Chapter 944: Shadowmist Sword Forest

"Good. No wonder even someone as rigid as the Sect Leader is willing to break the sect's rules just to let you cultivate at Yanxia Mountain."

Xiao Yunsu nodded inwardly. Her opinion of Ling Feng had improved noticeably. On the Xuanling Continent, strength was everything. Given the talent Ling Feng had displayed, as long as he did not fall along the way, he was bound to become an overlord in the future. If her precious disciple married him, it would hardly be a disgrace.

With that thought, Xiao Yunsu found Ling Feng increasingly pleasing to the eye. Her gaze now even carried a hint of how a mother-in-law might view a future son-in-law.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Seeing the look in her eyes, Ling Feng couldn't help rubbing the bridge of his nose. He gave an awkward smile and said, "Sect Leader Yue has been far too kind."

"Since you're here, make yourself at home. All of Yanxia Mountain is open to you."

Xiao Yunsu smiled at Ling Feng. "Lan'er can show you around as well. It'll be good for young people to spend more time together."

"Master!" Yue Yunlan hugged Xiao Yunsu's arm, shaking it coquettishly. Her lovely face remained a shade of bright red.

Ling Feng gave a dry laugh. Even if he had been slow on the uptake, he would still have noticed the implication in Xiao Yunsu's words. But he could only pretend not to hear, lest Yue Yunlan get any unnecessary ideas.

"Right!" Yue Yunlan's eyes lit up, as if something had just occurred to her. She quickly said to Xiao Yunsu, "Master, among all the places in Yanxia Mountain, the Shadowmist Sword Forest is the most helpful for condensing the Mark of Brilliance. You said every place would be open to Mr. Ling. That includes the Shadowmist Sword Forest, doesn't it?"

At her words, Xiao Yunsu gave a helpless smile. "The Shadowmist Sword Forest is off-limits to anyone but core disciples of the Cangqiong Sect. You know that rule. Three Rings Six Caverns and Yunlai Peak aren't exactly lacking either."

"But none of them can compare to the Shadowmist Sword Forest!" Yue Yunlan hugged Xiao Yunsu's shoulder and shook it non-stop. She pouted, "Rules are dead, but people are alive, aren't they? Master..."

"You..." Xiao Yunsu frowned and pinched Yue Yunlan's cheek. "Fine, fine! I give up!"

She retrieved a token from her dimensional ring, engraved with three colored clouds, and handed it to Yue Yunlan. Shaking her head with a smile, she said, "Alright, enough shaking. My old bones can't take it."

"Heehee, Master isn't old at all."

Yue Yunlan happily accepted the token. She gave Xiao Yunsu a quick peck on the cheek and, afraid her master might change her mind, hurried over to Ling Feng's side. With a sweet smile, she said, "Then Master, we'll be going now."

"You little imp." Xiao Yunsu's eyes sparkled with laughter. Yet deep down, she sighed quietly to herself.

Youth truly is a wonderful thing.

...

Before long, Yue Yunlan had led Ling Feng to a stone forest where the elemental qi of the world was exceptionally dense. According to her, the Shadowmist Sword Forest was actually a forest of sword monuments.

Yanxia Mountain was known as the sacred land of the Cangqiong Sect precisely because of areas like this, where multiple valuable cultivation sites were located. Chief among them was the Shadowmist Sword Forest.

Cultivating here allowed one to comprehend profound mysteries of the world from the strange and ancient stone monuments. This was of great benefit to the condensing of a Mark of Brilliance.

Back in the Misty Ghost Forest, Ling Feng had first learned from the Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation what the Mark of Brilliance truly was.

The so-called Mark of Brilliance referred to the embryonic form of the soul manifestation. Generally, after a cultivator broke through to the Spiritual Element Realm, their spiritual essence would take form, allowing them to awaken their soul manifestation. However, some cultivators were able to condense a Mark of Brilliance during the Transformation Realm. Though this mark did not directly enhance combat strength, it greatly broadened the path of martial cultivation beyond the Spiritual Element Realm.

In other words, those who condensed a Mark of Brilliance could begin to nourish and temper the embryonic form of their soul manifestation even before entering the Spiritual Element Realm. Once they broke through and awakened it, their soul manifestation would be far stronger than that of martial artists who had not condensed a mark.

Yanxia Mountain had become the Cangqiong Sect's sacred land precisely because of the Shadowmist Sword Forest.

The forest had produced countless geniuses for the sect. This was the reason why even among those in the Spiritual Element Realm, disciples of the Cangqiong Sect were often able to completely outclass members of other sects.

Strange stones stood everywhere within the Shadowmist Sword Forest, each one inscribed with mysterious patterns. These patterns were the key to comprehending and condensing the Mark of Brilliance.

The stone caves continuously gathered elemental qi of the world. With close attention, one could even glimpse various fantastical illusions, though they were ultimately just hallucinations conjured by the sea of mind.

Yue Yunlan pointed toward the stone forest ahead and said sweetly, "Ling Feng, this is the Shadowmist Sword Forest where our Yanxia Mountain cultivates Transformation Realm experts."

"This forest is one of the Cangqiong Sect's most treasured places for training the younger generation. The elemental qi of the world here is hundreds of times more concentrated than anywhere else, and the mysterious patterns it contains offer about a twenty percent chance to condense a Mark of Brilliance."

As she spoke, she led Ling Feng into the forest.

Ling Feng studied the area carefully, quietly amazed.

According to the Tianbai Emperor's spiritual manifestation, for an ordinary cultivator to condense a Mark of Brilliance, not only did their cultivation method have to be of the highest grade, but they also needed to possess monstrous talent. Even then, the success rate was only one in a thousand. Yet here in the Shadowmist Sword Forest, the chance reached twenty percent.

"Many thanks, Miss Yue." Ling Feng cupped his fists in a fist-and-palm salute. Had it not been for Yue Yunlan pleading on his behalf, he would never have had the chance to enter this place.

Yue Yunlan bit her lip and said softly, "Actually, I didn't do it just to help you. My cultivation has also broken through to the Transformation Realm."

"

Oh?

" Ling Feng raised an eyebrow. Her cultivation had progressed rapidly lately.

Especially after awakening her Hong Lian Sacred Body, Yue Yunlan's aura had grown noticeably more refined and powerful.

"

Haha,

then let's begin our cultivation together. Let's see who can condense the Mark of Brilliance first."

Ling Feng laughed heartily. He was already eager to discover what form his own mark would take.

"

Mhmm,

alright!"

Yue Yunlan nodded, and the two shared a smile.

As they ventured deeper into the Shadowmist Sword Forest, Ling Feng felt that the elemental qi of the world had nearly liquefied. Walking through it felt like swimming in the distant sea. Every pore of his body absorbed it with an intoxicating sense of comfort.

It felt even better than soaking in a hot spring!

With a place like this, even a pig could probably reach the Transformation Realm.

Ling Feng secretly marveled and had just opened his mouth to speak when a group of people approached from the opposite direction. Their gazes swept over him, then settled on Yue Yunlan. They bowed respectfully to her and said, "Greetings, Young Lady."