At this moment, an attendant had already led the two to the courtyard entrance and left with repeated bows.
One of them was a woman who appeared to be in her early twenties. Her face was like jade, her skin fairer than snow. Her beauty was innate, as if she would never age.
She wore a flowing white long dress that fluttered lightly in the wind. A strand of long hair danced gently. Her slender, jade-like figure stepped into the breeze. Her body was soft and delicate, exquisitely graceful, like a fairy descended from the ninth heaven, formed from soft light. Her entire being radiated perfection, a beauty that shook the mortal world.
Gazing at this ethereal woman who seemed untouched by worldly smoke and fire, as if stepping out from a painting, even Lin Xiao could not help but be stunned.
This woman was truly too beautiful. Her features, her jade-like body, were flawless. Perfect beyond reproach, perfect to the point of seeming unreal, perfect like a true immortal.
“Master An Miao?” Lin Xiao said in some bewilderment.
This perfect woman, like an immortal from a painting, was none other than An Miao, the spirit-born being from the spirit body.
An Miao nodded slightly. She lifted her crystal-bright gaze and swept it over Lin Xiao before saying, “You have indeed come. It has been three years. You have grown considerably. You can even sweep the geniuses of the eight states.”
An Miao’s words were like heavenly music, her voice extremely gentle, her tone very soft, making one feel bathed in spring sunlight.
“Master An Miao flatters me. Since I promised Master An Miao, I will naturally fulfil it. As for my bit of strength, I fear it is far inferior to Master An Miao’s.” Lin Xiao smiled.
He truly could no longer probe An Miao’s strength. Three years ago, An Miao was already a sixth-grade spirit controller. Moreover, she was a spirit body herself and from Spirit Pool Island. Now, after three years, who knew what level her strength had reached.
At the very least, he could no longer detect it.
“My spirit power is merely at high seventh-grade realm.” An Miao replied calmly.
Lin Xiao was speechless. Merely high seventh-grade spirit power realm?
“Let us talk inside.” An Miao said again. With that, she and the elder beside her walked towards the room entrance not far from Lin Xiao.
“Yes!” Lin Xiao nodded, somewhat puzzled as to why An Miao brought this elder when speaking with him.
After all, their conversation might involve the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit Emperor and Miao Ling.
However, since An Miao wanted to bring him, there was nothing he could do.
This elder appeared expressionless from beginning to end, not saying a word, as if he did not exist.
However, when the elder passed by his side, Lin Xiao faintly sensed the terrifying power within his body. His heart immediately jumped in shock.
This person seemed as if his entire body gathered endless power. One strike would destroy heaven and earth.
“He… he… he is…” Lin Xiao was filled with shock.
“Come in and talk!” At this point, An Miao had already entered the room. Lin Xiao followed the elder inside. The room door closed immediately.
An Miao did not speak aloud but transmitted via divine sense, “Yes, he is a spirit form. An early eighth-grade spirit controller elder specially manifested him to protect me.”
“As expected, a spirit form!” Lin Xiao was utterly shocked.
Spirit power taking form was the hallmark after a spirit controller reached sixth-grade spirit power realm.
From early to high sixth-grade spirit controllers, the manifested spirit forms went from blurry to somewhat clear.
At early seventh-grade spirit power realm, spirit forms could condense solidly. Their appearance was nearly identical to real objects, though transparent.
At mid seventh-grade spirit power realm, the solid spirit forms gained one or two parts substance.
At high seventh-grade spirit power realm, spirit forms reached half-substantialisation, or fifty percent substantiation.
At early eighth-grade spirit power realm, they could achieve complete substantiation.
In other words, whether in aura, appearance, or form, the spirit form manifested by the spirit controller was identical to the real thing.
However, it was not a true life form but entirely condensed from spirit power.
The one before him was precisely a spirit form, manifested by an eighth-grade spirit controller specifically to protect An Miao. A humanoid spirit form, not a human.
If all its power attacked at once, probably even first or second-level Martial Saints could hardly withstand it.
A full strike from an early eighth-grade spirit controller was equivalent to an attack from a third-level Martial Saint.
In a place like this, probably no one dared act against An Miao.
“An eighth-grade spirit controller…” Lin Xiao felt inexplicable inwardly.
An eighth-grade spirit controller was simply too miraculous, too powerful.
Manifesting a spirit form that, as long as it did not attack, could be maintained for a period using certain methods.
This method was simply unimaginable!
Moreover, at eighth-grade spirit power realm, one could control heavenly energy!
If one day he also reached eighth-grade spirit controller…
“With enough resources, sooner or later, both you and I will reach that realm.” As if seeing through Lin Xiao’s thoughts, An Miao said casually.
Lin Xiao nodded. He sighed inwardly to himself before transmitting, “I wonder how Master Miao Ling is?”
Miao Ling, the woman created by the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit Emperor with his heart blood, who gained consciousness and became a complete life.
Afterwards, for some reason, she fell. According to An Miao, due to unresolved obsession, she retained a spirit body. After Lin Xiao frankly said the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit Emperor had fallen, Miao Ling disappeared upon hearing this. He did not know if she had dissipated.
Of course, there was a high chance she was waiting for him to arrive and confirm the news.
Thus, Lin Xiao asked this.
In his heart, Lin Xiao’s feelings were actually complex. He feared Miao Ling might act against him, yet worried she might dissipate.
However, after discovering earlier that his fused spirit energy could incinerate even an early eighth-grade spirit controller’s divine sense, he had less fear of high-grade spirit controllers tampering with him.
“My mother… is very disheartened, but it is still alright. She has not reached despair. She still wants to wait.”
Mentioning Miao Ling, An Miao’s emotions were complex.
First, she felt sad for her mother, unable to let go, trapped in inner obsessive suffering.
Second, because her mother could not let go, she stayed by her side without dissipating. This was what comforted her.
“She also wants to see you.” An Miao added.
Lin Xiao’s heart was also complex. Deep down, he wanted to see Miao Ling too. But he was somewhat worried, not knowing exactly how powerful Miao Ling was.
“However, my mother is in a spirit field in Spirit Pool Island’s secret ground and cannot come out. So you need to go in to see her.”
An Miao said, “You need to achieve a good ranking in the spirit controller grand competition to have the chance to enter. Moreover, if you get a good ranking, in the future, perhaps you can do some things.”
“I will do my best.” Lin Xiao sighed.
Miao Ling’s situation seemed complex. She could not even come out. It might be related to her spirit body, or perhaps other reasons.
As for the things An Miao mentioned, he was unclear. Probably Miao Ling wanting to see him was not just for a few words. But since An Miao was unwilling to say, asking would yield nothing.
However, since he had received benefits from the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit Emperor and promised An Miao, he naturally had to strive and go pay respects.
“However, my current spirit power realm is only high sixth-grade. Among spirit controllers under fifty, there will probably be some experts who have reached high seventh-grade spirit power realm. With my strength, achieving some ranking is possible. But to enter the higher rankings, I fear…” Lin Xiao looked at An Miao, his eyes filled with thick expectation.
