“Who says this Sovereign is at the peak of the Transformation Realm?”
Chen Huaian took a step towards the Dharma image, his aura surging instantly from the peak of the Transformation Realm to the Integration Realm.
Lingpu’s Dharma image’s eyebrows trembled slightly as she was about to speak.
Chen Huaian stepped forward again, his aura rising further to the middle of the Integration Realm.
Another step and he reached the late stage of the Integration Realm.
With seven steps, his realm matched Lingpu’s, reaching the third stage of the Void Realm—Breaking Void.
At this moment, the spiritual energy pressure around Chen Huaian had already caused the void within ten zhang to distort.
Lingpu, the old nun, was greatly alarmed, her eyes widening: “Y-You… even your avatar has such power? Then your true self… Who are you?”
Lingpu could not fathom who Chen Huaian’s true self was.
The Void Realm was one realm per world.
Transformed into the third stage of the Void Realm, his true self must be at least the sixth stage of the Void Realm.
There were only a few cultivators in the Cangyun Realm who had reached the sixth stage of the Void Realm, all of whom were from sacred lands or the Guxu.
Such individuals were not unknown, and she should know them all.
Yet, she had no recollection of Chen Huaian’s aura or the sword technique he used.
Chen Huaian remained silent and took another step.
Boom!
The heavens and earth trembled!
This time, his realm surged beyond Lingpu’s, reaching the fourth stage of the Void Realm—Measuring the World. The void around him began to collapse, with a desolate small world projecting behind him, spiritual energy swirling with yin and yang energies. Everywhere he looked, there were sword marks.
“This Sovereign—Chen Huaian!”
Chen Huaian raised his hand, causing the void behind him to split three zhang wide. The small world collapsed into a black hole before compressing into a black sword in his hand, the sword’s body alternately bright and dark, entwined with yin and yang energies, its tip pointing at the old nun Lingpu.
“I don’t care what plans you have or what mischief you’re up to!”
“But if you harm my disciple, I will… take… your… life!”
Chen Huaian narrowed his eyes, lifting his arm, gathering the might of heaven and earth into his sword.
“The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, Three gives birth to all things.”
The Qinglian Sword Canon consists of twelve sword techniques.
After mastering the twelve techniques, one can reach the Void Realm and further comprehend three hidden secret scrolls.
The Void Realm is the minimum threshold for comprehending these three chapters.
The first of these scrolls is—
“One Sword Born of the Dao!”
Before the sword is drawn, the world is silent.
When the sword is drawn, the world fades.
It sounded like it was whispered in Lingpu’s ear.
Having been suppressed by an entire realm, she had no chance to resist, as if trapped in time. Her understanding of the world and herself gradually blurred, and her sense of time faded away.
In that instant, she heard the sound of the Great Dao crumbling.
And what crumbled was—
Her Dao.
…
Chen Huaian sheathed his sword and turned to leave on his flying sword.
The Bodhisattva Dharma image behind him remained motionless.
Only up close could one see a sword mark piercing through her forehead and deep into the earth’s veins.
Lingpu’s soul was instantly obliterated by that single strike.
Behind her, the sky for thousands of miles was filled with sword qi, stretching across three thousand miles.
As the last withered leaf fell, the entire autumn mountain began to silently collapse.
…
Chen Huaian’s heart bled.
The price of transforming into the Void Realm was exorbitant: 1 million per minute for the first stage, 5 million for the second stage, 10 million for the third stage, and 50 million for the fourth stage.
Spending half a minute at the fourth stage cost him over 20 million.
This was no mere burning of money; it was a money shredder.
Beyond the sixth stage of the Void Realm, progression could not be purchased and required reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment in the real world to continue.
The sixth stage of the Void Realm—Formless—touched upon the essence of Dao, potentially affecting two worlds, so he needed to enhance his own strength to withstand it.
Chen Huaian found this quite reasonable.
Killing Lingpu, a third-stage Void Realm monster, was already absurd enough.
What difference was there between that and killing a stray dog?
All in all, spending 25 million was a steal.
Though he spent a lot, Chen Huaian felt no regret.
Killing Lingpu removed a major threat.
[Player killed Burning Purification Sect Disciple – Lingpu, obtained Positive Path Cultivator Fragment x1, obtained damaged Dao Treasure x1]
“Oh? So Lingpu setting up a demon cultivation array also counts as a positive path cultivator?”
Chen Huaian narrowed his eyes, realizing this wasn’t simple.
The game seemed to judge the path based primarily on the cultivation method.
But influenced by countless TV shows, he didn’t think so.
The so-called positive path might still engage in demonic acts.
And those practicing demonic methods weren’t necessarily evil.
Like himself.
So what if he cultivated Heavenly Demon Art?
He did righteous deeds!
For instance, cleansing the Demon-Slaying Division headquarters made the world more beautiful for Uncle Wuzzy Beard.
If sacrificing the family could stabilize the real world, why not?
He was willing to be the executioner once.
When prosperous, help the world.
On the way back to the main force, he examined the damaged Dao Treasure again.
He was shocked.
He thought it would be some weapon or armor.
Instead, it was a skull polished to a sheen.
[Damaged Dao Treasure: Skull of Zhao Zhenlong, Pure Sun Sect Disciple. After multiple divinations and backlash from sword qi impacts, this Dao Treasure is unusable, its Dao essence vanished, covered in cracks and sword marks. (Perhaps it could be a collectible? Or handing this Dao Treasure to the Spirit Intuition Valley Chief or the Pure Sun Sect Leader might yield unexpected results?)]
“Alright, that sword was too powerful. Otherwise, this Dao Treasure would still be usable.”
Chen Huaian stuffed the skull back into his character inventory and pondered.
Taking the skull to the Pure Sun Sect leader was out of the question.
Zhao Zhenlong couldn’t be the leader’s son; he felt he was the leader’s father.
Extracting someone else’s skull would cause misunderstandings.
Although… his strength didn’t fear misunderstandings.
As for Zhao Zhenlong’s connection to the Spirit Intuition Valley, he was clueless.
Compared to the unfamiliar Pure Sun Sect, he felt the Spirit Intuition Valley’s chief was beautiful, kind, and reasonable. Even if there were misunderstandings, she would give explanations instead of forcing him to draw his sword and cool everyone down.
…
Boom boom boom!
Chen Huaian returned above the demon array. He saw cultivators smashing their artifacts onto the array and then detonating them.
The explosion’s aftermath had turned the surrounding mountains into basins.
He couldn’t help but twitch his lips.
Killing a third-stage Void Realm entity, and these cultivators still hadn’t broken the array set up?
Useless bunch!
“Oh, it’s Daoist Friend Chen~”
Seeing Chen Huaian, Old Ancestor Qingyun’s eyes lit up, quickly putting away the half-exposed spirit tool.
The murderous aura on his face vanished, returning to his gentle and charming demeanor.
“Daoist Friend Chen, are you hurt? It seems there was a great battle between powerful cultivators miles away. We could feel the aftereffects here~ I’m so scared~”
Chen Huaian took a deep breath, barely holding back his vomit.
Facing the third-stage Void Realm old woman, he hadn’t felt such pressure.
Now facing Old Ancestor Qingyun, he felt like he was under a thundercloud.
He glanced at the array below.
If he could destroy this array, Old Ancestor Qingyun wouldn’t bother him anymore, right?
Just as he was about to draw his sword.
Bam!
The demon array, which had held for less than half an hour, finally shattered.
Cheering erupted among the cultivators.
The True Martial Sacred Land elders sighed in relief.
But the next second, their expressions changed drastically.
“Not good! Everyone, dodge!!!”
…
