Canghai Sect was ten thousand miles away from Cangyun City. Even though Thousand Miles of Snow, Li Xiaoyao's horse, could travel a thousand miles a day, it still took him ten days to arrive.

However, Li Xiaoyao didn't waste those ten days. Riding through the vast, untamed lands, he experienced a surge of passion that his previous life had never provided. Unconsciously, his mindset reached a breakthrough, and his martial cultivation advanced smoothly to the seventh level of the Qi Martial Realm—a natural progression. Additionally, he had perfected the final stage of his martial technique, Nine Waves, reaching the pinnacle—One Wave, Nine Strikes.

Now, Li Xiaoyao possessed nearly eight thousand five hundred pounds of raw strength, a formidable power.

Canghai Sect was located atop Canghai Peak, the main summit of the Canghai Mountain Range. Though Canghai Peak wasn't the tallest mountain in the range, it was expansive. From the sky, one could see Canghai Peak resembling a city in the mountains, surrounded by eight towering, sky-reaching peaks. The feng shui here was excellent, and in the Shenzhou Continent, feng shui was synonymous with fortune.

"Stop! Dismount and proceed on foot," two mountain-guarding disciples blocked Li Xiaoyao's path at the foot of the mountain, shouting coldly.

Li Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow and pointed at a figure on horseback ahead. "Why don't I see you stopping him?"

"Hmph," one of the disciples sneered. "What makes you think you can compare to an inner sect disciple? You're just a worthless fool who almost got himself killed."

So, it was because of status and strength. Li Xiaoyao smiled. The mountain guards were nothing more than decoration—outer sect disciples like himself, tasked with delivering messages to the sect when guests arrived. They had no real authority to stop people, especially not sect disciples on horseback.

"Weaklings are destined to be bullied," Li Xiaoyao sneered. Instead of dismounting, he tugged the reins, and Thousand Miles of Snow charged forward with a whistle.

"Worthless fool, how dare you!" both guards shouted in unison, trying to stop him. But Li Xiaoyao unleashed a double-fisted strike, and a powerful force surged from him, instantly sending the two flying.

"If this happens again, I'll cripple your cultivation," Li Xiaoyao called as he rode past. In this world, only strength gave one the right to speak. The two mountain guards got up, their faces pale as they watched Li Xiaoyao's figure recede, and then they exchanged bitter smiles. Even someone branded as worthless was stronger than them—it was no wonder they were relegated to mountain-guarding duties.

In Canghai Sect, most boys at the age of fifteen or sixteen were at the sixth or seventh level of the Qi Martial Realm—considered average talent. Those who reached the eighth level were regarded as excellent, while those who made it to the ninth level were considered geniuses and were given special attention by the sect. A martial artist who could reach the Spirit Martial Realm at fifteen or sixteen was regarded as a top-tier genius across the entire Snow Moon Kingdom.

On the other hand, if someone was still stuck at the fifth level of the Qi Martial Realm at fifteen, they were seen as untalented and were considered the lowest in Canghai Sect's hierarchy. It was for this reason that Li Xiaoyao had been labeled as worthless and ridiculed by others.

News of Li Xiaoyao's return quickly spread among the outer sect disciples. Even as a so-called "waste," he was somewhat famous within the sect. Walking through the Canghai Sect grounds, Li Xiaoyao ignored the various expressions of the people around him and headed straight for the Star Pavilion of Canghai Sect.

The Sun and Moon Pavilion was the place where Canghai Sect stored its cultivation techniques and martial skills. Every day, many disciples visited the pavilion, and today was no exception.

"Li Xiaoyao." A voice called out, and Li Xiaoyao stopped in his tracks, turning his gaze to see a cold-faced young man.

"You've got quite the life, surviving even that," said the boy, Li Ming, the eldest son of Li Wangyuan, who had previously tried to kill Li Xiaoyao.

Li Xiaoyao glanced at Li Ming, sneering inwardly. Li Ming was only at the eighth level of the Qi Martial Realm, and with Li Xiaoyao now at the seventh level, combined with his mastery of the Nine Waves Fist technique, he was not at all inferior. After practicing a couple more martial techniques, he was confident he could defeat Li Ming.

Thus, Li Xiaoyao ignored Li Ming and walked straight into the Sun and Moon Pavilion. He planned to strengthen himself before seeking revenge.

"Next time, I'll make sure you die and stay dead," Li Ming muttered, a cold murderous intent flashing in his eyes as he watched Li Xiaoyao ignore him.

At the entrance of the Sun and Moon Pavilion sat an elder, lazily reclining with a casual gaze.

"Senior," Li Xiaoyao greeted with a slight bow. Though the elder appeared insignificant as the pavilion's caretaker, Li Xiaoyao knew better. The importance of the Sun and Moon Pavilion could not be overstated, and for one person to guard it alone meant the elder was far more powerful than he seemed, similar to the sweeping monk in a certain drama from his past life—unfathomable in strength. With two lifetimes of experience, Li Xiaoyao understood this clearly.

The elder's lazy eyes narrowed slightly, showing a hint of surprise as he looked at Li Xiaoyao. Then, with a nod, he said, "Seventh level of Qi Martial Realm—you may choose up to two techniques from the first floor."

"I understand," Li Xiaoyao replied. The Sun and Moon Pavilion had three levels. Disciples at the Qi Martial Realm, unless they had an inner sect token, were only permitted to select techniques from the first floor.

The techniques on the first floor were all of the Yellow rank, but there were many options available. Here, disciples could find the most suitable techniques for themselves—this was the foundation of the sect, far beyond what his own Li family could offer.

For now, Li Xiaoyao didn't need any new cultivation techniques, so he focused on the martial skill section.

"Seven Kill Fist—each punch kills with seven strikes, suitable for those with physique-based martial spirits."

"Whirlwind Slash—harnesses the power of wind, turning it into sharp blades. Best for those with wind-based martial spirits."

"Wild Bull Technique—upper-tier Yellow rank, suitable for beast-type martial spirits."

Li Xiaoyao skimmed through the skills before putting them down. His martial spirit was a Dark Spirit, which enhanced all of his abilities, including his comprehension. This meant that no martial skill was off-limits to him. The Dark Spirit's versatility was its most frightening aspect, so Li Xiaoyao sought the most powerful techniques.

"Clear Wind Sword Technique—swift and agile as the wind, strikes where there's no defense. Suitable for sword-based martial spirits."

Li Xiaoyao paused briefly, feeling a special draw toward sword techniques. He had longed for the romantic ideal of roaming the land with a sword, upholding justice. However, the Clear Wind Sword Technique didn't seem to be what he was looking for.

"Draw Sword Technique—unsheath your sword like a thunderbolt, aiming to kill with one strike. Suitable for sword-type martial spirits."

Li Xiaoyao stopped at this technique. Unlike other sword techniques, the Draw Sword Technique was focused on that single moment of unsheathing the blade. Most swordsmen loathed the moment they had to draw their swords, as it slowed them down, but this technique made the act of drawing the sword the deadliest move. Its power peaked at the moment of the draw, meaning if one failed to land the strike, they had failed entirely.

Moreover, this technique didn't have multiple levels like others. It consisted of just one move—unsheath, and kill. Mastery meant drawing the sword and tasting blood with it. If the strike didn't succeed, it was considered a failure.

"I'll take this one." Li Xiaoyao picked up the Draw Sword Technique, then looked for a light movement technique. He couldn't always guarantee a kill in one strike, so a good movement technique would allow him to escape and create space if needed. Besides, the ability to move swiftly and gracefully, even scaling walls, was something every Earthling dreamed of!

He chose a movement technique called "Phantom Light," which, when mastered, allowed the user to move like a fleeting shadow—seen only as a blur, with no trace of their true form.

Feeling satisfied with his choices, Li Xiaoyao took the two manuals to the pavilion elder for registration.

"Draw Sword Technique," the elder muttered, surprised. "Young man, no one's ever chosen this technique before. You do realize that while your sword is still sheathed, your opponent's sword is already drawn. If your speed isn't faster than theirs, the outcome is already decided. This technique is powerful, yes, but the requirements are incredibly high. You must be faster than anyone else to succeed with a single strike."

"I understand." Li Xiaoyao knew the elder was kindly warning him. If his draw was too slow, not only would he fail to land a killing blow, but he might even put himself in danger.

"As long as you're aware. Don't use it carelessly if you aren't confident. That movement technique, Phantom Light, is a solid choice." The elder said no more, helping Li Xiaoyao with the registration. After all, techniques chosen from the Sun and Moon Pavilion had to be returned within a month to ensure other disciples had access to them.

"Thank you for your advice, senior." Li Xiaoyao respectfully accepted the manuals and expressed his gratitude.

"Mm." The elder smiled and nodded. "This soft sword can be worn as a belt when you're not using it. It's been gathering dust here, so why don't you take it?"

"Don't bother thanking me, this old man can't handle that. Off you go and train," the elder chuckled, waving his hand as Li Xiaoyao was about to express further thanks.

Touched, Li Xiaoyao simply smiled and tucked away his gratitude in his heart. If he could pair the Draw Sword Technique with this soft sword, which he could carry at his waist, his chances of striking a lethal blow would certainly increase.

With a smile and a nod to the elder, Li Xiaoyao left the pavilion.

"It's been a long time since I've met such an interesting young man," the elder murmured before slipping back into his lazy posture. Nowadays, most youths were too focused on improving their strength, becoming more and more impatient, forgetting even basic manners.