Chapter 126 - 123

Chapter 126: 123Under the pressure of time, Ye Xuan couldn’t continue to stay in the Secret Martial Pavilion, but fortunately, the Great Sword Scripture did not require Contribution Value to exchange, and the copy of the Great Sword Scripture on the bookshelf was the complete version, which could be directly borrowed and continued to be read. Outside the Secret Martial Pavilion. "You want to borrow this Great Sword Scripture?" The Guardian Elder, seeing the words "Great Sword Scripture" on the cover of the manual in his hands, was also startled, obviously not unfamiliar with this manual. "Uh-huh. What, is there a problem?" Ye Xuan frowned slightly. "There’s no problem," the Guardian Elder said kindly, "it’s just that this Great Sword Scripture has been in the Secret Martial Pavilion for many years. To tell the truth, I’ve looked through it dozens of times, and I can’t understand at all what it’s talking about. I advise you not to borrow it, lest you waste your time." Hearing this, Ye Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, glad that it wasn’t because he couldn’t borrow it, and then he smiled, "Elder, don’t worry about it. I’m just casually taking a look. As a young man, I have a bit of curiosity. Once I’ve satisfied my curiosity, I will return it." "Alright then, just take a look a few times and then give it back. You should focus more on things that are useful." Seeing that Ye Xuan couldn’t be persuaded, the Guardian Elder didn’t try to convince him any further. However, after agreeing, he still didn’t forget to remind him, afraid that Ye Xuan would neglect his cultivation of important matters. "Elder, rest assured, I know what’s important." Knowing that the other person meant well, Ye Xuan gave a faint smile and then bowed once more to the Guardian Elder before he finally walked out. "This lad shouldn’t waste his great talent. After all, he’s the guy who soaked in the Yang Yuan Pond for fifteen days, a talent that doesn’t come along for many years..." Watching Ye Xuan’s departing figure, the Guardian Elder shook his head. It was clear that he knew about Ye Xuan’s business. The latter was undoubtedly held in high hopes by the upper echelons of the Heavenly Martial Hall, and they naturally didn’t want Ye Xuan to engage in meaningless activities. What he didn’t know was that Ye Xuan had already understood the Great Sword Scripture, and he was taking it back to study it thoroughly, determined to dig out the three moves of Swordsmanship within it. If he succeeded, it would certainly not be a small improvement in strength. ... Outside in the courtyard, within a small grove. Ye Xuan held a wooden sword in his hand and made slashing gestures under the shade of the trees, executing sword movements. Operating the Spiritual Edge Sword required too much True Qi, and Ye Xuan wouldn’t use it lightly. Right now, he was only simulating the Swordsmanship and didn’t need to exert too much effort. The three moves of Swordsmanship within the Great Sword Scripture were not a complete set of Martial Arts. They were separate from each other without any connection. Presumably, they were insights that the master of the Great Sword Scripture had on the spot and then compiled into individual moves after practical combat, rather than a coherent sequence of three. After three or four days of continuous simulation, Ye Xuan gradually touched on the relatively easiest move to comprehend. This first move was named the Gale Blade. Swish! Ye Xuan’s figure moved, the sword following his motion, and the wooden sword in his hand drew several sharp blade lines in the air. As he executed the sword, it seemed to whip up a gust of wind. The sword blades, mingling with the wind, intensified in might, growing with the gale and fiercely sweeping out. Spurt spurt spurt! The sword blades fell among the grove in front of him, instantly leaving behind sharp cuts, as leaves rustled and fluttered down. Crack! At the same time, the wooden sword in Ye Xuan’s hand also suddenly developed a crack and then shattered into pieces at a speed visible to the naked eye, becoming a pile of broken wood. "The wooden sword has limited endurance. If it were the Spiritual Edge Sword, the power would likely have been extraordinary. This Great Sword Scripture is indeed unfathomable." Ye Xuan had only just started practicing the simplest of the three moves of Swordsmanship, and the power was already so astonishing. The other two moves were bound to be even more sharp. It was just that Ye Xuan hadn’t yet grasped the essence of them. However, Ye Xuan didn’t plan to aim too high. Understanding the Great Sword Scripture wasn’t something that could be achieved overnight. Since the Great Sword Scripture had been in the Secret Martial Pavilion for so long and no one cared about it, he might as well keep it with him for now, perhaps he could comprehend a move or half when inspiration struck. For the time being, it was enough to practice well this first move. Just this one move, the Gale Blade, Ye Xuan was only just getting started, and mastering it perfectly would not be easy. In such diligent Cultivation, the end of the month quickly came, and it was time to go out and take on missions. As a disciple of the Heavenly Martial Hall, one must complete a certain amount of training missions every quarter. Of course, depending on the difficulty, training missions were also graded. Less challenging missions required a higher number of completions, while more difficult ones didn’t need as many, ultimately granting more Contribution Value as a reward. There were many types of Sect training missions, and disciples could often choose suitable tasks according to their abilities. Before accepting the task, Ye Xuan had to make a trip to the Yin Hall; he ought to visit Tang Xiaoyan. He had promised to visit her when he first joined, but had delayed the trip for quite a while. Although there were genuine reasons for not having the time, now that he was about to leave on a mission, it was only natural to check in on her, especially since he couldn’t guarantee a quick return upon departing. The location of the Yin Hall lay to the northwest of the Heavenly Martial Hall, directly opposite the Yang Hall, facing from north to south. Due to its orientation and topography, the temperature here was vastly different from the Yang Hall, pervaded by a cold and chilly aura. The cultivation techniques and martial arts practiced by the disciples of the Yang Hall were often of a supremely yang and rigid nature, whereas those of the Yin Hall tended toward the yin and gentle. This also meant that most of the disciples in the Yin Hall were women, with very few male disciples. After entering the perimeter of the Yin Hall, Ye Xuan occasionally saw groups of three to five female disciples along the way. They were graceful and attractive, and perhaps because of their cultivation methods, even though they did not dress intentionally for beauty, most of the female disciples had skin as clear as ice and bones as smooth as jade. Even those who weren’t inherently stunning were all quite beautiful and appeared pure and fresh. Ye Xuan’s arrival naturally drew some attention. However, after seeing the attire of the Yang Hall disciple that Ye Xuan wore, most of the attention shifted away. The Yang Hall was the least prestigious of the four halls, and its disciples were considered the poorest in quality, naturally failing to draw their interest. Ye Xuan, of course, didn’t bother with the shift in attention; he wasn’t here to flirt or to look for a partner. How these female disciples viewed him was of little concern. Crossing the suspension bridges that connected the peaks, Ye Xuan, after some asking around, finally arrived at the residence of the new disciples of the Yin Hall. Similar to the Yang Hall, this batch of new Yin Hall disciples was also collectively arranged to live on a particular peak, while the outer sect disciples resided midway up the mountain. After quite a bit of effort, Ye Xuan finally found Tang Xiaoyan’s residence. At the doorstep, he saw that familiar and long-missed silhouette. "Big Brother Ye Xuan!" At first, Tang Xiaoyan merely glanced over unintentionally and didn’t take much notice. However, as she looked back, she suddenly recognized Ye Xuan, and immediately, a hint of surprise and joy surfaced on her lovely face. "I’m sorry, I should have come to find you earlier." A hint of apology appeared on Ye Xuan’s face. He should have visited as he had promised upon joining, but one thing had led to another at that time, and he had put it off until he could finally make time now. "It’s alright. Big Brother Ye Xuan, this must be your first time visiting the Yin Hall, right? Let me show you around first." Tang Xiaoyan seemed very happy; from seemingly sulking just moments ago, any remnants of moroseness on her face dissipated in an instant. "Sure." Ye Xuan nodded, yet even though Tang Xiaoyan hid it well, he still saw a trace of irritation on her face. Moreover, she seemed much thinner than when she had first joined. He could guess that something must have happened to Tang Xiaoyan in this period, that she had been mistreated in some way. However, as she was currently in high spirits, Ye Xuan didn’t bring it up right then. He would find an opportunity to ask her about it later. The scenery of the Yin Hall was indeed much more beautiful than that of the Yang Hall. After a leisurely stroll, Ye Xuan felt as if his horizons had broadened. However, he didn’t entirely focus on the scenery, as his mind was still preoccupied with the recent matter. "You must have something you want to tell me." Seeing that Tang Xiaoyan did not seem inclined to speak up, Ye Xuan furrowed his brow. It seemed if he didn’t ask, she wouldn’t volunteer any information. "Something to say?" Upon hearing that, Tang Xiaoyan’s expression shifted slightly, a flicker of light passing through her eyes before she shook her head with a radiant smile, "No... nothing at all." "Really?" Ye Xuan’s frown deepened. What could it be that made Tang Xiaoyan so secretive, unwilling to share it with him? "Ah? Isn’t this my Little Yan sister? How coincidental..." Just as Ye Xuan decided not to pursue the questioning any further, suddenly, an effeminate and weird voice reached them from ahead, prompting Ye Xuan to look up. In front of him, several men and women approached, the one leading them dressed in red. Indeed, the person was male, but he wore a thick layer of makeup and even lipstick, appearing somewhat androgynous. "Wen Ziyu? It’s you." Upon seeing the youth in red, Tang Xiaoyan’s face paled suddenly. She clenched her lips and grabbed onto Ye Xuan’s sleeve, clearly frightened by the red-clothed youth. Ye Xuan, upon hearing the red-robed youth’s intimate address of Tang Xiaoyan as "my Little Yan sister," couldn’t help but frown. The pet name was overly familiar, but given Tang Xiaoyan’s reaction, he instantly understood that the feelings were probably one-sided. "Little Yan sister, have you made up your mind about dual cultivating with me?" Wen Ziyu ignored Ye Xuan’s presence, his gaze fixed on Tang Xiaoyan, an unambiguous playfulness in his eyes. "I... I refuse." Tang Xiaoyan, holding onto Ye Xuan’s hand, hesitated for a moment before finally mustering up some courage to respond. "Refuse? For a mere outer sect disciple like you, dual cultivating with me is an honor. You don’t have a choice in this matter." Wen Ziyu sneered and began to advance towards Tang Xiaoyan. His behavior immediately caused her to turn pale with fear. However, just as Wen Ziyu was about to reach her, suddenly, a lean figure stepped in front of her, and from his mouth, floated a calm and light voice, "Freak, back off."