Chapter 11: Divine Sword Purple Shadow

In the forest, the four formidable experts from Yiyuan stood in four directions, prepared to do whatever it took to force the Ghost Immortal to reveal itself. Each of them emitted a radiant glow of different colors, predominantly deep blue. Ziyang True Man, surrounded by a burst of green and red radiance, while Master Jingyue and Qianyuan both emanated deep blue light. Xuanyin True Man's aura combined blue with black, resonating with the presence of the Demon Slaying Sword.

The four distinct glows gradually converged in mid-air, forming a protective deep blue barrier that enveloped the entire forest. Hovering in mid-air, Xuanyin True Man brandished his precious sword, chanted an incantation, and shouted, "Yin and Yang, Five Elements, Qian Kun Bagua, open my Heavenly Eyes, reveal all things!" As he finished speaking, a beam of green light shot out from the space between his brows, forming a circular crack emitting a green glow—a semblance of an eye.

The Heavenly Eye on Xuanyin True Man's forehead sparkled with a dazzling green light. In an instant, the green light struck the sword in his hand. Suddenly, the sword emitted a vibrant green light, illuminating the surrounding space. A black ghostly shadow hiding in the cold pool became visible; it was the Ghost Immortal from earlier.

Luyun and Zhang Aoxue watched Xuanyin True Man casting his spell with astonishment. Especially Luyun, he couldn't have imagined that the Daoist Heavenly Eye could be used in such a way. Typically, his Heavenly Eye focused on finding hidden things with a single beam of light, but the ability to reveal all demons and spirits using a deep blue light, enhanced by the sword, was a revelation.

Sensing its discovery, the Ghost Immortal attempted to escape the encirclement of the four experts. Xuanyin True Man and the others cooperated seamlessly, their movements harmonious and coordinated. Seeing the Ghost Immortal rising, two powerful sword energies, one green and one red, instantly slashed towards it. Simultaneously, two other sword energies moved from below, attempting to cut off its escape in mid-air.

The Ghost Immortal roared and swiftly maneuvered, moving at a speed of 6,400 times per blink of an eye. Its movements were so fast that it appeared as if it hadn't moved at all. The Ghost Immortal continuously emitted green energy from its green eyes, creating layers of green energy shields around its body.

The four experts joined forces, and radiant lights flowed around them, creating a dense and colorful energy shield. Zhang Aoxue and Luyun on the ground could not see the situation inside the energy shield. All they could observe was a colorful energy mass surrounding the four Yiyuan experts and the Ghost Immortal, changing intermittently and producing rumbling sounds, indicating an intense battle.

Suddenly, a burst of black light erupted, causing the four figures to retreat. Xuanyin True Man, Master Jingyue, and the others had pale faces, expressing unexpected surprise at the outcome. They had not anticipated the formidable strength of the legendary Ghost Immortal. Although it was eliminated with the help of Zhang Aoxue's divine sword, the Ghost Immortal inflicted severe damage to itself in the process.

The four experts exchanged glances, nodding slightly. Once again, they appeared around the Ghost Immortal. Four tremendously powerful sword energies, one green, one red, and two others, converged in mid-air, forming a point of intersection. Immediately, a burst of five-colored radiance erupted from that intersection, enveloping the Ghost Immortal in a six-foot space.

Feeling the crisis, the Ghost Immortal rapidly reduced its size, turning into a small black light ball. Moving at a rate of 9,600 times per blink, it dodged incessantly in the confined space, hoping to avoid the attacks of the divine sword.

Luyun observed the black light ball and was amazed at the Ghost Immortal's agility. Even with the combined efforts of Yiyuan's four top experts, they found it challenging to deal with this Ghost Immortal. If not for Zhang Aoxue's skillful use of the divine sword, they might not have stood a chance. Luyun widened his eyes and saw Zhang Aoxue descending from the air. The divine sword emitted a strong and dazzling purple light, overshadowing the brilliance of the scorching sun. The entire forest was covered with a purple light curtain, and all the black ghostly energies in the surroundings instantly vanished.

Zhang Aoxue, dressed in white like snow, floated gently with an elegant demeanor, showing no signs of excitement. The four Yiyuan leaders landed gracefully, each wearing a serious and concerned expression, silently watching the cold pool.

Qianyuan True Man solemnly said, "This Ghost Immortal is truly extraordinary. Although it was defeated this time with the help of Aoxue's divine sword, we need to find a way to seal the passage. Xuanyin Junior Brother, you are the most proficient in this area; do you have a solution?"

The three turned their gazes to Xuanyin True Man, awaiting his response. Approaching the cold pool, Xuanyin True Man hesitated slightly, gazing at the pool. "Regarding the matter of sealing, I do have some knowledge. However, the heavy ghost energy here makes conventional seals unsustainable. We need to use our sect's 'Yitian Soul Shock Technique' to have a chance at sealing it. But you all know, without Senior Brother Xuyu's consent, we can't easily perform it. Also, without our sect's 'Yitian Ruler,' the effectiveness will be compromised."

Ziyang True Man whispered, "With Senior Brother absent, let's discuss and decide on our own. Even if Senior Brother returns, he won't blame us for it. So, please proceed, and if Senior Brother holds us accountable later, we'll face it together." The other two agreed in unison.

Xuanyin True Man looked at the three and said softly, "Alright, I will do my best. I hope to seal this place. After Senior Brother returns, we'll need to reseal it for safety. However, without Senior Brother Xuyu's agreement, I can't easily decide. Also, without the 'Yitian Ruler,' the power will be weakened."

Ziyang True Man spoke gently, "At this moment, Senior Brother is not here, and we must decide for ourselves. Even if Senior Brother returns, he won't blame us. So, go ahead and perform it. If Senior Brother raises any objections later, we'll face it together." With unanimous agreement from the others, Xuanyin True Man ascended into the air. Gradually, true energy gathered around his body, and peculiar blue light shimmered, intensifying above the cold pool.

Luyun, observing the four Yiyuan experts, didn't mention the incident with the Ghost Immortal. He silently approached Zhang Aoxue and asked, "Senior Sister, what is this 'Yitian Soul Shock Technique' that Xuanyin Senior Uncle mentioned? I've been here for a year, and I've never heard of it."

Zhang Aoxue, looking at him with a faint expression, turned her gaze to the mid-air performance of Xuanyin True Man and replied

, "It's one of our sect's four great secret techniques, unknown to new disciples. Besides each of the four academies having their extremely mysterious sword techniques, there are also four great secret techniques. These techniques are not known to ordinary disciples and are the fundamental reason for our sect's enduring reputation in the cultivation world. Typically, these techniques cannot be easily used without approval from the Sect Master. You also know that the 'Yitian Ruler' must be in hand for the full effect."

Luyun, hearing this, felt a slight shock. He hadn't expected Yiyuan to possess such unknown secrets, explaining its renowned status in the cultivation world. Carefully watching the mid-air display, Xuanyin True Man's entire being was shrouded in blue light, and the true energy around him began to gather, forming peculiar blue glows. The surrounding true energy started undulating in layers, rapidly increasing in speed, soon reaching an indiscernible pace.

At this point, the airflow in the forest began to converge towards Xuanyin True Man. With the fluctuation of true energy, Luyun felt the entire ground trembling. Watching Xuanyin True Man enveloped in blue light and the true energy transforming into numerous runes and seals, flying towards the cold pool, he witnessed the formation of a Yin-Yang Bagua pattern above. The Bagua pattern, rotating rapidly, emitted red and blue lights, illuminating the clear water of the cold pool. Countless spiritual energies gathered, forming a spiritual seal, rotating gently above the pool. Finally, the spiritual seal and the Yin-Yang Bagua overlapped, gradually shrinking and landing softly in the cold pool. When the spiritual seal touched the pool bottom, a blend of blue and red light burst forth, piercing through the sky.

Xuanyin True Man hovered in mid-air, his face slightly pale, a hint of a smile in his eyes. Descending slowly, he glanced at the others and whispered, "Finally lived up to expectations. It seems we can seal it temporarily now. When Senior Brother returns, we can seal it again."

Qianyuan True Man smiled and said, "Junior Brother, you must be tired too. Let's go back for now. As for the origin of Aoxue's divine sword, we can discuss it later when we return." With a slight smile, he instantly soared into the air, a streak of blue light flashing, disappearing in an instant. Following that, five more figures flashed by, and the forest quickly returned to tranquility.

Back at Yiyuan, the six of them gathered at Xuanyin True Man's place, sitting together in the room. By now, Linyun had recovered some of his vitality. Feeling the return of the six, he also walked in and sat quietly next to Luyun, watching everyone.

All eyes were now on Zhang Aoxue. Master Jingyue spoke, "Aoxue, in front of everyone, tell us about the origin of this sword."

Zhang Aoxue looked around, her expression calm, and replied, "In response to Master's question, this sword was obtained in the forest, from the cold pool. A few days ago, while practicing swordsmanship alone outside the courtyard, I noticed a faint purple light emanating from the forest. Out of curiosity, I went to investigate and found a trace of purple light in the cold pool. At that time, I didn't know what the purple light was and thought it might be a spiritual treasure. After patiently waiting for three hours, I discovered it was a sword. The sword transformed into a purple dragon, swiftly moving in the pool. After trying various methods, I managed to lure it out. However, just as I was about to obtain it, Lin Yunfeng from Yin Academy appeared, startling the sword away. Today, seeing the purple light again, I went there once more, faced some difficulties, but finally obtained this sword."

The leaders of the four academies exchanged glances, showing a hint of surprise in their eyes. Xuanyin True Man spoke, "It seems destined. According to Aoxue, this sword must have been a divine object used to suppress the ghostly energy in that area. No wonder it can restrain the Ghost Immortal so effectively. Unfortunately, after many years, the seal there must have been compromised, causing the sword to reappear as a dragon. This also indicates that a calamity is approaching. It's all predetermined. Aoxue obtaining this sword signifies a connection, and in the future, she may wield its power to eliminate demons and evil, contributing to the world."

Master Jingyue said, "Aoxue, now that you are fortunate to have this divine sword, you should focus on cultivating and strive to enhance your cultivation. In the future, make contributions to the world and bring glory to our sect. When Senior Brother returns, he can identify the origin of the sword. Now, it's not your concern. You all can leave; we have other matters to discuss."

Zhang Aoxue nodded slightly, got up, and left. Lin Yunfeng, pulling Luyun's hand, quickly followed behind Zhang Aoxue, leaving the room. Once outside, Lin Yunfeng said, "Luyun, come to my place and sit for a while. It has been a year, and I have a lot to talk to you about. Let's go. Sister won't go." After finishing speaking, he pulled Luyun towards his room. Luyun glanced at Zhang Aoxue's captivating figure, a faint expression of contemplation in his eyes. Unfortunately, he was soon pulled away by Lin Yunfeng.

Lin Yunfeng closed the door and whispered, "This year, you've become quite formidable. You've actually cultivated the Heavenly Sword Technique of the Yang Academy to the eighth level. It's truly incredible. At this rate, in another two years, you might surpass Li Hongfei and Senior Sister Aoxue. Not bad, quite promising. When that happens, after winning over the most beautiful Senior Sister Aoxue of our Yiyuan, you'll have everything."

Luyun stared at him and said, "Stop babbling nonsense. Your body hasn't fully recovered, and you're talking nonsense here. Be careful; I might beat you up. Now, tell me, where did you learn that Yin-Yang Sword Technique you displayed today? It's incredibly powerful, and it's not one of our Yiyuan's techniques. Come clean, when did you master it? Did your previous master teach it to you before you came here?"

Lin Yunfeng's eyes flickered, and he gave a sly smile. He evaded the question, saying, "Hehe, this is my unique skill. I wouldn't have used it so easily if it weren't for saving you. Okay, let's not talk about this. Let's discuss something else. How is Senior Sister Aoxue?" He chuckled.

Luyun showed a strange smile, whispered, "Don't divert the topic. Tell me the truth about the Yin-Yang Sword Technique. I don't want to hear your nonsense. It's just the two of us; speak the truth! If you don't, be careful; I might accidentally let something slip, and others might find out. Then don't blame me."

Lin Yunfeng's expression changed slightly, a look of surprise in his eyes as he stared at Luyun. Softly, he said, "You... are you not human? Are you a god? You seem to know everything, aware of the heavens and the earth with your eyes closed. Impressive, truly admirable. I see you're not just an ordinary person. Fine, I won't talk about it anymore. We're just two people; let's be honest! If I upset you, be careful; I might not recover. Now, let's talk about something else!" Lin Yunfeng wore a slightly uneasy smile, while Luyun's face showed a faint smile of contemplation.

Lin Yunfeng glared at him fiercely, then sighed, "Forget it. Since you've figured it out, I'll tell you. There's nothing to keep secret anyway. What you said is mostly correct. I came here seeking a good place to both learn the 'Demon Slayer Sword' of this place and enhance my cultivation by mastering all the techniques my master taught me."

Luyun smiled, "You're quite honest. Let me ask you one more thing. Today, your master, Xuanyin True Man, used a marvelous technique after jointly eliminating the Ghost Immortal. It's called the 'Heaven-Shaking Soul Tremor Technique,' very powerful. Do you know about it? I've heard Senior Sister mention that we have four secret techniques in Yiyuan. I didn't want to ask her directly, so I'm asking you."

Lin Yunfeng's face lit up, eyes sparkling, and he looked at Luyun, "Did you really witness Master using the 'Soul Tremor Technique' today? How powerful was it? Tell me!" He seemed very eager about this.

Luyun looked at him, a hint of a smile in his eyes, and recounted the events after he left. Finally, he said, "It seems like you're aware of the four secret techniques of Yiyuan. Since you know everything, it's your turn to talk."

Lin Yunfeng looked at Luyun and said in a low voice, "Of course, I know about these things. In fact, let me tell you, the reason I know all this is because of my master. My master calls himself Ghost Master, but his real identity, you know what it is? You probably can't guess. His real name is Xuangui True Man, the junior brother of the current head of Yiyuan, Xuanyin True Man, and he's my current master, the younger brother of Xuanyin True Man."

Luyun, with a slightly surprised expression, whispered, "Unexpected. I didn't think you'd have such a master. No wonder he wanted you to come back here. So, why did your master leave this place?"

Lin Yunfeng chuckled, "I heard my master mention it casually once. He said that he had a good relationship with Xuanyin True Man back then. During an election for a head of the academy in Yin Academy, they were asked to compare their cultivation levels to decide the leader. Out of consideration for their relationship, my master voluntarily left, wandering the world alone. My master mentioned that after leaving, he accidentally found an ancient book in a remote cave. Since then, he started studying the many secret techniques recorded in that old book. After I learned everything from that book, my master asked me to come here to learn Yiyuan's techniques and practice the secret techniques from the ancient book. He said that with my current cultivation level, it's hard to make significant progress without a good environment, so I came here."

Luyun listened with a somewhat surprised expression, "It's truly unexpected. It seems that you and I share some similarities. Perhaps it's fate. Now, tell me, what about the four secret techniques of Yiyuan? I'd like to understand more about this place."

Lin Yunfeng looked around, ensuring the room was tightly sealed, then spoke in a low voice, "This is a secret of Yiyuan that ordinary people don't know. Like you, who have been here for a year and still don't know everything. I can tell you about it since we have a good relationship, but don't spread it around. Otherwise, if the four academy leaders find out, it won't be fun. My master mentioned before we parted that Yiyuan has four great secret techniques, but only three of them are truly useful. Among these three secret techniques are the 'Heaven-Shaking Soul Tremor Technique' from Yin Academy, the 'Mountain-Cleaving Technique' from Qian Academy, and the 'Cloud-Splitting Technique' from Kun Academy. These three techniques are the pinnacle arts of Yiyuan and are not easily displayed in front of outsiders. That's why common people only know about the four sword techniques of Yiyuan, unaware of the four secret techniques."

Luyun, with a thoughtful expression, asked, "Why doesn't Yang Academy have a secret technique when the other three academies do?"

Lin Yunfeng smiled, "Actually, Yang Academy does have a secret technique. Unfortunately, since the establishment of Yiyuan over a thousand years ago, no one has succeeded in practicing it. So, there's no one practicing that secret technique anymore. It's called the 'Five Thunder Celestial Decree,' and it has been stored in the Yang Academy's library for a long time."

Luyun, with a slight change in expression, unexpectedly found the technique he was looking for in Yang Academy. It was quite surprising. Looking at Lin Yunfeng, Luyun smiled, "I didn't expect Yiyuan to have these secret techniques. It turns out Yang Academy also has one, a secret technique that no one has succeeded in practicing. I should check it out when I have time. Maybe I can learn something from it."

Lin Yunfeng chuckled, "With your skills, it's worth a look. But it's better not to let people know. Because these four secret techniques are not casually taught to disciples, usually only the successor of the next head can learn them. So, if you want to learn the 'Soul Tremor Technique,' it's going to be quite difficult. Well, let's work hard together. Hopefully, at the Yiyuan Martial Arts Conference a year from now, we'll have the opportunity to participate."

Luyun smiled, "Good, let's work hard. You should also put in the effort. Hopefully, a year from now, you'll have made progress, and together we'll make a name for ourselves, dominating the world!" After finishing, he patted Lin Yunfeng's shoulder and left with a smile.