The inheritance space was fully charged.
At this rate, it would take about three days to completely recharge, and the maximum stay allowed was ten consecutive days.
Ten days inside equaled just one day outside.
But with the competition tomorrow, Li Shuang knew she couldn't spend all her time within the space.
She calculated carefully. This time, she could remain there for about five days.
Last time, she had practiced swordsmanship tirelessly for ten days straight within the inheritance space.
When she emerged, her mind was brimming with profound comprehension of sword techniques.
Later, when her fellow disciples from Wuqing Peak sparred with her, those insights gradually transformed into real attainments.
Had it not been for that rapid improvement in her understanding of swordsmanship, she still would have won in today's arena—but not as decisively as she had.
This time, Li Shuang could hardly wait to see Senior Su Mu again.
A flash of light enveloped her, and her body entered the inheritance space.
Inside the vast, pure-white world, Su Mu was already waiting.
"Senior, I—" Li Shuang began, but before she could finish, Su Mu's longsword shot from his hand toward her.
She instinctively dodged.
The next moment, Su Mu was already behind her, sword thrusting at an impossibly tricky angle.
So it had already begun.
Li Shuang steadied her mind and met the blow with her blade.
After a few exchanges, Su Mu's lips curved faintly.
Very good.
She had quickly digested everything she gained from her last practice.
At long last, after years of waiting, he had found a true prodigy of the sword.
And she was an uncut gem.
Her swordsmanship showed no signs of having been strictly molded—most of it had been honed on her own. That freedom made her movements agile, her strikes unpredictable, and her innovations dazzling.
In truth, the lack of rigid instruction was a blessing. A true genius in swordsmanship was destined to forge her own path. To bind her too early would only hinder her from stepping onto the real way of the sword.
His thoughts surged, and his swordplay intensified."Continue!" he ordered, his tone sharp.
"You boasted so much before, yet now you seem powerless," he mocked. "The Ruthless Sword Technique isn't for everyone. Destroy my sword, and you may attempt its first form. Otherwise, keep playing with your pitiful sword techniques."
Li Shuang's gaze stayed calm."Senior, I've practiced the Supreme Forgetfulness Technique."
Su Mu raised a brow, his expression unreadable."I only meant to scold you, but I didn't expect a reaction."
He knew well: cultivators who practiced the Supreme Forgetfulness Technique rarely showed negative emotions.
Li Shuang met his strike again and said evenly, "So, Senior, you haven't spoken to anyone in a long time, have you?"
Su Mu: "..."
Li Shuang added softly, "It's fine. Next time, I'll make sure to talk to you."
Su Mu clenched his teeth.These sword cultivators—must they always speak so bluntly?
Annoying... and yet, strangely comforting.
His sword suddenly grew faster.
Li Shuang narrowly dodged, her expression becoming solemn.
The vast inheritance space echoed with the relentless clash of steel.
Under the pressure, Li Shuang entered a strange state of focus.
This senior was terrifying.
The slightest flaw, and his sword would pierce her without mercy.
That pressure forced her blade to grow sharper, her movements smoother, her style more complete.
Insights into swordsmanship poured into her heart like an unending stream.
Unnoticed by her, the faintly transparent sword spirit within the Black Abyss Sword began to gleam.
Li Shuang's eyes never left Su Mu's sword.
Why?
Why did he always seem one step ahead, as if predicting every impact of her blade?
What was she missing?
There had to be something.
Her gaze sharpened, watching even the smallest twitch of his muscles.
Su Mu noticed, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He was pleased—but rules were rules.
He raised his sword, and with a flicker of light, it fell from the side at an impossibly strange angle.
At that instant, Li Shuang had no time to think.
Her hand moved naturally, the Black Abyss Sword intercepting the strike perfectly.
"Oh?" Su Mu's eyes glinted with surprise.
Li Shuang didn't stop. She seized the moment and counterattacked—eyes closed.
Su Mu's smile deepened.
She had finally realized.
The eyes could deceive.
But the heart of a true swordsman never did.
Closing her eyes, her vision became clearer than ever before.
She felt the trajectory of the sword, the point where the next strike would land.
It was crystal clear in her mind.
As the Black Abyss Sword swung, a small domain unfurled around her, centered at her core.
The Sword Domain.
Normally, such a domain would take years to cultivate.
But with Su Mu guiding her, dissecting each move, her understanding grew by leaps and bounds.
Slowly, her domain expanded, fueled by the sword insights she had accumulated over the years.
No one knew how much time had passed.
When she finally stopped, the domain stretched ten meters wide. That was her current limit. To go further would demand an even greater mastery.
With a sharp strike, she knocked Su Mu's sword aside, sending it clattering to the ground.
Her eyes snapped open, filled with joy.
Bowing deeply, she said with utmost sincerity,"Thank you, Senior."
She knew full well—knocking his sword away didn't mean she surpassed him.
The gap between them was vast, like the moon above and the dust below.
Su Mu had suppressed countless skills just to temper her.
It was only thanks to him that she had condensed her Sword Domain.
The very fact that he could help another swordsman achieve this was proof of his terrifying mastery.
Su Mu accepted her bow calmly, then smiled faintly."Someone is calling you outside. Go. When you return, I will teach you the first form of the Ruthless Sword Technique."
"Yes."
Li Shuang answered respectfully, and the next moment, her body was sent out of the inheritance space.