Naked Sword Art

"Luo Biya."

The figures flinched. Several immediately drew their weapons or released their Qi in large quantities.

Only one didn't move.

The woman in front slowly lifted her chin beneath her hood, tilting her head up toward the voice. Her deep brown eyes gleamed beneath the moonlight.

"Well… Took you long enough," she said.

The others around her tensed, confused how he'd found them.

"You, how did you find us?"

"[ Soul Search ] is a useful skill, you should learn it," Xiao Fang replied smugly.

"You—!"

Luo Biya raised her hand to silence the man behind her, then said,

"You already learned the [ Soul Search ] technique?"

"That's right," Xiao Fang replied.

Xiao Fang's words shocked a few of the hooded figures present.

"Then, does that mean that you've taken an interest in our cultivation method?" she asked.

Xiao Fang leapt down, landing several branches below, now closer to eye level with her.

"I admit it's a useful method. Though I am still skeptical whether to continue learning it, seeing as there are only 6 techniques in your cultivation book, half of which are foundation realm techniques."

"Please, follow us back to our clan. We'll show you where the true value of our cultivation method lies," Luo Biya said courteously.

…

Xiao Fang found it strange that she was so eager for Xiao Fang to learn their cultivation method, but after speaking to Lady Xu about how the Chaos sect operated, he understood that in order for an outer court clan to become an inner court clan, they'd need to be supported by one of the inner court clans or become one through their own strength. As far as Xiao Fang knew, the Soul Devouring ] method didn't have any offense or defense techniques, so it made sense why they were eager to gain the support of other clans to grow. The only problem was that Xiao Fang wasn't a Chaos sect member.

…

"In that case, I'd like to visit your clan," Xiao Fang said. "Unfortunately, I'm still waiting for a friend of mine to arrive. I'll give him until the end of tonight to come. If he doesn't arrive by then we can leave without him."

"That won't be a problem for us," Luo Biya replied.

Xiao Fang nodded. "Then, I'll meet you here in the morning."

Xiao Fang turned to leave, back into the city. But just as he landed on the ground, one of the hooded figures asked.

"Wait! How do we know you're really from the Chaos sect?"

Xiao Fang hesitated for a moment then turned around to face them.

"Is this enough proof?" Xiao Fang said as he lifted his blindfold. His violet eyes glowing in the night and eerie but alluring color.

The hooded figures felt a chill as they stared into them.

In the next moment, Xiao Fang's body shifted then disappeared.

"Elder Biya, that boy—"

Even Luo Biya had a disturbed expression on her face.

"This could either be really good for us, or really bad. Is that really a bet you're willing to make?"

Luo Biya hesitated to answer, "let's wait for tomorrow."

Everyone had mixed feelings about this, but one thing was for sure, killing him was no longer an option.

…

Eastern Gate of Jadepeak City.

Sitting on top of the Jade walls, Xiao Hei's ears perked up when she heard someone quickly coming her way. Turning around, an excited look appeared on her face when she saw who it was.

"Fang!"

"I take it Chu Piao hasn't arrived yet?"

"Un, I haven't seen him," she replied.

[ Soul Search ]

Every soul had its own unique signature, since he knew what Chu Piao's looked like, if he was near, Xiao Fang knew he'd be able to find him with this technique.

Looking down from the tall jade wall, Xiao Fang scanned all the people near the eastern jade gate. Alas, Chu Piao was nowhere to be found.

Xiao Fang frowned.

Being late was extremely unusual for someone like Chu Piao. Xiao Fang was starting to believe something might've happened to him.

Making himself comfortable. Xiao Fang decided to wait. If Chu Piao didn't come by tonight, he'd just have to leave without him.

Xiao Hei made herself comfortable on his lap. Having nothing better to do, Xiao Fang decided to take out his Yang Sword, supplying it with more of his [ True Immortal Lightning Tribulate ] Qi.

'It's still not full,' Xiao Fang thought in shock.

At the very least, he knew he could make 2 full powered [ Solid Clone ] using his stored Qi alone.

Although the [ Solid Clone ] technique created clones that were a realm weaker than his real body, Xiao Fang's spirit attribute increased his battle power by 2 realms, meaning that his [ Solid Clone ] had a battle power that was equal to a Divine Realm practitioner. However, it was unlikely that his clone could go toe-to-toe against a real Divine realm practitioner since a clone couldn't execute strong techniques.

'Perhaps if it were to wield a sword…' Xiao Fang thought.

He was tempted to test it—summon a solid clone, hand it one of his swords, and measure its skill against his abnormal cannibal beast. But this wasn't the time nor place to test things out. Too many eyes, too many unknowns. The last thing he needed was to reveal more than he should.

So he waited, eyes fixed on the eastern road, hoping to catch the familiar silhouette of Chu Piao.

The night deepened. Crickets chirped lazily in the brush beneath the walls, and the soft hum of spiritual lanterns flickered faintly above the city's outer rim. Xiao Hei yawned and nuzzled against his chest, curling her feet into her body to keep warm.

One hour passed. Then another. And another.

Eventually, Xiao Fang lost count of how many times he had poured all of his Spirit Attribute Qi into his Yang Sword—yet still, it seemed like he could still pour more.

'Just how much Qi can this thing store anyway?'

If the sword was truly intended for Heavenly Realm practitioners, it made sense that it could store such a vast amount of spirit attribute Qi.

Drained of spirit attribute Qi once again, Xiao Fang rested. No matter how long they waited it seemed like Chu Piao really wasn't coming.

The unease in Xiao Fang's chest began to harden. He was rarely ever wrong about people—especially not about someone like Chu Piao. That man was meticulous, always early, always calculating.

'Did he fail his Supreme Elder Chu's final test?' Xiao Fang wondered.

[ Soul Search ]

Xiao Fang decided to use it one more time. He reached further this time, casting his view far beyond the city's edge, filtering through thousands of soul signatures—like listening for a single whisper in a storm. He ignored merchants, guards, cultivators, even beasts roaming in the night.

Nothing.

No trace of Chu Piao.

After a while, Xiao Fang could feel his lightning spirit attribute Qi replenishing back to full again.

Tired of waiting, Xiao Fang gently moved Xiao Hei off his lap so he could rise. She stirred, blinking sleepily.

"Hm? Is he here?"

"…No. I'm just going to stretch my legs. Keep watch until I get back."

Xiao Hei rubbed her eyes and nodded, too tired to argue.

Xiao Fang stepped off the Jade wall and dropped into the shadows of the city's edge. Before he could even reach the ground, his body shifted then disappeared.

[ Drifting Cloud Rising Wind ] (Chapter 357)

Xiao Fang moved quickly, passing through the outskirts and into the outer wilds beyond the city. His blindfolded gaze scanned his surroundings as he ran—cautious, but focused.

Once he was far enough from Jadepeak, he stopped at a clearing surrounded by dark trees and jagged stone.

Drawing his Yang Sword from his spatial ring, he attempted to create a [ Solid Clone ] using only his Spirit Attribute Qi. But it wasn't nearly as easy as Li Lian and Xun Wei had made it sound.

Trying to recall their explanation, Xiao Fang repeated the process several more times, each attempt failing to produce a stable form.

'Those girls… they really made it sound easy,' Xiao Fang complained inwardly.

Finally sitting down, he crossed his legs after embedding his Yang Sword into the ground. Then he closed his eyes and focused on channeling his Spirit Attribute Qi, isolating it the way Li Lian had explained it.

'Just the spirit attribute gourd… funnel it…' he thought, repeating the exact phrasing she had used.

Visualize, then execute.

He took his time, starting over again and again—each failure bringing him a little closer. Hours slipped by unnoticed, the night deepening around him, but Xiao Fang could feel it: progress.

He was close now.

If he were to try again, he was confident he could form at least 90% of the clone purely from Spirit Attribute Qi. At the very least, he now had a solid grasp on using his spirit attribute Qi to execute techniques.

Curious, Xiao Fang wondered just how much stronger his Divine Sword techniques might become if he incorporated his Spirit Attribute Qi into them.

But before he could decide what to test them on, he paused—his ears catching something faint in the distance.

Footsteps.

Not just one, but several—approaching from deeper within the forest.

This wasn't the kind of place people wandered into by accident. Whoever these people were, Xiao Fang was certain of one thing:

They were here for him.