*In an ocean*
Layer upon layer above the waves, a bird formed of sword Qi!
The bird flutters, the sea rolls, countless sword shadows howl.
In the midst of the storm, there stands one person!
He wears a black and white sword robe, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze firm and resolute as he faces the bird of sword Qi.
Behind the bird, dense fog surges, forming a towering, sword-shaped foggy tower. From the high tower comes a sound of solemn dignity, resonating for a thousand miles.
"Ye Guying, the final step awaits!"
The young man in black robes turns his head to see the crowd behind him—a sea of people, numbering over ten thousand, all watching him with intense anticipation.
These people are not just bystanders; they are the ruling swordsmen.
"Good!"
A surge of fierce conviction fills the young man's eyes.
Taking a deep breath, he strides toward the sword Qi bird, the cheers of thousands rising behind him.
"Ye Guying!" A voice calls out unexpectedly.
"What is it?" the young man in black robes asks as he turns.
An old man steps forward, respect evident in his gaze as he says, "Word has come from Blue Soul. There was news about 'The Sword' yesterday."
"Speak," the young man replies calmly.
The old man leans close and whispers a few words into his ear.
"What is that person's name?" the young man asks.
The old man quietly says two words.
The young man's pupils contract, his cold eyes showing a brief flash of surprise.
"Yun... Xiao?"
---
**Sword Pavilion.**
Inside a black copper coffin.
Yun Xiao sits cross-legged in a nine-source coffin.
"The taste of these Heavenly Dao Buddhist relics from the Golden Lion is truly intense."
For a long time, he has been breaking down these Heavenly Dao Buddhist relics through the Primordial Ruins Method.
These relics are indeed abundant!
Among the treasures he obtained from Wu Wu were tens of thousands of spirit crystals.
The assassin had been more powerful than Yao Qingqian, and to defeat her, the small black beast had to exhaust its energy to the limit.
As a result, they took even more spirit crystals this time.
Meanwhile, the remaining Heavenly Dao Buddhist relics allowed Yun Xiao's dragon claws to regenerate fully, giving him a five-clawed form.
In his dantian, the energy of a Yuan Dragon flows, boundless in supernatural power.
**Fixed Dragon Spring Realm!**
"They say that this ancient copper coffin's soul beast, along with its Heavenly Dao Buddhist relics, was crafted for the rebirth of the Immortal Creator."
Perfect synergy!
Yun Xiao stands, circulating his supernatural power, waves of energy radiating from him.
"Recovered a single-layer realm."
Others would call this an advancement, but he calls it restoration.
A true rebirth!
"I am resurrected, borrowing the body of a mortal soul to replace the Creator Immortal's rebirth…"
Yun Xiao raises his head and addresses the coffin's cover, saying to Lanxing, "My Fixed Realm is complete. I should be able to attempt the 'Dragon Spring Merges with the Sea.'"
Lanxing does not respond, but on the coffin's cover, mysterious writing shimmers in the mist, appearing suddenly, imprinting itself on Yun Xiao's forehead.
Yun Xiao's entire body trembles.
His consciousness sinks to his dantian.
At the center, the five-clawed Yuan Dragon is complete, only one step from transformation!
"Primordial Creation breathes life into the world; the Divine Sea subdues the entire realm."
Ten dense fog-like symbols seal themselves onto the Yuan Dragon. The five-clawed dragon roars, soaring within his dantian.
Buzz!
The ancient copper coffin, similar to the Blue Soul Cauldron, draws in Spirit Qi from the world, flooding the coffin.
The Yuan Dragon opens its mouth to devour it!
A resonant hum fills the air as vast Spirit Qi surges, causing Yun Xiao's body to swell.
"With this new state, I will reach the Divine Sea!"
Longquan signifies the surface, while Divine Sea represents the depth. Transitioning from Longquan to Divine Sea marks a significant rise in supernatural power, one that even Jiang Yue could break through in three days. Yet, practicing the Primordial Ruins Law complicates the process for Yun Xiao, who must create a "Primordial Ruins Sea."
"This Primordial Ruins Sea, a newborn world birthed from chaos, encompasses the essence of all things—wind, rain, thunder, lightning, and fire—all the principal paths of the world united into one!"
Through his experiences, Yun Xiao has observed others' supernatural abilities, each possessing specific attributes. Wang Feng, the twelfth disciple of the Sword Reverence, for example, holds a Sand Sword Soul, with powers grounded in sand and earth, heavy and somber.
In contrast, Yun Xiao's power, derived from the Primordial Ruins Law, is comprehensive, much like the universal strength of the Ten Thousand Ancestor Gods.
"It simply means that Primordial Ruins Law creates 'life'!"
It's new and vibrant, encompassing all living things and the very essence of existence.
"Yet, my Heaven-Burying Sword Soul embodies ultimate death energy—it is annihilation, destruction, and slaughter!"
Life for supernatural power; death for the Sword Soul!
"Life and death powers can coexist within me harmoniously, even synergistically—this is a true marvel…"
Yun Xiao perceives their common thread: the world itself.
The Primordial Ruins Law derives from the world, while the divine land's heavenly pillar forms the source—the world's embryo. Even a deathly realm can be an embryonic form of a world.
"Would a world formed from the start also be complete?"
A thought stirs within Yun Xiao.
After his resurrection, his soul feels fully alive and attuned, his understanding of sword techniques sharper, as if all mysteries are clear before him, effortlessly grasping the arts and techniques in their pure form.
"I could be called the perfect talent!"
A faint smile crosses Yun Xiao's lips.
"Ye Guying, soon enough, it will be my turn to show you the true meaning of immortality!"
This is not the life of mere mortals, nor the ascetic ruler wrongly punished by fate. This is the legacy of the Creator Immortal!
Buzz!
As his last word fades, the Yuan Dragon in his dantian absorbs an immense quantity of Spirit Qi, inflating to the very peak, almost causing Yun Xiao's abdomen to swell as if he were pregnant.
The Yuan Dragon is like an embryo ready to be born.
"Other cultivators experience a minor surge in energy when reaching Divine Sea, but you're eight months along already," Lanxing laughs.
"Let's see—you're entering the nurturing period!" Chiyue's excitement causes the coffin to vibrate.
Yun Xiao ignores them.
His abdomen swells considerably because his Yuan Dragon's supernatural power far exceeds that of others.
Without this, how could he span the boundary of Divine Sea and defeat opponents like Cloud Tianyi and Yao Zijin?
"The Yuan Dragon is currently gaseous, vast by nature. But as I condense it to a liquid state, it will transform into the Sea of Supernatural Power—the Divine Sea!"
Yun Xiao narrows his eyes, taking a deep breath.
Buzz!
Under the pressure in his dantian, characters of the Primordial Ruins Law emerge once again on the Yuan Dragon. As Yun Xiao carefully channels his power, the dragon, once out of control, is restrained as if by the entire world.
"Longquan merges into the sea!"
With one final push, it's done.
A thunderous sound fills the air as Longquan transforms!
Yun Xiao's abdomen deflates rapidly, but his supernatural power undergoes a qualitative leap. The Yuan Dragon converts into a powerful current, forming a single-layer Divine Sea in his dantian.
Divine Sea Realm achieved!
Yun Xiao's "living supernatural power" rolls in waves, seemingly calm and simple, yet deep and comprehensive.
Like white light, it appears plain but conceals boundless colors within.
"The single-layer Divine Sea signifies the early Divine Sea Realm."
Divine Sea Realm consists of five stages: early, middle, late, complete, and Fixed Realm.
Tianyuan, a mid-stage Divine Sea Realm cultivator, is a single layer above Yao Qingqian.
Today, Yun Xiao hears that Senior Sister Zhao has achieved the Divine Sea Fixed Realm, a state five layers deep. To go from a single-layer Divine Sea to five, one must repeatedly refine Longquan. Each Dragon Spring will create a new Divine Sea, advancing in the Divine Sea Realm.
The path of spiritual cultivation begins with breathing exercises in Longquan, and each step becomes increasingly difficult. Yun Xiao glances at his dantian, where a single-layer Divine Sea rests alongside a single-clawed Longquan.
"Though I'm in the early stage of Divine Sea Realm, this Primordial Ruins Law power combined with my golden dantian provides tens of times more strength than Yao Qingqian."
Yun Xiao knows that his supernatural power, together with his Sword Soul, doubles his strength compared to others of his level.
"A bit too pleased, aren't you?" Lanxing chides him.
"With so much power compared to others, why shouldn't I be satisfied?" Yun Xiao asks.
"Your golden dantian only increases your strength by several times. With the full Primordial Ruins Law, you could cultivate hundreds of thousands of times more power!" Lanxing scoffs.
"Hundreds of thousands of times?" Yun Xiao is stunned.
"A conservative estimate. Over a hundred million isn't out of the question," Lanxing replies.
"The early Divine Sea Realm with millions of times the power?" Yun Xiao echoes in shock.
"Yes."
"Why such a massive difference?" Yun Xiao asks.
"It's simple: your previous life created the world's method as a foundation, using extraordinary power for something as basic as breathing exercises." Lanxing rolls his eyes.
"So, I can only add a small fraction of strength because, at my core, I'm just a mortal?" Yun Xiao realizes.
"If you reach Ye Guying's level of dantian, then two or three times more might be possible."
"Understood."
The Creator Immortal is truly fearsome.
Yun Xiao cannot fathom the eternal bond between this existence and the Ancestor Gods of the Six Realms.
He, a mere mortal, only wishes to live on this immortal path, cherishing love and hatred alike.
"To reclaim the Seed of Creation!"
His goal remains the same.
Yun Xiao steadies his Divine Sea Realm power, holding the Heaven-Burying Sword Soul once more.
"Early Divine Sea Realm, 15 Sword Qi Strikes!"
"Living power, dying Sword Soul!"
With all his strength, a storm brews in his eyes as he gazes out, ready to face whatever lies ahead.
**Sword Pavilion, daybreak!**
The fiery-red sun rises from the East Sea, illuminating the Blue Soul hills, filling the land with vitality. Last night, the scattered remains of bones have turned to dust.
As the sunlight streams over the grand palace, an alarmed shout is heard:
"Grandpa Qin! Senior Sister Zhao!"
Cai Maomao and the other disciples' expressions change drastically, full of worry and tension.
"What happened?" Grandpa Qin trembles and asks urgently.
"Junior Brother Yun has disappeared!"
"What?" Grandpa Qin and the three elders immediately look ashen. They turn and see a woman in a black dress walking out of the grand palace, her face calm.
"Yun Xiao… he sought glory," Senior Sister Zhao says.
"Why didn't you stop him?" Grandpa Qin and the others' voices quiver in disappointment.
"Sword Pavilion has only one who can enter the battle," Zhao replies. "I couldn't hold him back."
She steps forward into the forested mountains, turning her head, her gaze wavering.
"Let's go."
"To do what?" someone asks.
"To protect him… so he doesn't die."
---
**Ascension in Dingshan**
In the morning, voices fill the air. The ranking competition will decide the resource distribution among Blue Soul's eight branches for the next year, directly impacting everyone. Lingbao Pavilion has further fueled excitement by adding a betting element, drawing nearly every Blue Soul sword cultivator to Dingshan, waiting for the results.
"This is more than just the rankings," someone says. "It's an announcement to the world of who holds the Sword Soul rank, bringing honor to our Blue Soul in the Divine Land!"
This moment of revelation is anticipated by many.
"First Jianfeng made a mistake yesterday, but today's power is unstoppable. Sword Pavilion hasn't entered the contest, and no one has yet seen them."
"If Sword King Ye hadn't declined to participate, Sword Pavilion's Yun Xiao wouldn't have risen to the top yesterday."
Ye Guying—his path is in the Sea of Ten Thousand Swords. Such a figure would diminish his standing by joining a disciples' contest.
"Who would have thought that Jiang Yue would still participate today, injured as she is from yesterday's attack?"
In the crowd, people spot a young girl in a snow-white sword robe. Although her face is veiled, her strength and pride are evident. She stands as unyielding as ever.
"She's an immortal talent. A minor setback is nothing to her," someone says.
Mentioning Yun Xiao, many feel helpless. Most are of similar talent to him, yet against someone like Jiang Yue, they feel powerless. How could anyone possibly defeat her?
---
Among the seven sword cultivator groups, the top disciples from every lineage are gathered. Each Jianfeng (sword faction) brings their best, but the First Jianfeng stands out, led by talents like Jiang Yue and other revered swordsmen, with an aura of solemn strength.
In contrast, the Third Jianfeng struggles, having lost core disciples like Wu Jianxiong, which has greatly weakened its ranks.
Among the crowd, people also whisper about last night's mysterious events: the sudden disappearance of Third Jianfeng's revered sword clan and the elder Ye Tianzhao's brutal defeat. Tensions between Sword Pavilion and First Jianfeng are nearing a breaking point.
"First Jianfeng would never have allowed such turmoil," someone comments. "The conflict between Sword Pavilion and First Jianfeng has reached a deadly point."
The Blue Soul sect is just an alliance of sword cultivators, with no sentimental ties between the different sword lineages.
"Three years ago, Sword Pavilion united the entire sect against monsters, a time of unprecedented unity."
"Sadly, after that incident, Blue Soul has strayed off its path."
Many sword cultivators feel regret, knowing that they cannot change the sect's direction.
Suddenly, someone calls out, "The Sword Pavilion disciples are here!"
A hush falls over the crowd as several Sword Pavilion disciples, led by Zhao Xuanran and Grandpa Qin, arrive at Dingshan, stopping all discussion. The summit falls silent.
At that moment, a fierce golden sword light streaks across the sky, aimed directly at the woman in the black dress.
"Be careful!" Grandpa Qin shouts in alarm.
In a flash, the black-dressed woman's eyebrows knit together as she draws her black Sword Soul, wielding it like a thunderous blade to meet the oncoming strike.
With a loud clang, the golden sword light is split apart, but Senior Sister Zhao staggers back, blood trickling from her lips.
"Such strength!" The crowd breathes a sigh of relief. Senior Sister Zhao is still alive!
The man who launched the attack stands on stage, his sharp eyes fixed on Senior Sister Zhao, holding a golden Sword Soul.
It is Ye Tiance, the First Jianfeng's Sword Revered.
"Divine Sea Stage, I see," he says, smiling coldly.
Zhao Xuanran glares at him. She knows that if she hadn't been at this level, she'd be dead.
Ye Tiance smirks. "Watch your words. You may be the sect leader's daughter, but that doesn't mean I can't act."
He turns to the guests in the center of the stage, smiling slyly.