Chapter 441 - 308: Intention to Establish a Sect

Chapter 441: Chapter 308: Intention to Establish a Sect

Moreover, Ling Xiao had seen the Jade Scroll left behind from that era. It contained a complete record of the grand spectacle when the sect’s founder created the Star Sword Formulas! Though it was only a fragment of the memory, Ling Xiao had truly witnessed the founder’s dashing figure and the sight of the very stars shifting in the sky with each seemingly effortless slash of his sword.

Therefore, Ling Xiao firmly believed that as long as he continued to practice the Star Sword Formulas, he would one day reach that level.

’But right now... I’m still too far off!’

Ling Xiao performed all the Sword Techniques from the first level of the Star Sword Formulas in succession, but without using any Sword Qi. He couldn’t help but shake his head with a wry smile. ’When will I ever reach that realm where I can move the stars with a simple gesture...?’

Little did he know that while he was deeply dissatisfied with his performance, he had utterly stunned High Priest Su Xue, who was also up for her morning practice.

After taking the Small Returning Pill, Su Xue’s Dantian had been miraculously repaired. Furthermore, she had absorbed all the immense energy contained within the pill. By also using the Secret Techniques and elixirs she possessed, her strength had been growing at an incredible speed recently!

Based on her own assessment, reaching the Tier Three Sword Emperor Realm within a few months would be no problem at all.

This was naturally wonderful news, so Su Xue had been cultivating diligently every day. After watching Ling Xiao complete his set of sword techniques, she couldn’t help but applaud. "Ling Xiao, what is the name of that sword technique? I feel it must be at the divine level, wouldn’t you say?"

Ling Xiao had been aware of Su Xue’s presence for a while. His sword techniques may have looked simple, but the accompanying Cultivation Technique could only be practiced by a Cultivator at the Golden Core Stage. Therefore, he wasn’t worried about them being leaked. He smiled and said, "I’m not sure if it qualifies. You’re up early, Auntie!"

The early morning sun illuminated Su Xue’s smooth forehead. She looked like a young woman in her twenties; no one would ever guess she was the mother of a seventeen-year-old girl.

Su Xue chuckled. "The creator of these sword techniques must have been a great scholar, well-versed in the classics! Each movement feels so poetic and graceful, completely concealing the chilling killing intent within. And you performed it without Sword Qi. If you had infused it with Sword Qi, the destructive power would be astonishing!"

Ling Xiao suddenly said in a low voice, "Auntie, if I were to establish my own sect... what would you think?"

High Priest Su Xue froze, staring at Ling Xiao in disbelief. It was only now that she truly understood: the man her daughter had chosen was anything but simple.

At such a young age, he already possessed strength and influence that others might never achieve in a lifetime. She had thought he would be content with his current situation, but then he had the audacity to declare war on the Zhe Family. The High Priest had been both moved and worried for him. Fortunately, she had learned from her daughter that Ling Xiao was, for all intents and purposes, a son-in-law of the Sea Domain Song Family.

Although she inwardly cursed that boy Ling Xiao for being shameless enough to woo another family’s young lady in addition to her own daughter, Su Xue had heard of the Sea Domain Song Family’s renown. She had originally assumed his backing was the Sea Domain Song Family, a truly first-class clan. But she had never imagined he would harbor ambitions of establishing his own sect!

A boy of sixteen or seventeen wanting to establish his own sect... If anyone else had said it, even a woman as composed as Su Xue would have laughed until she doubled over.

But the one saying it was Ling Xiao.

A true, bona fide young genius.

There was never a shortage of geniuses among the great families and sects. Every one of them placed the utmost importance on nurturing the next generation. Only by ensuring each generation surpassed the last could a family guarantee its enduring prosperity.

High Priest Su Xue herself was a prodigy of stunning talent. Even with a ruined Dantian, she had still managed to break through to the Sword Emperor Realm in her forties.

An achievement like that was more than enough to be a source of pride among all the great families and sects.

But Su Xue felt that compared to the young man before her, her own accomplishments were utterly insignificant—embarrassing to even mention.

At twenty, her strength hadn’t even reached the Sword Sect realm. Yet this boy before her was only sixteen or seventeen. Even now, having recovered to the Peak Realm of a Tier One Sword Emperor, she wouldn’t dare claim she could defeat him.

After all, of the two Sword Emperor Realm experts the Zhe Family had sent to kill her, the Tier Two Sword Emperor had been forced to self-destruct by that strange, size-changing treasure cauldron without Ling Xiao even having to lift a finger!

As for the other expert, a Tier Four Sword Emperor, Ling Xiao had defeated him fair and square with his Sword Techniques!

’This kind of power...’ The High Priest couldn’t think of anyone else capable of such a feat. ’Perhaps only the legendary Yun Zilan, who reached the Saint Tier in fifty years, could compare to Ling Xiao?’

’But Ling Xiao isn’t even twenty! His future is limitless.’ The High Priest mused, realizing Ling Xiao’s proposal wasn’t absurd at all. ’Why did I accept his idea so easily? Is it because of Ye Zi?’ Su Xue inwardly shook her head. ’Of course I want my daughter to be happy, so I would never want Ling Xiao to make a suicidal move. But seeing how confident he is, he must be certain of his success.’

"Establishing a sect... requires so much preparation. First, you have to guard against..." The High Priest trailed off, suddenly looking up at Ling Xiao with a strange, complex expression, one that was more than half surprise. "Ling Xiao... you... you actually planned for this step from the very beginning? You’ve had this ambition to establish a sect all along, haven’t you? Killing those people from the Zhe Family... besides getting revenge for me, your main goal was to establish your power, wasn’t it?"

Ling Xiao just smiled without answering, which was a tacit admission.

’Originally, what the High Priest had meant to say was that he must first guard against other families coming to challenge him. This kind of open, public declaration to establish a sect is fundamentally different from a group that develops over many years and eventually gains acceptance from the other hidden families and sects.’

’The latter path involves a long period of accumulation, maintaining a low profile, and acting with extreme caution. Only after their strength reaches a certain level are they finally recognized and acknowledged by other families.’

’But openly establishing a sect is different. On the Canglan Continent, great families are numerous while sects are in the minority and generally in a weaker position. A sect like Lengning Palace is already considered quite powerful!’

’Of course, super-sects do exist, but they are all far from the Lanyue Empire and rarely interact with this region. The continent is vast. The Eastern Continent is separated by a huge expanse known as the Desert of Death, so there were some great families and sects that even Su Xue knew nothing about.’

However, this didn’t alleviate Su Xue’s worries about Ling Xiao’s plan to establish a sect.