These past three months.
She had been honing her skills ceaselessly, and had already mastered about seventy to eighty percent of the upgraded Rhythm Method from the Furnace.
Later.
She even attempted.
To absorb the power of the stars while forging with the Rhythm Method.
Then.
Something strange happened.
With the enhancement of the Rhythm Method, her efficiency in absorbing the moonlight from the Taiyin Star greatly increased!
After three months of training, three of the nine lotus petals of the green lotus in her Sea of Consciousness had solidified.
Now.
The fourth lotus petal was also close to complete solidification.
Li Shuang's soul power had, unknowingly, reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage.
Li Shuang had a premonition that once this fourth lotus petal fully solidified, her soul power would likely break through to the Soul Transformation stage!
A Golden Core stage spiritual power cultivation.
Yet her soul power was only a step away from the Soul Transformation stage!
This was an extremely rare case in the cultivation world!
However.
For Li Shuang.
If it weren't for those ten years of dormancy, her cultivation would have probably broken through to the Soul Transformation stage long ago.
Now.
She was merely taking back what she had lost, step by step.
Of course.
Now, once she truly entered the Soul Transformation stage, her strength would undoubtedly be far greater than if she had entered the Soul Transformation stage ten years ago!
All the past hardships had become the foundation for her renewed cultivation!
She would ultimately forge a new path.
Moonlight enveloped Li Shuang, her face remaining serene.
Soon.
Once her soul power broke through to the Soul Transformation stage, she could emerge from seclusion.
After emerging, Li Shuang planned to see Lin Qingling immediately.
Due to the trading rules of Wanfa City, the Reincarnation Art could only be cultivated by herself and could not be taught.
Her Soul Severing Sword Art required profound understanding of the Great Dao and also could not be taught.
But recently.
She had gained a deep understanding of the Rhythm Method.
Some profound and mysterious aspects she could not express in words.
However, the parts she could express, Li Shuang had organized into a breathing technique.
Although this breathing technique was not as powerful as the complete Rhythm Method, if Sword Sect disciples cultivated it, it would greatly benefit their souls.
She would just research it further herself, striving to describe it more completely.
Li Shuang became increasingly immersed in forging.
The moonlight, like a waterfall, enveloped her entirely.
Her soul power was still transforming little by little.
Three days later.
At the Sword Sect mountain gate.
A group of Sword Sect disciples looked ahead with cold eyes.
"Sect Master Meng." In front, Yan Zhonghe arrived with a few disciples and Ye Zhaozhao. A hint of mockery was on his face: "Why do your Sword Sect disciples not seem to welcome us very much?"
Meng Yifei's expression was indifferent: "If they are benevolent guests, the Sword Sect naturally welcomes them. If they are malicious guests, they are naturally not welcome. Sect Master Yan should know whether he comes with good intentions or ill intentions."
Yan Zhonghe's eyes flickered: "Sect Master Meng exaggerates. What good intentions or ill intentions? We are both righteous sects, mutual exchange and competition, isn't that normal? The Sword Sect is one of the dignified Six Upper Sects, and my Overlord Blade Sect has shallow foundations. We have come specifically to seek guidance from the Sword Sect disciples."
Yan Zhonghe paused, then smiled and said, "Please, Sword Sect disciples... do not hold back."
"Sect Master Yan is quite direct," Meng Yifei said calmly. "My Sword Sect welcomes all friendly exchanges. Since Sect Master Yan is so eager, please follow me to the training ground."
Yan Zhonghe smiled and strode to follow.
Ren Gu and the others followed closely.
Ye Zhaozhao's eyes darted around, subconsciously searching for Li Shuang's trace in the crowd.
However.
She saw those from Ruthless Peak, and those from Lingxu Peak. The talented young disciples of the Sword Sect were all standing by, ready.
But she did not see Li Shuang.
Ye Zhaozhao deliberately walked slower, and she actively greeted Sheng Yuan and the others.
"Fellow Daoist Sheng, Fellow Daoist Shen, and this one..." Ye Zhaozhao deliberately looked at Chang Le'an with a puzzled expression.
At this sight.
Ye Zhaozhao felt a wave of disgust.
Chang Le'an had been imprisoned for a while, and a hint of gloom had appeared on him. He looked like a rat that had been hiding in a gutter, making her nauseous!
Suddenly greeted by Ye Zhaozhao, Sheng Yuan was momentarily stunned, feeling a little flattered. He quickly said, "This is my third junior brother, Chang Le'an."
"Hello, Fellow Daoist Chang," Ye Zhaozhao called out.
Chang Le'an looked up, casting a gloomy glance at her.
How did Chang Le'an become such a ghastly sight?
Ye Zhaozhao quickly shifted her gaze, and said with a grateful expression, "Fellow Daoist Sheng and Fellow Daoist Shen, back in Chenrong Kingdom, you two took great care of me. I have always kept it in my heart and would never forget it."
Sheng Yuan's expression softened a little: "It's a small matter. You and that evil demon Ye Zhaozhao have no connection whatsoever. Those people from Ruthless Peak forcibly slandered you, and I couldn't stand to watch."
"Fellow Daoist Sheng and Fellow Daoist Shen are truly sword cultivators who hate evil as if it were their own!" Ye Zhaozhao said with an admiring look, then continued, "This time, my father insisted on bringing my senior brothers to challenge the Sword Sect. I actually tried to dissuade him. But my father and the others were very insistent, and I couldn't stop them."
Sheng Yuan shook his head: "Fellow Daoist Fang just returned to the Overlord Blade Sect. This matter is not something you can decide."
"It's good that you don't blame me," Ye Zhaozhao let out a long sigh of relief, then said, "Fellow Daoist Sheng, where is that Fellow Daoist Li from back then? I still remember her heroic posture, cutting down all the bloody evil with one sword that day. Is she not here for such an important competition?"
Shen Yue said, "Senior Sister Li has been in seclusion for quite some time. She probably hasn't come out yet."
Sheng Yuan sneered: "What seclusion? She's just afraid of losing and doesn't dare to come out! Which of your three senior brothers can she beat? Coming here would only be asking for humiliation."
Ye Zhaozhao's eyes flickered.
Li Shuang isn't coming?
How boring!
Although her parasitic target had changed.
But Li Shuang had made her suffer so much.
She had to repay this towering hatred little by little, didn't she?
"Seclusion? Is it a death seclusion? If Senior Sister doesn't come to such a grand exchange event, it would truly be a pity." Ye Zhaozhao said with a regretful expression: "Actually, although Fellow Daoist Li misunderstood me, I don't blame her at all. If she could come, I would still want to explain the previous matters to her properly. I really have nothing to do with that Ye Zhaozhao."
Shen Yue hesitated and said, "Senior Sister Li is in seclusion in the artifact refining room, probably refining a third-grade Black Abyss."
Sheng Yuan sneered: "If it's just to upgrade to third-grade, one month is enough! But she has been in seclusion for three whole months! She must have heard something beforehand and doesn't dare to come out."
"That's truly a shame..." Ye Zhaozhao sighed.
Sheng Yuan looked at her and couldn't help but say, "The exchange between disciples is a major event for the sect. Since she has the reputation of a genius, she shouldn't keep hiding. Fellow Daoist Fang, don't worry, I will go and call her out now."
"Really? Then I thank you in advance, Fellow Daoist," Ye Zhaozhao said with a joyful expression.
"No problem, I'll go now." Sheng Yuan turned and actually headed directly towards the artifact refining room.
Shen Yue wanted to call out, but ultimately did not make a sound.
At the training ground.
Meng Yifei looked at Yan Zhonghe: "The arena barriers have all been set up. How does Sect Master Yan want to compete?"
Yan Zhonghe smiled: "Arena barriers? With these barriers, if one side's damage exceeds a certain limit, both parties will be forcibly teleported out of the arena."
"Since it's a friendly exchange, isn't it better to stop when appropriate?" Meng Yifei said calmly.