"The Dao Heart is clear!"
A strange light flickered in Chu Xun's eyes.
This was good stuff.
For cultivators, state of mind was paramount. If one was trapped in anger or greed, cultivation would slow. With a clear Dao Heart, one might not remain perfectly pure at all times, but most thoughts would stay empty, calm, and tranquil.
"This thing is excellent!"
One chance to invest in the Destiny Villain.
A Realm-Breaking Pill.
Chu Xun had already experienced both before and understood their effects, so he didn't feel particularly excited about them.
[Reading one hundred volumes completed. Next task: read five hundred volumes!]
Five hundred volumes.
Not too long.
A relieved expression appeared on Chu Xun's face. As long as he focused, five hundred Dao scriptures could be finished in a little over a month. Moreover, he had been balancing work and rest. Though he had spent recent days immersed in the scriptures and finished a hundred volumes, the insights gained were far from shallow.
His understanding of the Dao—
And his comprehension of the Great River Sword Intent—
Had both deepened significantly.
"It's time to go for a walk."
Chu Xun murmured to himself.
Cultivation wasn't just about relentless grinding.
That would be far too dull.
Balancing effort with rest—
Sometimes, one needed to step outside and relax.
"Elder Chu!"
"Elder Chu!"
When Chu Xun walked out of the Sutra Pavilion, several disciples who frequently visited the pavilion looked at him with surprise. Elder Chu hadn't left the Sutra Pavilion for decades—why was he suddenly strolling about today?
He walked leisurely through the sect.
It was evening.
The afterglow of sunset bathed the magnificent palaces, making them look like a fairy realm. Cranes soared among the clouds.
From time to time, hurried disciples could be seen, as well as powerful figures crossing the void. Most striking of all were the energetic young disciples—faces bright, smiles fresh, brimming with vitality.
There were also young men and women walking side by side.
This was completely different from the quiet stillness of the Sutra Pavilion, and unlike the nonstop cultivation depicted in online novels. Here, one could see the relaxed lives disciples lived after practice.
Chu Xun's mood eased.
He wandered without direction.
Unconsciously—
He arrived at a river.
The river flowed endlessly.
Its source unknown.
Its destination unknown.
A breeze brushed past the riverbank, fluttering Chu Xun's robes and calming his heart.
He closed his eyes.
The inheritance of the Great River Sword Intent surged within him.
A sharp sword intent spread outward from his body.
Blooming in his heart—
Like a hidden dragon gathering strength.
There was a sword within his chest—
Capable of splitting the heavens.
Yet he did not release it recklessly.
Instead, he calmly gazed at the river before him. In his vision, every rushing drop of water seemed weak. But gathered together, they formed a river—like a swimming dragon.
Mighty.
Unstoppable.
Just like the way of the sword.
Each sword ray was weak on its own, but when thousands gathered, they formed a surging sword river, destroying everything in its path.
Suddenly—
He understood the essence of the Great River Sword.
There was pride in the heart.
But no hostility.
Just like this rushing river—uncertain of what lay ahead, whether mountains, rocks, or forests—yet it trampled through all obstacles without hesitation.
To draw the sword—
One must be fearless.
Only when fear is absent can one wield invincible sword intent.
Chu Xun opened his eyes.
Endless sword light burst forth from his pupils.
In that instant, the invincible sword intent filling his body surged outward, spreading in all directions.
Whoosh—!
Not far away—
Xiao Rongyu, dressed in crimson robes, stood silently. Sensing the overwhelming sharp sword intent—an invincible state of mind—she knew that once she stepped into its range, her own strength would be suppressed and weakened.
Even the passing breeze carried piercing sword intent.
Yet her eyes shone brightly.
Looking at the distant figure, joy filled her heart.
That invincible mindset—
That dashing swordsman in blue from long ago—
Had returned.
High above, in the clouds—
The two old men playing chess exchanged glances.
They saw the space around Chu Xun begin to distort, as though a second world was peeling away, revealing a completely new realm where he stood.
"Impressive."
"Sixty years of silence…"
"Erupting in a single day."
"This will surely shake the heavens."
Chu Xun no longer stood still by the river.
He casually snapped off a willow branch. The soft twig transformed under his grip into an incomparably sharp peerless sword.
Zheng—!
Accompanied by a clear ringing sound, Chu Xun began to wield the sword.
There was no explosive outburst of sword intent, yet each movement seemed to unfold an entire world of swordsmanship. The willow branch moved faster and faster, and his understanding of the sword deepened continuously.
Without realizing it, he had fallen into a wondrous state of enlightenment.
Reading five hundred volumes in the Sutra Pavilion.
Inheriting the Great River Sword Intent.
Receiving enlightenment by the riverside.
All of it—
Erupted today.
Blazing sword energy shone with unmatched brilliance. The sharp sword intent was so intense that merely approaching it felt as though one's flesh would be torn apart, making bodies tremble involuntarily.
Throughout the Donglin Holy Land—
The Sutra Pavilion.
The martial arenas.
Cultivation grounds.
Palaces.
Countless people looked up simultaneously, stunned by the sword energy crisscrossing the sky. Even Human Emperor–realm experts felt fear, as though this sword could slay even them.
"Terrifying!"
"Too strong!"
"Whose sword intent is this?!"
Swish! Swish! Swish!
In an instant, figures shot into the sky, hands clasped behind their backs, all staring toward the source of the sword energy.
Rather than spreading outward, it descended—
Into an unremarkable river within the Donglin Holy Land.
Soon, crowds gathered by the river.
The once ordinary stream now surged with boundless sword intent. Its waves resembled blooming sword flowers.
A single splash of water—
Was like a terrifying sword strike.
The roaring river—
Like a majestic sword dragon.
Yet looking around—
There was no one in sight.
Only this terrifying sword river flowing endlessly.
A sword-cultivating disciple was ecstatic, shouting excitedly:
"What a powerful sword river! If I cultivate beside it, my sword path will improve by leaps and bounds!"
"I feel like I'll break through my realm here!"
"I want to cultivate here!"
"Me too!"
In moments, countless disciples sat cross-legged by the river, absorbing the lingering sword intent.
High above, an old man in white—one of the chess players—smiled and stroked his beard.
"Since the river has condensed into a sword river, I'll help you a little."
Buzz—
A strand of sword intent carrying Human Emperor aura descended from the clouds.
It merged into the sword river.
Boom—!
The disciples erupted with excitement.
"Human Emperor Sword Intent!"
"It's Human Emperor Sword Intent!"
Most of them were only in the Dharma Realm—far removed from the Human Emperor Realm. Even encountering a Human Emperor was a luxury in the past, let alone sensing their sword intent.
Now, staring at the radiant sword light, their hearts burned with excitement. If they could comprehend even a fraction of it, their cultivation would soar.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
More figures arrived.
Even some middle-aged experts were drawn over.
Yet a few people shook their heads quietly.
"Abandoning the root for the branch…"
The most terrifying thing here was not the Human Emperor Sword Intent, but the sword river itself—the sword light fully immersed within it. Comprehending that was supreme fortune.
Chasing the Human Emperor Sword Intent afterward was merely icing on the cake.
To ignore the source and pursue the embellishment—
Was truly mistaking the end for the beginning.