Chapter 87: Xuanhuan Cultivation BL (III)

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Chapter 87: Xuanhuan Cultivation BL (III)

The Heavenly Sword Sect was only a mid-tier sect, but to the members of the Feng Family, who had never before seen a true cultivation sect, everything about it seemed wondrous and awe-inspiring. The flying boat beneath their feet alone was enough to fill everyone with envy.

Even the usually proud Feng Yingruo had a faint blush of excitement on his face. Dressed in an elegant feminine outfit, with dreamy eyes and a rosy flush coloring his jade-like complexion, he looked every bit an unrivaled beauty. More than a few disciples were captivated by the sight—provided they did not know that this beauty was actually a man.

Miao Lichen sat among the Feng Family’s less talented youths, keeping himself thoroughly inconspicuous. The flying vessel carrying them was only one of many. The Heavenly Sword Sect had numerous affiliated mortal families, with the Feng Family merely being one of the larger ones. Those aboard the other vessels wore much the same expressions. Compared to them, Miao Lichen’s complete lack of reaction made him stand out, though no one paid him any attention.

As the leader of this recruitment mission, Jiang Lingwen naturally held the highest status. Yet despite that lofty position, he had been ignored the entire journey. A dangerous gleam flickered in his eyes. It had been many years since anyone had dared treat him with such indifference. What had happened to the last person who underestimated him? In the end, they had still come crawling back, begging for his favor. The slight curve of his lips carried a dangerous allure. Watching the cultivators around him, he slowly relaxed his pursed lips and lightly ran his tongue across them, like a venomous serpent that had spotted its prey and was patiently waiting to strike.

The main hall was where a sect received its guests and best displayed its prestige. At the center of the Heavenly Sword Sect’s hall hung a massive character for “Sword.” To those who knew nothing of cultivation, it was merely a beautifully written character, perhaps inspiring admiration for the Master who had penned it. But to those who understood, an overwhelming sword intent surged from the character, and some might even experience a moment of enlightenment.

Countless Qixiu sword techniques surfaced in Miao Lichen’s mind. The sword character before him embodied the sharpness and dominance of the sword, whereas Qixiu emphasized the graceful sword intent of “With a single dance, the sword stirs all beneath the heavens.” Yet a sword remained a sword. No matter how different their styles, they shared the same purpose. As the saying went, there are three thousand Great Daos, yet all paths lead to the same destination. Whatever form a sword technique took, its ultimate purpose was to draw blood.

That was all the insight the character could offer him. This was his first encounter with true sword intent across all the worlds he had visited, yet it had no real effect on him. He had never cultivated the sword itself, but he had naturally inherited the sword intent contained within the Qixiu class. It was an intent that would never change, regardless of outside influence.

A cry of astonishment suddenly echoed through the hall. Jiang Lingwen, who had been preparing to report this recruitment session to the Sect Master, stood frozen before the sword character. An immense aura erupted from his body.

Although the original Jiang Lingwen had reached the Golden Core stage, he had never focused on combat, merely accumulating cultivation while neglecting combat entirely. In battle, he could scarcely compete with cultivators of the same stage. As a result, none of the elders wished to associate with him. Over time, even the younger disciples, having learned of his temperament, no longer regarded him with any respect. In a cultivation world where strength was everything, he was truly an oddity.

Now, however, he used his aura to tell everyone that no matter how meek he had seemed in the past, he was still not someone junior disciples could bully. As his aura climbed higher and higher, it seemed to break through the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage. The gentle aura surrounding him transformed into something incomparably sharp, like a sword freshly drawn from its sheath. Hidden from everyone’s notice, a faint golden light flashed through Jiang Lingwen’s eyes.

Bai Yuande could not hide the jealousy in his eyes. Although he had long since reached the Nascent Soul stage , Jiang Lingwen’s breakthrough was not merely a matter of cultivation, it was enlightenment of sword intent. For a sword cultivator, comprehending sword intent meant a smooth road ahead. Even if Jiang Lingwen still disliked offensive techniques, his improved cultivation alone meant they could no longer defeat him by exploiting the gap in combat ability. Besides, could someone who possessed sword intent truly lack the will to kill? The terrifying sharpness from moments ago could not have been his imagination.

No one knew how many years the sword character in the main hall had been passed down, but the person who wrote it had undoubtedly been a Tribulation stage expert. Any enlightenment gained from it could never be ordinary. Perhaps it was time they reconsidered how they treated this man.

Bai Yuande recognized this, and so did the others. The dismissive attitude they had once held toward Jiang Lingwen vanished almost instantly. Each elder was an old fox. Warm smiles spread across their faces, and anyone unaware of their previous behavior would have thought they had always been on friendly terms.

“There were quite a few promising recruits this time. Elder Jiang has never found a disciple to his liking… perhaps this time…”

“Indeed, indeed…”

Jiang Lingwen lowered his gaze, his long eyelashes trembling slightly as if he were deep in thought. The thoughtful pose concealed the astonishment in his eyes. Who would have imagined that the Heavenly Sword Sect’s greatest inheritance was displayed openly in its own reception hall, where not only disciples but outsiders also came and went? Or perhaps the cultivator who had left it behind had never cared whether others learned the technique. Otherwise, why leave behind the technique with no restrictions? In this cultivation world, every oath became karma. Had that senior required anyone who learned the technique to protect the Heavenly Sword Sect for a hundred years, few would have refused.

“I’ll take him.” After a long silence, under the gaze of everyone in the hall, Jiang Lingwen walked among the newly recruited disciples. Ignoring the eager looks from most of them, he stopped before Feng Yingruo, the one who had already caught his interest. The proud little cat lifted his chin, his face flushed red. Perhaps because of his youth, he possessed a softness uncommon in men and a beauty that rivaled any woman. Only that unmistakable pride hinted at his masculinity.

“Elder Jiang is only taking one disciple? Could it be that you simply dislike teaching? After all these years, we’ve never heard of you accepting a disciple.” A young man standing beside one of the elders spoke. His luxurious robes gave him an air of unmistakable nobility. Cultivators often claimed they cared little for worldly comforts, but in truth, they indulged in them no less than mortals. Ascetics certainly existed, but they were few.

“Not at all. He’s simply the only one who caught my eye.” Jiang Lingwen smiled faintly. His fierce sword aura remained unsheathed, lending an almost devilish charm to his otherwise gentle features.

“It wouldn’t hurt for you to keep a few people around to handle miscellaneous tasks. Those few over there should do. Since they’re from the same family as Junior Brother Feng, they can also look after one another.” Ping Leshui glanced toward Miao Lichen and the others.

Jiang Lingwen nodded and casually pointed at several people in the crowd. He chose them at random, and each person he chose clearly possessed poor aptitude. It was obvious he had taken Ping Leshui’s suggestion to heart and intended to use them as attendants. The body he now occupied had been far too timid. A Golden Core cultivator who did not even have attendants to serve him was almost laughable. Jiang Lingwen had always enjoyed comfort, and changing worlds would never change that.

Watching the scene unfold, Miao Lichen knew that once the elders discovered Feng Yingruo possessed a Heavenly Spiritual Root, they would regret agreeing so readily to Jiang Lingwen’s request. But none of that had anything to do with him. As he watched Jiang Lingwen and Feng Yingruo walk away, he quietly followed behind them.

The fingers hidden within his sleeves rubbed the jade pendant in his hand. A warm current stirred within his dantian, tinting his pale cheeks with a faint blush. The fan-shaped object floating inside his dantian had begun to emit flames instead of pure energy. So this was the Phoenix Flame unique to this world? How much longer could Feng Yingruo endure? The power of the Phoenix’s Nirvana was not merely rebirth through death. It could also restore damaged bodies.

Unlike Feng Yingruo, who had become the personal disciple of an elder, the rest of them merely carried Jiang Lingwen’s name in title. No one would ever compare them to Feng Yingruo. The four of them were crammed into a tiny room. Each received a storage pouch and a single set of Daoist robes. Still, there were advantages. Elders lived on mountain peaks rich in spiritual energy. Although Jiang Lingwen’s residence could not compare to those of the other elders, it was still far superior to the quarters of ordinary inner disciples, let alone those who, with their mediocre spiritual roots, would otherwise have been assigned as outer disciples.

Miao Lichen watched the senior disciple who had escorted them leave before casually leaning against the doorway as the others unpacked their belongings. He had no intention of sharing a bed with anyone. Jiang Lingwen would soon forget they even existed, and there was no way the Sect Master would assign servants to someone like him. Before long, they would simply fade into obscurity. After waiting until the others had settled onto their beds to study the introductory cultivation jade slips, Miao Lichen silently pushed open the door and stepped outside.

Just as Miao Lichen had expected, the few of them quickly became invisible in this cultivation world, where talent determined status. No one spared them a second glance as long as they had the sense to step aside for those of higher standing. During these days, he had devoted himself to restoring this frail body. The pitifully emaciated frame had gradually filled out into that of a healthy young man. Even without deliberate care, it would have naturally grown closer to his true appearance; his treatment had merely accelerated the process.

During this time, he had heard countless rumors. Elder Jiang supposedly doted on his disciple beyond reason, even sharing the same bed and going everywhere together. Young Master Feng was said to appear each day in a different set of women’s clothing, each more dazzling than the last. No wonder Elder Jiang was so enamored with him, people whispered.

Miao Lichen lightly stroked the pair of swords in his hands as he looked down from the mountain peak at the Master and disciple below. In the eyes of others, Jiang Lingwen adored his disciple beyond measure. Yet Miao Lichen saw the faint contempt hidden in Jiang Lingwen’s gaze, as well as the fear concealed within Feng Yingruo’s eyes. His red robes fluttered like phoenix wings in the wind, accompanied by the soft whisper of the breeze.

Jiang Lingwen loved beauties, but his methods of disciplining them were not always gentle. Disobedient little cats required firmer methods. In truth, Jiang Lingwen himself often wondered why those he had disciplined always ended up falling in love with him. Was he not the devil who dragged people into darkness? Though he never hesitated to show tenderness when it suited him, a devil who reveled in darkness could never truly long for the light.

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