92: Third Life: How Am I the Villain? (56)

Although that Golden Core Sword Intent was full of destruction and Evil Qi, which was diametrically opposed to the pure saber-scar artistic conception of "creation" appearing on the wordless heavenly tablet before him, at the level of "defining rules," the two actually had a faint commonality!

However, the Golden Core Sword Intent relied on absolute power to forcibly define the rules of destruction, whereas the saber marks on the wordless heavenly tablet were closer to the Origin of the Dao, a manifestation of the rules at their very birth.

This fleeting association acted like a key, instantly opening the floodgates of Xu Yuan's enlightenment!

His mind became completely immersed in it, no longer limited to his own understanding of the Saber Dao, but attempting to touch the higher-level Origin rules of why a "saber" is a "saber"!

He sought to feel that will which creates and defines everything!

He seemed to see a vast and boundless river of the Saber Dao. Starting from this first world-splitting strike, it flowed through endless ages, giving rise to countless branches that were fierce, treacherous, swift, or heavy. Yet, their source was always this initial "slash"!

Just as Xu Yuan's mind followed this long river of the Saber Dao, nearly traveling upstream to touch that initial source—

An indescribable sensation that made his Soul tremble suddenly descended!

A will whose vastness and majesty could not be described, like a slumbering ancient beast disturbed by the prying of his tiny existence, cast a single glance his way!

This glance instantly made Xu Yuan realize a fact that made his scalp tingle—

This seemingly masterless, vast river representing the Origin of the Saber Dao actually... had a Revered Master!

An unimaginable existence sat high at the source of the Saber Dao, looking down upon everything flowing within this river!

He was the Incarnation of the rules of the "saber," or rather, the Dominator of this Great Dao!

Before this will, Xu Yuan felt himself to be billions of times smaller than a drop in the ocean; even his thoughts were nearly frozen.

The Saber Intent and Saber Dao he had previously comprehended were simply as laughable as a child's scribbles before such an existence.

"Interesting..."

This "interesting" was not praise; it was more like a tiny ripple stirred when one accidentally discovers a negligible but slightly novel speck of dust.

In the next moment, that vast river of the Saber Dao became clearer and more transparent than ever before "in front of his eyes"!

Countless mysteries of the rules that he was previously unable to understand or touch were now as clearly visible as the lines on his palm!

It was as if that existence had casually opened a door to the supreme hall of the Saber Dao for him, allowing him to browse at will!

Was this a gift?

Or some deeper intention that he could not comprehend?

Xu Yuan had no way of knowing and no time to think deeply.

Under this sudden "gift," his mind involuntarily sank completely into it, greedily absorbing and comprehending those supreme principles of the Saber Dao that far exceeded what his current Realm could understand.

He continued to greedily absorb and comprehend, completely forgetting the passage of time.

"Wake up!"

"Wake up!"

"Wake up!"

"..."

Voices like the ringing of a great bell or the explosion of thunder seemed to penetrate the endless Void Realm, ignoring the barriers of time and space to erupt directly in the deepest part of Xu Yuan's Divine Soul!

Xu Yuan's sunken and lost mind was violently shaken by this sudden voice, like someone being ruthlessly dragged out of the water while drowning!

"Uh-ah!"

He let out a suppressed groan and suddenly broke free from that state of near-Dao transformation, his consciousness instantly returning to his body.

He gasped for breath heavily, his back completely soaked with cold sweat, his heart pounding wildly, and his eyes filled with lingering fear and shock!

He slowly raised his head and looked at that wordless heavenly tablet again—it was smooth as a mirror, empty of everything, and silent.

The vast river of the Saber Dao and the ocean of rule mysteries from just now had all disappeared, as if they were merely a vivid illusion.

But Xu Yuan knew that it was definitely no simple illusion!

The feeling of touching the Origin of the Great Dao was so real, and the sense of crisis from being immersed in it and almost losing himself was even more unforgettable!

"That was close... so close!" Xu Yuan thought with lingering fear. "If not for those shouts to 'wake up,' I'm afraid... I'm afraid my mind would have completely succumbed and been assimilated by that vast Saber Dao..."

Xu Yuan's gaze subconsciously followed the source of the awakening voice.

He saw that not far away, Tian Yunzi, the Golden Core Elder of the Celestial Mechanism Pavilion, had appeared at some point and was standing there quietly. It was he who had spoken to awaken the many prodigies who were still in a state of enlightenment.

"The three-day period is up."

"What you have gained depends on your own karmic luck. The journey of enlightenment ends here."

Three days?

Three days had already passed?

Xu Yuan's heart jolted.

In his perception, it felt as if only a very brief moment had passed; he hadn't expected three days to have flown by in the outside world!

After Tian Yunzi finished speaking, he waved his sleeve, and the light of a teleportation array lit up, enveloping the ten prodigies.

Returning to the Suspended Sky Terrace, the sunlight outside was piercing, and the sounds of people were faint.

The intense contrast gave Xu Yuan a feeling as if a lifetime had passed.

Qin Zhantian and Zhao Zheng immediately came forward to meet him.

Qin Zhantian keenly sensed the change in Xu Yuan's aura; it was a kind of precipitation and restraint after undergoing a deep baptism, yet it also seemed to hide a wisp of saber light that made even him feel a faint sense of dread.

"Yuan'er, are you alright?"

Qin Zhantian asked with concern.

Xu Yuan shook his head and did not go into detail about the enlightenment tablet: "I have made Revered Master worry. This Disciple is fine. On the contrary, this trip to the Secret Realm can be called a massive Opportunity!"

"This Disciple has a premonition that upon returning to the Sect, I only need to go into secluded cultivation. In as short as three to five years, or as long as ten years, I will surely achieve a Breakthrough to the Late Foundation Establishment Stage!"

"What?!"

As soon as these words were spoken, not only Qin Zhantian, but even Zhao Zheng, who had been quietly listening on the side, couldn't help but cry out in shock, his face filled with disbelief!

Late Foundation Establishment Stage!

How long had it been since Xu Yuan broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage?

Even by the most generous calculations, it had only been a little over ten years!

He actually dared to assert that in as short as three to five years, or as long as ten years, he would definitely break through to the Late Stage?

And how old was Xu Yuan this year?

Not even thirty!

Even after another ten years, he would still be under forty!

"Yuan'er, is this true?! Do you... do you really have such confidence?"

Qin Zhantian was shocked at first, but then a surge of pleasant surprise filled his heart!

"This Disciple does not dare to speak falsely." Xu Yuan nodded solemnly. "The gains from the Secret Realm far exceeded expectations. This Disciple is ninety percent certain!"

"Good! Good! Good!" Qin Zhantian was so excited he said 'good' three times in a row, patting Xu Yuan's shoulder heavily. "After we return, all the Sect's resources will be tilted toward you! Once you break through to the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, you will be the next Sect Master of Ba Dao."

The position of Sect Master!

Hearing Qin Zhantian's powerful promise, the pupils of Zhao Zheng, who was standing nearby, contracted once more. But this time, the shock on his face quickly faded, replaced by a sense of relief and admiration that said 'it should be so.'

A Late Foundation Establishment Stage practitioner under forty, possessing a Ninth-Grade Flawless Dao Foundation in the form of the Ten Thousand Blades Returning to the Origin Foundation, and having fought into the top ten of the South Domain Elite Battle, making a name for himself everywhere... with such talent and such achievements, if he could not inherit the position of Sect Master, who else in the Overlord Blade Sect would be qualified?