The Seven Star Sword Light Platform was the perfect place to hone one's sword intent.
If a swordsman started practicing the skill at the age of six, he would grasp all the basics by the age of
twelve, and become proficient by the age of sixteen. Afterward, if he yearned for further breaking
through, he would have to go through life-threatening tests unless he was especially talented.
Nevertheless, a man can only live once. It might be easy to say, but when putting the words into
practice, it would mean risking his neck to enhance his skill with the sword. One could only imagine
how dangerous it was.
Regardless of whether one was a swordsman, a blade practitioner, or a boxer, all martial arts
practitioners had to face such a problem.
Inside the Cloud Sect, however, there were plenty of magic arrays and secret realms to hone one's
skills. Any outsider would be dying to own even one of those items, making the Cloud Sect regarded as
the shrine of martial arts in the Eastern Region, attracting numerous talented, young practitioners from
various counties of the Eastern Region who would squeeze themselves in at all costs.
Still, even for very talented young practitioners, there was no way to improve at the Seven Star Sword
Light Platform as fast as Zen did. When he first entered the place, he had two epiphanies and was able
to grasp things that many others wouldn't be able to comprehend in a lifetime, and he owed it all to his
extraordinary insight and luck.
Even as he nailed the eighth level, he still felt like he hadn't reached his limit. Steward Song also urged
him to enter the Seven Star Sword Light Platform and have a try at Level Nine.
Zen's performance was way too stunning. Steward Song was also eager to profit during the process of
searching for gifted practitioners. But he was not aware that Steward Cao had done the same thing in
the Lake of the Magical Fish. At that time, Steward Cao reported Zen's achievement to his seniors in
an attempt of taking credit for it. However, he not only obtained zero bonus but got cold shoulders. After
reporting several times, the seniors even sent an officer to Steward Cao to tell him off, leaving Steward
Cao utterly muddled. At last, he gave up trying
Even if Steward Song did not encourage Zen in some way, Zen would still take a shot at it, for he was
also curious about what his limits were.
'Can I break through Level Nine at the Seven Star Sword Light Platform? Or even attempt to challenge
Level Ten?
Well, I can't do all that today. I've comprehended sword intent and learned a whole new set of
fundamental swordplay. I still need to spend some time strengthening the new skills when I get back, '
such thoughts played in his mind as he trained.
The moment Zen returned to Drizzle Peak, he received a message saying that Aura needed him to go
to her place.
By dusk, he was halfway up Drizzle Peak.
The gold setting sun projected the final wisp of energy for the day from the distant west. Under the
freezing depth of winter, however, that wisp of energy dispersed before people could even feel its
warmth.
Whirling wind swept across the peaks from the north. As it blew strong outside, people who were light
and slim didn't dare step out of their houses.
At a pavilion halfway up Drizzle Peak, however, stood a woman in a yellow robe, leaning against a
pillar in the corner. Her long yellow robe that trailed on the ground seemed to be her only outer layer.
Although the robe's texture seemed warm and snug, it was barely enough to keep the cold out, as it
was only tied around her neck and didn't even fully wrap around her.
Underneath the robe was a thin, silky gown in a lighter yellow. If she was an ordinary woman wearing
such clothes standing in the pavilion facing the north, she would freeze to death within a couple of
hours. This woman, however, who had achieved nature level consummation and was only one step
away from the Illuminating Soul Realm, would not feel the chilling weather at all, even if she was
standing in a world of ice and snow without any clothes.
The woman was Zen's tutor, Aura Su.
When there were others around, she tended to be strong and domineering. Even though she was a
princess who had lost power, she was as confident as she used to be.
Still, when she was on her own, she always felt a little dismal. There were some secrets she held that
had to be kept to herself, not allowing her to confide in other people.
In the eyes of those around her, Aura joining the Cloud Sect and becoming a tutor was merely a
mischievous act. It was easy to interpret the decision as the powerful princess' way to goof off. Of
course, Aura herself thought nothing of the sort.
Before she left the royal palace, she had already been unable to visit the man in the Burning Sky
Palace for six months. That man was her father, Kane Su.
Though she had requested to see her father a number of times, her requests were denied every time. It
wasn't normal at all. Once, she even barged into the imperial palace, only to find that her father's
chambers were empty, with the sheets and quilt on the bed left tidy, as if her father had not lived there
for a while.
Since then, Aura had been in doubt, thinking, 'Perhaps my father has already left the Eastern Region.'
Evidently, she was not the only one holding the same doubtful thought. At the palace, there were seven
princes, and three princesses having discussed the issue in private. But the truth was tightly protected,
out of anyone's reach.
As rumor had it, her father had long since gone out to experience the world without any intentions to
return. It was even probable that he already died in some faraway place.
Such a rumor seemed far-fetched, but Aura didn't dare think light of it, as her father was an absolute
king of mankind in the Eastern Region, the most gifted and knowledgeable emperor in the field of
martial arts the Burning Sky Empire ever had.
In the past, the strength of the head of Cloud Sect always overtook that of the Burning Sky Palace. The
Cloud Sect had a say in many matters, giving it the power to even change the fate of the Burning Sky
Empire.
It was entirely possible because the Cloud Sect did not only have a head whose strength was
overwhelmingly strong but also had a solid backup, the Cloud Hall.
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