Stealing the Yuri Protagonist Harem

As the sword-light text before her dissipated, the small sword that had emerged disappeared back into the void. Ling Shuangxue’s gaze grew slightly somber.

“Why does it have to be now…”
Soulblade Specters were a unique phenomenon in the Sword Province.
Perhaps due to the sheer number of sword cultivators in the region, the scattered sword spiritual energy and sword intent across the land, combined with the essence of heaven and earth, gave rise to these strange beings.

Lacking any consciousness of their own, Soulblade Specters descended into madness the moment they were born.
Their strength was categorized into three ranks: Heaven, Earth, and Mortal. Even the weakest, Mortal-grade Soulblade Specters, could contend with Foundation Establishment cultivators, while Heaven-grade Soulblade Specters were so powerful that even Nascent Soul cultivators found it difficult to defeat them.
One might expect these chaotic beings to wreak havoc and destabilize Sword Province, but the reality was quite the opposite—Sword Province cultivators feared them not at all.

In fact, they eagerly awaited their emergence.
When a Soulblade Specter was defeated, its dissipating form would transform into pure, blank sword intent. The one who delivered the final blow could absorb this essence.
Those without sword intent could use it to develop their own, while those who already possessed sword intent could devour it to strengthen their existing one.

In Sword Province, where nearly everyone cultivated the way of the sword, the allure of powerful sword intent was self-evident.
Thus, Soulblade Specters transitioned from chaotic menaces to gifts of nature.
Even the Sword Sect regularly issued missions for disciples to hunt Soulblade Specters. Severely weakened ones were captured and preserved to help talented disciples enhance their sword intent.

Ling Shuangxue fell into deep thought.
The trace of a Heaven-grade Soulblade Specter… This was something she had requested from the Sword Sect Peak Masters after breaking through to mid-stage Nascent Soul. She had used some of the sect’s resources gained after her advancement to ask them to keep an eye out for such occurrences.
But she did not want the Soulblade Specter for herself to strengthen her perfected Frosty Snow Sword Intent.

‘With the help of a Heaven-grade Soulblade Specter, Yuliu should have no trouble cultivating the Sword Origin Technique when she breaks through to the Golden Core Realm…’
Still, the timing of this Soulblade Specter’s appearance was simply too coincidental.
It had emerged near Daybreak City and had already been discovered. Several hunting parties had been secretly organized to subdue it. If she arrived late, it might already have been claimed by someone else.

Looking at the communication sword in her hand, Ling Shuangxue hesitated.
From the messages, although her disciple’s recent replies were a bit unusual, they confirmed she was safe and sound.
“Very well, the trip to the Royal City can wait…”
Her top priority now was securing the Heaven-grade Soulblade Specter. Besides, it had been a long time since she last visited Daybreak City—this would be a good opportunity to see what the martial world was like these days.

‘…Perhaps I can also hear some of the stories circulating in the martial world now.’
Thinking of the tales her disciple had mentioned, Ling Shuangxue felt a faint anticipation for her long-awaited return to worldly affairs.
<+>

At the former site of the Sword Sect, under the dim light of dawn, Lu Yuliu’s expression was somewhat complicated.
Though she had offered to teach Luo Wusheng her master’s sword technique, in her heart, she doubted the Demon Sect’s Holy Saint could master it in such a short time.
She herself had managed it quickly even in her weakened state because she was the successor of the Sword Ancestor, with top-tier talent in swordsmanship, sword intent, and sword body.

Luo Wusheng, on the other hand, despite his unparalleled Diabolic Saint Physique, had never practiced true swordsmanship and lacked even the most basic sword intent.
The sword technique she temporarily named Returning Sword Technique could, at best, be learned in form but not in essence without sword intent to drive it.
And indeed, that proved to be the case.

For once, Luo Wusheng, who usually relied on his innate talent, found himself progressing slowly.
But sword intent wasn’t something one could gain by casually swinging a sword around. Even someone like him would need to delve into the way of the sword for a considerable period before possibly awakening his own sword intent.
Yes, that was assuming no shortcuts.

The Sword Fairy looked up at the sky.
Initially, she had felt a rare bit of schadenfreude seeing the usually unmatched Holy Saint struggle.
If he devoted himself to the sword, he would surely develop sword intent and learn the technique over time. But for now, in the realm of swordsmanship, she was more than qualified to play the role of teacher to someone clueless like him.

Watching Luo Wusheng’s slow progress, she secretly laughed and, in a joking tone, shared a “shortcut” to forming sword intent.
“—So that’s how it is. If a Soulblade Specter were to show up right now, it might speed up your process of awakening sword intent.”
She still remembered the amused smile on her face when she said that.

After all, if Soulblade Specters were that easy to encounter, everyone in Sword Province would have their own sword intent by now. And even the most abundant Mortal-grade Soulblade Specters offered limited benefits—many sword cultivators had absorbed the essence of five or six Mortal-grade Soulblade Specters and still failed to develop their own sword intent.
Thus, relying on a Soulblade Specter to quickly condense sword intent usually took even longer than forming it through one’s own efforts.
But upon hearing her words, the young man before her suddenly brightened.

He bowed to her with his hands clasped together, as if making a wish.
“What are you doing…?”
“Making a wish.”

???
The Sword Fairy was baffled.
She wasn’t some all-powerful wish-granting deity like in his tales. What good would wishing to her do?

Just as she had this thought, she saw Luo Wusheng’s gaze sharpen.
In the next moment, he vanished through teleportation.
Only a few breaths later, the Demon Sect’s Holy Saint returned, carrying two humanoid figures struggling violently, their bodies exuding black mist, and their eyes glowing with eerie red light.

The two monsters let out maddened howls, and from their chests emerged small swords formed of black mist, which shot toward «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» Luo Wusheng—only to be casually dispersed by a wave of his hand.
“They are roughly at the Golden Core Realm… So this is an Earth-grade Soulblade Specter?”
Lu Yuliu opened her mouth, but no words came out. She could only nod dumbly.

Soulblade Specter? And an Earth-grade one at that? And not just one, but two at the same time?
At this moment, she genuinely wondered if she really was some sort of omnipotent wish-granting machine.
But how could that be? It wasn’t like her wishes ever came true in the past. In fact, it often felt like the opposite—the more she hoped for something, the more likely it was to fail, especially when dealing with this boy in front of her.

While she was lost in thought, she saw Luo Wusheng casually squeeze his spirit-energy-formed hand. One of the Soulblade Specters instantly shattered, dispersing into black mist, from which a beautiful stream of light flew into his body.
A flash of clarity appeared in his eyes, and then his spirit energy surged again.
The remaining Soulblade Specter weakened in an instant, its black mist body nearing collapse.

The next moment, it was sent right in front of Lu Yuliu.
“My sword intent has already formed. This one can be… uh, an offering?”
The boy spoke in a satisfied tone, addressing the girl who had suddenly become his wish-granting machine.

—And that was how everything led to the current situation.
Watching Luo Wusheng lightly wave his hand, the scattered swords in the distance vibrated in unison and converged with unmatched power before him.
The Sword Fairy felt like something about this entire scene was a bit unreal.

He had already learned it?
Was her brief stint as a master really going to end this haphazardly?
As Lu Yuliu began to doubt her life choices, the Demon Sect’s Holy Saint, now stroking his chin, turned his gaze elsewhere.

With a hint of puzzlement, he remarked:
“Hmm… This technique still seems incomplete?”