Seeing this message, Shi Jing smiled.
But the lack of reward diminished his joy slightly.
Even then, with the peak mastery of the iron body transformation art, he could feel a slight increase to his strength as he exhaled.
"It seems like only heaven-grade art is worth cultivating…" He sighed, then cast aside the iron body transformation art for now.
Instead, he focused on learning the Spring Mist Cloud sword art.
This was the only heaven-grade sword art in his possession which had yet to reach minor mastery.
If this was before, he wasn't confident in grasping it. But with his comprehension at the sword intent realm, he could grasp a clue.
At the same time, his isolation became an extended seclusion. Gradually, his name and fame diminished among the outer court.
Even Fang Zheng, who would regularly visit his mountain peak stopped visiting.
Zhao Ping, the repository supervisor also stopped receiving news regarding this junior brother.
Elder Chen was the most concerned. This matter involved his own accumulation of merits.
If Shi Jing could become an Inner court disciple, he too would share some fame, and more crucially, obtain a great deal of merits!
On the second week, Elder Chen visited him to examined this outer disciple.
Seeing Shi Jing practicing sword art instead of focusing on his cultivation to breakthrough into Qi-Refinement, he was greatly disappointed.
After leaving behind some word of advise, he departed.
Shi Jing, being a Peak Qi-Refinement, listened with one ear.
If he wanted, he could display Qi-Refinement realm cultivation, but obviously, it was not needed.
The autumn wind continue to blow on the mountain peak. Outside, the world became more desolate as winter approaches.
On the mark of the first month since his isolation, Shi Jing received an unexpected guest.
"Junior Shi Jing, pardon my sudden visit," Lin Xue greeted, her smile was friendly and graceful.
The cold wind on the peak seem to not affect her appearance.
"Senior sister Xue, how may I be of help?" He asked warily while gesturing for her to enter his cultivation cave.
In the cave was a spiritual spring as well bamboo mat not farm against the wall.
This minimal arrangement startled her. She didn't expect a young man such as him to be this plain.
That is not to say that she was judging him, but merely surprised.
Since there wasn't exactly a table and chair, she found herself sitting on top one of the naturally-formed flat stone.
Without a doubt, Lin Xue visit was not something Shi Jing ever expected.
After all, they had only met once, and that was a month ago.
In actuality, she hesitated at first.
Lin Xue finished her duty at the manor's gate on the third week.
Recalling that sensation from their first meeting, she contemplated for a whole week before deciding to visit this junior.
"Junior brother, are you going to compete in the inner court competition?"
Shi Jing expression paused as he tap the hilt of his own sword.
"No," He said.
His response was not what she expected.
Actually, she didn't know what to expect. She only visited this eccentric junior due to her instinct and impulses.
And for some reason, when talking to Shi Jing, she felt comfortable. It was a strange feeling.
This peaked her interest even more as she sat down, then looked at the sword on his waist.
"Junior brother, your reputation has seem to suffer greatly lately… But I see they have no effect on you."
Shi Jing chuckled lightly, shaking his head.
"What use is reputation? Does it feed your stomach? Improve your cultivation? Or help you comprehend your arts?"
His words left her speechless. Once again, she examined Shi Jing in a new light.
"Your words are peculiar… It resembles those of the demonic path…" She murmured under her breath.
Due to his young appearance as well as age, she saw him as a junior, an inexperienced outer disciple.
It seems like everyone has underestimated this junior… She thought in her head. But the truth in her visit was actually not for these minor matters.
The inner court competition? What does it matter to her? As for the rumors and gossip toward Shi Jing?
This was not her problem.
Finally, she can't help but blurt out her true thought.
"What do you think is a sword?"
Shi Jing grew silent. He didn't expect her to ask him this question.
At the same time, he found this senior sister to be quite peculiar.
Her social skill and ability to scheme seem to be lacking. But he wasn't sure if this was her true self, or merely an appearance on the surface.
Regardless, seeing as she meant no harm, he didn't think too deeply about this.
Out of curiosity, he paused to think of the question.
His silence only made her anxious. For a second, she wondered if she saw it wrong.
A thirteen year old, how much could he understand regarding swords? Even if he was a foundation establishment cultivator, she doubt he could answer her question.
These thought began to settle in her heart.
She stared at Shi Jing face, and just as she was about to get up to leave, he answered.
"Asking this question is like asking… what is life."
For a second, she froze. But with her demeanor, she quickly recovered.
"How so?" She whispered in a low voice.
Lin Xue didn't expect Shi Jing to answer her question in such a manner.
At the same time, she couldn't figure out the connection between the two.
Noting her confusion, he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reflected the question back at her.
"Senior sister, What is a sword to you?"
In truth, after reaching the sword intent realm, he had grasp bit and pieces of what this realm meant.
But the intent given by the system didn't fill the gap in his lack of understanding toward the sword.
His sword to be exact.
It merely gave him the 'answer' without the explanation.
Upon hearing her question being reflected back, she was caught off guard.
At that moment, she couldn't really think of an answer.
After all, this question has plagued her ever since she reached the peak of sword-imitation.