Chapter 97

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Chapter 97: Mu Qian’s Invitation

In the quiet room of Moonlight Courtyard,

Ming He sat cross-legged, her breath steady and her mind focused. A white mist enveloped her, and her long, rhythmic breaths hinted at an impending breakthrough in her cultivation.

"Boom!"

Ming He tilted her head slightly, as if hearing the thunderous roar of her inner spiritual energy breaking through barriers. The Eighth Level of the Dust Dispersal stage had been achieved effortlessly, a testament to her relentless training over the past two months.

With a serene expression, she rose slowly and stepped out of the quiet room, her gaze distant. Qin Chu Yi had been gone for two months now. Ming He wondered what troubles had befallen her family and whether she might be in danger.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, Ming He pressed her lips together, recognizing the emotion stirring within her as worry. But what use was worry?

She let out a bitter laugh and clenched her fists. From Qi Refinement to the Dust Dispersal stage, she had taken only three years—a feat that marked her as an extraordinary genius among the human race. Yet, it still wasn’t enough.

Every encounter along her journey had underscored her weakness, reminding her time and again that she had always been shielded by others.

She despised this reliance. She yearned to stand on her own, to bear the weight of the world herself.

With this resolve, Ming He tightened her fists further. She cast a lingering glance at the snowflakes dancing in the courtyard before retreating to the quiet room and closing the door behind her. Channeling her Star Power, she activated the Star Technique and resumed her cultivation.

The technique she had acquired from the Star Lock was profoundly mysterious. Even at the Third Level, it had already brought her immense surprises.

She eagerly anticipated the rewards of mastering it to its peak.

Amid the swirling white mist, starlight shimmered. As Ming He closed her eyes to meditate, she felt a faint movement from the purple storage pouch at her waist. But when she glanced down after reaching the Fourth Level of Star Lock, she saw that the little beast, Chirp Chirp, still lay quietly inside, its breathing steady and in harmony with the Great Path’s rhythm.

After a moment of pondering the little fellow’s origins, Ming He’s eyes gleamed as she retrieved a jade slip. It was the earth-level secret technique for soul mastery—the Ghostly Sword—which she had obtained from the Domain Lord’s mansion in the Eastern Region.

She had attempted to cultivate it before but had struggled to grasp its intricacies. This technique far surpassed the God-Breaking Spike in both power and complexity. Yet, after her trials in the Deep Sea ancient palace, Ming He felt she was now ready to master it.

The jade slip bore few words, but within those sparse lines, a small world seemed to unfold—a realm detached from the Tianwu Continent, a world of soul mastery.

Ming He narrowed her eyes as her consciousness delved deeper. The Ghostly Sword, a soul mastery technique. The term "Ghostly" did not refer to the underworld but rather to the understanding and insight into the mysterious and supernatural.

Secret techniques of soul mastery.

Ming He repeated these words inwardly, gathering her soul power. Recalling her initial experiences with the God-Breaking Spike, her mind cleared, and she felt her soul power being drawn by an invisible force, twisting and coalescing into the shape of a sword.

Was this… the form of a white long sword?

Ming He’s breath hitched as she remembered her first true sword, the one she had earned as a reward for winning the outer sect grand competition at Liu Yun Sect. Though it was of modest quality, it had carried her from the confines of Liu Yun to a broader world, revealing the true nature of this realm.

That sword had held profound significance for her, and she remembered it vividly. She could still recall the pang of loss when it shattered—a fleeting emotion during a life-and-death moment.

She remembered clearly: the white long sword had been broken outside Ding Kang City in the Eighth State, shattered by the black wolf of the Demon Race. She never expected to see it again, yet here it was, reborn in her Sea of Souls. The soul sword lacked color, but its patterns and length were identical.

Ming He reached out with her consciousness in the Sea of Souls and grasped the sword. It trembled faintly, almost as if it were the same blade.

She didn’t understand why, but it didn’t dampen the joy rising in her heart. “From now on, your name shall be Ghostly,” she declared, born of the ghostly realm and destined to fight for it.

“Clang!”

The sword named Ghostly quivered slightly, sending a bright light to Ming He. As the light expanded, she felt a surge of swordsmanship aura radiating from her, the Ninth Level Sword Intent seeming to pierce the heavens within the confines of the small quiet room.

The gifts bestowed upon her by the Soul Mastery Baptism in the Deep Sea ancient palace were immense, elevating not only her cultivation but also her swordsmanship realm.

Ming He concealed the Ghostly Soul Sword deep within her Sea of Souls, then sat cross-legged and retrieved another jade slip. This was the one her Master, Qu Lingyun, had given her two months ago when she visited Liu Yun Sect with Qin Chu Yi. It contained the insights her Master had accumulated over a lifetime of swordsmanship.

This wasn’t her first time meditating on the jade slip. She had previously sought clarification from her Master’s wife, Wang Xue, the leader of Snowfall Peak and Qu Yanran’s mother, regarding some of its passages.

As she thought of this, Ming He’s gaze softened. Her Master’s wife was a gentle yet resilient cultivator. Even upon their first meeting, Ming He had sensed that her grace rivaled that of her Master.

She inquired of her Master’s wife about the method to form a sword domain, the fourth realm of Swordsmanship. Having already grasped the Ninth Level Sword Intent, she naturally sought to ascend to a higher realm of Swordsmanship.

Yet, it was exceedingly difficult. She had no inkling of how to proceed and was uncertain of what a sword domain truly entailed.

Her Master’s wife explained that a domain for a sword cultivator is akin to a miniature world, where the sword domain serves as the foundation, creating a unique realm for the sword-wielder. Within this realm, the sword cultivator reigns supreme.

But how could she forge a world that was uniquely hers, a world of Swordsmanship?

Ming He frowned, her mind still blank. Clutching the black bone book, she naturally thought of Nineteen, who had mentioned that the Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Array was an ancient technique passed down from antiquity, where a sword cultivator embodies the array, wielding a single sword to defend the mountains and rivers, embodying the solitary courage of one against a thousand.

The Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Array.

Ming He rose slowly, drawing the Blue Sea Sword. In a swift motion, she found herself at the center of Moonlight Courtyard. Snowflakes alighted on her shoulders, creating a striking contrast of blue and white, an unparalleled elegance.

Yang Light, Kai Yang, Yu Heng, Tian Quan, Tian Ji, Tian Xuan, Tian Shu—these were the complete forms of the Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Technique, all of which she had comprehended in the Deep Sea ancient palace.

With a flick of her wrist, the sword tip danced, the sword intent enveloping the space around her. The sword moved like a silken ribbon amidst the sparkling starlight.

Her gaze sharp, she looked ahead, her form shifting as she wielded the starry curtain. Under the moonlight, the sword gleamed alongside the stars, a beautiful dance. Yet, there was no audience, and no new insights were gained.

Ming He sheathed her sword and, looking up, saw a vine trellis swaying in the wind at the edge of her vision, utterly bare. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and a wave of boredom washed over her.

“Flap, flap!” A sudden sound, like a small bird flapping its wings, broke the silence, starkly out of place.

Ming He looked up to see a small paper crane struggling against the wind and snow, circling her before landing beside her right hand.

It resembled the paper crane she had received from Qin Chu Yi, but Ming He knew that in the cultivation world, transmission paper cranes were all crafted this way, using special techniques to carry messages. Their sole purpose was to convey voice, only lingering to speak in front of the aura set by the sender, preventing the chance of being overheard midway.

Ming He reached out to grasp the little paper crane, curiosity flickering in her eyes. The crane was delicately made, yet its value was significant; she didn’t recognize anyone who could afford to send her a paper crane for messages.

“Ming He, my Friend, I am Mu Qian. I don’t know if you have some free time recently. A few days ago, I received a true inheritance task that requires a team to complete. If you have some time, I humbly request you to come to Chiyu Peak.” The warm voice of the young man emanated from the paper crane.

After a few breaths, Ming He thought through Mu Qian’s identity before narrowing her eyes. A team task?

She recalled the last time she had met Mu Qian at Bailu Village and their encounter with the skeleton demon. Though Bailu Village and the demon were ultimately destroyed, the elders deemed the task as completed after evaluation, and Mu Qian had shared half of the contribution points with her.

Though not a large amount, Ming He recognized Mu Qian, remembering the youth’s determination during their fight in Mo Ze City. Her heart stirred faintly.

Ming He glanced around the courtyard, already having made her decision. After a moment’s hesitation, she took out a piece of bamboo paper and simply wrote down her whereabouts. She placed it on the stone table in Qin Chu Yi’s room, then swiftly emerged from the courtyard and identified the direction of Chiyu Peak amid the fluttering snowflakes, rushing forward.

Chiyu Peak was one of the Nine Floating Cloud Peaks, and unlike Snowfall Peak, which was perpetually covered in snow, Chiyu Peak had a warmer climate, complementing its name.

Ming He casually swept her gaze over the surrounding scenery and followed the flight direction of the little paper crane to a quiet, serene courtyard where she spotted Mu Qian. The young man, dressed in white, was standing in the yard polishing his sword, the blade glinting with a sharp light, resembling a blade stained with blood—quite a contrast to his calm and warm demeanor.

“Mu Qian, Senior Brother.” Ming He murmured softly as she stood beside the open courtyard gate, a gentle smile on her face.

“Ming He, Junior Sister, you’re here!” Mu Qian exclaimed with delight upon seeing her, sheathing his long sword and gesturing for her to come in.

Ming He nodded slightly and sat next to him. “Senior Brother Mu Qian, you invited me through the transmission paper crane. I am happy to accept the invitation. Can you tell me more about the team task mentioned in the paper crane?”

“It’s not exactly a team task; it’s more of a joint exploration.” Mu Qian’s expression was calm as he poured a cup of wine from a jug and placed it on the stone table before Ming He. “This is a brew made by the chief disciple of Spirit Wine Peak recently. It’s rich and mild with a long aftertaste, like a cultivator stepping onto the Great Path, filled with endless mysteries. Please, give it a taste.”

He watched Ming He raise the jade cup, a faint smile playing on his lips. “After recovering from my injuries in Mo Ze City, I didn’t return to the sect right away. I spent some time training outside and, by chance, recently broke through to Dust Dispersal Stage Six. I didn’t expect I still wouldn’t reach your level, Junior Sister.”

Mu Qian’s smile was gentle, and he appeared genuinely without envy, only expressing a sense of bittersweet reflection. “While I was training outside, I unintentionally discovered an ancestral cave dwelling, likely a place of inheritance. However, I couldn’t break the cave’s restrictions alone and didn’t want to alarm the sect’s elders, which is why I came to invite you.”

“Senior Brother Mu Qian wants me to help break the restrictions of the cave?” Ming He felt a hint of doubt. Any cave related to inheritance would be extraordinary, and the restrictions would naturally not be typical. Even with her recent breakthrough to the Eighth Level of Dust Dispersal stage, she couldn’t guarantee she would succeed in breaking them.

Moreover, Mu Qian didn’t know her cultivation progress when he sent the paper crane.

“Of course, you’re not the only one.” Mu Qian smiled, his eyes twinkling with warmth. “I also invited Senior Brothers and Sisters from other peaks, all near the Wind Master realm, so there will be about ten of us within Floating Clouds.”

Though he didn’t directly say the implication, Ming He understood in an instant. Everyone else was near the Wind Master realm, except for Mu Qian and her. Yet Mu Qian was the one who discovered the inheritance cave, while she was just an outsider.

Could it be that he had the connections from Bailu Village and Mo Ze City, hoping to offer her an opportunity?

Ming He thought this while lowering her gaze to hide the emotions in her eyes. “When do we depart?”

For an ancestral inheritance cave, she didn’t lack for teachings or techniques. Still, having been cooped up in Moonlight Courtyard, she felt a bit restless and thought it wouldn’t hurt to go out and explore.

“In five days,” Mu Qian replied, a deep look hidden in his eyes as he lowered his gaze.