"Miss, what is he doing...?" Lin Tian asked curiously as well.

Xiao Manxue chuckled and said, "Mark is a teacher at the Knight Academy. He likes my mentor, but my mentor has a peculiar temperament. She insists that only someone who can defeat her can earn the right to court her. So, Mark challenges her every now and then, but every time he ends up quite embarrassed. Yet, he has never given up."

Lin Tian was dumbfounded. This middle-aged man was even more passionate than youngsters. However, looking at the odd tempers of both individuals, they seemed like a perfect match.

"I'm curious, what profession is your mentor in to be so haughty?" Lin Tian was even more intrigued by this mentor he hadn't met yet. He hadn't met her, but her reputation preceded her.

"Sword Saint. My mentor is a Sword Saint," Xiao Manxue replied, her tone tinged with reverence.

Lin Tian paused, puzzled, "What kind of profession is a Sword Saint?"

"Western martial arts and Huaxia have significant differences, the biggest being the energy they cultivate. This is relatively easy to understand. Ancient Yoga Skills differ from Huaxia's Ancient Martial Arts. We Ancient Martial Artists base our cultivation on the Dantian and meridians, practicing True Qi, whereas Ancient Yoga Skill practitioners cultivate the central channel that is absent in Ancient Martial theory."

"The energy cultivated by Ancient Yoga practitioners resembles life energy. Therefore, their vitality is stronger than Ancient Martial Artists of the same level, but their combat power is a bit lacking. They focus more on spiritual cultivation."

"Western martial arts follow yet another cultivation theory. The energy they cultivate differs from the aforementioned two. If Western martial arts were to be classified by professions, Mr. Mark earlier is a Knight using a lance, though some use warhammers as well."

"My mentor is skilled in the use of swords, belonging to the swordsman category. Strictly speaking, Sword Saint is not a profession but a title awarded to swordsmen who reach a certain realm and achieve particular accomplishments," Xiao Manxue explained in detail.

Realizing the distinctions within, Lin Tian asked curiously, "What realm is your mentor at currently?"

Xiao Manxue pondered for a moment and said, "Because Western cultivation theory is different, describing realms alone might not make much sense to you. If compared, my mentor's strength is on par with my own master."

"On par with Tang Ziqing? Wow, isn't that the Innate Early Stage strength!" Lin Tian exclaimed, completely surprised that such a remote place concealed an Innate Expert.

Xiao Manxue nodded, admitting, "Right, and I came here to learn because my master recommended it. My master has traveled the world and has long known about the existence of a Holy Land like Holy Spirit Town."

"Oh, to think Tang Ziqing is such an open-minded person. If it were someone from another sect, they might very well strip you of your skills if you dared learn something from another sect." Lin Tian remarked, gaining a new perspective on the icily beautiful Tang Ziqing.

"Although my master appears cold and aloof, she is actually open-minded. She believes that Huaxia's Ancient Martial World has not progressed in millennia and has even regressed. It's not because modern people are not as smart as those in antiquity, but because the sects are self-looping and stagnant."

"My master once posed an unanswered question: What lies beyond the Innate Realm? For a long time, no one has surpassed the Innate Realm in the Ancient Martial World. But if all sects could share their cultivation techniques, inspire and learn from one another, we might transcend the Innate Realm. This is why she recommended I come here to cultivate," Xiao Manxue said earnestly.

Lin Tian was somewhat surprised, then shook his head lightly and said, "All sects sharing cultivation techniques? I didn't expect Tang Ziqing to entertain such a naive notion. Even so, I admire her for it. Anyone with a grand ambition garners respect, much like Ksitigarbha's vow to rescue all from Hell."

"Let's go in; the mentor is in the indoor Martial Arts Arena," Xiao Manxue said after checking the time, ending the conversation.

The Martial Arts Arena was in the building Mark had flown out from. As Lin Tian walked through the door, he saw a woman in combat gear standing by the window with a sword, gazing at the shattered glass.

The woman was sideways to the door, so Lin Tian could only see her profile. She had brown hair tied simply at the back with a cloth strip. From the side, she was quite attractive, with long lashes and large eyes. However, her facial features were sharper than typical women, less soft, which gave her an aura of gallantry.

As for her age, Lin Tian couldn't guess. She looked to be in her thirties, but cultivators often appeared younger than their actual age, similar to Wang Wanxi. Even though her youngest son Yun Xiaotian was sixteen, she looked no older than twenty and perhaps even more youthful.

What astonished Lin Tian the most was the sword the woman held. It was utterly different from Huaxia swords—a giant sword over a meter long, with a blade as wide as a palm. One could imagine that if such a sword struck a person, they'd be sliced in half or cut into two parts.

"Mentor, I'm here," Xiao Manxue announced.

Only then did the woman turn around and seeing Xiao Manxue, she smiled—a radiant, heartwarming smile combined with her impressive appearance and the demeanor of a Sword Saint, exuding a unique charm.

Lin Tian finally understood why Mr. Mark was so persistent with this female mentor. Her aura alone could capture a man's heart, especially middle-aged men who tend to favor mature yet vibrant women.

"Manxue, since you graduated, it's been a long time. You were the most outstanding among the students I've taught," the Female Sword Saint said with a smile.

"Oh, by the way, mentor, I just saw Mr. Mark..." Xiao Manxue pointed out the window, speaking hesitantly.

Xiao Manxue had always wanted to matchmake her mentor with Mr. Mark, yet her mentor was too headstrong, insisting that Mark must defeat her first.

"Don't mention him. After all these years, he hasn't made any progress. It's disappointing after all those duels," the Female Sword Saint expressed a tone of regret similar to 'hating iron for not becoming steel.'

Lin Tian found it amusing. This Female Sword Saint clearly has some feelings for Mark. Despite being beaten so many times, a handsome man as persistent as him would move any woman.

It seemed the rules she set in the past now constrained her. Even if she had the heart now, there was no easy way out, leaving her with this internal conflict.

"Are these your friends?" the Female Sword Saint asked, her gaze sweeping over Lin Tian and the others, finally resting on Lin Tian.

"Yes, mentor, they are all my friends," Xiao Manxue replied, then introduced Lin Tian and the others by name.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.