In the reception hall, the Daoist Tianhe clutched the package, his excitement barely concealed, and then turned to Yang Ying, saying, "Young man, thank you for delivering this parcel. I shall write a letter shortly and ask you to deliver it to Ms. Xin Tianqing on my behalf. If you are willing to do me this favor, then in the future, if you ever need my assistance with anything, you may ask."

Yang Ying mused internally, Why do both of them need me to carry things instead of going themselves? If Mistress Xin cannot find this place, that might be understandable, but the Daoist Tianhe should certainly be able to leave. Why is he relying on me as well? Naturally, he voiced his confusion aloud.

Daoist Tianhe shook his head. "The illusion formation outside is designed to keep outsiders out, not to trap those within; it deters the honorable but not the villainous. There is always a way to leave, but my cultivation is still insufficient. According to the rules of the Taiji Temple, one must dwell in the deep mountains, far removed from the mundane world, cultivating one's character and temperament. Therefore, I cannot leave."

"If that is the case, I shall gladly help," Yang Ying replied.

Thus, Tianhe went to write the letter, while Yang Ying remained in the reception room, sipping tea and waiting. The Taiji Temple was filled with all sorts of novel technology, yet it was completely isolated; there were no televisions, no movies, and no internet connection. The surrounding furnishings were exceedingly simple; there was nothing to do but admire the scenery.

Soon, footsteps echoed from behind him. Yang Ying turned around, only to see that the person entering was not Tianhe, but the tall and short figures of Qingfeng and Mingyue.

Qingfeng, the taller Daoist, had a look of eager anticipation in his eyes. "Esteemed lay practitioner, I observe from your musculature, sinews, and bearing that you are clearly also a martial artist. My junior brother and I have studied our sect's Taiji Swordsmanship, and having drilled it for so long, we have grown weary of mere form. We are quite eager to find an outsider for a proper sparring session. How would you feel about testing our swordsmanship against each other right now?"

The short Daoist, Mingyue, wore an expression of helplessness, as if his face bore the inscription, I have been coerced into this.

Yang Ying's interest was piqued. This was a good opportunity for him to gauge the true nature of things within the Taiji Temple from these two Daoists.

"Very well... I agree," Yang Ying conceded. As for the consequences, it was just a fight between a few juniors, and he hadn't initiated it, so it shouldn't be too severe.

Yang Ying followed the two to an empty training room. Along the way, he noticed a corridor leading to a room with a sign that read 'Scripture Repository' (Cang Jing Dong), which he quietly committed to memory.

The training room spanned about five hundred square meters, circular in shape, with a Taiji diagram, complete with Yin and Yang fish, covering the entire floor.

Qingfeng stepped onto the white dot within the black fish, drawing the peachwood sword from his back. Simultaneously, Mingyue handed his own peachwood sword to Yang Ying.

Yang Ying drew the peachwood sword and swung it twice, immediately sensing that the weapon in his hand was extraordinary.

Noticing Yang Ying's contemplative expression, Qingfeng laughed heartily twice. "The ancients understood that swords made of peachwood inherently contain the vital threads of living beings, making them excellent conductors for Psionic energy. When amplified by Psionic power, they surpass even alloys. Furthermore, they move as if they were an extension of the arm, allowing one to fully manifest the strength of their Psionic force. Surely you have heard of this?"

Yang Ying smiled, offering no comment. He placed his scabbard on the ground ~~．ㄧ~ ．, stepped onto the black dot within the white fish, and assumed an initial stance.

"I am ready," he stated.

Mingyue coughed lightly. "This sword bout is solely for friendly sparring; under no circumstances is anyone to be injured. Whoever causes injury forfeits the match."

Qingfeng shot him a glance. "Enough chatter. Just call the start."

Mingyue nodded, took a deep breath, and shouted, "Then let us... begin!"

"Take this!" Qingfeng roared, and a bright white light instantly erupted from his peachwood sword, spreading from the hilt to the tip where it flickered uncertainly. He then took two swift steps, closing the distance, and thrust his sword toward Yang Ying's chest.

Seeing the ferocity of his approach and the unknown power emanating from the white light on the blade, Yang Ying decided to temporarily evade the brunt of the attack. Employing footwork from his foundational sword style, he shifted two steps laterally in an instant, dodging Qingfeng's thrust. Simultaneously, he parried Qingfeng's blade with his own, channeling his Psionic energy into the contact point to analyze the composition of the white light.

This thrust held traces of Taiji Swordsmanship, a technique he had learned just yesterday from Tong Zhishan, and he immediately put it to practical use.

"A mere firefly dares to shine so brightly?" Qingfeng scoffed, countering the parry. A tearing force acted upon Yang Ying's sword, causing it to vibrate violently in his hand, threatening to slip free.

Qingfeng was also using Taiji Swordsmanship, but unlike Tong Zhishan's execution, Qingfeng's style was augmented by Psionic power. It wasn't just the sword applying force, but the Psionic energy itself.

Yang Ying finally understood why Mistress Xin said she had nothing to teach him; ordinary sword techniques truly paled in comparison to those amplified by Psionic power.

As the two were locked in this tense position, Qingfeng laughed heartily. "What do you think of the sword glow on my blade? Although it's just an ancient trick used by awakened ones to fool commoners, it certainly proves effective in a duel. I only recently mastered it and was keen to test its might. I ask for your expert guidance, lay practitioner."

Yang Ying returned a slight smile. Qingfeng's Taiji Swordsmanship was indeed superior to his, but Yang Ying possessed a far more profound foundational sword style—an advanced technique also augmented by Psionic energy, placing it above Taiji Swordsmanship.

With a subtle flick of his wrist, Yang Ying separated his blade from Qingfeng's and carved an arc toward Qingfeng's throat.

Qingfeng's eyes widened suddenly in surprise. At this point, it was too late for him to redirect his sword to attack Yang Ying; Yang Ying's strike was a fraction faster. He hurriedly retreated two steps backward, evading the incoming sword.

After that single exchange, Yang Ying discerned Qingfeng's capabilities. This Daoist's Psionic capacity just exceeded one thousand, making him slightly stronger than Yang Ying, but the gap was not overwhelmingly significant.

As for the sword aura—the white light on the blade—Yang Ying also analyzed some key details. It was fundamentally a type of Psionic energy, but channeled through some unknown method to carry a sharp attribute, making its destructive power far greater than ordinary Psionic force.

This particular channeling technique was not mentioned in the Psionic energy manuals. It was likely knowledge reserved by the Neng-Neng Temple. However, Yang Ying recalled a mention in the Psionic manuals about 'advanced applications of Psionic energy,' though they never elaborated on the subject.

After being forced back by Yang Ying, Qingfeng regained his composure and prepared to re-engage. Yang Ying ceased his analytical thoughts and focused entirely on his opponent.

Qingfeng's sword traced two arcs, targeting Yang Ying's left and right shoulders.

Yang Ying frowned. He now understood that being grazed by the sword glow would result in far more than a mere scratch. Yet, Qingfeng pressed the attack aggressively, showing no sign of friendly sparring.

Even though I am on your ground, to act so unscrupulously, I must teach you a lesson, Yang Ying thought. His sword suddenly accelerated, carving two counter-arcs to block Qingfeng's attacks, and then he launched himself into the air.