Chapter 122: Finality Moon, Liminality Flower (8)

Chapter 122: Finality Moon, Liminality Flower (8)

They spend several hours enjoying the morning sun in the courtyard of the main building, sitting side by side on a bench.

Wu Yulan had prepared tea and poured it into cups of black glass that she had made herself, moments before while demonstrating her extreme control of sword Qi on fragments of the black rock that became dislodged after their spar.

Here, the black glass further shows its strange properties by glimmering in the light and changing colors, but mostly staying on the darker side. My [Critical Analysis] ability is not able to deduce anything about this rock, even though it is such a small fragment though, I dont particularly believe its size matters for my talent.

Upgrading my talents, for obvious reasons, hovers near the top of the list of my priorities, but my reason for not spending blood points yet remains the same. With new knowledge about my Inner World and the method of its operation, it is even more important for me to stockpile my resources so that I can capitalize on any opportunities that arise.Ñøv€lRapture marked the initial hosting of this chapter on Ñôv€lß¡n.

I am close to breaking into the Core Formation realm, and my owner is even closer. Without any information on what might become available to me once I improve my realm or my body cultivation it is too risky to spend my resources. There is a saying among cultivators, according to some of the liberated memories of those I devoured: twice the result, half the effort.

Lan Xiaohui demonstrates another skill to Wu Yulan while they rest and drink tea her ability to play the zither.

I am certain that Lan Xiaohui is a skilled musician, but I have no ability to appreciate air vibrating in a sequence of frequencies that my owner chooses. Objectively I can say that Lan Xiaohui plays in a key and that her control over the strings has almost machine-like precision; in other words, she does not make mistakes.

But to me, it is just sound air vibrating.

Wu Yulan seems to enjoy it, however. She keeps her eyes closed as Lan Xiaohui plays the zither and for a long time, she does not make any motions whatsoever. I can barely even detect Wu Yulans breathing.

There is, however, one thing that I can appreciate about Lan Xiaohuis music that has very little to do with the actual sound. Even her music expresses, very faintly, her deep understanding of the Sword. If I too were to close my eyes if I had them I would certainly be able to see a glimpse of the Supreme Sword.

And red flowers blooming on the moon.

For some reason, Lan Xiaohui is becoming closer and closer to these concepts; her pristine sword is becoming tainted by these additional things and, for reasons beyond my understanding, becoming purer.

The Grand Dao from which all things stem is a mysterious thing and though I am an enlightened being, I can not claim to know how to reach it or what it is no one can. If it were a straightforward road, everyone would be able to ascend.

This is just the First Layer, Lan Xiaohui says, emphasizing the world just, as if also protective of me and what Wu Yulan might think of the whole based on just this one example.

The First Layer? Wu Yulan repeats, distracted.

I think it is an array formation called [Killing Field], Lan Xiaohui says and then trails off. We can fight demonic beasts here.

Now, Wu Yulans eyes widen. Now she understands that form does not represent function. Though, I am not certain what it is about a formation that can simulate battle that is so impressive.

You cant die in here, but at the same time, you cannot improve your Physique or cultivate Qi I think, Lan Xiaohui explains. But you can improve your skills.

I feel an eagerness rise in Wu Yulans heart as she hears these words, and she is already drawing her sword from her dimensional storage.

At that time, perhaps the Inner World decides to let Lan Xiaohui deal with this discrepancy in its expectations, and a rock stele rises from the glassy floor below.

Lan Xiaohui, while smiling, walks over to the rock stele and places her hand on it.

[ First Layer: Basic Swordsmanship Test. ]

We will begin with the easiest setting first; this should be no problem, Lan Xiaohui says.

Wu Yulan nods, likely feeling slightly relieved that they will start off simple. How difficult can a basic swordsmanship test be?

[ Inner World: Time dilation setting changed. Inner World to Real Time ratio: 8 to 1. ]

A sub-routine informs me, at once, that the expected cost of operating my Inner World at this time dilation for an entire week in real-time will amount to 2,500,000 Inner World Energy. If I had a heart, it would surely break at this extravagant waste of resources!