"In the original plotline…"
Li Zhexian walked slowly through the sea of spirit herbs, lost in thought.
"Tang San swallowed the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot like a pig eating ginseng fruit, claiming he had forged a body immune to fire and ice."
To this,
Li Zhexian's evaluation was blunt:
"A complete waste."
"Calling that a fire-and-ice immune body is an insult to the term!"
"At best, it added some elemental resistance to his Martial Soul."
"Could he withstand a direct hit from Ma Hongjun's Phoenix flames?"
He looked toward the two celestial herbs growing near the Ice Spring and Fire Spring, a gleam flashing in his eyes.
"Only by using the purest ice-fire essence as the fermenting base to brew Ice Flame Immortal Dew—balancing yin and yang—"
"And then using the Dew as the medicinal guide while simultaneously ingesting both the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot…"
"Can one draw out their true potential."
"According to the Brewing Records, this could even lead to forming the Molten Frost Spirit Vein Body—a constitution with lava-like meridians interwoven with glacial frost. Not only would it grant true immunity to fire and ice, but also allow one to absorb and refine those energies to nourish the body."
At the thought of such a profound constitution,
Li Zhexian felt a rush of excitement.
However—
just as he was about to begin collecting springwater to brew his liquor…
A singular, otherworldly spirit herb suddenly caught his eye.
It had appeared without warning.
This spirit herb—
Was rooted precisely where fire and ice clashed.
Though battered by both extremes, it stood tall and proud, sword-straight against the wind.
Its stem glistened like ten-thousand-year-old cold jade. Its long, narrow leaves layered like overlapping blades.
Its flower core was utterly unique—several petals floated freely, suspended mid-air, encircling a golden sword-shaped phantom that radiated a breathtakingly sharp aura.
"…This is…"
Li Zhexian's gaze froze.
This herb—
had never once appeared in the canon timeline!
Digging deep into his memory, his breathing quickened slightly.
He remembered what it was called:
—Sword Soul Jade Heart Orchid.
A peerless immortal herb capable of birthing a Sword Fruit, which would vanish from existence if not harvested in time.
Even among the countless spiritual herbs catalogued in the Brewing Records, theSword Soul Jade Heart Orchid. was one of the rarest and most enigmatic.
Its use was profoundly mystical:
To temper the sword soul, and reveal the sword heart.
"In the current Douluo Continent, the concept of 'Extreme Attributes' hasn't formally appeared…"
"But I can vaguely perceive that when using 'Three Swords of Elegancer,' the Qinglian Sword has already touched 'extreme sharpness.'"
"If I consume the Sword Soul Jade Heart Orchid.…"
Li Zhexian's heart blazed.
"Can the Qinglian Sword fully step into the realm of the 'Extreme'?"
Shhh—
Shhh—
Just as his thoughts surged wildly—
Tiny but razor-sharp sword intent began to radiate from the Sword Soul Jade Heart Orchid..
The golden phantom sword at its center suddenly flared with brilliance, rapidly solidifying—becoming as real as an actual golden sword.
Only a hair-thin golden filament still connected it to the flower core.
"The Sword Fruit's matured?!"
"So fast?!"
Li Zhexian didn't dare hesitate.
With a flip of his palm, the Qinglian Sword appeared in his grasp.
A flash of sword light—!
He slashed toward the golden thread that connected the phantom sword to the flower.
This was the Orchid's second miracle: To the unworthy, the Sword Fruit would rather shatter than be taken.
But the Qinglian Sword, peerlessly sharp, reached it in an instant.
Just as the edge was about to cut through—
The golden sword phantom shuddered, as if sentient.
It trembled—then rushed forward, meeting the Qinglian Sword head-on.
Clang—!
The clash rang out like jade striking metal.
The Sword Fruit voluntarily detached from the flower and drifted downward.
Li Zhexian reacted swiftly, catching it in one smooth motion.
It was warm and smooth like jade in the hand—yet radiated an ineffable edge.
"Did it… recognize me?"
Li Zhexian clicked his tongue in awe, then muttered:
"It even dared to clash with the Qinglian Sword head-on…"
"Am I really just supposed to… eat this thing? Won't it break my teeth?"
He hesitated for a few moments.
Then, gathering his courage, Li Zhexian popped the Sword Fruit into his mouth.
The moment it touched his teeth—
it dissolved into an icy stream of liquid, sliding smoothly down his throat.
In that instant—
A clear, piercing sword cry echoed from within his chest.
"Ugh…"
His internal organs felt like they were being pierced by a thousand needles.
Yet amid the agony, he could feel impurities being burned away.
In a haze, it seemed like each drop of blood in his body had turned into strands of glimmering sword light, washing through his meridians.
His bones let out sharp, metallic clangs—like blades clashing.
Foul, rust-scented air leaked from his pores.
This was the Sword Soul Jade Heart Orchid. tempering his body into a pure Sword Body!
At the same time—
The Qinglian Sword, hovering three feet in front of him,
was being bathed in golden light seeping out from Li Zhexian's body.
It let out a crisp hum, as if undergoing its own refinement.
Its already pristine blade took on a luster like warm jade.
On the flat of the sword's spine—three fingers wide—twelve lotus patterns bloomed one after another, lifelike and vivid.
Even just standing there—
The Qinglian Sword distorted the air around it.
The space within three feet of the blade couldn't withstand its sharpness—ripples shimmered visibly in the air.
Seated in meditation, Li Zhexian's consciousness had already entered a mystical realm.
There, he heard the sword's whisper.
It wasn't the sound of metal slicing wind—
but the natural harmony of snow falling on bamboo, or dew dripping into a quiet pond.
Hum—!
The Qinglian Sword, drawn by an invisible force, flew directly into his hand.
Li Zhexian's eyes snapped open.
Two beams of azure sword light burst from his pupils, piercing the air three feet ahead before slowly fading.
With a flick of his mind, he raised the Qinglian Sword—
And slashed!
Silent. Soundless.
The speed was beyond comprehension.
Sword follows thought. Blade arrives at the intent.
A barely visible streak of sword light swept toward a massive obsidian boulder scalded black by the Fire Spring.
No sound. No vibration.
The rock split in half without warning.
The cross-section gleamed like a mirror—so smooth it could reflect a person's face.
"So this… is the true 'Extreme Sharpness'…"
Li Zhexian smiled faintly as he ran his fingers across the blade.
And yet, despite its terrifying edge—
the Qinglian Sword did not leave the slightest mark on his skin.
Like a blade forged from spiritual jade, it had become fully sentient—reaching the profound state of:
Concealed Edge, Never Wounds Its Master.
At this moment, clarity washed over Li Zhexian.
What is 'Extreme'?
It is the theoretical peak of a single attribute or ability.
Extreme Ice is absolute zero—capable of freezing all things.
Extreme Fire is the sun's core—burning everything to ash.
And Extreme Sharpness—
its profundity and power far surpassed mere elemental extremes.
From this moment on—
his sword represented the very pinnacle of sharpness in the world.
—
By now, dawn had broken.
Li Zhexian, who hadn't slept all night, was full of energy.
Humming a cheerful tune, he chopped wood at the base of the valley.
Since he had decided to dwell here temporarily, of course he needed to live like a proper hermit.
"The moonlight shines between the pines,
The spring flows over polished stones."
Admiring the small wooden cabin he had just finished, with the scent of roasted wild rabbit wafting from the campfire, Li Zhexian nodded in satisfaction.
"…Hmm?"
Suddenly, he frowned.
"Feels like I've forgotten something…"
"Oh well. Can't remember. Not important."
—
At Lotus Lake—
Xue Qinghe stood holding a Three-Immortals Chicken,
from the damp hours of early morning until the sun climbed high at noon.
His lips were pressed tight. His normally warm, refined face now bore clear signs of irritation.
"Li. Zhexian."
Xue Qinghe growled each word slowly through gritted teeth:
"You actually stood me up?!"