Just after sunrise, next to a crystal-clear pond behind the Sus mountain, sword radiance glittered as sword Qi sliced the air into a million pieces.
Su Mo was practicing his swordplay. Ever since his fight with Wei Liang a month ago, he had gained a deeper understanding of Divine Wind Swordplay.
Actual battles were the best way to practice.
Lately, he had been coming here every morning to practice his swordplay.
Divine Wind Swordplay had four movements. Two weeks ago, he had reached the Minor Completion Realm of the first three, and two days ago, he had reached the Minor Completion of the last one, boosting his strength tremendously.
Su Mo did not neglect his cultivation over the course of the month, which had steadily increased to the Peak Lv 5 Qi Cultivation Realm.
His Rank 6 Human Class Martial Soul cultivated extremely quickly, so he spent most of his time cultivating his physical body.
His cultivation of Elephant’s Strength Skill had reached the late stage of Lv 2, making his body as strong as six tigers and equivalent to a Lv 6 Qi Cultivation Realm martial artist.
If he had fought Wei Liang with his current strength, Su Mo would have been able to instantly kill him with one move.
Nearby, Xi’er sat on a smooth boulder, resting her cheeks on her hands. She wore a snow-white dress with a blue jade pendant.
“Xi’er, do you want to learn this swordplay?” asked Su Mo with a grin, having finished practicing.
“Haha! Brother Su Mo, I’m very dumb. I don’t know if I can learn such profound swordplay,” Xi’er said with a smile.
“Who said you’re dumb? Xi’er is smarter than everyone else.” Su Mo smiled and then seriously said, “Xi’er, you’ve reached the Lv 8 of the Body Tempering Realm, right? Soon, when you complete it and awaken your Martial Soul, I’ll teach you how to practice swordplay.”
The Body Tempering Realm toughened one’s body, so it would be strong enough to awaken a Martial Soul.
“Uh-huh!” Xi’er nodded.
“Also, I always see you wearing this jade pendant and staring at it. Is there a story to it?” Su Mo asked, sitting down next to her and looking at her pendant.
“Of course, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’m just asking.” Su Mo hastily added when he saw her smile had disappeared.
“Brother Su Mo, this jade pendant is related to my birth story.”
She took off her jade pendant and gently said, “When grandpa found me back then, I was still a baby. The only thing he found on me was this jade pendant. Perhaps, this jade pendant is the only thing related to my real identity.”
Su Mo took the jade pendant from her and studied it carefully.
The sea-blue jade pendant was the size of a child’s palm and had the word “Xuan” carved on the back. This script was extremely elegant and gave off a powerful aura.
Su Mo could tell that this was no ordinary pendant.
“Xi’er, if I ever get the chance, I’ll definitely help you find your birth parents,” Su Mo seriously said after handing her the pendant.
“That’s alright, Brother Su Mo. I’m very happy with my life, and I feel lucky to be able to watch you practice swordplay every day.” Xi’er smiled.
“Haha! You silly girl!” Su Mo gently rubbed her head.
“Let’s go home, Xi’er!” Su Mo walked back to the Sus with her.
…
After returning, Su Mo went to the Sus’ martial practice field.
The clan had an announcement to make today about the clan meeting.
A lot of disciples already gathered in the martial practice field. Many of them greeted Su Mo when they saw him.
“Hello, Cousin Su Mo!”
“Hello, Brother Su Mo!”
After Su Mo proved his strength to everyone in the fight last month, no one dared to call him a piece of trash anymore.
Of course, a majority of them still wanted nothing to do with him.
These people, including Su Heng and Su Yu, believed that Su Mo’s powerful strength was temporary, and his accomplishments would nevertheless be limited due to his low-level Martial Soul.
Su Yu was also on the martial practice field. He glanced at Su Mo as he approached from a distance but quickly looked away.
Though the fight last month had shocked him, he still looked down on Su Mo.
With a Rank 1 Human Class Martial Soul, Su Mo would never be able to catch up with him.
A group had gathered around Su Yu, chattering about something excitedly.
“Brother Su Yu, I’ve heard that Brother Tianhao and Su Hai have returned from the Sky Yuan Sect.”
“Yes! I’ve heard both of them reached Lv 9 Qi Cultivation Realm. They’re really terrifying!”
“Haha! Brother Su Yu’s Martial Soul is of a higher level than theirs. It won’t be long before you enter the Sky Yuan Sect and surpass them.”
“Are Su Tianhao and Su Hai back?”
Su Mo overheard their conversation from afar and raised his eyebrows.
Su Tianhao and Su Hai were respectively the sons of the third and fourth elders. They were the strongest among the young Su disciples.
Last year, they left the Sus at the age of 18 to join the Sky Yuan Sect, one of the four sects of Skymoon Country.
No one expected they would reach Lv 9 Qi Cultivation Realm in just one year.
Just then, the crowd stirred.
“Here comes Brother Tianhao and Brother Su Hai!”
Su Mo turned his head and saw two young men slowly walking over.
Their aura was extremely powerful and greatly surpassed everyone else’s.
Su Tianhao was tall and slim, wearing a yellow robe and a stern expression.
The other stocky man dressed completely in black was Su Hai.
“Brother Tianhao!”
“Brother Su Hai!”
Just as the two reached the martial practice field, a group of young disciples crowded around them with adoring expressions.
“Brother Tianhao, Brother Su Hai, can you tell us what the Sky Yuan Sect is like?”
“Yes, yes! I’ve heard that the Sky Yuan Sect is brimming with masters and geniuses. Is that true?”
“…”
The crowd fired one question after another about the Sky Yuan Sect.
Su Tianhao looked prideful and showed no interest in answering their questions.
On the contrary, Su Hai was full of smiles and answered. “You’re right. The Sky Yuan Sect has 5,000 disciples, and each of them is a genius.”
That’s not all. The sect has all kinds of powerful cultivation skills and martial arts techniques, as well as countless miraculous pills.
Each month, we receive all kinds of resources, and our cultivation improves by strides.
I’m so valued in the sect that I’ve heard some elders want me as their disciple!”
“…”
The more Su Hai blabbered on, the more excited and exaggerated he became, spewing spittle all over the place.
However, all the surrounding disciples were mesmerized and envious. Even Su Yu was entranced by the stories.
Su Mo’s lip curled. Though he was not familiar with the Sky Yuan Sect, he knew that Su Hai was bragging.
As one of the four sects in Skymoon Country, it made sense that every disciple was a genius there.
However, Su Hai’s Martial Soul was only at Lv 4, which probably placed him in the bottom tier of the sect. How could he receive so much attention and be selected as a disciple by elders?
He was just talking crap!
Su Hai loftily raised his head and smugly took in everyone’s jealous stares.
He greatly enjoyed the feeling of being envied.
Just then, Su Hai noticed Su Mo’s unimpressed expression out of the corner of his eye and instantly became enraged.
“Haha! Su Mo, I’ve heard your strength is equivalent to Lv7 Qi Cultivation Realm, and you killed Wei Liang last month,” he said with a smirk.
Su Mo did not reply.
Su Hai then abruptly changed his tone and scoffed. “However, with your strength, you’re nothing to me!
I know you only have a Rank 1 Human Class Martial Soul. You’ll never reach the Peak of the Qi Cultivation Realm, never mind entering the Sky Yuan Sect.”
Su Mo frowned. What was wrong with this guy? He had done nothing to deserve his ridicule!
“Whether or not I’m capable of entering the Sky Yuan Sect is none of your business,” he said flatly.
“Humph! You’re just a powerless nobody!” Su Hai coldly scoffed, and then he turned to Su Yu with a smile. “Su Yu, I’ve heard you have a Rank 5 Human Class Martial Soul. Not bad. At the end of this year, you can take the sect’s entrance exam. It won’t be a problem for you.
Of course, all members with Rank 4 Human Class Martial Souls can take the exam, but that rank is the minimum requirement for entry, so it’ll be hard to pass the exam. Back then, Brother Tianhao and I had exerted great effort to pass it.”
“Haha! Next year, I’ll definitely enter the Sky Yuan Sect.” Su Yu smiled confidently and glanced at Su Mo with mocking eyes.