Amidst the towering mountain range, Li Zixuan flitted gracefully, her feet tapping lightly on the branches of the trees.
A gentle breeze brushed past her ears, stirring her hair, but it could do little to conceal her inner excitement.
"I'm finally almost there!"
Li Zixuan closed her eyes, sensing the Sword Essence in the air. Ever since the day the mountain was cleaved in two, the valley had been suffused with faint traces of Dao essence.
This alone showed the profound Power of the one who had delivered the strike.
What delighted her even more was that throughout the long day, this was the only time she was truly free—the only time the bodyguards her family had sent would leave her to be alone as she comprehended the Sword Essence.
A feeling of liberation, like a fledgling leaving the nest, coursed through her.
It even felt as if the heavy burden that always weighed on her shoulders had grown considerably lighter.
Before long,
Li Zixuan arrived on a branch closest to the Broken Peak.
Clad in white, she stood atop the tree, an ethereal and independent figure, silently gazing at the clean cut of the peak above.
The apex of this thousand-year-old pine was the closest and safest spot from which to comprehend the Sword Essence.
Venturing any further up the mountain would be lethally dangerous.
The immense and surging Sword Intent was like a powerful undercurrent in the deep sea. Even after several days, it showed no sign of diminishing, and not even the headmaster of the Jianghai Martial Arts Academy dared to venture any further.
'What chance did I have, being merely in the Postnatal Eighth Realm?'
'Such terrifying power. As expected of a true master. Even my own teacher can't get close.'
Li Zixuan focused, sensing the powerful Sword Dao aura, and her admiration for the master who had left it behind deepened.
The face of the Broken Peak was perfectly smooth. A gentle breeze swept past it.
The wind, which should have been powerless, had transformed into blades sharp enough to inflict death by a thousand cuts, annihilating any foe who dared to enter!
Faintly, she sensed that this gentle breeze... was remarkably similar in principle to the most basic Qingfeng Swordsmanship.
'Returning to the Essence... Could this be the Sword Dao Ultimate Intent my teacher always talks about?'
Li Zixuan murmured softly. No matter how many times she saw it, she was utterly awestruck.
'What Realm must one reach to unleash such Sword Intent?'
With this question in mind, she pondered for a moment, then slowly closed her eyes and began to quietly sense the Sword Intent, seeking a deeper level of comprehension.
Meanwhile, not far away,
Qin Yang had concealed his aura and was taking in Li Zixuan's every move.
'Damn... could this girl actually be my fangirl?'
After extending his Perception Power to observe her, the look in Li Zixuan's eyes left Qin Yang momentarily stunned.
He grew more and more certain of his earlier suspicion.
'And judging by her expression, she's completely hooked...'
Qin Yang stroked his chin as a bold idea began to form in his mind.
'If I just show up in front of Li Zixuan as a so-called "master of the Sword Dao," won't she just fall to her knees and beg to be my disciple?'
'The great future Empress, taking a piece of trash like me from the Innate Realm as her master?!'
'If that happens, wouldn't this damn system just short-circuit and crash on the spot?'
'Yes, yes, this idea is perfect. It's a natural progression, and I can milk this damn system for a massive reward!'
Qin Yang patiently waited for Li Zixuan to finish her meditation, observing his surroundings and preparing a big surprise for her.
...
A short while later.
The sun set, and a bright moon hung among the clouds.
Li Zixuan slowly exhaled a turbid breath, drew her focus inward, and finally ended her meditation.
'Alright, that's enough for today.'
Seeing that it was getting late, she took her phone out of her bag and carefully snapped a few selfies.
It was just a harmless bit of girlish vanity.
After taking a few pictures with a pout, Li Zixuan's expression immediately became stern again, reverting to her usual aloof demeanor as if she'd been caught doing something wrong.
She put her phone in her pocket and was just about to turn and leave.
But just then!
A wizened voice suddenly rang in her ear!
"Not bad. Little one, your Comprehension is quite good..."
The unfamiliar voice was ethereal and otherworldly, its source impossible to pinpoint, as if it were coming from everywhere at once.
This was the Sound Transmission Secret Technique, usable only by those in the Innate Realm. Qin Yang had figured it out for fun while bored and idly experimenting.
It was a mostly useless little trick with no real combat application, but today, it had finally found its purpose.
The sudden voice instantly put Li Zixuan on high alert.
"Which master is here? Please show yourself!"
Her heart pounded with alarm as Li Zixuan gripped her longsword and scanned her surroundings.
The evening wind whistled through the valley's trees, and the rustling of pine needles merged into a sea of noise.
The area just outside the mountain was teeming with top experts at the Late Stage of Postnatal Realm. For this person to have slipped past them unnoticed showed just how terrifyingly powerful they were!
"Do not be alarmed. This old one means you no harm."
Executing the Seven-Star Dragon Roaming Step, Qin Yang appeared before Li Zixuan in the blink of an eye.
However...
He had changed into a black robe and a wide-brimmed conical hat. Most of his face was obscured, and in the pale moonlight, his features were impossible to discern.
Even his voice was as ancient and weathered as a man in his twilight years.
The two of them stood on separate treetops, facing each other.
Li Zixuan felt a sense of dread as she looked at the black-robed figure who had suddenly appeared.
'The ability to use sound transmission means he's at least at the Innate Realm. How could I, a mere Postnatal Eighth Layer, possibly be a match for him?'
'When did such a powerful figure appear in Jianghai City?'
After a long moment, Li Zixuan clasped her hands in a respectful salute and asked, her voice trembling, "Senior, to what do I owe the honor of your presence? What are your instructions?"
"I..."
Qin Yang opened his mouth, about to mention taking her as a disciple.
But the next moment, a "DING!" sounded in his head.
"Ding! Empress detected in close proximity. Host, kowtow and become her disciple immediately! This opportunity is not to be missed!"
The noisy system was as grating as a cawing crow.
Qin Yang was speechless.
The system's racket completely shattered his train of thought, derailing the words he had been about to say.
'Damn system, can't you have some fucking self-respect?'
'Can't you see I'm the one trying to make the Empress my disciple?!'
Qin Yang cursed inwardly, a bellyful of rage bubbling up with nowhere to go.
"Senior, have I perhaps offended you in some way?"
Seeing Qin Yang hesitate, Li Zixuan asked, her voice laced with fear and uncertainty.
"No. It's just that this wind is rather... boisterous."
Qin Yang frowned, looking toward the breeze at the Broken Peak. The whistling mountain wind only amplified his irritation.
He couldn't very well lash out, so he redirected the displeasure caused by the system onto the wind.
The moment he spoke, Li Zixuan froze in disbelief. This breeze carried the Sword Intent that even her own teacher considered a priceless treasure. How could this master call it 'boisterous'?
However, what happened next was even more shocking!
She watched as Qin Yang, muttering "Be still," suddenly waved a hand toward the Broken Peak.
Instantly!
That surging and terrifying Sword Intent carried on the breeze seemed to dissolve like salt in water, vanishing completely.
In the blink of an eye, the mountains fell silent.
Not a single whisper of the clamorous wind remained.
From that moment on, the entire wilderness was utterly still!
"How is that possible?!"
Li Zixuan's eyes widened, her entire understanding of the world turned upside down.
'Such heaven-defying power... Besides the master of One Sword Breaks the Peak, who else could possibly do this?!'
"You... you, you are..."
Li Zixuan was too excited to form a complete sentence, stammering as if she were in a daze.
'To meet the idol I've longed for day and night... how could I not be thrilled beyond words?!'
"Indeed. It is I."
Qin Yang nodded slightly. Seeing the time was ripe, he pushed his advantage.
"Little one, this old man observes that you have a remarkable constitution. Are you willing... to take me as your master?"