Xiao Chuang, a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, was left coughing, his face flushed.
"Cough, cough."
It took him a while to catch his breath and recover.
"Is Nephew Ji Yan serious about this?" he asked, looking at Shao Cheng in disbelief.
"Brother Shao, are you sure you didn't mishear? You're not joking with me, are you?"
Shao Cheng responded earnestly, "Do I look like I'm joking?"
Xiao Chuang's expression was complicated. "This... this... Nephew Ji Yan, he..."
He didn't know what to say. He couldn't decide whether he should be happy or worried.
Xiao Chuang knew that his niece's talent was merely average—not truly exceptional. His original intention was to have her join Tianyu Peak and learn from Ji Yan's diligence and dedication. As for her cultivation level and strength, he wasn't too demanding. He just wanted her to make steady progress.
However, he hadn't expected that Ji Yan would have such high expectations for Xiao Yi, requiring her to comprehend sword intent before reaching the Foundation Establishment stage.
This was not a simple demand.
Breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage was easy enough—just taking some pills could suffice. But comprehending sword intent wasn't something that could be achieved through medicine or sheer effort alone.
It required both opportunity and talent.
Sometimes, one might comprehend it regardless of their cultivation level, and sometimes, one might never achieve it, no matter how diligent they were.
Shao Cheng reassured him, "Don't worry, Ji Yan knows what he's doing."
Xiao Chuang nodded but quickly realized something. "Wait, if that's the case, why let Xiao Yi follow that boy?"
"Was this also arranged by Nephew Ji Yan?"
He was worried his niece would be led astray by Lü Shaoqing.
Shao Cheng nodded. "Yes, it was Ji Yan's decision."
"He tasked Shaoqing with helping Xiao Yi comprehend sword intent within two months and then break through to the Foundation Establishment stage."
Xiao Chuang was left speechless again.
Is this the difference between a genius and an ordinary person?
Do geniuses think that comprehending sword intent is as easy as eating and drinking?
"Nephew Ji Yan, does he have some misunderstanding about the difficulty of comprehending sword intent?" Xiao Chuang asked.
"Does he really believe that my niece being tossed around by Lü Shaoqing will somehow help her achieve that?"
Shao Cheng chuckled. "If they say it's possible, then it's possible."
His tone was filled with confidence in his two disciples.
Xiao Chuang stared at Shao Cheng. "Brother Shao, how long did it take you to comprehend sword intent?"
"Not long," Shao Cheng replied.
Xiao Chuang scoffed. "That's because we reached the Nascent Soul stage and gained a deeper understanding of the Dao."
"If we hadn't reached the Nascent Soul stage, do you think we could have comprehended sword intent at the Core Formation stage?"
Shao Cheng coughed awkwardly. "Brother Xiao, let's not undermine ourselves."
Xiao Chuang insisted, "It's not about underestimating ourselves; it's about knowing our limits."
"I'm sure that even the sect master couldn't have comprehended sword intent without reaching the Nascent Soul stage. Nephew Ji Yan is a once-in-a-millennium genius. Not everyone is like him."
Shao Cheng nodded. "Brother Xiao, you have a point. But if they want to give it a try, we should let them."
His tone carried a hint of melancholy. "Compared to them, as their master, I can't do better."
This was Shao Cheng's way of letting go.
He didn't want things to be this way, but he had no choice.
Having taken Ji Yan and Lü Shaoqing as his disciples, he initially had grand ambitions, determined to personally guide them and make them outstanding cultivators. However, he later realized that neither of them needed his guidance.
They cultivated on their own, their strength growing rapidly, progressing day by day.
Even more daunting, both had comprehended sword intent before he did.
As their master, he felt immense pressure.
Faced with such prodigies, all he could do was focus on his own cultivation, striving to improve so that he wouldn't be surpassed. Otherwise, he'd have no face left as their master.
He had moved from initial dissatisfaction and the desire to prove himself to resignation and acceptance.
Shao Cheng had given up.
He accepted that as their master, his dignity would remain in shambles before his disciples. Now, he allowed them to do as they pleased, as long as they didn't betray or harm the sect.
Xiao Chuang didn't know what else to say.
Tianyu Peak had become a peculiar entity within Lingxiao Sect.
The master wasn't quite like a master, and the disciples weren't quite like disciples.
But their strength was fitting for one of the five main peaks.
Xiao Chuang asked, "Brother Shao, how do they plan to help Xiao Yi comprehend sword intent?"
Shao Cheng replied, "According to their plan, they want Xiao Yi to challenge the Sword Cave and comprehend sword intent within it."
"Sword Cave? What is that?"
It was the first time Xiao Chuang had heard of such a thing. After Shao Cheng explained, Xiao Chuang's expression twitched as he looked at him.
"Brother Shao, do you really think this is possible?"
"Getting slashed by swords thousands of times will somehow lead to comprehending sword intent?"
"If it were that easy, there wouldn't be so few who have managed to comprehend it."
"The chief disciples of Shuangyue Valley and Guiyuan Pavilion are very talented, aren't they? Yet none of them have comprehended sword intent."
"That kid's idea is unreliable, and you believe it?"
Shao Cheng said, "I don't believe it, but Ji Yan does."
"There's no harm in trying."
Xiao Chuang replied, "Alright, I'll wait and see in two months if it turns out as Nephew Ji Yan says."
Shao Cheng corrected, "There's only one month left."
"One month?"
Xiao Chuang's eyes widened. "You think my niece can comprehend sword intent in just one month? What a joke."
"That's absolutely impossible."
He was confident. "Even if Nephew Ji Yan personally guided her, it wouldn't be possible for Xiao Yi to comprehend sword intent in a month."
"Let alone leaving it to that boy."
Xiao Chuang had no faith in Lü Shaoqing's capabilities.
Shao Cheng, however, had faith in his disciples.
"Perhaps they'll surprise you," he said.
Xiao Chuang shook his head. "I don't believe there will be any surprises."
"Brother Shao, you better keep a close watch. Don't give me any unpleasant shocks."
"If anything happens to Xiao Yi, I won't be able to explain it to my brother."
"She's his only daughter. Don't let anything happen to her."
Xiao Chuang, despite his Nascent Soul power, was clearly worried.
"Cough, cough."
After coughing for a while, he finally regained his composure.
"Nephew Ji Yan is serious?"
Xiao Chuang looked at Shao Cheng incredulously.
"Brother Shao, are you really sure about this? You're not joking, right?"
Shao Cheng replied calmly, "Do I look like I'm joking?"
Xiao Chuang's face was conflicted. "This... this... Nephew Ji Yan, he…"
He didn't know what to say.
His emotions were torn. Should he be happy or anxious?
Xiao Chuang knew his niece's talent was only average, certainly not genius-level. He had hoped that by letting her join Tianyu Peak, she could learn Ji Yan's discipline and perseverance.
As for her cultivation level, he hadn't set high expectations.
But now, Ji Yan had such lofty expectations for Xiao Yi: to comprehend sword intent before advancing to Foundation Establishment.
That was no small feat.
It was easy to break through with the help of pills, but comprehending sword intent was another matter.
It depended on fate and innate talent.
Sometimes, one could comprehend it regardless of cultivation level; sometimes, no matter how hard one worked, it was unattainable.
Shao Cheng said, "Don't worry, Ji Yan has his own plans."
Xiao Chuang nodded but soon asked, "Wait, if that's the case, why is Xiao Yi following that boy?"
"Was this also arranged by Nephew Ji Yan?"
He feared his niece would be misled by Lü Shaoqing.
Shao Cheng nodded. "Yes, it's Ji Yan's arrangement."
"He tasked Shaoqing with helping Xiao Yi comprehend sword intent and reach Foundation Establishment within two months."
Xiao Chuang was left speechless again.
Is this really how geniuses think?
To them, is comprehending sword intent as easy as drinking water?
He asked, "Does Nephew Ji Yan misunderstand the difficulty of comprehending sword intent?"
"Does he really believe my niece getting tossed around by Lü Shaoqing will somehow help her achieve that?"
Shao Cheng smiled. "If they say it's possible, then it's possible."
Xiao Chuang was skeptical but said, "Alright, I'll wait and see."
But inwardly, he was far from convinced.