Ling Wu and Mo Qing left, their minds in a whirl, carrying the sword skills Ling Xiao had personally compiled and the Vantia Holy Fruit. Ling Xiao didn’t regret giving the Holy Fruit to the two men. As far as he was concerned, managing an army or a city was something he neither excelled at nor had any interest in.

Yet, he lived in this Mortal World, and he had family, friends, and a lover!

Although he and Ye Zi had never been overly intimate, Ling Xiao had, deep down, already accepted this cute little thief. Otherwise, he never would have come to the territory to take her with him. Clearly, Ye Zi’s feelings were much the same as Ling Xiao’s. She followed him without regret, never once uttering a complaint.

Therefore, he needed immense power. His territory—he would make it the most dazzling jewel in the Lanyue Empire! He would make it so that whenever the nobles spoke of it, they could only express admiration, so much so that they wouldn’t even be capable of jealousy!

As for the army, Ling Xiao decided to start with Ling Wu, to forge him into a true expert. Then, in the future, he would refine large batches of elixirs to enhance their strength. The men wouldn’t need to be individually overwhelming; as long as they all reached the level of Great Sword Master and mastered the Demon-subduing Vajra Sword Skill, Ling Xiao was confident that the title of the continent’s number one private army would undoubtedly be theirs.

According to Feng Ling, the hidden clans and sects rarely interfered in the affairs of the Mortal World. Perhaps they had their own laws that bound them. Otherwise, if those clans and sects decided to rise up, overthrowing a Dynasty wouldn’t be a difficult task at all.

Therefore, Ling Xiao wasn’t afraid of those clans and sects threatening his territory. ’Matters of the Mortal World should be solved with the methods of the Mortal World! My territory is prosperous, and my army is strong. Who is there to fear?’

Thus, Ling Xiao spared no effort in winning over Ling Wu and Mo Qing. He believed those two, rough on the outside but sharp on the inside, understood a simple truth: following him would lead to glory. Betraying him... would absolutely bring them to a miserable end.

Just then, Ye Wen Ni slipped into the room. Seeing Ling Xiao sitting there lost in thought, she didn’t disturb him. She walked up behind him, reached out with her slender, jade-like hands, and began to gently massage his shoulders.

Ling Xiao returned to his senses and asked softly, "Ye Zi, how much longer until you break through to Mad Sword Master?"

Ye Wen Ni’s hands paused. She sighed with a hint of resignation. "There’s been too much administrative work lately. I want to find some helpers, but I can’t fully trust anyone yet. With Meng Li in charge of intelligence now, it’s eased my burden a bit. But it’s a good thing Mo Qing is taking over as City Lord. I should be able to free myself from these duties soon. Then, I’ll be able to focus on my cultivation without distractions."

Ling Xiao suddenly reached out, placing his hand over one of hers. "Ye Zi," he said softly, "you’ve worked hard."

Ye Wen Ni’s body went rigid, and the corners of her lips twitched. A faint mist veiled her eyes as she whispered, "What’s gotten into you? Why are you suddenly saying things like that?"

Ling Xiao took Ye Wen Ni’s hand, pulling her down to his side. He looked up at her and said with a smile, "I want you to be by my side for many, many years! So... you need to raise your strength more quickly. Soon, I’ll refine some Elixirs for you. They will help speed up your progress. But remember, Elixirs are only a supplement. You must not let them become the main focus or grow too dependent on them!"

Ye Wen Ni’s pretty face flushed pink. She gazed at Ling Xiao, her eyes shimmering, and nodded gently. "I understand."

「In the pre-dawn morning, the eastern sky was a wash of hazy purple.」

The strains of a zither drifted once again from Feng Ling’s courtyard. The music was like a reflection of the sword skill Ling Xiao had demonstrated the other day; at times, it was the clash of iron and the thunder of warhorses, brimming with killing intent. At other times, it was hauntingly sentimental, enough to break one’s heart.

Ling Xiao sat cross-legged on the rooftop, absorbing the Spiritual Qi with long, deep breaths. This was the time of day when the Spiritual Qi was most abundant and pure.

At his current Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage, the amount of Spiritual Qi Ling Xiao could store was limited, but he could improve its quality.

After much observation and drawing upon his own knowledge, Ling Xiao had finally confirmed something about this world’s power levels: from Sword Attendant all the way to Demon Sword Master, the focus was primarily on tempering the body.

Take Uncle Fu, for example. Despite possessing the formidable power of a First Rank Demon Sword Master, he still insisted on daily physical training. It could be said that upon reaching the Demon Sword Master realm, a Martial Artist’s physical body would reach its peak condition.

At that stage, a person’s body was practically impervious to blades and spears.

This was the main reason why Uncle Fu had dared to charge into the fray that day, facing down powerful crossbow bolts. Although they could still be injured by a Martial Artist of the same rank, their physical constitution and recovery abilities had reached the absolute pinnacle of human potential.

Any higher... and it was all about cultivating Spiritual Power.

That’s right. In terms of physical toughness, experts at the Sword Sect level were not necessarily much stronger than Demon Sword Masters, but their Spiritual Power was already incredibly profound.

A key reason for the immense power of their released Sword Qi was that it was infused with a small amount of a Spiritual Power attack.

When facing opponents of a lower rank, a Sword Sect expert who had cultivated their Spiritual Power to a sufficiently profound level could kill an ordinary person with a single glance.

This, in essence, was a form of spiritual attack.

When Uncle Fu spoke of this, his face was filled with yearning. Unless one reached that level, one could never experience that sensation. Even with his mighty cultivation as a Fifth Rank Demon Sword Master, Marshal Qiu had only been able to touch the very edge of Spiritual Power cultivation. Yet, the small insights he occasionally grasped were enough to provide a person with endless benefits.