Li An and Zhuo Tian, swords in hand, locked eyes. With all their power, they launched toward each other, meeting in the middle.
Li An's sword intent was a level above Zhuo Tian's, reaching the rare level. Though it seemed like a small gap, in battle, even a slight advantage made a significant difference, especially in the same realm.
Both executed a front slash, their swords clashing in a burst of sparks. The impact forced Li An back a step, while Zhuo Tian staggered two steps.
Without hesitation, Zhuo Tian leaped into the air, raising his sword high for a vertical slash.
Li An countered with an upward swing. Their swords met, sending another shower of sparks. She was pushed back a step, but Zhuo Tian flipped backward through the air.
Before he landed, Li An rushed forward, her sword blooming with ethereal petals.
"Heavenly Blossom Sword Art: Art of Flowing Blossoms!"
The wind spiraled around her, blossoms swirling within the vortex.
Zhuo Tian stepped down midair and dashed three meters to the left before charging back at her.
Li An swung her sword in a vertical slash. Her sword intent surged outward, extending five meters before dissipating. Seeing Zhuo Tian evade, she transitioned into a horizontal slash, cutting in a wide arc.
Zhuo Tian smirked. "Good abilities. Now, let me show you the strength of a true swordsman."
"Storm Sword: Raging Storm!"
The wind howled as he spun, his sword slashing in a violent rotation.
Their sword intents clashed. In an instant, both disappeared, their swords colliding in rapid succession midair.
Li An quickly realized that despite her advantages, she was struggling in direct combat—her lack of experience was showing.
...
Watching from a distance, Li Hao smiled. "She's reached the small success level... but compared to my great perfection, she still has a long way to go."
She didn't yet understand the true essence of the Heavenly Blossom Sword. Even at small success, she was far from great completion.
"If that's the case, I'll help you."
...
Amid the intense sword clash, Li An suddenly heard Li Hao's voice in her mind.
"The art of Heavenly Blossom is the gentle flow of falling petals."
The words struck her like a revelation. In that moment, clarity dawned, and she pushed Zhuo Tian back.
Standing five meters away, she grasped her sword in one hand and steadied herself by holding her belt with the other.
Her eyes locked onto Zhuo Tian as he vanished from five meters away—only to reappear a mere meter in front of her.
As he swung his sword downward, Li Hao's words echoed in her mind. "The essence of the Heavenly Blossom Sword Art is the gentle swing of the blade."
At that moment, her sword intent embryo shattered, transforming into true sword intent.
Her power surged—a 1.1-fold increase in both capability and quality.
With a single, fluid arc, she swung her sword. The force behind it severed Zhuo Tian's blade in half.
Zhuo Tian's attack missed, his broken sword landing behind her. Silence filled the air.
Everyone stood frozen in shock. Was this the true meaning of power?
Li An sheathed her sword and vanished.
From a distance, Li Hao watched with a satisfied smile. "This little girl has finally grasped the hint. She's only one step closer to great completion."
With that, he disappeared—it was time to cultivate.
But the news of the duel between the Third Elder's and Ninth Elder's disciples did not escape the eyes of the strong, especially that final moment.
Her sword intent was now consolidated. She was a true swordsman.
Her mastery was recognized—one of the strongest in the younger generation. To possess sword intent at such a young age was an extraordinary achievement.
...
In the Zhuo family's grand hall, an ancient man resembling a withered skeleton sat, his eyes burning with fury.
"How did this happen?! How could my Zhuo family lose face like this? Who is the brat that defeated Zhuo Tian?" the old man demanded.
"Grandfather, it was just a spar. Nothing serious," Zhuo Tian replied.
"Nothing serious? You've shamed the Zhuo family! How will the other clans view us now?"
His aura erupted, crushing down on Zhuo Tian.
This man was Zhuo Haoyu, the Zhuo family's ancestor.
[Name: Zhuo Haoyu]
Age: 392
Realm: Profound Peak
Relation: Zhuo Family Ancestor
"I will give you one year. In that time, you will challenge that brat again and win. If you fail, I will kill her myself to erase this humiliation," Zhuo Haoyu declared, before returning to his cultivation, striving for a breakthrough to the Life and Death Realm.
Zhuo Tian clenched his fists. "One year... I will win. I must."
...
Back at their residence, Li An entered, finding Li Hao waiting.
His posture was regal, his presence overwhelming. "Your martial arts have improved. So, I will increase your training."
Li An blinked. "Isn't this too fast? Can I even handle this?"
Li Hao glanced ahead.
[System Mission:]
Step 1: Zhuo Tian will break through to the Transcendent Realm within a year and challenge Li An to a life-and-death duel. Train Li An to prepare for the threat.
Step 2: If the Zhuo family ancestor intervenes after the battle, eliminate him immediately.
"You can handle it just fine."
...
The next day, Li An embarked on a grueling regimen. A fifty-mile run through the forest—every single day.
For martial artists, the peak running speed in this realm was forty miles per hour. Even so, the endurance required made this training brutal.
Her daily regimen included:
5,000 pull-ups
5,000 sit-ups
5,000 push-ups
5,000 squats
50-mile run
It was relentless. Every day felt like hell.
Even her master admitted this was the hardest training he had ever seen in his long life.
But this was the Vitality Exercise—designed to push the body beyond its limits.
...
Three months passed. Just when she thought it was over, Li Hao appeared again.
This time, his gaze was that of a devil. "Sister, it's been three months. You've reached the peak of your Qi strength. Now, we begin the real practice."
His next regimen was no easier:
1,000 vertical sword swings daily
1,000 horizontal swings
2,000 diagonal swings
At the end of each week, she would spar against him for an entire day to test her progress.
She gritted her teeth. "The only person I want to hate... but I still can't. This is my life now."
...
Another three months later, Li An stood beneath the sky, gripping an iron sword.
Li Hao appeared, wielding a wooden sword reinforced by spiritual power and profound-level sword intent.
"You've come far. But this is only the first bottleneck," he said. "Are you still willing to continue?"
She glared at him. "Six months of hell, and you still won't tell me what you're preparing me for."
Li Hao's voice was calm. "To survive."