11 11

Elder Bai nodded approvingly. “Young Su, your summary is very thorough. Please take a seat.”

Su Xiaoyuan sat down and exhaled softly, casually glancing at the puppet beside her. For some reason, she felt that its cold, lifeless pale skin had a faint bluish tint.

It must be a trick of the light.

I must not look at the doll again! If this keeps up, I’ll lose myself in trifles and fail the inner sect exam! Su Xiaoyuan warned herself.

“If anyone is unclear, feel free to take more notes.”

Elder Bai continued, “The concepts of low quality and durability, large instruments that function poorly, are easy to understand. But what does the ‘cut’ in ‘ten swords, nine cuts’ refer to? Who’d like to answer?”

The disciples all lowered their heads, hoping not to be called upon.

“Liu Xian’e, you speak,” Elder Bai said, picking a disciple at random.

“Is it about severing the roots?” she asked.

The hall erupted into laughter.

Elder Bai sighed helplessly, waving his duster tail. “How many times have I said, if you can’t remember, be diligent like Young Su Xiaoyuan and take good notes.”

“Su, you answer.”

Reluctantly, Su Xiaoyuan stood again.

“It means cutting off desire,” she said. “The phrase ‘ten swords, nine cuts’ means that most sword cultivators follow the Path of Detachment, severing all desires.”

“Very good,” Elder Bai said. “Can you explain why?”

Since she was trying to win over Immortal Lingyue, Su Xiaoyuan had paid close attention to the sword cultivator section and taken extensive notes. She quickly found the answer amid her densely packed notes:

“First, sword cultivators bear heavy karmic killing energy and intense hostility, which easily transforms into a desire to kill. If uncontrolled, it breeds inner demons.

“Historically, most powerful fallen cultivators were sword cultivators. Practicing the Path of Detachment helps prevent this early on...

“Second, 800 years ago, the seventeenth generation head of the Taizhen Sect invented a special technique.

“Since then, it became much easier to eradicate desire from the soul completely, achieving an effect akin to severing emotions and sterilizing desire, greatly lowering the threshold for the Path of Detachment.”

In simpler terms, it was a permanent severance.

But instead of castrating the body, it was the soul.

“Excellent,” Elder Bai said, motioning for Su Xiaoyuan to sit.

But she hesitated, raising her hand. “Excuse me, Elder Bai, may I ask a question?”

Elder Bai smiled gently. “Go ahead, Young Su.”

Summoning courage, Su Xiaoyuan asked, “Did Immortal Lingyue also practice this severing technique?”

That question dropped like a splash of water into a sizzling oil pan—the atmosphere in the classroom shifted instantly. Even the disciples who had been dozing at their desks suddenly perked up.

Whispers buzzed excitedly everywhere.

No one noticed the puppet beside Su Xiaoyuan slightly raised its chin and glanced at her oddly.

Elder Bai’s expression changed briefly, then he sighed resignedly. “I knew someone would ask this sooner or later.

“I understand your interest in Swordmaster Lingyue. It’s no wonder; I was young once too. Young people have lofty ambitions and dreams...” He glanced at Su Xiaoyuan.

She was already distracted, fiddling with the fortress model, not wanting to attract attention but compelled to ask.

Although Immortal Lingyue frequently made appearances after his death in the story, the original heroine only glimpsed him briefly, leaving much about him unclear.

Whether he had undergone that soul-severing technique was a mystery.

If he had, no matter how hard Su Xiaoyuan tried, it would be in vain.

“As I said before, nine out of ten swords sever desire. Immortal Lingyue is the one who hasn’t,” Elder Bai continued.

The hall erupted in astonished murmurs.

Su Xiaoyuan’s eyes flashed with hope, unaware the puppet beside her raised an eyebrow subtly.

Unexpectedly, Elder Bai smiled faintly and turned the phrase: “He was born without it.”

Su Xiaoyuan blinked. “Eh?!”

“He was born naturally severed from desire, not lacking the root,” Elder Bai clarified. “Of course, very few have seen Immortal Lingyue in person. Some even claim he never existed—utter nonsense, utter nonsense.

“Lingyue went to battle chaos desire at fifteen. In the Demon Extermination War, a single sword from him caused stars to fall and rivers to flow backward—witnessed by many powerful cultivators present.

“So he definitely existed. It’s impossible for the Taizhen Sect to fabricate him.”

“He is a rare case of innate detachment, born free from desire’s torment. That’s why his cultivation progressed effortlessly, leaving others far behind. Few could match him even after hundreds of years.”

A wave of crushing despair overwhelmed Su Xiaoyuan. Though her chance to draw from Immortal Lingyue was slim, there was at least a glimmer of hope. But natural severance meant that potential was nearly nonexistent.

“Elder, they say Immortal Lingyue’s cultivation is high. How high exactly?” a disciple asked.

“I heard he’s in the ninth level of the Great Ascension Stage, but aren’t there two other powerful cultivators also at that level? And a few close to the ninth at the eighth level...”

“That ninth level is not the same as that ninth level,” Elder Bai said authoritatively, drawing a line in the air.

A long Barbie-pink line appeared, marked with eight evenly spaced segments and a tail stretching beyond the window into the horizon.

“This shows the difference between the first eight levels and the ninth,” Elder Bai explained. “The Great Ascension Stage’s eighth level is broad. Anyone beyond the eighth level who has not ascended counts as ninth level.

“But Lingyue’s ninth level is worlds apart from others—perhaps even more distinct than the difference between the Great Ascension Stage and the Foundation Establishment Stage.”

He paused. “In fact, except for Lingyue himself, no one alive can estimate the true extent of his cultivation.”

Elder Bai spoke solemnly: “You may not understand what such power means, but as your elder, I must warn you—don’t entertain such thoughts.”

Waving his duster, the flashy fluorescent pink line twisted into words in the air: “Cherish life, stay away from sword cultivators.”

“This is no joke. Lingyue is a swordsman among swordsmen,” Elder Bai warned gravely.

“Reliable sources say he reached the realm of ‘sword and self as one’ years ago.

“What does ‘sword and self as one’ mean? It means his whole being is a sword!”

“Even if by some miracle you have the chance to draw from him, remember—never test yourself against his sword! Your cultivation cannot withstand it!

“Not even powerful cultivators might survive a single strike!”

“Imagine being cleaved by a heavy sword—that’s what it feels like. Not once or twice, but hundreds of times!

“I’m not exaggerating. You’d split apart and most likely die!”

Fu Tingyun listened silently, arms folded, expression unreadable.

Su Xiaoyuan’s cheeks burned as if aflame, even her ears flushed crimson.

She couldn’t focus on the rest of the review class, only snapping back when the bell rang, still distracted and distant.

After class, Su Xiaoyuan left with the puppet, still somewhat downcast.

Ruan Mianmian caught up and tugged her sleeve. “Xiaoyuan, you wouldn’t really want to draw from Immortal Lingyue, would you?”

Fu Tingyun raised his eyelids slightly.

Su Xiaoyuan instinctively denied, “I don’t...”

Ruan Mianmian snorted, “You can’t even lie! I know you well. If you didn’t have that thought, why would you ask in public?”

Su Xiaoyuan had no choice but to admit it.

“No way, Xiaoyuan!” Ruan Mianmian widened her eyes. “You actually want to go after Lingyue?”

Su Xiaoyuan mumbled, “Not exactly...” It wasn’t her desire but necessity.

She wasn’t fearless—who wants to be cleaved by a giant sword? But that wasn’t her main worry.

If she could truly draw from Lingyue, she wouldn’t care if she died. After all, she could return to the real world.

Ruan Mianmian wasn’t fooled, grabbing her arm and shaking it. “Xiaoyuan, don’t be foolish. You haven’t even seen Lingyue. Why do you want to draw from him?”

Unable to tell her the truth and unsure how to explain, Su Xiaoyuan made up an excuse: “I heard he’s really handsome...”

Ruan Mianmian was clearly shocked, eyes wide. “Xiaoyuan, I had no idea you were so bold! Aren’t you afraid to die?”

It’s only if you fail to draw from him that you’d die, Su Xiaoyuan thought.

“Of course I’m scared, I’m just thinking about it...” she said.

“You’d better not think about it at all. How about focusing on physical cultivation instead? When you graduate, I’ll take you home.

“I have several cousins and uncles there with strong primordial energy. You can draw from as many as you want once you’re free...”

Su Xiaoyuan hurriedly interrupted her fierce words. “Elder Qin’s class is next. We’re almost late. Let’s head to Huanhua Island!”

At the mention of Elder Qin, Ruan Mianmian’s face fell. “I almost forgot—Song Jinshu is missing a small part, what do we do?”

Su Xiaoyuan glanced at Fu Tingyun’s puppet, also at her wit’s end. Though he wasn’t missing anything, he was tightly protected by the chastity belt of Pikapika.

“How about installing it first and doing the earlier exercises? We probably won’t need that part yet...” Su Xiaoyuan suggested.

Ruan Mianmian nodded. “That’s the only option.”

In a few words, they settled the matter. Fu Tingyun listened silently, sensing some ominous premonition despite not understanding the conversation.

Elder Qin taught two courses and was also the supervising elder for outer sect disciples.

This class was Fundamentals of Talismans.

Besides the unique talismans of the Hehuan Sect, there were also common offensive and defensive talismans—for when disciples faced danger on missions.

Since learning that Fu Tingyun was born with a ruthless sacred body, Su Xiaoyuan had lost motivation. She absentmindedly finished the class.

After other disciples left, Elder Qin kept Su Xiaoyuan and Ruan Mianmian behind.

Elder Qin had just returned from a trip, looking tired.

Upon seeing Fu Tingyun’s puppet, she showed visible surprise. “Where did this puppet come from? It’s no ordinary piece.”

Su Xiaoyuan said, “I got it secondhand...”

Elder Qin glanced at the shy Song Jinshu and frowned. “Yours is quite unique too.”

Ruan Mianmian chimed in, “Right? Except it’s missing a part.”

Elder Qin said no more. “I’ll install the formation arrays for you both first, then teach you how to use them.”

Looking at Su Xiaoyuan, she said, “Let’s start with yours.”

Su Xiaoyuan looked at the puppet, sensing—perhaps mistakenly—that it appeared wary and somewhat unhappy.

She felt uneasy and whispered to it, “Elder Qin wants to install the beginner’s trial formation on you...”

Fu Tingyun’s brow twitched slightly. The beginner’s trial of the Hehuan Sect was never about anything serious.

As Elder Qin began chanting and casting, moments later she stopped, puzzled. “Why won’t it install? Is there something wrong with this puppet?”

Fu Tingyun raised his chin and gave Su Xiaoyuan a sidelong glance. How could he allow such messy formations to be placed on him?

Su Xiaoyuan quickly explained, “Because it’s a secondhand piece... maybe the quality is a bit off...”

Fu Tingyun was speechless.

Elder Qin installed the formation on Song Jinshu’s puppet first, then examined Su Xiaoyuan’s.

“There might be some kind of restriction on your puppet. I know only a little about formations and hesitate to act rashly...”

“Do we need a specialist to dispel the curse?” Su Xiaoyuan asked.

“There aren’t any high-level curse breakers around here...” Elder Qin considered.

“Forget it, running around is tiring. I’ll try again. If it still won’t work, I’ll lend you one first. You can return it when you buy a new one.”

Though Elder Qin said she’d try again, Su Xiaoyuan had little hope.

Closing her eyes, Elder Qin attempted once more. “Hmm, seems it’s working now.”