Chapter 23: If You Can’t Repay Him, Marry Him!

"Senior… Senior Brother, are we still going to look for the Nine-Star Sword Grass next?"

After a while, Wei Qingyan finally regained her composure, the rosy flush on her face fading slightly.

However, she still felt quite shy when she thought about the courageous thing she had done in a moment of excitement.

Previously, the steward had faced a death threat, and with Li Xuanfeng constantly monitoring his expressions, the words he spoke were almost entirely truthful.

In other words, the grand Formation did exist, and Yuan Xiao, who was currently breaking through, also existed.

That was a powerhouse who could Breakthrough to the Condensed Dan Realm at any moment!

Whether it was Wei Qingyan or Li Xuanfeng, neither could be his opponent.

If they continued to search for the Nine-Star Sword Grass, the danger would be immense.

This was why Wei Qingyan asked the question.

The Nine-Star Sword Grass was very important to her, but if she had to pay with her life, it would not be worth it at all!

"Of course we need to find the Nine-Star Sword Grass, but there's no rush!"

"First, we'll move a bit closer to where the grand Formation is, then hide and wait for an opportunity. In the meantime, we'll improve our strength!"

Li Xuanfeng snapped out of the daze from that kiss and spoke with a smile.

"Okay."

Wei Qingyan nodded; she would follow Li Xuanfeng's arrangements.

The two mounted their steeds and headed west.

After traveling about two li, they stopped in a mountain hollow.

Li Xuanfeng asked Wei Qingyan to take out the Maze Formation Plate, and he also took out the Profound Hiding Formation Plate.

A so-called Formation Plate was a concentrated version of a Formation; as long as enough Spirit Stones were invested, it could be activated for use.

As it happened, the current Li Xuanfeng had plenty of Spirit Stones!

The Maze Formation Plate was activated, and an invisible energy shield covered the area, concealing Li Xuanfeng, Wei Qingyan, and their two mounts.

Yet, the surrounding environment showed no change at all!

The Maze Formation was like an Illusion Realm that blended perfectly with the environment.

Then, the Profound Hiding Formation Plate flew out, enveloping the Maze Formation.

Neither Formation focused on attacking; instead, they focused on confusion and defense.

With the support of double Formations, unless one was a Great Master with extremely deep attainments in Formations, it would be absolutely impossible to notice anything amiss.

Even if Li Xuanfeng and Wei Qingyan turned things upside down inside the Formation, the outside world would not perceive any abnormality.

Of course, as the controllers of the Formations, the two could observe the changes in the outside world from within.

"Next, improve your strength as quickly as possible. An opportunity might appear within a few days!"

Li Xuanfeng said.

The opportunity he spoke of was related to the second Daughter of Destiny he was bound to, Xu Miaozhen.

The Great Desolation Battle Physique was part of her.

A cultivation at the Peak of the ninth level of the Spirit Sea Realm.

Her clan sister was suspected of being absorbed and refined as blood food by Yuan Xiao.

Yuan Ting had also used ambiguous news to trick her away.

With all these factors combined, there was a high probability that Xu Miaozhen would fight her way back, and she possessed the strength to do so.

Although Li Xuanfeng's strength was improving rapidly, it was still far from possible for him to clash with a Cultivator at the ninth level of the Spirit Sea Realm.

Therefore, he needed Xu Miaozhen's power.

If Xu Miaozhen did not fight her way back, he would think of another way.

Habitually checking his own fate light and seeing it was still Chaos-colored, Li Xuanfeng finally felt at ease.

"You Cultivate inside the Maze Formation, and I will Cultivate at the boundary between the Maze Formation and the Profound Hiding Formation!"

Li Xuanfeng arranged.

Wei Qingyan did as she was told.

"By the way, I have a special Martial Skill here. You can take some time to look at it while you're not Cultivating. If you meet the requirements, you can Cultivate it in the future!"

Li Xuanfeng pulled out the 'Nine-Nine Return to One Sword' and casually stuffed it into Wei Qingyan's hand.

If he were to practice it himself, who knew how long it would take to reach the entry level.

It was better to give it to Wei Qingyan, who had high Comprehension Ability. As long as Wei Qingyan researched and studied this Martial Skill, Li Xuanfeng would be able to learn it in a minute after the System's return.

"This is… Earth-Grade Low Grade?!"

Wei Qingyan was stunned.

A Martial Skill of this grade was something she couldn't possibly execute even if she knew how to Cultivate it!

Because her current Realm was too low.

After quickly reading through the Martial Skill, Wei Qingyan found that she indeed could not Cultivate it.

Because Cultivating this Martial Skill required a sufficient number of longswords!

[Ding! Wei Qingyan has read through the 'Nine-Nine Return to One Sword' once and has understood the basic Cultivation method of this Martial Skill. Fifty-fold return: You have memorized this Martial Skill perfectly and can reach the entry level directly after practicing it a few times!]

The System prompt sounded.

The 'Nine-Nine Return to One Sword' was an item returned by the System, so giving it to Wei Qingyan would not yield another return for Li Xuanfeng.

However, as long as Wei Qingyan gained experience and insights from this Martial Skill, they would still be returned to Li Xuanfeng!

"Don't worry about the longswords; I'll find a way for you later. While Cultivating other Martial Skills, if you have spare time, it won't hurt to study this Martial Skill in advance!"

Li Xuanfeng looked at Wei Qingyan with an expression that said, "Feel free to research it, I'll help you with the swords."

Wei Qingyan looked at Li Xuanfeng fixedly for a moment before nodding and entering the Maze Formation.

"There is a reason why this 'Nine-Nine Return to One Sword' dares to claim to be the best of its grade, but unfortunately, the threshold for Cultivation is too high!"

As soon as she entered the Maze Formation, the voice of the Sword Spirit sounded in Wei Qingyan's mind.

The well-traveled Sword Spirit had a very high opinion of this Martial Skill.

"Just to reach the entry level, one needs to proficiently control nine longswords simultaneously. Perfection even requires controlling ninety-nine longswords at once!"

"If one can reach Perfection, its power can even surpass some Earth-Grade Medium Grade Martial Skills!"

The Sword Spirit lamented.

Wei Qingyan's current Realm was insufficient, and she only had two longswords, so she could not Cultivate this Martial Skill.

"Your next task is still to focus on absorbing the Hundred Flowers Nectar to raise your Realm."

"During this period, set aside some time to Cultivate the 'Dripping Water Piercing Space Sword', the 'Geng Gold Nine Swords', and the 'Nine Kill Sword Technique'!"

"As for this 'Nine-Nine Return to One Sword', just as your Senior Brother said, you can take the time to study and read it carefully!"

"When the conditions for Cultivating this Martial Skill are met in the future, you might be able to reach the entry level directly, or even reach Minor Achievement!"

"Your Senior Brother has already promised to find a way for the longswords, so just Cultivate in peace!"

The Sword Spirit said.

At this point, even she was a bit envious that Wei Qingyan could have such a good Senior Brother.

"Sigh~"

"Senior Brother is too good to me. If this continues, I won't be able to repay him in a lifetime!"

Wei Qingyan looked at the scroll in her hand and sighed.

"If you can't repay him, then marry him!"

The Sword Spirit's teasing voice sounded.

"Actually… that's exactly what I'm thinking!"

Wei Qingyan nodded with a slightly red face.

This reaction actually caught the Sword Spirit off guard.

"After I personally avenge my parents, I will spend the rest of my life by Senior Brother's side, serving him!"

Wei Qingyan put away the scroll and said softly.

Inside the broken sword, the Sword Spirit opened her mouth but didn't say anything more.

After spending this amount of time together, she also felt that such a good Senior Brother should not be missed.

If she were in Wei Qingyan's position, her thoughts would probably be similar.

"Cast aside your stray thoughts and begin Cultivating!"

Wei Qingyan took out the Hundred Flowers Nectar and formally threw herself into Cultivation.

Although the Sword Spirit could not provide her with Cultivation resources, providing theoretical guidance was no problem at all.

On the other side.

Nine longswords floated quietly beside Li Xuanfeng.

"Inject power into the longswords with Spiritual Qi, then use Divine Sense to precisely control the direction of the swords!"

"When one can proficiently control nine longswords simultaneously and form a sword Formation, that is the moment of entry for the 'Nine-Nine Return to One Sword'!"

Li Xuanfeng recited silently in his heart.

He had already memorized this Martial Skill perfectly; to reach the entry level, he only needed to practice a few more times.

The Nine-Nine Return to One Sword was incredibly powerful.

Entry required controlling nine longswords simultaneously.

Minor Achievement required thirty-six longswords.

Major Achievement required eighty-one.

Perfection required ninety-nine!

"Let's begin!"

Under Li Xuanfeng's control, the nine longswords danced along special trajectories.

As time passed.

Night soon arrived.

The nine longswords circled Li Xuanfeng, flying in various unpredictable trajectories, faintly forming some kind of sword Formation.

Majestic Spiritual Power rippled slightly, ready to be unleashed. It seemed that with just a thought from Li Xuanfeng, the nine longswords could whistle out, destroying cities and splitting mountains!

"It's done!"

A smile appeared on Li Xuanfeng's face.

After a period of practice, his 'Nine-Nine Return to One Sword' had finally successfully reached the entry level.

[Ding! Wei Qingyan's cultivation has increased, breaking through to the fourth level of the Spirit Aperture Realm. Fifty-fold return: You have broken through to the eighth level of the Qi Cyclone Realm!]

The System prompt sounded, and two Qi cyclones condensed in his Dantian one after another; Li Xuanfeng broke through two Realms in a row!

Li Xuanfeng had several Martial Skills at Perfection, some even rivaling the founders, and he had just successfully reached the entry level of the 'Nine-Nine Return to One Sword'!

In terms of movement techniques, he also had 'Ten Thousand Paths of Mystery' returned by Xu Miaozhen!

Now his Realm had broken through to the eighth level of the Qi Cyclone Realm!

His combat experience was also not bad!

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Li Xuanfeng's comprehensive strength 'invincible in the Qi Cyclone Realm'!

Even an ordinary Spirit Sea Realm Cultivator, if facing Li Xuanfeng using the 'Nine-Nine Return to One Sword', would only be instantly killed!

"Cheating really is great!"

Feeling the abundant Spiritual Power in his body, Li Xuanfeng couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

He knew this was only the beginning.

He had given Wei Qingyan twenty-five bottles of Hundred Flowers Nectar; her cultivation would continue to rise rapidly.

With the System's return, Li Xuanfeng felt that breaking through to the Spirit Sea Realm within two or three days should be no problem.

…

At the same time.

Xunshan City, the House of Everything.

"An accident happened after all!"

Yuan Ting sat upright in his chair, his index finger tapping the armrest.

He had waited for a day, but the steward had not returned.

Tricking Spirit Aperture Realm Cultivators into the mountains, wounding them, sealing their Meridians, and sending them to the grand Formation for Yuan Xiao to use as blood food—the steward had done this many times.

There had never been an accident.

But this time, one had finally occurred.

"All the problems should stem from that Divine Speed Black Steed!"

"Big Brother will Breakthrough to the Condensed Dan Realm within these next two or three days. We can't let those two escape!"

Yuan Ting pondered silently.

"Xue Ba, Xue Jiu!"

Under the control of Spiritual Power, Yuan Ting's voice rippled through the entire House of Everything in tangible waves.

"Here!"

Two figures appeared before Yuan Ting like ghosts, flashing in from nowhere.

"Go to the Snake Fang Mountain Range and find those two Hundred Sword Mountain Disciples at all costs!"

"This time, don't let them escape again!"

Yuan Ting's eyes were deep.

Since the steward had not returned for such a long time, it could basically be concluded that something had happened. He wasn't sure if Li Xuanfeng and Wei Qingyan could still be found.

But he wouldn't be at ease if he didn't send someone to check.

"Yes!"

Xue Ba and Xue Jiu bowed respectfully, and their figures vanished like ghosts again.

"Both Xue Ba and Xue Jiu are at the first level of the Spirit Sea Realm. No matter how fast that Divine Speed Black Steed is, it can't outrun the Spirit Sea Realm!"

"This time, there shouldn't be any more accidents, right?"

Yuan Ting looked at where the two had disappeared, his eyes dark.