Yang Su visibly relaxed upon hearing Xi Shen's words. He had indeed thought Xi Shen would be upset with him when he heard his first words, but he was glad to hear that his current situation was something that naturally happens when cultivating.

Xi Shen could then be heard asking curiously, "So, have you grasped the basics of the Sword Skill yet?"

Yang Su nodded his head slowly before he said, "I read that there are four levels of mastery when learning any Martial Arts techniques. During the days I studied the Sword Skill, I learned a lot, but I haven't actually tried practicing the Sword Skill with a weapon as yet. So I'm not sure what level of proficiency I'm at, elder brother Shen."

Hearing that, Xi Shen flipped over his hand and a wooden sword appeared resting on his palm.

"Here, demonstrate the Sword Skill and let me see," said Xi Shen as he handed the wooden sword to Yang Su from across the table.

Yang Su took the wooden sword from Xi Shen with both hands before he stepped out to a small clearing that was nearby.

After calming his breath, Yang Su gripped the wooden sword in his left hand and began to perform the Swift and Silent Willow Sword Skill.

This Sword Skill comprises of three sets of sword movements that had countless variations.

As Xi Shen watched Yang Su perform the first set of Sword Skill, his eyebrows couldn't help but lift in slight surprise.

The wooden sword in Yang Su's hand would cut through the air at extreme speeds, but it was so silent that you could barely hear the wind friction the sword produces as it moved through the air.

After some time, Yang Su smoothly transitioned from the first set to the second set, and before long, he completed the three sets of sword movements in the Swift and Silent Willow Sword Skill.

Yang Su straightened himself and let out a breath of air. Even though he was slightly tired, it wasn't due to executing the sword movements, but because he was expanding all of his mental faculties to focus on his movements, and was even trying to control his arms and legs' micro motions. This made his mind become extremely fatigued, but the manual said that if he could fully control those small movements his body made during battle, he could increase his control over his entire body and prevent himself from making unnecessary movements, only using minimal effort to battle and defeat his opponents.

As Yang Su was recovering from executing his sword skill, he suddenly heard Xi Shen clapping.

While applauding Yang Su, Xi Shen smiled and said, "Despite only studying the theory of the Sword Skill, which is a Bronze Grade mid-class technique, for only a few days, you're able to reach the peak of the Initial Mastery realm in your first attempt at its practical application. You're only a step away from achieving the Mastery realm of the Sword Skill."

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As Xi Shen said that, he thought to himself, 'I was planning to help him out with the Sword Skill after he had reached around the Meridian Opening Realm, but from the looks of it his sword comprehension talent is slightly higher than the average person.'

Upon hearing Xi Shen's praise, a wide smile appeared on Yang Su's face.

Xi Shen could then be seen standing up before saying, "Your swords skills are excellent for your level of cultivation, but we have to tailor it so it becomes fit for battling real opponents. Let's head to the training grounds, I'll be your sparring opponent."

Yang Su's expression became even more bright with joy at Xi Shen's words, however, he would soon realize that Xi Shen in training mode was completely different towards him from his normal self.

After some time, several loud thuds could be heard coming from their training grounds, along with Yang Su's wails of pain.

This was the moment that Yang Su realized that the person he knew as his young master and elder brother, was a complete sadist…

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As Yang Su started his first of many Spartan-like training with Xi Shen, within a luxurious pavilion, the figure of the beautiful girl that had bulldozed Xi Shen's front gates, was seen standing in front of a rather handsome young man that was around his mid-twenties.

With his legs comfortably crossed while sitting in his chair, the young man said to the beautiful girl, "From the looks of your displease expression Meiling, I'm guessing he didn't take my offer?"

Hearing the young man's words, the beautiful girl named Meiling thought of her encounter with that lecherous brat and she couldn't help but become enraged.

Clenching her fist and waving it in the air, Meiling gave the young man a piercing gaze as she said through gritted teeth, "Huang Fu, do you know what that perverted brat said to me?"

"What did he say?" Huang Fu asked curiously.

Holding back her anger, Mailing reiterated her meeting with Xi Shen and how he blatantly requested for her to dual cultivate with him.

After listening to Meiling recounts of her meeting, Huang Fu couldn't help but become taken aback as he said, "So you're saying that the second prince requested for you to become his dual cultivation partner? And you slapped him afterwards?"

Huang Fu raised an eyebrow as he said that last sentence, "You slap the second prince of the Maple Continent, whose father is currently the most feared man on the continent? Weren't you a bit too rash in your response?"

Hearing Huang Fu's words, Meiling snorted and said, "What's going to happen to me? That brat deserves to be slapped for even suggesting something like that to me. And I bet that little thing he has inside his pants isn't even fully grown to satisfy any woman, humph!"

Listening to Meiling insulting the second prince for his young age, Huang Fu couldn't help but have an awkward smile on his face.

As a precious daughter of the Lin Clan Patriarch, he knew that she grew up being pampered from all sides, and with just a wave of a hand, she could get just about anything she wants. Even though slapping the second prince was a serious offense that could get anyone else killed, Meiling was from one of the Seven Major Clans, her Lin Clan being the third strongest out of all of them.

Add on the fact that the Lin Clan Patriarch was very protective of her, nothing would probably come out of her slapping Li Xi Shen, as a matter of fact, if the Lin Clan Patriarch were to learn that Li Xi Shen requested his only daughter to become his cultivation furnace it would probably ignite his killing intent.

Although he wouldn't actually try and kill Li Xi Shen, he would still try and find ways to leave him bedridden for months while not leaving a trace of his involvement.

Coming out of his thoughts, Huang Fu said, "So I guess the chances of the second prince joining our faction is little to none. Such a pity, from our recent reports it was discovered that it was the Vice Head Master that personally took the second prince from the Outer Sect to the Inner Sect. However, as someone who isn't from any of the Major Clans and had even said personally that he wouldn't interfere in their conflicts without a reason to do so, he shouldn't go out of his way to save the second prince from the Outer Sect Head Elder."

A thoughtful look covered Huang Fu's face as he pondered this scenario.

Meiling who was somewhat calm now, looked at Huang Fu and said, "Does cousin Huang Fu thinks that it's the Head Master of our Sword Pavilion who ordered Li Xi Shen's placement in the Inner Sect and our Sword Pavilion?"

Hearing Meiling's question, Huang Fu came out of his thoughts and looked at her with a serious expression as he said, "Junior sister Meiling, you shouldn't address me like that so openly. It hasn't been announced yet of my Bai Clan's and your Lin Clan's marriage alliance. If the wrong ears caught word of it before our exchanges are complete, then both our clans will be in an unfavorable position."