The battle ended quickly.
Controlling Yi Wangyou, Zhuang Xun mocked Zhou Ziruo as they walked away together, while Bai Yujing remained in the Law Enforcement Hall to handle the aftermath.
After assigning tasks to Xu Jianxing and Yang Ling, he left alone and returned to the side cliff.
Now that everything was taken care of, Zhuang Xun could finally focus on his cultivation again.
During his battle with Protector Song of the Shengxue Cult, he had felt Bai Yujing's blood qi surge, saving him about ten days of tedious accumulation. Perhaps a breakthrough to Fourth Rank in martial arts was just a few days away.
Yi Wangyou's realm was low, so his cultivation speed was blazing fast. It was currently the beginning of the month, and his martial arts would likely break through to Seventh Rank before the month ended.
Yan Pingsheng was also still alive.
...
Six days later, Bai Yujing broke through to Fourth Rank.
At the same time, his mental cultivation advanced a step further, reaching the realm of multitasking with four minds at once.
Normally, a practitioner of the Formless Phaseless Sublime Method would need to reach Third Rank in martial arts for their brain to be sufficiently enhanced before their mental cultivation could reach this realm.
However, Bai Yujing had maxed-out Comprehension, making his brain inherently more developed than an ordinary person's. Combined with Zhuang Xun's powerful soul, he was able to achieve this step ahead of schedule while still in the Fourth Rank realm.
This also confirmed Zhuang Xun's theory: not only could his clones' brains nourish his soul, but his soul could conversely strengthen his clones' brains as well.
“Now, I need to figure out how to get my fourth clone to infiltrate the Shengxue Cult,” Zhuang Xun pondered.
Controlling Bai Yujing, he had someone summon Xu Jianxing to inquire about the situation regarding the Shengxue Cult.
Xu Jianxing reported, “Replying to Senior Brother, the Shengxue Cult has been thoroughly routed by us. Their secret outposts in every county have been rooted out. Currently, the remaining cultists have all gone into hiding, making them difficult to track. It might take some more time to completely eradicate them.”
Huh? They're that weak? Zhuang Xun was momentarily stunned.
But on second thought, it made sense. The Shengxue Cult's overt strength was already weaker than the three major factions—the Wanxing Martial Academy, the City Lord's Manor, and Qushe Ridge—and only slightly stronger than any single one of the seven great families.
Facing off against the Wanxing Martial Academy, such an outcome was only natural.
Yet, Zhuang Xun had always suspected that the Shengxue Cult was hiding its true strength.
Could they still be holding back? No way. They've been beaten to a pulp and forced into hiding. If they had the strength and still kept it hidden, wouldn't they just be playing turtle?
After thinking it over, Zhuang Xun decided to simply wipe out the Shengxue Cult once and for all. Even if they really were hiding their strength, what use would it be once everyone was dead?
However, he still had to wait for Elder Guan's people to map out all of the cult's hiding spots.
Elder Guan said back then to give him half a year. By that time, my martial arts will be at least at Third Rank or Second Rank, so I should be able to participate in the high-end battlefield.
If I reach Second Rank by then, I'll join the peak showdown. If not, I'll just farm the small fry on the outskirts and let Elder Guan and the others handle the Blood Son and the cult's protectors.
After Xu Jianxing left, Zhuang Xun returned to his secluded cultivation, never stepping foot outside.
One day, Zhuang Xun heard news that the Courtyard Head of the Jixin Courtyard had come to visit the Posuo Courtyard. He immediately controlled Yi Wangyou and ran toward the pavilion where Yi Xiaoxiang resided.
As he crossed the hall's threshold, a maid who was sweeping the floor kindly cautioned him, “Young Master, slow down. Don't trip.”
“Call me the Little Overlord!” Zhuang Xun had already run far ahead, his voice echoing back to the maid's ears from a distance.
The maid covered her mouth and giggled. “Understood, Young Master.”
“Master, I'm back!” Zhuang Xun shouted, barging into the pavilion with a carefree swagger.
Sitting across from Yi Xiaoxiang was an elegant and luxurious woman in her thirties. She sat with her legs crossed and slanted to the side, looking at Yi Wangyou with keen interest.
“Xiaoxiang, is this your newly recruited young disciple? He looks so clever and has such a lively personality.”
“What, have you heard of my name, the Little Overlord, too?” Zhuang Xun placed his hands on his hips, staring at the noble woman without a hint of fear.
The noble woman burst into a fit of giggles, her shoulders trembling with laughter.
“You'er, come here.”
Hearing his master's call while locked in a staring contest with the noble woman, Zhuang Xun immediately ran behind Yi Xiaoxiang. He kicked his legs up and clung to the back of the chair, warily observing the Courtyard Head of the Jixin Courtyard.
They don't really look like they have a deep-seated feud. So it's not a 'do not look down on a poor youth' scenario after all...
At this moment, the Courtyard Head of the Jixin Courtyard was also looking at Yi Wangyou. She made a few playful faces to tease the child, praised him to Yi Xiaoxiang with a smile, and then resumed her previous conversation.
“Xiaoxiang, so you've definitely decided to leave the academy? When exactly?”
Yi Xiaoxiang replied, “At least one year, at most three. Once my realm is polished to perfection and I've handled the various affairs of the Posuo Courtyard, I will depart.”
“Huh? Master, you're leaving?” Zhuang Xun chimed in.
“Yes, yes, your master doesn't want you anymore.” Before Yi Xiaoxiang could reply, the Courtyard Head of the Jixin Courtyard spoke up first. “Why don't you come and be my disciple instead when that time comes?”
Yi Xiaoxiang blocked the Courtyard Head's view of Yi Wangyou. “I will take you and Ziruo with me.”
Zhuang Xun asked, “Where are we going?”
The name of the sect, "Sword Sanctuary of the World," instinctively popped into his mind.
Yi Xiaoxiang's father had once been a disciple of the Sword Sanctuary of the World, which was known as a sacred ground for sword cultivators.
Yi Xiaoxiang said, “The Sword Sanctuary of the World.”
It really is the Sword Sanctuary of the World... I believe it's to the west, which is at least over a hundred thousand miles away from Mount Dazhou. Is my plan to leave Mount Dazhou going to be accomplished just like this? Zhuang Xun's heart stirred.
Previously, he had always been on guard against the possibility of the Shengxue Cult's evil deity descending, which was why he had been planning to send one of his clones away from Mount Dazhou.
Leaving with Yi Xiaoxiang was exactly what he wanted, and it even solved the issue of where to go once he left.
In fact, over the past many days, Zhuang Xun had gradually come to realize something: he seemed to be overly cautious regarding the Shengxue Cult.
Even at their peak, the Shengxue Cult had failed to summon their evil deity, the Ancestor of Primordial Blood Creation. Now, with only a few stragglers left, cowering inside Mount Dazhou and too afraid to step out, even the Wanxing Martial Academy was enough to terrify them. How could they possibly still have the ability to summon an evil deity?
Their desire to capture Bai Yujing as a vessel for the evil deity's descent was nothing more than a deathbed struggle.
Well, caution is always better than carelessness. How many villains have fallen because they underestimated the protagonist? Even if there's no danger, it's better to just squash them. They're an eyesore anyway... Wait, why am I taking the perspective of a villain? I'm the protagonist here.
“The Sword Sanctuary of the World is one of the most powerful sects in the entire world. It's much larger than the Wanxing Martial Academy. Hmm... Just their sect grounds alone are larger than tens of millions of Wanxing Martial Academies combined.” Fearing that Yi Wangyou wouldn't understand, the Courtyard Head of the Jixin Courtyard explained the Sword Sanctuary of the World in terms a child could grasp.
Zhuang Xun asked, “How powerful is the most powerful in the world? Where would Senior Brother Bai rank among them?”
The Courtyard Head of the Jixin Courtyard thought for a moment, then said, “With Chief Disciple Bai's talent, he would be among the best no matter where he went. It's just a pity he ended up in a small place like ours.”
If it weren't for the strict background checks of those large sects, I would have wanted to seek opportunities in a bigger place as well. But with my master leading the way, this clone, Yi Wangyou, will have a legitimate identity to join a major sect... Zhuang Xun looked at Yi Xiaoxiang.
Rate on N.U.
