Outside the Secret Sword Realm Nexus, Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulan stand before the formation entrance, wearing blank expressions.

Their hearts are in complete chaos. They have never suffered a defeat like this; not even Lan Xiaohui’s experiences in the Inner World are comparable to this. Lan Xiaohui had faced oppression before — like when Wukong’s incredible strength forced Lan Xiaohui into trying her best to merely survive one punch from him. In fact, if anything, Lan Xiaohui had developed an extreme resistance toward the mental load of going through a death process on an hourly basis. Death, it could be said, was as part of Lan Xiaohui’s new life as breathing.

However, this was something different. Her opponent was only in the early stage of Core Formation like herself, yet reduced her to nothing with her own techniques.

With a flicker of light, the door that leads to the Secret Sword Realm Nexus flashes once, then disappears.

Wu Yulan, who is pressing her right hand against her chest in the same spot where she was stabbed, quietly whispers, “Xuelian, did you also… feel it…?”

The way she speaks these words makes me suspect that she is not talking about the haptic feedback.

My owner nods at her companion’s words, remains silent for a few seconds and then replies, “Yes. I felt everything,” she says. “Every move that shadow made, every shred of sword intent and energy it created… it was as if I was doing it myself.”

With those words, Lan Xiaohui repeats the two slashing motions of the black silhouette, recreating them exactly. “So it can be used like this, too…” Lan Xiaohui whispers.

Wu Yulan nods, and her eyes shine with a strange light. “And Empty Moon Prana… did you learn it, too?”

Lan Xiaohui smiles and nods. “I did,” she says.

The chaos in their hearts, I realize, is not because of the crushing defeat that they’ve just suffered, but the extreme terror and disbelief they feel toward the formation that had, in twelve hours — no, a few minutes — taught them what they could not accomplish in almost three months.

“What an amazing formation,” Wu Yulan says, still staring in disbelief at the vacant plain wall where the entrance to the Secret Sword Realm Nexus was until a moment ago.

If they could truly experience the actions of their opponents, then it is no wonder that they would learn quickly. This also explains how Sun Zhen always returned with vast improvements every cycle when he entered this Secret Sword Realm Nexus.

“Come,” Lan Xiaohui says, a smile finally appearing on her lips. “Let’s go to one of the cultivation chambers and cultivate the foundation of Empty Moon Prana while it is still fresh in our minds.”

This makes sense. Even if they could feel how their opponents used their inner energy or how they generated the sword Qi and intent, it is still something that they need to cultivate in order to achieve the same state and ability.

Wu Yulan nods. “Mn,” she hums and then glances to the place where the door used to be. “Maybe next time we won’t suffer such a thorough defeat.”

As they head upstairs toward the special cultivation chambers, Lan Xiaohui glances at Wu Yulan, excitement in her heart. “What do you think we should do about Elder Qin and her offer to teach us?”

Wu Yulan’s eyes focus on the floor as she considers my owner’s question. “Elder Qin gave us a year to comprehend the first layer, but I think it would be very strange if we succeeded. It even took us less than three months.”

Lan Xiaohui nods.

“Empty Moon Prana is something Core Disciples study for years. Even making a single step of progress is an extraordinary achievement — enough to promote us to a Core Disciple,” Wu Yulan continues. “Yet, I don’t know how difficult it will be to cultivate, but I feel like I can make far more progress than taking only one measly step.”

Lan Xiaohui nods again. “I do not wish to become a Core Disciple,” she says.

Wu Yulan smiles. “I thought you would say that. The promotion tournament is very important to you.”

For a while, neither of them say anything more. Nothing needs to be said. It is not even guaranteed that Lan Xiaohui will have the opportunity to compete in it in the first place, much less if she will be able to survive her encounter with Yu Shun if she does make it that far.

She has still so far to go, and only two years to do it. However, there is hope in her heart, and in Wu Yulan’s also. Yesterday, the journey seemed impossible. Today, after experiencing the Secret Sword Realm Nexus, not even they know what is possible or impossible anymore.

If Lan Xiaohui could use the Secret Sword Realm Nexus to also comprehend and master [Fractured Sword], and cultivate it to the first layer to use Star Burial, not even ten of today’s Yu Shuns would be her match.

But is such a thing really possible?

[Empty Moon Prana] certainly has advanced laws and formulas, but they are nothing compared to [Fractured Sword]. From my observation, even though the encounter was brief, I did not detect traces of a [Fractured Sword] cultivation in the black silhouette — an improved and more advanced version of Lan Xiaohui herself.

After climbing the stairs to the next floor, Lan Xiaohui looks at her companion again. “So, should we tell Elder Qin?”

Wu Yulan purses her lips and then nods. “Yeah, I think so,” she says.

“You also think that Elder Qin didn’t give us an impossible task?” Lan Xiaohui asks.

Wu Yulan nods again. “That is exactly what I was thinking,” she says. “I feel like she has extremely high expectations of us. But I don’t know why. I’ve never met or heard of Elder Qin before. What about you?”

Lan Xiaohui shakes her head. “I’ve also never met or heard of her before.”

“That is strange,” Wu Yulan says. “Even though she did not make it obvious, or try to hide it, I’ve always thought that she was familiar with us.”

“You did pass all the floors of the Pagoda of Introspection, and they know that I have comprehended Sword Law, so maybe it is not that strange that they all have high expectations of us,” Lan Xiaohui offers her theory.

Wu Yulan nods in agreement with my owner’s words. “Elder Qin knows how important the promotion tournament is to you. I think it is safe to admit that we have comprehended the first layer of Empty Moon Prana, but anything more than that, they might consider us too valuable to risk. What do you think?”

Lan Xiaohui smiles. “Let’s do that, then. If we show that we are promising candidates for the legacy arts of the sect, they might even help us with the medicine for Yun Fei.”

With that, they enter the large chamber and enter one of the cultivation formation worlds, where they can meditate in peace and quiet and recreate their impressions of the [Empty Moon Prana].

As for their plan, I have my own suspicions about why Elder Qin has such high expectations of them, and whether or not she believes that Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulan could truly comprehend the method in only one short year.

I am certain that they do not realize, yet, what kind of impact their actions will have when they tell Elder Qin that they have already accomplished their impossible task.