71: Chapter 71 The Seven-Day Pact

I slept like the dead, and when I finally opened my eyes, the sun outside was already high up in the sky.

"Holy crap, what time is it?"

I groggily climbed out of bed, feeling sore all over.

Yesterday's Inner Sect Selection had nearly rattled my old bones to pieces.

But then again, managing to take second place and even comprehending that Unrestrained Sword Intent made it a huge win.

[Ding! Host current status: HP 98%, MP 100%, Fatigue 15%]

The system's chime rang in my head.

I stretched my limbs and felt okay.

"The Shadow Pavilion is making their move in seven days. Time is tight and the task is heavy."

I muttered to myself, quickly washed up, threw on my clothes, and rushed out the door.

That old man Mo Wentian told me to come find him once my wounds healed; he had something important to discuss.

The scenery in the Sword Pavilion's inner sect was truly different; it was filled with an ethereal aura.

The disciples walking around all had their noses in the air, looking at people with a hint of arrogance.

But I was an inner sect disciple now too.

Although I was ranked second, I was still someone of note, and I found myself walking with a much straighter back.

"Yo, isn't this Chen Ergou?"

A sarcastic voice came from the side.

I turned my head and saw a pretty boy wearing inner sect attire, looking at me with the eyes of someone staring at a bumpkin.

"What, you know me?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"Hmph, a piece of trash who got into the inner sect by luck, and you think you're worthy of talking to me?"

The kid looked at me with disdain.

I chuckled: "Brother, that's a strange thing to say. If I got second place by luck, what rank did you get with your 'strength'?"

The kid's face flushed red; he was clearly stung by my words.

The Inner Sect Selection only admitted ten people, and he had placed ninth, barely avoiding being cut.

"You… you just wait!"

He threw down a harsh threat and scurried away.

"Tch, brat."

I curled my lip and continued walking toward Mo Wentian's residence.

Mo Wentian lived in a place called "Asking Heaven Pavilion."

The name sounded intimidating, but it was actually just a dilapidated courtyard with a few crooked trees and a nearly dried-up well inside.

"Old man, I'm here!"

I shouted at the top of my lungs.

"Come in, the door isn't locked."

Mo Wentian's voice drifted out from inside.

I pushed the door open and saw Mo Wentian sitting at a broken table, cradling a cup of tea.

The tea leaves had already lost all their color, yet he was still sipping on it.

"Sit."

He pointed to the chair opposite him.

I sat down carelessly and got straight to the point: "Old man, how much does your Sword Pavilion know about the Shadow Pavilion's business?"

Mo Wentian set down his tea cup, his expression turning serious: "More than you imagine."

"Oh? Tell me about it."

"The Sword Pavilion did indeed receive wind of the Shadow Pavilion's operation beforehand," Mo Wentian said slowly.

"We have already strengthened the defenses of Tianqi City, and the guards at every post have been doubled."

"That's not bad," I nodded.

"Better safe than sorry."

"However…" Mo Wentian changed the subject, "there is some bad news."

My heart skipped a beat: "What bad news?"

"According to the intelligence we received, the Shadow Pavilion Master might personally take part in this operation."

"What the hell?!" I nearly jumped out of my chair.

"The Shadow Pavilion Master? That legendary, mysterious big shot?"

"Precisely."

Mo Wentian sighed.

"The Shadow Pavilion Master is a legendary figure in the game. No one has ever seen his true face, and his strength is unfathomable. It is said that his level is at least 40, perhaps even higher."

I gasped.

Level 40!

I was only level 23 right now; that was a gap of nearly 20 levels!

If I really faced him, wouldn't I just be serving myself up on a platter?

"Old man, does your Sword Pavilion have no one who can contend with him?"

I asked urgently.

Mo Wentian shook his head: "The Sword Pavilion Master is currently in seclusion, pushing for the level 50 breakthrough, and cannot come out for some time. The other elders, including myself, are at most around level 35. We are simply no match for the Shadow Pavilion Master."

"Then what do we do? Just wait to die?"

"It's not as if there's no way."

Mo Wentian looked at me, a hint of expectation in his eyes.

"In seven days, if you can raise your strength to level 25 or above, plus that Unrestrained Sword Intent of yours, perhaps you might have a fighting chance."

"Level 25…" I gritted my teeth.

"Fine, I'll give it my all!"

Emerging from the Asking Heaven Pavilion, only one thought filled my mind—get stronger!

Reaching level 25 in seven days was no ordinary challenge.

For an average player, going from level 23 to 25 would take at least half a month, and that was only if they grinded monsters day and night.

"Looks like I have to find that kid Qin Wuji."

I recalled what Qin Wuji had said before—that he wanted to spar with me once my wounds healed.

That kid was the Inner Sect's chief disciple, a level 25 expert.

Sparring with him would definitely teach me a lot.

I asked for directions along the way and found the inner sect's training grounds.

This training ground was much grander than the one in the outer sect; it covered hundreds of acres and was fully equipped with all kinds of cultivation facilities.

At this moment, quite a few disciples were already training; blades flashed, shadows danced, and shouts rose one after another.

"Qin Wuji!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

Not far away, a figure in white turned around; it was indeed that kid Qin Wuji.

He still had that cold expression, but after seeing me, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

"Wounds healed?" He walked over and asked.

"Just about." I patted my chest.

"Heard you wanted to spar with me? Come on, I've been wanting to see the strength of the inner sect's chief disciple myself."

Qin Wuji nodded: "Follow me, let's find a quiet place."

He led me to an open area on the edge of the training grounds; there were fewer people here, making it suitable for sparring.

"You make the first move."

Qin Wuji drew his longsword and assumed a starting stance.

I didn't stand on ceremony and immediately drew my bargain-bin longsword, thrusting forward with a Sky Breaker.

"Well done!"

Qin Wuji gave a light shout, flicked his longsword, and effortlessly neutralized my attack.

In the time that followed, Qin Wuji and I traded blows, the fight becoming incredibly intense.

I have to admit, Qin Wuji's strength was truly formidable.

His swordsmanship was graceful and agile, with every move and stance perfectly executed—neither overly aggressive nor overly conservative, giving one the feeling of being entirely natural.

"Your three moves—Sky Breaker, Moon Slash, and World Destroyer—are truly powerful," Qin Wuji commented while exchanging blows with me.

"However, your swordsmanship focuses too much on power and lacks variation."

"What do you mean?" I asked while blocking his attacks.

"The way of the sword lies in balancing hardness and softness," Qin Wuji explained.

"Your Sky Breaker emphasizes an unstoppable momentum, Moon Slash pursues ultimate speed, and World Destroyer is a force of destruction."

"These three moves are all very strong, but if you only know these three, it's easy for your opponent to figure out your patterns."

"Then what do I do?"

"You must learn to vary your attacks."

Qin Wuji suddenly changed his stance, thrusting his sword toward my shoulder.

"For example, this move looks like a direct thrust, but it's actually a feint. The real killing blow is here!"

With a flick of his wrist, the tip of his sword suddenly shifted, aiming straight for my throat.

I was shocked and hurriedly leaned back to dodge, but the tip of his sword still sliced through my collar.

"Holy crap, I almost checked out!" I touched my neck, lingering fear in my heart.

"This is variation."

Qin Wuji withdrew his longsword.

"The essence of inner sect swordsmanship doesn't lie in how flashy the moves are, but in acting as you please—having no moves is superior to having moves."

I nodded thoughtfully.

In the time that followed, Qin Wuji patiently taught me various techniques of inner sect swordsmanship, including how to feint, how to use an opponent's strength against them, and how to adapt to changes during a battle.

I learned with great focus, listening and practicing at the same time, feeling my swordsmanship level rising rapidly.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host, Sword Intent comprehension progress +10. Current progress: 75/100]

The system's chime rang in my head, and I felt a surge of joy.

"Many thanks, brother!" I cupped my fists to Qin Wuji.

"No need to thank me."

Qin Wuji said indifferently.

"The Shadow Pavilion will attack in seven days; I hope you can survive."

"Don't worry, I, Chen Ergou, have a tough life!"

Emerging from the training grounds, I felt my strength had increased by another notch.

Although my level was still 23, my current combat power was definitely not as simple as level 23.

"Seven days, level 25…"

I clenched my fists, a flash of determination in my eyes.

No matter how hard it is, I must break through to level 25 within seven days!