Elder Mu planned to drive away the pesky Elder Yun.
But seeing Elder Yun's unwavering determination to compromise, he hesitated.
Usually, their meetings were battles of words and sharpness.
Yet privately, they were close old friends.
Elder Mu sensed something was amiss with Elder Yun's attitude now.
He had noticed Jiang Feng's talent before, but not to the point of fighting over him as a disciple.
The Sword Tower was very special.
Jiang Feng had just begun cultivation and was unfit to enter.
He only asked Jiang Feng to come after the competition for some guidance.
He hadn't expected such a surprise reunion.
"Hehe... You're stubborn, old fellow..."
Elder Mu laughed.
He was puzzled why Elder Yun insisted on recruiting Jiang Feng.
Jiang Feng's talent and twenty percent Sword Intent made him a natural sword cultivator, better suited for the Sword Tower.
"If you let Kid Jiang inherit your Sword Tower, it'd be killing him!"
Elder Yun said dramatically.
Jiang Feng sweat nervously.
Elder Mu sighed without reply.
This was why he hesitated to accept Jiang Feng as a disciple initially.
"Kid Jiang, show your Mountain-Bearing Art without holding back."
Elder Yun ignored Elder Mu and said to Jiang Feng.
"Huh...? Mountain-Bearing Art...?"
Elder Mu was surprised.
Could it be Jiang Feng chose this rare technique in Scripture Pavilion?
"This getting-apprenticed business sure isn't simple!"
Jiang Feng sensed the gravity between the two elders.
Hearing Elder Yun's order, Jiang Feng poured his energy fully, surrounded by a golden mountain seal.
"Mountain-Bearing Art at Sixth Layer?!"
Elder Mu was shocked again.
Elder Yun was stunned too.
He thought Jiang Feng had only reached Fifth Layer!
Unexpectedly, Sixth Layer!
Jiang Feng really hid his strength well...
A true prodigy!
In just five months, he had cultivated this rare technique to Sixth Layer.
Jiang Feng showed only Fourth Layer at the competition.
Who would've guessed he had advanced beyond?
Both elders fell silent.
Their expressions diverged-
Elder Yun smiled excitedly, while Elder Mu looked troubled and conflicted.
He now understood why Elder Yun was so firm about no price bargaining-
he wanted Jiang Feng as disciple at all costs!
If Jiang Feng hadn't revealed Mountain-Bearing Art, Elder Mu wouldn't have given him up.
Now... Jiang Feng's choice of Mountain-Bearing Art seemed destined.
The two elders' silence made Jiang Feng uneasy.
Please, don't keep me guessing!
After waiting too long without words, Jiang Feng finally spoke, "Elders, please speak frankly; I can handle it."
Elder Yun and Elder Mu exchanged looks;
finally, Elder Mu spoke.
"Kid Jiang, your cultivation is still weak. Some things are not good to tell you yet."
"If you had two choices, one is to cultivate the strongest sword. But the sword is so sharp, you risk great costs, even lifespan loss."
"The other is to cultivate the strongest defense. But each breakthrough is hundreds of times harder than others at the same level. You might be stuck forever."
"So... what would you choose?"
Elder Mu said this with mixed feelings.
Elder Yun said nothing but looked complex.
Both elders watched Jiang Feng intently.
This choice was critical.
Hearing Elder Mu, Jiang Feng pondered.
He roughly guessed:
The strongest sword referred to Elder Mu.
The strongest shield meant Elder Yun.
Now they let him choose:
Strongest sword or strongest shield!
"If it were me..."
After a moment, Jiang Feng said slowly.
"I'd choose both sword and shield!"
"After all, having the strongest sword and strongest shield together shouldn't be wrong."
The elders were initially stunned.
Then Elder Mu sighed.
Elder Yun laughed aloud.
"You little brat is too greedy. Human energy is limited; you can't manage both."
"Let me tell you, our sect's ancestor once obtained two Cultivation Techniques in an ancient secret realm."
"The ranks were unknown, but surely above Heaven Rank."
"The cultivation difficulty was enormous—ordinary people couldn't even start."
"I was fortunate to cultivate one, a Body Forging Cultivation Technique."
"It gave unbeatable defense among peers."
"Even if fighting opponents beyond your level, it's very hard for them to hurt me."
"But this technique has a drawback: each breakthrough is exponentially harder!"
"Plus, each breakthrough consumes tens or hundreds of times more energy than others."
"Kid, does this sound familiar?"
"Heh heh heh... your Mountain-Bearing Art is my simplified rewrite of this Body Forging Cultivation Technique."
Elder Yun spoke with a hint of helplessness.
Jiang Feng was stunned.
No wonder Mountain-Bearing Art felt peculiar.
Though it was Mysterious Rank Top, it felt unfathomably deep.
"And... the strongest sword? What is it?"
Jiang Feng asked further.
Elder Yun glanced at Elder Mu.
Seeing Old Man Mu did not respond, he continued.
"Old Mu cultivates the other technique, a sword cultivation technique."
"Ordinary cultivation absorbs cosmic energy, but this one devours sword energy..."
"Then combines with cosmic energy and Sword Formulas to cultivate."
"The higher the realm, the stricter the sword energy quality and quantity requirements."
"Also, 'harm enemy a thousand, lose self eight hundred'..."
"Though it grants overwhelming power over peers, it causes self-harm."
"To put it plainly, when Old Mu broke into Divine Sea Realm First Heaven, he killed a Profound Gang Realm First Heaven expert."
"But no matter how strong, he cannot massacre recklessly! He dares not!"
"If he killed too many, the sword technique would backfire and kill him!"
"Heh heh heh... but with him guarding the sect since breaking Profound Gang Realm, no one dares cause trouble."
"Ahem... this deterrence is unmatched."
"So, you see, cultivating one technique is hard enough; two is near impossible."
Jiang Feng lowered his head seriously, but a gleam sparkled in his eyes.
A sword cultivation technique devouring sword energy...?
Heh... it was tailor-made for him!
With SSS-Tier Extraction and Epiphany Talent, cultivating both techniques simultaneously was no fear!
"Elder Mu, Elder Yun, I have decided..."
"Please allow me to cultivate both techniques simultaneously!"
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