◎ Twenty Thousand More Swords ◎
There were simply too many challenge messages. Even with her Fiery Eyes, Golden Vision technique, Lin Shuang couldn’t read them all.
“What’s going on?”
Meng Zi’s eye twitched as he held up his disciple’s waist token—it was practically burning in his hand.
One after another, over a hundred spiritual transmissions—he hadn’t misheard, had he?
All from different disciples… challenging them?
“What is this? Did I rename myself to ‘Spirit Stone’ or something?”
He had suddenly become a hot commodity.
With his blade on his shoulder, Meng Zi entered the Resting Courtyard and immediately frowned.
In the 3000-level Resting Courtyard, every single stone table was full today. Dozens of disciples even stood around, staring at them with a strange gleam in their eyes.
Huangfu Yuan sighed lightly. “We’re still only at Level 2200. We need at least two more breakthroughs to get above 3000.”
Lin Shuang pressed her brow. “Ugh.”
“What is it? They won’t let us go above 3000?” Meng Zi glared at the surrounding crowd. “Chen Xingchuan, Gu Ming—what the hell are you all doing? Have you lost your minds?”
The disciples looked like they had something to say but stopped short.
Lin Shuang shook her head again and sighed, pulling out today’s schedule from her storage pouch.
“All this… just because we shined a little too brightly.”
The surrounding disciples: “…”
Huangfu Yuan: “…”
Meng Zi’s mouth twitched. “Can you speak clearly? My neck’s starting to feel cold.”
Too much attention—clearly, they’d triggered a special event.
Lin Shuang silently lowered her gaze and checked her waist token.
[Zhenchuan 3000-Layer Ranking: 10]
[Team Members:
Lin Shuang – Outer Sect Rank #8999
Huangfu Yuan – Inner Sect Rank #30000
Meng Zi – Inner Sect Rank #11192]
She flipped her palm and showed the token to Meng Zi.
He glanced at it—and let out a shriek. “You’ve been in the Outer Sect for ten years and you’re still in the 9000s?!”
“Huangfu Yuan—aren’t there only 30,000 disciples in the Inner Sect? And you’re dead last?!”
What a surprise.
“Well, I’m doing alright at least—I’m ranked in the top 40% of the Inner Sect. And that’s with me mostly doing patrols and barely any sect missions.”
Huangfu Yuan closed his eyes.
“That’s not the point, Junior Brother.”
Lin Shuang sighed. Meng Zi’s reading comprehension…
He lazily raised an eyebrow and reread the token. As he processed it, he froze—then gasped.
Top 10 in the 3000-Layer Zhenchuan Trial?!
“When the hell did we reach the top ten?!”
For once, Meng Zi was truly speechless.
He looked up at his fellow disciples in the courtyard, all watching them with complex expressions.
And finally, he understood.
An Outer Sect disciple ranked 8999, an Inner Sect one ranked dead last, and himself—just barely in the upper half.
Yet now, every other disciple here would have to call them “boss.”
Meng Zi’s mind spun. Things had gotten serious.
Standing beside Chen Sheng, Chen Xingchuan—who had five or six cave keys hanging from his belt—stepped forward.
“Meng Zi, pick one of us. I suggest you choose me.”
Other disciples tried to step forward too, but Chen Xingchuan raised a hand to stop them.
“You’ve already defeated my Junior Brother Chen Sheng and took his trial leader spot. As his Senior Brother, I should win back his honor.”
Chen Xingchuan took a step forward. “Yesterday, I shared a trial with you as well—and you took the leader spot again.”
“This challenge comes from me personally. Not like the others who were pushed by elders.”
Meng Zi’s eye twitched. What? Elders are forcing people now?
Lin Shuang lowered her head, trying to disappear.
Huangfu Yuan wore a look of helpless innocence.
“You can’t escape this. Every disciple below 3000 levels has issued you a challenge.”
“There’s a protection clause for weaker disciples—you can only reject three challenges per day.”
Meng Zi took a deep breath.
They’d really stirred up a hornet’s nest.
[Mission: Within two days, intercept all Outer Sect disciples from advancing further.]
[If any Outer Sect disciple climbs 500 more levels, all Inner Sect members lose 10,000 contribution points.]
[This mission has no reward—only punishment.]
Lin Shuang checked her waist token and shook her head.
“There’s no escaping this.”
“I expected it. Light too bright will always sting someone’s eyes.”
Must she pick this moment to act cool?
Meng Zi’s mouth twitched. The disciples below 3000 levels all gave her complicated looks.
But Lin Shuang met their eyes—unflinching, unafraid.
Her gaze swept past Chen Sheng, at Foundation Establishment Level 2.
Then she looked at the three-person team sitting alone in a corner—Dao Shan’s Dong, Xi, and Bei disciples, at Foundation Establishment Levels 3 and 4.
Finally, she looked at today’s schedule.
“Senior Brothers and Sisters, anyone whose cultivation is lower than Dao Dong’s, please withdraw your challenge.”
“Don’t waste my time making me filter through them all.”
The crowd’s expressions changed.
Dao Dong and his teammates looked particularly stunned.
Arrogant!
She was unbelievably arrogant.
It was like stepping on the faces of the Dao Shan trio and marching forward.
She didn’t even put the Inner Sect disciples in her eyes.
Meng Zi wanted to hit her with his sword.
“So, you accepted Dao Dong’s challenge just for today. You really did see all this coming,” Huangfu Yuan said, fanning the flames of her boldness.
The Dao Shan trio wavered where they stood.
She had foreseen this.
As an Outer Sect disciple, she knew there would come a day when the Inner Sect would not tolerate her and would challenge her.
That’s why she’d accepted their challenge early—to make an example.
Dao Dong was Foundation Establishment Level 4—so anyone below him should save themselves the humiliation.
That was the hidden meaning behind the reply she’d sent to all disciples below 3000 just the day before.
[Holy crap, this Outer Sect Junior Sister is bold as hell!]
[I thought she was reckless, but she was one step ahead all along! I admit defeat.]
[She’s already thinking ahead of them—]
[Mark my words: this Outer Sect girl will reach Core Formation one day!]
The fight hadn’t even started yet.
But Zhenchuan’s projection system was already broadcasting the courtyard to all disciples who paid spirit stones to watch.
[Honestly, if she weren’t from the Outer Sect, I’d really want her to win.
A bunch of Inner Sect bullies ganging up on a Qi Condensation girl? That’s not heroic!]
[Shut up! Doesn’t the Inner Sect matter too?]
[Yeah! Should we all move to the Outer Sect then?!]
[Alright, alright. She’s definitely promising. Even if she loses, the elders will notice her. She might get promoted out of turn.]
The spectators bickered loudly.
The spirit stone price to watch was skyrocketing.
In the courtyard, Lin Shuang checked the time and then the faces of those surrounding her.
“Who’s the strongest among you? Step forward now.”
“Save us all some time. Don’t make us dig through dozens of challenge messages to find your names.”
Still showing off.
Meng Zi and Huangfu Yuan couldn’t help glancing at her.
Silence fell over the courtyard.
But soon, like a tide, many disciples stepped back.
Only a dozen remained standing near the tea tables—each one radiating an imposing aura, clearly not ordinary.
Meng Zi was about to make a selection when the tall woman in front laughed lightly.
“Junior Sister Lin is refreshingly direct, so we’ll be straightforward too. You’re currently at Level 2200—still two trials away from 3000.”
“How about this? Let’s duel now. Two rounds against us—Foundation Establishment Level 4, peak stage.”
The woman had cascading, curly hair, was extremely tall, and had glazed-glass-colored eyes.
Yet she was oddly artistic—holding an erhu.
Beside her stood two burly men with full beards—completely lacking in immortality vibes—each holding a jade flute.
The aesthetic was… unexpected.
The Inner Sect certainly had some characters.
Lin Shuang admired their flair and responded boldly, “Alright.”
Chen Xingchuan tried to speak, but the tall woman gave him a nod.
“Senior Brother Chen, why don’t you go first?”
“If you win, everyone’s happy.”
“If you lose, we’ll take it from there. Deal?”
He nodded.
Both groups were peak Foundation Establishment cultivators, holding back from advancing to Level 5 so they could take more trial leader spots before the 3000-layer checkpoint.
Their slow progress wasn’t due to lack of strength.
Their true power far exceeded most disciples below 3000.
“Fine,” Chen Xingchuan said with a smile.
They may have lost in the thief-catching trial.
But in a proper duel? No way.
“Senior Brother Chen’s got this.”
“Time to show that Outer Sect girl our Inner Sect pride.”
“Even though Mei Xin’s next, you’d better not lose—or it’ll be humiliating.”
Chen Xingchuan smiled calmly. “Lose? If I lose, we don’t belong in the Inner Sect.”
His two Junior Brothers glared at the speaker. “Exactly! You doubt us?”
“If we lose, I’ll take my sword and follow her to the Outer Sect!”
[Group 500 challenges Group 11111.]
[Accept?] Lin Shuang’s trio received the new challenge prompt. [This match is exempt from Weakling Protection. You have no right to choose the content or location of the match.]
[Duel Format: One-on-One Arena Battle]
Lin Shuang raised an eyebrow and glanced toward the ever-present pink-robed lady who normally pitched housing deals.
The woman was holding a stack of cave dwelling tokens. When she met Lin Shuang’s gaze, she calmly smiled.
“If you’re interested in housing, come see me after your match.”
Lin Shuang nodded, but paused before turning away.
“You’re the one in charge, aren’t you?”
“Or should I call you the Zhenchuan Chief Examiner for Levels 1 to 3000?”
The pink-robed woman’s body stiffened.
Meng Zi almost dropped his blade. “Wait—who are you talking to? That auntie?!”
Thud! He tripped and slammed into the floor.
The pink-robed woman wordlessly placed her hands behind her back.
Huangfu Yuan stepped aside just in time to dodge her palm strike, his expression subtly complex.
Auntie.
From the beginning, only Meng Zi had called her that.
Meng Zi got up, now wary. “Damn it—so you two knew all along?! And you didn’t tell me!”
Lin Shuang and Huangfu Yuan sighed.
Of course they hadn’t known all along.
But the clues hadn’t been subtle.
Senior Brother Xu Xiang had been able to swap Inner Sect missions with Zhenchuan trial levels.
That meant an elder had to be managing the levels in real time.
And those swapped levels happened to be chosen by Outer Sect disciple Lin Shuang.
Then came the sudden trial-wide challenge targeting Lin Shuang.
Who could do that—and with such precision?
Only someone with full administrative access to Zhenchuan’s internal system and awareness of their return timing to the courtyard.
Not to mention—back at the Li Village, where the puppet version of Elder Li gave real-time, nuanced rewards and feedback as if he were alive…
All of it pointed to one fact: the supervising elder was watching them at every moment during the trial.
When they had come out that day and saw Outer Sect disciple Zhao Keran cleaning and organizing at this level, they had already begun to suspect.
Who had the authority to order Outer Sect disciples around—and to allow them entry into the Zhenchuan trial levels?
Lin Shuang and Huangfu Yuan looked toward the pink-robed woman, a flicker of apprehension in their eyes.
They couldn’t sense a single trace of spiritual energy from her.
Indistinguishable from an ordinary mortal. She truly seemed like a retired elder.
Return to Simplicity—she must have reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage.
“May we request one incense stick’s time to rest?”
Lin Shuang looked to the pink-robed woman.
“Elder, you understand. We just arrived today and haven’t yet claimed our rewards for Level 2200.”
The pink-robed woman paused.
“According to the rules, we’re entitled to redeem our disciple rewards first, aren’t we?”
Indeed, that was allowed.
No one would begrudge a short break before a duel.
According to Zhenchuan’s trial rules, after each level is cleared, disciples could review their gains and restock pills or treasures.
The pink-robed woman gave Lin Shuang a complicated look, then nodded.
“Thank you, Elder.”
Lin Shuang smiled, turning to the trio of Chen Xingchuan and his companions.
“Senior Brother, I know you’re eager, but hold on a moment.”
“The three of us need to go break through first.”
“???”
“!!!”
What?
Everyone was even more shocked than when they had learned the pink-robed woman was a Zhenchuan elder.
Even Meng Zi was floored.
Using reward collection time to break through?
Did she think breaking through was as easy as drinking tea?!
Speechless, Meng Zi turned to look at the two who had already walked toward the stone monument.
“What the—can you two at least talk to me first?”
“How come I didn’t know I could break through too…”
But halfway through his complaint, as he slung his blade over his shoulder to follow them, he suddenly froze.
“Senior Brother, when the main character faces a life-or-death crisis, that’s when they usually break through.”
“…Huh?”
Meng Zi was confused.
But beside him, Huangfu Yuan’s phoenix eyes flickered at the words.
In the next instant—before Meng Zi could react—Huangfu Yuan raised his head and let out a mournful, heart-wrenching howl.
“Junior Brother Meng, Junior Sister Lin—I’m clearly the Senior Brother, and yet I’ve become your burden!”
“In every trial, you stood before me.”
“In every duel, you stood before me.”
“With this crippled body… how could I possibly be worthy—how could I—!”
As he spoke, spiritual energy surged within him, his aura exploding with chaotic intensity!
“This time, let me stand before you and protect you!”
With another anguished cry, he spat a mouthful of blood.
And just like that, his cultivation began to skyrocket: Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment… late stage… Peak of Level Two!
“!”
Meng Zi was stunned. The watching disciples—and even the pink-robed elder—froze.
What?! Had he really been emotionally triggered into breaking through?!
As everyone gawked, another long cry echoed through the courtyard.
Turning to look—they saw Lin Shuang, now standing directly opposite Huangfu Yuan.
“Senior Brother Huangfu!”
She stumbled forward, her blue sleeves billowing as spiritual energy surged skyward!
Gripping both his arms, she shook him fiercely.
“How could I let your sickly body stand before me? If anything happens to you, I’ll never forgive myself!”
Her eyes turned red. She raised her head and howled in grief.
In that moment, spiritual energy flooded into her body, her cultivation rising layer by layer:
Qi Condensation Level Four… Level Five… Level Six…
“Today, as long as I live, no one will harm you!”
Her cry rang out with fierce determination, nearly matching the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator!
Huangfu Yuan’s arms trembled slightly. With his head bowed, his shadowed black eyes gazed deeply into her glistening, stormy gaze.
His lips moved subtly.
A breakthrough at the brink of crisis—defending one’s fellow disciples—it made perfect sense.
—No need to explain why a cripple suddenly regained strength. Everyone would understand: it was out of devotion to protect his Junior Sister.
—No need to explain how a Qi Condensation disciple had the strength of Foundation Establishment. Her 97 dantian were for protecting her sickly Senior Brother.
A spark of calculation flashed in both their eyes.
Followed immediately by a sliver of shared embarrassment.
Ugh…
[Xiao Ai No.2 Backup Device (Big Treasure): That’s enough, Junior Sister.]
[Xiao Ai No.1 (Lin): That’s enough, Senior Brother.]
[Xiao Ai No.2 Backup (Big Treasure): Let go.]
[Xiao Ai No.1 (Lin): It feels more authentic like this.]
“…”
“…………”
Meng Zi held his sword with an expression like he’d been struck by lightning.
Why didn’t he feel anything?!
Aaaaahhh—
He also tilted his head back, trying to howl and break through.
“Junior Sister, Junior Brother… I, too, was enlightened last time when reading that broken copy of the Sect Master’s Notes. You two stood guard for me then. I reached the edge of understanding.”
Huangfu Yuan gently pushed away Lin Shuang’s hands on his arms.
Meng Zi’s mouth fell open.
The surrounding disciples and pink-robed elder looked doubtful.
“What? The Sect Master’s Notes?”
“You mean that so-called manual with only 200 characters, each big as a fist, and spits water when opened?!”
“The one that just says: ‘Train, train harder, keep training… Hug your thigh and I’ll cut it off?!’”
But Huangfu Yuan had already seated himself, solemnly flipping through the pages.
As he read, he nodded.
Raising one finger, sword energy began to form at the tip.
It surged like thunder and pierced through the second Foundation Establishment layer—reaching the power of Level Three!
“…That manual…”
“I knew it! I knew it wasn’t just for laughs! How could a sect master’s note, sold in Zhenchuan, be just a joke?!”
“Was it me who failed to understand it?!”
The disciples were dumbfounded. Many began scrambling for their own storage pouches.
Plenty of them had been tricked into buying that book before.
“I see now.”
As Huangfu Yuan continued reading, his sword aura only grew stronger.
Lin Shuang looked down in realization. “So this is what the Sect Master meant—at the moment of crisis, recall your life’s suffering and break through on the spot.”
As she spoke, spiritual energy from all around the courtyard surged toward her, forming a vortex above her head!
The two were engulfed in pure energy.
Their auras continued to rise!
“……!”
“Sect Master’s Notes, please! I want a copy!”
“Hurry, hurry, I’ll pay 200 spirit stones—who doesn’t have that?”
“Do I need to bleed on the pages to unlock the hidden content?!”
Everyone was going crazy.
So was Meng Zi.
They stood by the reward pillar, slightly removed from the crowd.
Only he could see what Huangfu Yuan was actually reading.
—“Scram!”
A single giant character. Absolutely no hidden meaning.
The Sect Master’s handwriting was even kind of ugly.
It was carved on a blank page… and dripping water…
Meng Zi’s sword hand trembled.
“Junior Sister, you’ve inspired me—I’ve understood.”
“Senior Brother, I’ve been moved by you as well—I understand now.”
Huangfu Yuan’s phoenix eyes shimmered as a strand of her hair brushed against his cheek, carrying a soft plum scent.
His throat stirred—iron and blood rising at once.
A streak of crimson flickered across his pupils, then quickly vanished.
He returned to calm, looking warmly at the frozen Meng Zi.
“Junior Brother Meng… have you understood?”
Lin Shuang also turned back, smiling.
“Senior Brother Meng… have you?”
Meng Zi: “…”
He was about to hack them both to pieces.
[Challenge initiated.]
[One-on-one arena battle.]
[Best of three rounds. The winner advances 500 levels.]
[The victor may also select one reward from the Zhenchuan Trial Challenge Pool.]
By the time Huangfu Yuan had wiped the blood from his lips and Lin Shuang had dried her tears and closed the “Sect Master’s Secret Manual,” the challenge finally began.
Chen Xingchuan, Yun He, and Mu Wenchang—peak stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.
The three of them stared gravely at Lin Shuang, who stood enveloped in swirling spiritual energy.
She was still only at the Qi Condensation stage, yet for some reason, she exuded a terrifying pressure.
They turned to look at Huangfu Yuan—who had transformed before their eyes in order to protect his junior sister—now standing at the peak of Foundation Establishment Stage 3, after consuming pills, coughing blood, and comprehending an old scroll.
Then they turned to Meng Zi—unchanged, still Foundation Establishment Stage 4.
Ah, finally someone who hadn’t broken through.
The trio breathed a subtle sigh of relief… then fell silent.
Who would’ve thought that, right in front of everyone, two out of the three had genuinely advanced their cultivation levels in mere moments?
From the resting courtyard on the 3000th level, everyone held their breath as the six were transported to the 2800th level: a single-player arena trial.
Someone muttered in disbelief, “Chen Xingchuan isn’t going to lose, is he?”
“Don’t say things like that carelessly—what if you trigger a heart demon? Didn’t he just say he’d transfer to the Outer Sect if he lost?”
“…”
The crowd at the 3000th layer fell silent.
Even the pink-robed woman, who had always appeared unshakable, now showed the first flicker of panic on her face.
Surely… she wasn’t about to hand over three Inner Sect disciples to that bastard Li Daowei from the Outer Sect…?
No way. Impossible!
At the 2800th level, Lin Shuang and the others materialized on three parallel square arenas.
Lin Shuang gave a small nod.
As she suspected, Zhenchuan did have single combat trial arenas.
Her hypothesis had been correct.
The Nine Aspects of Cultivation—standard skill categories in the cultivation world—formed the structure of Zhenchuan’s 9999 levels.
Which meant each category had 1111 challenge variations.
Zhenchuan itself was a massive training gauntlet created by the Clearwater Sect, a question bank forged into reality.
Each level tested mastery of a different topic, arranged by difficulty from bottom to top.
The trials rotated yearly to ensure disciples never repeated content.
A truly obsessive team of test designers…
[Level 2798: If you call yourself a cultivator—stand your ground!]
[One-on-one Arena Rules: Fall down or off the platform and you lose. If one side admits defeat, the match ends immediately and the victor is forbidden from attacking further. Violation results in disqualification from future Zhenchuan trials of this type.]
Three versus three.
Soon, six beams of spiritual light fell in front of them.
Lin Shuang extended her hand.
A bamboo stick marked with a “1” appeared in her palm.
She sighed with relief.
Huangfu Yuan had drawn number two, Meng Zi number three.
Across from them, Chen Xingchuan’s group drew their corresponding sticks and stepped toward their designated arenas.
[Huh, the rules are the same as the solo arena duels in the Eastern Realm]
[Yeah—drawing lots to determine match-ups. No tailoring based on skill advantage. Very fair.]
The watching disciples began to murmur.
Lin Shuang approached the first platform, a spiraling vortex of spiritual energy swirling over her head.
[!]
[What’s her cultivation stage now?!]
[How would I know? We’re watching through projection—who can tell from this distance?]
She looked across the arena at Chen Xingchuan, sword in hand, and nodded politely.
Inside, her ninety-eight dantian were operating at full throttle.
The ninety-eighth had only just formed moments ago.
“Xiao Ai reminds you: Today’s hell-level sword training—30,000 swings—will begin in twelve breaths.”
“Commencing dantian inspection.”
“Single dantian: 100% activated, 100% stable. Inspection complete.”
“Dual dantian: 100% activated, 100% stable. Inspection complete.”
Lin Shuang’s eyes sparkled as the background music in her earpiece swelled.
Across the platform, Chen Xingchuan narrowed his gaze. Her aura twisted around her like a hundred strands of silk, swirling endlessly.
He tightened his grip on his sword.
Something about her didn’t make sense.
In the rest pavilion earlier, her absorption rate had already felt like a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
But now… she seemed even more saturated with energy, yet her core cultivation still felt like Qi Condensation stage 3.
Chen Xingchuan frowned.
On the second arena, Meng Zi glanced left toward Lin Shuang in concern.
“You’d better worry about yourself, Junior Brother Meng,” his opponent warned.
But Meng Zi didn’t seem to hear. He turned right instead.
There was Huangfu Yuan on the third platform—still coughing, unsteady.
Though he had reached Foundation Establishment Stage 3, his cultivation remained unstable, flickering between Stage 1 and Stage 3 like a candle in the wind.
Meng Zi frowned.
Both of them had… peculiar spiritual fluctuations.
“Junior Brother Meng! I’m your opponent!” his opponent roared in frustration.
Clang—
The sound of three blades unsheathing echoed simultaneously.
[The duel begins.]
In a flash, like ripples spreading over water, three figures surged toward Lin Shuang and her companions.
In a blink, Chen Xingchuan had already appeared before her.
“Junior Sister Lin. This is where it ends.”
His sword bore no embellishments, yet in that instant, a jet of water erupted from its tip, shooting from the ground and engulfing her whole.
[! Chen Xingchuan’s Water Spirit Sword technique—ninth level mastery?! His sword energy is practically tangible!]
[This is going to be a one-sided slaughter.]
[Sigh. Don’t you all know? Chen Xingchuan is the Ninth Adopted Son of Elder Chen. And what does Elder Chen teach?]
Swordsmanship.
Specifically, the Water Spirit Sword—the most widely studied sword technique in the Clearwater Sect.
It was available to both Inner and Outer Sect disciples.
But none could wield it as skillfully as Elder Chen’s direct disciples.
Chen Xingchuan had inherited the true form of the technique. His version was leagues beyond the norm.
“Junior Sister, let me show you today—”
His sword aura roared like a dragon. The water surged high, swallowing Lin Shuang entirely.
“—the true essence of the Water Spirit Sword—”
But before he could finish the sentence, droplets splattered from within the cascade.
This wasn’t actual water—it was sword qi given form. Each drop that touched skin would cut like a blade.
“When cultivated to its peak,” Chen Xingchuan said with a smile, “a single strike can lock the opponent’s body for half a breath.”
“In a duel, that half breath decides everything.”
But then, from within the torrent, came a quiet “Oh.”
“You’ve learned it well, Senior Brother,” Lin Shuang’s voice floated out, “but… it’s just not very efficient, is it?”
What?
Chen Xingchuan blinked, puzzled. He was about to respond—
When suddenly, between the watery sword lights, he glimpsed the phantom shape of a writhing water dragon—
Wait, not one—
His pupils dilated.
Hummm—no, multiple hums.
Lin Shuang swung her sword once. Her blade swept through the air, and—
Ninety-eight water dragons burst forth.
In an instant, she submerged him and his sword completely.
A single sword strike, mastered to perfection, could lock the body for half a breath.
But what if there were ninety-eight strikes at once?
“Dantian 1 to 98: one sword swing each. Total: ninety-eight swings completed,” chirped Xiao Ai’s sweet voice.
Boom—Chen Xingchuan, unable to believe it, burst his sword aura outward.
Just as he lifted his head, another ninety-eight sword strikes rained down.
“Total: 196 swings completed.”
He looked up again—ninety-eight more.
Then again—ninety-eight more.
“Total: 1,012 swings completed.”
“1,110 swings completed.”
…
“9,800 swings completed.”
Chen Xingchuan’s body froze midair.
Every time he broke free, a new wave of sword qi slammed into him. Again and again.
He was like a pile driver trapped in crashing waves, trembling nonstop under the bombardment.
His body would lock up, then get struck again.
Qi Condensation versus Foundation Establishment—normally it would just scratch the surface.
But nine thousand eight hundred consecutive, instant strikes?
Chen Xingchuan’s protective qi: –1 –1 –1 –1…
His shield cracked. His skin split.
Blood: –1 –1 –1 –1 –1…
He started losing blood!
“Just a little longer, Lin Shuang you’re doing great! Only twenty thousand swings left for today!”
“Two more sets of ten thousand swings to go~”
Chen Xingchuan: “!”
…
Why did this feel so familiar?
Dao Xi, rest in peace. Dao Dong, rest in peace. Chen Xingchuan is joining you!
…pfft.
Wait—are Outer Sect disciples all training like this?
Why does she strike ninety-eight times in one go? Why?!
No, look closely—her hands tremble ninety-eight times per breath.
She looks like ninety-eight Qi Condensation disciples moving at once!
…Is that even reasonable?
Yes, it is.
All ninety-eight of Lin Shuang’s dantians had learned the Water Spirit Sword technique.
Each dantian released a strike in turn—ninety-eight sword qi in one breath.
Other disciples need at least half a day to complete thirty thousand swings.
She was training at ninety-eight times the speed.
The benefit of developing nearly a hundred dantians was finally showing.
[Chen Xingchuan has lost over 30% of his blood!]
[Exceeding 60%—Zhenchuan’s protection protocol will activate and teleport him to the Healing Pavilion!]
Ripples began to form beneath him.
Chen Xingchuan was in disbelief.
What—was he really going to die like this, locked in place and bleeding from a flurry of sword strikes?
Even Lin Shuang was shocked. More so than him.
“What? Senior Brother, your HP is this low?”
Chen Xingchuan’s throat burned. His spiritual qi backfired.
He was so mad he could cough up blood.
…
Maybe we should just let her go to the 3000s already.
Yeah… if this continues, Inner Sect faces are going to be permanently plastered to the floor.
This is unbearable. An utter disgrace to Inner Sect sword cultivators.
Chen Xingchuan, just admit defeat—this is too humiliating!
Chen Xingchuan couldn’t hear the flood of brutal commentary from the projections.
But his lips trembled, filled with agony.
Was he really about to be teleported out?
“No…”
“I won’t…!”
He lifted his head in pain—and then a moan escaped his lips—
Wait, that wasn’t his voice!
He opened his eyes and saw a girl in green darting through a sea of sword qi, crimson ribbon fluttering as her sleeves whipped in the wind, rushing straight toward him.
“No! Don’t die, Senior Brother! Hold on!”
Three pills were flicked into his gaping mouth.
“I’ve still got twenty thousand sword swings left on today’s schedule!”
“Stay awake, Senior Brother! Hold on till I’m done—”
After the pills, she pressed hard on his philtrum.
Then another ten thousand swings came crashing down.
Would he be dead by the time she finished?
Pfff—
The restorative elixir melted in his mouth.
A massive mouthful of blood burst from his chest.
Earlier, someone said Inner Sect faces were stuck to the floor—
Correction: every Foundation Stage sword cultivator under Tier 4 is the floor now.
…
In the 6000th and 9000th layer projection courtyards, the disciples watching were completely stunned.
“What?! My Senior Sister is being challenged by Inner Sect disciples?!”
“Where? Which projection level? I just finished the ‘Do I Look Like I Care?’ trial—been in closed cultivation forever. Senior Brothers, anyone know? Please tell me.”
Zhao Keran came running into the 6000-layer Resting Courtyard, fresh from teleportation.
She’d been reassigned to help manage this level today, which was reportedly packed with seniors.
But she had zero interest in chores right now.
Hands weaving sword mudras and erhu patterns, feet moving with Dragonfly Steps and Floating Water Walk, she glided across the floor straight to a stunned cluster of high-ranking disciples.
The Inner Sect disciples: “…”
“Uh, Junior Sister, relax. Your Senior Sister won the fight,” said a fish-scaled Senior Brother kindly.
The Inner Sect group all turned away, unable to face this anymore.
Zhao Keran looked stunned. Then… disappointed.
“What?! I didn’t even catch my breath—rushed from the 800s to the 6000s—and she already won?”
“She beat an Inner Sect Senior Brother faster than I could teleport here…”
Inner Sect 6000 layer: “!”
Fish-scaled Senior Brother: “…!”
Little Junior Sister… maybe just teleport back down?
We’ll do the cleaning ourselves!
Lin Shuang was busy rescuing Chen Xingchuan while still swinging her sword.
Truly multitasking.
“So tired. I’m drained. You’re amazing, Senior Brother,” she said, giving him a thumbs up after a stick of incense passed.
Chen Xingchuan rolled his eyes. His sword heart shattered.
He collapsed backward.
Author’s Note:
Zhao Sect Master’s Diary 39:
“In critical moments, the protagonist always levels up, attaining supreme insight. Senior Sister says that’s how most stories are written. Cue a tragic childhood flashback if necessary.”
—Meng Zi: …I’ve flashbacked so much, I’m polished. Still no breakthrough.
—Huangfu Yuan: Makes sense. I feel it now.
—Meng Zi: …
See you tomorrow~