The blade intent pierced the heavens, its murderous aura startling the earth and weeping for the spirits, an unmatched might enveloping the entire forest, causing the world to tremble.
This was the power of the Xuan Tie Battle Blade, an unreachable force that commanded reverence.
In the past, Zhao Yun dominated the Martial Sovereign realm wielding this very blade, a supreme spirit artifact that even some Martial Lords might not possess.
Now, although Ye Tian could not yet unleash the full potential of the Xuan Tie Battle Blade, it was enough to instill fear.
Yi Xuehan bellowed in terror as the vast blade light, imbued with a fierce killing intent, began to erode his flesh. Despite having mastered the first level of the Nine Transformations Battle Body, he was still unable to withstand this unparalleled strike.
The heavens and earth quaked, the blade's might invincible.
Ye Tian's eyes blazed with brilliance as his blade intent merged seamlessly with the Xuan Tie Battle Blade, achieving a state of unity between man and blade. A transcendent edge surged forth, reaching skyward as if to pierce the nine heavens.
Despair washed over Yi Xuehan as his Nine Transformations Battle Body crumbled beneath this extraordinary brilliance. The terrifying blade light shattered his long sword and severed his neck.
Boom!
Blood erupted forth as Yi Xuehan let out a mournful cry, his once-dark eyes dimming to lifelessness, leaving only a gaze of utter despair fixed upon Ye Tian.
"This place is no longer safe!"
Ye Tian sheathed the Xuan Tie Battle Blade, feeling the lingering unmatched blade intent in the air. With a flash of his eyes, he seized Yi Xuehan's lifeless body and shot off into the distance.
Before long, several elders appeared in the sky, their sharp gazes scanning the ground below.
Further afield, other powerful figures were hastening toward the scene.
However, Ye Tian had long vanished, leaving them with no choice but to return empty-handed. Yet, they were profoundly astonished; the aura they had just sensed was undoubtedly that of a spirit artifact, and a supreme one at that.
In the Great Yan Kingdom, and indeed throughout the eighteen nations of the Northern Sea, a supreme spirit artifact was enough to incite fierce competition among Martial Lords.
This was precisely why Ye Tian had refrained from exposing it; the Martial Lords of the Divine Star Sect had noticed, but they merely assumed it to be an ordinary spirit artifact, and given that Ye Tian was a disciple of their sect, they did not resort to bullying him.
Of course, had they known it was a supreme spirit artifact, even Ye Tian's affiliation with the Divine Star Sect would not have spared him their envy.
At most, they would have offered him some benefits to placate him.
...
After soaring at low altitude for half a day, Ye Tian confirmed that no one was pursuing him. He then sought a relatively concealed spot, carving out a cave to hide with Yi Xuehan's corpse.
"Wu Ding has actually enlisted the disciples of the Hundred Poisons Sect, and this fellow is of Martial Sovereign caliber; he must be a true disciple of the Hundred Poisons Sect, so he likely possesses some treasures."
Bathed in the faint light filtering into the cave, Ye Tian gazed at Yi Xuehan's lifeless body, long deceased, his eyes shimmering with fervent anticipation.
Like Ye Tian's Xuan Tie Battle Blade, a talent like Yi Xuehan would undoubtedly have encountered fortuitous events, thus he was sure to carry some treasures.
With this thought, Ye Tian began to search Yi Xuehan's body, but after a lengthy search, he only unearthed a token from the Hundred Poisons Sect and a handful of silver notes.
"Hmm? How could there be only these?" Ye Tian exclaimed in bewilderment. A true disciple of the Hundred Poisons Sect, especially one of such talent, would surely possess more than this; it was utterly inconceivable.
"Chirp chirp..."
At that moment, the little golden mouse emerged from Ye Tian's embrace, appearing as if it had just awakened. It shook its tiny head and blinked its large eyes, curiously surveying its surroundings. Finally, its gaze fell upon Yi Xuehan's corpse, and its eyes gleamed as if it had spotted a treasure.
"Little creature, show me what this fellow has!" Ye Tian's eyes lit up upon seeing the little golden mouse; he recognized it as a treasure-seeking mouse, perhaps endowed with some extraordinary abilities.
The little golden mouse, however, seemed oblivious to Ye Tian's words. It tilted its head and cast him a disdainful glance.
Indeed! It was a look of disdain; this little creature was remarkably agile, its expression almost human-like, inciting Ye Tian's ire as he gritted his teeth, preparing to "punish" the little mouse.
But just then, the little golden mouse vanished into thin air, leaving Ye Tian grasping at nothing.
"Hmm? What just happened? Where did it go?" Ye Tian exclaimed in shock, hurriedly searching around, yet he could find no trace of the little mouse.
"Invisibility?" Ye Tian pondered, somewhat astonished, though he dismissed the notion; he had never heard of such a divine ability existing in this world.
"Little creature, come out! I won't punish you!"
"Little creature, I have something tasty!"
"Little creature..."
After searching for quite some time without success, Ye Tian grew increasingly anxious and began to shout in desperation.
If anyone had been present, they would have thought him mad for his solitary cries.
About half an hour later, a peculiar wave of energy caught Ye Tian's attention. He turned to gaze at Yi Xuehan's corpse, only to discover the little golden mouse perched atop his head.
Not only that, but Ye Tian also noticed the mouse gripping a rope with its tiny paws, pulling with all its might towards the outside.
Upon seeing Ye Tian, the little golden mouse shot him an indignant glare, one paw pointing at the rope while it squeaked in protest.
Ye Tian, taken aback, suddenly understood where the mouse had disappeared to and why he had been unable to locate Yi Xuehan's treasures.
It was a small world!
Martial Sovereigns could create their own little realms, which could be utilized not only for combat but also for storage. After all, who would want to carry burdensome items when they could store them in such expansive spaces, which were both convenient and secure?
What astonished Ye Tian even more was that the little golden mouse had managed to enter Yi Xuehan's small world. He was truly impressed; no wonder it was a treasure-seeking mouse, possessing such remarkable abilities.
With these thoughts racing through his mind, Ye Tian hastened to assist the little golden mouse in pulling the rope.
It was surprisingly heavy, causing Ye Tian to raise an eyebrow. With a determined effort, he managed to drag out a sizable bundle. However, during this process, the little golden mouse was knocked over, inciting its fury as it scampered atop Ye Tian's head, turning his hair into a nest.
At that moment, Ye Tian had no time to mind the mouse; he eagerly unwrapped the bundle to inspect its contents.
Inside, he discovered a plethora of items: some books, several small vials containing medicinal pills, around five hundred spirit stones, as well as assorted clothing and silver notes.
Ye Tian first examined the small vials, finding some basic Meridian Opening Pills and Channeling Pills among them, while the rest emanated a peculiar aroma—none of which he recognized.
"The medicinal pills of the Hundred Poisons Sect should not be consumed carelessly; it's best to keep my distance from these. However, the Meridian Opening Pills and Channeling Pills can certainly be given to Uncle Ye Feng and the others," Ye Tian mused, carefully stowing them away.
Next, he excitedly collected the five hundred spirit stones. Truly, as a true disciple, Yi Xuehan had carried a substantial amount of spirit stones with him, ensuring Ye Tian would not lack for resources.
"No wonder the inner disciples of the Divine Star Sect venture out for experience; while remaining in the sect ensures safety, it also deprives one of treasures like these."
"Where there is danger, there is opportunity. A martial artist must strive against the current; without enduring the trials of life and death, how can one ascend to the pinnacle of martial arts?"
Ye Tian couldn't help but reflect.
He then turned his attention to the books and discovered numerous martial techniques below the profound rank, feeling quite disappointed. He decided to pack them away to bring back to the Ye family.
"Wait? What is this..." Suddenly, Ye Tian's eyes brightened, fixating on two ancient tomes in his hands.
These two books appeared rather unremarkable, yet the words emblazoned on the covers shone with extraordinary brilliance.
"Nine Transformations Battle Body, First Layer!"
"Nine Transformations Battle Body, Second Layer!"
Ye Tian's face lit up with excitement as he quickly opened the first layer, only to find its contents identical to what he had seen in the Divine Star Sect regarding the first layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body.
Continuing to the second layer, Ye Tian's eyes sparkled with increasing intensity. Although he had never seen the second layer before, he was certain it was indeed the second layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body.
"I never imagined it; to stumble upon such a treasure without even searching!"
"Hahaha..."
Ye Tian felt an overwhelming surge of joy, astonished that he had acquired the second layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body so swiftly. If he could successfully cultivate it, his physical prowess would rival that of a Martial Sovereign.
With this, he would undoubtedly secure a place among the top ten in the inner sect competition.
Safely tucking away the second layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body, Ye Tian turned to the final remaining book, which was thick and resembled a miscellaneous tome rather than a martial technique.
Curious, he picked it up and began to peruse its pages, his eyes widening in astonishment.
"Great Yan Calendar, Year XX, Day XX: The weather is dry today, yet the night is quite cool, with a chill in the air... Today, I can no longer contain myself; I must kill that wretched person to avenge my mother... That wretched person dared to mock me; what a fool! I will bind her, stuff her mouth with cloth, and slice her flesh piece by piece... Hahaha, I have finally avenged myself! I must record this to relish later."
"Great Yan Calendar, Year XX, Day XX: I discovered that my blade feels as if it has come to life, moving with my arm as if it were a part of me... An uncle found me and told me I have grasped blade intent. Though merely the first layer of fluidity, I am undoubtedly a prodigy among thousands. He intends to take me to a place of training to make me even stronger."
"Great Yan Calendar, Year XX, Day XX: Today, I became an inner disciple of the Hundred Poisons Sect..."
Upon reaching this point, Ye Tian confirmed that he was reading a diary.
"I never expected this fellow to have such a habit of journaling; he can't possibly be someone who has crossed over like me, can he?" Ye Tian glanced at Yi Xuehan's corpse not far away, secretly astonished.
He continued reading, discovering a wealth of information about the Hundred Poisons Sect, which intrigued him greatly.
"Great Yan Calendar, Year XX, Day XX: My master found me and instructed me to go to the hidden grounds of Chilin City, to cultivate the second layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body using the Ten Thousand Poisons Pool..."
Swish!
Ye Tian's pupils constricted, and his eyes gleamed with intensity as he fixated on the diary in his hands.