170: Secluded cultivation, the sword's stillness begins to melt.

Inside the quiet room, time seemed to lose its meaning.

Li Ao sat cross-legged, his consciousness completely immersed in the vast and conflicting ocean of energy within his body. His cultivation base as a Peak Five-Star Dou Zun was like a dam filled with floodwaters, while the newborn nirvana star core was a bottomless vortex in the center of the dam, frantically swallowing all surrounding energy and transforming it into pure Nirvana Power, albeit power filled with the will of destruction.

This power was unrivaled, yet wild and untamable.

"I cannot let it lead me around any longer." Li Ao recalled the saber slash that shattered star rivers deep within his Soul, and the wailing warning transmitted by his blade soul, making his will firmer than ever before.

His primary task was to thoroughly familiarize himself with and gain initial control over this newborn nirvana star core. This was not easy; the star core seemed to possess its own will, and the Nirvana Intent it exuded constantly eroded his consciousness, attempting to assimilate him into a Puppet that knew only destruction.

Li Ao used powerful Soul Power to construct layers of defense, carefully contacting and guiding the star core's power like the most patient animal trainer. He no longer tried to forcefully command it, but instead sought to understand the pattern of its operation, sensing the profound Universal truth contained within "the end"—that destruction was not pure malice, but also a part of Reincarnation, an inevitable process where old order collapses to make way for new life.

This process was slow and difficult; every touch of Mental Energy was like dancing on a knife's edge. The Nirvana Power would backlash if he was even slightly careless, leaving icy wounds in his Meridians. But Li Ao gritted his teeth and persevered, relying on the secret techniques recorded in the Nirvana Heavenly Scripture and his own tenacious will, deepening his connection with the star core little by little.

Gradually, the violent gray Qi flow ceased its relentless assault and began to circulate slowly through specific Meridians under his guidance. Although still bone-chillingly cold, it now possessed the rudimentary form of "controllability." His comprehension of the Nirvana Law also steadily improved during this painstaking effort.

At the same time, he began the true meaning of "reclaiming the Blade Way."

His consciousness arrived deep within his Sea of Consciousness, where the fragmented blade ancestor system light mass was still dim and covered in cracks. However, at its core, a faint golden light stubbornly flickered—that was the immortal Origin of the blade soul.

"Old friend, I have wronged you." Li Ao communicated softly with his Soul voice, carrying a trace of apology and determination. He mobilized a thread of the Nirvana Power he had just begun to tame, not for attack, but transforming it into the finest "carving knife" and "grindstone." He carefully peeled away the Impurities and decay that had accumulated on the surface of the blade soul light mass due to its long dormancy.

This was an extremely delicate and dangerous process, requiring control over the Nirvana Power to reach the level of minutiae. The Nirvana Power would damage the blade soul's Foundation if there was the slightest deviation.

"Hiss..." A faint sound, like rust being scraped away, emanated from the Soul level. The blade soul light mass trembled slightly, conveying a complex feeling of both pain and relief. That thread of Nirvana Power, under Li Ao's precise manipulation, acted like the most skilled surgical blade, accurately shaving off the deep-seated ailments without harming the core in the slightest.

After removing the Impurities, Li Ao began to slowly nourish and repair the cracks in the blade soul using his own purest Soul Origin Power, mixed with threads of pure Nirvana energy (acting as a special catalyst).

This was an even more protracted process. Day after day, Li Ao repeated the steps of removal, nourishment, and repair, like the most devoted craftsman. The cracks on the blade soul light mass began to close up thread by thread at a visibly slow rate. Its light gradually brightened from dimness, the golden hue becoming purer and more dazzling, and a long-dormant sharpness began to slowly awaken.

He did not know how much time had passed, perhaps one month, perhaps two.

At a certain moment, Li Ao's body trembled slightly while he was meditating.

In the Sea of Consciousness, the fragmented blade soul light mass suddenly erupted with an unprecedented, brilliant golden radiance! Although its size had not increased much, all the cracks on it had disappeared. The entire mass became solid and complete, like a miniature golden sun, radiating pure and sharp Saber Intent!

The blade soul was reforged!

Buzz! An invisible Saber Intent spread out centered on Li Ao. The air in the quiet room seemed to be sliced by countless fine blades, emitting a faint hiss. He suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes, and deep within his pupils, a sharp golden saber light flashed, seemingly capable of severing all illusions in the world.

The reforging of the blade soul meant that his Blade Way Foundation was re-solidified, becoming even stronger than before. His understanding of the "saber" had leaped to a completely new level.

It was precisely at this moment when the blade soul was reforged and his consciousness and power reached a subtle balance that inspiration struck!

He was inspired, raising his hand and making a grasping motion. A wisp of pure Saber Intent burst forth from his fingertips, and simultaneously, a docile stream of Nirvana Power followed like a shadow, winding around it.

The gray-gold energy converged in his palm, no longer simply intertwined, but beginning to circulate, compress, and condense along an enigmatic trajectory! In Li Ao's mind, the image of the ancient Blade Ancestor's saber slash that shattered star rivers flashed repeatedly, along with his own understanding of "severing" and "Nirvana."

The form of the energy constantly changed at his fingertips, sometimes like fine threads, sometimes like a vortex, and sometimes attempting to condense into a blade. Failure, dissipation, re-condensation... the cycle repeated.

Finally, after countless failures, the gray-gold energy suddenly stabilized, transforming into a light blade about three feet long, solidified like substance, and entirely wrapped in gray Qi flow! The light blade trembled slightly, emitting a terrifying aura that possessed both the sharpness to sever everything and the deathly silence to annihilate all things.

Li Ao gazed at the light blade that had spontaneously evolved in his palm, his heart surging. This was not any Dou Technique recorded in the Nirvana Heavenly Scripture, but the very first saber skill he had created himself, based entirely on his personal understanding of "Saber-Nirvana integration," and perfectly suited for his current stage!

He could feel that this saber skill possessed the dual characteristics of "severing" physical attack and "Nirvana" energy erosion, making its power far surpass any method he had previously used.

"This move shall be named—Silent Void Slash!"

The moment the name was decided, the blood-colored light blade in his palm emitted a joyful hum, as if it had gained life.

Li Ao dispersed the light blade and let out a long breath. Since entering seclusion, he had finally gained initial control over the nirvana star core, reforged his blade soul, and even created the first saber skill belonging to himself! Although his strength was still that of a Peak Five-Star Dou Zun, his true combat power had undergone earth-shattering changes.

Li Ao stood up, his aura balanced and contained, yet the sharpness hidden deep in his bones was at least ten times more formidable than before he went into seclusion!