High-spirited and vigorous

Iron Winged Eagle?

Hearing this, Xiao Ming's gaze swept over, only to see that every feather of the eagle was like a sharp sword, exuding a metallic luster.

Indeed, the term 'Iron Winged' was quite accurate in its description.

Li Changfeng explained, "The Iron Winged Eagle's strength isn't very strong, only at the early Divine Sea Realm, and it's not skilled in combat, but rather in long-distance flight."

Hearing this, Xiao Ming finally understood.

No wonder the Iron Winged Eagle didn't appear when the sect was in crisis before; it turned out this fellow wasn't good at fighting.

It's good that it didn't appear. If it had rashly joined the battle, it would probably have been instantly killed by any Divine Sea Realm expert it encountered, which would have been a huge loss for the Spirit Sword Sect.

"The Iron Winged Eagle's speed is quite good; it can fly two to three thousand li in a day. Our journey to the Qingtian Sword Sect this time will depend entirely on it."

After speaking, Li Changfeng's body flickered, and he appeared on the Iron Winged Eagle's broad and flat back.

Xiao Ming and the others also shot up, then landed on the eagle's back.

The feathers on the Iron Winged Eagle's back were still as hard as iron. After Xiao Ming landed, he only felt a very heavy sensation, as if his feet were on solid ground, with no feeling of swaying at all.

Li Changfeng sat cross-legged, patted the Iron Winged Eagle's back, and said, "Let's go, old friend, it's time to depart."

"Caw!"

The Iron Winged Eagle let out a high-pitched cry, and then its two huge wings flapped fiercely, stirring up gusts of wind.

Riding the strong winds, the Iron Winged Eagle soared into the sky, carrying Xiao Ming and the others like a shooting star, rapidly flying towards the distant horizon.

The Spirit Sword Sect's base below grew smaller and more distant.

Xiao Ming felt quite emotional.

Perhaps he wouldn't return to the Spirit Sword Sect for a long time.

Thinking this, Xiao Ming opened his ink void ring and took out a longsword emitting bolts of lightning, which he handed to Li Changfeng.

"Xiao Ming, what is this?" Li Changfeng was surprised, not knowing what Xiao Ming's intention was.

"Master, this is my original sword, the Nu Lei Sword. It's an Earth-grade sword, and its power is quite good," Xiao Ming explained. "But now that I have the tiangang sword, this Nu Lei Sword is no longer of use."

"So that's how it is..." Li Changfeng took the Nu Lei Sword with a complex expression, then carefully put it away.

He parted his lips slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.

Xiao Ming noticed his unusual behavior and could probably guess what he was thinking.

Li Changfeng was likely wondering if the tiangang sword could be left at the Spirit Sword Sect. After all, the tiangang sword was not only a Heaven-grade sword but also the Spirit Sword Sect Leader's token.

However.

This was impossible.

The tiangang sword only recognized Xiao Ming now. Even if it were forcibly left behind, it would automatically fly away to search for Xiao Ming's whereabouts.

Finally, Li Changfeng sighed deeply, resigned to his fate.

At this moment, Xiao Ming suddenly thought of something and asked, "Master, what happened to the Servant Disciples who were with me in the same batch?"

"Oh, they were basically all dismissed," Li Changfeng said indifferently. "Of this batch of Servant Disciples, besides you, only a few honorary disciples emerged. The vast majority of the rest were driven out of the Spirit Sword Sect."

"As for what became of them, that's no longer related to the sect. They probably had to fend for themselves."

Hearing this, Xiao Ming fell silent.

Li Changfeng's expression shifted, and he asked, "What, remembering old times?"

"Yes." Xiao Ming nodded.

Li Changfeng hesitated for a moment, then said, "I heard before that you were quite righteous among the Servant Disciples, but circumstances are unpredictable. Your destiny is completely different from theirs now."

"So some things, when it's time to let go, you must let go, because a bright future is the direction you should move towards."

"As for those Servant Disciples... in truth, for any sect, Servant Disciples are consumables. If one batch isn't good, they just replace them with the next."

"Ultimately, this is a fair trade: the sect provides them with certain opportunities, and they handle some dirty and arduous tasks for the sect."

"If any Servant Disciple can cultivate to the Body Refinement Tenth Level before the age of eighteen and successfully awaken, then he can completely change his destiny. It's just that such people are rare."

"I understand." Xiao Ming nodded.

He wasn't just reminiscing about the past, but also about his former self.

If he hadn't had the system, he would have long since been expelled from the Spirit Sword Sect by now, wouldn't he?

Then he would have been captured by some evil cultivator and slowly tortured to death.

If he hadn't had the system, not only would he not possess his current formidable strength, but he would also have died a very, very tragic death!

"However, how many 'what ifs' are there!" Xiao Ming's heart ignited with soaring ambition. "Some people constantly say, 'What if this happened, then you would be that...'"

"In my opinion, this is a series of fantasies made by the weak when they are unable to change their own circumstances!"

"In this world, there aren't that many hypothetical conditions, only facts that have already occurred!"

"The fact is, I have the system as my golden finger; I am different from others; I have changed my own destiny!"

"I, Xiao Ming, am no longer the former Servant Disciple, but the Vice Sect Leader of the Spirit Sword Sect, a future prodigy, a rising new star of martial arts!"

"One day, I will surely ascend to the peak of the continent!"

Thinking this, Xiao Ming was full of vigor, letting out a long roar that pierced through heaven and earth.

The roaring sound rumbled like thunder, tearing apart the white clouds in the sky and making the elemental energy of heaven and earth reverberate loudly.

Lin Feng and Wang Hao simultaneously looked over in surprise, not knowing what sudden madness had come over Xiao Ming.

Li Changfeng, however, beamed with joy, for he felt Xiao Ming's grand ambition.

"This is more like it! A good man's ambition lies in all directions, aiming for the peak of martial arts. How can he be depressed, reminiscing about the past?" Li Changfeng patted Xiao Ming's shoulder and said with gratification,

"You are the most outstanding disciple and Vice Sect Leader of our Spirit Sword Sect in a thousand years. Your future achievements are bound to be brilliant and awe-inspiring. Xiao Ming, your master has high hopes for you!"

"Master..." Xiao Ming looked up at Li Changfeng.

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"Master, you have great foresight!" Xiao Ming rubbed his nose and said, "I also have high hopes for myself!"

Li Changfeng was stunned, then burst into hearty laughter.

"I admire this confidence and arrogance of yours!" Li Changfeng finished speaking, then turned to look at Lin Feng and Wang Hao, admonishing them, "You've all seen the Vice Sect Leader's mindset, haven't you? You must learn from him and also possess this confident attitude!"

"As martial artists, one should always advance fearlessly, sweeping all before him! Even if the path ahead is full of thorns and perilous obstacles, one must have the courage to press forward!"

After a pause, Li Changfeng suddenly exclaimed, "A true man born between heaven and earth, if he cannot achieve great deeds and leave his name in history, would he not have lived in vain!"

"We will remember Sect Leader's teachings!" Lin Feng and Wang Hao quickly bowed with cupped fists.

"Master, you're so chuunibyou..." Xiao Ming thought to himself, feeling a bit awkward, goosebumps almost rising on his skin.

Looking up, he saw Li Changfeng's eyes sparkling, filled with brilliance.

Xiao Ming grinned.

It seemed Li Changfeng had also been a passionate youth in his younger days.

Time had worn away Li Changfeng's youthful sharpness, making him more reserved and steady, but then again, no man wishes to live a mediocre life.

Even if this man is already old, deep within his heart, there is still an indomitable spirit.

And ascending to the peak, looking down upon the world, was also Xiao Ming's goal!