Chapter 108: Little Maid

Xu Yang was still unsure what kind of request the eighth prince would make of him.

Shortly after leaving the imperial palace, Xu Yang suddenly moved with incredible speed, reappearing in a dense forest a hundred miles away. When he became visible again, a sharp glint had entered his eyes.

"Come out," he said, "you've been watching me all night."

Xu Yang spoke as if addressing the air, but before his words fully faded, an unassuming woman stepped out of the shadows behind him. As she slowly raised her head, her features became visible.

It was the young maid who had stood behind the emperor in the hall!

"You... discovered me long ago?"

Xu Yang playfully teased, "Initially, I just thought you were a fangirl captivated by my handsome looks. But then I noticed your aura was calm and restrained, even more profound than that of a Cavern Heaven Realm expert. That's when I concluded you weren't so simple. Furthermore, the cultivation techniques of those two Holy Land cultivators were remarkably similar to yours, leading me to believe you are an inside agent sent by the Holy Land."

The young maid chuckled, "You are very clever. The mysterious expert who recently eradicated the major cultivation sects in the Northern Wilderness — that would be you, wouldn't it? The sword dao legacy you possess is what truly interests us. The Cloud Observation Sword Intent is, in fact, a supreme secret technique long lost from the Heavenly Sword Holy Land!"

Xu Yang was slightly stunned upon learning this.

"As expected... I knew your Heavenly Sword Holy Land wouldn't be so easy to dismiss. Their urgency in taking the Fifth Prince back must also be to uncover the secret of the Cloud Observation Sword Intent."

"Precisely. The Cloud Observation Sword Intent is a supreme essence left by the founder of our Heavenly Sword Holy Land. Its characteristics are diametrically opposed to the orthodox cultivation techniques of our lineage. It is said that only by thoroughly mastering both sword intents can one achieve a truly transcendent realm. Therefore, you now have an undeniable bond with the Heavenly Sword Holy Land."

Xu Yang scoffed, "It's probably not as serious as you make it out to be. This 'bond' rests solely on you. If I eliminate you, the Heavenly Sword Holy Land will never be able to find me."

"Oh? Then we'll see if you have what it takes."

The young maid drew her sword.

Under the starry night, her longsword pulsed with fierce light, imbued with an overbearing and sharp dominance. She cleaved down a colossal blade of energy, sending it hurtling towards Xu Yang.

"Haha, my judgment was indeed correct. Your cultivation is certainly no less impressive than those two old men."

Xu Yang did not falter. The moment his opponent attacked, the fundamental sword skills she displayed greatly impressed him.

"Boom!"

A powerful sword qi erupted from between his fingers. Xu Yang's body floated in the air, and behind him, countless spiritual energy sword blades instantly materialized, pressing down on the young maid with overwhelming force.

The two streams of sword qi collided in mid-air, unleashing an astonishing torrent of energy that swept across a thousand-meter radius of the surrounding dense forest.

*Whoosh!*

Xu Yang suddenly boosted his movement speed to its limit, appearing like a phantom directly behind the young maid.

"What?!"

Startled, she instinctively spun around, only to see Xu Yang's calm smile mere inches from her face.

"I don't like people keeping up disguises in front of me."

With that, Xu Yang extended a finger, and a powerful purifying force instantly stripped away the young maid's concealment.

The true appearance of Ling Yao, the Sword Fanatic, was revealed before Xu Yang.

Under the starry night, the woman's face shone like a bright moon, dispelling all surrounding gloom and instinctively captivating Xu Yang.

"The Sword Fanatic of the Heavenly Sword Holy Land, the Grand Elder's personal disciple, and the strongest female sword cultivator among the Holy Land's younger generation. I hadn't expected them to send you as an insider this time; they must be planning a long-term infiltration."

"What do you want? A fight to the death won't benefit either you or the Sky Cloud Sect."

Xu Yang scoffed, "You're right about that. But since I've already caught you, from this moment on, you need to prove your worth to me."

With that, Xu Yang pointed a finger at Ling Yao's brow.

Ling Yao instinctively tried to resist, but she quickly realized that she, a formidable Nascent Soul Realm expert, had no room to fight back against this seemingly mere Qi Refining Realm cultivator.

Standing before him, she felt a mountain-like pressure that completely bound her body.

"Don't struggle. I won't harm you, but you must be obedient."

Soon, a crystalline speck of light appeared on Ling Yao's brow, adding an ethereal charm to her cool and beautiful face.

"This is the Soul Sealing Sleep Seal. It won't physically harm you, but if you're disobedient or act against my will, the consequences will be dire."

Ling Yao sneered, "Do you truly believe a mere curse mark can compel me to do your bidding? You gravely underestimate the inheritors of the Heavenly Sword Holy Land."

Xu Yang seemed to have anticipated her response.

"Don't worry, I'll find a way to make you cooperate."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Yang summoned his spiritual boat and forcibly brought Ling Yao inside.

They headed straight for the deep valley beneath the waterfall.

Ling Yao was clearly astonished by the mysterious location.

"Unimaginable... To think such a secret place exists within the Great Qi territory! It's remarkable you found it!"

Shortly after entering the cave, Ling Yao immediately sensed the unique Sword Dao aura of the place.

"To be honest, my Cloud Observation Sword Intent was discovered and inherited right here."

"What?! In that case, this must be a treasure trove left by the ancestors of my Heavenly Sword Holy Land! I can't believe you've gotten your hands on it!"

Xu Yang chuckled, "I can see you have a deep dedication to the Sword Dao. If you obediently help me with one task, I might even consider fully imparting the Cloud Observation Sword Dao to you."

Ling Yao eyed Xu Yang warily, then couldn't help but scrutinize him up and down.

"You... you don't have any improper intentions toward me, do you?"

"Pfft..."

Xu Yang burst out laughing, "If I truly had such intentions, do you think I'd waste so much breath on you? You truly live up to your title of Sword Fanatic; besides your obsession with swords, your emotional intelligence is truly concerning."

Xu Yang shook his head, then waved his hand, and the hidden seal energy reappeared before them.

"This is... the Deep Sea Blue Heart! You..."

Xu Yang looked at Ling Yao with a hint of surprise. "You know about this item too?"

His intuition told Xu Yang that Ling Yao harbored other secrets, instinctively reminding him of what Spirit Lord had told him before his demise...

"Could it be that this girl is also connected to the secret of the Three Thousand Dao Provinces from back then?"

Xu Yang merely had this instinctive thought and did not delve deeper.

All his current energy was focused on reviving Bai Lianxue; Xu Yang had no interest in other matters.

"Now that you're in my grasp and can't leave, I'll simply explain the task I need you to complete."