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Chapter 10
Ling Qingxiao observed her in silence. Luo Han had no choice but to reluctantly set down her tablet and head outside to practice flying. At this moment, the sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the cliffs. Whether it was the unique nature of the Biyun Secret Realm or not, the sun seemed exceptionally large, as if it were within arm's reach.
As she stepped outside, Luo Han suddenly remembered: "I don't have a sword."
Below the level of Spirit Immortal, celestials relied on flying artifacts; only Spirit Immortals could fly unaided. Luo Han currently lacked any cultivation and could only depend on such tools. During the day, Ling Qingxiao had considered this and had flown using his sword. The celestial realm boasted a lavish array of flying artifacts, ranging from simple lotuses and clouds to grand vessels and towers. However, these artifacts were costly, leading to the popularity of sword flight as a more economical and stylish alternative. Sword flight had become a foundational skill in the cultivation world. Luo Han found herself penniless at present. She possessed valuable treasures, but no means to liquidate them, leaving her without even a basic immortal sword.
Just as Luo Han was about to suggest, "Let's learn this after we leave," Ling Qingxiao formed a hand seal, summoning his Nine Heavens Sword. Upon seeing it, Luo Han hesitated and quickly said, "I'm a beginner; a regular spirit sword would suffice. I can't use your personal weapon."
"It's fine," Ling Qingxiao replied. "Using a better sword will make the learning process faster."
Luo Han had no choice but to nervously approach the Nine Heavens Sword. As she neared it, she felt a biting cold aura envelop her. Standing before the sword, she found herself at an impasse: "I have no cultivation level, how do I control the sword?"
Mounting the sword was simple; making it levitate was the real challenge.
Ling Qingxiao explained, "Cultivation usually serves to harness and store the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. You, however, are an exception. You can directly manipulate spiritual energy, with no need for cultivation."
While celestials needed to accumulate spiritual energy within their bodies, Luo Han was unique; she could directly command it. However, she still needed to learn the functional aspects of spells and gain proficiency. When Ling Qingxiao said, "you are different," her heart skipped a beat. Neither asked nor explained further. He guided her in sensing the spiritual energy around them.
Under Ling Qingxiao's instruction, Luo Han closed her eyes and sensed the energy. An overhead view of the cliff they were on emerged naturally in her mind, not depicted by lines or colors, but represented by forms of energy. Scattered throughout were points of light in roughly five different colors, corresponding to the five elements and drifting slowly in the currents.
Luo Han tried to direct the spiritual energy. To her surprise, it was remarkably responsive. She attempted to use the energy to levitate the Nine Heavens Sword but failed on her first try.
As if hearing her unspoken thoughts, Ling Qingxiao advised from the side, "Be patient. The Nine Heavens Sword has its own will. You must guide it, not force it."
After several more attempts, Luo Han finally managed to make the Nine Heavens Sword hover unsteadily. Just as she was beginning to feel a sense of accomplishment, Ling Qingxiao added, "Now, open your eyes and mount the sword."
Startled, Luo Han's concentration broke, causing the sword to plummet toward the ground, only to stop an inch above it. She sighed in relief and sincerely apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to drop your sword."
Ling Qingxiao arrested the sword's descent but left it tilted, insisting Luo Han correct it herself. "To fly on a sword, you need stability; distractions can't cause loss of control. Try to right it, then proceed."
Indeed, a strict and uncompromising teacher. Luo Han had no choice but to channel the spiritual energy again, laboriously straightening the sword.
Ling Qingxiao had always made sword flight seem so easy, but Luo Han now realized the difficulty of such precise control. Though she flew erratically, her first achievement was making it about ten meters off the ground. Ye Zinan, perched on a treetop, watched with a mixture of amusement and dread.
Ling Qingxiao was relentless. "The altitude fluctuates, the speed inconsistent. I'll give you an achievable first-day goal: three consistent, straight laps, and then you can rest."
Upon hearing this, Ye Zinan sensed an emerging crisis. A bird tribesman, he felt a kind of pressure from Ling Qingxiao's demanding requirements. Was this extreme prowess a rarity, or the norm among dragon tribes?
Shaking off such terrifying thoughts, Ye Zinan sighed. Luo Han's achievement would already be considered excellent by his tribe's standards, yet Ling Qingxiao seemed dissatisfied.
After completing several laps, Luo Han managed to somewhat stabilize her flight but fell short of Ling Qingxiao's perfectionist standards.
The moon hung behind the cliffs as a man in white stood beneath it, exuding a halo of cold light. Not far away, a young girl sat on a slender sword, a mix of frustration and despondency on her face, unwilling to fly anymore.
"Considering it's your first time, you've done quite well," Ling Qingxiao conceded.
Eager, Luo Han looked at him, only to hear him continue, "But it's still not enough."
Sympathetic, Ye Zinan leapt from his perch and headed back to sleep, cheering Luo Han, "You got this!" before leaving her in her misery.
Luo Han jumped off the sword to loosen her stiff legs and waist. She was about to take a breather when Ling Qingxiao announced, "Time's up."
Luo Han looked at him, expressionless. Was this man made of stone, treating a delicate girl this way?
"Each lap takes you about 15 minutes. You'll need approximately two attempts to perfect one. Starting now, you can satisfy the requirement after six rounds, just in time for four hours of sleep," Ling Qingxiao stated methodically.
Bombarded by these cold statistics, Luo Han felt dizzy. Ling Qingxiao must be a machine.
The next day, Luo Han stood atop her flying sword, her vitality entirely drained. Their destination for the day was the far North, separated from their current location by more than half of the mystical realm. They had spent an entire day just to get to the North and procure the first Crane Spirit Orchid. The next one would have to wait until tomorrow. The northern wind was dry and frigid, and an endless blanket of snow stretched as far as the eye could see. Fortunately, clothing in the cultivation world came with warming enchantments, allowing Luo Han to feel comfortable in a light skirt.
Amidst the icy wasteland's myriad dangers, the trio decided to rest early. Ling Qingxiao was away, and Ye Zinan moved closer to Luo Han, inquiring, "How many more times did you practice after I left yesterday?"
Luo Han answered with a wooden expression, "Eight times."
The look on Ye Zinan's face was one of pure sympathy, "That's brutal."
Luo Han didn't wish to dwell on the subject; it pained her. Ling Qingxiao was busy at the moment, but she knew that the devil would soon have her back in training.
Curious, Ye Zinan continued, "What's your relationship with him? He’s usually aloof, but he’s extraordinarily dedicated when it comes to you."
In the world of immortals, asking about someone’s personal affairs was generally considered intrusive. Ye Zinan had heard of the scandal involving the Ling family and had seen the sibling strife at the realm’s entrance, but he had never probed further. Now, he was incurably curious about the nature of Luo Han and Ling Qingxiao's relationship.
Luo Han stared at the snowy wilderness outside and softly said, "People differ in their dispositions. Some are all talk and no action, while others act but never speak. Some shout their contributions from the rooftops, and then there are those who silently remember every little thing."
Listening intently, Ye Zinan sensed underlying implications. Luo Han did not elaborate. "He may appear distant and cold, but he is patient and responsible. He's not the unattainable, ice-cold person that rumors make him out to be."
Ye Zinan chuckled, "Oh? Speaking so highly of him?"
Ignoring his teasing, Luo Han finally decided to get to know her teammate a bit better, "How old are you?"
"In the realm of immortals, asking someone’s age is as common as asking their name," Ye Zinan replied nonchalantly, "One hundred and eight thousand."
Luo Han was taken aback, "…Years?"
"Yes. And you?"
After a moment, Luo Han answered, "Eighteen."
Ye Zinan’s eyes widened in astonishment, "…Just eighteen?"
"Yes."
Both were mutually stunned. Luo Han incredulously asked, "You're one hundred and eight thousand years old and Ling Qingxiao is just a thousand. Why can’t you defeat him?"
"Don't be impudent," Ye Zinan protested, "My bird tribe is not known for combat prowess to begin with. Besides, I'm still in the prime of my life!"
Both felt slightly hurt after their respective assaults. Ye Zinan was about to say more when he suddenly heard a cold, familiar voice, "Luo Han."
Hearing this voice, Luo Han's face became a portrait of resignation. Ye Zinan, now conditioned to dread Ling Qingxiao's summoning of "Luo Han," silently retreated, flashing Luo Han an encouraging gesture, "Hang in there; I'm off to sleep."
With no escape in sight, Luo Han gloomily stepped outside. All she ever dreamed of was being an unremarkable person, living off her property and collecting rent. Why, even after having traveled through time, was she still forced to learn?