"Oh?"
Han Xuanji saw the other party's confidence and felt a slight stir in his heart.
He hadn't drawn his sword in a long time.
Han Xuanji nodded slightly, even making a "please" gesture.
"Clang—!"
A clear sword cry instantly tore through the sea of clouds, and Li Changkong's sword finally left its sheath.
A hundred years to forge one sword, its frosty blade yet untried!
This sword contained his new understanding of the Dao of the Sword.
The sword light was not vast and boundless; instead, it was extremely restrained, silently cutting through space wherever it passed, making clouds, light, and even Heaven And Earth Spiritual Essence retreat and dissipate.
This sword already held the prototype of severing Karma and destroying all methods.
Li Changkong was confident that he could slay an ordinary True Immortal with a single sword.
However, facing a sword that would make any True Immortal present change their expression, Han Xuanji merely raised his hand lightly and took out his Profound Heaven Sword.
Under years of nurturing, this sword had now reached the level of a High Grade Immortal Artifact; although it no longer ranked high among his many Magic Treasures, it was, after all, something he had personally refined.
As Han Xuanji made to draw his sword, an invisible Domain unfolded.
Li Changkong's Sword Intent began to dissipate, and his sword momentum collapsed.
The entire process was silent and utterly bizarre.
However, this time, a hint of determination appeared in Li Changkong's eyes.
At the beginning of his cultivation, he had seen countless astonishing Dao of the Sword, including his Master's, as well as those of his Junior Martial Uncles and Senior Brothers, all of which were top-tier in the world. With his Exquisite Sword Heart, he was able to continuously comprehend others' Dao of the Sword, thereby evolving his own Dao.
Since witnessing Han Xuanji's Dao of the Sword last time, he had also begun to forge his own path in the Dao of the Sword.
In an instant, his Sword Intent condensed once more.
Between Heaven and Earth, Li Changkong's Sword Intent, like a Dragon, charged towards Han Xuanji.
"Not bad."
Han Xuanji nodded slightly, recognizing that the other party's Dao of the Sword had greatly improved, already touching the threshold of the third Realm of Sword Immortals.
It wouldn't be long before he would likely take that step.
"However, it's far from enough to block this sword of mine."
Han Xuanji mused inwardly, then simply and plainly swung his sword.
This sword was unadorned, showing no trace of light, nor any earth-shattering momentum, as if it were just a casual swing.
Yet, within this seemingly simple swing, the sword tip had already crossed the boundaries of space and time, silently touching the space before Li Changkong's brows.
The biting Sword Intent did not erupt; it merely condensed into a single point, yet it caused Li Changkong's blood to nearly freeze, and all his sword momentum, all his subsequent moves, all his variations, were completely locked down and utterly annihilated by this single sword.
"I concede."
Li Changkong admitted defeat on the spot, without struggle.
There was no trace of unwillingness in his heart, only reverence for Han Xuanji.
Since the last time, he had known the great disparity between them. This time, he felt he had made great progress, coupled with his Breakthrough in cultivation, which had given him considerable confidence.
But now it seemed that Han Xuanji might have progressed even more than him!
Li Changkong was shocked, unable to fathom how strong Han Xuanji truly was.
If the other party's cultivation caught up, the entire Upper Realm might not find many who could contend with him.
His future achievements were unimaginable.
Previously, these were others' evaluations of him; this time, however, the thought arose in his own heart.
He conceded very quickly.
Han Xuanji breathed a sigh of relief, appreciating the straightforwardness.
He disliked those who were unwilling to admit defeat and still talked tough.
"Sword follows Heaven, Heaven follows Dao, Dao follows nature..."
Han Xuanji sheathed his sword, his gaze sweeping over Li Changkong and looking towards the endless sea of clouds and the sky, his voice calm:
"Only when one can glimpse the operation of Heaven and Earth, the Great Dao itself, will one have truly entered the highest sword principle, and truly entered the inner sanctum."
"This operation of the Great Dao, the cycle of Reincarnation and destruction, you cannot comprehend it, so how can your sword sever this 'Dao' that has existed since antiquity?"
These words, like a morning bell and evening drum, heavily struck Li Changkong's heart.
"It's not about Immortal power cultivation, but the understanding of 'Sword' and 'Dao' that is simply not on the same level!"
Li Changkong was aghast, suddenly understanding what was meant by the Great Dao being simple.
"That sword just now... seemingly simple, yet it seemed to contain the changes of endless Great Dao. This... is this truly a Realm that an ordinary Disciple can reach?"
Or rather... Li Changkong dared not think further, only feeling that Han Xuanji's figure grew increasingly tall and profound in his heart... This day.
The sky was filled with colorful clouds, and a myriad of auspicious lights shone.
For a time, Lingxu Heavenly Palace became unprecedentedly lively.
Splendid and magnificent Immortal Boats and sky-ships, exuding powerful pressure, crushed through the sea of clouds and arrived through the air.
On the Star-Treading Road, countless white-robed attendants, holding jade trays, welcomed the guests.
Figures stepped out, bringing with them numerous unusual phenomena.
Soon, many gazes fell upon these Cultivators with extraordinary phenomena.
The Saints and Fairies of the Holy Land, their robes fluttering, surrounded by Immortal light, were aloof and ethereal, seemingly untouched by the Mortal World. The beings of the Primordial Races had Qi and blood like Dragons, their eyes like lightning, and ancient, powerful auras flowed around them.
"That must be the Myriad Law Saint, whose reputation has recently soared. The tenth Prodigy of the Immortal Dao, I didn't expect him to come."
"It is said that when he was born, the Great Dao itself was stirred, and within the Myriad Law Heavenly Sect, he is hailed as the best candidate for the next Sect Master."
The True Disciple Prodigies of Immortal Sects would also leave behind their own legends during their training outside.
These legends were Luck, reputation, and also the reason for their ranking.
However, there were also some who cultivated in silence, unknown to others, only appearing at critical moments to astound everyone.
"Who is that person?"
"That's the Buddhist Saint of Mount Sumeru. I didn't expect him to travel so far to come here. Is he perhaps here to propagate Buddhism in our Heavenly Palace?"
"It is said that this Buddhist Saint, named Shengxin, has seen through the myriad phenomena of the Mortal World, and his Buddhist Dharma is unfathomably deep, hailed as a True Buddha Reincarnation."
In the Upper Realm, myriad races stood, and various Sects existed.
Among them, the Buddhist faction was not weak. Although it was Buddhist Dharma, it was also a method of cultivating the Immortal Dao; only the Realm names were slightly different, and the Sect rules varied, but in essence, they were the same.
The Buddhist Saint of Mount Sumeru, with a solemn and majestic appearance, took steps that caused lotus flowers to bloom, and soft Buddhist light illuminated all directions, bringing an aura distinct from the Immortal Dao. His presence here drew much attention.
Forces from all sides gathered, Geniuses and Prodigies were as numerous as carp crossing a river, stars shone brightly, and the atmosphere was magnificent.
Many peerless Prodigies, whose names were previously only heard but whose faces were never seen, appeared one after another. Their auras were so powerful that there were even those of the Mystic Immortal Realm, drawing continuous exclamations and discussions from the Disciples of Lingxu Heavenly Palace.
"Look quickly! It's the Yaochi Saintess! It is rumored that she possesses an Innate Dao Body and is already a powerful being in the Middle Stage of the Mystic Immortal Realm!"
"And there's Jiang Lingxiao, the Divine Son of the Jiang Family of this generation. It is said that he possesses a War God Body and once tore apart Demon Race members of the same rank with his bare hands, incredibly ferocious and unmatched."
..."It's really lively."
Jiang Yuan looked outside, shaking his head and saying.
These Inner Sect True Disciples, those of slightly lower status, would also undertake their own tasks, welcoming familiar guests to show respect. There were also Disciples from the Law Enforcement lineage who patrolled inside and outside the mountain gate.
It was lively, but beneath this liveliness, there were surging undercurrents, making people feel a sense of grand momentum.
In comparison, Prodigies like Su Ming, Jiang Hao, Li Changsheng, and Li Changkong were still much younger.
Although they had continuous fortuitous encounters and rapid progress, when facing those Prodigies from various factions who had already entered the Mystic Immortal Realm, the gap was still obvious.
"I wonder if Senior Brother Han will make a move?"
Jiang Yuan inexplicably thought of Han Xuanji's figure.
He only felt that the gap between this friend and him was growing wider and wider.
Although he had never witnessed the other party's skills, he inexplicably felt that the disparity between them was vast.