Chapter 211: Three Realms of the Sword |
Chapter 211: Three Realms of the Sword
“Who said my true self is only at Nascent Soul Perfection?”
Chen Huai’an stepped forward, and in an instant, his aura surged, breaking through from Nascent Soul Perfection to the Fusion Realm.
Ling Pu’s Dharma Manifestation trembled slightly. She was about to speak when—
Chen Huai’an took another step. His aura surged again—Fusion Realm Mid-Stage.
Another step—Fusion Realm Late-Stage.
With seven steps, he reached Ling Pu’s level, achieving the third stage of the Void Refinement Realm—Void Shattering.
At that moment, the spiritual pressure around him distorted the very space within a ten-meter radius.
Ling Pu’s face twisted in shock, and even her Dharma Manifestation’s narrowed eyes widened in disbelief.
She racked her brain but couldn’t fathom who Chen Huai’an truly was.
In the Void Refinement Realm, every stage was a world apart.
If his incarnation had reached the third stage of Void Refinement, then his true self must at least be at the sixth stage or higher.
Yet, in Cangyun Realm, there were only a handful of cultivators at that level—all ancient monsters from the Holy Lands or the Void Abyss.
Such figures were anything but obscure. She should have recognized him.
But Chen Huai’an’s aura, his sword techniques—she had no recollection of any of it.
Chen Huai’an remained silent and took another step forward.
BOOM!
The heavens trembled!
His cultivation surged once more, surpassing Ling Pu—Void Refinement Fourth Stage: World Quantification.
The space around him began to collapse, and behind him, the projection of a barren micro-world emerged. Within the pressure of his spiritual energy, the swirling forces of yin and yang intertwined. Everywhere his gaze landed, sword marks were left in his wake.
“I am—Chen Huai’an!”
He raised his hand.
The void behind him split open three meters wide.
His micro-world collapsed, imploding into a singularity—then compressed into a black sword in his grasp. The blade flickered between light and shadow, swirling with the essence of yin and yang.
The tip of the sword pointed at Ling Pu.
“I don’t care what schemes you’re plotting or what tricks you’re trying to pull.”
“But if you dare harm my disciple—”
“I will. Take. Your. Life.”
Chen Huai’an’s eyes narrowed as he raised his arm, gathering the force of heaven and earth into his sword.
“The Dao begets One, One begets Two, Two begets Three, Three begets all things.”
The Green Lotus Sword Manual contained a total of twelve sword techniques.
After mastering all twelve, one could unlock three hidden secret volumes—only accessible upon reaching the Void Refinement Realm.
The first and most fundamental of these secrets—
"Dao-Origin Sword!"
Before the sword was drawn, the world fell silent.
As the sword was drawn, the world lost its color.
The words seemed to echo directly in Ling Pu’s ears.
Being a full stage below him, she had no way to resist. It was as if she had been frozen in time and space, her perception of reality fading, her concept of time dissolving.
In that instant, she heard the sound of the Dao collapsing.
And what was being destroyed—
Was her Dao.
—
Chen Huai’an sheathed his sword and turned to leave on his flying sword.
Behind him, the Bodhisattva Dharma Manifestation remained motionless.
Only upon closer inspection could one see a thin sword scar running from its brow straight down into the earth’s veins.
Ling Pu’s soul had been erased in an instant.
Behind her, the sky was carved with sword energy stretching thirty thousand miles.
As the last withered leaf fell to the ground, the entire autumn mountain collapsed in complete silence.
—
Chen Huai’an’s heart ached.
Summoning an incarnation at the Void Refinement level was insanely expensive.
Void Refinement First Stage—1 million per minute.
Second Stage—5 million.
Third Stage—10 million.
Fourth Stage—50 million.
He had maintained Void Refinement Fourth Stage for half a minute.
Over 25 million gone.
This wasn’t just burning money.
This was a money incinerator.
And after the Void Refinement Sixth Stage, the system wouldn’t even allow him to purchase further power unless his true body reached Foundation Establishment Peak.
Why?
Because the Sixth Stage—Formless Realm—touched upon the essence of the Dao. Crossing that threshold could break through the barriers between two worlds, directly affecting his true self.
So, he had to increase his own cultivation in the real world to withstand it.
Chen Huai’an found this quite reasonable.
After all, killing a Void Refinement Third Stage old monster like Ling Pu from another world was already absurdly overpowered.
With that logic, 25 million was a steal.
Money well spent.
And he had no regrets.
Killing Ling Pu had rid him of a major threat.
【Player has slain Forsaken Disciple of the Pure Nirvana Sect—Ling Pu. Obtained: Righteous Cultivator Fragment x1, Damaged Dao Artifact x1.】
“Oh? Ling Pu, who set up a demonic formation, still counts as a righteous cultivator?”
Chen Huai’an narrowed his eyes. Something wasn’t right.
It seemed the game classified righteous or demonic cultivators based solely on the techniques they practiced.
But after watching enough TV dramas, he had his own views.
The so-called righteous could still commit acts of evil.
And those who practiced demonic techniques weren’t necessarily wicked.
Take himself, for example.
He cultivated the Heavenly Demon Technique.
So what?
He was still upholding justice!
Like when he cleansed the Demon Slayer Bureau headquarters—he did it to make the world a better place for Uncle Bearded Guy.
If sacrificing all the aristocrats could create a more stable reality—
Then so be it.
He’d be the executioner if he had to.
The strong should support the weak.
Now that he had grown strong, it was time to start supporting.
—
On his way back to the main group, he examined the damaged Dao Artifact he had obtained.
And nearly jumped.
He expected it to be a weapon or armor.
Instead—
It was a polished, timeworn skull.
【Damaged Dao Artifact: Skull of Zhao Zhenlong, Disciple of the Pure Hao Sect.
Due to repeated backlashes from divination and sword energy impacts, this Dao Artifact is now unusable. Its Dao laws have dissipated, covered in cracks and sword scars. (Perhaps this could be a collector’s item? Or maybe presenting it to the Lingxi Valley Master or Pure Hao Sect Leader would yield unexpected results?】
“Well… That last sword strike must have been too much. Otherwise, this artifact would still be functional.”
Chen Huai’an tossed the skull back into his inventory, rubbing his chin.
No way he was handing this thing over to the Pure Hao Sect.
Something told him Zhao Zhenlong was either the sect leader’s son or father.
Pulling out a skull like that would be a huge misunderstanding.
…Not that he feared misunderstandings.
As for Zhao Zhenlong’s connection to Lingxi Valley, he had no idea.
But compared to a sect he had never dealt with, Lingxi Valley’s Master was beautiful, kind-hearted, and reasonable.
Even if there was a misunderstanding, she’d probably hear him out before forcing him into a fight.
Unlike some people.
—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
By the time Chen Huai’an returned to the demonic formation, the cultivators were still hurling magic tools at it and detonating them.
The once-mountainous terrain had been blasted into a crater.
He twitched at the sight.
He had just killed a Void Refinement Third Stage old monster and come back, and these guys still hadn’t broken the damn formation?!
What a bunch of useless idiots!
“Oh my~ Daoist Chen is back~”
Qingyun Patriarch’s eyes lit up upon seeing him. She hurriedly stuffed the half-broken magical tool in her hand back into her pouch.
Her bloodthirsty aura vanished in an instant, replaced by a gentle, charming smile.
“Daoist Chen, are you hurt? There was a huge battle thousands of miles away just now—the shockwaves even reached here~ I was so scared~”
Chen Huai’an took a deep breath.
He hadn’t even felt this much pressure when fighting Ling Pu.
Now, though?
Facing Qingyun Patriarch felt like stepping on a landmine.
He glanced at the formation below.
If he sliced through it now, she’d stop bothering him, right?
Just as he was about to draw his sword—
BOOM!
The formation—after barely holding out for half an hour—finally collapsed.
Cheers of relief erupted from the cultivators.
The Zhenwu elder let out a sigh—
And then, a second later, his face paled.
“Not good! Everyone, get back—!!”