79: Sword Pool Tempering Heart
The Sword Pool was not actually a pool of water, but a naturally formed Spiritual Vein node deep beneath Tianfeng Academy. After thousands of years of management by the academy's ancestors, it channeled the Earth Vein Dragon Qi, gathered the Essence Gold Qi of heaven and earth, and incorporated countless broken and famous swords, forming a bizarre space.
Within the space, there was no liquid, but Gengjin Sword Essence so dense it had almost materialized! Countless strands of Sword Qi and Sword Intent—some sharp, some heavy, some light, or some blazing—shuttled, collided, and blended in this golden "pool water" like swimming fish. The air was filled with a bone-chilling sharpness; an ordinary Cultivator here would likely be torn to pieces instantly by the omnipresent Sword Intent.
Ye Chen followed Liu Qingfeng into this place and immediately felt every pore of his body cheering. The Nirvana Sword Intent within him began to circulate on its own, becoming exceptionally active. The guixu sword in his hand let out a joyful light hum, the Chaos luster on the blade accelerating its flow, as if receiving rain after a long drought.
"The Sword Essence here is formed from the Fusion of the essence of ten thousand swords and Earth Vein Dragon Qi. For a Sword Cultivator, it is a supreme treasure land." Liu Qingfeng pointed to the space ahead, where golden light shimmered and Sword Qi crisscrossed. "When you enter seclusion here, your primary task is not to increase your cultivation, but to use the intent of ten thousand swords to temper your 'Nirvana Devouring' Sword Heart, making it harmonious, transparent, and its Foundation solid. Remember, devouring is easy, but digesting is hard; staying true to your original heart is the Righteous Path."
"This Disciple understands and will not fail the Elder's expectations," Ye Chen said solemnly.
Liu Qingfeng nodded and said no more. His figure slowly faded and finally disappeared at the entrance of the Sword Pool, leaving behind a faint Sword Intent barrier that served as both protection and a warning.
Ye Chen took a deep breath and stepped into that golden ocean of Sword Essence.
Instantly, countless strands of Sword Qi and Sword Intent of various natures swarmed from all directions like sharks smelling blood! They were not attacking but were an instinctive rejection and testing, wanting to assimilate or expel this anomaly that carried the meaning of "ending" and "devouring."
Ye Chen gave a muffled groan and immediately activated his Nirvana Sword Intent, laying down a dark-gold Sword Intent shield around himself. Upon the shield, Chaos currents and dark red patterns flowed, annihilating and devouring the invading Sword Intent one after another.
But there was too much Sword Intent here, too diverse, and it was unending! The shield vibrated violently, letting out an overburdened hum. Ye Chen felt as if he were in a stormy sea, with crashing waves on all sides trying to completely shatter his lonely boat.
He sat cross-legged with the guixu sword across his knees, his mind sinking into his body as he fully activated the Myriad Realms Sword Canon and Nirvana Sword Intent. He was no longer just passively defending but began to actively guide and refine the diverse Sword Intent that was being devoured.
This was an extremely dangerous process. Those Sword Intents contained countless fragments of their former masters' wills and emotional imprints—tyranny, sadness, resentment, arrogance... all sorts of negative emotions surged like a tide against his Sea of Consciousness, attempting to pollute his Sword Heart.
Ye Chen held his mind steady. The ancient sword phantasm deep within his Soul emitted a faint light, like a stabilizing anchor, securing his core will. The true essence of the Nirvana Sword Intent flowed through his heart—"Break then establish, life from the extreme of death." He treated all these surging negative emotions and fragments of will as whetstones to temper his Sword Heart, using the intent of Nirvana to slash and purify them, leaving only the purest sword Dao insights and energy.
His Sword Intent shield was no longer just a defense; it began to rotate slowly, turning into a miniature Chaos vortex. At the center of the vortex, the dark-gold light was pure and stable, representing the essence of Nirvana; at the edge of the vortex, the devouring power methodically absorbed and decomposed the external Sword Intent, stripping away the essence to merge into himself while completely annihilating and expelling those violent, negative Impurities.
The guixu sword was in sync with his mind, its blade vibrating slightly as if it were also undergoing some kind of tempering. The Chaos luster on the blade became increasingly restrained and deep, and those dark red devouring patterns no longer appeared sinister, but rather like Dao inscriptions, carrying an ancient rhythm.
Time passed quietly during his Cultivation.
One day, two days, three days... Ye Chen was completely immersed in this process of confronting, merging, and tempering with the intent of ten thousand swords. Under the "polishing" of countless different Sword Intents, his Nirvana Devouring Sword Intent became increasingly condensed and harmonious. The "devouring" trait no longer appeared overbearing and exposed but became deeper and more restrained, like a black hole in the Universe, silent and soundless, yet containing the mighty power to change heaven and earth.
His cultivation, as a natural result, quietly broke through to the eighth level of the Kaiyuan Realm! Moreover, his Foundation was solid and his spiritual power pure, far exceeding those of the same rank, carrying a hint of the Dao charm of Nirvana and rebirth.
By the seventh day, the rotating Chaos vortex around Ye Chen had stabilized, its range expanding to a radius of three zhang. Within the vortex, dark gold was the core, Chaos currents circled like Dragons, and bits of starlight flickered intermittently, as if containing a miniature Guixu landscape of the Universe. The torrent of external Sword Intent crashing against the vortex could not shake it in the slightest; instead, it was methodically devoured and transformed into the purest nourishment.
He slowly opened his eyes.
In his eyes, there was no longer the previous piercing sharpness, but they were instead like a deep, ancient well, profound and unpredictable. As he opened and closed his eyes, it was as if star spirals were being born and extinguished, and Guixu was evolving. His control over his own sword Dao had reached a completely new Realm.
"Nirvana Devouring is not the end. Devouring all laws, melting them in one furnace, and evolving Guixu—only then can one see the true self." He whispered to himself, having realized the path ahead.
He stood up, holding the guixu sword, and lightly swung it toward the surging torrent of Sword Intent ahead.
There was no earth-shaking momentum, nor was there a vortex that devoured everything.
Where the guixu sword passed, the torrent of Sword Intent ahead seemed to be smoothed out by an invisible force, becoming gentle and orderly, even actively parting to both sides to make a path for Ye Chen.
It was not a forced suppression, but rather an influence on the operation of the Sword Intent in this area using a higher level of Dao principles.
This was the result of his seven days of tempering! His control over the Nirvana Sword Intent had reached the level of subtle precision!
He took a step forward, his figure seemingly merging into the ocean of Sword Essence as he walked toward the exit of the Sword Pool with ease and grace. Wherever he passed, the intent of ten thousand swords bowed their heads, as if seeing off their king.
At the entrance of the Sword Pool, a light flashed, and Ye Chen's figure slowly emerged.
Liu Qingfeng, who was waiting outside, immediately sensed him and turned around. When he saw Ye Chen, an amazing brilliance couldn't help but burst from his eyes!
At this moment, Ye Chen's aura was completely restrained, looking like an ordinary person without any cultivation. But with Liu Qingfeng's eyesight, he could feel that the power contained within Ye Chen's body was like a Dragon hidden beneath an abyss; once it erupted, it would surely be earth-shattering! Especially that Sword Intent, deep as an abyss, carried a Guixu Concept that made even a sword Dao grandmaster like him feel palpitation.
"Good! Good! Good!" Liu Qingfeng said "good" three times in a row, his face full of gratification. "Seven days of tempering, a complete transformation! Your Sword Heart is now stable. Even if you face the Domain suppression of the Early Stage of the Earth Fiend Realm, you should have the strength to fight!"
"It is all thanks to the Elder's protection and the merit of the Sword Pool," Ye Chen bowed respectfully.
Liu Qingfeng waved his hand, his expression then turning solemn. "You have come out of seclusion at just the right time. The preliminary internal investigation of the academy has ended..."
He paused, his voice low. "The results are not optimistic. We discovered three nodes suspected of being eroded by the power of the Dark Hall. Although they were removed in time, it has alerted the enemy. More importantly, news has come from Liuyun City that residents have been mysteriously disappearing recently, and abnormal fluctuations have appeared in the Earth Vein in the west of the city. It is suspected that a large-scale Formation is being secretly constructed!"
Ye Chen's eyes narrowed. "The Dark Hall is going to strike early?"
"Very likely," Liu Qingfeng nodded. "The Headmaster judges that the Dark Hall probably cannot wait for the 'carrier' to fully mature, or they have a new reliance and intend to forcibly activate the 'Demon Summoning Grand Array'! We must act immediately!"
Just then, a hurried sword light flew in from the sky and landed in Liu Qingfeng's hand, turning into a jade talisman that vibrated incessantly.
Liu Qingfeng's Divine Sense swept over it, and his face suddenly changed!
"Not good! The City Lord's Manor in Liuyun City is under attack! Elder Li of the Formation Hall led a team to support but was ambushed and suffered heavy losses! The Dark Hall... has begun the general offensive!"
He suddenly looked at Ye Chen, Sword Intent soaring in his eyes. "Ye Chen, follow me to Liuyun City immediately! The final battle has begun!"
Ye Chen gripped the guixu sword in his hand, no fear in his eyes, only cold Battle Intent and determination.
"This Disciple is willing to go!"
Two earth-shaking sword gongs soared into the sky, tearing through the clouds like two reverse meteors, heading straight for Liuyun City, where a storm was brewing!