The young girl stared straight at Nan Shuangxue.
A moment later, she admitted defeat, lowering her head in a pitiful manner.
“Mm… I understand.”
Seeing the girl yield, Nan Shuangxue naturally assumed it was because her earlier gesture had been gentle.
Little did she know that, in the young girl’s eyes, Nan Shuangxue’s smiling face had looked terrifying like that of a butcher, striking fear into her heart.
Nan Shuangxue thought to herself since the celestial sword had already acknowledged her, there was nothing left to worry about.
“Are you coming with me?” she asked.
The girl shook her head, dusting off her dress as she stood up.
“I don’t want to see that terrible man.”
Clenching her fists in secret, the girl muttered internally, He dared to use the ‘Ancient Sage Script’ on me? Just wait! Once I grow stronger, I’ll make sure he regrets it his behind will be full of sting marks like a beehive!
Nan Shuangxue narrowed her eyes slightly.
In a flash, she grabbed the girl’s ear and gave it a tug.
“Ah ow, ow, ow!” The girl yelped, tilting her head in pain.
“You think I can’t hear you?” Nan Shuangxue asked with a sweet yet chilling smile.
Her expression alone was enough to send shivers down the spine.
“Do you admit your mistake?” She gave another tug.
The girl immediately surrendered, nodding frantically.
Only then did Nan Shuangxue let go and say, “Come, we’re leaving.”
Her tone left no room for refusal.
The girl had no doubt that if she resisted, her poor ears would suffer another round of punishment.
And so, one walking in front and one trailing behind, they set off together.
The girl tilted her head slightly and observed her master.
“She seems… even prettier now.”
Snowflakes drifted down, carrying a crisp, fresh scent.
Nan Shuangxue’s long, jet-black hair was dusted with white, and snowflakes slid gently down her pale, flawless face, leaving behind faint traces of moisture like a silver river cascading down.
From a certain angle, she truly looked like a celestial being.
The girl patted her own cheeks, feeling a little flustered.
No! I can’t be mesmerized by my own master…
But…
She had forgotten something important.
“Ah ouch! I was wrong! I was wrong!”
On the boundless Qingyun Stairway, a man in white stood alone.
His gaze remained fixed on the distant end of the staircase.
After a moment, a faint smile crossed his lips.
He gave a slight nod, as if acknowledging something.
Nan Shuangxue arrived before Bai Muchun, dragging along her rebellious sword spirit.
“Master, I have succeeded.”
The little girl glared at him, pouting as if she wanted to say something.
Bai Muchun returned a gentle smile and said,
“I used the Ancient Sage Script earlier only to suppress you, to prevent unnecessary harm it was not meant to target you personally.”
The girl remained sulky.
“Oh.”
Seeing her sulking expression, Bai Muchun sighed internally.
Earning forgiveness from someone he had just beaten into submission…
It seemed impossible.
Nan Shuangxue noticed this and instinctively raised her hand to administer a little punishment.
The girl panicked and quickly dodged.
She pointed a finger at her and snapped, “What are you doing?!”
Nan Shuangxue simply smiled without saying a word, her gaze sending a clear message Be more respectful to my master.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t hesitate to teach her a lesson.
Under the weight of her icy gaze, the once-defiant girl deflated completely.
She shrank into herself, hesitated for a moment, then begrudgingly stepped forward toward Bai Muchun.
“…I forgive you,” she mumbled, clearly reluctant.
Bai Muchun nodded in acknowledgment before turning to Nan Shuangxue.
“Now that the celestial sword has accepted you, it is time for you to carve open a path forward.”
Nan Shuangxue glanced at the girl, then gathered her spiritual energy.
After a brief moment, she hesitated.
“Can I really do it?”
Could someone at half-step Foundation Establishment really tear open space itself?
Bai Muchun’s reply was unwavering.
“I do not know.
But I choose to believe in you.”
Nan Shuangxue was puzzled.
How could her master have such confidence in a mere sword cultivator who hadn’t even reached Foundation Establishment?
“Why?”
Bai Muchun answered firmly:
“Because you are my disciple.”
Nan Shuangxue was silent for a long time.
That’s right… I am his disciple.
If even my own master doesn’t believe in me, then who else will?
She turned toward the boundless sky beyond the Qingyun Stairway.
Her dark eyes shimmered like the stars.
Out of habit, she reached behind her back for her sword only to remember that it had long since shattered.
But at that moment, someone took hold of her hand.
It was Shuying, her destined celestial sword.
For the first time, the young girl wore an expression that did not match her childlike appearance.
Her face turned solemn, her voice calm as a winter breeze.
“Master, just follow your heart.
Do not let distractions cloud your mind.”
“Mm.”
At that moment, the girl in front of Nan Shuangxue transformed.
A brilliant sword materialized in her grasp its blade as pure as snow, its hilt a striking crimson.
This was the celestial sword in its truest form.
A soft, mist-like spiritual energy washed over Nan Shuangxue, surging through her meridians, supplying her with an endless flow of power.
She gripped Shuying tightly, closed her eyes, and silenced all unnecessary thoughts.
A mysterious oath echoed in her heart.
In the chaos of the six realms, reincarnation is but an illusion.
With this sword, even celestial beings and demons shall tremble.
With this heart, my sword’s path remains clear.
Nan Shuangxue’s eyes flashed with a chilling brilliance.
With Shuying in hand, she swung her sword down.
“I wield this sword to sweep away all injustice!”
A dazzling arc of sword energy sliced through the clouds.
The sky churned and collapsed.
The power of the attack continued to evolve it was distorting space itself!
Nan Shuangxue could only glimpse a long, rainbow-like streak in the air before losing sight of the sword energy’s final destination.
Aside from the shattered clouds, there were no other visible changes.
A wave of disappointment washed over her.
Had she failed?
Had she let her master down?
Just as her heart sank to its lowest point
The entire space around her suddenly shattered.
A violent, chaotic force swallowed everything.
Nan Shuangxue steadied herself, staring at the ground, then took a deep breath.
Letting the cool breeze wash over her, she calmed her spirit.
The east wind carries the scent of blossoms, filling the heart with peace.
Her body felt light, her mind at ease.
She closed her eyes, relishing the sensation
Until she noticed something was wrong.
Very wrong.
She opened her eyes.
All she saw was white.
Looking up, she found herself locking eyes with Bai Muchun.
She blinked in confusion before asking,
“Master… Was my sword strike really that bad?”
Bai Muchun placed a hand atop her head, gazing down at her.
“No.
Your sword strike was excellent beyond excellent.”
“Really?” Nan Shuangxue frowned in doubt.
“But I couldn’t even cut open a void gate.”
Bai Muchun pointed toward the sky.
Nan Shuangxue looked up
The sea of clouds had been split in half.
At the fracture point, space itself was twisting and collapsing.
“You managed to unleash a sword strike comparable to a late-stage Core Formation cultivator while only being at half-step Foundation Establishment.
That is truly impressive,” Bai Muchun praised.
“However… you borrowed power to do it.”
“???”
“Before you swung your sword, did you hear mysterious vows echo in your heart?”
“Yes.”
“Then that explains it.”
Bai Muchun smiled knowingly.
“Your sword spirit, in order to support you, directly burned a portion of its innate Dao essence…”
“In exchange, it granted you an attack far beyond your current realm.”
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