Su Mu's eyes widened as he repeatedly watched the images in the recording stone.
One hundredth place: Li?
"Li..." Su Mu murmured.
"Senior Su, have you forgotten? That's my alias in Myriad Law City, you watched me choose it," Li Shuang reminded him.
Su Mu's lips trembled.
Did he need Li Shuang to remind him???
His memory wasn't that bad.
He just couldn't understand.
In just two years, Li Shuang not only entered the Soul Prison but also accumulated over 80,000 points, even making it into the top hundred of the Golden Ranking!
How did she do it?
Back then.
He had accompanied the founding patriarch to the Central Continent.
But the Central Continent was full of geniuses and endless powerful cultivators. Even someone as exceptionally talented as the founding patriarch was initially an unknown figure.
The patriarch's true rise came after he cultivated the Grand Forgetfulness Art.
Unfortunately, when he switched to cultivating the Forgetfulness Art, the patriarch was already over a hundred years old, so he missed the opportunity to participate in the Soul Golden Altar.
At that time.
In the Central Continent, the founding patriarch settled his grievances, then returned to the Southern Lan Continent, wholeheartedly establishing a sect, creating the current Sword Sect.
It wasn't that no one in the Southern Lan Continent had ever had the chance to possess the Myriad Law Eye; some might have barely squeezed into the Golden Ranking. But, top hundred?
Was this a first!
And how old was Li Shuang now? She had only had the Myriad Law Eye for two years, and she had already achieved so much. What if she had ten or twenty more years?
The Southern Lan Continent was probably about to produce a truly peerless genius.
Many thoughts raced through Su Mu's mind. He looked at Li Shuang's puzzled expression, but couldn't help but hesitate.
Li Shuang had always given him the impression of being mature and steady. Was Li Shuang... deliberately coming to show off to him now?
This child... Su Mu felt both annoyed and amused.
They were supposed to be cultivating the Path of Ruthlessness, but these two he was with were each more eccentric than the last.
Su Mu cleared his throat, deliberately putting on a nonchalant air: "You actually made it into the top hundred, that is indeed a good achievement. All cultivators on the Golden Ranking can participate in this Soul Golden Altar. However, your foundation is too shallow; your first time participating will likely just be for show. Don't have too high expectations; it's good enough just to experience it."
Su Mu remained calm, as if the shock in his heart didn't exist. He told himself that he was doing this to keep Li Shuang from becoming arrogant, that it was for her own good!
Li Shuang also nodded solemnly: "Senior, don't worry, I'm not that arrogant. It's already great to be able to experience it."
Su Mu nodded: "Since you have this opportunity, don't miss it? This Soul Golden Altar, if you don't break through to the third... no, the fifth level, it's meaningless."
Su Mu had originally wanted to say the third level to motivate Li Shuang, but he was afraid that this freak Li Shuang might actually break through to the third level! So he decided to exaggerate!
He knew that among the current geniuses, only You Lan could pass the fifth level of the Golden Altar!
No matter how outrageous Li Shuang was, she couldn't be that outrageous!
He was doing this to give Li Shuang a goal, so she wouldn't become complacent! This was truly a heart full of protective care!
"I understand!" Li Shuang responded: "The goal this time is the fifth level!"
Su Mu coughed lightly: "It's good to have a goal, right? Oh, you've been in seclusion for two full years. If you're going to prepare for the Soul Golden Altar, I suggest you come out of seclusion for a while, and then go consult with Elder Ling. Her Dao... should give you some inspiration."
Elder Ling...
Li Shuang had already learned from Lin Qingling that Elder Ling, who guarded the Scripture Pavilion, was one of the three Tribulation Transcending elders of the Sword Sect!
Moreover, because of the breathing technique, the three Grand Elders had promised to teach her for three months each.
Previously, Li Shuang had always had smooth sailing and never encountered any bottlenecks, so she naturally hadn't used this opportunity. But now, her soul cultivation was stuck at the peak of the Soul Transformation stage.
Li Shuang had no experience on how to proceed with the path ahead.
Hearing Su Mu say this, Li Shuang thoughtfully agreed.
Indeed, it was time for her to use one of her guidance opportunities.
If she could make another breakthrough before the Soul Golden Altar officially began, she would be able to gain more benefits from this grand event.
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior. I will go and consult Elder Ling now." Li Shuang bowed and temporarily left the Sword Dao space.
Li Shuang removed her seclusion barrier and left her secluded chamber. At this moment, dawn was just breaking, and the entire Ruthless Peak was shrouded in a hazy mist.
After her breakthrough, this was Li Shuang's first time returning to the real world. She looked at every blade of grass and every tree on Ruthless Peak, and for some reason, she found them exceptionally lovely.
Bathed in the faint morning light, Li Shuang walked step by step to the mountaintop. She quietly looked into the distance, where a round sun was slowly rising.
All things in heaven and earth, which had been silent and still, were suddenly enveloped in a golden light the moment the sun rose.
It was truly... beautiful beyond compare.
Li Shuang looked at the scenery before her, her eyes gentle.
Only now did the string that had been taut in her mind for two full years finally completely relax.
A profound realization also dawned in her mind.
In this world, there were not only humans, demons, and devils.
There were also all things in heaven and earth.
In fact, these myriad things were the true protagonists of this world.
Year after year, how many beings came into this world, and how many left it?
How much had this mountain, this round sun, witnessed?
A faint glimmer of understanding flickered in Li Shuang's mind.
But when she tried to ponder it further, this glimmer of understanding vanished like flowing water.
Li Shuang was not anxious.
Her current insight was just a flash of inspiration. As she repeatedly deepened her understanding, some things would naturally emerge.
Li Shuang suddenly remembered Su Mu's suggestion.
Now, she somewhat understood why Su Mu had told her to see Elder Ling.
Elder Ling guarded the treasure pavilion, but she usually didn't need to appear in person. Elder Ling's most frequent activity was embroidery.
She embroidered many, many things.
Sometimes it was flowers.
Sometimes it was grass.
Sometimes it was an eagle.
Sometimes it was a fierce tiger.
What she embroidered with each stitch was precisely all things in this world.
Was Elder Ling's Dao found in all living things?
At this moment, she was truly looking forward to the upcoming guidance.
"Is it beautiful?" Lin Qingling's slightly puzzled voice rang out.
Li Shuang had just come out of seclusion, and she had already sensed it. It was just that she had only spoken now.
"Master!" Li Shuang respectfully bowed.
Lin Qingling looked at Li Shuang with a somewhat strange gaze.
It was very normal for cultivators to go into seclusion for several years or even decades.
But... after Li Shuang's two years of seclusion, she always felt that there was a change in this disciple that even she couldn't quite fathom.
I'll make up a chapter tomorrow, crying.