“Jian Xiao?” Jiang Xiaobai asked with increasing confusion: “What’s the use there?”

“There, one can cultivate and comprehend the essence of sword intent!” Huang Linyuan spoke, “The higher the level you reach, the stronger the sword intent you will comprehend, and the better your innate talent and strength will be.”

As he spoke, Huang Linyuan paused, his gaze returning to Jiang Xiaobai, “You don’t have to force yourself in this regard. You should continue to focus mainly on your Beast Taming Path.”

Jiang Xiaobai had an ordinary spiritual root, and in Jian Xiao, he could only grope around at the bottom level, just managing to comprehend a little bit of offensive techniques.

He worried that Jiang Xiaobai would be discouraged, so he preemptively gave him a booster shot.

“Yes!”

Although Jiang Xiaobai nodded, his eyes filled with curiosity as he looked towards Jian Xiao.

“That building up ahead is where they authenticate official disciples!”

Soon after, with Huang Linyuan’s voice ringing out again, Jiang Xiaobai’s gaze was fixed upon a grand building that stood towering.

For a moment, his face once again showed a look of longing, and he hastened his pace to follow Huang Linyuan.

As the two approached the building, Jiang Xiaobai noticed a sword-shaped stele next to the entrance, about thirty feet tall.

“Let’s go, let’s go in!”

Having said this, Huang Linyuan led Jiang Xiaobai inside the building.

Jiang Xiaobai surveyed the environment, and his gaze finally settled on the figure ahead.

He saw an old man in a white-purple robe, sitting cross-legged on a cushion, his eyes closed as if he were asleep.

As they drew closer, the elder opened his eyes, and upon seeing Huang Linyuan, he first showed surprise, then a smile emerged: “Old Huang, it’s rare for you to visit me. What brings you here?”

“Oh, I’ve taken a disciple and came for your authentication.”

Huang Linyuan replied with a smile.

“Oh?”

Dai Qiu Hao, upon hearing this, turned his gaze to Jiang Xiaobai at his side.

At first glance, Dai Qiu Hao’s expression flashed with surprise and then turned back to Huang Linyuan, “Old Huang, are you sure?”

Jiang Xiaobai had good looks and temperament, but…the pallor on his face and premature gray hair did not make him seem like someone on the path of cultivation. At first sight, he looked like a sickly young man.

In his opinion, such a person would not be able to enter the Yunjian Sect; even with a spiritual root, it must be very poor, probably unable to break through even the first Qi Refining layer.

Yet Huang Linyuan brought such a person to authenticate as a disciple?

This truly left him puzzled and astonished.

“Sure!”

Huang Linyuan knew why Dai Qiu Hao was questioning again, but he still nodded affirmatively.

Dai Qiu Hao saw Huang Linyuan nod his head, turned to Jiang Xiaobai, and beckoned, “Come here!”

Jiang Xiaobai walked up, nodding, but due to his excitement, he couldn’t help but cover his chest and cough a few times.

Dai Qiu Hao’s brows furrowed noticeably, but out of respect for Huang Linyuan, he said nothing and let Jiang Xiaobai sit cross-legged in front of him.

Dai Qiu Hao placed his hand on Jiang Xiaobai’s arm.

With a fluctuation of spiritual power, a mark began to form. Amidst the surging waves, Dai Qiu Hao’s face showed surprise: “Qi Refining first layer, and not far from the second layer’s threshold!”

This sickly youth had actually broken through the first layer of Qi Refining?!

This was truly strange and unexpected!

At this moment, he somewhat understood why Huang Linyuan had taken Jiang Xiaobai as an official disciple.

But as he was branding the mark onto Jiang Xiaobai’s abdomen, Dai Qiu Hao’s brows furrowed once again, his expression returning to one of confusion.

Lifting his head, he looked at Huang Linyuan, “Old Huang, did you really go all out for him?”

Spiritual roots have a clear hierarchy: mortal grade, low grade, middle grade, high grade, and beyond that, there are earth spirit roots, heavenly spirit roots, and mutant spirit roots.

The latter three were relatively rare; among the entire Yunjian Sect, only a few possessed them.

However, his examination showed that Jiang Xiaobai’s spiritual root was at the mortal grade level, which was remarkably unimpressive—he had no advantage at all.

This clearly indicated that Huang Linyuan had invested a lot of cultivation resources in Jiang Xiaobai.

Otherwise, with such a spiritual root, cultivating for three to five years would not allow one to approach the high threshold of the second layer.

Huang Linyuan simply smiled faintly without explaining, “Elder Dai, your authentication is all we need.”

As Dai Qiu Hao nodded, he glanced at Jiang Xiaobai and asked, “Young man, where do you want the authentication mark?”

“On your left hand, or your right?”

Huh?

Where should the authentication mark go?

Jiang Xiaobai was taken aback and looked up confused.

“Like this one on me!”

While Dai Qiu Hao spoke, he invoked his spiritual power, and Jiang Xiaobai clearly saw a complex sword-shaped mark appear on the back of Dai Qiu Hao’s left hand.

The mark was purple, luminous and exquisite, and very beautiful.

“This branding signifies that you will henceforth be a disciple of our Yunjian Sect!”

Dai Qiu Hao spoke, “If you wish to join another sect in the future, you must first apply to our Yunjian Sect for disassociation!”

“Otherwise, this brand will accompany you forever, until it fades away.”

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I understand!”

Jiang Xiaobai nodded, thought for a moment, and then said, “Can I have the mark on my forehead?”

As he spoke, he pointed to his forehead.

Huh?

Dai Qiu Hao’s expression flashed with surprise, looking at Jiang Xiaobai, “Are you sure?”

Huang Linyuan also had an embarrassed expression on his face.

“Sure!”

Jiang Xiaobai nodded firmly.

Such a beautiful ‘tattoo’ would be a waste if placed on the back of the hand.

The more visible, the better. Putting it on the forehead, just thinking about flaunting it seemed very cool.

While Jiang Xiaobai was nodding, Huang Linyuan at his side seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he did not speak.

As for Dai Qiu Hao, seeing Jiang Xiaobai’s agreement, he did not hesitate and held a sword token in his left hand.

With a surge of sharp energy, Dai Qiu Hao’s right hand touched Jiang Xiaobai’s forehead.

At that moment, Jiang Xiaobai felt a pain at his brow, followed by a burning sensation, and at the same time, the whirls of Qi in his body seemed to be drawn out, causing ripples to form.

“All done!”

As Dai Qiu Hao withdrew his hand, a sword-shaped mark emanating white light gradually hid and disappeared in Jiang Xiaobai’s forehead.

“This sword mark will appear whenever you use your spiritual power!”

Saying this, Dai Qiu Hao stood up, just about to say something, when his gaze shifted outside.

“Elder Dai, are you busy?”

A smiling voice rang out, and Jiang Xiaobai also turned his head to see another elder walking in.

Beside him followed a young man and a young woman.

After the four entered, the elder looked at Huang Linyuan and expressed genuine surprise, “Old Huang, you’re here too!”

“Yes, Old Huang came to authenticate a disciple!”

Dai Qiu Hao spoke.

The elder, upon hearing this, looked even more surprised, then his gaze fell on Jiang Xiaobai, and the next second he couldn’t help but laugh, “Not bad, this young man seems impressive, at Qi Refining second layer, right?”

“Qi Refining first layer!”

Huang Linyuan said coldly.

“Oh, I remember someone saying that to take an official disciple, they must at least reach the Qi Refining second layer.”

The elder looked at Huang Linyuan with a smile, “How come you brought someone who is at the Qi Refining first layer here? And also found someone who is…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, implying that it should be clear to Huang Linyuan what he meant.

Because no matter how you look at it, Jiang Xiaobai seemed to be riddled with illness.

Such an exceptional case, how did Huang Linyuan come to favor him?

And regarding the Qi Refining second layer, that is the minimum requirement to become an official disciple in the Yunjian Sect.

But because the Beast Taming area is a bit special, the sect has lowered the requirement to the Qi Refining first layer.

However, Huang Linyuan, who is proud and has high expectations, had never acknowledged this special concession.

It was unexpected that because of a sickly youth, Huang Linyuan broke his past persistence, which was indeed ironic…