Gui You also noticed Xiao Chen's gaze. He took a deep breath, stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting to Xiao Chen, and said with a hint of emotion, "Brother Xiao, it's been a long time."
His gaze lingered on Xiao Chen for a moment, then he shook his head with a wry smile.
“Back then, we could barely hold our own, but now I can’t even see through your level. I only feel that your aura is unfathomable, like an abyss that one can’t see the bottom of.
Qian Duoduo quickly followed, the abacus beads rattling in his grip, his voice full of amazement: "Brother Xiao! You're so strong now!"
"You were just undergoing your tribulation when you left back then, and I'm afraid you're at some unknown level now. We've been cultivating diligently in the Cangxuan Realm all these years, and at most we've only reached the Dao Inquiry Realm. Compared to you, it's like heaven and earth!"
The surrounding cultivators were in an uproar upon hearing the two's words, even the top geniuses of the Cangxuan Realm back then, Gui You and Qian Duoduo.
If they can't even see through Xiao Chen's realm, and say the difference is like heaven and earth, then how terrifying must Xiao Chen's current strength be?
Xiao Chen looked at the two of them, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes, and gently shook his head: "It's just that you were lucky and had more experience outside. It's also very impressive that you were able to steadily improve in the Cangxuan Realm."
He didn't go into detail about his experiences in the Xuanqiong Realm; there was no need to mention those bloody battles and life-or-death struggles here.
Gui You gave a bitter smile and said nothing more. He knew very well that "luck" was always part of strength. Xiao Chen's current achievements must have come from hardships that were unimaginable to ordinary people.
He looked at Xiao Chen with nothing but admiration. His former companion, who had once stood shoulder to shoulder with him, had now reached a height that he could never reach, becoming a true "senior".
Qian Duoduo wanted to say something more, but Xiao Chen raised his hand to interrupt her: "Everyone, we have only come back to rest and recuperate in the sect and do not want to cause any further disturbances."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a special power, clearly reaching everyone's ears.
"The spiritual energy in the Cangxuan Realm is now recovering, which is a good time for everyone to cultivate. Instead of crowding around here, you should go back and cultivate properly. Perhaps you can find your own path in the future."
Upon hearing this, the excitement on everyone's faces gradually faded, replaced by thoughtful expressions. Xiao Chen was right; rather than looking up to others, it's better to work hard yourself.
A mountain breeze swept across the foot of Cangxuan Realm, and the crowd that had just dispersed suddenly fell silent.
Xiao Chen raised his hand and pressed down, a faint wisp of cyan spear intent condensing in his palm. Although it was not released outwards, it acted like an invisible barrier, silencing all the noise from the crowd.
Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed intently on him, and even the rustling of leaves in the wind seemed exceptionally clear.
"Please be at ease, everyone."
Xiao Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a power that pierced the heart.
“I know that everyone has many questions in their hearts and hopes to receive some guidance on spiritual practice.”
"Let's cut to the chase today. The four of us will each choose one person to answer their questions and offer some pointers."
"As for how much you can comprehend, that depends entirely on your own destiny."
The crowd erupted instantly as soon as the words were spoken!
Although it was just a "hint," it came from people like Xiao Chen and Jiang Li, who had already reached the pinnacle of the Cangxuan Realm. Even a single sentence from them could be worth years of hard work.
Everyone pushed forward, their eyes filled with eagerness, yet they dared not make a sound due to the invisible pressure emanating from them.
Just then, a clear, youthful voice pierced through the crowd: "May I ask?"
The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young man dressed in plain white sword attire pushing through the crowd and walking out slowly.
He had sharp, piercing eyebrows and bright eyes, and held an unsharpened steel sword in his hand. His posture was as upright as a pine tree, and a faint blue sword aura flowed around him.
Though immature, it was surprisingly pure.
"It's weariness!"
Someone exclaimed in a low voice, "I heard that he is the eldest son of the Shen family in the Western Regions. He wielded a sword at the age of three, began to cultivate his qi at the age of five, and condensed sword intent at the age of ten. He is the most outstanding genius in the Cangxuan Realm of this generation!"
"No wonder he dared to be the first to step forward; it turns out he came for Senior Jiang Li!"
He couldn't hear the surrounding chatter; his gaze was fixed on Jiang Li, his bright eyes filled with a thirst for the way of the sword.
From as far back as he could remember, he was surrounded by legends of "Xiao Chen's spear intent breaking through all laws" and "Jiang Li's sword heart connecting to the Milky Way."
Now that he has finally met the real person, the questions that have been building up in his heart for many years can no longer be suppressed.
"Junior Chen Juan greets Senior Jiang Li!"
Chen Juan bowed deeply, his movements meticulous, then straightened up, slightly raising the steel sword in his hand, its tip pointing towards the sky.
His youthful sword intent suddenly surged several notches.
"I have practiced swordsmanship since childhood, yet I remain perplexed by the 'essence of the sword.' May I ask, senior, what is the essence of the sword?"
This question, though seemingly simple, points directly to the core of swordsmanship.
The surrounding cultivators instantly fell silent, even their breathing became soft.
Many sword practitioners spend their entire lives searching for this question, and to hear Jiang Li's answer now is an incredible stroke of luck.
Xiao Chen turned his head to look at Jiang Li, a hint of a smile in his eyes.
Jiang Li nodded slightly, her body remaining still, but a sudden change occurred around her.
The previously subdued red sword energy slowly awakened like a dormant volcano, unleashing a terrifying aura far surpassing the waning sword intent.
Centered on her, it spread outwards throughout the entire Cangxuan Realm!
At first, the cultivators at the foot of the mountain could barely hold on, but the next second, the sword intent surged like a galaxy pouring in from above, instantly engulfing the heavens and earth.
The sword cultivators present suddenly noticed that the swords at their waists began to vibrate and hum, as if they were submitting to the sword intent.
Ripples spread across the spiritual veins of the Southern Region, and spiritual energy flowed along the trajectory of the sword intent, transforming into countless points of light.
Even in the ancient sword tombs far away in the northern region, rusty swords have emerged from the ground, pointing towards the direction of the Qingyun Sect!
The cultivators throughout the Cangxuan Realm were initially startled, thinking it was an invasion by foreign enemies, but they sensed that there was no killing intent in the sword intent.
Instead, it carries a clear and pure swordsmanship will.
Then, recalling the commotion at the foot of the mountain, they all breathed a sigh of relief: "It's Senior Jiang Li from the Qingyun Sect! She must be instructing the younger generation in swordsmanship!"
At the foot of the mountain, Chen Juan's eyes were already wide open, the steel sword in his hand trembling uncontrollably, and the naive sword intent around him was almost collapsing.
He had never felt such a powerful and pure sword intent before, as if it were Jiang Li before him.
It's not a person, but a peerless immortal sword that has lived for a thousand years!
Jiang Li finally spoke, her voice clear and cold like jade striking each other, yet carrying a power that pierced the heart: "A sword is not merely made of iron and stone, but is an extension of the heart and a manifestation of intention."
She raised her hand, and a wisp of red sword energy condensed at her fingertips, transforming into an invisible sword shadow in the air: "Most people believe that a sword is a 'weapon of death,' a 'tool for defeating enemies.'"
"This is the 'weapon realm' of the sword, like the green steel in your hand, using the sharpness of iron and stone to cut through the shapes of all things. But this is only the starting point of the sword."
The sword shadow suddenly changed, transforming into a streak of light that drew a graceful arc in the air.
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