Moreover, the disciples of Crack Sky Peak had never witnessed anything so extraordinary in their lifetime! It was well known that throughout the history of the sect, most inner disciples of Crack Sky Peak did not have the privilege of being taken as personal disciples by a Core Formation elder. Instead, they had to receive techniques and cultivate on their own.
Only a few lucky ones who caught the attention of a Core Formation elder after passing many tests would succeed in becoming a disciple.
For inner disciples of Xuantian Sect, aside from the distant dream of forming their own Core, being accepted as a disciple by a Core Formation elder was one of the most sought-after accomplishments!
Sometimes, cultivation could be as simple as breaking through a thin barrier, like a piece of paper.
With the guidance of a master, one's cultivation could progress rapidly, without obstacles.
However, without a master, it might take years or even decades of hard work to achieve what a single piece of advice from a master could offer.
This was why all cultivators, whether in Xuantian Sect or across the cultivation world, longed to be accepted as disciples by powerful figures.
Generally, cultivators sought after Core Formation masters for guidance.
But no one had ever heard of Core Formation powerhouses competing fiercely, even coming to blows, to take on a young disciple who had just broken through to Foundation Establishment!
Yet this time, that very thing happened!
This left every disciple of Crack Sky Peak utterly astonished!
Even more so, when this news spread throughout Xuantian Sect and beyond to the cultivation world of Zhao Nation, many people were left in awe of such an unprecedented event.
In the end...
Zou Changlao and the Sword Sect Master fought to a stalemate!
Though the Sword Sect Master was at the peak of Core Formation, Zou Changlao was at the late stage of Core Formation.
While the Sword Sect Master held the upper hand in cultivation, Zou Changlao possessed his self-created Jinghong Sword!
The Jinghong Sword was immensely powerful, and even the Sword Sect Master, with his straightforward combat techniques, could gain no advantage.
Finally, Zou Changlao claimed that he had first set his eyes on Lin Li, and, under the Sword Sect Master's reluctant gaze, successfully took Lin Li as his disciple.
Afterward, amid the envious and jealous gazes of the onlookers, Zou Changlao brought Lin Li back to his immortal residence on Crack Sky Peak.
Zou Changlao's immortal residence was vastly different from the one Lin Li had in Xuantian Sect's mountain gate. Zou Changlao's residence was much simpler, but the spiritual energy contained within made Lin Li feel that a single day of cultivation here was equivalent to three or four days in his own residence.
Zou Changlao then taught Lin Li the secret technique of the Sword Sect, the Xuantian Wuji Sword Qi Art.
Thus, Lin Li began his cultivation within Zou Changlao's immortal residence, supplementing his progress with the use of Yiqi Pills.
A month later, Lin Li's cultivation reached the peak of the first layer of Foundation Establishment!
At the same time, he successfully transitioned from practicing the Xuantian Wuji Breathing Technique to mastering the more powerful Xuantian Wuji Sword Qi Art!
After upgrading his technique, Lin Li's strength skyrocketed!
If Lin Li's combat power before switching techniques, while at the peak of the first layer of Foundation Establishment, was rated as one, then after mastering the Xuantian Wuji Sword Qi Art, his combat power could be rated as five!
In the same realm, his strength increased fivefold!
What made Lin Li and even Ye Fan ecstatic was that after mastering the Xuantian Wuji Sword Qi Art, Zou Changlao also taught him his self-created Jinghong Sword!
The Jinghong Sword was Zou Changlao's unique and secret technique!
Zou Changlao, a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, had been able to battle the peak-stage Core Formation Sword Sect Master to a standstill thanks to the power of this sword!
This clearly demonstrated how formidable the Jinghong Sword was!
After all, the Sword Sect Master, being the head of the Sword Sect, was known to have the greatest combat power among all cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage in Xuantian Sect.
Even in the entire cultivation world of Zhao Nation, the Sword Sect Master's combat prowess was considered top-tier among Core Formation cultivators!
For Zou Changlao to fight him to a draw despite not having reached the peak of Core Formation himself was a testament to the incredible strength of the Jinghong Sword!
After three more months of training, Lin Li finally managed to gain an initial mastery of the Jinghong Sword!
As for achieving full mastery, that was still far off.
The Jinghong Sword was a technique specifically designed for Core Formation cultivators. For Lin Li, who was only at the first layer of Foundation Establishment, to achieve even an initial mastery was already quite impressive!
Full mastery of the technique would likely only come after Lin Li successfully reached the Core Formation stage.
Despite this...
Lin Li's combat power surged several times over thanks to the Jinghong Sword!
If Lin Li's strength before learning the Jinghong Sword was rated as one, then afterward, his combat power reached ten!
In comparison, the Lin Li before becoming an inner disciple of the Sword Sect was only one-fiftieth as strong as he was now!
And that was just Lin Li's apparent strength.
In secret...
Lin Li's greatest asset was still Ye Fan!
With the skills Bloodthirst and Slaughter, combined with the mysterious power inside Lin Li that could heal his injuries...
It could be said that Lin Li was now practically invincible among his peers!
Even against mid-stage and late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, Lin Li had the capability to hold his own!
Additionally...
Something unexpected yet joyous for Lin Li, but infuriating for Zou Changlao, happened right after Lin Li learned the Jinghong Sword.
The Sword Sect Master urgently summoned all the disciples to the Sword Hall for a meeting!
At the meeting, the Sword Sect Master announced that the demonic sects of Zhao Nation had formed an alliance called the Holy Alliance!
For over a thousand years, the demonic sects had been suppressed by the Seven Great Orthodox Sects. However, after years of hiding and biding their time, they had now grown into a force that could no longer be ignored!
Meanwhile, the Seven Great Orthodox Sects, who once supported each other during the ancient war between righteousness and evil, had over the past millennium developed numerous internal conflicts and grudges. They were no longer as united as they once were.
Taking advantage of this discord, the Holy Alliance had managed to divide the Seven Great Sects into two factions.
One faction was led by Xuantian Sect, Zhengmiao Sect, and Tianjue Mountain, while the other was composed of Haoran Academy, Golden Light Temple, Dushi Monastery, and Yuelu Cave.
With the Seven Great Orthodox Sects now split into two factions, they were no longer cooperating and were even on the brink of internal conflict.
The Sword Sect Master called this meeting to inform everyone that the war between the three major forces—the Holy Alliance, the two factions of the Seven Great Sects, and the demonic sects—had officially begun in Zhao Nation's cultivation world!
As the only sect within Xuantian Sect focused entirely on combat, Crack Sky Peak Sword Sect was naturally at the forefront and would lead Xuantian Sect into battle!