Song Qingxing found a meditation cushion, sat down, and instantly entered a meditative state.

"It’s a rare opportunity to be here. You two should go find your own insights as well. Just remember, don’t bite off more than you can chew." Song Changsheng took Little Lingyun from Song Qingxi’s arms and spoke to Chi Huo Old Ghost and Song Qingxi.

After the two left, Song Changsheng began to stroll through the Stele Forest while holding Little Lingyun, taking a cursory look at all one hundred and seventeen stone steles.

Some Sword Steles he gave only a passing glance; at others, he would stop and study them carefully, but for no more than a quarter of an hour at most.

His unconventional behavior puzzled the Celestial Sword Sect disciples who were observing him from the shadows. ’Is this man here for sightseeing?’

Yes and no.

First, Song Changsheng was a Dual Cultivator of Body and Dharma who also practiced the Artifact Refining Technique and the Dao of Arrays. He no longer had the spare energy to delve into the Sword Dao.

Besides, the Song Clan’s ancestor, Song Taiyi, was famous for his Sword Dao. If Song Changsheng had any intention of practicing Swordsmanship, he would have done so long ago.

However, believing in the principle that one can always learn from others, Song Changsheng still planned to take this rare opportunity to gain a good understanding of the art of Swordsmanship.

His comprehension was already beyond that of an ordinary person, so he truly gained a lot after one tour. At the same time, he discovered a problem: after he made rubbings of the inscriptions on these Sword Steles, they lost their effect.

’This place must have some special arrangement. Only in this exact location can one use the Sword Steles to comprehend Swordsmanship. No wonder they don’t prohibit rubbings,’ Song Changsheng realized with a flash of insight.

By the time he completed his tour, it was the morning of the second day. Song Qingxing remained seated cross-legged before the Wordless Stele like a statue, and Song Qingxi was also meditating before a Tier Two Sword Stele.

Even Chi Huo Old Ghost, as if guided by an unseen force, had found his way to a Tier Three Sword Stele.

Although they had all chosen the steles that best suited them, they only had ten days. Whether they could truly achieve any enlightenment remained to be seen.

With nothing else to do, Song Changsheng fed some beast milk to Little Lingyun, who had woken up from hunger, and then walked over to the Wordless Stele.

"They say everyone gains a different understanding from this. I wonder what you will bring me."

Song Changsheng sat cross-legged before the Sword Stele and fell into a state of sudden enlightenment.

The moment he closed his eyes, his consciousness felt as if it were traversing space. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a great hall.

Many young Cultivators were seated cross-legged in the hall, all gazing ahead. There stood a Three-legged Bronze Cauldron, its bottom continuously licked by orange-red flames.

An old man with white hair and a beard, who had the air of an immortal, stood beside the Bronze Cauldron. He held a Copper Pill the size of a pigeon’s egg and addressed the crowd, "Next, this old man will demonstrate how to use a [Sword Pill].

"What this old man holds is a Tier One [Sword Pill]. Everyone, please watch my demonstration."

The old man tossed the pill from his hand. With a flash of Sword Light, a deep gash was instantly carved into the bronze pillar being used as a target.

The [Sword Pill] had already returned to the old man’s hand, but it was no longer in the form of a pill. Instead, it coiled around his fingertips like a soft ribbon, rotating slowly.

With Song Changsheng’s sharp eyes, he could naturally tell that it was actually a flying sword refined through a special method. Sealed within it was the Sword Intent of a Sword Dao master. The user only needed to inject Spiritual Power to release a sharp wave of Sword Qi.

Once the Sword Intent sealed inside was depleted, the [Sword Pill] would become useless.

"Next, this old man will begin to teach the method of its refining." With that, the old man took out materials one by one and began the refining process.

’So, this is my fortuitous encounter,’ Song Changsheng realized.

——————

’Where... am I...?’

In the dim cave, Blood Princess struggled to open her heavy eyelids. Her entire body felt like it was about to fall apart; even the slightest movement sent a heart-piercing pain through her.

Although Bai Zhengchun’s slash had been hasty, it had nearly cut her in two. If not for her Minor Achievement in the Blood Demon Technique and her astonishing Recovery Power, she would have likely had to abandon her Physical Body and flee, just like the Xiang Province Squad Leader.

Her injuries were so severe that her consciousness was still muddled, but she vaguely remembered relying on a pre-arranged escape plan to successfully flee Luoxia City. In the end, she had fainted from exhaustion in a birch forest a thousand li from the city.

Looking at the dim, confined space before her, Blood Princess could say with certainty that this was definitely not where she had collapsed.

Although her body was difficult to move, thankfully, she could still use her Divine Sense.

Spreading her Divine Sense, Blood Princess quickly figured out her location. It was a cramped mountain cave. The entrance was directly ahead, blocked by creeper-like vines, with faint light seeping through the gaps.

To her side, muddy water seeped from the cracks in the stone. DRIP... DRIP...

Blood Princess licked her chapped red lips. She didn’t know how long she had been unconscious. Her throat was so dry it felt like it was smoking, but right now, she couldn’t even lift a finger.

Just then, a RUSTLE, RUSTLE sound came from the cave entrance.

Her heart leaped into her throat. ’Someone’s here?’

Sure enough, a sturdy figure pushed aside the vines at the entrance and walked in. It was a middle-aged man with a weathered face. His overgrown stubble looked like it hadn’t been trimmed in ages, giving him a decadent air.

Only his deep eyes were different; when you met his gaze, they seemed to transform into a whirlpool, as if to pull your very soul away.

He wore a somewhat tattered black robe, and even before he drew near, the strong stench of alcohol wafted over.

On his shoulder perched a massive crimson bat that radiated a dangerous aura.

Blood Princess’s eyes widened, and she gnashed her teeth. "Soulless, you actually dare to appear before me again!"

Her enemy was right in front of her. She wanted to struggle to sit up but couldn’t summon the strength, only able to watch as he approached.

Soulless came to her side and slowly crouched down. He then reached out and placed his hand on Blood Princess’s pale stomach, where there was a hideous wound that had nearly split her in two.

A strange energy flowed over it, continuously eroding Blood Princess’s Spiritual Power and preventing the wound from healing.

"What do you think you’re doing? Get your filthy hands off me!" Feeling his warm touch, Blood Princess’s eyes blazed with fury. If she weren’t immobilized, she would have already gotten up to kill this bastard!

Soulless didn’t answer. A dark glow emanated from his palm as he slowly swept it over the wound.

Where the dark light passed, Blood Princess felt only a tingling numbness, as if something were about to grow there.

Blood Princess froze. ’Is he... healing me?’

After he finished, he tore a strip from the hem of his robe and wrapped it simply around her wound. His voice was calm as he said, "There is residual Blood Evil Qi in the wound. It will take a long time to heal.

"The one who injured you is quite powerful and brimming with Evil Qi. In my memory, only one person fits that description, but he should be dead."

Blood Princess was in no mood to answer his question. Her mind was a complete mess, and the events unfolding before her left her feeling lost and bewildered.

Seeing her lack of response, a trace of sadness flickered in Soulless’s eyes. He took out a gilded jar and held it to Blood Princess’s lips. "You’ve been unconscious for three days. You must be thirsty. This is morning dew."

Blood Princess looked at the face she hated, her expression complicated. "Why are you doing this? I am the Squad Leader of Bian and Ling Provinces. I’m the enemy the Sect Leader sent to take your life."

Soulless was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "I don’t care which province’s Squad Leader you are, nor what mission you carry. In my heart, you are only my sister."

"Shut up!

"You are a traitor to the sect! You betrayed the Sect Leader! You betrayed the Blood God!

"From that moment on, you became my enemy!

"Even if you save me, I won’t thank you! I still have to kill you!" Blood Princess’s emotions suddenly became agitated. An intense killing intent filled her face, making her look savage.

A flicker of pain crossed Soulless’s weathered face. For siblings to become bitter enemies... there is truly no greater sorrow in the world.

He sighed melancholically. "Just focus on healing. When your injuries have improved, I will tell you the truth. If you still want to kill me then, I will let you have your wish."

...