C1343 Who Did You Humiliate?
The sword scar remained, yet the sword spirit had long since departed. In Ionodios, the sword spirit seized the chance to enter the Dark Realm and become one with the Titanblade. It was this union between the sword spirit and the Divine Sword that allowed Sabonis to shatter the Dark Realm's seal and gain immense freedom, precisely when his ability to split his essence was unavailable. Devoid of the sword spirit, only a trace of the sword's will lingered within the deep marks on his arm.
Sword's Will!
A flicker of realization crossed Yu Yuan's mind, and he understood the reason behind the sword scabbard's departure from the Cosmos Ring and the searing sensation in the sword scars on his arm bone. He cast another glance at the snow bear and dispatched a remnant soul to connect with the Dragon Slaying Stage. The stage, now seemingly a hundredfold more potent than the Third Eye, illuminated the cosmos and the myriad scenes beyond his star with clarity.
He saw Ciara, her expression dark and fraught with urgency. She was channeling the Frost Well, funneling strands of her vitality into its depths, seemingly still in communication with the Blood King of the Dark Realm, and reporting something with great haste. Yu Yuan noticed her gaze kept returning to a specific spot...
Following her gaze, Yu Yuan peered at the location the platinum Shura warrior was fixated on. There, he beheld the dazzling, swiftly moving River of Swords. His suspicions were confirmed.
The anomalies with the sword scabbard and the heat in his arm bone were due to the eternal River of Swords, left by Nie Qingtian, drawing near to his location! The star he resided on was also hurtling forward, eager to converge.
Barring any unforeseen events, the expansive and resplendent River of Swords would soon intersect with the Domain he occupied. Hidden within the depths of the River of Swords was the sword's will of the Titanblade, and a faint sword's will also resided in both the sword sheath and the sword scar on his arm bone. Sharing the same essence, they resonated for some unknown reason, prompting the sword sheath to fly out autonomously, and the sword scar on his arm bone to respond.
"Hehe!"
The Dire Bear, towering like a snow-capped mountain, chuckled in a self-satisfied manner, as if to take credit. Its demeanor clearly conveyed that the River of Swords' approach was its doing. Yu Yuan was profoundly astounded.
Then, he began to ponder the age of this enigmatic snow bear.
He had experienced a sense of familiarity with the snow bear in the Brugeth Astral Domain, yet he held no profound memories of it. This suggested that during his first life, he had encountered the snow bear.
At that time, he might have stood at the pinnacle of the Star River, overpowering all beings with his extraordinary status.
The snow bear's strength and status back then were likely far beneath his, hence he hadn't given it much consideration.
Nonetheless, he, in his first life, must have attained the ultimate realm of the primordial spirit, possessing eternal life, and would not succumb to natural death.
How many years had passed since that life?
Tens of thousands of years!
According to Chen Qinghuang and Beru, only the human primordial spirit, the Demon God of the Sky Fiend, and the cosmic giant beast were blessed with infinite life.
The Everlands' evilkind, the extraterrestrial alien beasts, and the ultimate warriors of all races would still face death eventually.
Yet, this snow bear remained vigorous tens of thousands of years later, showing no signs of demise.
It had not only lived through the first era but had also witnessed Nie Qingtian's illustrious epoch. It used its peculiar cold fog to enshroud the River of Swords and supported the Shura, leaving a legacy that spanned several Blood Kings.
Yu Yuan took a deep breath.
The snow bear growled, gesturing towards Yu Yuan's chest and then to his Golden Sanctum's little world, as if to say, "Stay focused, continue to refine yourself."
"The core of my Solar Spirit is my heaven soul. The first technique I practiced was Soul Forging through Enlightenment. Yet, my physical form has been infused with a multitude of foreign essences..."
Yu Yuan mused.
Enveloped in the cold fog, he no longer showed any signs of demonic possession.
Reflecting on his time in the Frozen Wastes, he realized that moments of clarity and tranquility often struck him while pondering, leading him to believe this place was conducive to cultivating his mind and soul.
Had the snow bear brought him here because it sensed his Solar Spirit was on the verge of transformation?
Did it also sense that his greatest challenge might be succumbing to madness?
It was a case of various powers becoming imbalanced, and then... spiraling out of control?
The Soul Forging through Enlightenment technique can purify the heaven soul and cleanse the mind, enhancing wisdom.
Yet, his novel Solar Spirit, with the Altar of Rebirth as its core, had integrated the blood crystal of the formidable Demon God Grec. It also contained the lifeblood of many ninth-level Otherkin warriors, drops from numerous alien beasts, including archdemons.
It was overly complex and chaotic, so as the Solar Spirit was taking shape and detaching from its main body, numerous latent issues simultaneously erupted.
Typically, when a human cultivator ascends to a Solar Spirit, they too face the corruption of inner demons and the peril of losing their sanity.
The danger in his case was magnified manyfold due to the unique nature of his Solar Spirit.
"Here! The Frozen World of the Wintermaw naturally aids the formation of the Solar Spirit! Can it purify the soul and bring peace to the spirit? Your presence, along with the enveloping cold fog, has significantly amplified this effect?"
He gazed at the snow bear, voicing his speculation in search of an answer.
The snow bear chuckled with delight.
Yu Yuan instantly grasped the full picture.
When they had met in the Brugeth, it likely discerned his condition and knew his breakthrough was imminent.
Bringing him here was a premeditated act, a decision it had made beforehand.
Yu Yuan even suspected that the Empress was well aware of the difficulties his Solar Spirit would encounter and had foreseen the challenges ahead.
She also recognized the snow bear's benevolence towards him!
She didn't accompany him or invite him to Darkpinion because she knew he was destined to meet the snow bear, who would guide him here to achieve his breakthrough.
"Thank you!"
He expressed his deep gratitude and heeded the snow bear's advice, setting aside concerns about the sword scars and the anomalies in the arm bone, to dive back into his breakthrough.
He proceeded to cleanse and assimilate each tainted crystal emanating from the Solar Spirit.
...
Ji Ningshuang set her sights on the River of Swords.
Wielding the Stardust Blade, she glided like a dazzling meteor, effortlessly dodging the encirclement of the three Platinum Shura. Her sword qi surged like a vibrant rainbow.
As the expanse of the River of Swords drew nearer, the pressure on her surged dramatically.
In realms beyond her sight, the River of Swords, with the power to crush stars, flowed endlessly, its myriad of tiny sword lights circulating as if they had a life of their own.
As Ji Ningshuang drew near, the Stardust Blade she had been studying and refining seemed to stir something to life. Almost immediately, several dazzling streams within the River of Swords began to quiver.
An immeasurable and mysterious sword aura bore down from the void, and the sword spirit within the Stardust Blade emitted a cry of alarm. Ji Ningshuang's form shuddered violently, the frost at the hem of her garment bursting into nothingness.
A wave of profound sadness washed over her. The Sword Sect had stood proudly in the Everlands for countless years, revered by all. The Titanblade, a creation of the Sword Sect, manifested not in the starry skies above their heads but in the Glimmerdrift Nebula of the Shura. Generation after generation of the sect's descendants were bound by the rules of the forbidden area, unable to tread upon this sacred ground.
She lamented their inability to witness this marvel, to draw near and touch the profound mysteries of swordsmanship contained within each stream of the River of Swords, to imagine the grandeur of the Grand Sword Immortal of bygone days.
Yet here she was, having defied the rules of the forbidden area, only to find herself oppressed by the very proximity of the River of Swords.
"How did it come to this?" she whispered, her voice tinged with regret for Nie Qingtian, perhaps the most formidable Grand Sword Immortal in the annals of the Sword Sect, and for the longstanding feud with the sect.
"Stardust Blade, Ji Ningshuang."
Out of the blue, she spotted a Shura man of striking beauty and a gentle demeanor standing on a Starshard beside the River of Swords.
"Alonso!" Ji Ningshuang huffed.
Informed by Qiao Yuling, she had known that this Shura commander now presided over the Glimmerdrift Nebula. Unintimidated, her elegant figure hovered above the Stardust Blade, disregarding the approach of three platinum Shura from behind, she called out with an icy voice, "The legacy of my Sword Sect's forebears is being preserved by your Shura Clan, allowed to flourish and strengthen. How can this be?"
"Why resort to such methods to warn your descendants, the Shura, informing them of the humiliation they've endured?"
She began to mock them unapologetically.
"Humiliation?"
Alonso couldn't help but laugh in astonishment. He gestured with his hand, signaling the furious Demian to be quiet, and also motioned for the other three platinum Shura to remain calm.
"Do you honestly believe that this River of Swords was left by his slaying of the Shura?" Alonso asked, smiling.
"Isn't it?" Ji Ningshuang arched an eyebrow.
"No."
Alonso shook his head, his laughter emerging. His teeth were a brilliant white, exuding a sunny and healthy appearance, hardly what one would expect from the commander of one of the most formidable Shura forces from the extraterrestrial realms.
"These Rivers of Swords were created in battles with the mighty human warriors from the Everlands and the archdemons."
Alonso's laughter grew louder. "There's another significant reason for their existence beyond the Wintermaw and the Glimmerdrift Nebula, which you consider forbidden territories."
"The Rivers of Swords are brimming with hostility towards the newcomers from your Sword Sect, Ebon Star, Sunlit Order, Devil Palace, and Shadow's Keep!"
"The Rivers of Swords naturally suppress the aura of those from the Everlands."
"Isn't that fascinating? Laughable, even?"
As Alonso continued, his laughter rose in volume, and his excitement intensified.
"Why haven't we shattered them? Why have we allowed them to flourish? It's because they are not a disgrace to our Shura! Their presence has always been a source of shame for you and will eternally keep you in check!"
