Chapter Thirty-Five: Fifth-Level "Earth Sword Technique"

"Master, um, can we go back now?" Su Yizhao asked tentatively.

Xuan Wujie turned his head to stare at him.

Su Yizhao felt a little uneasy.

"Go back? Go back where?"

"Home!"

Xuan Wujie turned his head away. "The winner takes all. Didn't you hear?"

"But if you send me, we're bound to lose!" Su Yizhao really wanted to contribute to the sect, but he didn't want to die.

"That's why you need to hurry and increase your cultivation. At the very least, reach the peak of the Five Divine Realms, then, with the Perfection-level 'Flying Sword Art,' you'll have a chance to win!"

A chance to win?

Su Yizhao cursed inwardly.

The further one advances in cultivation, the harder it is to improve. If he hadn't practiced the 'Mystic Qi Creation Art,' his cultivation would probably still be stuck at the peak of the Three Profound Realms. These disciples of the Mystic Battle Hall had cultivated for so many years and were only at the Six Divine Realms—it showed just how arduous the path was.

The Six Divine Realms!

From the Five to the Six Divine Realms wasn't just a difference in rank—it was a qualitative leap, a difference in understanding, power, and experience. Besides, these people had dueled for years and gained immense combat experience. How could he compare?

"Master, is there a Fifth-Tier 'Earth Sword Art'?"

Since he couldn't escape, he could only face it head-on. Naturally, it was necessary to make some demands.

At the Five Divine Realms, one could practice the Fifth-Tier 'Earth Sword Art,' which was more than twice as powerful and swift as the Fourth-Tier 'Flying Sword Art.' Of course, Fifth-Tier techniques were priceless, almost impossible to obtain. Even among the great clans, they were rare and not easily passed down—only those who rendered great service could earn the chance to learn them.

Given his extraordinary contributions, Su Yizhao's request was not excessive!

After managing the immense Mystic Qi Sect for so many years, Xuan Wujie certainly possessed Fifth-Tier techniques.

Sure enough, Xuan Wujie nodded. "Although it's ten days late, your contribution is immense, so passing a Fifth-Tier technique to you is permissible. But your 'Flying Sword Art' is already perfected—would it really be wise to start the 'Earth Sword Art' now?"

Xuan Wujie had a point.

A beginner in the 'Earth Sword Art' couldn't compare to someone who had achieved perfection in the 'Flying Sword Art.'

But Su Yizhao knew that now was the best time to ask for a technique.

"Tomorrow, when facing the enemy, I'll use the perfected 'Flying Sword Art.' As for the 'Earth Sword Art,' I'll practice it later."

"Good!" Xuan Wujie was forthright. "Anything else? The Fifth-Tier 'Earth Sword Art' is your reward for discovering the spirit stone lode. If you win one match and secure a day's mining rights for our sect, you'll be rewarded as well!"

Su Yizhao was speechless.

Win a match? Easier said than done.

This was risking his life!

He asked weakly, "Can I admit defeat?"

"Absolutely not!" Feng Bubai interrupted. "Qi, body, and soul—the three cultivation systems—are our greatest strengths. How could we admit defeat?"

Although Xuan Wujie said nothing, his eyes showed complete agreement. He took out a jade slip and pressed it to his forehead.

Su Yizhao cursed inwardly. Why fight over who's the strongest? Wouldn't cultivating together be even better?

After four or five breaths, Xuan Wujie finished imprinting the technique into the jade slip, but then put it away again.

Su Yizhao was startled, thinking something had changed, but to his surprise, Xuan Wujie tossed him a ring. Overjoyed, he exclaimed, "A storage ring?"

Xuan Wujie nodded. "Consider it an additional reward. The jade slip can only be used once—Fifth-Tier techniques are far too precious."

Su Yizhao quickly put it away. "Thank you, Master! Also, can't you use a great technique to extract the spirit stone lode?"

He had heard that powerful cultivators could directly extract lodes, moving them to the sect for disciples to cultivate.

But from Xuan Wujie's words, it seemed they actually had to dig?

"I can!" Surprisingly, Xuan Wujie answered very definitively.

Su Yizhao was delighted. "That's perfect! We can finish in a day and go home!"

"As if it were that simple!"

All the cultivators stared at him as if he were utterly ignorant.

Especially Feng Bubai, who said helplessly, "To master the 'Flying Sword Art' to perfection, you really shouldn't be this naïve. Extracting a lode is a colossal task. Even if the sect master did it himself, it would take at least ten days to half a month. Would the other two sects give us so much time?"

Su Yizhao inwardly scoffed.

Probably because the sect master isn't strong enough!

"Besides, haven't you heard of demon cultivators?"

Su Yizhao asked in surprise, "Demon cultivators? They'd notice?"

Xuan Wujie said mockingly, "Fish, shrimp, crabs—any of them could be demon cultivators. If you extract the lode, it will cause tremors on the seafloor. If demon cultivators attack, could you withstand them?"

Su Yizhao could only shake his head.

"Start digging!"

More than thirty cultivators summoned their flying swords to dig into the cave walls, and a harsh screeching filled the seabed.

For cultivators at the Six Divine Realms wielding top-grade flying swords, mining was effortless.

Spirit stones appeared one after another, and within a dozen breaths, the seabed was already layered with glittering stones.

Su Yizhao took Li Xiyue's hand and slowly flew upward.

Xuan Wujie trusted he wouldn't dare run and didn't stop him.

As soon as they poked their heads out of the dark tunnel, both were startled.

They were surrounded by dense ranks of Mystic Battle Hall disciples, all staring at them with obvious warning in their eyes.

Just as Su Yizhao was about to speak, the crowd slowly parted to form a pathway.

They dared not ascend further and had to obediently walk through the passage between the crowd.

"A stone cave?" Su Yizhao's eyes lit up. The Mystic Battle Hall disciples had clearly planned ahead, leading them to a stone cave—obviously a place to keep them under watch so they couldn't escape.

Though he didn't dare to flee, it was impossible to cultivate with spirit stones in front of so many people. Now, this stone cave was the perfect solution.

He took Li Xiyue into the cave.

About three meters across, it was just right for the two of them.

"Yizhao, should we try to sneak away?" Li Xiyue whispered.

Su Yizhao looked at the sea of disciples outside, barely ten meters from the cave. Escape was utterly impossible.

He shook his head. "Why should we run? That would be certain death. Even if we escaped now, where could we go?"

"Then what should we do? Here, take this!" Li Xiyue, anxious, took out a bottle of pills and handed it to him. "Top-grade Fourth-Tier Qi Gathering Pills!"

Su Yizhao accepted it gladly. "Xiyue, you're amazing. The sect master was right—if I can raise my cultivation to the peak of the Five Divine Realms, I'll have a chance to win!"

Li Xiyue's face was worried. "One night? Yizhao, I can't make pills to raise your cultivation at the Five Divine Realms yet!"

Su Yizhao stroked her head and smiled gently. "With spirit stones, it's entirely possible. Besides, if we don't fight for it, how will we know?"

Looking into his bright eyes, Li Xiyue was captivated.

Confidence. Composure.

Such a man was truly irresistible.