In Zhu Xian, people start to rise from plundering entries

Elder Mu stroked his beard, his eyes filled with satisfaction and admiration. "My injury is merely a slight depletion of my essence; I'll recover in a period of seclusion. But you, lad, truly impressed me in that battle at Falling Star Lake. With your Star Seed Realm cultivation, you actually managed to withstand such a desperate situation and successfully brought back Tianya's spiritual essence... Excellent, very good!"

Su Han said embarrassedly, "If Elder Mu hadn't risked his life to hold off those three Star Spirit Guardians, I would have been reduced to ashes long ago. It was the elder who saved my life and also saved my senior sister."

"Haha, there's no need for us to shirk responsibility." Elder Mu laughed heartily, then his expression turned serious as he asked, "Do you know how long you've been unconscious?"

Su Han sensed the surging vitality within his body and said somewhat uncertainly, "It feels like... a long time has passed. My injuries have almost healed, and my star power is more refined. Could it be... more than a month?"

“A full thirty-five days.” Elder Mu held up three fingers, then spread them open to five. “During this time, the sect leader personally ordered that you could take the best elixirs from the Hundred Herbs Hall at will, and elders took turns to cleanse your meridians and stabilize your foundation. Your injuries this time were too severe, almost damaging the very foundation of your martial arts. If the sect hadn’t spared no expense, it would have been as difficult as climbing to heaven for you to recover so quickly.”

Hearing this, Su Han was deeply moved and solemnly said again, "This disciple thanks the sect for its cultivation and the elders for saving my life!"

"Yes, it's good that they know how to repay kindness." Elder Mu nodded, then changed the subject, mentioning what he cared about most, "As for that girl Tianya..."

Su Han's heart jumped instantly, and he looked intently at Elder Mu: "How is Senior Sister...?"

Elder Mu's face showed a complex expression, a mixture of relief, amazement, and an indescribable solemnity: "Tianya's situation is better than we imagined, but it is also more... special."

"Special?" Su Han frowned slightly.

"Not bad." Elder Mu slowly rose, walked to the window with his hands behind his back, and gazed at the misty main peak of Tianya Peak in the distance. He said in a deep voice, "The ice crystal you brought back, and the illusory image of the Tianya Sword Spirit sealed within it, are far more spiritually potent than we expected. The return of that drop of primordial blood essence, coupled with your nurturing it with your heart's blood, seems to have caused a qualitative change in its spirituality. Now it is in the 'Spirit Gathering Pool' at the top of Tianya Peak, where the sect leader is personally overseeing and nurturing it with the full strength of the sect."

"Then... when will Senior Sister be able to reshape her sword body and reconstitute her Dao body?" Su Han asked anxiously.

“Reshaping the sword body may be just around the corner. But reconstitute the Dao body…” Elder Mu turned around, looking at Su Han with a deep gaze, “is no easy task, and may even… not proceed as we expect.”

Su Han's heart tightened: "What does the elder mean?"

"The Heavenly Sword Spirit was born from a wisp of innate, extremely cold sword energy, making it an exceptionally special being. When it condensed its Dao body, it already seized the very essence of heaven and earth. Now, its spirit has been reborn, and it has fused with your heart's blood, creating a deeper connection between you, perhaps even... a bloodline bond." Elder Mu's tone held a hint of inquiry. "Su Han, during your coma, did you experience any special sensations? For example... with the Heavenly Sword Spirit?"

Su Han was taken aback, then thought back carefully. During the month he was unconscious, he wasn't entirely unaware. Occasionally, in moments of blurred consciousness, he could indeed feel a faint, icy aura, flowing like moonlight deep within his mind, bringing a strange sense of peace and familiarity. He had initially thought it was a hallucination caused by his severe injuries, but now, hearing Elder Mu mention it… “It seems… there really is a very faint, very distant feeling, like a ray of moonlight, very cold, but very familiar…” Su Han said truthfully.

"As expected!" Elder Mu's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "This is it! News has also come from the Spirit Gathering Pool that when the Tianya Sword Spirit was absorbing star power to reshape itself, it showed an extremely strong affinity for your aura, even to the point of... dependence. The sect leader suspects that her future reshaping of her Dao body will probably be inseparable from you."

"It's related to me?" Su Han was taken aback, then a strange emotion welled up in his heart—nervousness, anticipation, and a hint of confusion. "What...can I do for Senior Sister?"

"It's not clear yet." Elder Mu shook his head. "Perhaps, after you recover, you can go to the Spirit Gathering Pool in person, and everything will become clear. The sect leader's idea is that once you recover, you should wait at the top of Tianya Peak. Maybe your very existence will be the greatest help to Tianya."

Su Han took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and solemnly said, "This disciple understands. Once this disciple's injuries have healed, I will immediately proceed to Tianya Peak!"

"Well, there's no rush. You should focus on fully recovering and stabilizing your cultivation level first." Elder Mu patted Su Han's shoulder. "You've turned misfortune into blessing this time. Your star power now carries the icy attribute of the Tianya Sword, which will greatly benefit your future cultivation. Make the most of this opportunity and don't let it go to waste. Also, don't... let down everything that girl Tianya has done for you."

Elder Mu gave Su Han a meaningful look, then turned and left.

Su Han stood there, processing the information from Elder Mu's words. Not only did his senior sister's spirituality remain, but it also seemed to have undergone a special change due to his heart's blood. The path to reshaping her Dao body was now inextricably linked to him…

He subconsciously touched his chest, where the emptiness from the loss of a drop of his heart's blood had long been filled with new life, but some invisible connection seemed to transcend space and be tightly linked to the Spirit Pool at the summit of Tianya Peak.

"Senior sister..." Su Han murmured to herself, a resolute glint in her eyes, "No matter what the future holds, I will definitely help you return!"

In the following days, Su Han no longer rushed to get out of bed, but instead calmed his mind and carefully sensed the newly generated power within his body. Just as Elder Mu had said, his star power indeed contained an extremely pure icy attribute, like a dormant ice dragon hidden within his dantian star seed. This icy star power not only did not conflict with his original star power, but instead played a role in condensing and purifying it, making his foundation even more stable.

He tried circulating the sect's basic cultivation technique, "Azure Cloud Technique," and discovered that as the star power flowed, the temperature of the surrounding air would drop slightly, and even faint ice crystals could condense at his fingertips. This change delighted him, as it meant that his combat power would be comprehensively enhanced, especially when using ice-based star techniques, where their power would undoubtedly be multiplied.

"This... can be considered a gift left to me by my senior sister..." A warm smile appeared on Su Han's lips.

Five days later, Su Han felt he had reached his peak condition. Not only were his injuries fully healed, but his cultivation had also benefited from the misfortune, faintly touching the threshold of the mid-stage Star Seed Realm. After reporting the situation to the elders of the Hundred Herbs Hall, he couldn't wait to leave and sped towards Tianya Peak. (End of Chapter)