Chapter 128: The Young Hero Arrives Upon the Waves (Part Three)

Xiao Cheng left Mirror Lake and headed straight into the depths of the forest. It was afternoon, and the slanting rays of the sun filtered through the dense foliage, casting dappled shadows across the leaf-strewn ground.

The area was thick with vines and lush vegetation, making it an ideal place for his advancement.

"This is the place!" Xiao Cheng murmured to himself. He sat down, plunged his Qingfeng Sword into the ground beside him, and began to circulate the Nine Profound Immortal Scripture.

Using the Spirit-Plundering technique, the vast spiritual energy of the forest’s flora converged toward him. A dense, light-green arc gradually formed around his body, and soon, the pale green currents began to surge into him uncontrollably.

Earlier, the old woman had offered him a jade pendant, which he had declined. The pendant was merely embedded with a restrictive seal on its spiritual energy, useless to him. Since it was of no use, he preferred to let her feel indebted to him instead.

Time passed slowly. After about half an hour, a wave of heat suddenly radiated from Xiao Cheng’s body, causing the surrounding leaves to flutter incessantly in the wake of the heat.

"Finally, I have condensed it!"

This advancement was much easier than he had anticipated, thanks to the Tianyuan Fruit. His spiritual body was naturally attuned to the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, making the process effortless.

Xiao Cheng opened his eyes and smiled faintly. Having reached the Condensation stage, his strength would surge. In terms of Earth-element evasion alone, he could now master two techniques: the Light Feather Art and the Inch-by-Inch Earth-Shrinking technique. With these, his mobility would be greatly enhanced.

Moreover, reaching this stage allowed him to barely manifest the Fire-element evasion technique—the Blazing Sun True Fire—which undoubtedly increased his lethality.

Previously, his earth evasion was mostly used for fleeing and hiding, forcing him to circle his opponents endlessly for an opening and leaving him at a disadvantage. With these new techniques, he would no longer need to rely on hit-and-run tactics.

Xiao Cheng inspected his body and found no grime on his skin. This was likely because the Tianyuan Fruit had refined his body to a state of absolute purity, clearing it of all impurities.

Xiao Cheng did not stop; he continued to push forward. Having just reached the Condensation stage, it was the perfect opportunity to strive for a higher rank. He had already broken through the Foundation Establishment bottleneck, and there were no obstacles for him in the Condensation stage—as long as he had sufficient true energy, his cultivation would advance like a hot knife through butter.

***

By the shores of Mirror Lake, the white-haired old woman was wielding her flying sword to strike at the azure python. Sweat drenched her wrinkled forehead. Despite attacking the python for so long, the strikes had only left it bloodied, failing to inflict any fundamental damage.

"Master, let’s go back. We’ve found Little Sister, there’s no need to keep fighting!" pleaded Liu Qingqing, dressed in a red dress, her voice filled with worry.

"No! I will slay this beast today!" the old woman panted.

She knew her own condition; her remaining years were few. She had entered seclusion hoping for a breakthrough to extend her life, but at her age, she lacked the sensitivity required for advancement.

If she died, there would be no one left in the Zhongling Sect to suppress this creature, which would become a grave threat. For some reason, the beast refused to retreat today, unlike in the past when it would flee into the water at the first sign of pain.

Since the beast wouldn't retreat, it was a golden opportunity she didn't want to miss.

With a sword-finger gesture in one hand and a seal in the other, she uttered a low command: "Zhongling Destiny Sword!" At her call, the sword high in the air began to spin rapidly, like a glowing electric drill, diving toward the python’s belly.

"Go!"

The sword shone brilliantly, piercing the python. The creature's massive size, once an advantage, now made it impossible to dodge.

*Slish—*

The flying sword sliced across the python’s belly, sparks flying as a gruesome wound opened, blood gushing forth.

*Hiss—* The python shrieked in agony, yet it did not retreat; instead, it charged toward the old woman.

The old woman recalled her sword to defend herself, her expression grim, looking suddenly much older.

Elsewhere, Liu Yiyi, who had been unconscious, slowly opened her eyes. Her first thought was to search for Xiao Cheng.

"Yiyi is awake!"

"How are you feeling, Yiyi?"

Liu Yiyi looked at her two sisters, her face full of confusion. She remembered being in a stone cave; how did she get here?

"Where is Brother Xiao?" Liu Yiyi asked in a panic, her heart feeling hollow, as if she had lost something of vital importance.

Liu Biru frowned, unable to understand why her sister was thinking of that passerby upon waking. "He was driven away by Master. Why are you worrying about him? We are not from the same world."

"What? Driven away? But his poison hasn't healed! I have to find Brother Xiao!" Liu Yiyi tried to stand, but the movements from earlier caused a sharp pain in her lower body, and she stumbled into Liu Qingqing’s arms.

"Don't be reckless. I told you not to deliver food, but you didn't listen. Now look what happened! Do you know Master gave up her life-or-death seclusion for you?" Liu Biru scolded her, sighing at her sister's ignorance.

Liu Yiyi knew she was in the wrong and felt bitter, but then a thought struck her. Didn't Brother Xiao still have that jade pendant?

"I know I was wrong," Liu Yiyi said, sticking her tongue out playfully before whispering mysteriously, "But Brother Xiao has our sect's lost Heart Sutra. If you don't chase him, won't it be lost forever?"

Liu Yiyi was not stupid; she knew what the lost Heart Sutra meant to the sect. By saying this, she hoped to alert her sisters and convince them to bring Xiao Cheng back—she was in no condition to go after him herself.

"Is that true?" Liu Biru was shocked. This was the biggest event for their sect in centuries. She quickly pressed Liu Yiyi for details.

Liu Yiyi described the jade pendant, though for some reason, she remained silent about the dual-cultivation healing.

Liu Biru and Liu Qingqing, who had been wondering how their sister had suddenly advanced, connected the dots and believed her without question.

"This is a major matter. I must inform Master immediately. We must bring that man back; he dared to take our sect's treasure!"

Liu Biru rushed to her master. "Master, that boy took our sect's Heart Sutra medallion—the one lost hundreds of years ago! What should we do?"

The old woman, already exhausted, was stunned. She had been on the verge of killing the python, but hearing this, her body swayed.

"Are you certain?" she asked, her breathing erratic.

Since becoming sect leader, she had never stopped searching for the Heart Sutra. If she could recover it, she would finally have something to answer for to her predecessors in the afterlife.

"It's true. Little Sister saw it herself. Master, we must catch him!"

The old woman nodded, but hesitated. She was torn between the python and the Heart Sutra.

She looked at the python and noticed something strange. The creature was radiating a domineering aura, and a fierce light was glowing from the gaps in its closed jaws.

"No, retreat!" the old woman shouted, grabbing Liu Biru. But it was too late.

The blood-stained python stood upright, opened its maw, and revealed a glowing orb of condensed demonic energy.

The old woman had never imagined the python could condense a Demonic Core. Such a feat was only possible for beasts at the Core Formation stage, not the Spirit-Refining stage. Had she known, she would never have engaged it in a fight to the death.

The python fired the glowing orb directly at the old woman.

Everything happened too quickly. The old woman had no time to recall her sword and could only brandish her horsetail whisk to deflect the blast.

*Boom—*

The old woman and Liu Biru were sent flying, landing over a dozen meters away. Liu Biru, less injured, scrambled to help her master up. The old woman was severely wounded.

*Cough!* She spat out blood, her face pale as paper.

"Master!" her disciples cried out.

The python let out a deafening screech, its massive eyes looking down coldly at them.

It was over. The old woman knew there was no escape. She was incapacitated, and her three disciples could not handle the beast.

"Is this the end of the Zhongling Sect?" she lamented.

"Master, Sisters, look over there!" Liu Yiyi suddenly cried out, pointing with her slender finger.

The three of them looked in the direction she indicated.

A young man in a black trench coat was walking across the water, dragging a three-meter-long black blade. Each step he took left a ripple on the surface.

Moving with incredible speed, he reached the python in just two breaths. He stepped lightly onto the creature's body, and like an eagle spreading its wings, he soared into the air.

The youth rose twenty meters high. At the apex of his leap, he gripped the hilt of his massive blade with both hands and raised it. The setting sun cast a solemn golden rim around him, making him appear like a god descending from the heavens.