Sword Lineage, Jade Profound Dao Arena.
Within the Dao Arena, Sword Qi was chilling.
Jade Profound Immortal Revered Li Xuanxiao sat with his eyes slightly closed, his aura merging with the supreme Sword Intent of the entire Dao Arena, as if he was comprehending the Great Dao or perhaps wandering in the Void Realm.
Among the Disciples in the Dao Arena, there was one whose aura was relatively young. His name was Li Changkong, a descendant of the Li family, sharing the same lineage as Jade Profound Immortal Revered and Yunmiao Xianjun.
Li Changkong asked curiously:
"Master, you bestowed the Supreme Heaven Sword Dao upon the new Disciple of that Junior Martial Uncle?"
Jade Profound Immortal Revered nodded slightly and said:
"Mm, this child has exceptional talent. Don't be deceived by his appearance; he should be able to Master this Sword Dao within a thousand years."
Upon hearing this, a competitive gleam flashed in Li Changkong's eyes, and he pondered:
"He is Junior Martial Uncle Yunmiao's Disciple, and he Cultivates my Sword Lineage's supreme Sword Canon. By this reckoning, he is also half a successor of my Sword Lineage!
In the future, I must seek him out for a spar and see how much of Master's true teachings this Junior Brother has truly grasped!"
As the youngest Junior Brother of the Sword Lineage, he was usually "guided" by his Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, and he had long been holding back a surge of energy. Now, hearing about this Junior Brother from the Dan Meridian who also cultivated the Sword Dao, he felt he had found a suitable opponent.
He had always been "bullied" by others; this time, he could finally pick on someone softer.
How could Jade Profound Immortal Revered not know his thoughts? He said indifferently:
"Sparring is fine, but you must not underestimate your opponent. However, with that child's temperament, he might not necessarily accept your challenge."
Li Changkong's lips curved, feeling quite unconvinced.
The "Supreme Heaven Sword Dao" was profound and exceptionally mysterious. He had cultivated diligently for many years and had only just managed to step into the second layer, the "Sword Light Division" Realm. He felt it was impossible for a Dan Meridian Disciple to surpass him in a short time.
He did not voice these thoughts, but kept them secretly in his heart, determined to find an Opportunity in the future to test Junior Brother Han's true capabilities.
However, he didn't say it out loud, but kept it to himself.
Jade Profound Immortal Revered seemed to think of something, and his tone turned solemn:
"The'Sword Trial Assembly' will be held soon. You must represent my Sword Lineage in the battle. At that time, Sword Dao Geniuses from all sides will gather. That will be your true proving ground, and you must not tarnish the reputation of the Supreme Heaven Sword Dao."
"Master, rest assured! Your Disciple will do his utmost to uphold the name of my Supreme Heaven Sword Dao!"
Upon hearing about serious matters, Li Changkong immediately composed himself and responded with a solemn expression, his eyes burning with fervent Battle Intent.
Jade Profound Immortal Revered said no more, his gaze slowly turning beyond the Dao Arena, seemingly piercing through the endless Void Realm, looking towards the increasingly dense heavenly tribulation Qi in the unseen, his eyes profound, with a subtle glint of sharp light.
"The great tribulation is about to begin, Luck is churning... Perhaps, I also need to find a Person of Tribulation to seize the initiative amidst the chaos."
...
There is no impenetrable wall in the world.
The news that Purple Firmament Peak Master Yunmiao Xianjun quietly accepted his ninth direct Disciple, though not widely publicized, still rippled through the Lingxu Heavenly Palace's Dan Meridian like a stone dropped into a calm lake.
Although the Elders and Disciples under Yunmiao Xianjun who attended the ceremony were all instructed to keep silent and were tight-lipped about the specific details, how could such a major event be completely hidden from everyone?
In the Dan Meridian, within an Immortal Cave perpetually wreathed in purple Dan fire and scorching heat.
A burly man with red hair and a thick beard, built like an iron tower, was manipulating a massive cauldron before him. Inside the cauldron, flames raged, and Dragon roars faintly echoed.
He suddenly ceased his technique, and the giant cauldron crashed to the ground, causing the Immortal Cave to tremble slightly.
"Oh? Senior Brother Yunmiao quietly accepted another Disciple?
At first, I didn't believe the rumor that Master had given this child some guidance, but it seems this child truly has extraordinary qualities to be so highly regarded by Senior Brother Yunmiao, even to the extent that the Sword Lineage bestowed the "Supreme Heaven Sword Dao" upon him..."
"Interesting!"
In another secluded bamboo forest.
A refined middle-aged scholar was leisurely sipping tea. Upon hearing the news, his fingertips paused slightly, and subtle ripples spread in the jade teacup.
A half-smile played on his lips, but a sharp, probing glint flashed in his eyes.
"Senior Brother Yunmiao acted quickly, quietly snatching a treasure. To make him so eager, and even personally go to accept a Disciple, this child's talent must be beyond what is revealed...
Master is truly biased."
Several other Dan Meridian great powers also learned of this matter through various channels, reacting differently, but without exception, they all remembered the name "Han Xuanji" in their hearts.
The Dan Meridian's Chief had thirty-six true successors. Aside from newly accepted Disciples like Su Ming, many had already formed their own factions, and there was no shortage of open and covert struggles.
They themselves naturally couldn't have any direct conflicts, but their Disciples were a different story.
However, Han Xuanji, at the center of this brewing storm, was completely unaware of the external changes, fully immersed in the vastness of the "Supreme Heaven Sword Dao."
...
Time flew by. Ten years, for Cultivators in the Upper Realm, was but a flick of a finger.
Unbeknownst to him, more than twenty years had passed since Han Xuanji arrived in the Upper Realm.
During these ten years, Han Xuanji had gained a thorough understanding of the "Supreme Heaven Sword Dao." As its name suggested, it pursued the ultimate Realm of the Sword, created by a great power known as the "Supreme Heaven Sword Ancestor."
It was divided into six layers of Realm:
First Layer: [Sword Qi Thunder Sound]. When cultivated, Sword Qi surged, faster than lightning. The sound of it breaking through the air was like thunder from the Nine Heavens, shaking the Divine Soul. Ordinary protective Immortal Aura would collapse upon contact, and it could also attack others' Divine Souls.
Second Layer: [Sword Light Division]. With a thought, Sword Light could divide into billions, like a galaxy spilling forth, with reality and illusion coexisting, enveloping all directions. Each ray of Sword Light possessed immense power and carried Divine Intent.
Third Layer: [Sword Transforms All Things]. Sword Intent condensed into a tangible form, capable of transforming into mountains to suppress, long rivers to flow, or all things and phenomena, infinitely mysterious.
Fourth Layer: [One Sword Breaks All Laws]. The Dao of the Sword was utterly simple. No matter how many Divine Abilities or Spells you possessed, I would break them with a single sword. This required an extremely deep understanding of the Dao of the Sword and various Great Dao Laws to even glimpse its threshold.
Fifth Layer: [Sword Heart Enlightenment]. The Sword Heart was clear, reflecting all things, capable of predicting fortune and misfortune, and discerning enemy weaknesses in advance. Before the sword was drawn, the intent arrived, already close to the Dao.
Sixth Layer: [Supreme Heaven Without Delusion]. This was the ultimate Realm. The body and sword became one, merging into the Dao of the Sword. The sword was I, and I was the sword. It severed Karma, transcended delusion. Wherever the sword's edge pointed, there the Great Dao lay!
The final Realm had no specific cultivation method, stating that it was unattainable by those without great Opportunity, great Comprehension Ability, and great perseverance.
Han Xuanji guessed that the origin of the six Sword Immortal Realms might be closely related to this Supreme Heaven Sword Dao, or perhaps all paths converged, and the ultimate principles of the Sword Dao were inherently connected, all pointing to these six Realms.
After ten years of dedicated comprehension, Han Xuanji finally achieved a natural Breakthrough, stepping across the threshold of the third layer. His Sword Dao Realm suddenly opened up, entering a completely new world.
Inside the quiet room, Han Xuanji pointed his fingers like a sword and casually waved. No brilliant Sword Light appeared, but a majestic Sword Intent, condensed like a mountain, abruptly emerged. Though it dissipated in an instant, the heavy pressure caused the room's Restriction to hum slightly.
He clearly felt that his combat power had undergone an earth-shattering transformation compared to before his Breakthrough.
During these ten years, Han Xuanji naturally did not stop signing in and Cultivating. Besides signing in at Myriad Phenomena Garden, he occasionally listened to Yunmiao Xianjun's lectures and went to the Yunmiao Dao Field to sign in, obtaining a large amount of cultivation resources.
He had an abundance of one thing: Immortal Pills.
He could be said to have achieved Immortal Pill freedom.
His Realm had also advanced further, directly reaching the fourth layer of Heavenly Immortal.
If this news were to spread, it would truly cause a sensation in Lingxu Heavenly Palace.
It should be noted that in the Immortal Dao Realm, the further one progressed, the more difficult it became. Normally, each layer's Breakthrough required decades, centuries, or even millennia of painstaking effort. However, Han Xuanji seemed to defy common sense; his cultivation speed not only did not decrease but seemed to ride a Kunpeng, soaring upward at an unimaginable pace.