I want to tread the heavens

An Ling sat cross-legged deep in the bamboo forest, a long sword resting on his lap, his body radiating sword intent as cold as autumn water.

Ling Xiao stood ten feet away, leaning against an old bamboo tree, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth. He appeared lazy, but the power of the Starfall within him was already poised to be unleashed. Fa Cai lay at his feet, its silver-gray wolf eyes half-closed, its ears perked up.

An Ling wasn't in a good state today, so Ling Xiao communicated with Fa Cai telepathically.

Fa Cai yawned. "Nonsense, breaking through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage isn't like eating or drinking. Besides, you know how much he's got going on behind that cold face."

Ling Xiao didn't reply. An Ling was indeed different from ordinary people. From the day he joined the sect, this guy always had a stern face, and when practicing swordsmanship, he was more ruthless than anyone else, as if he had a grudge against the sword. Later, Ling Xiao learned that An Ling's entire family had been wiped out a few years ago, and he was the only survivor.

This kind of hatred, suppressed in the heart, may not be visible on ordinary days, but it is most likely to turn into a demon when one is at the most vulnerable point in their mind.

The sword intent within the sword bamboo forest grew stronger and stronger.

An Ling's breakthrough method was completely different from Ling Xiao's. Ling Xiao relied on the fierce struggle between his two bloodlines to forcefully break through the bottleneck, while An Ling relied on his understanding of swordsmanship to break through his realm. The Flowing Light and Shadow Splitting Sword Technique he cultivated was a mid-grade Earth-rank sword technique, which emphasized reflecting the world with the sword's heart, so that wherever the sword light went, the mind also went.

At this moment, An Ling's sword heart was expanding rapidly. Originally only the size of a fist, the sword heart swelled to the size of a palm under the infusion of spiritual power, and the sword light flowing on its surface became brighter and denser.

But at that moment, An Ling's brows suddenly furrowed.

Ling Xiao immediately sensed something was wrong. An Ling's previously steady sword intent began to become disordered, like a boulder being thrown into a calm lake. His breathing became rapid, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his fingers on the sword trembled slightly.

When his inner demons struck, Ling Xiao spat out the grass stems and straightened his body.

Fa Cai also stood up, his wolf-like eyes fixed on An Ling. Should he make a move?

"Wait a little longer," Ling Xiao said. "It's best to deal with inner demons on your own. Only help if it's absolutely necessary."

In An Ling's conscious world, a nightmare is unfolding at this moment.

He saw his home.

It wasn't the Heavenly Sword Sect, but the An family mansion in Qingzhou, now reduced to ashes. The vermilion gate, the blue stone steps, the old locust tree in the courtyard that he had climbed since childhood. Everything felt so real, even the fragrance of the locust blossoms was clearly audible.

Then the firelight shone.

Black flames surged in from all directions, engulfing the vermilion gate, the bluestone steps, and the old locust tree. Screams echoed from the courtyard—his father's voice, his mother's voice, and his sister's voice.

An Ling stood outside the door, holding a sword in her hand, but her feet seemed to be nailed to the ground, unable to take a single step.

He had experienced this scene firsthand. In his true memory, he was twelve years old when his father stuffed him into the cellar, and he saw everything through the cracks in the cellar. There was nothing he could do but watch.

But in the illusion created by his inner demons, he had no cellar to hide in.

He saw his father, covered in blood, rush out of the gate, and scream at him to run. Then a black hand reached out from the flames, grabbed his father's neck, and dragged him back into the fire.

An Ling's eyes reddened.

His sword trembled, and the light on its core began to dim. His inner demons were devouring his will; once the sword core was completely extinguished, not only would he fail to break through, but his cultivation would also regress.

Just as his sword spirit was about to be extinguished, a silver power surged in from the outside, like a warm hand, steadily supporting his faltering mind.

"An Ling," Ling Xiao's voice echoed in his mind, calm and devoid of his usual playful smile. That was a demonic impulse, not reality. "Your family is dead, but you are still alive. As long as you live, you have a chance for revenge."

An Ling's consciousness was violently shaken.

Ling Xiao's voice continued, "I have no family, so I can't tell you I understand how you feel. But I know one thing: what you need to do now is not to wallow in the pain of the past, but to become stronger. Strong enough to drag out those bastards who harmed your family and make them pay the price."

Silver meteorite power spread through An Ling's consciousness, like stars shining in the night sky, dispelling the flames of darkness. The illusions created by the inner demons began to shatter under the starlight; the vermilion gate, the blue stone steps, and the old locust tree all turned into fragments and vanished.

An Ling suddenly opened her eyes.

The longsword on his lap emitted a clear, melodious sound, and the light on its core shone brightly once more, even more brilliantly than before. The barrier of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage was pierced by the sword intent the instant his inner demon shattered, and spiritual energy surged into his dantian and meridians like a tidal wave.

breakthrough.

An Ling's sword aura surged skyward, severing dozens of bamboo swords within a ten-zhang radius with invisible sword intent, leaving smooth, mirror-like cuts. The longsword on his lap automatically unsheathed, hovering above his head, its blade humming. He gained a deeper understanding of the profound mysteries of the Flowing Light and Shadow Splitting Sword Technique the moment he broke through.

Ling Xiao withdrew the power of the meteor shower, took a few steps back, and looked at An Ling's breakthrough. He couldn't help but whistle, "His entourage is much bigger than mine."

Fa Cai rolled his eyes. "He's a sword cultivator, of course he has sword energy when he breaks through. What about you? You almost blew up your dantian when you broke through."

Can you please stop undermining me every time?

I am stating the facts.

An Ling's breakthrough lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. As the sword intent gradually subsided, when he reopened his eyes, his entire demeanor had undergone subtle changes. His already cold and stern face became even more sharp, and his eyes held a sword-like sharpness, as if he himself were a sword drawn from its sheath.

At the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, with Sword Heart Clarity advancing further, An Ling stood up, nodded to Ling Xiao, and thanked him.

"What are you thanking me for?" Ling Xiao waved his hand. "Your inner demon is quite fierce; it almost swallowed my Starfall Power."

An Ling was silent for a moment, then said, "I saw them. My father, my mother, and my sister."

Ling Xiao didn't speak, waiting for him to continue.

I thought I had let go, An Ling looked down at the sword in her hand, but her inner demons told her otherwise. Those images were still there, just suppressed in her heart, too afraid to think about them.

"It would be abnormal to let go," Ling Xiao said, "those are your family." But then again, that's how inner demons are; the more you avoid them, the fiercer they become; the more you confront them head-on, the more cowardly they become. Now that you've broken through and your sword heart is stronger, if they come looking for trouble again, just cleave them in two with a single sword strike.

An Ling's lips twitched slightly, which could be considered a smile. You're right.

The two left the Sword Bamboo Forest and returned to the courtyard on Qingyun Peak. Ling Xiao took out two jars of wine from the house, tossed one to An Ling, and said, "Let's celebrate, we're now at the same level, mid-Foundation Establishment stage."

An Ling took the wine jar, but didn't drink it immediately. Instead, she looked at Ling Xiao and said, "Shall we have a friendly spar?"

"Now?" Ling Xiao raised an eyebrow. "You just broke through, don't you want to consolidate your gains first?"

"Practice makes perfect," An Ling said earnestly. "And I want to see how much the power of Flowing Light and Shadow has increased since I reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage."

Ling Xiao put the wine jar on the table and said, "Okay, come on."

The two distanced themselves in the yard. Fa Cai, sensing the danger, jumped onto the roof, found a good spot, and lay down to watch the show.

An Ling drew her sword first. The instant the longsword was drawn, a silver-white sword light sliced ​​through the air, so fast that its trajectory was almost invisible. The first move of the Flowing Light and Shadow Sword Technique, Flowing Light Flash.

Ling Xiao dodged to the side, the sword light grazing his clothes and leaving a deep sword mark on the stone wall behind him. "So fast," he thought to himself. An Ling's sword speed after her breakthrough was at least 30% faster than before.

But Ling Xiao was no pushover either. With the Starfall Power of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator circulating within him, his speed and strength were also greatly enhanced. He unleashed the Swimming Fish Step, his figure weaving through An Ling's sword light like a fish, each dodge perfectly timed.

An Ling's sword moved faster and faster, unleashing the second and third moves of "Flowing Light and Shadow" in quick succession. Sword light crisscrossed the courtyard, the silvery-white sword energy weaving into a dense net that blocked all of Ling Xiao's escape routes.

Ling Xiao did not retreat, but instead stepped forward. The power of the meteorite gathered on his right fist, and a vortex-shaped force field of silver light formed on his fist, which he smashed directly into the densest part of the sword net.

boom.

A hole was punched through the sword net, and Ling Xiao crawled through it, then slapped An Ling's shoulder with his backhand. An Ling parried with his sword, the force of the blow sending him staggering back three steps.

"Your strength is much greater than before," Anling said.

A byproduct of the bloodline struggle, Ling Xiao grinned and said, "Let's go again."

The two fought faster and fiercer. An Ling's swordsmanship, after its breakthrough, gained a fluid and continuous quality; the transitions between her various moves, like flowing water, were no longer noticeable. Ling Xiao's Starfall Power, on the other hand, became more refined. Each punch and palm strike carried a weighty, star-like weight, seemingly simple and direct, yet subtly complex.

When they reached the thirtieth move, Ling Xiao suddenly changed his move. He brought his right index and middle fingers together, and a silver-purple sword light shot out from his fingertips, aiming straight at the flaw in An Ling's sword technique.

An Ling's gaze sharpened, and he spun his longsword swiftly, using the blade to block the sword light. However, the starlight power attached to the sword light traveled through the blade into his arm, causing his right hand to go slightly numb.

"Is this an improved version of the Star Thunder Finger Sword?" An Ling asked.

Still adjusting, Ling Xiao flicked his fingers. The power was alright, but it consumed a lot of spiritual energy. That last attack used up almost ten percent of my spiritual energy.

It's already very strong. An Ling sheathed her sword. If she were to use it in actual combat, it would be very difficult for an opponent of the same level to defend against it.

The two stopped and picked up the wine jars again. Fa Cai jumped down from the roof, swaggered over, and tugged at Ling Xiao's trouser leg with his paws, indicating that he wanted to drink too.

"Why would a wolf like you drink alcohol?" Ling Xiao pushed it away.

"Get rich!" the wolf protested relentlessly, its mind screaming, "I am the Howling Moon Wolf, my bloodline is far superior to yours! If you can drink, why can't I?"

Just because you got drunk and peed in Elder Tie's courtyard last time, I had to pay for three jars of good wine.

The fact that Fa Cai's ears drooped down was an accident.

Just as Ling Xiao was about to continue scolding it, the ancient sword on the table suddenly trembled.

He turned his head and saw the ancient sword lying quietly on the table, the ancient patterns on its scabbard gleaming faintly in the moonlight. The tremor was very slight, but Ling Xiao was certain he hadn't misjudged it.

He walked over and placed his hand on the ancient sword. The blade was warm, much warmer than usual, and still heating up.

"What's wrong?" An Ling asked.

Ling Xiao didn't answer, because he sensed that the ancient sword was trying to tell him something. This sword had been with him for so long, and although he still couldn't fully unleash its power, a vague connection had been established.

The tip of the ancient sword was slightly upturned, pointing in one direction.

north.

Ling Xiao looked in the direction of the sword tip. To the north were continuous mountain ranges, the outer area of ​​the Heavenly Sword Sect, and further north was the heartland of the Azure Profound Continent.

The ancient sword had never moved on its own. Although it possessed some sentience, it was usually quiet, only reacting when Ling Xiao actively activated it. Now, it had suddenly unsheathed itself and was pointing north, which was highly unusual.

Fa Cai leaned closer and sniffed the ancient sword. "Boss, something's not right with this sword. There's a very faint scent on it, it's not yours, and it's not that blacksmith elder's either."

What kind of aura is that?

Fa Cai's nose twitched again. It smelled familiar, but I couldn't remember where I had smelled it before.

Ling Xiao gripped the sword hilt, the ancient sword trembling slightly in his hand, as if urging him to head north. But he didn't move, because now was not the time to leave. The outer sect competition three months later was the most pressing matter.

He sheathed the ancient sword again, and the warmth gradually subsided, the sword returning to its calm state.

An Ling watched his movements and asked, "What's wrong?"

Ling Xiao shook his head, he didn't know. But there must be something in the North that is summoning this sword.

He looked up at the northern night sky, where stars twinkled, and seven bright stars still shone brightly.

The ancient city of Meteorite is also in the north.

Is there any connection between these two?