Chapter 143 - 142: Enlightenment and Enhancement

The illustration on this page of the Celestial Book depicted the very scene of Xia Bingyue defeating Wang Tian, unleashing her True Sword Dao Intent.

If Xia Bingyue were to see this page, she would likely be astonished.

The young woman in the image not only looked identical to her in appearance and spirit, but even a sliver of the True Sword Dao Intent she had comprehended was preserved within it.

In other words,

Luo Tian could study and comprehend the "True Intent" from this image.

Although this wouldn’t allow Luo Tian to comprehend True Intent directly, he could at least draw inspiration from it and learn by analogy, increasing his chances of comprehending True Sword Dao Intent in the future.

’This function of the Celestial Book is amazing!’

Luo Tian was overjoyed.

When Xia Bingyue was fighting Wang Tian, he’d had a flash of inspiration and told the Celestial Book to give it a try.

After all, the Celestial Book could not only make inferences but also absorb all sorts of information and images from the outside world.

He hadn’t expected it to actually succeed.

Of course, because that illustrated page carried a sliver of True Sword Dao Intent,

even though it only absorbed a single static image for an instant, it had consumed the power of several dozen pages of the Celestial Book, leaving a large pile of dust from Spiritual Essence Coins in Luo Tian’s Space Ring.

The Wu Mansion’s Grand Tournament had ended.

The geniuses from the Wu Mansions across the kingdom were leaving Xuanwu Square one after another.

The vast majority of these geniuses left dejectedly.

Those who could fight their way into the top twenty of the tournament were the cream of the crop in the Azure Cloud Kingdom.

"Brother Luo, you truly shocked everyone at this tournament. You’ve created a miracle."

Senior Jin Fan walked over, exclaiming in amazement.

The first time he had met Luo Tian, the latter was just an obscure Silver Student.

Now, just over two months later, Luo Tian had grown to such an extent that he had surpassed him, a Sunshine Student, in one fell swoop to become the number one person in the Sun Chasing Academy.

"Congratulations, Brother Luo."

Xie Lin and the other Golden Students all came over to offer their congratulations, hoping to curry favor with Luo Tian.

Once they returned to the Holy Mansion and Luo Tian passed the eighth floor of the Spirit Fighting Tower, he would be the undisputed number one prodigy of the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion.

Luo Tian didn’t put on any airs, smiling and responding to everyone.

Suddenly,

Luo Tian’s gaze shifted, landing on Xia Bingyue, who was clad in snow-white robes.

Xia Bingyue was preparing to leave.

"Miss Xia!"

Luo Tian glided over and called out to stop her.

Regarding the matter of her promise to marry him, Luo Tian wanted to talk to Xia Bingyue, hoping to politely refuse.

Seeing Luo Tian approach,

Xia Bingyue’s shapely, dark brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of conflict and struggle flashed through her clear, beautiful eyes.

She didn’t have much of a favorable impression of Luo Tian.

But she had only agreed to marry him to uphold her promise and her belief in the Sword Dao.

’Luo Tian is coming over so eagerly. He probably wants me to fulfill my promise, maybe even formally propose.’

"Luo Tian, Bingyue can only marry you after I turn twenty. Until then, it’s best we keep to ourselves."

Xia Bingyue bit her lip lightly, a hint of apology in her tone.

At that moment, a faint blush appeared on the young woman’s icily beautiful, jade-like face.

’My heart holds only the Sword Dao. Marrying Luo Tian in the future will also be part of my trials in the Sword Dao.’

Luo Tian was stunned. He hadn’t expected Xia Bingyue to be genuinely mentally prepared to marry him one day.

Before he could open his mouth to explain the truth,

Xia Bingyue transformed into a snowy shadow, like an Ice Lotus, and floated away.

"I hope my future husband... does not disappoint Bingyue..."

A young woman’s cold, ethereal voice rang in his ear before quickly fading away.

’Future husband?’

Luo Tian didn’t know whether to feel happy or worried. He would just have to find Xia Bingyue next time and lay his cards on the table.

「Xuanwu Square.」

The students of the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion gathered together.

Vice Manor Master Yue’s face was glowing. After he praised them, the group returned the way they had come.

Back at the Holy Mansion’s stronghold,

Luo Tian declined the social invitations from Xie Lin and the other students.

The Royal Secret Garden would open in three days.

Luo Tian had to make the most of his time and take his strength to the next level to contend for this opportunity.

「Inside his room.」

Luo Tian sat cross-legged and first focused on consolidating the True Qi in his ninth Qi Vein.

Through his battle with Hong Peng, Luo Tian’s physical body and True Qi had both been tempered, consolidating his Realm.

「Half a day later.」

The ninth Qi Vein in Luo Tian’s body was one-fifth of the way cleared and had basically stabilized.

Afterward,

Luo Tian took out the Yin Crystal Stone, and a suction force surged from the Nether Dragon Divine Vein inside him.

HUM! HISS~

The Yin Crystal Stone flashed as wisps of blackish-green light and smoke rose from its surface and merged into Luo Tian’s body.

By now,

a little over thirty percent of the Yin Crystal Stone’s power remained.

Luo Tian’s Divine Vein Power had already reached a level extremely close to the Spirit Sea Realm.

As long as he absorbed the remaining power in the Yin Crystal Stone, Luo Tian’s Divine Vein would surely attain a might greater than the Spirit Sea Realm.

「Over the next two to three days.」

Luo Tian spent half his time absorbing the power of the Yin Crystal Stone.

He spent the other part comprehending Xia Bingyue’s True Sword Dao Intent from the Celestial Book.

In the image on the book’s page,

Xia Bingyue’s icily beautiful image, clad in her snow-white robes, replayed repeatedly in Luo Tian’s mind, and he unconsciously began to feel a sense of familiarity toward her.

That sliver of True Sword Dao Intent

made one feel as if they were standing on a snow-capped mountain peak amidst the clouds—ethereal, cold, and lonely—as if it perfectly expressed the lonely pride in Xia Bingyue’s heart.

"She may seem to possess peerless beauty and talent, but she has sacrificed a great deal and endures a loneliness unimaginable to ordinary people," Luo Tian murmured.

As he comprehended that sliver of True Sword Dao Intent,

Luo Tian gained a deeper understanding of the Celestial Star Sword Technique. He could execute the first seven forms more smoothly and effortlessly, no longer bound by their rigid structures.

Gradually,

Luo Tian touched upon the Perfect Realm of this Swordsmanship.

He even managed to master the eighth form, "Fallen-stars," which he had failed to learn before, grasping it in an instant.

Just from the progress in his comprehension of Swordsmanship alone,

Luo Tian’s strength had risen by half a level compared to his performance at the Wu Mansion’s Grand Tournament.

With this level of strength, he could now defeat a Half-step Spirit Sea level Xia Bingyue in a direct confrontation.

Moreover,

Luo Tian’s Divine Vein Power was also advancing in tandem.

Three days passed in a flash.

CRACK!

The Yin Crystal Stone in Luo Tian’s hand became dim and lusterless, then shattered into pieces.

The last sliver of Earth Vein Yin Qi had been absorbed.

WHOOSH! HUM!

A vortex of dark, cold mist swirled around Luo Tian. From within it came an abyss-like, icy suction and a low dragon’s roar.

The vortex of Cold Mist emanated a bone-chilling might that was above the Spirit Sea Realm.

With a thought,

the vortex of dark, cold mist around him expanded and contracted. Its range and power could both be adjusted.

"With my current Cold Mist Domain, even an Initial Tier Spirit Sea Realm cultivator would lose their ability to resist in a short time if they were trapped inside."

A smile appeared on Luo Tian’s face.

The power of a Divine Vein wasn’t just limited to its might; its innate properties were even more terrifying.

For example,

anyone trapped in Luo Tian’s Cold Mist Domain would not only suffer the erosion of Spirit Sea Realm-level might, but their speed would be sharply reduced, their condition would continuously deteriorate, and they would have to endure the suction force at the center.

Under such circumstances,

even the top three on the Human List would most likely be defeated if they fought a battle of attrition against Luo Tian.

"Brother Luo! Vice Manor Master Yue is gathering us. It’s time to set off."

A knock came from outside the door.

Senior Jin and Nangong Yu were standing in front of the door.

The door opened, and Luo Tian walked out.

A wave of chilling air that seemed to come from the Nine Nether Abyss washed over them, making their bodies shiver and their blood feel as if it were freezing.

Even with Senior Jin’s strength, he couldn’t help but shiver.

Furthermore,

Luo Tian’s aura had also changed, taking on a quality similar to that of Xia Bingyue, who had comprehended True Sword Dao Intent.

"Alright."

Luo Tian nodded. Today was the day the Royal Secret Garden would open.