59: Refining Sword Grass

After the Inner Sect Elders left, the Elders in the night sky exchanged wry smiles.

"Sigh, can our Spirit Herb Hall really not keep a single talented Disciple?"

"Nothing we can do, since they are from the Inner Sect."

"We can't hold back such a good seedling either…"

"That's true. Didn't your Zhao family produce a good seedling a few years ago? You sent that one to the Inner Sect too…"

As the two were complaining, a white-haired figure drifted over from not far away.

"Greetings, Hall Master!" everyone present said with solemn expressions.

The person who arrived was none other than the Hall Master of the Spirit Herb Hall, Bai He.

"No need for formalities." Bai He's face remained calm as a still well: "Whether Inner Sect or Outer Sect, all are members of the Sword Pavilion. There is no need for you to overthink it."

"The Hall Master is right." The Grand Elder nodded.

"You may all disperse." Bai He waved his hand, turned around, and flew away.

The two Elders looked at Bai He's white hair, exchanged a glance, and both sighed imperceptibly.

"Sigh, Hall Master."

…

The next day, explosive news spread among the Disciples of the Spirit Herb Hall.

Su Wan Yue had comprehended half-step Sword Intent and was accepted as a student by Elder Lianyi of the Inner Sect, leaping to become an Inner Sect Disciple of the Sword Pavilion.

For a time, it overshadowed the Sword Testing Tournament.

Lin Yan naturally received the news as well.

He specifically went to find Ye Wangshu to learn many details about last night.

"Now that everything is ready, I should refine the Sword Grass." Lin Yan thought to himself.

At night, the spirit field was shrouded in pale silver moonlight. The dense Spiritual Qi floated with the night breeze, like a thin veil covering the emerald green seedlings.

Lin Yan sat in his own plot of spirit field, with a crimson Medicinal Pill lying in his palm.

The surface of the pill was covered in fine golden patterns; this was a precious Medicinal Pill specifically used for guiding Spiritual Qi and protecting the Meridians.

He didn't rush to swallow it, but first circulated the Azure Wood Technique, letting the Spiritual Qi around his body calm down like a stream. Only after his breath stabilized did he put the Medicinal Pill into his mouth.

"Gulp."

The Meridian Protection Pill melted upon entering his mouth, turning into a warm current that surged into his abdomen and flowed slowly along his Meridians.

Lin Yan could clearly feel that wherever the warm current passed, his Meridians felt as if they were soaked in warm water, warm and becoming increasingly tough and clear.

【spirit plant Name: Sword Grass】

【growth progress: 105 / 1000】

【spirit plant Property: Refining can help a Sword Cultivator comprehend Sword Intent】

【Growth Status: None】

This was another Sword Grass that had stopped growing.

The leaves were slender like rice leaves, but the edges were tinged with a light cyan sharpness, and silver light flowed faintly within the veins.

The most magical part was inside its stem, where a cyan sword-shaped spiritual charm radiated a fluctuation of Sword Intent.

Lin Yan pinched a seal with his fingers, wrapped the roots of the Sword Grass with a strand of cyan Wood Spiritual Power, and lifted it gently.

"Swish!"

The Sword Grass was pulled up by the roots, its leaves gleaming with a cold light under the moonlight.

Lin Yan did not delay, immediately sat cross-legged, placed the Sword Grass between his palms, and then activated the Azure Wood Technique again.

"Azure Wood gives birth to life, refining and condensing form…"

As the incantation was spoken, a ball of emerald green Wood Spiritual Power surged from his palms, wrapping around the Sword Grass like spring vines.

The silver light on the surface of the Sword Grass was enveloped by the Wood Spiritual Power. The original sharp edge gradually converged, turning into wisps of purer Sword Qi, which were carried by the Wood Spiritual Power into Lin Yan's palms and then slowly injected into his Dantian along the Meridians.

Refining Sword Grass cannot be done by swallowing it directly; one must first refine a portion of its essence.

This process was not easy.

The Sword Qi in the Sword Grass was inherently fierce. Even after being nourished by the Azure Wood Technique, it still stung his Meridians like fine needles.

Fortunately, with the help of the Meridian Protection Pill, it could not harm Lin Yan's Meridians.

He gritted his teeth, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead, but he maintained the rhythm of his Spiritual Power circulation.

He knew that to comprehend Sword Intent, he had to make this Sword Qi completely integrate with his own Spiritual Qi.

"Hum…"

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the last trace of Sword Qi was refined.

In Lin Yan's Dantian, within the originally mist-like Spiritual Qi, a faint silver glow suddenly appeared, like stars appearing in the night sky.

"The critical moment has arrived!" A hint of nervousness appeared on Lin Yan's face.

At this moment, the leaves of the Sword Grass had lost their luster, as if their vitality had been stripped away, and the whole plant had shrunk to three inches long.

Only the spiritual charm in the stem still radiated fierce fluctuations of Sword Intent.

He decisively swallowed the Sword Grass.

With a thought, he tried to guide the Sword Intent spiritual charm to flow.

He saw the silver glow in the Spiritual Qi suddenly condense, merging with the spiritual charm, turning into the shape of a small sword!

"Clang!"

When the sword-shaped spiritual charm swept across the wall of the Dantian, it let out a clear sword chime. Although as weak as a mosquito's hum, it made Lin Yan's whole body tremble.

It was as if sword light had flashed in his mind, illuminating his Divine Soul.

In an instant, it felt as if a long time had passed.

Lin Yan opened his eyes abruptly. A silver light flashed in his pupils. The air within three feet of him seemed to be cut by invisible Sword Qi, and even the trajectory of the falling moonlight seemed exceptionally sharp.

In the spirit field beneath his feet, the surrounding Sword Grass, Mutated Rice, and other spirit plants moved without wind.

"It's done…"

Lin Yan looked down at his palms. A trace of coldness remained there, but it felt as if he were holding an invisible sharp sword.

This gave him the urge to draw his sword.

But after thinking about it, he held back.

He was not Su Wan Yue. Su Wan Yue intentionally showed her strength to find a teacher.

What he needed was to keep a low profile.

What if a high-level Cultivator passed by and discovered his Sword Intent? Wouldn't that risk exposing his secrets?

Lin Yan had already built a Genius persona.

It would be reasonable to show half-step Sword Intent in a few years.

As a Genius, it was acceptable to cultivate one Sword Grass from ten seeds.

But cultivating two or even three Sword Grass from ten seeds would be too Heaven-Defying.

He stood up and tried to take a step. His figure was three parts lighter than usual.

Every step he took felt like the tip of a sword touching the ground, silent yet carrying a certain rhythm.

After comprehending half-step Sword Intent, his understanding of the Eight Directions Sword Step had also improved.

…

The next day, Lin Yan attended the Sword Testing Tournament as usual, arriving just in time.

As the competition progressed, his opponents became stronger, and Lin Yan needed a dozen moves to win.

The competition had been going on for four days, and today was the last day of the regular season.

After today, the top 32 of this Sword Testing Tournament would be decided.

Three days later, the final knockout rounds and the grand final would be held.

At that time, the various Elders and the Hall Master would also come to watch.

After the sword competition ended that day, Lin Yan did not return to his Small Valley.

Alone, he took a winding path, acting like a thief, and finally snuck to Ten Thousand Willow Peak.

Unlike his first visit, there was not a single person at Ten Thousand Willow Peak this time.

In the vast spirit mountain, there was only the rustling sound of wind blowing through the willow branches.

"Sure enough, everyone's attention has been drawn to the Sword Testing Tournament lately; there's no one here." Lin Yan thought to himself.

Inside the mountainside of Ten Thousand Willow Peak, Lin Yan stood before that ancient Stone Gate again.

He had come in a daze and left in a hurry last time.

This time, Lin Yan saw the full appearance of the Stone Gate for the first time.

The gate was over a zhang high, cast entirely from unknown grey-black stone, and its surface was covered with the traces of time.

There were no runes or patterns on the Stone Gate, only rows of shallow willow leaf imprints that faintly glowed with a green light, flickering gently with the mountain wind as if they were alive.