Looking at a mirror image of himself, Zhang Ze waved in greeting.
"Good morning, have you eaten?"
His replica didn't respond and thrust the sword forward.
Zhang Ze sighed, parried the sword, and stepped back a few paces, thinking to himself that this trial lacked creativity.
The sword spirit in this cave didn't have a sense of humor.
Too old-fashioned, the so-called self-reflection through swordsmanship meant defeating oneself.
But there were just too many ways to skip class.
For example, taking advantage of the sword spirit's inability to make a second copy after one is made, and the bug of being unable to copy objects.
Strip at the entrance, then enter the cave and equip yourself after the sword spirit finishes replicating you.
Or feed yourself two doses of poison at the entrance to lower your debuff score, and take antidotes when the battle starts.
Zhang Ze could think of a few more methods to skip class.
But with Elder Li watching from outside, skipping class right under his nose would be courting death.
Outside the cave, Elder Li stood in front of a mirror, observing Zhang Ze's actions. His fists clenched then relaxed repeatedly.
"His footing is unstable, his wrist powerless, his sword intent scattered; clearly, he has been neglecting his training lately.
"Fortunately, his presence is still there, and the protective Taoist technique I placed on him operates smoothly, so he should not be in life-threatening danger.
If he gets through this stage, he could still be worth training, but… hmm?"
Looking at the reflection in the mirror, Elder Li's eyes were filled with disappointment.
Zhang Ze had gotten lazy.
Inside the Heart Refining Cave.
Zhang Ze wasn't actually lazy; it just felt dull, making him want to use the ultimate move he had been saving up from last night to end the fight.
But just as he deflated, his sword spirit duplicate's aura also deflated, throwing down the sword and sitting on the ground.
"Huh?"
Zhang Ze raised an eyebrow, not expecting this tactic either. A sword spirit with battle fatigue?
"I've got to study this more closely."
However, once Zhang Ze's curiosity was piqued, the sword spirit's aura surged again.
Zhang Ze laughed, knowing that even without thinking hard, the sword spirit was likely discarded because it had bugs.
Outside, Elder Li felt helpless; he genuinely never imagined this vital apprentice would play like this.
The sword spirit in the Heart Refining Cave indeed had issues; due to some past events, its operational logic malfunctioned.
The sword spirit, which should have remained unchanged post-replication and aggressively exploited the trial taker's weak points, now changes its operational logic based on the trial taker's fighting spirit.
The lazier you are, the lazier the sword spirit becomes. The stronger you are, the sword spirit gets even stronger, until it could kill you.
It had surpassed the scope of an Outer Sect assessment, leading to the abandonment of the Heart Refining Cave.
In Elder Li's conception, there were only two scenarios for Zhang Ze in the cave.
Zhang Ze is fierce and perseveres until he is defeated by the sword spirit, then saved by the restriction set by Elder Li between life and death.
Reborn with a new outlook from thereon.
The second scenario, Zhang Ze gives up before life and death, and his Tao Heart shatters, causing him to flee the cave.
But this third scenario, Zhang Ze and the sword spirit doing sit-ups together in the cave, was beyond his imagination.
Inside the cave, Zhang Ze approached the sword spirit, one step full of confidence, the next step slouched.
The sword spirit, too, responded to Zhang Ze's aura by rising or sitting. The previously blank and translucent face started to crack.
The sword spirit spoke.
"Enough, if you don't want to fight, then scram!"
[Outer Sect's Only Hidden Quest: Spirit of Confusion in progress, Completion Rate 20%]
Inside and outside the cave.
Zhang Ze said, "Whoa, this thing can talk?"
Elder Li remarked, "The trial sword spirit can actually speak!"
Low-tier sword spirits can only act according to pre-set logic, while middle-tier sword spirits have a modicum of simple intelligence.
High-tier sword spirits can not only speak but also cultivate on their own like cultivators.
Although low-tier or middle-tier sword spirits can ascend through chance, when would that be?
Besides, why would a high-tier sword spirit that can speak still make low-tier sword spirit logical errors?
Elder Li couldn't figure it out.
"If you don't want to fight, then scram! Has the Sword Sect degenerated to this, people like you are a detriment?
Unstable footing, weak wrists, scattered sword intent—is your master clueless?"
The sword spirit had a lot to say, but since it had been in the cave too long, the lines rarely varied.
Eventually, it began berating Zhang Ze's master.
Outside, Elder Li's expression reddened with anger, yet he couldn't argue back.
Though Zhang Ze wasn't his direct disciple, he was still considered his student.
The insults hit home.
"Mister, take a break. It's not my master's fault.
I've been skipping class all along, I…"
On hearing this, the sword spirit got even more agitated, "A child's failure is the father's fault! A day as a teacher is like a father for life! It's his fault for not being strict! You…"
"Stop!" Zhang Ze pulled a gong from the Hundred Treasures Bag and hit it fiercely.
'What kind of sword cultivator would have a gong in the Hundred Treasures Bag anyway?' The sword spirit was stunned by the noise.
"Senior Sword Spirit, hear me out first."
"Fine, speak."
"I'm currently only at the fourth layer of Qi cultivation. I ask you, senior, to raise my cultivation to the Qi Cultivation Peak so we can have a proper duel.
If I lose, you can kill me. If I win, you owe my master an apology." Zhang Ze put aside his playful attitude, clenched his fists, and bowed deeply.
"Alright, kid. Today I'll teach you well on behalf of your master."
After ascending to a higher level, the sword spirit had been cultivating in this cave for a hundred years and had already reached the Golden Core Realm.
Simulating the Qi Cultivation Peak was a breeze.
Once the sword spirit's aura was stabilized at the Qi Cultivation Peak, it thrust its sword forward, its speed much quicker than before.
Zhang Ze stumbled and found himself in a sorry state, but his footwork was incredibly agile. His clothes were shredded, but his body remained unharmed.
For Zhang Ze truly lacked any sword cultivator demeanor.
He rolled like a dragon, leapt, wall-kicked back, side-slid—anything to dodge, no holds barred.
Whenever he found the chance, he'd deliver an elbow strike to the sword spirit's vital points while dodging up close.
Although the sword spirit had no vital points, the act was infuriating.
The sword spirit decided not to indulge this mischief any longer.
Spinning the sword in a flourish, "Have you had enough?!"
"Not yet!" Zhang Ze gestured rudely.
"Fine then! Slash!"
The sword spirit didn't advance but retreated instead, dodging Zhang Ze's feeble attack, spinning a few sword flowers to block his movement, before raising the sword for a downward slash.
This time, the sword spirit's attack reached the Qi Cultivation Peak, with no reservations.
This was the opportunity Zhang Ze had been waiting for.
Against bosses, you naturally wait for them to make grand gestures and leave a major opening.
"Get him, boys!" Zhang Ze snapped his fingers.
"Hey-ya!" A few ghostly shouts echoed from all directions.
The sword spirit's previously placid expression, even when swearing, cracked again.
Outside, Elder Li looked up at the sky, reflecting on his centuries-long life.
He questioned the heavens above and the earth below. What sin had he committed to encounter such a once-in-a-millennium disciple?
Elder Wang appeared behind Li. "Didn't he win, so why the sigh?"
Old Wang said this with a smile.
Elder Li chuckled coldly, "Then take this disciple for yourself."
"No way, my heart's not good. Chatting with the lad is fine, but becoming his master would shorten my life." Old Wang replied, still grinning.