[Mission]

Listen to Elder Ming's lecture on Sword Dao.

Reward: Sword Intent Enhancement

Accept? Yes/No

As expected!

Seeing the task on the panel, Lu Yi felt a surge of joy in his heart. Just as he had thought, listening to a strong cultivator's lecture would yield rewards. The Peak Master was like this, and so was Elder Ming.

With this, he now had a new way to enhance his sword intent.

Lu Yi happily accepted the task.

Then, Elder Ming began his explanation. He did not discuss specific sword techniques or cultivation methods but instead approached the subject from the perspective of Sword Dao as a whole. Using himself as an example, he explained his understanding of the Sword Dao.

Just as there are a thousand faces among a thousand people, different individuals have slightly different interpretations of the sword.

However, all techniques return to the source. Even if everyone's sword intent varies slightly, it ultimately remains part of the greater Sword Dao.

The concept of "Dao" was distant and profound, not only for Lu Yi and the other disciples but even for Elder Ming, a Nascent Soul sword cultivator. It represented the path to the origin of all things. However, sword intent was something that could be traced and comprehended.

As Elder Ming continued his lecture, Lu Yi's eyes grew brighter. He already had a foundation in sword intent, so it was easier for him to grasp the insights.

The other disciples, however, were troubled.

Some were scratching their heads, finding Elder Ming's words incomprehensible. A few tried to force themselves to understand, while others had already given up.

Had Elder Ming not forbidden any noise, they would have started talking long ago.

Gradually, Elder Ming's lecture delved deeper, becoming increasingly profound. Even Lu Yi began to struggle to comprehend, finding the explanations mysterious and obscure. His head started to feel dizzy.

He did not force himself, knowing his comprehension ability had its limits.

Fortunately, Lu Yi had prepared in advance. He quietly claimed the reward from the previous task he had completed by listening to Peak Master Lingluo's lecture.

Enlightenment!

At that moment, a burst of inspiration lit up in Lu Yi's mind. He felt his spirit merge with the vast universe, becoming extraordinarily clear. It was as if he stood on a high vantage point, gazing down upon all things.

Elder Ming's explanations about the Sword Dao no longer felt profound and confusing. Lu Yi's thoughts raced as he linked Elder Ming's words with his own sword intent. His incomplete sword intent visibly began to strengthen and grow.

Lu Yi sat cross-legged, closing his eyes. Threads of sharp sword intent began to flow around him, becoming increasingly powerful.

The disciples in the library widened their eyes in shock as they stared at Lu Yi, filled with disbelief.

Even Elder Ming paused briefly, staring at Lu Yi in astonishment. "This is... enlightenment?!"

Having seen much in his life, Elder Ming immediately recognized Lu Yi's state. But it was precisely because of this that he was even more stunned.

Enlightenment was something legendary! Even true geniuses might not experience it once in their entire lives. Yet Lu Yi, still at the Qi Refining Stage, had entered enlightenment?!

What kind of monster is this?

However, thinking that this "monster" had achieved enlightenment while listening to his lecture, Elder Ming suddenly felt a sense of pride.

Noticing Lu Yi's sword intent fluctuations and sensing that he might leave his enlightened state, Elder Ming quickly steadied himself and resumed his lecture, afraid of breaking Lu Yi's enlightenment.

This was an unimaginable opportunity.

Elder Ming swept his gaze over the stunned disciples and released a surge of spiritual awareness, delivering a message to everyone: "No one is allowed to make a sound! Violators will be punished as traitors to the sect!"

With this declaration, the disciples who had been planning to discuss the situation immediately shut their mouths.

However, even in silence, they could still communicate through voice transmission.

Messages flew back and forth between the disciples.

"Enlightenment! This is the legendary enlightenment!! Damn, damn!!"

"No offense, but Junior Brother Lu Yi is an absolute monster!"

"Indeed. He's only at the Qi Refining Stage! How could he achieve enlightenment?! This is too enviable."

"Forget envy—I feel outright jealousy!"

"Can you feel Junior Brother Lu Yi's sword intent? I'm at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage, and even I feel a chill."

"Same here! His sword intent is strong enough to threaten me? We're an entire major realm apart!"

"Even Senior Sister Liu Ningshuang wasn't this terrifying at the Qi Refining Stage, right?"

"Hiss... Does this mean Junior Brother Lu Yi might surpass Senior Sister Liu Ningshuang in the future?!"

The disciples exchanged glances, their expressions complex as they looked at Lu Yi, who was surrounded by sword intent.

Time passed. Elder Ming continued his lecture on the Sword Dao, and Lu Yi's sword intent kept growing stronger. The sharp intent condensed into translucent, miniature swords that hovered around him, circling endlessly.

The disciples near Lu Yi found it hard to withstand the pressure and stepped back, staring at him in awe from a distance.

Elder Ming kept speaking but was inwardly shocked. He had personally witnessed Lu Yi's sword intent multiply several times in strength.

Zzz! Zzz! Zzz!

Streams of light shot through the air, stopping above the library.

They were elders, each exuding formidable auras, with the weakest among them at the Nascent Soul Realm.

Drawn by the powerful sword intent, they had come to investigate.

Scanning the scene, their eyes quickly landed on Elder Ming and the gathered disciples. Suspicion flickered across their faces.

"Elder Ming?"

"Is Elder Ming giving a lecture? That sword intent... it isn't coming from Elder Ming?"

"It's coming from that kid... wait, that kid's state?!"

"Holy—?! Enlightenment?!"

One by one, the Nascent Soul elders widened their eyes, staring at Lu Yi in shock.

"This soaring sword intent... is it emanating from this kid?! How old is he??"

"Isn't this kid Lu Yi? That little guy who ranked first in the Qi Refining Trial Rankings?"

"It's him? Incredible, truly incredible! He has already achieved enlightenment at the Qi Refining stage and comprehended such a powerful sword intent. Truly an exceptional talent!"

The elders began discussing fervently. Achieving such a feat at the Qi Refining stage shocked even them.

Time passed, and after a long while, Lu Yi's state of enlightenment gradually faded. He could feel the flow of sword intent within him, and his heart was filled with joy—his sword intent had improved significantly!

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He glanced at his status panel, and the sword intent column had already risen to 20%, far surpassing his Lightning Intent!

He could clearly sense how terrifying his sword intent was now. With such sword intent, even without using high-level techniques, he could probably fight against high-level Foundation Establishment cultivators!

However, Lu Yi also felt a tinge of regret. Unfortunately, the enlightenment time was too short; otherwise, he could have improved even more.

This enlightenment is such a treasure. Should I find an opportunity to ask the Peak Master to give another lecture and rack up more enlightenment sessions?

Then Lu Yi immediately recalled the Peak Master's morning temper. If he asked her every day, she might actually beat him to death.

Besides, experiencing enlightenment every day might be too outrageous and make others see him as a monster.

Lu Yi decided it was better to be a bit more restrained.

He glanced at Elder Ming's lecture task. Sword Dao could still be improved without acting impulsively.

As Lu Yi's sword intent gradually dissipated, Elder Ming also stopped his lecture and quietly looked at Lu Yi.

Lu Yi slowly opened his eyes, and a sharp sword light shot out from them, like a sharp blade piercing through the air toward Elder Ming.

Before the sword light could approach Elder Ming, it gradually vanished. Elder Ming burst into laughter. "Not bad, not bad! With just one enlightenment session, you've elevated your sword intent to 20%. That's quite impressive!"

Lu Yi quickly cupped his hands. "Thank you, Elder Ming, for your teachings. This disciple will always remember your kindness."

Elder Ming waved his hand and said, "This old man is getting on in years. Seeing such a talented junior, I can't help but want to guide you. Your talent surpasses mine. You have the potential to become a great sword cultivator, so make sure to work hard and not become complacent due to your talent."

Hearing Elder Ming's earnest advice, Lu Yi nodded repeatedly, feeling a sense of warmth. Elder Ming was truly a good person—not only did he explain Sword Dao but also cared about him so much.

Lu Yi glanced at Elder Ming's increasingly graying hair and thought that when his cultivation grew stronger, he must help Elder Ming improve as well.

Just then, the Nascent Soul cultivators in the sky descended one by one, approaching Lu Yi and Elder Ming.

"Greetings, Elder Ming."

The elders paid their respects to Elder Ming and then turned to look at Lu Yi with strange expressions.

"I didn't expect to witness a disciple's enlightenment today. I must be lucky."

"Lu Yi, Lu Yi, you little rascal, you truly surprise people. At such a young age, you have such talent and fortune."

"Lu Yi, are you interested in joining my peak?" a middle-aged cultivator said with a smile.

His words instantly silenced the other Nascent Soul cultivators, who quietly moved away from him, looking at him as if he were an idiot.

Are you insane? Do you even know whose disciple this is?!

This is the registered disciple of that woman from Lingluo Peak! Are you seriously trying to poach her disciple?! Are you tired of living?

The middle-aged cultivator immediately realized his blunder, his smile stiffening. He cleared his throat and said seriously, "Lu Yi, I was just joking. Don't take it seriously."

Lu Yi observed the reactions of the Nascent Soul cultivators and couldn't help but feel speechless. It seemed that his Peak Master's reputation was even more intimidating than he had imagined.

Looking at the expressions of these Nascent Soul big shots said it all.

The Nascent Soul elders were extremely enthusiastic, and Lu Yi responded with a smile, enjoying their conversations.

Some elders even invited him to visit their abodes for tea, and Lu Yi gladly accepted.

Receiving an invitation from Nascent Soul elders was beneficial. Who knew—maybe they'd even teach him something about cultivation?

After bidding farewell to Elder Ming and the Nascent Soul elders, Lu Yi left the Scripture Pavilion and returned to his cave dwelling.

First, he stabilized his Sword Dao comprehension and claimed Elder Ming's task reward, further improving his sword intent. By the time he finished, it was already evening. Lu Yi resumed his regular cultivation, aiming to reach the peak of Qi Refining Level 10 and break through to Level 11.

Lu Yi recalled that the Peak Master had once said he might break through to Qi Refining Level 11 faster than his Second Senior Sister. He wondered what her reaction would be if that actually happened.

Feeling a bit mischievous, Lu Yi suddenly had a bold idea.

He murmured to himself, "I want to break through to Qi Refining Level 11 faster than Second Senior Sister."

[Task]

Break through to Qi Refining Level 11 faster than Donggong Mingyue.

Reward: Foundation Establishment technique "Thunder Shadow Step," top-grade artifact Purple Jade Dress, and 30 drops of Thousand-Year Spirit Milk.

Accept: Yes/No

Lu Yi's expression turned strange.

He could actually accept this task?

Breaking through once could fulfill not one, but two tasks? No, three! Lu Yi recalled that his task to become the Peak Master's direct disciple also required reaching Qi Refining Level 11.

This was too amazing—achieving three tasks with one breakthrough. Lu Yi was overjoyed.

Looking at the rewards, Lu Yi's expression became even more peculiar.

A Foundation Establishment technique and Thousand-Year Spirit Milk were fine, but the artifact was a dress?

I'm not the kind of person who wears dresses! This artifact was completely useless to him.

It seemed that task rewards were completely random and gender-neutral.

Lu Yi thought about giving the dress to his Second Senior Sister. She might like it.

Lu Yi accepted the task and focused on his cultivation.

—

The next morning, while Lu Yi was cultivating, Bai Yulong's voice came from outside the door.

"Junior Brother Lu, are you there?"

Lu Yi slowly opened his eyes, walked to the door, and opened the entrance of his cave dwelling.

Outside the door, Jiang Fan and Bai Yulong were waiting.

Lu Yi smiled and said, “Senior Brothers, I was just about to go look for you.”

They had yet to submit their sect mission, which was mandatory. Failing to complete it would violate sect rules.

Moreover, the three of them had previously agreed to report the Blood Spirit Sect incident.

Jiang Fan laughed and said, “You just returned to the inner sect and already made a big splash. We heard you were back and came to find you ourselves.”

Bai Yulong also looked at Lu Yi with shock, clicking his tongue in disbelief. “Junior Brother Lu, you’re incredible! Not only did you get Elder Ming to preach for you, but you even had an epiphany during the sermon!”

Lu Yi was stunned and asked strangely, “You already know?”

“The entire inner sect knows! Who doesn’t?” Bai Yulong laughed.

Lu Yi felt helpless. He had only wanted to improve his sword intent, but it had caused such a stir. Is it really so hard to keep a low profile?

Feeling a little resigned, Lu Yi shook his head and said, “It was just luck. Let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s go to the Affairs Hall.”

Jiang Fan and Bai Yulong nodded.

The three left Lingluo Peak and headed to the Affairs Hall. On the way, Lu Yi noticed that the senior brothers and sisters they encountered were much friendlier than before. Especially the senior sisters, who frequently invited him to admire flowers and drink tea. Their bright smiles almost made it hard for him to resist.

Bai Yulong, walking beside him, looked at Lu Yi with envy and jealousy, while Jiang Fan remained calm and indifferent.

The three arrived at the Affairs Hall to submit their mission.

Coincidentally, the same senior brother from last time was there.

Upon seeing Lu Yi, the senior brother beamed. “Junior Brother Lu? I heard you caused quite a sensation in the sect yesterday!”

Lu Yi smiled wryly. “The rumors are exaggerated.”

“Haha, who told you to be so talented?” The senior brother laughed before asking, “Are you here to submit your mission?”

“Yes, the mission is complete,” Lu Yi nodded.

“Alright, your annual sect mission is complete.” The senior brother smiled. “Hand over your inner sect tokens, and I’ll credit your points.”

Completing sect missions naturally came with rewards; otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many disciples eager to do them.

The most common reward was sect points, which could be exchanged for resources in the Resource Hall. For inner sect disciples, this was a major way to obtain cultivation resources.

However, killing a tenth-level Qi Refining demonic cultivator didn’t grant many points, and Lu Yi wasn’t particularly interested in them. To be honest, he didn’t lack resources.

Jiang Fan and Bai Yulong felt the same; otherwise, they wouldn’t only do one sect mission per year.

Still, rewards shouldn’t be left unclaimed. The three handed over their inner sect tokens to the senior brother, who processed them and returned them shortly after.

“All done. Do you need anything else?” The senior brother asked with a bright smile.

Lu Yi replied, “Actually, there is one more thing.”

He took out the Blood Spirit Sect token and handed it to the senior brother, saying, “The demonic cultivator in the capital of Mohe Nation was a blood puppet controlled by a Foundation Establishment disciple of the Blood Spirit Sect. That disciple tried to ambush us but was killed by a senior. This is their token.”

Hearing this, the senior brother’s expression turned serious. He examined the token carefully and said, “Please wait here. I need to notify the elders. This matter requires their decision.”

Lu Yi nodded, having no objections.

The senior brother hurried away and soon returned with a cold-faced man.

The man held the Blood Spirit Sect token. Upon seeing Lu Yi, his cold expression softened slightly, and he nodded before saying, “I understand the matter regarding the Blood Spirit Sect disciple. I will inform the Law Enforcement Hall. Recently, their disciples have been appearing more frequently in White Cloud Sect territory. Be extra cautious when you leave the sect.”

Lu Yi and the others exchanged worried glances.

The Blood Spirit Sect and White Cloud Sect were enemies. Increased activity could signal rising tensions.

Noticing their concern, the cold-faced man said, “It’s not a big deal. The Blood Spirit Sect isn’t a threat to us. You’ve done well by eliminating one of their Foundation Establishment disciples. The reward will be issued accordingly.”

Jiang Fan and Bai Yulong brightened at this. Rewards for killing a Foundation Establishment sect’s disciple were substantial.

For Lu Yi, it was nothing remarkable.

After speaking, the man left quickly, likely to report to the Law Enforcement Hall, while the senior brother updated their rewards.

With the matter settled, the three left the Affairs Hall and went their separate ways.

As for the Blood Spirit Sect, they didn’t discuss it further. Both sects were massive forces in Green Province, and such conflicts weren’t something they could influence.

Even if a war broke out, it would be the stronger cultivators who fought at the front lines. As Qi Refining juniors, it had little to do with them.

Returning to Lingluo Peak, Lu Yi focused on cultivating.

Since Lu Yi had mastered the White Cloud Sword Technique, White Cloud Steps, and White Cloud Qi Technique, he freed up time to focus on other skills.

Techniques like Jade Body Technique, Forget Dust Technique, Concealment Technique, Tiger Bone Spirit Soup, and Nourishing Spirit Dew advanced rapidly.

Lu Yi also obtained the "Fundamentals of Formations," which contained several basic formations. He spent considerable time studying them.

Time passed quickly in cultivation, and three months flew by.

Inside his cave dwelling, Lu Yi sat cross-legged in the cultivation room, surrounded by dense spiritual energy.

Thanks to cultivating with thousand-year spiritual milk, his progress was swift. He successfully reached the peak of the tenth level of Qi Refining.

At this point, Lu Yi felt something unusual.

He could clearly sense two paths ahead.

One path led to breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

The other exuded an imposing aura, making him instinctively fearful and unable to see what lay ahead.

Lu Yi understood. This was the will of the heavens, the authority of the Dao.

Breaking through this barrier would mean stepping into the eleventh level of Qi Refining.