Chapter 449: Leaving a Name on the Imperial Sword Cliff
Hearing Yue Xi's words, both of them were momentarily stunned and looked at Li Hao in shock.
Surpassing eight chimes meant reaching nine chimes. A Dao Heart of this level was enough to cultivate to the peak of the Immortal King realm.
"Little junior brother, is your Dao Heart really that strong?"
Xu Jianming couldn't help but ask.
Wei Hongye also narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly surprised. She hadn't expected that this seemingly unassuming little junior brother was actually hiding his strength.
Li Hao asked curiously, "Aren't you two the same?"
"Where did you hear that kind of rumor?"
Xu Jianming let out a wry smile and said, "My Dao Heart only has seven chimes; I haven't even touched the Eternal Mind State yet. Compared to you two, my resolve is lacking."
Wei Hongye pursed her lips into a light smile. However, a trace of understanding flickered in her eyes. No wonder their master had only given them half a month—these new junior brother and junior sister were indeed quite formidable.
"Third senior sister, have you left your name on the Imperial Sword Cliff?"
At this moment, Yue Xi, dressed in her elegant robes, suddenly asked in a soft voice.
Wei Hongye saw the brilliance and yearning in her eyes and smiled. She couldn't help but recall the time she first entered Sword Abyss. Back then, she had worn a red dress and stood on her tiptoes as she asked senior brother:
"Senior brother, have you left your name on the Imperial Sword Cliff?"
Time had passed like the wind, bringing those old words back to her ears.
She smiled and said, "I have, but not too high."
Xu Jianming immediately said, "Senior sister, you're being too modest! If your ranking isn't considered high, then what am I supposed to say?"
Yue Xi's eyes gleamed slightly as she clenched her fingers quietly, but she didn't press further.
Li Hao also asked, "Senior brother, senior sister, do you have any hobbies? Like playing chess, painting, or fishing?"
Xu Jianming and Wei Hongye exchanged a surprised glance. Normally, newcomers to Sword Abyss would inquire about sword techniques, the location of the Imperial Sword Intent, and similar matters. Yet, Li Hao was asking about their personal interests.
"Those are trivial things. How could they compare to swords?" Xu Jianming said.
Wei Hongye simply smiled without responding, clearly sharing the same sentiment.
A hint of disappointment flashed in Li Hao's eyes as he asked, "Then do you know if any of the other senior brothers or sisters have such interests?"
"Our eldest senior brother knows a bit about chess, but compared to playing, he prefers wielding his sword to slay demons and vanquish evildoers," Wei Hongye said.
Li Hao nodded in understanding and said, "Then in the future, I'll cook some delicious food. You're welcome to come and try it. My cooking skills are quite good."
Seeing Li Hao's enthusiastic invitation, the two found it a little odd but didn't refuse. They simply assumed that this junior brother was trying to build rapport with them.
Yue Xi glanced at Li Hao, furrowed her brows slightly, then quickly pulled Wei Hongye along and left.
"Where are you two going?"
Xu Jianming quickly asked.
Wei Hongye chuckled. "It's a girls' matter. Don't be nosy."
"You're already thousands of years old and still calling yourselves girls..." Xu Jianming muttered under his breath.
Before he could finish speaking, a thin red line suddenly appeared on his cheek. However, it healed in an instant.
Shrinking his neck, he watched as Wei Hongye gracefully turned and walked away, not daring to say another word.
"Junior brother, come on, I'll take you to your residence."
Xu Jianming warmly gestured to Li Hao.
Li Hao nodded.
They bypassed the Sword Immortal Pavilion and headed toward the cultivation quarters built against the mountain.
On the way, Xu Jianming took the initiative to explain the layout of the academy to Li Hao. For instance, the place where sword techniques were stored was called the Sword Abyss Tower. Though it was called a tower, it was actually a pitch-black solitary peak.
The peak was riddled with countless dents, each holding an ancient sword. The sword techniques were recorded on these swords.
There was something unique about Sword Abyss—here, disciples didn't choose their sword techniques; rather, the techniques chose them.
By standing before Sword Abyss Tower and releasing one's sword intent, if a technique was compatible, it would automatically fly out for the disciple to choose.
"What if no techniques come out?" Li Hao asked.
"That won't happen. At the very least, the Nine Abyss Dream Sword Technique will be available. It's one of the strongest sword techniques of the Sword Abyss Academy," Xu Jianming said with a light laugh.
Li Hao nodded in understanding.
Aside from Sword Abyss Tower, there was also a sacred training ground located in the back mountain of Sword Abyss. A sword blade was buried deep within the land there, and by standing on it, one could sense the vast and surging sword intent, rapidly deepening their understanding of the sword.
Additionally, there were various elders within Sword Abyss, along with their residences. Xu Jianming, acting like an encyclopedia, thoroughly explained everything to Li Hao.
He then led Li Hao to receive his Sword Abyss disciple uniform, a matching sword, an identity token, and a sword talisman.
"This sword is a top-grade true treasure, strong enough to suppress experts of the seventh or eighth level of the True Immortal realm. But if you already have a sword you're more comfortable with, you can continue using your own."
Xu Jianming handed Li Hao a purple-gold sword.
Li Hao accepted the true treasure. While this sword couldn't compare to his Taotie Sword, it was far less conspicuous. For everyday use, this sword would suffice.
After collecting all the necessary items, Xu Jianming led Li Hao to his residence.
"This is the Heavenly Academy. There are ten sword attendants here. If you have any questions, just ask them. This is my sword talisman. If you ever want to spar with me, you can use this to send me a message."
Xu Jianming handed a dark golden sword talisman to Li Hao. The talisman emitted a faint golden glow, with sword shadows flickering within.
Li Hao accepted it and said, "I'll treat you to some barbecue later."
Xu Jianming was taken aback for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Alright!"
After Xu Jianming bid farewell and left the courtyard, Li Hao stepped into his new home, an extremely spacious courtyard.
A protective formation enveloped the area. Only by holding the sword talisman could one pass through.
Inside the courtyard, the density of immortal energy was about thirty percent higher than outside.
"Greetings, young master. I am Qi Meng'an, the steward of this courtyard. If you have any instructions, please feel free to ask me."
At that moment, a middle-aged man dressed in silver sword attire stepped forward respectfully. "Young master, you can give this courtyard a name."
"Name it?"
Li Hao glanced around and smiled. "Let's call it the Idle Courtyard."
"Idle Courtyard?"
Qi Meng'an was momentarily stunned but quickly smiled. "Alright, then it shall be the Idle Courtyard."
He then proceeded to introduce the courtyard's layout. Li Hao, having nothing urgent to do, followed him around to familiarize himself with the place.
After learning some of the rules, Li Hao summoned Xiyan from his Heaven and Earth Space.
Previously, in the Buddhist Holy Land, they had found a Bodhi seed, which Xiyan had absorbed. Now, she had reached the Half-Saint realm and had begun condensing her own Dao.
Moreover, Li Hao could faintly sense traces of golden Dao marks within Xiyan's body—evidence of a profound transformation, carrying an extraordinary presence.
"The True Realm really is different from the False Realm. Cultivating here is more than ten times faster than outside."
Xiyan marveled at her surroundings, her eyes filled with joy.
Li Hao smiled and tossed his sword talisman to her. "You can go explore on your own."
Xiyan caught the talisman, but the joy in her eyes turned to slight sorrow. She sighed and said, "You're advancing too fast. I can't keep up with you at all. The gap between us just keeps growing… You don't need me anymore."
Li Hao couldn't help but laugh. "Since when are friendships based on 'usefulness'? I promised to show you the world beyond. Whatever I see, you will see too."
Xiyan froze, her eyes shimmering with emotion. She suddenly threw herself against Li Hao, clinging to his arm. In a voice only she could hear, she whispered,
"The best decision I ever made… was holding onto you."
Li Hao's smile froze for a moment when he heard that. Then, he lightly patted her head and said, "Stop overthinking."
Xiyan rubbed her head, pouting slightly. Her eyes held a mix of grievance and sadness.
She let out a small huff and then hopped away, cheerfully exploring the courtyard.
Having some free time, Li Hao began inquiring about the True Realm from Qi Meng'an.
During their conversation, he learned something interesting—these Heavenly Academy sword attendants were actually from a sacred dynasty on this continent. Using the power of their royal family, they had struggled immensely to enter the Nine Abyss Dream Sword Abyss. Those with exceptional talent became disciples, while those with slightly weaker potential served as sword attendants in the Heavenly Academy.
Despite their servant status, their position was still superior to most royalty outside.
Several days later, once Li Hao had familiarized himself with the Sword Abyss, he asked Qi Meng'an to accompany him as he left the Heavenly Academy and descended the mountain.
At the foot of the mountain lay a sacred dynasty. It was bustling with activity, and its vast territory rivaled, if not surpassed, that of the Great Yu Dynasty.
Li Hao asked Qi Meng'an to help him find skilled commoners proficient in painting and chess.
Although surprised by the request, Qi Meng'an obeyed without question.
Using the royal authority of the Qi Dynasty, he posted notices to recruit chess masters and painters. Soon, competitions erupted across the sacred dynasty, as the winners would be given the opportunity to meet Li Hao.
Meanwhile, Li Hao, accompanied by Xiyan and Qi Meng'an, wandered through the sacred dynasty, enjoying himself.
He listened to storytellers, watched operas, strolled through mountains and forests, and immersed himself in the lively marketplace—completely indulging in the pleasures of the mundane world.
Back in Great Yu, he never had the chance to truly experience such worldly delights. But here, he had all the time he needed.
Qi Meng'an initially thought Li Hao was merely taking a short break and would return after a day or two. However, when he saw that Li Hao was still enthusiastically exploring after seven or eight days, he grew concerned and hesitantly asked,
"Young master, how long did Elder Li task you with mastering Immortal's Guidance?"
Li Hao patted his shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry. We'll return in a few days."
With that, he ordered another plate of braised pork and instructed Qi Meng'an to bring the chef to him.
The dishes at this tavern were surprisingly good, even satisfying Li Hao's increasingly refined palate. As someone whose cooking skills had improved immensely, finding food that pleased him was no easy feat.
Seeing that Li Hao was so confident, Qi Meng'an stopped questioning him and simply accompanied him in eating and drinking. However, inwardly, he found it strange—he had never seen any other disciple from the side academies behave like Li Hao. Most would be focused on cultivating, yet Li Hao was leisurely roaming about instead.
A few days later, feeling that he had had enough fun, Li Hao returned to the Sword Abyss with Qi Meng'an.
For the next two days, he simply lazed around in the Sword Abyss, even taking some time to paint in his courtyard. Then, he patiently awaited Li Tiemu's test.
Li Hao and Yue Xi were summoned to stand before the Sword Immortal Pavilion. Besides Li Tiemu, another elder was also present. Li Hao overheard Xu Jianming's whispered voice transmission and learned that this man was Zhou Qingyun, one of the three great elders of Sword Abyss.
"They've only joined for half a month, and they're already being tested?"
Zhou Qingyun had come after hearing the news, confirming it with Li Tiemu multiple times. He couldn't help but mutter to himself. Li Tiemu had the authority to admit disciples into the Heavenly Academy, but for a formal assessment, at least two of the three great elders needed to be present.
"They have remarkable talent," Li Tiemu transmitted. "They need some pressure."
"But isn't this pressure a bit too much? What if they fail?" Zhou Qingyun responded through voice transmission.
"If they fail, we'll say it's because of their diligence and effort. You can argue for them to get another half a month to prepare. That way, you can play the good guy, and I'll be the bad guy."
Li Tiemu's tone was casual.
Zhou Qingyun was speechless but inwardly let out a deep sigh. He understood Sword Abyss's current situation within Nine Abyss Dream. Li Tiemu had been working tirelessly for the sect's survival, doing everything possible to cultivate and recruit top talents.
"Fine," Zhou Qingyun replied through voice transmission.
Li Tiemu shot him a sidelong glance. "You agreed too quickly. You really are something else."
At that moment, Wei Hongye arrived, along with two other disciples from the Heavenly Academy who had come to watch. Wei Hongye exchanged a few words with them. The two disciples were Zhou Qingyun's students.
"Let's begin," Li Tiemu said once the time was right. His expression turned serious as he looked at Li Hao and Yue Xi. "Are you ready?"
Yue Xi's gaze gleamed with confidence and tranquility. She glanced at Li Hao beside her and said calmly, "I can draw my sword anytime."
"Good. Then you go first."
Seeing her unwavering confidence, Li Tiemu's eyes brightened slightly.
Without hesitation, Yue Xi raised her hand. Her purple-gold long sword, the standard weapon of a Heavenly Academy disciple, flipped into her grip. In the next instant, she slashed through the void.
A breathtaking sword mark was left in midair, radiating dazzling brilliance, like an exiled immortal pointing towards the heavens, illuminating the world with ten thousand rays of light.
Then, she sheathed her sword, her expression remaining calm. The entire sequence had taken only a single breath.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Li Tiemu's eyes shone as he let out a hearty laugh, his gaze filled with excitement. He hadn't expected that she would truly grasp the technique in just fifteen days. Her talent did not disappoint him.
Zhou Qingyun was briefly stunned before a smile curved at the corners of his mouth.
Wei Hongye and Xu Jianming exchanged glances, both seeing the helplessness in each other's eyes. This little junior sister was indeed a monster.
Li Tiemu then turned expectantly to Li Hao. "What about you?"
Li Hao responded without delay. He simply pressed two fingers together and made a light stroke through the air, revealing a trace of Immortal Sword Intent.
Compared to Yue Xi's performance, Li Hao's movement was much gentler, his presence more subdued.
Yue Xi glanced at him, her eyebrows raising slightly.
Li Tiemu chuckled. "Good, I wasn't wrong about you two."
Zhou Qingyun's expression grew strange. That old fox Li Tiemu had truly stumbled upon fortune this time—he had actually picked up two treasures.
Wei Hongye and Xu Jianming, however, remained calm. They already knew that Li Hao's Dao Heart surpassed Yue Xi's, so his performance wasn't surprising to them.
On the other hand, Zhou Qingyun's two disciples looked visibly shocked. They suddenly realized that the competition within the Heavenly Academy was about to become far more intense.
"Old Zhou, looks like I made you come for nothing. We'll be heading off now," Li Tiemu said with a smirk.
Zhou Qingyun felt a pang of irritation. This old bastard—had he just summoned him here just to show off?
Before Zhou Qingyun could reply, Li Tiemu swiftly led Li Hao and the others away.
"Since both of you have grasped the first technique, it's time for the second—Immortal Draw," Li Tiemu said, taking them to his personal training ground. He turned to Yue Xi and Li Hao. "Watch carefully."
Without further ado, he unsheathed his sword.
In an instant, the blade's brilliance erupted, like the sun and moon emerging from behind the clouds. The dazzling light was overwhelmingly intense.
Yue Xi focused intently, but her brows slowly furrowed, and beads of sweat began to form on her forehead.
This technique was far more intricate than Immortal's Guidance. It wasn't something one could comprehend with just a glance. The sharpness of its sword intent seemed to resonate within her mind, echoing with piercing clarity.
Meanwhile, before Li Hao's eyes, a translucent panel suddenly surfaced.
[You have glimpsed the fundamentals of Immortal Draw. Would you like to record it?]
Record.
The moment he made his choice, his panel updated the technique to "Beginner Level."
At the same time, countless images flooded his mind—various techniques and insights tied to this sword technique.
Even with his Tenfold Sword Comprehension, he could only grasp the technique at a beginner level.
Li Hao could tell that if he cultivated this technique to perfection, it might just rival one of the Top Ten Supreme Immortal Arts—the Azure Sky Sword Art.
This further confirmed the depth of Nine Abyss Dream. Ten thousand years ago, it had been the headquarters of the legendary Tianyi Sect, and its foundation was indeed extraordinary.
"Did you manage to remember it?"
After demonstrating the technique, Li Tiemu held his sword and smiled, looking at Li Hao and Yue Xi.
Yue Xi furrowed her brows and remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "I didn't remember it."
Li Tiemu laughed heartily. "That's normal! If you could master it in one go, then I should be the one calling you master instead."
Then he added, "I'll demonstrate it again. Watch carefully. If you still can't grasp it, ask your senior brothers and sisters for guidance later."
Wei Hongye and Xu Jianming exchanged helpless glances. Their master always had a habit of pushing the responsibility onto others. Back when they first joined, it was their senior brother who had taught them everything.
Moreover, Li Tiemu was always nowhere to be found. No one ever knew what he was busy with.
At that moment, Li Tiemu had already started demonstrating the second technique again.
Even though Li Hao had already reached the beginner level, he still watched attentively.
This time, his understanding deepened. With his foundational comprehension, he could now sense the intricacies and immense power hidden within the technique. However, he had yet to fully grasp it.
Meanwhile, beads of sweat gathered more densely on Yue Xi's forehead. A faint silver glow gradually emerged in her pupils, shining with radiance.
After a long while, when Li Tiemu finished his demonstration, the light in Yue Xi's eyes slowly faded as she quietly closed them.
Li Tiemu did not question or disturb her. He glanced at both of his disciples and, upon seeing Li Hao's thoughtful expression, smiled slightly. Without another word, he sheathed his sword, turned, and left.
"Little junior brother, did you remember it? If not, I can demonstrate it for you again," Xu Jianming asked.
Li Hao snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. "Thank you, senior brother, but I've already remembered it."
"You remembered?"
Wei Hongye and Xu Jianming were both stunned. If Yue Xi had remembered it, they wouldn't have been surprised. But they had been observing Li Hao closely, and he appeared relaxed the entire time, not forcing himself to memorize anything. Yet now he claimed to have already remembered it?
At that moment, Yue Xi also opened her eyes, glanced at Li Hao, and calmly said, "I remember it too."
Wei Hongye and Xu Jianming exchanged a glance, sensing that their junior sister seemed to be competing with their junior brother at every turn. However, considering that she came from the Disaster Clan and had entered the sect at the same time as Li Hao, it was understandable that she had a strong sense of competition. She certainly had the qualifications for it.
"Senior brother, senior sister, I'll head back to my courtyard now," Li Hao said, nodding in farewell before leaving.
When he returned to his courtyard, Qi Meng'an immediately approached with a slightly anxious and thoughtful expression. "Young master, how did it go?"
"I passed," Li Hao said with a light chuckle.
Qi Meng'an was stunned, looking at Li Hao in disbelief. Others might not know, but he had been accompanying Li Hao these past few days. He knew that this young master had spent all his time traveling, eating, and drinking. He hadn't cultivated at all, and Qi Meng'an had never even seen him hold a sword.
"Let's go find something to eat and pick up some ingredients while we're at it," Li Hao said. He had enjoyed himself long enough; it was time to focus on cultivation.
Qi Meng'an was momentarily taken aback before letting out a wry smile. He could sense how different this young master was from others. With a nod, he accompanied Li Hao down the mountain.
On the way, he reported the results of his earlier search for hidden experts. In a few days, once the competitions concluded, they would be able to select the top masters in various disciplines.
Hearing this, Li Hao was delighted and praised Qi Meng'an for his efficiency.
A few days later, the top artists, chess masters, and other experts from the nearby sacred dynasties were brought to Sword Abyss's Heavenly Academy, specifically to Li Hao's courtyard.
Most of them were elderly, with white hair and beards, exuding an air of dignity. However, upon learning that they were to meet a noble disciple of the Heavenly Academy, they became apprehensive, their demeanor filled with nervousness, excitement, and anticipation.
When they arrived at the courtyard, it was Xiyan who greeted them.
Seeing the lively, youthful girl who appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen, with a crisp voice and cheerful demeanor, their tension eased slightly.
Xiyan led them to Li Hao's sword chamber.
The chamber was filled with swords of various types, yet despite living there, Li Hao had never touched any of them.
Instead, he was outside in the courtyard, painting the trees and pond in front of him.
One of the painting masters watched as Li Hao used his fingers to sketch in the air. The scenery he painted was more vivid than reality itself—the trees seemed almost alive, and the still water in the pond looked as if it was rippling. But in the next blink, everything returned to its tranquil state.
This illusion left the master in shock. This level of artistry had already surpassed his own.
Just as they were about to kneel and pay their respects, Li Hao quickly stood up, stopping them and helping them up. He then instructed Qi Meng'an to arrange seats for them.
Seeing Li Hao's warmth and politeness, the masters were caught off guard. Although they were revered figures in their respective fields, in the presence of a Heavenly Academy disciple, their status seemed insignificant.
Even the royals had to bow before the academy's disciples, let alone them.
Noticing their unease, Li Hao chatted with them in a warm and friendly manner, gradually guiding the conversation toward their respective skills and passions.
As they began discussing their fields of expertise, their tension faded away. Their backs straightened, and their eyes shone with excitement as they spoke.
Li Hao smiled. After a round of conversation, the initial nervousness had completely disappeared.
As he engaged in friendly sparring with each of them, he soon discovered that most of them were at the ninth or tenth level in their respective disciplines.
In the fields of painting, chess, and culinary arts, Li Hao had yet to find anyone who could match him, which left him somewhat disappointed. However, in other artistic disciplines where his own skill level was not particularly high, he did encounter several individuals who surpassed him.
Without hesitation, Li Hao instructed Qi Meng'an to arrange accommodations for them, allowing these experts to stay temporarily and serve as his sparring partners for the time being.
Qi Meng'an hesitated for a moment, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he followed the order without question.
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and three months had gone by.
Li Hao had now been in Sword Abyss for three months, though in the True Realm, this amount of time was nothing more than the blink of an eye. Even top geniuses like Wei Hongye and the others often spent years, or even decades, in a single closed-door cultivation session.
Meanwhile, Li Hao's courtyard was filled with laughter and lively chatter every day.
Under the shade of the trees, he sat across from a white-haired elder over a game of chess.
"Young Master Hao, you did say before that if I could win a match against you, you would grant me a wish."
The elder picked up a chess piece and, as if spotting a flaw in the board's pattern, his eyes brightened with excitement, and he smiled as he spoke.
Li Hao chuckled. "You mentioned your nephew before. If you manage to defeat me, I can arrange for him to become the first martial general of the Sacred Dynasty."
Hearing this, the elder was so overwhelmed with emotion that he nearly got up to kneel in gratitude.
Li Hao quickly raised his hand to stop him and smiled. "But you have to win first."
"Of course."
Suppressing his excitement, the elder's expression grew serious as he placed his next move.
Li Hao watched him drop his piece into the trap he had deliberately set and couldn't help but smile. He then proceeded to tighten the net.
After several consecutive moves, the elder finally realized he had fallen into a trap. His face paled slightly.
Li Hao chuckled. "No worries. There's always next time."
The elder struggled to hold his position on the board, but in the end, he was forced into a dead-end. He let out a sigh. "Young Master Hao's chess skills… I have never seen anything like it in my lifetime."
Li Hao was about to respond when Qi Meng'an suddenly rushed over, his expression mixed with excitement and complexity.
"Young master! Great news from the Heavenly Academy—Miss Yue Xi has left her name on the Imperial Sword Cliff!"
Li Hao was just about to reset the board for another match when he paused for a brief moment upon hearing this. Then, without changing his expression, he continued arranging the pieces and said casually, "Well, that's something to congratulate her for."
Qi Meng'an watched as Li Hao remained focused on his chess game and hesitated before asking in a low voice, "Young master, don't you want to give it a try at the Imperial Sword Cliff?"
Li Hao shook his head. He had no interest in such matters.
Rather than spending his time on something so trivial, he preferred playing a few more games and accumulating experience. Who knew? He might even gain some insights into reaching the twelfth level in chess.
Qi Meng'an's eyes flickered slightly, as if he wanted to say more. After a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke.
"Young master, you and Miss Yue Xi entered the sect at the same time. Many people have been paying attention to you."
As he spoke, he glanced cautiously at Li Hao, afraid of offending him.
Li Hao calmly gestured for the elder opposite him to determine the starting player, then asked, "Paying attention to me?"
"Yes, young master. You have spent all your time painting and playing chess in the courtyard…" Qi Meng'an hesitated before continuing, "There are already quite a few rumors outside."
Li Hao couldn't help but laugh. "Cultivation is about challenging the heavens. Why should I care about meaningless gossip? Let them talk. Their noise will never reach inside these walls."
Qi Meng'an sighed inwardly. As Li Hao's sword attendant, he naturally hoped that his master would rise to the top.
For a servant, the fate of their master was tied to their own.
"Alright, I'm continuing my game. You may go now."
Seeing that Li Hao had no interest in further discussion, Qi Meng'an had no choice but to withdraw.
Another three months passed, and a small wave of excitement swept through the Heavenly Academy as news spread.
The youngest disciple under Li Tiemu's tutelage, the junior sister Yue Xi, had ventured into the Sword Abyss Tower and been chosen by a legendary sword.
It was said that this sword had once been nominated among the Top Ten Supreme Immortal Arts but had ultimately failed to make the final list.
When this news broke, many disciples across the various academies were stirred. Wei Hongye and Xu Jianming immediately went to Yue Xi's courtyard to congratulate her.
Yue Xi glanced around, searching, but when she didn't see Li Hao, a small smile played at the corner of her lips.
Although she had lost to Li Hao in Dao Heart, when it came to swordsmanship talent, she was confident that she would not lose to anyone.
For Li Hao not to show up—she assumed he simply felt too embarrassed to congratulate her. But in doing so, he had only made himself seem even more lacking in grace.
She thought no more of it, exchanging a few words with her senior brother and sister before returning to her closed-door cultivation.
One year after entering the Sword Abyss's Heavenly Academy, Yue Xi emerged from her seclusion and immediately returned to the Imperial Sword Cliff for a second attempt at leaving her name.
This time, when news of her return to the Imperial Sword Cliff spread, many disciples from the Sword Cliff gathered to watch.
In just a single year, Yue Xi's name had already become well-known within Sword Abyss.
Not only were the disciples of the Heavenly Academy paying attention to this rising star, but even the disciples of the Earth Academy, Mystic Academy, and Yellow Academy had heard of Yue Xi.
At first, some had been skeptical, believing that her sudden admission into the Heavenly Academy was due to favoritism or hidden dealings. But now, those doubts had significantly diminished.
"Look! Fairy Yue Xi is here!"
"She managed to leave her name on the Imperial Sword Cliff after only three months of joining the sect. That's insane! Now that a year has passed, her ranking must have improved, right?"
"It's definitely possible. She's a disciple of the Heavenly Academy, after all. Her first ranking might have been at the bottom, but I heard she obtained a top-tier sword technique from the Sword Abyss Tower. Her progress must be astonishing!"
In the sky above the Imperial Sword Cliff, many disciples craned their necks, eagerly awaiting the spectacle that was about to unfold.