When Earth Awakened, I Became a Sword Saintess

Chapter 174 : The Jade Water Wood Spirit Crystal

174: The Jade Water Wood Spirit Crystal

Xia Yuyin temporarily returned to the cave where she lived. For the next few days, she practiced her sword arts in the mountains at night and rested in the cave. During the day, she would travel to the small island to absorb the purple energy. She maintained a certain distance, using the old willow tree's whipping branches to hone her movement and sword techniques. Whenever she felt in danger, she would retreat outside the willow's attack range. Of course, during this training, she couldn't avoid being struck a few times.

One day, rain began to fall in the forest. Xia Yuyin did not take shelter in the cave. Instead, dressed in fluttering white robes, she danced and practiced her swordplay on a cliff amidst the downpour.

The sound of raindrops striking her Ice Iron Yue Maiden Longsword, the sensation of her blade cutting through the raindrops, gave Xia Yuyin a special insight into her sword art today.

For female cultivators, the Purple Source Palace is their origin, and spiritual water is the source of their power. Their affinity for water comes from life itself. As the saying goes, "Women are made of water." This can be understood in a simple way, but perhaps it also contains a profound truth.

Soaked in the drizzling rain, dancing with her sword in the mist, Xia Yuyin felt a subtle connection, a resonance, between the spiritual water that drove her sword moves, the raindrops falling on her skin, and the vast rain all around her.

The rain, drizzling and gentle, flying with the wind and changing in countless ways, revealed the variability of water, just like the variability, gentleness, and agility of the sword art.

And the rain, penetrating everywhere, revealed the sharpness and precision of water.

Sometimes, the rain poured down, leaving nowhere to hide, and she swung her sword like the rain.

Dripping water wears away stone, revealing the persistence and perseverance of a raindrop.

One cannot cut water with a swinging blade; it is continuous, showing the resilience and ever-changing defense of water.

And countless raindrops gather into streams, streams gather into rivers, which break through mountains and devastate the land. This was like gathering the spiritual water within her body, converging it into monstrous waves, into the surging currents of spiritual water and Primordial Energy. The softest water could also be the hardest; its power was immense.

Boom!

In the pouring rain, Xia Yuyin slashed through the air. A wave of energy stirred up countless white raindrop vortexes, actually creating a hundred-meter-wide void in the middle of the downpour.

Xia Yuyin's soaked white dress clung to her chest, its white wrinkles revealing the faint color of her skin and her full, distinct figure. She breathed in satisfaction.

"Feather Sky Slash? In my opinion, it could just as well be called Rain Sky Slash." Xia Yuyin smiled faintly. Perhaps this move was originally created by that ancient female great being through her insights in the rain, and its name had become a homophone over time.

Mysterious Female Sword Art, Second Level, Sword Maiden's Flying Rain, initial stage.

Secret Art: Feather Sky Slash, mastered.

Amidst the flying rain, Xia Yuyin, carrying her sword, arrived at the small island once more.

A hundred meters from the crooked old willow tree, she circulated her energy and, without hesitation, swung her Yue Maiden Longsword.

A void formed in the curtain of greyish-white mist.

Bang!

A section of the old willow's thick main trunk exploded, and water splashed everywhere.

The old willow's tree spirit began to wildly whip its branches, striking the ground in front of Xia Yuyin, but it could not reach her. On its main trunk, there was a deep sword mark.

However, although the sword mark was deep, it was still far from severing the thick trunk.

The old willow went mad, using its branches to sweep up surrounding trees and rocks, hurling them at Xia Yuyin, but with her reflexes, it was impossible for them to hit her.

The rain soaked Xia Yuyin's beautiful hair, dripping continuously from her face. In her eyes, it seemed the artistic conception of the vast rain was reflected.

At this moment, Xia Yuyin seemed to have gained a slight perception of the mysteries of the rain.

This perception was called the Sense of Rain.

To continue advancing in the Mysterious Female Sword Art, the Sense of Rain was a threshold, something one had to grasp on their own through the ethereal principles and mysteries. If one could not perceive the mysteries of the rain, it was difficult to make further progress in the second level of the Mysterious Female Sword Art.

Back in Lingdu, Xia Yuyin also liked rainy days and had often practiced her sword in the mountains when it rained. Although her state of mind was pleasant and beneficial for cultivation, she had never truly felt the profound mysteries within it; it was mostly just a vague feeling of comfort and joy.

But here in the Forest-Source, with its abundant Primordial Energy, mysterious surrounding mountains, and picturesque landscapes everywhere, Xia Yuyin was immersed in it all. Having personally engaged in battle, honing her sword art and insights in dangerous, real combat, the combination of these multiple factors allowed her to better grasp those profound and mysterious things.

Whoosh!

Xia Yuyin struck again with her sword, cleaving through the rain curtain. The water mist flew into the downpour like spinning wings.

Boom!

The entire, massive willow tree trembled.

At this moment, a fighting spirit seemed to surge in Xia Yuyin's chest.

It was as if the rain between heaven and earth was an extension of her own perception. Wherever the rain fell, listening to the sound of the rain, feeling the wind and water flow, the changes in her surroundings, she had a faint grasp of them all.

This was an uninhibited fighting spirit.

She was no longer content with just attacking from a distance. In fact, relying on long-range attacks to chop down this tree would likely take a long time and consume a massive amount of energy. She directly kicked up splashes of water and charged into the old willow tree spirit's attack range, attacking the tree itself.

The old willow was already furious. Willow-whip after willow-whip lashed toward Xia Yuyin.

Slice!

With a mid-air sword strike, Xia Yuyin could cleave the rain, and she also directly severed several of the willow branches. One cannot cut water with a swinging blade because they do not understand the principles of water's flow. But if you dig a channel by the river, can't you also "cut" the water?

Having gained some insight into the rain, Xia Yuyin had a better grasp on attacking these supple willow branches.

With several consecutive strikes, she continuously severed the willow branches. She charged even closer to the thick, old willow tree.

"This willow tree, is it a tree, or a beastly demon?" For a moment, Xia Yuyin could not judge. If it was a tree, how could one kill such a plant-type demon?

She sensed that the core of the old willow's thick trunk seemed to be the source of that powerful life energy.

Xia Yuyin gathered her entire body's Primordial Energy, leaped into the air, and struck down with her sword.

Crack!

This sword strike almost cleaved open the dozens of meters of rain and mist.

The old willow trembled violently. A sword wound, several meters long, appeared on its trunk. Countless willow branches whipped toward Xia Yuyin.

If rain had a gender, it would surely be female. The rain here was like Xia Yuyin's sisters. The changes in the sound and intensity of the rain allowed Xia Yuyin to feel attacks from all directions without needing to look. She actually dodged all the whipping willow branches, as if her movements on the wet, slippery ground had become even swifter, even more elusive.

If one sword couldn't sever it, then two! Three!

While dodging the whipping branches, Xia Yuyin looked for opportunities and struck the thick trunk of the willow tree seven times in a row.

Finally, she cleaved open the trunk of the tower-like, massive willow tree.

Her longsword struck hard against a hard object at the core of the trunk.

Clang!

The impact made Xia Yuyin's hands go numb, and she was sent flying backward, barely managing to stand on the wet ground.

"What is that? So hard?" There was a small notch on Xia Yuyin's longsword. Just as she was preparing for the old willow's counterattack, she discovered that all the willow branches had drooped, swaying naturally in the wind and rain, as if that life force, which came from who knows where, had vanished.

From within the cleaved trunk, something crystalline and alluringly green was exposed.

Xia Yuyin approached cautiously. The powerful energy was still there, but she could no longer feel the willow's killing intent.

In the center of the trunk was a small piece of a jade-green crystal. Xia Yuyin's sword had struck it just now. Although that last strike hadn't shattered the crystal, its power was immense, and it had scattered the tree spirit attached to the crystal. The willow tree itself, though cleaved more than halfway, could continue to live as a plant, but its demonic soul had perished. Now, it was nothing more than an ancient willow with a mostly cleaved trunk.

"This crystal..." Xia Yuyin immediately felt that this jade-green crystal was extraordinary. To contain such energy and be so hard...

At this moment, the female will spoke: "Discovered the Jade Water Wood Spirit Crystal within the willow tree spirit. This is a High-Grade Law-Tier treasure, of great benefit to your cultivation. It is recommended to retrieve it immediately."

The female will, besides speaking when discovering secret arts and other special matters, had never spoken because of seeing treasures or materials, not even when Xia Yuyin entered the Academy's treasury. It was likely that the female will simply looked down on the things in the Academy's treasury.

But for this crystal, she spoke.

Xia Yuyin used her sword to carefully pry this piece of crystal from the core of the tree. It was as thick as a rolling pin, but slightly shorter, with rounded ends. It was completely transparent and jade-green, and within it, there seemed to be a flowing, faintly bright green starlight sparkling. Just holding it in her hand, she could feel the extremely strong energy fluctuation.

"The energy of this crystal... is so strong..." Only after taking it out completely and holding it in her hand, close to herself, did Xia Yuyin feel its full power. It was indeed a High-Grade Law-Tier treasure.

"How should I use it? Absorb it?" Xia Yuyin asked.

"No. This crystal's energy is too intense, and it is of the Wood element. It cannot be absorbed directly. It can be used in conjunction with the Imperial Daughter Body Refinement, specifically the hand technique for Local Body Refinement. Through external application, the body can slowly absorb its essence. This is of great benefit to both body refinement and the enhancement of the Mysterious Yin source."

"Long-term cultivation with this object, absorbing its essence, can make the body's defense stronger, especially increasing resistance to Wood and Water element powers. It can also make the skin smoother and more flawless, enhancing charm."

It was rare for the female will to be so painstaking and say so much. Xia Yuyin took it to heart.

"Understood. Then I will carry this Jade Water Wood Spirit Crystal with me and use it when I refine my body." Xia Yuyin nodded obediently.

After killing the old willow tree spirit, the only threat on the small island, Xia Yuyin took possession of the island.

Here, rain was plentiful, purple energy lingered, and the landscape had an artistic mood. Land-based Alien Beasts had to wade through the water to approach, making them easily detectable. It was truly a treasure land for cultivation.

From then on, Xia Yuyin stayed on this small island to cultivate. Absorbing the purple energy, her cultivation speed was extremely fast. At the same time, she practiced the Mysterious Female Sword Art and used the Jade Water Wood Spirit Crystal to refine parts of her body. Under these unique conditions, coupled with her own wholehearted and diligent efforts, her Primordial Energy, sword art, and foundational physical strength were all rapidly improving.

During this time, Xia Yuyin also continued to explore deeper into this Forest-Source, gradually coming to understand the Alien Beast kings that occupied the surrounding mountains. When she encountered Alien Beast kings descending and great battles breaking out between the various kings and hegemons, she would hide far away. Only after everything was over would she return to the small island to continue her cultivation.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

In the Prison Abyss, days were indistinct. About five months later.

On this day, the mist was thick. Over the lake, with its light and heavy makeup, the deep, secluded island emitted an aura that made the surrounding Alien Beasts wary, yet also deeply attracted them.

In the center of the island, the white mist dispersed.

Xia Yuyin, dressed in white, sat cross-legged in the ancient forest.

Her chest rose and fell gently. Her entire body emitted an aura of a fairy that was both integrated with this picturesque landscape yet transcendent. She opened her bright, moist eyes.

"I feel, the time is about right." Xia Yuyin said, her pink, cherry-like lips exhaling a white breath. At this moment, Xia Yuyin had already cultivated to the Late-Stage of Purple Domain Realm, and the Mysterious Female Sword Art, Second Level, was perfected.