"Little Eleven."
A familiar voice drifted in from outside, sounding like an oriole chirping softly on an autumn day. Xu Xian’s thoughts returned to his body...
"If you don't come out, Senior Sister is coming in!"
Xu Xian opened his eyes. Without a moment to spare, he waved his hand to disperse the book before him. With a slight frown, he stood up and opened the door.
He was immediately met by Ye Xianyu.
"Senior Sister, why are you here?"
Ye Xianyu paced forward, poking her head into the room to take a peek. "What are you doing? I called you for ages and you didn't open the door. Be honest, are you hiding a beauty in your room?"
Xu Xian was speechless. He rolled his eyes and retorted, "You think I'm like you? I'm busy every single day. I don't have time for such nonsense..."
"Hmph."
Ye Xianyu let out a scoff, returning a similar expression to the youth. "If you didn't brag, would you die? What could you possibly be busy with?"
Xu Xian replied with a solemn face, "I'm doing it for the sake of all living beings! My heart is heavy with concern."
Ye Xianyu withdrew her gaze from the room. Just as she was about to get to the point, her eyes landed on Xu Xian, and she froze.
Her expression remained stagnant for several breaths.
The nascent soul stage?
Initially, she hadn't paid much attention. The nascent soul stage wasn't particularly rare in the Wendao Sect.
But...
She approached Xu Xian step by step.
Xu Xian was dazed.
She advanced.
He retreated.
He had nowhere left to go!
They stood inches apart, to the point where they could even feel each other's warm breath.
Feeling Ye Xianyu's strange gaze, Xu Xian pressed his back against the doorframe. Utterly confused and nervous, he asked, "What... what are you trying to do?"
Ye Xianyu stared at him intently and asked, "Tell me, are you secretly hogging the good stuff for yourself again?"
Xu Xian’s lips twitched. "What are you even talking about?"
"The nascent soul stage—what’s going on with that?" Ye Xianyu asked.
Xu Xian shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "What do you mean? I just broke through."
"When did this happen?"
"Just now!"
"How did you break through?"
"Just like that—whoosh—and I broke through."
"The last time I saw you, you were only at core formation. It’s been less than two months, and you’ve reached the nascent soul stage?"
Xu Xian’s expression didn't change as he said, "I guess... I’m just exceptionally gifted!"
Ye Xianyu fired off several questions in a row, and Xu Xian answered them all fluently!
Ye Xianyu took a few steps back, rubbing her chin. Her gaze continued to scan Xu Xian up and down, as if she wanted to see right through him.
He joined the sect at twelve. On his first day, he solved the endgame and comprehended the sword stele.
He came out of seclusion at sixteen. Three months for qi refining, ten months for foundation establishment.
At seventeen, he entered the Sword Mound and returned four months later with an immortal sword.
Two months after that, he reached the core formation stage.
Another two months later, he was at the nascent soul stage.
He wasn't even eighteen yet... and he was in the nascent soul stage!!!
For others, cultivation was like rowing against the current, and breaking through realms was like climbing the steps to heaven.
But for him... it was like a meteoric rise, as if he had divine assistance!!
He wasn't even running anymore; he was flying!
Was this being exceptionally gifted?
This was a beast!
Even a mighty expert dispersing their dao to cultivate anew couldn't surpass this.
She now seriously suspected that this Little Junior Brother was a fake. The real Little Junior Brother was already dead, and this Xu Xian was a demon who had possessed him.
Otherwise, how could any of this be explained?
It was ridiculous.
It overturned everything she knew about the great Dao. Even though she appeared normal on the surface, her heart was already like a surging river, rolling on endlessly.
"Little Eleven."
"Hmm?"
Ye Xianyu said seriously, "Something is definitely wrong with you!"
Xu Xian didn't want to explain. A legendary life needs no explanation!!
He changed the subject. "Alright, Senior Sister, let's talk business. Why were you looking for me?"
Ye Xianyu knew it was useless to ask. Any answer she got would likely be perfunctory. She got straight to the point. "Oh, Fifth Senior Brother told you to go find him."
"Fifth Senior Brother?" Xu Xian was slightly startled. "Why does he want to see me?"
Ye Xianyu said indifferently, "I don't know. He's waiting for you outside the Sword Mound. Go ask him yourself."
Xu Xian didn't ask further, only letting out an "Oh." He muttered thoughtfully to himself, "How did he think of looking for me?"
Since joining the sect, he had never actually met his first five senior brothers.
He only knew that they lived on the Ancestral Peak and rarely interacted with the outside world.
Except for the Seventh Senior Brother, who had achieved Manifesting Sanctity, forcing back the Saints of the Three Sects at the imperial city by drawing his sword only half an inch.
Ye Xianyu suddenly asked a strange question.
"Do you know what happened at the mountain gate just now?"
Xu Xian looked up to meet her gaze and shook his head blankly. "No, what happened?"
Ye Xianyu’s brow furrowed like distant mountains as she said slowly, "The Sword Mound stirred. A blazing flame sword intent erupted, a sword piercing the rainbow."
Xu Xian’s heart skipped a beat. He said in surprise, "That happened?"
Ye Xianyu lowered her voice, sounding mysterious. "Yes, Master Ruan suspects that a divine sword might have been born within the Sword Mound!!"
Hiss—
Xu Xian’s eyes flickered with light and shadow, and a hint of guilt quietly surfaced.
It was confirmed!
He had definitely done it!
It must have been the anomaly caused by the birth of the divine sword, Heaven-Burning Sparrow.
Xu Xian had the same realization in his mind.
In the Cangming Realm, whether in the Upper Realm or the Lower Realm, whenever a heavy treasure that transcended the laws of heaven and earth appeared, it would trigger an anomaly. This was its way of provoking and testing the heavenly dao of this world!
The Heaven-Burning Sparrow had once been a divine weapon of the Upper Realm, a killing machine used to suppress the Sea of Chaos. Fanzhou, however, was in the Lower Realm.
Its arrival in Fanzhou was like a heavyweight boxing champion suddenly appearing in a kindergarten.
Sword aura.
It was similar to the sword letting out a howl at this world!
However, he had to admit that his new master was indeed reliable to have guessed even this.
The divine sword’s seal was broken, and a divine sword was born in the Sword Mound. It matched perfectly!
He feigned ignorance. "Really? I was just cultivating and didn't notice."
Ye Xianyu didn't speak, just staring at Xu Xian intently.
Xu Xian quickly changed the subject. "But this is a good thing!"
Ye Xianyu hesitated, but ultimately swallowed the words she wanted to say.
"Alright, go now. Don't keep Fifth Senior Brother waiting for too long."
"Okay!"
Xu Xian agreed readily and walked past Ye Xianyu toward the courtyard exit.
"Little Eleven."
"What now?"
"You... definitely have a problem!"
Xu Xian circled his right index finger twice near his temple and scoffed, "Senior Sister, I think the problem is with your head."
Ye Xianyu pouted deeply...
"I'm off!" The youth waved farewell and strode away.
After Xu Xian left, Ye Xianyu went straight into his room. She first looked around and then sat on the prayer mat where Xu Xian usually meditated.
Finally, she rested her chin on one hand and stared at the ceiling, talking to herself.
"Heaven-Connecting Divine Wood, Innate Bitter Bamboo, and Blazing Red Jade..."
"How did he do it?"
She was completely baffled. What connection did Xu Xian's breakthrough have with those items?
But she knew there must be a link. Otherwise, why would Xu Xian have gone through so much trouble to find those things?
But what could that connection be?
"Could it be..."
A bold thought flashed through her mind, making her snap to attention, but she immediately dismissed it.
She questioned herself.
"Impossible. That's the Sword Mound. If that were the case, it would be too ridiculous..."
The girl’s thoughts were heavy with worry.
"It just doesn't make sense!"
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