Shi Lang stood ten meters from Long Tian and asked, "Senior, how shall we proceed?"
Long Tian thought and said, "Sword skills only. What do you say?"
Shi Lang smiled and nodded. Then he watched Long Tian take out his spirit sword. The weapon was ordinary, but since they were competing regarding sword skills, this sword would suffice.
Shi Lang took out a similar low-grade sword and assumed their battle stance. One elder from the side said, "Begin."
Two men, one old and another young, rushed at each other, holding cold swords. They did not waver, nor did they have any fear in their gazes. The battle had begun even before they wielded their swords.
Shi Lang smiled as the blades connected and loud sounds echoed in the surroundings. They did not recoil because they were moving swiftly as they clashed. The blades flickered through the void. Sparks were the only things left behind in the void.
Hao Ren stood at the side, watching everything with fascinated gazes. He wondered what it took to fight so elegantly. He could not see the weapons, but he could sense them. Suddenly, he closed his eyes and began to immerse deeper in the sensation of blades falling through the void.
The elder beside him noticed this and waved his hand to isolate the child from all the disturbance. He could tell that although this child had yet to start his path of cultivation, he had gained enlightenment from this duel.
Not just him, but even Shi Lang and Long Tian sensed this oddity. The terran gazed at the old man, and the latter nodded. They began to increase the pace and aid the young boy to feel the sword rules even more.
Hao Ren was synchronizing with the rules of their sword rules. Shi Lang was happy to nurture this young man because of his sister. He did not wish for Hao Mei to feel like he was partial.
The two people began to fight to a higher degree and were ferocious. Nothing held them back now except the agreement not to use their spiritual energy.
Shi Lang was calm and gradually revealed his edge to the old man. Long Tian also did not hold back and fought with great enthusiasm. The old man may have only one arm, but his skills were no less impressive than the young man.
The older people were in awe. They did not expect him to be so marvelous, and his skills have grown stronger since he left the Eastern Barren.
The two people fought, and suddenly, they all came to a stop. They turned to look at Hao Ren and found his body covered in a subtle shimmer. The spirit swords in their hands emitted a low scream before they fell silent.
Shi Lang looked at the stunned Long Tian and asked, "Elder, is he."
Long Tian nodded and said, "He is a natural swordsman. His heart is a sword itself."
Shi Lang narrowed his eyes and said, "They both were diamonds in the rough."
Long Tian asked, "What do you intend to do with him?"
Shi Lang replied, "I wish you to take him under your wing. Do not groom him to be the sect leader. Train him to leave the eastern barrens and command the forces against demonic cultivators."
Long Tian nodded and said, "I agree." n-.o//V-.e//l-.b-)I-(n
Shi Lang replied, "Then you can take him with you. I will come and check on him when I have some time."
Long Tian nodded and said, "Do not worry. He will be fine with me. I will have the Dragon Sword Sect nurture him with the best conditions."
Shi Lang shook his head and replied, "Have him suffer some hardships. Do not give him too much comfort or let him turn arrogant."
Long Tian nodded and said, "I know, boy. Are you going to meet Sect Master Ling?"
Shi Lang shook his head and replied, "Please tell them I said hello. I have some urgent issues to look after in the central plains. I will get going now."
The people did not say much when Shi Lang vanished inside a void tunnel behind him. The people did not even get the chance to react when Shi Lang vanished.
The terran appeared inside the palace once again. He found that the two children were missing. He looked around but could not find anyone. Just when he was about to look for them with his consciousness, a figure materialized next to him. The figure was an old man.
Shi Lang smiled and said, "Senior, have you seen my disciples."
The old man smiled and said, "Xiao Lang, your disciples are marvelous. They both can reach the sovereign realm. We cannot teach Xiao Yu as she has accepted your teachings completely, but Hao Mei has the potential to surpass the alchemy achievements of Fairy Nector."
Shi Lang was aware that Fairy Nector was a senior in the mausoleum who had reached the peak of alchemy, but she lived in recluse. The terran smiled and said, "Senior, it will be my Disciples fortune to receive the inheritance and wisdom of Senior Nector. I cannot ask for a more apt path of cultivation."
The old man nodded and said, "You should go to the place where the demon bane is planted. All of them are gathered around the tree."
Shi Lang bowed to the old man and left the place in a quick reaction. The old man smiled and vanished from the spot. Shi Lang came to the room where the demon bane tree was planted, and he was surprised to find the two girls standing under the tree.
They gazed at the tree, and Shi Lang asked, "What are you looking for?"
lightsnοvεl Yu Xiedi replied, "Master, that elder said if we could acquire a fruit from the top of this tree, we would become stronger. We are thinking how to do that."
Shi Lang smiled and said, "Since this is your test, I cannot help you. But I will give you two a hint."
Hao Mei pursed her lips and said, "Master, Elder Yin told us not to succumb to external help. How can we take your hint?"
Shi Lang nodded seriously and asked, "Fine then, can you answer my question?"
The two girls nodded, and Shi Lang asked, "What must be done when the answer cannot be found outside?"
The question stumbled over the two girls. They did not know what their Master was asking them. So they began to think. Shi Lang waited patiently at the side. He wanted them to work their way to the reward. He sat in the void, watching the two girls. He could tell what they were thinking of from their expressions.
After a few minutes of deliberation, the girls exchanged glances and nodded. Shi Lang said, "If any of you answer wrongfully, the other will not get the prize. I treat you both equally since you wish to get the prize, then either you get it or none of you."
Yu Xiedi and Hao Mei looked at each other. Shi Lang was not trying to drive a wedge between them, but he was trying to make them work together. Only when they know the importance of teamwork will they be able to support each other in the future.
Shi Lang watched them discuss the answer with each other in a hushed tone. This scene filled him with great joy. Two little girls were trying to come up with an answer to get some reward, and they were trying hard for it.
After a few minutes, the girls nodded to each other, and they came to Shi Lang. Yu Xiedi said, "Master, Sister Meimei, and I have come up with an answer."
Shi Lang nodded, and Hao Mei said, "Master if the answers cannot be found outside, we must look inside."
Shi Lang smiled happily, patted their heads, and said, "You are correct. Now that you know the answer to this question, can you tell me what you must do if you cannot solve something alone?"
Yu Xiedi nodded and said, "We must look for you."
Shi Lang was stunned and said, "You naughty one. If you cannot solve the problems independently, ask your partner for help."
Hao Mei said, "Master, you are helping us again."
Shi Lang shook his head and said, "I am correcting you. Now, you have one hour to devise a way to take the fruit from the top of this tree. Because that fruit will spoil after ten minutes, it ripens."
The girls were startled, and they both pouted. But they knew complaining would waste time, so they started thinking about it. Shi Lang shook his head and sat back in cultivation. He was not going to meddle this time.
He closed his eyes and sat down in meditation. He could sense a few ethereal figures standing beside him. These people have been looking for the two children and testing their potential.
Shi Lang watched the two little ones hop on their spots. They realized that they could not get to the top so they exchanged glances and Yu Xiedi said, "Help each other?"