656: Lu Xueqi and Biyao (35)

"The Sect Master has summoned me; this Junior Brother will take his leave first." Su Han excused himself to the three, and with a movement of his body, he actually vanished from the spot like a ghost, leaving only a few slowly falling ice crystals.

Zhao Ming and the other two looked at each other in dismay.

"This movement technique..." A sharp light flashed in Li Mu's eyes, "is definitely not something an ordinary Star Wheel Realm could possess."

Chen Lin murmured, "When he left just now, I didn't even sense any Star Power fluctuation. It was as if... as if he was meant to disappear from there."

A thought rose in the three's minds simultaneously: In this Seven Peaks Tournament, there might truly be some variables.

Tianya Peak's main hall was paved with cold jade, with ice pillars reaching for the sky.

Su Han stepped into the hall and saw the Sect Master standing in the center with hands behind her back, facing away from him, looking up at a giant ice crystal star map on the ceiling. The star map rotated slowly, with specks of starlight flickering like real stars, profound and mysterious.

"Disciple Su Han pays respects to the Sect Master." Su Han bowed.

The Sect Master slowly turned around. Having not seen him for half a year, the leader of the Qingyun Sect still looked cold and majestic, though there seemed to be a trace of imperceptible fatigue between her brows.

"Star Wheel Realm." The Sect Master's gaze was like lightning as it swept over Su Han, and she nodded slightly. "Not bad. Even three months faster than I anticipated."

Su Han said respectfully, "It is all thanks to the full support of the Sect's resources and the guidance of the Sect Master and the Elders."

"No need to be modest." The Sect Master waved her hand. "Resources are just external factors. Without enough talent and perseverance, even more resources would be in vain. Moreover..." She paused, a complex look flashing in her eyes, "The Star Wheel you condensed seems different from any recorded in the ancient texts."

Su Han's heart tightened. The Sect Master had indeed seen through it.

"Release your Star Wheel and let me see," the Sect Master said indifferently.

Su Han hesitated briefly, then with a thought, the ice crystal Star Wheel in his Dantian suddenly accelerated its rotation. A cold and sharp aura erupted from his body, stirring visible ice-blue ripples in the hall. Behind him, an illusory round wheel about a foot in diameter slowly emerged. The wheel was of translucent ice crystal texture, engraved with complex sword-shaped patterns that flickered as the Star Wheel turned, as if countless tiny sword shadows were moving within it.

"This is..." The Sect Master's pupils shrank slightly, revealing a rare look of shock. "Sword Intent condensed into a wheel?!"

Her figure flashed, and she was already in front of Su Han, extending a slender jade finger toward the illusory Star Wheel. The moment her fingertip touched the Star Wheel, a clear sword hum suddenly rang out in the hall. The sword-shaped patterns on the Star Wheel glowed brightly, and it actually generated a strand of Sword Qi on its own, slashing toward the Sect Master's finger!

The Sect Master did not dodge or avoid it, letting the Sword Qi strike. With a soft "ding," the Sword Qi, which was enough to cut through refined iron, shattered at her fingertip, turning into ice crystal powder and scattering.

"Such pure Sword Intent." The Sect Master withdrew her finger, looking at the imperceptible white mark on her fingertip, her eyes filled with even greater shock. "In this Sword Intent, there is seventy percent of the charm of the heavenly abyss, yet thirty percent is different—it has more of your will and your understanding. This is not a simple inheritance, but... Fusion and rebirth."

She paced slowly around Su Han, her gaze always fixed on the ice crystal Star Wheel. "Ordinary Star Wheels, regardless of their rank, are ultimately objects condensed from Star Power. But your Star Wheel is formed from the symbiosis of Star Power and Sword Intent. The Star Wheel is the sword, and the sword is the Star Wheel. I have cultivated for four hundred years and have never seen such a miraculous thing."

Su Han was shocked. The Sect Master's analysis went straight to the essence.

"Sect Master, is this change a blessing or a curse?" Su Han asked.

The Sect Master stopped her pace, fell silent for a moment, and said, "Blessings and curses come together. The power of this Star Wheel far exceeds those of the same level, and because it has integrated the heavenly abyss Sword Intent, the comprehension and execution of ice-based Cultivation Techniques have a tenfold boost. But because of this, there will be no previous experience to follow on your cultivation path; every step must be explored by yourself. And..." She gazed at Su Han, "The symbiosis of the Star Wheel and the sword spirit means that your cultivation Realm will be deeply bound to the recovery of the heavenly abyss's spirituality. If she fully awakens, can you withstand it?"

Su Han took a deep breath. "I am willing to try."

"Good." A look of admiration appeared in the Sect Master's eyes. "The path of cultivation is inherently about hacking through thorns. Since you have chosen this path, you must make something of it. I want you to participate in the Seven Peaks Tournament three months from now."

"Disciple obeys."

"Don't be in a hurry to agree." The Sect Master raised her hand to stop Su Han. "This tournament is different from the past. Among the Seven Peaks, besides my Tianya Peak, outstanding Disciples have emerged in the other six peaks. Chu Yunhe of Yuheng Peak reached the Middle Stage of the Star Wheel Realm three years ago, and it's said he went into seclusion six months ago to push for the Late Stage; Shangguan Xue of Yaoguang Peak possesses the 'Ice Phoenix Spirit Body,' and her control over ice-based Star Techniques is like a Prodigy; Shi Potian of Kaiyang Peak even practices an ancient Body Refining secret technique, and his Physical Body's strength is comparable to a fifth-rank Star Beast..."

She listed them one by one, informing Su Han of the information about the Genius Disciples of each peak. With every person mentioned, the pressure in Su Han's heart increased. These people were all favored children of heaven, their cultivation time far longer than his, and each had their own startling Opportunities.

"I'm telling you this not to discourage you." The Sect Master saw the change in Su Han's expression and said indifferently, "But to let you know that in this tournament, if you want to bring glory to Tianya Peak, the cultivation of someone who has just entered the Star Wheel Realm is far from enough. For these three months, I will personally guide your cultivation."

Su Han looked up suddenly, a flash of surprise in his eyes. "The Sect Master will personally guide me?"

"Correct." The Sect Master nodded. "You have the fate of symbiosis with the heavenly abyss and have even condensed an unprecedented Sword Intent Star Wheel, which is worth me making an exception. However..." Her tone shifted, "Cultivation is ultimately one's own business. I can only point the way; you must walk the path yourself. Now, let me see what you've gained in this half-year."

As her voice fell, the temperature in the hall plummeted. Countless ice crystals condensed from the Void Realm, turning into crystal-clear ice swords suspended in the air, their points all aimed at Su Han.

"This is the 'Thousand Illusions Ice Sword Formation,' totaling one thousand and eighty swords." The Sect Master stood with her hands behind her back. "Break through it and let me see your limit."

Su Han looked at the densely packed ice swords and felt the chilling Sword Qi coming from each sword, his heart solemn. This Formation seemed simple, but it actually followed the subtle movement of the stars in the heavens; the Qi was connected, and a single move would affect the whole body.

He did not hesitate. With a thought, the ice crystal Star Wheel accelerated its rotation, and surging Star Power poured into his limbs and bones. The next moment, he moved.

Without testing or holding back, Su Han went all out from the start. His figure was like lightning, charging straight into the center of the sword Formation, leaving trails of frost in the air wherever he passed. The first twelve ice swords sensed the intruder, their blades trembling as they turned into twelve streaks of light and shot toward him, sealing off all of Su Han's room to dodge.

Su Han did not dodge or avoid them, pointing his right hand like a sword and slashing through the air. An ice-blue Sword Gang erupted from his fingertip, meeting the twelve ice swords. Wherever the Sword Gang passed, the air froze; when those twelve ice swords crashed into the range of the Sword Gang, it was like a mud cow entering the sea—their speed dropped sharply, and cracks rapidly covered their surfaces.

"Break."

Su Han gave a light shout, and the twelve ice swords shattered at the sound, turning into ice crystal powder. (End of Chapter)