Chapter 60 - 35: Wasted Sword Spirit

Polluted by Muddy Qi?

Ye Zhaozhao had long grown accustomed to getting something for nothing. When it came to things she needed to actively learn about, she was completely clueless.

Now, she couldn’t help but wear a confused expression. "Polluted by Muddy Qi... what does that mean?"

Seeing everyone’s strange expressions, Ye Zhaozhao said with an aggrieved tone, "Is it... Senior Sister Li? She did something to Long Yan, didn’t she?"

Ye Zhaozhao said this, but this time, even her most devoted sycophant, Chang Le’an, didn’t chime in to agree.

Ye Zhaozhao froze for a moment, a sudden sense of foreboding creeping into her heart.

’Muddy Qi!’

’What in the world does that mean!’

Master Lingxu was silent for a moment before speaking. "A treasure sword possesses a spirit, which gives birth to a Sword Spirit. Our Sword Sect’s Sword Pavilion has a unique spirit-nurturing effect, ensuring that all sword embryos cultivated within can give birth to Sword Spirits. However, Sword Spirits vary in strength. Powerful ones have immense potential. Once they find a worthy master, it’s a fateful encounter that allows them to soar to the heavens."

"As for weaker Sword Spirits, some can’t be awakened at all, some have very limited potential, and some..."

Master Lingxu paused before continuing in a slow voice, "...are born polluted by Muddy Qi, their Spiritual Bodies imperfect."

As Ye Zhaozhao listened, her pupils suddenly constricted.

’What does Master mean by that?’

Long Yan, who had been curled up in the Sword Spirit Space, felt his heart tremble.

Without waiting for Ye Zhaozhao’s summons, he forcibly left the Sword Spirit Space.

His Spiritual Body was already unstable, and forcing his way out of the Sword Spirit Space made his form flicker in and out of existence.

Long Yan’s voice trembled. "Born polluted by Muddy Qi? No! That’s impossible! Everyone knows I’m a peerless Sword Spirit! After I was awakened, my progress was meteoric. Li Shuang herself said that without me, she never would have achieved what she has today!"

’I’m so powerful! How could I possibly be some contaminated Sword Spirit!’

Everyone knew.

Sword Spirits polluted by Muddy Qi were at the very bottom of the food chain.

The vast majority of such Sword Spirits could never be awakened.

Even the few who managed to defy the heavens, change their fate, and awaken would be tormented day and night by the Muddy Qi that constantly regenerated!

Such a Sword Spirit was the most wasted of Wasted Sword Spirits. Forget about growing to the point of Transforming Void into Reality—there were barely a few who even managed to awaken successfully.

He, Long Yan, was a peerless Sword Spirit envied by all! Dragon Roar was a Peerless Treasure Sword coveted by everyone!

’How could I possibly be a Wasted Sword Spirit!’

"Master, what does this mean? Can this Muddy Qi be removed? Long Yan isn’t going to be... permanently damaged, is he?" Ye Zhaozhao grew anxious.

Master Lingxu said slowly, "Long Yan’s Muddy Qi generates from within his Spiritual Body. He is a Sword Spirit who was born contaminated, and the level of contamination is quite high. Logically, he shouldn’t have been able to awaken at all. I don’t know what method Li Shuang used to awaken him, nor do I know how she managed to suppress his Muddy Qi so well over the years that even I couldn’t see any signs of it."

Master Lingxu looked at Long Yan, his expression faintly cold. "But you are indeed... just a Wasted Sword Spirit."

At that moment, Master Lingxu couldn’t help but feel a little impressed.

He didn’t know what methods his Senior Disciple had used to cultivate a Wasted Sword Spirit to such a degree!

If Long Yan had stayed with Li Shuang, the Muddy Qi inside him probably would have never erupted.

But he broke his contract with Li Shuang and signed a new one with Zhaozhao.

Zhaozhao doesn’t know how to remove Muddy Qi. This time, he was agitated, causing the Muddy Qi that Li Shuang had suppressed to erupt once more.

This time...

Without Li Shuang, who else could suppress it for him?

A flash of disbelief crossed Long Yan’s eyes. His Spiritual Body flickered constantly between corporeal and incorporeal states, and his expression grew dazed.

"Impossible, this is impossible! What Muddy Qi? What Wasted Sword Spirit? This is absolutely impossible!" Long Yan’s voice suddenly became shrill. "Li Shuang clearly said I was the Sword Spirit with the best aptitude she had ever seen! She clearly said she firmly believed I could become her best partner!"

Li Shuang said it.

And he believed it.

He had even started to think that Li Shuang wasn’t worthy of him!

But now...

Master Lingxu was telling him he was actually a Wasted Sword Spirit, and that without Li Shuang, he would have never even awakened?

Long Yan denied it subconsciously.

But in his heart, he knew.

Given the current relationship between Master Lingxu and Li Shuang, he had no reason to speak in her favor!

If even Master Lingxu said so, there was only one possibility.

This... was the truth!

He, Long Yan, was actually just... trash...

Long Yan’s body grew even more incorporeal, almost becoming transparent.

But now, he couldn’t even feel the pain of his body dissipating from solid to void.

He was completely lost in his own thoughts, only muttering, "This is impossible..." over and over again.

Shen Yue sighed and said, "Senior Sister Li... she truly is a peerless genius. Only she could have cultivated a Wasted Sword Spirit to this level."

That was a contaminated Sword Spirit!

After being awakened, it could have started generating Muddy Qi again at any moment. Yet for so many years, Long Yan had never once discovered the existence of Muddy Qi.

This could only prove one thing: every time the Muddy Qi had just begun to appear, Li Shuang had dealt with it immediately.

How much effort must she have put in to accomplish such a thing?

No one could imagine.

No one dared to.

Ye Zhaozhao bit her lip tightly, a vicious expression flashing across her face.

’Damn it! That Li Shuang did this on purpose, didn’t she?’

’Why didn’t she tell me beforehand that this Long Yan was just a Wasted Sword Spirit!’

’She deliberately swapped treasure swords with me just so she could wait for this moment and watch me make a fool of myself?’

’What use is a contaminated Sword Spirit?’

’Not only is it useless, but it’s also taking up the spot for my bonded treasure sword!’

’Damn it, damn it! That Li Shuang really deserves to die.’

While Ye Zhaozhao was cursing wildly in her heart, her face showed a worried expression. "Master, what can be done? Long Yan’s condition isn’t right. He’s about to lose his physical form."

Master Lingxu said calmly, "To remove the Muddy Qi, no one else can help. As his master, you might be able to try using your Sword Qi. Spiritual Power can be converted into Sword Qi, and the sharpness of Sword Qi might be able to purge the Muddy Qi. During the process, the amount of Sword Qi cannot be a bit too much or a bit too little. Too much will damage the Sword Spirit, and too little will be ineffective. You must grasp the precise balance yourself."

Ye Zhaozhao’s expression changed slightly.

Converting Spiritual Energy into Sword Qi.

That was something only a Sword Cultivator with a certain level of comprehension in the Sword Dao could do.

She couldn’t even perform the first step!

"Junior Sister, hurry and try," Sheng Yuan couldn’t help but look at her.

"Just try it first," Shen Yue also urged.

Ye Zhaozhao’s mind raced. She quickly said, "I do want to save Long Yan. But Master said the Sword Qi can’t be a bit too much or a bit too little. If Long Yan’s soul body were stable, it wouldn’t matter if I took my time to try. But in his current condition, if I make a single mistake, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

Ye Zhaozhao then changed the subject. "Speaking of which, when it comes to removing Muddy Qi, Senior Sister Li is the most skilled. Besides, his Spiritual Body was damaged this time because of her. Why don’t we have Senior Sister Li help out!"