Outside the valley.
All who witnessed this scene—whether it was the anxious Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, the dumbstruck Yu Jinghan and Yu Luomian, or even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan disciples—held their breath.
Yu Yuanzhen gazed at the young man in the sea of flowers, and the look of admiration in his old eyes grew stronger.
Li Zhexian was more extraordinary than he had expected!
In Yu Yuanzhen's perception—at this moment, Li Zhexian seemed fused with heaven and earth, yet also standing apart from them.
His aura was elusive, impossible to pin down.
At times, he was like a peerless blade, sharp and terrifying.
At times, like drifting clouds and flowing wind, calm and gentle.
"This… this aura…"
The others felt it as well.
They looked at Li Zhexian, whose presence grew ever more inscrutable, their faces full of astonishment.
"Idol, he… he…"
Yu Feng stammered, his words broken.
It seemed to him that Li Zhexian might dissipate into the wind at any moment.
Li Zhexian also knew they had arrived.
He rose with unhurried ease.
Petals floated of their own accord, drifting to cover the tattered tears of his white robe.
For he had already comprehended—
The true essence of the Fourth Realm of the Sword Dao.
The first three realms of the Sword Dao—
The Lower Sword cuts others, cleaving away external foes.
The Middle Sword cuts oneself, cleaving away inner barriers.
The Upper Sword cuts through night, cleaving illusion, borrowing the might of heaven and earth as one's edge.
One who grasps these three realms may be called a master of the sword.
But only by stepping into the Fourth Realm can one truly be called a grandmaster of the sword!
Li Zhexian lifted his gaze.
The falling petals were swords.
The crackling thunder was a sword.
Even the wild, rampant energies drifting in the air—were swords!
Anything, whether with form or formless, so long as his will reached it—
All could become a sword!
The Sword of the Fourth Realm—
No longer cuts external foes, nor oneself.
It cuts the Sword Dao itself.
This was not desecration against the sword, but , but rather breaking to establish a new order.
To sever rigid understandings and shallow perceptions of the Sword Dao—
And return to its most primal, most original state.
"This realm shall be called… Severing the Dao."
At the center of Li Zhexian's brow—
The Qinglian Sword mark finally ceased flickering in and out, stabilizing completely.
"This child's Sword Dao has stepped into another realm."
Yu Yuanzhen understood clearly, and his gaze swept toward Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin.
The two brothers exchanged looks with their grandfather.
In an instant, they understood.
Their eyes burned with the will to fight. In this valley, which was saturated with lightning, their Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Souls received a huge boost.
A surge of immense Spirit Power exploded from the two brothers.
"Brother Zhexian, let me test your sword!"
Yu Tianheng roared. He and Yu Tianxin charged forward at the same time. Dragon roars came from their throats, and their arms completed their draconic transformation
Their dragon claws, imbued with violent lightning, tore through the air and struck savagely toward Li Zhexian
Under the tense and expectant gazes of everyone, Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin's lightning dragon claws arrived in front of Li Zhexian. But he did not move.
He only swept his gaze over the scattered petals in the sky and the free-floating Purple Malice Lightning arcs in the air.
In the next moment, the countless scattered petals and the free-floating purple thunder seemed to be pulled by an invisible force.
In an instant, they merged and condensed, inexplicably transforming into a multitude of lightning flower swords that contained both sharpness and destruction!
These thunder flower swords met the charging dragon claws with a ferocious thrust!
Pchhh—!
Pchhh—!
Yu Tianheng grunted, body forced backward violently.
Fortunately, Li Zhexian had restrained his sword force,
So he remained unharmed.
But Yu Tianxin stared in shock,
As several thunder-flower swords pierced straight through his clothing,
The immense force slamming him against the cliff wall.
Yu Tianheng was stunned at first, then he couldn't help but grin.
The onlookers all gaped in astonishment.
Using all things as swords?!
Just how unimaginable had Li Zhexian's swordsmanship realm become?!
If he were to swing his Qinglian Sworat this moment, what kind of power would it hold?!
In the following days, the strange story of "a sea of flowers blooming in the Thunder Valley" became a topic of relish for everyone in the Blue Lightning clan.
And Sword Wine's reputation within the clan became even more illustrious.
However, Li Zhexian was still busy. He was currently focused on two things.
First, he was brewing wine with the Nirvana Thunder Epiphyllum. That's right, this strange flower, born in destructive lightning, was also an excellent spiritual material for brewing wine
Li Zhexian laughed, sighing that the wine had come a little too late; if it had been brewed earlier, it might have saved him a lot of physical pain.
However, his heart was at peace. The satisfaction of comprehending the Fourth Realm of the sword on his own was enough to make him feel like he was flying.
Yet within his heart—
There was only tranquility.
By his own comprehension,
He had stepped into the Fourth Realm of the Sword.
The satisfaction from that achievement
Made him feel as though soaring beyond the mortal world.
The second matter—
He continued his Thunder Tempering.
The potential of the Molten Frost Spirit Vein Body
Had yet to reach its limit.
At this moment—
Within his meridians,
In addition to the heat of flame and the chill of frost,
There now coursed the flicker of thunder.
This not only elevated the strength of his physique greatly,
But also granted astonishing resistance to lightning attributes.
At last—
After enduring the baptism of a wisp of Golden Thunder,
And lying in recovery for two days because of it—
Li Zhexian's Thunder Tempering was perfected.
Within the courtyard.
Li Zhexian raised his arm,
Watching as beneath his fair skin,
Fire-red, ice-blue, and violet lightning interwove faintly.
He muttered to himself:
"With this physique,
Calling it Molten Frost Spirit Vein Body no longer seems fitting…"
"Thunder-Molten Frost Spirit Vein Body? …Tch, too cumbersome."
"Hm… let it be called the Triphase Spirit Vein Body."
As he mused—
His sword-brows lifted suddenly.
From the corner of his eye he caught sight of a head
Sneaking out from beyond the courtyard wall.
Li Zhexian smirked, flicking his finger lightly.
Chi—!
A jet of force split the air.
"Ouch!"
A cry of pain came with the thud of a body hitting the ground.
Moments later—
Yu Tianxin stepped in,
Rubbing his reddened forehead,
Head bowed awkwardly.
"What is it you seek?"
Li Zhexian tipped back his flask, drank a mouthful,
And asked with a faint smile at his lips.
He bore no ill will toward this proud youth.
Though he had twice been provoked by him—
He later learned,
When he had lingered in the Thunder Valley in sword comprehension,
It was this boy
Who had first run to summon all the Blue Lightning elders.
Mm. His nature was not bad.
And what youth is not a little arrogant?
Li Zhexian thought this,
And could not help but think of himself as well.
Just as the thought passed—
Thud!
Yu Tianxin fell to his knees straight before him.
Immediately after—
Dong, dong, dong!
Three resounding kowtows struck the courtyard's stone floor.
When Yu Tianxin raised his head again,
His forehead was already crimson.
"Sword Wine! I beg you, take me as your disciple…"
"Hm?"
Yu Tianxin had built his emotions carefully,
His expression deadly earnest as he spoke.
But before the words were even finished,
He realized in shock—
The recliner before him was empty!
He hurriedly looked around.
And saw Li Zhexian,
Already leaning casually against the doorway,
Watching him with great amusement.
"Sword Wine! I beg you—"
Yu Tianxin gritted his teeth,
About to bow again.
The next instant—
A breeze carrying crackling arcs of lightning
Brushed against him.
Gentle, yet with irresistible force,
It held him upright,
And a tingling numbness spread through his whole body,
Leaving him frozen in place.
Li Zhexian's voice followed. "You and I are of a similar age. If I accept such a grand bow from you, I'm afraid it will shorten my lifespan."
"I..." Yu Tianxin's face became more anxious. "I am truly sincere in wanting to become your disciple!"
"Take a disciple?"
"Take a disciple?" Li Zhexian chuckled softly and shook his head. "I'm not cut out for it." He didn't say anything else. He lifted his foot and walked out of the courtyard.
"Please lead the way. I have an important matter and would like to see the senior Thunde Douluo."