Chapter 627: Sword Washing Pool

Invincible Baby ran incredibly fast, like a streak of lightning. Lu Yang wondered if he could ever fly that quickly himself.

But no matter how fast it was, it couldn't escape the Eldest Senior Sister's grasp. With a casual flick of her wrist, Eldest Senior Sister recaptured Invincible Baby, who had almost flown out of the sect's boundaries.

Even after being caught, Invincible Baby didn't give up, trying every possible method to break free: Shrinking the Ground, Drawing a Ground Prison, Near Horizon, Far Distance, Lu's Arhat Fist... If its opponent had been at the Nascent Soul stage, it would have been beaten to death long ago.

Unfortunately, its opponent was not at the Nascent Soul stage, so all these efforts were naturally useless.

Whether attempting to escape or attack, all of Invincible Baby's techniques, no matter how many it employed, were no match for Eldest Senior Sister.

Invincible Baby flailed, still attempting to attack Eldest Senior Sister, who then flicked its forehead, causing it to dizzily quiet down.

Eldest Senior Sister held Invincible Baby by its tiny foot, swinging it back and forth, a thoughtful expression on her face. "This level of attack power is quite remarkable," she mused. "It's a good offensive technique."

With that, she tossed Invincible Baby back to Lu Yang.

"However, this isn't the proper path," she added. "You still need to hone your skills and strive to overcome your Nascent Soul."

"Understood," Lu Yang replied.

Having learned the current stage's cultivation method, Lu Yang settled down, ready to practice sword formations.

The Seven Star Sword Set, acquired from the Ancient Realm of Creation, had been stored in his identity jade token. He had only taken out one sword when he acted as Young Sect Master on the Altar of Heaven.

This was not Lu Yang's original intention; his plan was to form a sword array using the entire Seven Star Sword Set.

Sword cultivators have two cultivation paths: one is 'a single sword breaking all techniques,' where one wholeheartedly refines their sword, striving for unity between human and sword; the other is sword arrays, which can unleash power far beyond the sword's original capabilities, truly wondrous.

Unfortunately, Lu Yang's master died young, and neither Eldest Senior Sister nor Jiang Lianyi specialized in sword arrays, leaving him without guidance.

If Jiang Lianyi had understood swords, she wouldn't have been deceived by the Qilin Immortal's kneeling sword array.

The good news was that after the Immortal Fairy's intimidation, the unruly Seven Star Sword Set had obediently submitted to Lu Yang, daring not to resist in the slightest, saving him the time required for refining and taming.

"Little Junior Brother, if you're practicing with swords, you might try the Sword Cleansing Pond," Eldest Senior Sister suggested, after pondering her acquired spoils. "Once you've gained something from there, I have a sword formation set here that you can cultivate."

"Sword Cleansing Pond?" Lu Yang hadn't known the sect had such a place.

"That was where Master practiced his sword in his early years," she explained. "Later, when Master's sword dao reached perfection, he no longer needed to cleanse his sword, and the place fell into disuse."

Many disciples in the Dao Inquiring Sect used swords as weapons, but only Lu Yang could truly be called a sword cultivator.

Sword Spirit Roots were rare; Lu Yang was the second cultivator in the Dao Inquiring Sect to possess one, after Daoist Bu Yu.

"After you descend the mountain, keep heading east for about eight hundred li, and you'll find the Sword Cleansing Pond there," Eldest Senior Sister directed Lu Yang.

"Currently, you passively control the Seven Star Sword Set and haven't established a connection with them," she continued. "At the Sword Cleansing Pond, you can enhance mutual communication, allowing you to fully master the Seven Star Sword Set. This is the foundation for cultivating sword formations."

"The Sword Cleansing Pond can purify the hostility of both cultivator and sword, improving their integration and synergy."

"Not only Master, but even Grandmaster used to cultivate frequently at the Sword Cleansing Pond."

"Ah? Grandmaster was also a sword cultivator?" Lu Yang thought of the small figure guarding Prison Peak and couldn't possibly associate him with sword cultivation.

"No," she clarified, "he went there to purify his hostility towards Master, so he wouldn't accidentally kill Master by hitting too hard."

Lu Yang sometimes felt it was a miracle his master had survived this long.

Jiang Lianyi had no interest in the Sword Cleansing Pond and proposed visiting Prison Peak instead. Eldest Senior Sister readily agreed, offering to take Jiang Lianyi there herself.

Following Eldest Senior Sister's directions, Lu Yang descended the mountain, passed through the Dao Inquiring Sect's core region, and arrived at the vast outer grassland.

The grassland had once been extremely dangerous for Lu Yang, with various demonic beasts roaming freely. The breeding grounds established by the Sect Leader and the Immortal Fairy were located at the edge of the grassland.

Now, Lu Yang was far from his former self. These terrifying demonic beasts were insignificant; if he wanted to run, they couldn't even catch him!

Over the grassland, Lu Yang flew on his sword, hovering more than three feet above the ground, moving at high speed. Behind him, a horde of demonic beasts gave chase. Each one radiated the aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator, with a few Soul Transformation stage beasts mixed in, howling and causing the ground to tremble, a truly terrifying sight.

"What's there to fear about Soul Transformation stage demonic beasts? There are also Void Refinement and Integration stage beasts here," the Immortal Fairy kindly reminded him, implying Lu Yang was scared too early.

"But you don't need to be too afraid," she added, "those Void Refinement and Integration stage beasts are too lazy to chase you."

"These demonic beasts must have been domesticated; they actively attack disciples who make them feel threatened."

Whether it was for training or a malicious prank remained unknown.

Finally, in the nick of time, Lu Yang successfully flew out of the grassland's boundaries, and the pursuing demonic beasts immediately ceased their chase, not advancing another inch.

"Little Junior Brother, are you practicing flying?" To his surprise, Third Senior Sister was at the edge of the vast grassland. Still blindfolded, she had deduced from the auras and sounds of wind that Little Junior Brother had just staged a grand life-or-death chase scene on the grassland.

"Third Senior Sister, don't those demonic beasts chase you when you pass through the grassland?"

"Don't you know? As long as you show your identity jade token, those demonic beasts won't attack you. Didn't Eldest Senior Sister tell you?" Third Senior Sister waved her identity jade token.

"No, she didn't."

"Then she probably felt those demonic beasts posed no threat."

"Senior Sister, what are you doing here?"

Third Senior Sister pointed towards a dark mountain range further in the distance. "That's Tangting Mountain. I was short on a raw material for refining a magic artifact, so I went there to dig some up. I was just about to head back. What about you? Are you participating in a Grotto-Heaven trial?"

"I'm going to the Sword Cleansing Pond."

"The Sword Cleansing Pond... Oh right, you're a sword cultivator. That place is perfect for you. Do you know the way, or would you like me to take you?"

Eldest Senior Sister had only given him a general direction, so having someone guide him would be even better.

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

"We're fellow disciples; there's no need for thanks."

With Third Senior Sister leading the way, Lu Yang soon arrived at the Sword Cleansing Pond.

The Sword Cleansing Pond was nestled in a mountain hollow, flanked by two ancient thousand-year-old trees. Their leaves drifted silently on the pond's surface, creating a scene of serene stillness.

No cultivator had visited the Sword Cleansing Pond for two hundred years, but now, the place finally received a touch of vitality.

"This is the Sword Cleansing Pond."

Lu Yang scooped the leaves from the pond, revealing crystal-clear water. The water possessed a mystical power; merely gazing at it could cleanse the mind.

"What a wonderful place!" Lu Yang's eyes sparkled. Just by looking at the Sword Cleansing Pond, he could imagine how his master had cultivated here over a century ago.

"According to Master's teachings," Third Senior Sister explained, "to use the Sword Cleansing Pond, one must place their sword into its waters to wash away the dross."

Lu Yang took out the Seven Star Sword Set. The seven divine swords immediately clung to him affectionately upon appearing, startling him into quickly pressing them all into the pond.

As the Seven Star Sword Set immersed in the pond, they indeed ceased to be restless. Lu Yang could even feel the sensations they transmitted to him: comfort, coolness.

At this rate, Lu Yang was confident that he could truly and completely master the Seven Star Sword Set in the Sword Cleansing Pond.

He also sat cross-legged nearby, imitating the process, calming his mind, and attempting to communicate and interact with the Seven Star Sword Set, understanding them empathetically.

Three days passed in a flash. Lu Yang sat motionless throughout, with Third Senior Sister standing guard nearby.

She observed Lu Yang's changes, secretly astonished by his sword dao talent. She felt as if he had vanished, a sign that he was maintaining communication with his swords and entering a state of unity between heaven and man.

To have such gains in just three days was remarkable.

Lu Yang entered an ineffable, mysterious state. For these three days, he had been engaging in an elusive, subtle communication with the Seven Star Sword Set, effectively improving their connection.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm and unruffled, like an ancient well.

It was done. He had completely mastered the Seven Star Sword Set!

Lu Yang raised his right hand, hooked two fingers upward, and the Sword Cleansing Pond, obeying his will, flew into the air, its water and the Seven Star Sword Set splashing everywhere.

"Huh?"

"Didn't I master the Seven Star Sword Set? Why did it become the Sword Cleansing Pond?"

(End of this chapter)