C1333 The Grievance of the past

The wounds on the Cold Domain Bear were not only deep but had also shattered some of its bones, presenting a harrowing sight.

Yet, as Yu Yuan narrowed his eyes in concentration, he detected no clear sword intent, no piercing sharpness, which seemed somewhat illogical.

Sword Sect, Great Sword Immortal...

The names flickered through his mind, one after the other.

He knew them all by heart, along with the distinct titles they held, and even had a general understanding of each one's Sword Dao characteristics and intricacies.

The third-ranked Great Sword Immortal was Du Yuan, wielder of the Disillusionment Sword.

In fourth place was Jee Ningshuang with her Starfrost Sword.

Fifth was Lu Hongpeng, master of the Sword of Seven Emotions.

Sixth was Su Qingmo, the Green Flower Sword, followed by Van Heqing, the Shattering Sword...

These were the renowned Great Sword Immortals, well-known figures frequently seen in the vast expanse.

Having delved into the Optimus Nine Slashes, Yu Yuan had sensed some of their auras within the scabbard, gaining a measure of understanding.

Taking a deep breath, Yu Yuan's face set with determination. He stepped onto the Dragon Slash Platform, narrowing the gap between himself and the bear. He shifted his focus from the sword intent to a different sensation...

Slowly, he felt a profound and substantial presence emanating from the bear's injuries, as if each stroke of the sword carried the weight of towering mountains.

Yu Yuan's heart raced.

Boom!

The Cold Domain Bear, previously adrift on the ocean's surface, plunged into the abyss, releasing a monstrous force so heavy it warped the surrounding field.

Yu Yuan watched in dismay as it descended to the ocean floor, its chest wound worsening with each moment.

"Earth Sword, Gu Xingkui!" he called out, his voice tinged with resolve, in the desolate expanse of the Cold Domain Land.

Gu Xingkui, the current second-ranked Great Sword Immortal of the Sword Sect, bore the title of Earth Sword. According to the information Yu Yuan had gathered in this lifetime, it was Gu Xingkui who had ascended to the highest echelon following Nie Qingtian's demise, leaping from the peak of the Unrestrained Stage to the realm of the Primordial Spirit.

This initiative was unanimously supported by the three upper sects, the Demon Palace, and the Demon Palace, with no objections whatsoever!

The reason behind this was that the Sword Dao True Spell he had mastered resonated with the vastness of the Boundless Great World.

With him at the helm, the Boundless Great World gained a solid backbone, transforming into an impenetrable shield.

Gu Xingkui's Sword Dao was not renowned for its sharpness, nor was his sword intent conspicuous.

The so-called 'Earth Sword' was, in fact, famed for its defense. It was rumored that his combat strength would significantly diminish once he left the Boundless Great World. However, as long as he remained within it, his combat prowess would experience a tremendous boost.

Perhaps due to the unique nature of his Sword Dao, he was also known as the 'Boundless Shield', a title that was widely recognized and endorsed by all.

The Boundless Great World needed him, or more precisely, it needed his defensive prowess. Thus, following the demise of Nie Qingtian, he was unopposedly elevated to the highest position of authority.

Whoosh!

As Yu Yuan pondered, the Cold Domain Bear resurfaced, its chest and abdomen riddled with more fractures and its organs showing clear signs of rupture.

Just when he was about to draw closer, an unexpected surge of energy erupted.

Boom!

The Cold Domain Bear, which had just emerged, was as if crushed by an unseen colossal mountain, and it abruptly plunged back to the ocean depths.

Yu Yuan's complexion turned steely.

He hadn't anticipated that the residual force of Gu Xingkui's Earth Sword would be so domineering and terrifying, continuing to unleash devastating blows on the Cold Domain Bear.

Yu Yuan's mind wandered back to his only encounter with Gu Xingkui over three hundred years ago, before he became the Sect Master of the Medicine God Sect.

Back then, he had recently met Jee Ningshuang.

After spending some time with him at the Medicine God Sect, Jee Ningshuang developed feelings for him. Shortly after returning to the Sword Sect, she insisted on visiting the Medicine God Sect again to seek medicine.

During that period, Jee Ningshuang's master was absent from the Boundless Great World, having gone to battle in distant realms.

The head of the Sword Sect, Gu Xingkui, known as the Earth Sword, presided over the Boundless Great World throughout the year. Everyone within the Sword Sect recognized Jee Ningshuang's extraordinary potential, envisioning her as the future Great Sword Immortal. Consequently, the sect spared no effort in nurturing her talents.

The Sword Sect placed immense expectations on her, allowing no one to hinder her progress. Gu Xingkui, unwilling to see Jee Ningshuang entangled in romantic distractions, used his Yin God to stealthily visit the Medicine God Sect. There, he confronted the current Sect Master, leveraging the Sword Sect's influence to quash the issue.

Even as a Yin God, his presence caused the Medicine God Sect's alchemists and practitioners to acutely sense a disturbance in the natural order. Upon Gu Xingkui's arrival, they all experienced the earth's gravity intensifying manifold, rooting them to the spot and severely restricting their movements.

Yu Yuan, who had not embarked on the path of cultivation, was practically flattened by the overwhelming pressure. It was as though an invisible mountain weighed down upon the backs of all present.

Gu Xingkui, wielding the might of his swordsmanship, struck fear into the hearts of the Medicine God Sect's cultivators. The sheer terror of his power was palpable to each and every alchemist there.

Once Gu Xingkui's Yin God departed, Yu Yuan could finally breathe a sigh of relief. He hurriedly sought out his master, who informed him of Gu Xingkui's visit and the warning issued not to disrupt Jee Ningshuang's swordsmanship future.

Following a profound conversation, his master managed to alleviate Gu Xingkui's concerns with a single argument. He pointed out that Hong Qi's lifespan was at most a century. For Jee Ningshuang, a hundred years would pass in the blink of an eye, a mere moment in time, and would not impede her quest for the sword at all. Thus reassured, Gu Xingkui departed with peace of mind and subsequently did not dwell on the matter.

Indeed, the truth was just as it seemed.

Throughout Hong Qi's extraordinary life, he had desperately sought ways to extend his existence. Yet, despite his efforts, the ultimate boundary of his lifespan was a mere century. Failing to achieve reincarnation meant vanishing without a trace.

His life had been too fleeting, denying him any further encounters with Gu Xingkui.

His only memory of Gu Xingkui was a humiliating one, where he was forced to prostrate himself on the ground due to the descent of the Yin God and the subsequent alteration of the earth's laws.

For years afterward, the mere thought of that moment left him feeling suffocated and discontented.

Yet, considering Gu Xingkui's formidable realm and combat prowess, merely the arrival of the Yin God and the ensuing shift in the cosmic laws, not to mention the unwavering trust the five great supreme forces placed in him...

Even after his fall, when he turned to crafting lethal poison pills and devising various inhumane toxic smogs, he was acutely aware that he was no match for Gu Xingkui.

Naturally, he stood no chance against the Sword Sect either.

"Gu Xingkui..." Yu Yuan whispered the name with a heavy heart, weighed down by a sense of oppression.

"The past is the past, and now is now! In Hong Qi's time, I was constrained by a short lifespan and couldn't walk the path of cultivation, rendering me powerless against you. But in this life, you, Gu Xingkui, shall not overshadow everything with your Earth Sword, nor will I be forced to grovel before you again!"

As an alchemist in the Boundless Great World, he was held in high regard and possessed an extraordinary status, yet his combat abilities were indeed insufficient.

For Gu Xingkui, who reigned supreme at the pinnacle of the pyramid, what could a mere alchemist, who had neither embarked on the path of cultivation nor had a long lifespan, do against him? Crushing him would have been effortless.

But now, things were different!

Reborn, he possessed a nearly infinite lifespan, thanks to the "Life Altar" and his own remarkable abilities, opening up endless possibilities and a boundless future ahead of him.

The "Earth Sword" Gu Xingkui was no longer out of reach, and there was now a chance for him to be brought down!

Gradually, Yu Yuan's turbulent emotions began to settle.

Finally, Yu Yuan once again beheld the massive silhouette of the Cold Domain Bear emerging from beneath the sea, resurfacing with diminished strength. The residual power of its attacks had weakened, and the concealed sword energy seemed to have been utterly depleted.

The Ninth Level Cold Domain Bear was now gasping for life. Its body was crisscrossed with sword wounds, its bones shattered in several places, and its vital organs burst open. Yu Yuan found solace in the fact that the bear's vital blood essence had been crystallized by the Frost Energy, preventing it from escaping.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, Yu Yuan noticed a translucent glimmer of ice shining through the crevices of the bear's tightly clenched paws. Upon closer inspection, he realized that there must be pieces of cold crystal held within its grasp, which it had never released.

These cold crystals were what the endearing bear had painstakingly gathered for him. It had likely incurred the severe wounds from Gu Xingkui, known as the "Grand Sea Shield," because it had ventured too close to the Cold Abyss Entrance. This had alarmed Gu Xingkui, the guardian of the Boundless Land. In response, Gu Xingkui had unleashed his sword, directing a fearsome blade of light towards the Cold Abyss Entrance, which had ultimately left the bear in its current state.

The unrevealed ice crystals shone with an intense, almost blinding light. To Yu Yuan, they felt like cold swords piercing his heart, filling him with a mix of admiration and sorrow for the foolish bear.

"What a foolish bear. Why did you have to do this?" he lamented, burdened with self-reproach.

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