65: Chapter 65 I'm Different

At the summit of Zhanlong Peak, in Jinglong Hall.

The Grand Elder sat composed at the head of the hall.

His hair and beard were completely white, but his face was fair and rosy. If one were to ignore the white hair and beard, he could easily be mistaken for a young man in his twenties.

However, his eyes were deep and profound, harboring the vicissitudes of passing time; such experience was far beyond what any young person could possess.

"Protector Cao, why are you not in the mountains contemplating the Sword Intent of Ancestor Linyuan? What brings you to my Zhanlong Peak?" The Grand Elder poured a cup of clear tea without haste, then gave it a gentle push. The white porcelain teacup floated steadily toward the old man seated to his lower right.

"This is the 'Mist-Hidden Spirit Tea' offered by the Lingyang Sect this year. Have a taste."

The old man seated to the upper right, Protector Cao, waved his hand to receive the spirit tea, took a light sip, and praised, "The aftertaste is crisp and sweet, and it has the effect of clearing the mind and refreshing the spirit. Not bad."

Protector Cao set down the teacup. "My visit here is indeed not just for my Named Disciple Guan Che, but also for Yu Xiu."

His heartstrings were pulled taut; he dared not relax in the slightest.

Do not be fooled by the Zhanlong Peak Grand Elder's seemingly amiable and easy-going demeanor; among the older generation, who didn't know that this old fellow was a butcher in his youth!

Back then, having just reached the Indestructible Realm, he dared to charge into the Twilight Ridge alone with a single sword, slaughtering dozens of Indestructible Realm Yin Demons.

If not for the Grand Elder waiting outside to support him, this Grand Elder of Zhanlong Peak would have long been trapped in the Twilight Ridge, unable to escape.

"Yu Xiu?" The Grand Elder smiled. "Transitioning from the Sword in the Hand to the Sword in Heart—every Disciple with the potential to become a true successor will undergo this. It is a good thing."

He then looked at Protector Cao. "However, one must always ask for Yu Xiu's own wishes. It would not be right to act arbitrarily and leave the Disciples feeling unhappy."

"Protector Cao, do you agree that this is the reasonable way to handle it?"

Protector Cao's heart first relaxed, then tightened again. "Of course, we old fellows are ultimately considering the cultivation future of the Disciples. How could we make decisions for them directly?"

"It is just that the Sword in Heart lineage is, after all, superior to the Sword in the Hand."

"A seed of true succession, a piece of uncut jade—if it were to be left to gather dust, it would be heartbreaking!"

"Therefore, when necessary, I will have my Disciple demonstrate the wonders of the Sword in Heart. I hope the Grand Elder will not mind."

In his heart, he thought, 'What does this old fellow mean? Could he have promised Yu Xiu some benefits in advance, wanting to keep Yu Xiu at Zhanlong Peak for good?'

He could not fathom the Grand Elder's intentions.

He said it was a good thing on one hand, but then spoke of respecting the Disciple's own wishes on the other. He decided to simply lay his cards on the table to see exactly what this Zhanlong Peak Grand Elder was up to.

After all, he was here at Zhanlong Peak to poach a talent; to say the Grand Elder would be happy about it would be a lie.

However, he had to poach him. This was for cultivating experts for the next generation of the Qingwei Sword Sect and continuing the Legacy; it was the trend of the times.

The Grand Elder seemed completely unbothered, remaining mild-mannered. "That is perfectly fine."

'Round and round, he still comes back to saying the Sword in the Hand is inferior to the Sword in Heart. I really want to strike this old thing with a sword!'

The Grand Elder felt somewhat helpless, because the Sword in Heart indeed had its own wonders. A true Sword Cultivator should combine the strengths of both the Sword in Heart and the Sword in the Hand to become a truly complete Sword Cultivator.

'But can the person from Jiuxiao Peak truly make Yu Xiu feel the wonders of the Sword in Heart lineage?'

The Grand Elder's gaze fell imperceptibly upon the young man standing behind Protector Cao, holding his sword, eyes closed and silent.

'Just entered the Five Gods Realm, with a heavy Sword Intent; he is indeed a good seedling!'

But, to want to suppress Yu Xiu...

'Yu Xiu has received the Five Elements chapter of the "Dragon-Slaying and Evil-Purging Sword" for less than half a month. His cultivation must be at the first level of the Five Elements Realm, at most not exceeding the second level!'

'If nothing goes wrong, Yu Xiu should also have achieved a Sword Heart!'

'With the wonder of the Sword Heart, he might be able to bridge some of the gap in cultivation!'

'However, the Sword in Heart lineage possesses stronger Sword Qi. It is very difficult for Yu Xiu to overcome a superior!'

The best outcome would be a half-percent chance of fighting to a draw!

The greater possibility is that he can hold out for ten sword strikes without being instantly defeated!

Yet that would still be a decent result. After all, the cultivation gap is too large—one has just entered the Five Elements Realm, while the other has already entered the Five Gods Realm. A full major realm, a gap of ten minor realms, is very difficult to bridge!

However, being able to hold out for ten sword strikes would be enough to prove that the Sword in the Hand is not inferior!

It would at least prevent him from being looked down upon by this fellow from the Sword in Heart lineage.

...

Zhanlong Peak, halfway up the mountain.

Yu Xiu reached out his hand again, and the black bird circled in the sky before landing once more.

He imperceptibly wiped the plucked black feather, and it returned to the bird's tail.

The black bird remained completely unaware, flapping its wings and flying away.

'This, how on earth did he do that?' Ruan Tang's pupils dilated sharply!

Plucking a bird feather without the bird noticing—she could understand that; some people with skilled techniques could do it.

But making the plucked feather grow back...

She could not figure it out!

Even if she racked her brains, she couldn't understand it!

'What exactly is this Senior Brother Yu cultivating?'

Ruan Tang felt her head spinning. Finally, she could only push aside the matter of the feather and return to the astonishing Sword Qi she had witnessed earlier: "Senior Brother's sword is far superior to the Sword in Heart lineage!"

This was not just polite talk; in Ruan Tang's perception, it was truly astonishing. She felt that this Senior Brother Yu's sword might even have surpassed many Senior Brothers who had reached Perfection in the Great Four Passes.

This was definitely not something a Disciple of the Sword in Heart lineage who had just entered the Five Elements Realm of the Great Four Passes could do.

Yu Xiu continued his ascent. "Therefore, whether or not I join the Sword in Heart lineage holds no great significance for me."

Ruan Tang suddenly realized. "I observe that Senior Brother's sword has an extremely pure Sword Intent. Does this mean that as long as I focus more on Sword Intent in my future cultivation, I can also manage to surpass the Sword in Heart with the Sword in the Hand?"

She seemed to have realized something and was overjoyed. "So, if I have the opportunity to switch to the Sword in Heart lineage in the future, it is actually unnecessary."

"Focusing on Sword Intent has no downsides." Yu Xiu paused his steps, thought for a moment, and said, "But if you have the chance to switch to the Sword in Heart, you should still go to the Sword in Heart lineage."

Ruan Tang was puzzled. "Senior Brother can cultivate Sword Qi that surpasses the Sword in Heart lineage while being in the Sword in the Hand lineage. If I learn from Senior Brother, I surely can too. Why go through the trouble of switching to the Sword in Heart lineage and waste time?"

Yu Xiu found it difficult to explain, so he could only say tactfully, "Do not try to learn from me."

People's Comprehension Ability is different.

If it were quantified, Yu Xiu estimated that Ruan Tang's Comprehension Ability was at most 11.

"The Sword in Heart is indeed stronger than the Sword in the Hand." Yu Xiu added.

Ruan Tang was a bit confused. "Then why haven't you switched to the Sword in Heart lineage, Senior Brother?"

Yu Xiu smiled. "I am different."