our friendship, after you’ve studied the heavenly talent artifact at Bishui Palace, I’ll personally take you there.”

Yan Lingxiang, the Bishui Palace Foundation Establishment officer, seemed to have completely forgotten his earlier words about entering seclusion for years.

Their conversation faded as the bone boat vanished into the distance.

…

On the other side.

Within the emerald lightning streaking across the horizon, another two voices spoke.

One voice was deferential; the other, cold.

“Master, does that Wang friend truly have no sword cultivator talent?”

“Oh? Why ask that?”

“I endured countless trials, nearly lost my life, to obtain this half-scripture. Yet now you willingly give it to Wang friend—surely he must have exceptional qualities.”

“Though this half-scripture is merely crude notes I wrote during my Foundation Establishment stage, it is genuine sword cultivator insight. If he were an ordinary cultivator, he’d never have caught my eye.”

“When you were suppressing the demon fish, I was already there. Aside from that, this ‘Wang Yu’ boy’s spiritual sense is remarkably unusual,” the cold voice said calmly.

“Wang friend’s spiritual sense is strong? I didn’t notice—it seemed only slightly stronger than mine when he used it.” The deferential voice sounded surprised.

“Only slightly stronger?”

“That’s because he’s hiding his true strength. His spiritual sense is at least three or four times stronger. Had I not possessed a special spiritual sense detection technique, I’d have been fooled too.”

“Three or four times stronger? That’s nearly the spiritual strength of a Foundation Establishment peak cultivator!” The deferential voice turned utterly shocked.

“Three or four times is my lowest estimate—I haven’t even seen his full spiritual strength. He only used a fraction… perhaps his true strength is even greater, possibly five or six times yours.” The cold voice paused, then added uncertainly.

“If that’s true, then Wang friend’s spiritual strength approaches that of a Jin Dan true cultivator!” The deferential voice trembled.

“Not quite. After forming a Golden Core, spiritual sense typically surges tenfold or more. But among Foundation Establishment cultivators, he’s among the very few whose spiritual strength comes closest to Jin Dan level,” the cold voice replied after a moment.

“So Wang friend is a cultivator at Foundation Establishment early stage, yet possesses spiritual strength nearly matching a Jin Dan true cultivator?” The deferential voice murmured, utterly unable to accept it.

“Hah, what’s that? Do you know the Bishui Palace disciple hailed as a miracle of magical talent once every six hundred years? Legend says he accidentally ingested a primordial spiritual herb during his Qi Condensation stage—his spiritual sea expanded tenfold overnight, and his spiritual strength surged so violently that even the Nascent Soul elders of the time marveled.”

Not only that, the current true disciple senior brother of the Spirit Puppet Sect is born with the Grand Void Spiritual Mind body—each time he breaks through a minor realm in Foundation Establishment, his spiritual strength doubles. By Foundation Establishment peak, his spiritual strength rivals that of a Jin Dan early-stage true cultivator.

Even the new personal disciple of our sect’s master possesses supreme sword body and sword vein talent, and is also naturally gifted in spiritual sense. He cultivates multiple spiritual sense enhancement techniques, and his spiritual strength is no weaker than the previous two.

And this is only among our Three Sects’ disciples. Outside the Three Sects, even beyond the Chaotic Spirit Domain, countless prodigies exist—some surpassing even our disciples.” The cold voice spoke without the slightest emotion.

“The world holds so many geniuses!”

“I have average talent and am already quite old. Why did Master take me as a disciple? Wang friend possesses such extraordinary spiritual sense—he seems far more suitable to be your true disciple.” The deferential voice fell silent for a long while, then asked bitterly.

“Disciple, don’t belittle yourself. Though you lack exceptional talent, receiving my sword scripture proves we share a master-disciple bond. Moreover, merely with a single piece of hundred-refined sword bone, you forged your life sword and nurtured it well—this proves you’re suited for the sword path, and should become a disciple of our sect.”

As for your age, it’s not an issue.

You don’t yet know: while most of our disciples’ breakthroughs to Jin Dan depend on their innate talent, a significant portion hinges on the quality of their life swords. If nurtured well, even those with mediocre talent or advanced age still have a chance to break through to Jin Dan.”

Your white essence life sword is nurtured exceptionally well—extremely pure.

As for this ‘Wang Yu,’ though his spiritual sense is extraordinary, he lacks sword cultivator talent.

Our sect is a great sword sect. Our first rule is: we do not accept those without sword cultivator talent, to avoid wasting sect resources. I gave him half the scripture merely on a whim, following my heart’s impulse.

And lacking sword cultivator talent merely means the path is extremely difficult—it doesn’t mean he has zero chance. If he truly comprehends something from it and walks the sword path, that’s his own destiny and choice. For our Sword Polishing Sect, the more sword cultivators, the better—even if they’re not our disciples. After all, sword cultivators are far too rare in today’s cultivation world.” The cold voice spoke slowly.

“I see. Then I’m relieved. According to Yan Lingxiang, Wang friend seems to have remarkable magical talent too—he’s been invited to Bishui Palace, and has a good chance of becoming their disciple.” The deferential voice sighed in relief, then added quickly.

“Haha, Bishui Palace is still searching for someone to study that artifact—looks like their elder still hasn’t given up. If this ‘Wang Yu’ truly joins Bishui Palace, we’ll surely meet again. Then I’ll test whether he’s learned anything from my sword scripture.” The cold voice suddenly laughed, clearly intrigued.

The owner of the deferential voice fell silent.