I Tame Beasts by Feeding

"Cultivate well. I imagine it won’t be long before you reach Golden Core."

Lu Ruikai praised, the admiration in his eyes unconcealed.

"It is all thanks to my master’s guidance. I was just fortunate to break through."

Yu Changsheng nodded and spoke softly. Following behind Lu Ruikai, he bowed respectfully before turning to Shen Xingchen with a slight smile and a nod.

By all rights, Yu Changsheng should have been the one to offer a formal greeting. Shen Xingchen had joined the sect earlier, his Cultivation was higher, and he was the Peak Master’s disciple.

’But then again,’ Yu Changsheng thought, ’I am Elder Wei’s disciple. In terms of seniority, I outrank Shen Xingchen by generations—he should probably be calling me Martial Ancestor. There’s no need for me to be overly deferential.’

His deference to Lu Ruikai, however, was simply the respect one must show to a powerful expert.

Lu Ruikai was aware of these nuances, but Shen Xingchen was not. Momentarily taken aback, he returned Yu Changsheng’s smile, his gaze deep and inscrutable, his thoughts hidden.

"Your timing is perfect. Xingchen is also heading to the Sword Cleansing Pool to temper his personal sword today. You two can look out for each other and keep each other company."

Lu Ruikai, oblivious to the subtleties of Yu Changsheng’s thoughts, walked ahead with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Speaking of which, I have you to thank, Changsheng, for parting with a treasured possession and giving the Dragon’s Roar Sword to Xingchen. A Treasure Sword with such growth potential, and one that suits him so well... I wouldn’t have been able to find another one like it for him on short notice."

Lu Ruikai said nonchalantly, glancing back at Shen Xingchen with a meaningful look.

"We both got what we needed. Senior Brother Shen also gave me many treasures that were a great help in my breakthrough to Foundation Establishment."

Yu Changsheng replied respectfully.

"Mm. You have six hours. When the time is up, you will be teleported out automatically. Treasure this opportunity; it is a rare one. If you feel any discomfort or sense you’ve reached your limit, send me a voice transmission immediately. Do not push yourself, or you risk damaging your foundation."

A short while later, under Lu Ruikai’s guidance, the three of them passed through layer after layer of Restrictions and arrived at the center of the palace complex. A pool, roughly thirty square meters in area, came into view.

The water of the pool was a silvery white. Even from a distance, one could feel a startlingly sharp Sword Qi hovering above its surface.

The air hummed with the ceaseless ringing of swords, stirring countless ripples across the water. The pool was encircled by Treasure Swords, plunged upside down into the bank to form a perfect circle—exactly ninety-nine of them, no more, no less.

In the center of the pool stood a Giant Sword. It was entirely silver-white, shimmering with a brilliant luster. A piercing Sword Qi radiated from it, churning the very air around it. Merely approaching it caused Yu Changsheng’s skin to sting, despite the toughness of his body as a Foundation Establishment Body Cultivator.

This level of pain was still tolerable for Yu Changsheng, however. He glanced back at Shen Xingchen, whose expression was unchanged, seemingly unaffected by the rampant Sword Gang all around them.

The Dragon’s Roar Sword on his back, however, was thrumming and vibrating incessantly, as if trembling with both fear and excitement. A faint, blood-red dragon shadow flickered at the sword’s tip.

It was clear that after being reforged by Shen Xingchen, the Dragon’s Roar Sword had completely submitted to him. Its quality had even ascended to the level of a Spirit Treasure, taking it to a whole new plane.

"Alright, acclimatize yourselves, then get in. Remember my words: stay in for as long as you can, but do not force it. And whatever you do, do not touch the Giant Sword in the center. With your level of Cultivation, a light consequence would be losing your Cultivation entirely and suffering near-fatal injuries. A heavy one would be having your soul obliterated, with no hope of reincarnation."

After this final warning, Lu Ruikai glanced at the two of them, then turned and left without another word.

Yu Changsheng and Shen Xingchen exchanged a smile. Shen Xingchen spoke softly, "You must take what Master said to heart. The Sword Cleansing Pool is a Holy Land of our Wanxiang Sect, not something that is opened to just anyone."

"Only when the Sword Qi has accumulated to its peak are a few spots made available. It’s not just a Sword Forging Holy Land for us Swordsmen; it’s also an excellent place for tempering the physical body. But you mustn’t be greedy, for it is also fraught with danger."

"The Profound Celestial Giant Sword in the center of the Sword Cleansing Pool is one of the very foundations of the Wanxiang Sect and must not be touched. If it were to erupt, the resulting Sword Qi could claim our lives in an instant."

Shen Xingchen explained, gesturing toward the Giant Sword in the center of the pool.

"Alright. I’ll be careful."

Yu Changsheng nodded. Wasting no time, he and Shen Xingchen took a deep breath to acclimatize themselves before slowly and tentatively stepping into the pool.

An icy chill shot from the crown of his Skull through his entire body. It was a cold that bypassed Cultivation entirely, and in an instant, Yu Changsheng couldn’t help but shiver.

At the same time, the endless Sword Qi permeating the water erupted, surging toward Yu Changsheng’s body as if it had found a target, assailing him from both inside and out.

A faint stinging sensation arose within Yu Changsheng’s Sea of Consciousness. His eyes narrowed. As he activated the Thousand Mountains Technique, the pool water churned, and a faint-red shadow of blood and qi enveloped his body, slowly growing more solid.

Meanwhile, in his Qi Sea, the phantom of a Second Layer Spirit Platform began to slowly condense and manifest. His Cultivation was slowly increasing.

’Oh? It can even raise my Cultivation? What a place!’

Yu Changsheng’s eyes lit up in pleasant surprise.

He could clearly feel the pool ceaselessly tempering his physical body. The Thousand Mountains Technique seemed stimulated as well, circulating more smoothly and constantly increasing the strength of his physique.

Even his Cultivation was slowly advancing toward the Foundation Establishment Second Layer. A few moments in the pool were equivalent to many days of arduous Cultivation.

Shen Xingchen, meanwhile, had taken the Dragon’s Roar Sword from his back and slowly submerged it in the Sword Cleansing Pool. Once it was completely underwater, the sword let out a clear cry. The Blood Dragon phantom on its body grew more distinct and active, its roars and the sword’s ringing blending together in what sounded like pure bliss.

Having done this, Shen Xingchen gingerly dipped his fingers into the water to test it. Then, a few paces away from Yu Changsheng, he submerged the upper half of his body, his bare chest and back now facing Yu Changsheng directly.

As the water submerged his back, Shen Xingchen let out a sharp grunt. His brow furrowed and his body trembled for a moment before he recovered. He shot Yu Changsheng a smile and said:

"Junior Brother, your physical body is remarkably tough. I’m truly envious."

Yu Changsheng gave Shen Xingchen a long look before nodding with a smile. "Just a matter of fortunate encounters. Senior Brother Shen’s physique is nothing to scoff at, either."

"And congratulations on the successful ascension of the Dragon’s Roar Sword, Senior Brother Shen."

’He could tell that Shen Xingchen’s physical strength was likely on par with his own—they were evenly matched.’

Shen Xingchen gave a light chuckle, though his brow twitched involuntarily. He didn’t reply, instead turning to gaze at the Profound Celestial Giant Sword in the center of the pool. His eyes, deep and focused, held a complex, unreadable expression.