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Seven years later.
On the sword's edge, Qian Renxian had fully grown. Dressed in black, he stood nearly two meters tall, his height comparable to Qian Xunji's. His white hair flowed casually behind him, and in his hand, he held a long sword. Despite his exceptionally handsome features, there was a trace of frustration on his face.
"Insight... What exactly is the third realm of swordsmanship?" Qian Renxian muttered, furrowing his brows. It had been a year since he reached the peak of the realm of sword and man united, but the next level of swordsmanship still eluded him.
"Perhaps you should ask the old man. Maybe it will spark some inspiration," came a suggestion.
Over the past seven years, the way of the Spirit Hall had remained unchanged. The Pope was still Qian Xunji, although his authority had weakened, and the number of disciples joining his faction had significantly decreased. On the other hand, the number of disciples in the Haotian Sect had surged.
As for Qian Xunji's cultivation, he remained at the pinnacle of level 95.
Bibi Dong had not left the Saintess Hall for seven years and was unable to acquire any soul rings. Her cultivation was stuck at level 89.
In the Offering Hall, Qian Daoliu still wore his golden-blue cape armor, his face unchanged. The only difference was that his golden eyes had grown more weathered over time. Seated beside him was a stunning blonde woman—Qian Renxue.
Seven years had passed, and Qian Renxue had grown. No longer the young girl she once was, she had become a tall, graceful woman with flawless skin. Her beauty was almost otherworldly, radiating a noble and holy aura. She wore a magnificent, ancient gold-threaded court gown, the gold collar protecting her swan-like white neck. Her long golden hair flowed freely behind her, untamed and unstyled. The contrast between her meticulously crafted gown and her disheveled hair was striking.
Just sitting there, with no movement, her noble face exuded an aura of authority, deterring anyone from considering an affront.
Qian Renxian entered, glanced at Qian Renxue who was deep in meditation, and then spoke through his mind: "Old man."
Qian Daoliu responded mentally, "What is it?"
Qian Renxian asked, "How did you break through to the third level of sword intent?"
After a brief pause, Qian Daoliu began recalling, "That was decades ago, when your grandfather had already become the Grand Elder of the Spirit Hall. There was no one on the continent who could challenge him. Then, one day, the continent's greatest swordsman, Lord Chen, came to challenge him."
"Lord Chen, also known as the father of Chen Xin, the protector of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, was at level 97 at the time, while your grandfather was already at level 99. If they had fought seriously, your grandfather could have defeated him with a single move."
"But your grandfather didn't want to crush him, so he intentionally suppressed his cultivation to level 97 and fought him."
Qian Daoliu couldn't bring himself to admit the real story, that he had focused entirely on defense, allowing Lord Chen to attack him. Through enduring the blows, he reached the third level of sword intent. There was no way he could tell his grandson that he had broken through by simply being beaten up—it would be far too embarrassing. Instead, he opted for a more exciting and dramatic version.
"In the clash of blades, your grandfather was clearly at a disadvantage. But during the battle, he suddenly realized that Lord Chen wasn't just better at sword techniques; his understanding of the sword was beyond your grandfather's. Lord Chen then explained to your grandfather that what he was experiencing was called 'insight.'"
"Afterward, your grandfather used his soul power advantage and fought Lord Chen for three days and nights, cutting down countless mountain peaks. Eventually, he grasped the concept of 'insight' that Lord Chen had mentioned and broke through to the third level of sword intent. With that, he finally defeated him."
Qian Daoliu clasped his hands behind his back, his eyes reflecting fond memories of that battle. Qian Renxian couldn't help but wonder if Chen Xin had exaggerated the tale—after all, how could someone as young as him have been present at such a fight, let alone at a level that would allow him to observe such a battle?
"Did you break through through battle?" Qian Renxian murmured internally before speaking out loud. "Old man, I plan to go to the Slaughter City."
"Slaughter City? What do you intend to do there?" Qian Daoliu was startled and momentarily forgot to use soul power to transmit his words, waking Qian Renxue from her meditation.
"Grandfather! Brother!" Qian Renxue stood up and called out, to which Qian Renxian nodded in acknowledgment.
"To kill," he said. "In Slaughter City, to leave, one must fight and kill. Instead of sitting atop the sword, endlessly meditating and finding no way to break through, I'd rather go there and experience the thrill of battle. Perhaps that will help me find the way to break through the third level of swordsmanship. My current cultivation is level 69—an auspicious number."
Qian Renxue immediately protested, "What? Slaughter City? Brother, you can't go to Slaughter City. It's a true hell on Earth. If something happens to you, I'll lose my brother forever!"
Qian Renxian rubbed her head gently and laughed, "Tang Hao and that woman both managed to leave. Why wouldn't I be able to? While I'm gone, you should focus on cultivating properly and not let that woman lead you astray."
Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes turned slightly red. "Brother, I beg you. Can't you listen to me this once? Please, don't go to Slaughter City."
Qian Renxian waved dismissively, "Haven't you suffered enough already? You've been through hardships and humiliation. I'll listen to you this time. What have you done for me except cause trouble with your stubbornness?"
He didn't realize that his words would lead to Qian Renxue making an even more foolish decision in his absence, ultimately leading to him being forced to take action against her for the first time when he returned.
"When are you leaving?"
Qian Daoliu turned around with a sigh. Slaughter City was an absolute forbidden place for members of the Angel Clan, as the evil energy there was the complete opposite of the Angel Spirit. Entering would be equivalent to walking toward death. However, for Qian Renxian, whose fallen angel spirit contrasted sharply with the Angel Spirit, it wasn't an issue. What worried Qian Daoliu was the possibility of the evil energy corrupting Qian Renxian, turning him to darkness.
"Tomorrow."
"So soon? Brother, can't you stay a few more days?" Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes reddened even more.
Qian Renxian shook his head and frowned slightly. "Whether I leave early or late, I still have to go. The sooner I leave, the sooner I'll return, right?"
"Why are you crying? I'm not going to die. I'm just seeking a higher realm in swordsmanship. How can a soul master grow stronger without experiencing life and death?"
Qian Daoliu was silent for a moment before replying, "Go and say goodbye to Xunji. Your choice is yours to make, but I won't interfere."
"Focus on your cultivation." Qian Renxian ruffled Qian Renxue's head again and turned to walk toward the Pope's Hall.
---
That night, the family of four gathered for dinner, a rare occasion. When Qian Xunji learned that Qian Renxian was heading to Slaughter City, he intended to provide him with a 50,000-year-old soul bone for mental protection. However, Qian Renxian rejected it, feeling the age of the soul bone was too low.
With so many 100,000-year-old soul beasts on the continent, extracting a set of 100,000-year-old soul bones wouldn't be difficult for Qian Renxian.
After dinner, Qian Renxian headed toward the Sword Edge. Just as he reached the Pope's Hall, he noticed a wooden box of excellent craftsmanship lying on the ground, marked with signs of friction. A golden-haired figure was seated on top of it—none other than Qian Renxue.
She turned her head and called out, "Brother."
"How old are you, still playing with something like this?" Qian Renxian walked over, looking at her with a helpless expression.
"Brother, before you leave, could you play with me just one last time?" Qian Renxue's eyes were filled with innocence.
The moonlight bathed her exquisite face, and in that moment, the authoritative air of the Spirit Hall's young master was gone. Instead, she looked just like the innocent, adorable child she used to be. Qian Renxian even saw the image of the young Qian Renxue who used to cling to him every day.
"Alright, one last time," Qian Renxian sighed and sat down in front of the wooden box.
Qian Renxue excitedly grabbed his shoulder, raising her small fist and shouting, "Brother, start it!"
"Hold your balance, Renxue," Qian Renxian pushed his feet forward and said, "Here we go."
The wooden box started moving, sliding down the steps like a slide. The sounds of wood clashing with the steps grew louder and more frequent. Soon, the entire Pope's Mountain was filled with the sound of wood hitting and Qian Renxue's joyful shouts. A smile appeared at the corner of Qian Renxian's mouth.
Inside the Pope's Hall, angry shouts rang out. "Who's making all this noise? Do you have no sense of public decency? It's so loud! I need to wake up early tomorrow to stand guard at the Pope's Hall entrance! Can't you keep it down?!"
As for the uproar inside the Pope's Hall, Qian Renxian and Qian Renxue chose to pretend they didn't hear a thing.
(End of Chapter)