The character of Zhang Yan was such that the phrase "I lost" would roll off his tongue with an airy lightness, as if it held no weight. Yet, even so, his status as a Golden Elixir cultivator left the onlookers momentarily speechless.

Including those who had been prepared for this.

"Too much, it was too much!"

"Uh, this is not what we wanted"

High in the sky, Li You and Hong Qianqiu saw the helpless expressions on each other's faces. Yes, they were the instigators.

It must be said that their actions were entirely well-intentioned. According to the rules of the Empirical Department, a cultivator holding the "Sword Fete Card" could not refuse a "card-snatching" challenge from others. The timing could only be slightly adjusted if circumstances allowed.

Originally, this was a clever ploy to encourage internal competition and enhance the combat capabilities of cultivators. However, because it was "internal," Yu Ci's swordsmanship, which drew blood as soon as it was unsheathed, was not exactly safe. If he were to engage in high-frequency combat, accidents might occur, causing trouble. Hence, they turned to Zhang Yan.

In the entire Mountain Gate of the Lichen Sect, perhaps only he met the criteria, and wouldn't fuss over status or the allure of the "Sword Garden" itself, as long as it catered to his interests.

The initial plan was for Zhang Yan and Yu Ci to perform a "mutual admiration" act, with Zhang Yan clearly going easy but not determining a winner. This would provide a legitimate reason to continue their fights, and with Zhang Yan as a shield, fewer people would challenge Yu Ci. If all went well, they could even rope in Zhang Yan as a sparring partner, which would no doubt hone Yu Ci's swordsmanship.

This plan sounded great, and in truth, Li You and Hong Qianqiu hadn't put much thought into it, nor did they need to. Zhang Yan was no longer the Zhang Yan of the past, but they both believed in his ability to control the situation. Managing a junior brother at the Nature-Connecting Cultivation Level and setting the atmosphere would not be a problem.

But accidents are accidents. They always pop up when people least expect them.

"We've outsmarted ourselves, what do we do now?" Hong Qianqiu cast a blaming look at his accomplice, Li You, who had come up with this whimsical idea.

What could Li You do? He scratched his head and finally could only answer helplessly, "Let's ask Senior Brother Zhang later, what's going on."

He was somewhat resentful. In a way, Zhang Yan had betrayed their "trust" and even made things worse. Don't fantasize that a single "victory" will scare off the cultivators of the Empirical Department, let alone this "victory" that was riddled with illogical absurdity, which seemed fishy no matter how you looked at it.

Living in this circle for many years, people first understand one thing: the simplest and most direct way to confirm something is to try it yourself! It can be imagined that from tonight on, those who hear this news and are unwilling to be outdone will send challenge letters like snowflakes to the residence of Yu Ci in the Empirical Department, which has always encouraged such situations!

"Could there be a river of blood?"

Hong Qianqiu meant it more as a jest, but considering Yu Ci's relentless swordsmanship, no one could guarantee such a scenario wouldn't occur. After all, Yu Ci's swordplay was so fierce it bordered on extremism, this "Sword of the Killing Path,"

"Should I go back and ask Sister Meng?"

When it came to Yu Ci's affairs, of course Meng Wei was the best person to consult. However, thinking about the disastrous consequences of his clumsy idea, and the "unavoidable" transgressions during the summoning of Zhang Yan, Li You felt a chill down his spine. But soon, he wouldn't have to worry about it.

"Is Brother Li discussing Junior Brother Yu's matter with me?"

Meng Wei's voice, devoid of any discernible emotion, rang out behind them. Hong and Li jumped in surprise, turned around, and sure enough, saw Meng Wei, her brow slightly furrowed, standing in the void. Beside her, a plump man who was making faces, if not Taoist Li, then who else could it be?

This time, Taoist Li was acting as the driver. Meng Wei was still recovering from her injuries and couldn't fly by herself. It was his Yanzhe Sword, when wielded, its power could be big or small, changing with his will, that could deceive Hong and Li's senses.

Interestingly, Hong Qianqiu and Li Hong were several decades older than Meng Wei. In the mortal world, they would be generations apart. However, when facing this rising star of the Discipline Department, they had to be cautious. After all, in the entire Sect, the only one who could openly criticize the ancestors' actions was this female cultivator.

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For this, they all held the utmost respect.

As for Li You, needless to say, upon seeing Meng Wei appear, he almost fell from the sky. His usual lively banter flew to the clouds, leaving him only to awkwardly laugh, "Did Sister Meng come to watch this duel?"

"I'm late."

Meng Wei responded simply, then added lightly, "Senior Brother Hong and Brother Li moved quite quickly."

Given the female cultivator's character, such sarcastic and pointed words only proved her extreme dissatisfaction.

But in the end, Meng Wei didn't say anything about punishment. She gazed at Yu Ci, who was still the focus of everyone's eyes on the mountain wall, and said softly, "Junior Brother Yu has been wandering outside for years, and has his own destiny. The killing intent in his sword is easy to release but hard to retract, not suitable for sparring with fellow disciples. I didn't think of this before, but as things have developed to this point, it's necessary to cool down for a while. Brother Li."

She turned to look at Li Hong. In terms of status here, Li Hong was actually considered the elder. As the second in command in the Empirical Department and a fourth-generation disciple, he appeared simple and honest on the surface, yet his mind was deep and his sharpness concealed. He was a man of eloquence, his every word and action were meaningful, and he had extensive connections. It was hard to bypass him when dealing with the Empirical Department.

Taoist Li, however, did not respond directly. Instead, he shook his head and sighed, saying to Hong and Li, "Ah Yan is still as stubborn as ever. It's a pity that I went to great lengths to win his Sword Fete Card. Don't be upset, you two. At most, you will owe me a favor in the future."

With Taoist Li confessing without being pressed, he had suddenly become a "co-conspirator," which left Meng Wei both amused and exasperated. At this point, the chubby man scratched his chin and said:

"I understand Sister Meng's intention. On the one hand, we will be extra careful in future duels involving Junior Brother Yu to avoid accidents. On the other hand, Sister Meng, Junior Brother Yu came to the Sect's Mountain Gate to study. Even though many elders are not home now, we still need to maintain certain standards. This wild swordsmanship may be practical, but it is also important to learn the orthodox method of wielding the sword."

Meng Wei was taken aback for a moment, then she understood: "Brother Li is right. Although our Sect is not a sword cultivation sect, we have a rich collection of sword manuals. It would indeed be beneficial for Junior Brother Yu to learn from various sources and perfect his theory."

"Sister Meng is correct. We, the Empirical Department, will not let down those who have contributed to the Sect. How about this, Old Hong, Ah You, and I will nominate Junior Brother Yu for this month's Law Sky Secret Realm quota. Let him study, calm his mind, nourish his spirit and prepare for the journey to the Sword Garden. How does that sound?"

"Brother Li, you are too kind." Meng Wei bowed in gratitude.

Li You listened to their exchange of opinions. While he agreed, he couldn't help but mutter to himself: "If the Half Mountain Mirage is considered unorthodox, then what is my Unsettled Fire? A circus trick?"

With this absurd thought in mind, he shook his head and laughed, looking in the same direction.

Yu Ci, who was quietly conversing with Zhang Yan, was unaware that someone was racking their brains to make arrangements for him: How had they not realized before that he was such a handful?

Leaning against the stone wall, Yu Ci found a comfortable position to sit on the ground. In this semi-enclosed space, the only light came from the circular holes above his head, casting a soft glow that mitigated the gloominess of the surroundings.

He wasn't consciously circulating his inner energy, but with each inhale and exhale, the dense spiritual energy from the outside world, rich as wine, seeped into him through every pore. It circulated naturally, forming a system within him. Over time, this induced a sense of intoxication that was irresistibly addictive.

Having been here for half a month, Yu Ci couldn't help but marvel: Cultivating in the Spiritual Veins was indeed highly effective!

This place was the Law Sky Secret Realm, one of the twenty-two most suitable Spiritual Veins for secluded cultivation within the Countless Method Sanctuary. Despite its lower ranking, the purity and abundance of its spiritual energy still surpassed the external environment of the Sect's Mountain Gate, which was already quite excellent.

During his time in Sheer Cliff City, Yu Ci had visited some of the cultivation secrets of the Daylight Mansion, which were also built upon Spiritual Veins. However, their effectiveness was even less than the air outside the Lichen Sect's Mountain Gate, not to mention this place. No wonder Jin Huan had gone to great lengths to send his disciples to the Sect's Mountain Gate. Regardless of the networking benefits, the cultivation resources alone far exceeded outsiders' imaginations!

Yu Ci's stay in the cave was set for forty days. Now that half the time had passed, he felt his cultivation level had improved, his foundation in the Nature-Connecting realm becoming increasingly solid. He wondered what progress he would make if he could stay here for a year or two.

With a slight smile, he picked up the half-opened scroll beside him and, under the faint light, began to read the text slowly.

One of the advantages of the "Primordial Root Qi Method" was that once the Mental Image was achieved, all physical and mental cultivation would operate spontaneously, in harmony with nature. All Yu Ci had to do was make slight adjustments to his Mental Image based on his cultivation progress. This left him plenty of time each day to enrich himself.

The scroll in his hand, "Comprehensive Treatise on the Sword of Enlightenment," contained nearly a million words. Even after half a month of intensive reading, he had only completed half of it. Yet, his cultivation hadn't been disturbed. Others could only envy him.

As he read the passage "Enlighten with the divine, use with the intent," Yu Ci, combining his personal experience, was contemplating deeply when a cold snort suddenly echoed in the quiet room:

"Today, we brothers will make you admit defeat wholeheartedly!"

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