My best friend asked me if I was still doing system tasks.

Mi Yun made a hand seal, and spiritual energy flowed from her fingertips, transforming into a plum blossom flower that looked just like the one in her temple. She gently brushed the flower with her hand and said, "Follow it."

Ruan Chayan followed the floating velvet flower with curiosity and took off on her sword.

Sichuan pepper chirped a few times inside the spirit beast pouch: {So stuffy! So stuffy! There's no good food! I want to go out!}

Ruan Chayan reached in and touched it, saying, "It's not convenient here. I'll take you for a walk once I find the jade slip I want."

{I want fruit!}

"You've already eaten three today. I don't know if there's anywhere around here that sells fruit. If you eat them all at once, what will you do tomorrow and the day after?"

Ruan Chayan saw through Huajiao's little scheme. This little guy didn't want to go out for a stroll at all; he just couldn't stop talking.

Sichuan peppercorns, ever the troublemaker, kept jumping around: {Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow! I'll tell you tomorrow, I'll tell you the day after tomorrow!}

Ruan Chayan patted Huajiao's chubby body affectionately and said with a helpless smile, "Just bear with it, don't eat any more today. How about I give you some wine tonight?"

Sichuan pepper reluctantly agreed and lay quietly in the spirit beast pouch.

Ruan Chayan wasn't unwilling to spend spirit stones to buy food for it, but the peppercorn was much bigger than when she first met it, and she was worried that it would become unhealthy if it continued to eat like that.

Ruan Chayan kept an eye on the spirit sword beneath her feet, holding it horizontally to avoid the same problem that had occurred with the cultivator just now.

She brought her disciple identification token close to the bookshelf, and the restriction on it automatically opened, revealing a stack of yellowed jade slips that looked quite old.

Ruan Chayan picked them up one by one and placed them on her ancestral aperture to examine them. If she found a suitable one, she would first use a blank jade slip to copy it.

"Senior! You're here too!"

Le Shu was still holding a few tattered bamboo slips in her hand when she excitedly rushed towards Ruan Chayan.

Seeing Le Shu's unreliable behavior, Ruan Chayan was at her wits' end: "Be careful."

Le Shu stopped in front of Ruan Chayan with a playful smile and asked with concern, "Why did you come to Nahai Tower so soon after entering Shiren Sect?"

Her divine sense swept across the area. "Is she watching swordplay?"

"Didn't you just go to Xinglin Peak and come to Nahai Tower too?" Ruan Chayan asked back, then admitted, "I wanted to learn some swordsmanship."

Le Shu smiled gently: "Senior is truly diligent."

Ruan Chayan: Thank you, but your compliments are really tasteless.

Le Shu followed up with concern, asking, "Senior, have you practiced that technique? What did you think of it?"

Ruan Chayan said, "You mean you were going to do that for me and Xiaoxue? Not yet, things have only just settled down, I haven't had time to look at it yet."

Le Shu looked around and then transmitted her voice secretly: "After I started cultivating, I did feel that my divine sense could see farther than before, and I didn't feel any side effects. Senior can cultivate with peace of mind."

"Oh, by the way, I have a sword technique here. Since you're looking at sword techniques, would you like to come and take a look? It's too crowded and inconvenient here."

Ruan Chayan shook her head: "No need. I've already found a few good ones. Keep your swordsmanship for yourself to learn."

She couldn't help but remind her, "Keep everything you own well. A person's goodness or evil can't be judged in a few words. Be careful not to attract unwanted attention and cause unnecessary trouble."

Le Shu replied with emotion, "I told you, senior, because I know you are a good person."

"Don't be so sure. People change. Saving you back then was an accident."

You don't need to call me senior; I joined the sect later than you. Just call me Junior Sister Ruan.

Ruan Chayan had no desire to chat with Le Shu, so she said the harshest things. Besides, it was the truth, and at that time they really didn't want to get into trouble.

Ruan Chayan felt uncomfortable around Le Shu. She always felt that Le Shu's words and actions were superficial and somewhat hypocritical. When she mentioned the cultivation techniques that Le Shu had given them, she was probably just trying to curry favor and imply that she had done them a favor.

Le Shu seemed hurt by Ruan Chayan's cold attitude. She chatted for a few more minutes, feeling dejected, before leaving.

Ruan Chayan was actually a little concerned. She had a bit of a people-pleasing personality, but Le Shu was just a stranger she had only known for a few days, so she forced herself to put it out of her mind.

Nahai Tower is built in the very center of Fusheng Altar. The surrounding open space is filled with cultivators, some standing and some sitting. They activate the Fusheng Altar's own sound and extended array. Sometimes they get up to make hand seals, and sometimes they lie on the table they brought to carve array plates.

There were also many cultivators practicing swordsmanship. To outsiders, they appeared silent and stationary, but the space inside was actually quite large.

The formation can conceal their voices, expand the capacity of the Floating Life Altar, allow them to not disturb the surrounding cultivators, and enable them to exchange ideas with their companions.

Such a configuration is unique in the Southern Divine Continent; other sects simply cannot afford to burn such a large number of spirit stones.

Ruan Chayan found a corner where there weren't many people, activated the formation with her disciple identity token, released Huajiao, sat down on the ground, and began to study the sword technique she had just replicated in Nahai Tower.

Lin Zhuzui, hiding behind the bushes, glanced in the direction of Ruan Chayan from afar, looking troubled: "Senior brother, do you insist that I do this?"

You know me too..."

Song Kangnian patted Lin Zhuzui on the shoulder, suppressing a laugh, and said, "Junior Brother Lin, I know you're in a difficult position, but this is Sect Leader Li's order."

Sect Leader Li knows you can't get anything out of her. Just spend more time with her and see what her purpose is.

"Why didn't you call Sheng Meixu?" Lin Zhuzui hugged his sword, looking as aggrieved as a two-hundred-pound child.

"Junior Brother Sheng has gone to approach Yue Shu."

Song Kangnian carefully glanced at Ruan Chayan with his divine sense and encouraged her, "Look, she's learning swordsmanship. Isn't this a golden opportunity?"

You should go and give them some pointers.

Song Kangnian shoved Lin Zhuzui out of the way.

Lin Zhuzui: My head hurts so much. Who am I? Where am I?

Ruan Chayan had just completed a full circle of steps with her sword when she tripped and fell to the ground as she twisted her body, stepping her right foot behind her left.

Ruan Chayan: Ouch—that hurts a bit. I'll activate my protective aura. Luckily, no one saw…

Only then did she notice a golden figure in front of her: Who is that?!

Ruan Chayan hurriedly got up as if nothing had happened. She opened the array and greeted him somewhat awkwardly, "It's Senior Brother Lin. What are you doing here, Senior Brother Lin?"

Lin Zhuzui couldn't bear to look at Ruan Chayan's miserable state, so he said stiffly, "I was looking for sword techniques at Nahai Tower when I came out and saw you, so I came over to say hello."

Ruan Chayan cleared her throat and returned to normal: "I see."

"Shouldn't you be learning the mainstream swordsmanship of the Shirin-shu sect? Why are you here looking for another sword style to learn?"

When it comes to this, Lin Zhuzui has a lot to say, and his words and actions seem quite natural: "Although we sword cultivators will learn the Seven Star Hidden Blade Manual, only cultivators without thoughts or abilities will keep practicing it."

Ruan Chayan: "Hmm?"

He pondered for a moment and said, "There might be something wrong with what I said. You know that sword cultivators have sword intent, right?"

Each of us has different spiritual roots and meridians, and our development paths also differ.

To forge your own path, you must observe and learn more; blindly following the "Hidden Blade Manual" will not result in developing your own unique style.