Proofreader & Editor: Lotas
The so-called Sword Intent refers to the profound understanding one gains from the sword techniques when practiced to a certain level, a unique "intent" that belongs to the practitioner.
Generally, Basalt cultivators only grasp Sword Intent after reaching the Celestial Man realm, and some may not even comprehend it at that stage.
But there are always exceptions. In this world, there are those with exceptional talent, comprehension, and bloodline who can grasp their own Sword Intent in the Spirit Platform realm.
Thus, there's a saying that once a Spirit Platform realm cultivator forms their Sword Intent, it's as if they have one foot in the Celestial Man realm.
And those who achieve this invariably become powerhouses!
"Am I I I I I seeing things?" Brother Zhenghua's eyes widened in shock, his speech jumbled, "She she she she…"
Sister Yujun felt her scalp tingle, "My goodness! She's not even twenty, right?"
The impact on Luxianghui was even more profound.
In that moment, his mind went blank, with only one thought remaining: Brother Lexian，damn…
The Sword Intent swept across the sky like ripples on autumn water.
In the blink of an eye, the sword light, filled with indescribable intent, traversed several meters, as effortlessly as ripples spread across the surface of a lake, reaching Brother Lexian in no time.
A terrifying sense of impending doom surged over Brother Lexian, causing his scalp to numb and his body to tremble uncontrollably.
It's over!
His heart filled with dread, he frantically circulated his Xuan Qi, wielding the mid-grade spirit sword Yuanshui Sword with all his might, attempting to defend.
However, Sword Intent, so revered by sword practitioners, was not so easily countered.
Almost at the moment when the Yuanshui Sword Intent touched the Yuanshui Sword, the formidable force exploded like a volcanic eruption, striking directly onto the sword in his hand.
"Pfft~"
His body shuddered, and he uncontrollably spat out a mouthful of blood.
At the same time, he was sent flying backward like a cannonball, crashing into the Sunning Turtle Platform behind him.
With a loud "bang," the Sunning Turtle Platform shattered instantly.
Brother Lexian trembled, spitting out another mouthful of blood, his clothes dyed a bright red.
But it wasn't over yet.
In the sky, the shattered Sword Intent didn't completely dissipate but turned into countless fine sword shadows, raining down on Brother Lexian.
The fierce wind howled, and the sword shadows fell like rain, almost completely enveloping Brother Lexian.
It's over!
A trace of despair flashed in Brother Lexian's eyes.
Having suffered severe internal injuries, he found it difficult to even move, let alone dodge the incoming sword rain.
If struck by the sword rain, he wouldn't die, but he would likely be bedridden for three to five years, and by then, not only would his status as a direct disciple be in jeopardy, but he might also lose his position as the core number one.
"Sister! Miss Liyao! Spare him!"
Seeing this, Brother Zhenghua and Sister Yujun were also anxious.
Although they disliked Brother Lexian, they certainly didn't want to see him crippled. At such a time, if there was a chance, they would still try to save him.
However, everything happened too quickly, and they were unprepared and too far from the battlefield to intervene in time.
Just as Brother Lexian was about to be completely engulfed by the sword rain.
Suddenly.
A water-colored radiance appeared on the lake's surface.
Carrying a surging force from afar, it swiftly arrived beside Brother Lexian, forming a water-colored shield made of spiritual water energy to protect him.
The sword shadows fell like raindrops on the shield, shattering upon impact as if hitting an iron wall.
Moments later, the sword shadows dissipated, but the shield remained as solid as ever.
Everyone's hearts, which had been in their throats, unconsciously relaxed.
At the same time, a figure flickered in mid-air, and a person floated down, landing in front of Brother Lexian.
This figure appeared to be an elder, with a dignified and authoritative look, dressed in a sky-blue robe embroidered with the emblem of the Yuanshui Heavenly Lake lineage, clearly an elder of the Yuanshui Heavenly Lake.
With his arrival, a surging pressure spread out like a tidal wave.
Everyone's expressions turned solemn, even Wang Liyao, who had descended from mid-air, stopped her attack.
Recognizing the newcomer, Brother Lexian felt a sense of relief as if he had escaped death, and quickly struggled to stand up and salute, "Greets Ancestor Grandfather."
"How many times have I told you, you must call me Elder within the academy," the elder dressed in Yuanshui attire frowned slightly, displeased, "Lexian, what happened? How could you brawl with your fellow disciples and end up in such a sorry state?"
"Elder Shang, the situation is like this…"
Brother Lexian's face paled, and he quickly bowed his head and explained.
"Elder Shang is here," Brother Zhenghua's face changed slightly, "This is bad, that young girl is probably going to suffer."
Sister Yujun also showed a worried look, "Elder Shang is known to be strict and protective of his own. I hope that girl has a strong enough backing."
Aside from the two of them, who dared to whisper a few words, the rest of the ordinary disciples, even the outstanding ones, were silent as cicadas, not daring to utter a word.
Although everyone was nominally a disciple of the Yuanshui lineage, most of the teachings and guidance were provided by the elders.
These elders, who were once the elite core disciples of the academy, would be assigned various positions if they had no hope of advancing to the Purple Mansion realm after reaching two hundred years old. Some stayed as elders in the academy, while others carried out tasks outside.
Moreover, most elders held various powers. After all, with so many disciples in the academy and usually only one Purple Mansion cultivator per lineage, who had the time and effort to manage and teach all the disciples?
While everyone was anxious, Elder Shang had already finished listening to Brother Lexian's report.
His face darkened like water as he stared at Wang Liyao, "You have quite the nerve, not only daring to secretly learn our Yuanshui lineage's techniques but also being so ruthless towards a fellow academy disciple."
Wang Liyao frowned slightly and retorted coldly, "Elder Shang, are you planning to convict me without understanding the situation? It was Brother Lexian who caused trouble and bullied a junior…"
"Silence! It's not your place to teach me how to handle matters," Elder Shang's aura intensified as he sharply interrupted, "If you have anything to say, save it for the academy's Enforcement Hall. Won't you surrender now, or do you want me to take action myself?"
"Tch!" Wang Liyao pursed her lips in dissatisfaction, "Birds of a feather, just like those popular stories, the old come after the young. No wonder Brother Lexian is so arrogant; he has someone to back him up. This Yuanshui lineage, heh, I'm somewhat disappointed…"
She had come in disguise to see the true state of the Yuanshui Heavenly Lake lineage, after all, this was where she would live and cultivate for a long time. Unfortunately, although she was quite satisfied at first, now…
"Very well! You're so arrogant and unrepentant at such a young age, then don't blame me for being unkind," Elder Shang laughed angrily as a rich and thick Yuanshui Xuan Qi surged up.
"Wuwu ah ah!"
The Yuanshui Spirit Turtle Ninth Miss became anxious.
Having finally found a master she liked, how could she let her be captured?
Immediately, disregarding her "master's" previous admonition, she stood in front of Wang Liyao, frantically pleading on behalf of her master.
"Ninth Miss, you're still young and unaware of the treacherous human heart." As a direct descendant of the old ghost, Elder Shang couldn't be too harsh on her, so he softened his tone and looked kindly at the Yuanshui Spirit Turtle, "This girl has violated the academy's rules, how can she be easily forgiven? Ninth Miss, you should rest aside for now."
With that, he waved his sleeve, and a stream of Yuanshui Xuan Qi swept out, gently carrying the Yuanshui Spirit Turtle to one side.
At the same time, another stream of Yuanshui Xuan Qi descended, forming layers of light that encircled Ninth Miss in the center.
A mere junior spirit turtle, even if he had to consider the old turtle's face, he wouldn't allow it to interfere with his actions.
"Wuwu wu ah ah!!!"
Ninth Miss was both angry and anxious, continuously scratching with her front claws. But how could she match the Celestial Man realm elder? No matter how hard she tried, the Xuan Qi in front of her was as immovable as a wall.
"Little Nine, he's right, don't be anxious," Wang Liyao glanced at her, her eyes still calm, and she comforted her casually, "I also want to see what he can do to me."
A confident cold light flashed in her eyes.
Since childhood, Wang Liyao had always been a girl with her own ideas and plans. Even her powerful parents couldn't make her blindly follow them. Her father, Wang Shouzhe, had said to use her own eyes and heart to observe the world and comprehend her own life. What he could do was to provide her with support and backing to the best of his ability.
"Very well! I've lived for three hundred years and seen countless impressive young people, but someone as arrogant and presumptuous as you is indeed rare!" With Ninth Miss no longer interfering, Elder Shang sneered, a sharp light flashing in his eyes, "Young lady, come with me to the Enforcement Hall!"
The final word "hall" boomed like a drum, causing a rumbling in everyone's ears and a painful vibration in their eardrums.
At the same time.
He opened his right hand and swiftly reached out towards Wang Liyao.
A rich Yuanshui Xuan Qi burst forth, instantly forming a huge palm made of Yuanshui Xuan Qi, fiercely grabbing at Wang Liyao.
This was the Yuanshui Spirit Hand, a basic application of Xuan Qi from the "Yuanshui True Scripture (Celestial Man Chapter)," not a particularly powerful technique, but sufficient to deal with a Spirit Platform realm Basalt cultivator.
The giant palm dominated the sky, and the overwhelming pressure descended like Mount Tai.
In an instant, the air around Wang Liyao seemed to stagnate, becoming oppressive.
"I've lived for nineteen years, and this is the first time I've encountered an old man who is so self-righteous, disrespectful of his age, and a bully," Wang Liyao sneered.
Facing the aggressive Yuanshui Spirit Hand, she showed no fear and immediately executed the movement technique "Water Shadow Flow."
Water is formless and unpredictable.
Her figure became as fluid and elusive as water, indistinct and fleeting. In the blink of an eye, she slipped away like a water shadow, skillfully evading the giant palm.
However, the giant palm didn't continue to press down but followed her like a persistent disease. No matter how fast she moved or how agile she was, she couldn't shake it off.
Yet, while she couldn't shake it off, the giant palm also failed to catch Wang Liyao, and the two sides were at a stalemate.
"This girl, she's really only nineteen…"
Sister Yujun and Brother Zhenghua exchanged glances, their faces filled with embarrassment…
A nineteen-year-old girl, not only had she reached the second layer of the Spirit Platform realm, but she also mastered the Yuanshui Sword Intent and the movement technique Water Shadow Flow to perfection.
Even if the two of them were to face Elder Shang's "Yuanshui Spirit Hand," they wouldn't be able to withstand it for a few breaths.
Yet Wang Liyao repeatedly shattered their limits with her performance, making Sister Yujun and Brother Zhenghua feel as if they had lived their fifty-plus years in vain.
"Such an amazing prodigy truly broadens one's horizons. It's a pity…" Brother Zhenghua grew more and more appreciative of Wang Liyao, "It's a pity she made a mistake by secretly cultivating the 'Yuanshui True Scripture' before officially joining the academy. If it had remained unknown, it would have been fine, but now that the matter has blown up, even the Yuanshui Superior might not be able to break the rules and protect her."
Sister Yujun also shook her head and sighed, "Her understanding and control of the 'Water Shadow Flow' have reached an unbelievable level. However, Elder Shang is still a seasoned Celestial Man realm elder who has lived for three hundred years, and she will ultimately be unable to escape capture."
Indeed, no matter how powerful the girl was, she was only in the early stages of the Spirit Platform realm, which was more than a dozen levels below the mid-Celestial Man realm!
However, everyone underestimated Wang Liyao.
In the eyes of the crowd, Wang Liyao, who should have been extremely anxious at this moment, was actually still as calm as ever.
But facing the Yuanshui Spirit Hand that she couldn't dodge no matter what, she couldn't help but think to herself: Truly worthy of being a Celestial Man realm cultivator from the Purple Mansion academy, indeed very difficult to deal with.
As for Elder Shang, seeing that the Yuanshui Spirit Hand couldn't catch Wang Liyao for a moment, he snorted coldly and suddenly increased his Xuan Qi output.
The giant Yuanshui Spirit Hand's speed suddenly surged, reaching Wang Liyao's side in an instant.
Just as Wang Liyao was about to be captured by the Yuanshui Spirit Hand.
Suddenly!
Wang Liyao's eyes opened wide, and a pair of wings unfolded behind her.
These wings were thin and transparent, like the shimmering light on water, scattering broken light under the sun, exceptionally clear and elegant.
"Whoosh~"
The wings fluttered, and gusts of wind instantly arose.
Wang Liyao's already fast speed suddenly increased, and with a flicker, she dodged the spirit hand, floating lightly to the other side like a breeze.
The Yuanshui Spirit Hand, which should have been foolproof, missed its target.
"This…" Brother Zhenghua's face changed as he said, "That's a Flying Feather Spirit Treasure! How is that possible, how could she possess a Flying Feather Spirit Treasure?"
After all, he was also from a sixth-grade family with considerable wealth, and he had heard of the Flying Feather Spirit Treasure.
He had even seen the treasure on a "friend" from a Purple Mansion family, who was a highly favored seed of the family. Yet even so, the friend was proud to own a Flying Feather Spirit Treasure.
As for Sister Yujun beside him, her family background was not as illustrious, and she had never even heard of what a Flying Feather Spirit Treasure was, but her eyes shone brightly, "Such beautiful wings, such fast speed. Such explosive speed, even a Celestial Man realm might not be able to match it, right?"
"How could it not be fast?"
Brother Zhenghua's eyes flashed with intense jealousy, muttering to himself that the Flying Feather Spirit Treasure was extremely expensive, and his entire fortune couldn't buy half a wing! If the effect wasn't good, would it justify the price?
Before this, he had been somewhat proud of his direct lineage from a sixth-grade family, feeling a sense of superiority, and often inadvertently showing off his family's status in his words.
This led many to know of his sixth-grade background and his extraordinary family, earning him much envy and jealousy.
But compared to his modest wealth and this delicate-looking girl with an "ordinary" appearance, it was like comparing a wealthy family to an impoverished tenant farmer.
"An eye for an eye, old man, take my sword!"
At this moment, Wang Liyao was also provoked by Elder Shang, her eyes sharp as the Yuanshui Sword struck again.
The next moment.
A Yuanshui Sword Intent soared forth.
The Sword Intent turned into light, like ripples on autumn water, enchanting yet carrying a suffocating majestic pressure.
Compared to the previous Sword Intent used against Brother Lexian, this time's Sword Intent had less etherealness but more grandeur, like the mighty river's water, gentle and lingering, yet also vast and powerful, with an awe-inspiring force!
In an instant, waves surged on the Yuanshui Heavenly Lake, creating layers of waves as if reflecting her Sword Intent, casting a shimmering expanse of light.
Clearly, she had held back when dealing with Brother Lexian and had not fully displayed her true strength!
Faced with the unstoppable momentum of the Yuanshui Sword Intent, Elder Shang's face finally changed.
This girl had held back with that previous sword strike! Could her spirit sword, which was of the water attribute, be not a mid-grade but a high-grade spirit sword?
A high-grade spirit sword, a Flying Feather Spirit Treasure, such pure and thick Yuanshui Sword Intent!
This this this…
Damn that Lexian, what kind of monster has he brought upon me!
At the early stage of the Spirit Platform realm, her overall strength is already comparable to a Celestial Man realm with just a hint of water power!
For a moment, Elder Shang's heart was filled with regret and anger, but he was already in too deep to back out, making it impossible to stop now.
Immediately, he had to circulate his thick Yuanshui Xuan Qi and brace himself to receive the blow.
In an instant, his aura surged around him, and a Yuanshui Spirit Shield almost instantly appeared in front of him.
Under the sunlight, the Yuanshui Spirit Shield was as solid as reality, emitting a deep blue light, exuding an unshakable majestic presence.
The next moment.
"Boom!"
The giant sword shadow, carrying the Yuanshui Sword Intent, slammed into Elder Shang's Yuanshui Spirit Shield.
Instantly, a terrifying shockwave exploded like a volcanic eruption, and the shattered Sword Intent, along with the powerful Yuanshui Xuan Qi, burst forth with a frightening force that was truly terrifying.
Even the trees on the shore, more than a dozen meters away, swayed wildly under the impact.
Elder Shang bore the brunt of it, his face changing instantly, his figure almost uncontrollably pushed back several meters by the powerful shockwave before he managed to stabilize and stop.
The Yuanshui Spirit Shield in front of him didn't shatter, but its color had dimmed significantly, as if it would completely break at any moment.
Even the Yuanshui Heavenly Lake beneath their feet couldn't withstand the force and exploded with heavy waves, causing numerous spirit fish and turtles to flee in panic, creating a scene of utter chaos.
"This this this…"
Seeing this scene, all the spectating disciples were stunned, each one's expression filled with disbelief.
The situation had completely surpassed their understanding.
A Spirit Platform realm girl, not only daring to resist a mid-Celestial Man realm elder but also daring to counterattack.
And not just counterattacking, she actually managed to push back the elder, nearly shattering his Yuanshui Spirit Shield.
Could it be that Elder Shang didn't eat enough for breakfast today?
Many cast doubtful glances at Elder Shang.
Elder Shang's aged face turned various shades of red and green, his expression extremely awkward.
This detestable girl!
That sword strike just now didn't do much harm to him, but the insult was profound!
…