Life on the cloudship was quite boring, with little in the way of entertainment.
Apart from playing with his sister, Ye Ling, Ye Xuan spent every day training relentlessly.
With his newly gained battle intent, he could now easily defeat the shadow opponent in the Boundary Prison Tower!
Battle intent!
Ye Xuan didn't fully understand this newly comprehended battle intent. He only knew that when fighting the shadow, activating the battle intent gave him a significant boost in combat power.
Moreover, the longer he fought, the stronger he became!
This excited and thrilled him.
The only regret was that it wasn't sword intent. If it were sword intent, he wouldn't just be an aspiring swordmaster but a true swordmaster. Though he had comprehended battle intent, he couldn't call himself a martial arts master.
This was because he still didn't fully understand the martial path.
Whether it was sword intent or battle intent, they were markers of a martial or swordmaster, but comprehending them didn't automatically make one a master.
There were many nuances to this.
Right now, he could only be said to have understood something beyond his current reach. And the path in between—he had to walk it himself.
Of course, becoming a martial arts master was just a matter of time. Or rather, once he reached the Qi Manipulation Realm and could wield Qi, he would, to some extent, be a martial arts master. The degree of this would depend on his understanding of the martial path.
Regardless, he was satisfied with his current progress!
Clear Sword Heart, Battle Intent.
Now, what he wanted most was to fight An Lanxiu, that girl dressed in pure white.
"You still aren't her match."
The mysterious woman seemed to know what Ye Xuan was thinking and said, "When she fought you before, she not only suppressed her realm but also some other special abilities. All in all, she was merely holding back."
Barely holding back!
Ye Xuan's expression was a bit strange, "Senior, in your eyes, she's only barely holding back?"
The mysterious woman said indifferently, "In my eyes, 'barely holding back' is enough for her to look down upon countless geniuses beneath the heavens."
Ye Xuan asked curiously, "Senior, were you very powerful in the past?"
The mysterious woman said, "Take a guess!"
Ye Xuan: "..."
The mysterious woman added, "Kid, because you're so good to your sister, I'll give you some free advice. In this world, talent and constitution are actually superficial. Throughout history, there have been plenty of people who, with mere mortal bodies, have stood shoulder to shoulder with gods. The martial path, the sword path, and every other path in this world—they have no end. Good talent or a unique constitution may give you an edge, help you go farther, but whether you can keep going depends more on your determination and character."
Ye Xuan was silent.
Determination? Character?
He understood the former; he and his sister had survived until now relying on determination. As for character, he didn't completely understand, but to him, he did things without questioning right or wrong—he followed his heart.
If it felt right, he did it; if it felt wrong, he didn't.
The world often doesn't go the way you want, but having no regrets is enough.
The mysterious woman's voice came again, "Now that you've comprehended battle intent, learn more about the martial path. Don't waste it. As for the martial path, you need to explore and study it on your own."
Ye Xuan was stunned, then quickly asked, "Does Senior not understand the martial path?"
The mysterious woman replied, "It's not that I don't understand—it's that I understand it too well. In the future, whether it's the martial path or the sword path, you need to explore it yourself. What I can do for you is merely to guide you a bit in times of darkness.
"Others' paths are not your own. Don't try to copy them. Only by walking your own path will you truly gain something. For example, this battle intent—your own choices led you to comprehend it. If I had told you to do it, you wouldn't have grasped it. Many times, deliberate attempts lead to failure... Sigh, I don't want to explain these things to a novice like you anymore. Hurry up and join that academy already, so you stop bothering me!"
Ye Xuan: "..."
Ye Xuan did not disturb the mysterious woman anymore, for he understood her message.
It was like climbing a mountain—people could say it was exhausting and difficult, but you wouldn't truly understand until you tried it yourself, feeling the exhaustion and difficulty firsthand.
The martial path and sword path were no different. He had to try it himself to deeply understand where the challenges lay.
An hour later, Ye Xuan left the Boundary Prison Tower.
As soon as he stepped out, Little Fatty Lu Ming arrived at his and Ye Ling's room. Ever since Ye Xuan's spectacular display in Twin Boundaries City, Lu Ming's admiration for Ye Xuan had become a bit fanatical!
He had always admired sword cultivators, and seeing Ye Xuan stand up in that situation had elevated Ye Xuan's image in his eyes.
Admiration!
Unparalleled admiration!
The little fatty was quite familiar already. He entered the room and placed a pile of fruit on the table in front of Ye Xuan and Ye Ling, grinning, "Big Brother, Sister Ling, eat up—it's delicious."
Ye Xuan and Ye Ling exchanged smiles.
At that moment, Lu Xiaoran entered the room, cupping his hands in greeting to Ye Xuan and smiling, "I hope I'm not disturbing you?"
Ye Xuan smiled, "Of course not. Please have a seat, Senior Lu."
Lu Xiaoran sat down, and the two youngsters tactfully moved aside.
Lu Xiaoran said, "We will arrive at the Imperial Capital in half a day. Do you know anyone in the capital?"
Ye Xuan shook his head.
He didn't know anyone there.
Lu Xiaoran smiled faintly, "The Imperial Capital is a mixed bag. If you don't mind, you could stay in the accommodation I've arranged temporarily. Once you join Cangmu Academy, you can decide whether to stay or go. What do you say?"
Ye Xuan thought for a moment and nodded, "Then I'll impose upon you."
He wasn't one to refuse good intentions. As the saying goes, a friend gained is a path earned. Since Lu Xiaoran had shown goodwill, why refuse?
Seeing Ye Xuan agree, Lu Xiaoran's smile grew wider.
As a city lord with significant power, he naturally had reasons for wanting to befriend Ye Xuan—he valued Ye Xuan's potential.
Lu Xiaoran didn't stay long and soon left with Little Fatty.
Only Ye Xuan and Ye Ling remained in the room.
Ye Ling sat beside Ye Xuan, her voice soft, "Brother, did you refuse to become that lieutenant because of me?"
Ye Xuan looked at Ye Ling, and she continued softly, "I asked Little Fatty—he said being a lieutenant is a big position. You could have been an official. Why were you so foolish to refuse?"
Ye Xuan gently rubbed Ye Ling's head, "If I became a lieutenant, what would happen to you?"
Ye Ling stared at him, "Am I a burden to you?"
Ye Xuan shook his head, "You are the most important person in my life. For you, I can do anything—I can give up anything."
He held her small hand tightly, "Without you, even if I became a Sword Immortal, it would be meaningless."
Tears suddenly welled up in Ye Ling's eyes. She said nothing more, only hugging Ye Xuan tightly.
Moments later, tiredness overcame her, and she fell asleep.
So sleepy!
Looking at Ye Ling sleeping on the bed, Ye Xuan's face grew somber. She had become even sleepier than before. It was fortunate they had the Heavenly Flame Warming Jade to keep her warm, but her condition wasn't improving. Her face was becoming paler by the day.
Though she never said anything, Ye Xuan knew—she simply didn't want him to worry.
Ye Xuan gently covered her with the blanket and then left the room, heading to the deck of the cloudship.
At the bow of the ship, he looked into the distance. It was nearing dusk, and the sky was ablaze, like a vast cloth of fire. Beneath the setting sun lay endless mountains.
The Imperial Capital was close!
"Young friend!"
Lu Xiaoran's voice came from beside him.
Ye Xuan turned, and Lu Xiaoran walked up beside him, smiling, "Seeing you like this, you must be eager to reach the capital."
Ye Xuan nodded, "Senior, could you tell me about Cangmu Academy?"
Lu Xiaoran nodded, "Cangmu Academy is not under Jiang Kingdom's control. Like the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, they have branches in multiple nations. They're well-regarded not only for having powerful instructors and rich cultivation resources but also for being a symbol of prestige. Joining Cangmu Academy marks you as a talent. When you graduate, you will be sought after by all sorts of factions."
He smiled, "Graduates of Cangmu Academy are welcomed everywhere, even by the royal family. For those from humble backgrounds, it's the fastest path to prominence. For royalty and aristocrats, being an academy student provides a certain level of protection. Moreover, joining the academy allows them to build connections with other geniuses. In the capital, connections are everything!"
Ye Xuan nodded slightly, then asked, "Is National Scholar An Lanxiu also from Cangmu Academy?"
Lu Xiaoran shook his head, "National Scholar An is not."
Ye Xuan was surprised, "Why not?"
Lu Xiaoran smiled, "The dean of Cangmu Academy personally invited her to join, but she declined."
"Declined?"
Ye Xuan was stunned, "Why?"
Lu Xiaoran chuckled, "Because none of the instructors at the academy could teach her! In fact, she's already qualified to be an instructor herself. Asking her to join—isn't that a bit absurd?"
Ye Xuan: "..."
Lu Xiaoran added, "However, even though she didn't join, the academy still granted her an honorary title—Honorary Instructor. Though she has no real authority, everyone except the dean and a few core members must bow to her."
He paused before continuing, "From what I know, there's more to her background than meets the eye. But that's none of our concern."
Ye Xuan nodded, then asked, "Senior, I've heard Cangmu Academy has the best physicians. Is that true?"
Lu Xiaoran nodded, "I can't say they're the absolute best, but their medical expertise is certainly among the finest in Jiang Kingdom. Even the royal physicians frequently consult them, and some of them actually graduated from there!"
Hearing this, Ye Xuan felt a bit relieved. He looked out towards the distance—beyond the endless mountains, he could faintly see a majestic ancient city...
The Imperial Capital!
…