Chapter 17

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Chapter 17: Three Months Later

Qin Chu Yi gazed at Ming He, who had slightly bowed her head, her expression growing colder. "I came to find you because there’s something important."

She walked over and sat in the seat beside where Su Cheng Feng had been. "In two months, I will take you to a place, Junior Sister Ming He. It is time for you to fulfill your promise."

Fulfill a promise?

Ming He was momentarily stunned as she realized she seemed to owe Qin Chu Yi a favor.

"Where are we going? What do you want me to do, Sister Qin?" Ming He asked earnestly.

This matter was serious, and she had to ask clearly; otherwise, if she carelessly lost her life, she wouldn’t have a third chance.

"You will know when the time comes." Qin Chu Yi’s eyes flickered, her expression mysterious. "It’s dangerous there, so in these two months, you need to focus on your cultivation and improve your strength to increase your chances of survival."

Very dangerous?

Ming He’s heart sank as she finally understood that what Qin Chu Yi wanted her to do could indeed test the limits of life and death.

She lowered her head, feeling heavy-hearted, regretting her reckless wandering.

If she had simply returned directly to her courtyard after training instead of running about, she wouldn’t be facing yet another life-threatening concern now.

Ming He recognized that ultimately, it was still a matter of strength; if she were strong enough, she could roam freely in the world.

"What I need you to do is very important to me, more important than my own life," Qin Chu Yi said, a barely perceptible bitterness in her voice. "But if you are unwilling, I will not force you."

"If you don’t want to, I won’t blame you; our agreement from that day can be set aside," Qin Chu Yi said, looking at the girl in blue with a gloomy expression. "I am giving you a chance to choose."

She remembered Ming He’s determination in the life-and-death arena, the moment during the outer sect grand competition when her sword light shone brightly, and how she had appeared calm yet flustered at their first meeting.

Ming He was the first person she met after coming to the Liu Yun Sect, and in her, she saw hope for the future and a fighting spirit. That’s why she wanted to give her a chance to choose for herself.

But what would she do if Ming He chose to refuse? Could she truly remain indifferent, without blame or anger?

She didn’t know.

Qin Chu Yi’s gaze deepened; this was the only glimpse of hope she had seen since birth. If Ming He rejected her, would she truly let her go?

Qin Chu Yi quietly sat in place, waiting for the response from the girl across from her. For the first time, she felt torn inside; her noble family pride was not lacking.

"I’m giving you a chance to choose," her cold voice echoed in the air. Ming He looked up at her but saw nothing but the same calm and distant demeanor, still as aloof as ever, and seemingly out of reach.

Could she refuse?

She felt tempted; compared to the unknown dangers, staying in the Liu Yun Sect to cultivate was clearly the safer path—any fool would know which option to choose.

Ming He wasn’t a fool, and she indeed wanted to refuse, but could she really bring herself to do so?

She glanced at Qin Chu Yi again. The woman in white sat gracefully in her stone chair, appearing somewhat approachable at this moment.

However, Ming He clearly understood that she was not approachable at all. Born into a prestigious family, some traits were ingrained and not easily changed, such as pride, dignity, and a resolute nature that brooked no contradictions.

Ming He glanced at the young man standing motionless at the courtyard entrance, resembling a stone statue, and inwardly smiled wryly. How could things remain peaceful?

She lowered her head to conceal her emotions, and when she lifted it again, her expression had shifted to one of determination. "Sister Qin, a gentleman’s word is as uncatchable as a four-horse chariot. Though I may not be a gentleman, I stand by my words. Since I promised to help you, I will not refuse, no matter what it is."

If she could not evade the responsibility, she would strive to maximize the benefits.

With a resolute commitment to risk her life to gain the favor of a Young Master from a prominent family and… the hidden advantages she could not yet see.

Ming He had spent over twenty years in her previous life fighting and struggling; she may not have achieved greatness, but she was well-versed in the ways of the world.

"Alright." Qin Chu Yi showed neither excitement nor overwhelming gratitude. Her expression remained calm, as if she had heard nothing. She simply nodded and stood up. "I’ll come find you in two months."

After saying this, Qin Chu Yi rose and walked toward the courtyard exit. Upon seeing the vast blue sky and bright white clouds, she paused, reconsidering. "Let’s make it three months." One month might change a lot.

"After three months, I will come to find you." She knew Ming He had just returned from the library and had received the reward for placing first in the outer sect grand competition.

The white figure gradually faded from Ming He’s sight. She glanced around the empty courtyard, feeling a weight in her heart. The two months had changed to three; Qin Chu Yi was using her actions to warn her just how dangerous this unknown journey was, but she had no choice in the matter.

Ming He looked up at the deep blue sky and walked into the quiet room in the courtyard, sitting cross-legged to begin her cultivation.

The sky was so blue, the clouds so beautiful, and the future so long; she didn’t want to die just yet.

The Liu Yun Technique was the foundational technique of the Liu Yun Sect, created by the founding ancestor Liu Yunzi. It was said that during a life-and-death duel, Liu Yunzi gained enlightenment from the flowing clouds in the sky, and in a moment of desperation, he killed his enemy and advanced in his cultivation, leading to the birth of the Liu Yun Technique.

The flowing clouds eternally drift in time and space, being both gentle and powerful, known as Liu Yun.

At this moment, as Ming He sat cross-legged, she silently recited the essentials of the Liu Yun Technique, repeatedly recalling the sensations she felt during the outer sect grand competition, that life-and-death moment, making her feel the spiritual energy flowing smoothly within her.

The Liu Yun Technique and the Liu Yun Sword Art complemented and enhanced each other. Having comprehended the essence of the Liu Yun Sword Art, she had naturally entered the realm of the Complete Volume of Liu Yun Technique. Therefore, continuing to explore the deeper mysteries based on the lower volume was indeed efficient.

Ming He felt the spiritual energy operating within her form a system, knowing she had passed the initial stage of the techniques. Afterward, it would be a matter of following the steps to enhance her cultivation.

Follow the steps? Ming He smiled faintly, rejecting that term. She didn’t like it; moving step by step wasn’t suitable for her. Besides, reality wouldn’t allow her to proceed methodically.

After concluding her technique transformation, Ming He took out a small porcelain bottle from her white cloud-shaped storage ring, shaking it curiously, hearing no sound.

She reached out, twisted off the bottle cap, and brought it close to her nose, detecting no smell, but the rich spiritual energy subtly stirred her cultivation bottleneck.

Without hesitation, Ming He lifted the small porcelain bottle and tilted her head back to swallow the drop of liquid inside. It was the Essence Liquid, one of the rewards for her first place in the outer sect grand competition, refined by a Human King realm expert. It could propel her from the Qi Refining stage directly to the Spirit Guiding stage.

"Boom—"

Almost the moment she swallowed the Essence Liquid, Ming He felt a massive wave of spiritual energy surge into her body, crashing through her meridians, repeatedly trying to break through the barrier of the Spirit Guiding stage.

The barrier crumbled effortlessly before the overwhelming spiritual energy, quietly receding—Spirit Guiding stage!

Ming He sensed that the spiritual energy was still strong and unyielding, and a wave of joy surged in her heart. She directed the spiritual energy according to the flow of the Liu Yun Technique she had just comprehended, controlling it for her own use.

Outside, the clouds drifted slowly, while inside the courtyard, the girl’s aura was as soft yet powerful as the clouds themselves, with the shifting clouds reflecting the interplay of heaven and earth.

Two months later, Ming He opened her eyes, her gaze calm like the sea. As she retracted her aura, it became peaceful, with her sharpness concealed within, like a treasured sword sheathed.

Spirit Guiding stage three!

Indeed, those with ample cultivation resources could easily outshine those struggling without a background.

A drop of Essence Liquid could elevate her from Qi Refining directly to Spirit Guiding. Although she had already reached the Spirit Guiding stage prior to taking it, reaching the third level on her own would not have been achievable in just two months without the Essence Liquid’s assistance.

Cultivating through the nine realms became increasingly difficult. By relying solely on her own efforts, she estimated it would take at least six months.

Ming He pondered this and silently thanked Wang Feilong. If he hadn’t decided to challenge her, the Essence Liquid would have been beyond her reach.

Spirit Guiding stage three; next would be her strength.

Ming He stood up, took her white long sword, and stepped out of the quiet room. Suddenly, she remembered the cold and unique expression on the face of the woman in white when she had said, "Three months."

Three months.

In the courtyard just a wall away, Qin Chu Yi gazed at the sun high in the sky. The sunlight bathed the courtyard, the branches of the large trees extending out to block some of the heat, creating a dappled, enchanting scene.

"Clang—"

The sound of the sword unsheathing broke the silence, accompanied by the chirping of cicadas from the treetops. Ming He leaped into the sunlight, her toes lightly touching the ground, her movements fluid as her sword cut through the air, sending waves of sword energy throughout the courtyard.

Rising Cloud Slash, Returning Cloud Slash, Turning Cloud Hook, Azure Cloud Stab, Cloud Splitting Slash, Soaring Cloud Crash, Nebula Point, Thousand Cloud Plain.

Liu Yun!

Ming He practiced the sword techniques she had already mastered again and again, her eyes shining bright as she focused on the direction of her sword tip, the sword energy soaring as she moved gracefully within a small space, her blue clothes fluttering in the wind.

The difference between the Basic Liu Yun Sword Technique and the Liu Yun Sword Art was simply the addition of the word ‘Basic’; the basics were the sword techniques, while a profound understanding represented the essence of those techniques.

Ming He’s understanding of the essence of Liu Yun had been evolving continuously since the life-and-death fight in the outer sect grand competition. Perhaps in terms of talent, she was not particularly outstanding, but in terms of comprehension, Ming He shone brilliantly.

Thus, in just a few days, Ming He was already able to wield the Liu Yun Sword Art with ease, as both complemented and communicated with each other.

Seven days later, as Ming He sheathed her sword and calmed the stirring sword energy within her, she took out the Phantom Steps, a technique she had exchanged for with her disciple token.

Phantom Steps, as the name implies, are steps as elusive as a ghost, with mysterious movements that defy logic, lightweight and soundless, capable of attacking as well as evading. It was the most difficult innate footwork Ming He had seen in the library.

It was considered difficult to cultivate because its essence was hard to grasp. Strictly speaking, the footwork belonged to the dark element, appearing incongruent with the shining and upright sword cultivators.

But Ming He had taken a liking to it at first glance, just like how she was drawn to the Flickering Light; the desire and restlessness from deep within her soul ultimately led her to follow her own heart’s choice.

Following the incantations and illustrations on the jade slip, Ming He attempted to step forward and found it flowed naturally and smoothly, contrary to its reputation of being a challenging innate footwork. It felt easier to practice than her previous earthbound Rotating Cloud Steps.

Intent followed action. Ming He imagined the ghostly, stealthy movement of the Phantom Steps, executing them seamlessly. In just a few steps, she successfully grasped the technique, a sense of accomplishment rising within her; she entered the first stage at once.

Why? Could it be that repeatedly merging her soul had increased her comprehension?

Ming He recalled what was often mentioned in cultivation novels and silently speculated, then quickly dismissed the idea.

She wasn’t entirely sure about her own soul, but she completely rejected the thought that Su Ming He’s original soul would be of any help to her.

If it wasn’t a matter of the soul, then it must be her attributes.

Ming He smiled subtly, her Peach Blossom Eyes filled with a gentle yet cold expression. The Phantom Steps belonged to the dark element; perhaps in terms of attributes, it resonated well with her.