When Shangguan Yutong came over, she didn’t spare a glance for Night Owl, who was sitting outside the carriage. Yesterday, that bastard had actually suggested she marry one of his crude underlings, and the remark still filled her with deep resentment. She wasn’t worried about what Night Owl might do to Ling Xiao, however.

In reality, Night Owl had handled the aftermath with extreme composure right after Ling Xiao passed out yesterday. First, he promoted the mercenary with the severed arm to be the supervisor of the Mercenary Corps’ logistics.

It was an enviable position. Though not high in status, it was very lucrative. Da Hu, who had lost an arm, had experienced a blessing in disguise. Most mercenaries lived with their lives on the line, never knowing if they might perish during a Magical Beast hunt. Being assigned to logistics meant that, at the very least, his life was now secure. So, although he still coveted the impossibly beautiful woman, Da Hu didn’t dare make any more demands.

The fact that Night Owl had made such arrangements was already a sign he was looking out for him. While most of the men in the Mercenary Corps were crude and vulgar, they weren’t idiots; they knew when to back off.

Night Owl then appointed one of his trusted subordinates to temporarily manage the Mercenary Corps, while he himself decided to follow Ling Xiao. On the continent, many people followed the strong, but for a Tier Three Demon Sword Master to choose to follow a youth at the Sword Master level was big news. Fortunately, everyone knew Night Owl’s temper. Though the men of the Mercenary Corps were inwardly reluctant, none dared to defy him. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Given this new development, Shangguan Yutong couldn’t very well make things difficult for Night Owl, let alone demand he call her Grandmaster. ’Gods, that would be terrifying,’ she thought. ’I’m only a few years older than Ling Xiao. If a man in his thirties called me Grandmaster, I think I’d have a breakdown.’

So, the two of them opted for silence to avoid any awkwardness.

"Teacher’s here." Ling Xiao had just eaten a few pastries and was feeling much better. Yesterday, he’d used a Secret Technique from the Shushan Sword Sect that borrowed "momentum" to amplify his Sword Intent. In truth, it wasn’t genuine Sword Intent.

Ling Xiao’s current state of mind was roughly equivalent to the Sword Sect realm, a far cry from the level of a Sword Saint. After all, in his previous life, his cultivation had only reached the Golden Core Stage.

This so-called borrowing of momentum was achieved through a strange footwork where each step landed on a point of "momentum." As he continued to step, his presence would continuously build until it finally formed a powerful Sword Intent. Yesterday, forget Night Owl, a mere Tier Three Demon Sword Master; even if the one standing there had been Grand Marshal Qiu Chen at his peak—a supreme expert and a Fifth Rank Demon Sword Master—he would have been terrified by this "Sword Intent" of Ling Xiao’s!

How could the Sword Intent of the Shushan Sword Sect, a Cultivation Sect with a legacy stretching back millennia, be a simple thing? If it were, how could the Ling Xiao of his past life have grasped Sword Intent while only at the Golden Core Stage? And how, even now in the half-useless body of a Celestial Vein Master, could he occasionally touch upon the realm of Sword Intent?

The only problem was that borrowing momentum in this way took a severe toll on his body. Even though Ling Xiao’s power had increased after his journey to the Great Snow Mountain, reaching the level of a Second or Third Rank Sword Master, he still couldn’t maintain it for long. Thankfully, he could recover quickly from this kind of overexertion, and it also served as an excellent way to improve his current strength.

’Besides,’ Ling Xiao thought, ’for Teacher Shangguan, who has always cared so much for me, it was well worth it.’

Shangguan Yutong’s long, beautiful hair was swept up into a high bun, revealing her long, slender neck, as smooth and fair as white jade. Her almond-shaped eyes were filled with concern as she looked at Ling Xiao, her red lips parting slightly. "Ling Xiao, are you all right now?"

She was different from those Great Sword Masters. Even Xiao Lin could only vaguely sense that something was off with Ling Xiao, but he would never have guessed that what Ling Xiao used yesterday was actually the Sword Intent that only a Sword Saint could wield!

After all, Sword Saints were far too removed from their everyday lives. They hardly ever saw anyone, even those at the Sword Sect level of cultivation!

Night Owl knew of Sword Intent because his manual for the "Fire Dragon Dance" sword technique had briefly mentioned the power of a Sword Saint, including the two words "Sword Intent." He hadn’t understood it before, but when that cold, deathly killing intent enveloped him yesterday, he had an epiphany. ’So that was Sword Intent... such a terrifying thing.’ This realization ignited his desire to become stronger. Power, once held, is something one never wants to let go.

Shangguan Yutong, however, knew much more, thanks to her master, Qiuyue Yao. Her master’s hidden sect actually had Sword Saints among its members! She’d heard they had been in seclusion for many years, but this still meant Shangguan Yutong’s understanding of Sword Saints far surpassed an ordinary person’s. Naturally, after seeing Ling Xiao’s performance yesterday and connecting it with previous incidents, she grew increasingly certain. ’He, too, must be backed by a formidable sect—one that might not be inferior to my own!’

Ling Xiao nodded. "Thank you for your concern, Teacher. I’m fine."

"Mm, as long as you’re fine. I should be the one thanking you," Shangguan Yutong said, glancing outside the carriage with a slight pout. ’Night Owl is quite a character, to have such keen judgment,’ she thought. ’And his sword techniques are quite formidable! I’d always heard he was strong, but only after fighting him did I truly understand. His reputation is well-earned.’

Ling Xiao gave a faint smile. "You’ve done so much for me, Teacher. It’s only natural for a student to want to repay that kindness."

Shangguan Yutong’s smile was radiant. "Ling Xiao," she asked suddenly, "I remember saying that I believed you would quickly reach the Sword Master level. Your physical conditioning feels like it’s there already. How about we test it?"

In truth, Shangguan Yutong was more curious about Ling Xiao’s mysterious Cultivation Techniques and sword skills, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask. Prying into such personal matters would be incredibly rude, even for her.

"How do we test it?" Ling Xiao asked, a bit embarrassed.

"..." Shangguan Yutong shot Ling Xiao a speechless glare and said, "Get out!"

A Crystal Stone, about a foot square, was placed on a large bluestone by the roadside. Seeing Ling Xiao’s curious expression, Shangguan Yutong wondered inwardly, ’How has he never seen a testing Crystal Stone before? Hasn’t he been tested?’

She could not have imagined that this Ling Xiao was not the original Ling Xiao. For the original Ling Xiao, tests were a nightmare—something he refused to even think about. Coupled with the fact that the memories Ling Xiao had inherited were incomplete, he had absolutely no recollection of such things.

Fearing he would embarrass himself, Shangguan Yutong explained in a low voice, "This was invented by the Sword Guild. Anyone below a Sword Master can use these Crystal Stones to determine their cultivation level. Only when you reach Great Sword Master do you need to be officially certified by the Sword Guild. There’s one type of stone for Sword Attendants and another for Sword Masters. The Sword Attendant stone displays nine colors—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, black, and white—from highest to lowest, with each color representing a rank. The Sword Master stone, however, has only six colors: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, and purple, also ordered from highest to lowest."

Ling Xiao nodded, under the gazes of more than fifty students, four teachers, and Night Owl, who stood behind him with his head lowered respectfully but with a trace of curiosity on his face.

He took an ordinary sword from Shangguan Yutong, faced the Crystal Stone, let out a low shout, and struck!

A brilliant yellow light flashed for an instant!