Gathering her thoughts, Zhao Yanran recalled more carefully, finally confirming that the sword strike from Zong Shou just now had actually not reached the level of Sword Intent.

Yet, recalling his figure, his sword techniques, his footwork, even every minute action now, she immediately sensed a unique 'rhyme' contained within it.

For any martial artist who can catch a glimpse of the Martial Dao’s gate and grasp a certain essence of martial arts, every move, every gesture, every action can possess a distinctive rhythm.

And Zong Shou's swordsmanship not only possessed Sword Rhyme, making it pleasing to the eye, but it seemed to encompass Sword Rhyme, Sword Momentum, and Sword Intent, perhaps even faintly reaching the level of 'Soul'!

It hadn't been truly realized, but it undeniably held a profound, inscrutable, elusive, yet overwhelmingly powerful Martial Dao notion!

Taking a deep breath, Zhao Yanran looked toward Zong Shou again. She hadn't noticed before, but looking at him now, the half-demon youth’s frame seemed somewhat thin and frail, yet it actually contained an innate heroic spirit, truly standing tall and extraordinary, his talent terrifyingly excellent.

A murderous intent surged up from the depths of her heart, almost impossible to suppress. The aura around Zhao Yanran instantly changed. Countless ice particles danced in the wind. Within a hundred zhang radius, snowflakes began to drift down, and the sword in her hand gradually turned transparent, clear as crystal.

A killing intent that chilled one to the bone firmly locked onto the target thirty zhang away. She absolutely could not allow such a person to live!

Zong Shou was slightly moved as well, lifting his eyelids and glancing coldly at her. He then took half a step back, his long sword tilting slightly to the left, and his entire bearing shifted with it, presenting a character entirely different from before.

Previously, it was an unhurried elegance; now, it was an immovable, solid rock. Under this pressure of intent, that slender body seemed as massive as a high mountain.

Zhao Yanran’s brow furrowed slightly, feeling her fully charged sword momentum momentarily stall once more.

A phrase flashed involuntarily in her mind—Guard like the steadfastness of Mount Yuan, attack with the swiftness of the Fierce Bird!

The so-called Mount Yuan was the tallest mountain on the Central Cloud Continent, reaching thirty-four thousand zhang high, possessing forty-nine peaks, vast beyond measure. The Fierce Bird was the Flashing Fierce Bird of the Western Cloud Sea, born as a Fifth-Tier Demonic Beast, renowned for its speed; when flying, it was nearly invisible to the naked eye, vanishing in an instant, scarcely inferior to those Divine Beasts, hence its name, Flashing Fierce Bird.

That final sword strike during their exchange could indeed be worthy of the Flashing Fierce Bird’s swiftness. Under her furious assault, holding firm for a full sixty-five strikes without yielding half a step, it could certainly be called the steadfastness of Mount Yuan.

However, Zong Shou's defense back then was far less deeply impressive to her than it was now.

A simple motion, yet it involved a clash of Martial Dao momentum.

It was much like the situation earlier when playing the Netherworld Ballad of the Yellow Springs; much preparation had been made, yet at the most crucial moment, the rhythm was forcefully broken.

The sword in her hand hadn't even been loosed, yet she already felt an inability to continue.

—And what’s more, these were two entirely distinct Martial Dao intentions, one preceding and one following!

At this moment, she was almost certain that Lingyun Long Ruo would regret this in the future, perhaps even stomp his feet in regret over today’s events.

She couldn't help but maliciously imagine whether the Sect Master of the Lingyun Sect, upon seeing this scene, would directly throw Long Ruo into that Myriad Wind Pagoda to be suppressed for eight or ten years.

Glancing sideways, she saw that Yin Yang had also arrived behind Zong Shou at some unknown time, about twenty zhang away. His entire body was like a drawn bowstring, radiating intense hostility. Zhao Yanran frowned, and the hint of murderous intent in her eyes finally gradually receded. She turned curious and asked, "Zong Shou, do you understand Sword Intent?"

Zong Shou raised an eyebrow, sensing that this madwoman before him had not only lost her killing intent but also most of her battle intent. Still, he dared not relax his guard, only nodding slightly and shamelessly lying without blinking: "I've heard of it, there are many records in the classics, but I've never seen it personally—"

In his previous life, as Tan Qiu, one of the Seven Sovereigns of the Cloud Realm within the Divine Emperor game, how could he not have seen Sword Intent?

Even in reality, he had long since mastered it.

However, given the thirteen years of experience of this 'Zong Shou,' it was indeed impossible for him to have witnessed something exclusive to Celestial Rank martial artists.

Zhao Yanran only felt a dryness in her mouth, believing that given Zong Shou's background, it was impossible for him to have encountered such profound martial arts.

But the complex emotions in her heart became even harder to articulate, even leading to a sense of weary resignation.

Without having seen it firsthand, and with no one to guide him, he had mastered the Sword Intent she desperately yearned for—

Suddenly sheathing her sword, Zhao Yanran decisively tossed the two medicine bottles casually toward Zong Shou.

"Young Master Zong Shou has already achieved spiritual connection in the Way of the Sword. Coupled with the flying dagger earlier, that makes three Sword Intents he has utilized. I cannot defeat you, this is the wager for the sword duel. I was arrogant; taking you as the furnace body and primordial essence, Yanran’s future vitality would likely not reach ten percent. I only hope we never meet again—"

As the bottles were tossed, the slightly frivolous smile returned to Zhao Yanran’s face. She gazed deeply at Zong Shou before turning and departing.

She was skating across the ice, and wherever she passed, the swamp slurry instantly froze. Her speed of travel now was by no means inferior to Long Ruo’s giant dragon.

Zong Shou watched, secretly astonished, thinking he had truly underestimated these ancients; he hadn't expected an ice-elemental cultivation technique to have such a utility.

But this Zhao Yanran, despite only being in the Innate Realm, possessed a terrifyingly strong and dense true essence. To use it purely for travel was truly extravagant.

Then, he broke into a wide grin as he looked at the medicine bottles in his hands, his demeanor of a master completely gone.

The six pills inside were all excellent items.

The name 'Fetus Cultivation Pill' was ordinary, meaning it assisted in cultivating the Fetal Breath. However, these were often only possessed by the great sects and major powers.

Since their prescriptions differed, their efficacy also varied. The Qiantian Mountain also refined them, but their effect was the worst. According to Xue'er, Zong Weiran stored nearly forty of them, which represented ten years of Qiantian Mountain’s reserves in the Three Continents Bank. Unfortunately, they were in the main branch, and he couldn't obtain them now.

The Fetus Cultivation Pills of the Seven Spirits Sect were uniquely different. Known among Cloud Realm martial artists as 'Seven Spirits Fetus Cultivation Pills,' they could not only be used for foundation building during internal refinement but also had miraculous effects upon opening all meridians and entering the external refinement stage.

They were likely specially prepared by the Seven Spirits Sect for Zhao Yanran. As for the Soul Snow Pill, it was an elixir unique to the Seven Spirits Sect, specifically targeting the Divine Soul. Each pill could strengthen soul power and purify the Sea of Consciousness.

In a sense, the value of just these six pills was not inferior to the three treasures gifted by Long Ruo.

If it weren't for these items, he would be an idiot to fight that madwoman one-on-one.

This Zhao Yanran’s cultivation methods and spirit techniques were all quite extraordinary, worthy of being called a heroic figure among people, but why had he never heard of her in his previous life?

While lost in thought, he suddenly felt Chu Xue approach him, looking somewhat aggrieved: "This woman has such a strange personality, and the Lingyun Sect is just notorious. That Long Ruo, since he knew she was from the Crimson Demon Sect, why didn't he act?"

Zong Shou smiled faintly and flicked Chu Xue's forehead with his finger: "Be polite to people when you meet them in the future. Although this woman’s methods are vicious, don't randomly call her a demoness or enchantress. This Seven Spirits Sect is not truly a Demonic Sect—"

Seeing Su Chu Xue look stunned, Zong Shou felt a headache coming on again. Although the Seven Spirits Sect was regarded as demonic, it differed somewhat from the true Demonic Path. That was why the Lingyun Sect currently did not view them as a genuine major enemy.

This involved disputes from the Ancient Era; Zong Shou himself wasn't entirely clear, only grasping the rough outline.

PS: I can't find where the recommendations are on Qidian this week, so I expect this week will be rough. I hope everyone can give me a hand this week and prevent the new book from falling off the new book chart. Also regarding the reviews, I'm currently writing six thousand words a day, have two books coming out in Taiwan, and I'm busy dating. I can only check the review section occasionally; I truly don't have time to manage it. I'll appoint a sub-moderator after the books go VIP.