Upon hearing Mary’s words, Yisha’s delicate brows furrowed, and a flash of anger—and disappointment—crossed her eyes. She gave Mary a cool glance just as Mary, realizing she had misspoken, was looking back at her. Yisha said nothing, merely turning her head away. In that instant, Mary felt as if she had been plunged into an ice cave. She had a feeling she had just lost her best friend.

Shangguan Yutong gave a faint smile, paying no mind to the student’s doubt. Her expression slowly grew serious. "Your path is your own to walk, and your future rests in your own hands. How far you go isn’t something achieved with mere words! I hope that through this training expedition, you will all truly mature. The future of the Empire is in your hands, which means the burden on your shoulders will be heavy! In less than two years, it will be time for the ’First Sword’ tournament, held between the continent’s academies every five years. The last championship was won by the Zichuan Empire. And the one before that—do you know who won?"

That was eight years ago, so most of the students present had no idea. Luo Tian, however, thought for a moment before saying, "I believe it was General Ling Tianxiao’s eldest son, Lingzhi, who won it, right?"

Shangguan Yutong beamed and nodded. "That’s right! Even though I hadn’t yet arrived at the Imperial Academy back then, I knew that our academy has always produced elites. And from now on, it will also be a place that produces miracles! Before this, would any of you have believed that a Tier Five Sword Attendant could jump ten levels in just six short months to become a Tier Four Sword Master?"

A look of shock finally appeared on Night Owl’s face. ’So that’s why they were all so surprised. Ten levels in half a year? Heavens, this kid... no, my master... is actually this formidable. And he’s a Celestial Vein Master? Don’t be ridiculous! Night Owl had seen Celestial Vein Masters before. On the path of the Martial Dao, it was considered an impressive achievement for one to become a Sword Master before the age of thirty. How could one possibly jump ten levels in half a year!’

Ling Xiao’s face showed no trace of pride or smugness, which made Xiao Lin and the others respect him even more. ’To think a student like this was once considered a good-for-nothing who had assaulted his own fiancée? What an absolute joke!’

With complex emotions, the group set out once more. Ling Xiao no longer rode in the horse-drawn carriage. His increase in strength was entirely within his expectations, and looking at the Sword Master ranking system, Ling Xiao could see that anything below the level of Great Sword Master couldn’t really be considered true power.

’Just because you have the power of a Tier Four Sword Master, does that mean you can definitely defeat a Tier Three or Tier Two Sword Master? Not necessarily!’

’If an opponent’s sword skills and Cultivation Technique are superior, even a Tier Four Sword Master can be defeated!’

’Take Qin Kang. His Cultivation Technique and sword skills were polished, but his state of comprehension was far inferior to my own. That’s why it was like a game for me, a Tier Four Sword Master in terms of strength, to toy with a Tier Six Sword Master like him!’

’Only after becoming a Great Sword Master can one be considered to have truly stepped onto the path of a Martial Artist,’ Ling Xiao thought.

They encountered no other trouble along the way. The group traveled quickly, gradually overtaking several other teams. Shangguan Yutong, who was clearest on the objective of this expedition, urged the students to quicken their pace. A dozen or so days later, they had surprisingly surpassed all the other groups and were the first to arrive at Cameron Town, the last stop before the Mesopotamia Grassland!

Cameron Town looked more like a small city. It prospered thanks to adventurers and had a highly developed economy. It was considered a major southern military stronghold of the Lanyue Empire, with troops garrisoned not far away.

Not far south of the Mesopotamia Grassland’s border, aligned with its southeastern corner, was the notorious Penzes Swamp. And although that region was technically within the Lanyue Empire’s territory, it was bordered by Fez and Mendira, forming a triangle that enclosed the swamp.

The swamp covered a vast area, nearly one-tenth the size of the entire Lanyue Empire. It was home to all kinds of powerful Magical Beasts, and rumor had it that Beastmen lived there too. Of course, very few people had ever seen what a Beastman looked like, so most had no real concept of them.

In contrast, the Mesopotamia Grassland, which bordered Penzes Swamp, was a relatively mild place with few High-Tier Magical Beasts. It was a great place for adventurers to seek their fortunes!

The Mesopotamia Grassland was like a belt of green jade stretched across the southernmost tip of the Lanyue Empire. Beyond the grassland, further south, lay the sea. So, in addition to being a paradise for adventurers, it was also a playground for the rich and powerful. Countless luxurious villas had been built along the southern coast, serving as vacation spots for wealthy high nobles and magnates.

Cameron Town was so bustling that it made these students from the Imperial Capital feel like country folk visiting the big city; everything seemed novel and exciting. The strange and exotic wares sold by the local adventurers were especially eye-catching. Faced with these lavishly dressed young masters and misses, how could the adventurers not try their damnedest to spin a good yarn and fleece them?

Thus, with each thrilling and sensational tale, their wares were exchanged for Gold Coins, leaving both parties thoroughly satisfied.

Ling Xiao, for his part, wanted to look for any sign of Stone Bamboo Grass. He took a few strolls around but found nothing. Then, he remembered he still had a Snow Mountain Lightning Falcon egg in his Space Ring. He’d been so busy with other things lately that he’d completely forgotten about it.

The group checked into a hotel that was over a dozen stories high. Named the Splendor, it was the largest hotel in Cameron Town, boasting luxurious decor, impeccable service, and, of course, a steep price tag. But for this group of nobles, money was clearly not an issue.

Ling Xiao was sharing a room with Night Owl, but that fellow had vanished the moment they arrived in Cameron Town, claiming he was off to visit an old friend. Yisha, however, insisted that Night Owl was just hiding, afraid of the shame he’d face if his peers saw him following a mere Tier Four Sword Master.

This gave Yisha a perfectly good reason to spend her time in Ling Xiao’s room. Like Ling Xiao, she was someone who preferred peace and quiet. For days, Mary had been trying to find Yisha to explain her "slip of the tongue," but Yisha seemed genuinely angry. She would only tell Mary coolly that it was "nothing" while continuing to avoid her, which left Mary heartbroken.

"Yisha, can I ask you something?" After some thought, Ling Xiao decided to ask her. He trusted a pure-hearted girl like Yisha not to betray his confidence. After all, in all the time they had spent together, she had never once pried about his sword skills or Cultivation Technique.

This was unlike some of the students from the advanced classes, who were always trying to find a way to ask about the fortuitous encounter Ling Xiao must have had.

"Ah... Ling Xiao, you... go ahead," Yisha stammered, a blush rising on her flawless, jade-like cheeks as she blinked her star-bright eyes.

"Do you know anything about the Magical Beast known as the Snow Mountain Lightning Falcon?" Ling Xiao asked calmly.