Chapter 169 - 169: Owing A Huge Favor
Feeling the gaze behind him, Chen Chen turned around abruptly, and the State of Jin cultivators immediately seemed reverent again.
It couldn't be helped. They hadn't redeemed their indentures yet and they dared not go back on their word either.
Chen Chen was very satisfied with that scene.
'That should be the way you're looking at me. I can go to the Haoran Sword Pool, all because of my true abilities.'
Although his handsome face played a role too, it was just a minor one.
...
After that, Chen Chen began to make some arrangements.
He had been away for a month, and when he came back again, the State of Jin cultivators should have returned too. He didn't know when they would meet again so he had to make some arrangements.
For example, he handed all the indentures to Xiao Wuyou.
After arranging everything, Chen Chen said goodbye to the group of State of Jin cultivators, and then followed the female cultivator to fly into the depths of the miasma.
To be honest, he had never seen what a major sect was like and now that he had the chance to see the Haoran Sword Clan, he was looking forward to it.
On the way to the Haoran Sword Clan, the female cultivator took the initiative to start talking about some matters of the Haoran Sword Clan with great enthusiasm.
In Chen Chen's opinion, his handsome face was the reason for her behavior.
He dared to bet that if it were a male cultivator who was taking the lead, he wouldn't be that nice!
"Fellow Daoist Chen, the Haoran Sword Clan is actually not in a natural cave but an ordinary mountain. However, because it is located at the border of the two clans, we were selected to form a clan. This also shows the determination of the Haoran Sword Clan to fight against the demons."
Hearing this, Chen Chen immediately said a few pleasantries, which made the female cultivator beam with joy.
This female cultivator was obviously much more inexperienced compared to Xia Xishuang.
The two of them laughed and chatted while flying. About an hour later, Chen Chen saw a 10,000-meter giant mountain.
The huge mountain was undoubtedly magnificent and most importantly, there was a large and astonishing sword on each side of the mountain, which was also 10,000 meters high.
The two swords intersected at the mountainside, forming some kind of extremely special formation with the 10,000-meter giant mountain. Although Chen Chen could not see the end, he knew that it was not trivial.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, that is the Heavenly Sword Demon-Slaying Formation of the Haoran Sword Clan, which can cover a 500-meter radius. If there is a diabolic cultivator above the Essence Soul realm within a 500-meter radius, the Heavenly Sword Demon-Slaying Formation will activate itself! This Heavenly Sword Demon-Slaying Formation is the product of the Haoran Sword Clan's efforts over a thousand years."
Upon hearing this, Chen Chen complimented the Haoran Sword Clan again but his expression turned colder and he also moved slightly further away from the female cultivator.
A few moments later, the female cultivator led him to the Haoran Sword Clan's mountain.
A familiar figure was waiting quietly in front of the mountain gate.
Upon sight of Chen Chen, Xia Xishuang smiled lightly and said, "Fellow Daoist, you said you were about to return to the State of Jin, but now it seems that you won't be able to return anytime soon."
"Ahem, I have to thank you for this." Chen Chen laughed awkwardly.
The female cultivator who was at the side, was rather shocked to see Xia Xishuang smiling because the latter was usually cold and aloof, and would rarely smile.
'Could it be... Did she... Wow!'
Before she could continue to think, Xia Xishuang's expression became calm again.
"Junior Sister, that's all you have to do here. Next, I'll take the successor of the Tianyun Clan to the Haoran Sword Pool."
"Oh... Okay..." The female cultivator assented and hurriedly left.
She dared not say or ask anything about the Eldest Senior Sister, Xia Xishuang.
...
After that female cultivator left, Xia Xishuang took Chen Chen down a special passage, which was deserted. The surrounding area was very quiet too.
"Fellow Daoist... you and I have known each other for some time, can I call you by your name?"
Xia Xishuang suddenly asked when they were walking.
Hearing this, Chen Chen smiled and said, "Of course you can, you and I are friends. Calling each other 'Daoist' would seem too distant."
To be honest, he had never heard such a term in the State of Jin.
Everyone he met was vulgar!
When they saw him, they would call him by his name and only his juniors would address him as 'successor'.
After hearing this, Xia Xishuang heaved a long sigh of relief and subconsciously picked up in her tracks. However, she soon slowed down again.
For some reason, she couldn't help but think of Chen Chen these days.
Although it were his enemies that were in trouble, Chen Chen the successor of the Tianyun Clan decided to risk his life and fight hard to save them for the sake of the human race.
That scene was too majestic for her and she didn't think that there would be such a noble person in the world.
People usually fall in love in just a single moment. Xia Xishuang felt that she had developed some feelings for the successor of the Tianyun Clan.
Hence, when the elders of the clan discussed how exactly they should reward this cultivator, she stood out and recommended Chen Chen to enter the Haoran Sword Pool to cultivate.
In her opinion, he was really genuine.
"Xishuang, what kind of place is this Haoran Sword Pool?"
Chen Chen's voice came from behind her.
Hearing this address, Xia Xishang was slightly stunned and turned around. When she saw Chen Chen's natural expression, her cheeks reddened, knowing that she had thought too much.
Chen Chen was obviously fully focused on cultivation and did not know much about romance.
A woman calling a man by his first name wouldn't mean much but a man calling a woman by her first name seemed rather affectionate.
However, what could she say?
Chen Chen was born in a small vassal state and he gained the ability to kill a Nascent Soul realm cultivator at such a young age. She reckoned that he must spend a lot of hard work and effort on cultivating usually. How could she bear to criticize him and nitpick on the details?
'Forget it, he can call me whatever he wants.'
However, she would never allow the other male disciples to be that casual with her.
Thinking of this, she pretended not to realize that something was wrong and said calmly, "The Haoran Sword Pool is where most of the strongest people in the Haoran Sword Clan who are above the Essence Soul realm, will cultivate."
"The pure spiritual liquid in the pool is so dense and rich that it can directly increase one's cultivation level after absorption. Apart from that, there is also powerful soul power in the Haoran Sword Pool. Cultivators who go in to cultivate often tend to have more insights."
"Oh, I see. Xishuang, have you ever gone in to cultivate?"
Chen Chen called out cheerfully with joy in his eyes.
"I've been in there before. When I was there, I broke through to the Nascent Soul realm from the Core Formation realm."
"I see. It's a pity that I'm still far away from breaking through the Nascent Soul realm."
...
As they walked, they chatted and before they knew it, they had unknowingly arrived at the place where the two giant swords met.
"This is the Haoran Sword Pool," Xia Xishuang said as she pointed to the void where the giant swords met.
Chen Chen nodded after coming to a realization.
Initially, he thought that some bigwigs would receive him and say a few words of encouragement, but now it seemed that he had thought too much. He was just a small fry at the Core Formation realm and he indeed had no right to talk to the powerhouses who were at the pinnacle.
Xia Xishang slowly walked to the intersection of the giant swords, and then took out a token and pressed it in the void.
Soon, a door of light appeared in the void.
Xia Xishang pointed to the light door and smiled. "Chen Chen, go in. Since ancient times, there haven't been many non-members of the clan who can enter the Haoran Sword Pool."
Hearing this, Chen Chen walked towards the light door and when he reached Xia Xishuang, he suddenly stopped and looked at her deeply.
The woman in front of him was elegant and bright. He thought that it would be great if he could marry her.
"What's wrong?" Xia Xishuang asked in confusion.
Looking at her somewhat puzzled eyes, Chen Chen smiled faintly and stepped inside the light door.
...
The so-called Haoran Sword Pool was indeed a pool filled with all kinds of swords, which emitted amazing fluctuations. None of them were mortal weapons.
The white spiritual liquid that was bubbling continuously in the pool looked similar to the Heavenly Spirit Bell Stalagmite but the Heavenly Spirit Bell Stalagmite contained more vitality.
However, the spiritual power in this spiritual liquid was pure and massive!
As soon as Chen Chen entered the range of this Haoran Sword Pool, he felt that his entire body had become permeable and his mind seemed to have become several times more active.
"Is this the soul power that only Essence Soul realm powerhouses can be exposed to?"
Chen Chen sighed in his heart, and then stepped onto the platform in the middle of the Haoran Sword Pool. In the next moment, his Innate Spirit Body constitution was maximized as he began to absorb the intense and terrifying spiritual energy around him.
In just a few moments, his Qi cultivation level advanced from the early Core Formation realm stage to the middle Core Formation realm stage.
"Haoran Sword Pool is one of the four greatest treasure lands of the human race... I really owe you a huge favor now that I can cultivate here alone for a month."
Chen Chen frowned slightly, looking rather embarrassed.
However, he soon came to terms with it.
...
"It seems I have to give myself to you."