C1342 The Temperature Rose
As a Grand Sword Immortal of the Sword Sect, Ji Ningshuang, being of a younger generation, lacked extensive knowledge about the sect's inner workings. For a Grand Sword Immortal, who may live for thousands of years or even possess eternal life, Ji Ningshuang, at just over three hundred years old, was akin to a child who had only just learned to walk.
Furthermore, the history and illustrious battle records of the Titanblade were gradually uncovered due to the emergence of the Boulderdawn, the three upper sects, the Devil Palace, and Shadow's Keep. It was then that Ji Ningshuang learned of a prodigious talent that had once graced the Sword Sect before Gu Xingkui, the wielder of the Sword of Gaia.
"The essence of the Titanblade."
Gazing across the void, she gripped the hilt of her Stardust Blade with her fingertip, attempting to remotely discern the intricate sword's will within the River of Swords.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A suppressive force, inherent to swordsmanship, emanated from the cascading River of Swords, causing her Stardust Blade to quiver and many of its pure sword lights to burst.
Ji Ningshuang's expression stiffened.
She keenly sensed that the River of Swords, formed by Nie Qingtian, harbored a profound hostility towards her as a junior member of the Sword Sect.
Why?
Surprised and uncertain, she tested the waters a couple more times, only to find her mood souring further. She was certain it was not a trick of the mind...
The River of Swords suspended in the Glimmerdrift Nebula seemed to brim with animosity, not just towards her but towards all the Sword Sect's successors.
"What exactly happened all those years ago? After so much time, why won't he forgive the sect?"
Lost in thought, Ji Ningshuang suddenly remembered that the Glimmerdrift Nebula was designated a forbidden area, off-limits to the sect's five supreme cultivators for hunting. Could it be because of these Rivers of Swords?
She resolved to uncover the truth.
...
Amidst the swirling cold fog enveloping the star's surface, Ciara wore a look of distress as she communicated with the Blood King, Sabonis, through the Frost Well.
She relayed to her king the astonishing developments currently unfolding within the Glimmerdrift Nebula.
She stealthily and cautiously observed the snow bear, fearful of drawing its attention.
However, she quickly realized she was overly concerned.
After bursting from the Frozen World below, she used her magical lineage to pinpoint the snow bear's location. Upon witnessing the River of Swords streaking across the sky, she contentedly returned.
At that moment, the Star of Wonder, harboring a hidden Wintermaw, and the River of Swords seemed to forge a bond, a bridge between them.
The frigid star moved of its own accord, drawing nearer to the intertwining River of Swords.
Both entities accelerated their movements in unison, convincing Ciara that it wouldn't be long before these two celestial wonders converged.
She hastened to seek guidance from the Blood King.
...
On the fringes of the Star River, the very place where Yu Yuan, Qiao Yuling, and the snow bear had once encountered each other.
Led by Du Yuan and Yue Mu, the cultivators of the Sword Sect crossed into the Glimmerdrift Nebula of the Shura one by one.
As they entered, the cultivators in the Solar Spirit Realm immediately sensed a change; their expressions darkened.
For reasons unknown, they felt an invisible force weighing down on their heart-bound swords, diminishing the potency of their sword spells and sword force.
Yet, they hadn't even brandished their swords in combat.
Yue Mu, known as "Rillrender," trembled slightly, his eyes igniting with an astonishing brilliance.
Gazing into the far reaches of space, he abruptly exclaimed, "I... I feel like..."
Like Ji Ningshuang, Yue Mu, who possessed the Unbound Realm's prowess, also detected the exceptional essence within the River of Swords.
Titanblade!
With a deep inhalation, Yue Mu confidently voiced these two words.
His gaze intense, he fixed his eyes on Du Yuan, anticipating an explanation.
"Ah."
Du Yuan, privy to the situation, let out a sigh. "Remember, our purpose for entering the Glimmerdrift Nebula was twofold: to assist her and to investigate the cause of the Wintermaw's obstruction, with the aim of restoring its flow."
"Wintermaw?" Yue Mu was taken aback.
He had perceived the sword's will of the Titanblade, yet the presence of the Wintermaw eluded him. Du Yuan's revelation only deepened Yue Mu's astonishment.
He finally realized there was a reason the sect had designated the Glimmerdrift Nebula as a forbidden area.
"Hmm, the Glimmerdrift Nebula is a forbidden area because it contains a Wintermaw," Du Yuan felt compelled to explain. "The Wintermaw is of critical significance, and we cannot afford any mishaps with it."
Yue Mu fully grasped the situation, nodded in agreement, and refrained from further questioning.
The other, less powerful Solar Spirit cultivators, however, looked utterly bewildered.
They were clueless about what the "Wintermaw" even was.
The source of their discomfort, which made their practice of swordsmanship and their sword force feel constrained, was unknown to them. They were left pondering the possible wonders of the "Wintermaw" that had been mentioned.
...
Deep within the Frozen Wastes.
Yu Yuan, red as a boiled shrimp, was seated above the Dragon Slaying Stage, frantically cleansing and purifying the impurities released by the Solar Spirit.
These impurities couldn't be directly expelled from his body; they had to be dissolved and eradicated through his physical form.
It seemed that only through this process would his real body and Solar Spirit seamlessly integrate in the future.
Thus, he had no choice but to begin with the Evil Body Refining technique for the initial purification.
The impurities that couldn't be crushed and dissolved were taken to the Golden Sanctum acupoints, where the intense flames of the Nine Glories Wheel initiated a second, deeper round of purification.
Gradually, he began to sense an ominous feeling of losing control.
He occasionally saw visions of battles fought by other races, feeling as though he had become a Shadowkin warrior, a Starborn sage, an enchantress leader, and a Silverscale Tribe general...
It was as if the lifeblood he had collected from various regions within the Moonfall Sanctuary, with its enigmatic memories, had begun to disperse during the refining process.
These memories scattered throughout his body, soul, and subconscious.
Whoosh!
The scabbard of the Titanblade suddenly flew out from the Cosmos Ring, hovering above his head.
Irritated and unsettled, he watched the sword sheath that seemed to have been activated by some mysterious force, a wave of unease rising within him.
In the next moment, he witnessed the snow bear giving him a goofy grin.
The snow bear's silly chuckle seemed to possess a strange magic that soothed his soul.
As the bear laughed, strands of cold fog began to rise from the heavens and the deep sea below, as if drawn by the sovereign of this realm—the snow bear—to shroud him.
Soon, Yu Yuan was astonished to discover that he appeared to have transformed into a celestial body.
Surrounding his form, the cold fog swirled, and tides of ice energy that brought clarity to his mind and tranquility to his spirit formed and undulated softly.
The threat of succumbing to madness was immediately alleviated, and his thoughts were no longer a tumultuous whirlwind.
Yet, the sword scars etched into his arm bones were quickly growing warmer...
