Chapter 172

Bai Lian has a deep fondness for sword cultivation. Whether in her past life or the present, she finds sword cultivation to be a dashing and handsome profession. This love reached its peak after being reborn into this world of immortal cultivation. This was one of the main reasons why she chose to join the Taihua Sword Sect even after being reborn. For her, the Taihua Sword Sect perfectly matched her imagination of sword cultivation. It was this yearning for sword cultivation that led her to have a special affection for the sword as a weapon. However, in her past life, the swords she encountered in the game were of the top-tier spirit sword level, such as the Qinglian Sword and Frost Condensing Sword, leading her to set high standards for swords and lack interest in ordinary treasure swords. However, Luo Qing Yun's sword was no ordinary treasure sword; it was a top-tier spirit sword that could stand alongside the likes of the Qinglian Sword and Frost Condensing Sword. It is said that Luo Qing Yun hails from the Penglai Sword Pavilion. Situated on Mount Penglai in the East Sea, secluded from the world, ethereal and detached, the Penglai Sword Pavilion, together with the Taihua Sword Sect, are revered as the two sacred sites of sword cultivation in the cultivation world. In contrast to the majestic sword aura of the Taihua Sword Sect, the sword techniques of the Penglai Sword Pavilion originate from the boundless sea, with sword momentum as vast as waves and unending sword intent. The Penglai Sword techniques were calm before the sword was drawn, yet capable of causing storms and landslides upon drawing, overturning heaven and earth. Because of the starkly different sword paths of the two sects, the debate over which sect's swordsmanship was stronger had never ceased. The emergence of extraordinary swordsmanship talents in the history of the two sects continuously fueled this debate. As the former sword disciple of the Penglai Sword Pavilion, Luo Qing Yun was hailed as the most talented genius in the thousand-year history of the pavilion. It was rumored that his talent in sword cultivation even surpassed that of the pavilion's ancestor and far exceeded that of all contemporaneous cultivators. Thus, he was regarded as the person most likely to completely settle the debate over who was the foremost figure in sword cultivation between the Taihua Sword Sect and the Penglai Sword Pavilion. This demonstrated his exceptional talent in sword cultivation. However, just when everyone thought he was about to shine brightly in the history of the cultivation world, he inexplicably left the Penglai Sword Pavilion, even forsaking his cultivation, transcending to a mortal and renouncing all ties with the pavilion. Regarding the reasons for Luo Qing Yun's departure from the Penglai Sword Pavilion, both sides tacitly maintained silence. However, this did not deter the curiosity of onlookers, resulting in various speculations springing up like mushrooms after rain. Some said it was because Luo Qing Yun had been wronged in the pavilion, others said it was because he left in frustration after failing to obtain the affection of the daughter of the pavilion's sect leader, while some claimed that Luo Qing Yun believed that all sword techniques in the world were rubbish and he wanted to comprehend his own sword technique. Amidst various rumors, Luo Qing Yun seemed completely unaffected. He visited sword cultivators across the world as a mortal after leaving the pavilion, challenging them to sword matches, to the point of almost madness. Yet, once again, he demonstrated his maddening talent in sword cultivation, creating his own sword cultivation technique in the process of seeking the way of the sword. In less than ten years, he transformed from a mortal into a formidable cultivator at the Great Vessel stage. To achieve such a transformation from mortal to a Great Vessel-stage cultivator in just a decade was unprecedented in the entire cultivation world. For a moment, all cultivators in the world were enraptured by his technique, even resorting to fighting over it. However, everyone who harbored designs on his technique, without exception, met their end under his sword, with no one ever witnessing him draw his sword a second time. The continuous development of his self-created technique came to an end when he was besieged by three cultivators at the Great Vessel stage, whom he eventually vanquished. From that moment on, no one dared to entertain thoughts of challenging him. It was from that moment that people bestowed upon him the title of "Sword Fanatic." In the cultivation world, there was an unwritten rule that a sword cultivator's title often reflected their sword. For instance, Gu Qingqing was called the Qinglian Fairy, while Leng Ningshuang was called the Frost Condensing Fairy, which stemmed from the names of their respective swords. However, Luo Qing Yun broke this convention. People were more interested in him as a person rather than in his sword. "Is it really Senior Luo Qing Yun's sword?" Bai Lian asked curiously. At this moment, she completely disregarded the sense of familiarity she felt from the masked maiden in front of her. After all, Luo Qing Yun was a legendary figure in the battle against evil, and his sword was naturally a legendary weapon. Even in the game, Luo Qing Yun's sword belonged to the category of extremely high-level items that players couldn't obtain directly. Its appearance represented the pinnacle of game-quality items. She couldn't wait to teleport to the Sword Refining Tower at that moment and see the legendary weapon. Seeing Bai Lian's keen interest, Xiao Cheng Yin's eyes lit up. It was wonderful that Bai Lian liked swords. He liked them too! It was as if he had found a topic to chat with his goddess about, and he couldn't help but speak eagerly, "Miss Bai also likes swords?" "You do? Could it be that Brother Cheng also likes swords?" Bai Lian looked at Xiao Cheng Yin with some confusion. Strange, wasn't there something familiar about this conversation? Furthermore, when did Xiao Cheng Yin start to like swords? She never saw him wield a sword in the game. In reality, Xiao Cheng Yin's image in the game was mostly that of a dashing young gentleman with a folding fan. Moreover, in the game, Xiao Cheng Yin had clearly expressed that his favorite thing was the stellar constellations. She remembered the plot back then: Xiao Cheng Yin had invited her and Mu Xing He to visit the Changning Palace. On the way, she chatted with Mu Xing He about their common interests. Being well-versed in the strategies, she naturally knew that Mu Xing He's favorite thing was the vast expanse of stars. During their time at the Numinous Protectors Mansion, she often gazed at the stars alone. Later, after they were in a relationship, the two of them often found a tranquil spot to lie down and stargaze. Although stargazing often didn't end with just that. So, she naturally talked about constellations with Mu Xing He. Suddenly, she realized why the conversation with Xiao Cheng Yin had a sense of deja vu. This was because when Mu Xing He had shown interest in the topic of the constellations back then, Xiao Cheng Yin had the same bright expression as he did now and had asked: "Does Miss Mu also like constellations?" At this moment, Bai Lian felt somewhat dumbfounded. This was no different from the same old pick-up technique. Could it be that Xiao Cheng Yin had an interest in her?! No, no, this shouldn't be the case. Xiao Cheng Yin's affection was for Mu Xing He, right? Furthermore, it was an affection that dated back from their childhood, to the extent of becoming like a loyal dog. But now, looking back, since meeting her, Xiao Cheng Yin seemed to have been constantly trying to find topics to chat with her. Because she was scared that Xiao Cheng Yin was trying to get close to Mu Xing He, she didn't decline any of his topics. Wait, what about Mu Xing He? Since she met Xiao Cheng Yin, Mu Xing He seemed to have stopped speaking altogether. Although Mu Xing He didn't like speaking much in front of others, it shouldn't have gotten to the point of being anxious in social situations like this, right? Thinking about this, Bai Lian looked towards the person beside her with a sense of unease. But what met her eyes was indeed Mu Xing He, wearing a dark expression. Her eyes were particularly deep, as if repressing some emotion. What's wrong with Mu Matriarch...? Bai Lian asked involuntarily, but she felt an even stronger sense of urgency in her heart.