"Greetings, Elder! Greetings, Fairy Qinglian!"
Upon seeing Elder Zou and Fairy Qinglian descend one after the other, all the disciples present clasped their fists and bowed respectfully.
"At ease!"
After landing, Elder Zou waved his hand, and the long sword beneath his feet flew up and automatically sheathed itself on his back, exuding a carefree aura.
He smiled and said, "This little brother speaks well!"
"Not only did he not boast arrogantly, but he even humbly credited this great achievement to Luo Zhiyuan and us, which is truly rare!"
"Elder, you overpraise me."
Lin Li humbly bowed his head and said, "I was merely telling the truth. If it weren't for Senior Brother Luo and the timely arrival of you two elders, we would have all perished by now."
In fact, Lin Li had already gained substantial benefits from the Golden Leopard King using the Bloodsucking Demon Sword.
Now, all he needed was to return to the sect and enter seclusion for a day, after which he could break through from the mid-stage of Qi Refining to the late stage, reaching the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
This journey up the mountain had allowed him to advance from the fourth layer to the seventh layer of Qi Refining, an achievement that would normally take over ten years of painstaking cultivation, but he had obtained it in such a short time...
For Lin Li, this was far more important than any reward!
At this moment, it was neither necessary nor wise to argue for credit and make enemies of the others.
"Yes, indeed!"
The six other outer disciples nearby also chimed in their agreement.
One of the outer disciples who had entered the sect with Lin Li quickly added, "Though Senior Brother Luo and the two elders were primarily responsible for defeating the Golden Leopard King, this senior brother here also played a significant role!"
"Yes."
Elder Zou nodded and said, "I heard as much while I was above."
"It seems this little brother saved your life?"
Fairy Qinglian also spoke, "Helping and supporting each other within the sect is only natural. Clear rewards and punishments have always been the way of the Xuantian Sect! This young disciple saved the life of a fellow sect brother, so he should be rewarded both emotionally and logically!"
"Indeed."
Elder Zou continued to nod, "And this little brother has been far too modest."
"In fact, the battle between Luo Zhiyuan and the Golden Leopard King only caused temporary paralysis in its body, leaving it with minor superficial wounds. As for the two of us, we merely suppressed it and didn't inflict any fatal damage."
"The one who truly dealt the lethal blow to the Golden Leopard King was this outer disciple. He seized the opportunity, unexpectedly slicing open the Golden Leopard King's abdomen, and then he entered its body and destroyed its internal organs with his sword, causing its death."
"Of course, Luo Zhiyuan's bravery and leadership are commendable and should be praised. But the contribution of this outer disciple in slaying the Golden Leopard King is also undeniable!"
Elder Zou said, "As the elder of the Law Enforcement Hall, I have always been impartial in rewards and punishments! Little brother, what is your name? Tell me, and I will report this matter to the sect leader and ensure you receive great merit!"
"Not only has my cultivation improved significantly, but there are also other unexpected benefits!" Lin Li was overjoyed and respectfully replied, "Elder, my surname is Lin, and my given name is simply Li."
"Lin Li?"
Elder Zou pondered for a moment, then laughed heartily, "Good! What a good name!"
"The trial in the sect's back mountain has come to an end. Many disciples have perished at the hands of the Golden Leopard King and its pack of leopard demons. You will all return to the sect with me now."
"Yes, Elder!"
Elder Zou formed a sword seal with his fingers, and the long sword on his back flew out once again.
In an instant, the sword grew in size, reaching two zhang in length and three chi in width—large enough for Lin Li, Luo Zhiyuan, and the other eight Xuantian Sect disciples to board.
Standing at the tip of the sword, Elder Zou said, "Step onto my flying sword without worry. Once we take off, I will use a technique to ensure none of you fall."
"Yes, Elder!"
Except for Luo Zhiyuan, the other outer disciples, including Lin Li, felt a surge of excitement and anticipation from the depths of their hearts!
Flying on a sword!
For all mortals, and even for many Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators, this was something that only existed in their dreams!
Though they were called cultivators, for thousands of years, only a handful had truly ascended to the heavens and reached the immortal realm.
Everyone knew that becoming an immortal?
Although they were cultivators, it was almost an impossible feat.
However, flying on a sword was something they had witnessed the elders of their sect do countless times.
It could be said that every cultivator had fantasized about the day they could fly on a sword.
Now.
Though they had not yet attained the ability to fly on a sword themselves, the chance to hitch a ride on the Elder's "flying sword" and experience the thrill of sword flight was an unexpected and delightful surprise for many disciples!
Once Lin Li and the others had boarded the sword, Elder Zou activated his sword technique.
Suddenly, Lin Li felt a strong magnetic force beneath his feet, as if the sword was a magnet, firmly anchoring him to its surface.
"So that's how it works!"
Lin Li realized, "No wonder those experts remain so stable when flying on their swords. It turns out there's a magnetic force underfoot!"
In the past, Lin Li had foolishly wondered what would happen if someone slipped while flying on a sword and fell from the sky... But now he understood that his concerns were unnecessary.
Soon after, Elder Zou's enormous sword shot into the sky!
A barely perceptible layer of spiritual energy enveloped the sword, shielding them from the fierce winds as they flew at high speed.
At the same time, Fairy Qinglian raised her hand and summoned the Qinglian Treasure Pearl beneath her feet.
The treasure pearl blossomed like a lotus flower, transforming into a lotus platform, which Fairy Qinglian stood upon, closely following them.
...
Moments later, they left the back mountain of the sect.
Flying high in the sky, Lin Li felt his heart racing and his breath quickening. There was an indescribable mix of fear and excitement!
Looking around, all he could see were rolling white clouds and the clear sky above!
When he looked down, Lin Li's heart trembled. They were flying several hundred or even thousands of meters above the ground!
If not for the magnetic force beneath their feet, the outer disciples would surely have felt their legs go weak, fearing they might fall to their deaths with one misstep...
Before long, they arrived at the main peak of the Xuantian Sect: Tongtian Peak!
This peak towered over three thousand meters, with auspicious cranes flying around, and splendid palaces and pavilions nestled among the clouds, making it resemble a celestial paradise.