Above him, the word Sword ignited in the sky.
It was not carved into stone nor written in ink. It was etched into the very fabric of the realm, blazing with a white-gold radiance that pulsed with boundless meaning.
It is no longer threatened.
It guided.
In that moment, Li Yan's mind filled with visions.
A lone warrior standing against a hundred enemies, his blade unwavering.
A sword cutting through illusions and falsehoods alike, leaving only truth behind.
Two masters locked in silent combat, their blades speaking in place of words.
The visions flowed—not as teachings, but as truths he already understood.
The sword was never just a weapon.
It was a choice.
A philosophy.
A will.
Li Yan's lips moved slightly as understanding settled within him. "So that's what it means…"
"To wield the sword is to walk a razor's edge between destruction and protection… to cut away weakness, hesitation, and doubt—until only resolve remains."
____
Back in the Ancient Techniques Hall, a sudden surge of energy erupted from Li Yan's body.
This time, it was not Spiritual Energy. It was Sword Intent.
A sharp, invisible pressure expanded outward from him, forming a shockwave that rippled through the hall. The air trembled, and even the stoned floor beneath him seemed to respond.
Ji Hong's eyes snapped open.
Shock flashed across his face as he immediately raised a Qi barrier around himself, blocking the surge of energy.
Even so, he could feel it.
The raw sharpness.
The unyielding force within it.
"This…" Ji Hong murmured under his breath, his expression tightening. "This is impossible…"
Li Yan's Sword Intent pulsed once more. Within it lay two distinct principles—Defiance and Judgment. Yet Ji Hong could only perceive one.
Defiance.
Even with his understanding of swordsmanship, the deeper layer remained hidden from him.
As the ripple of energy faded, silence returned to the hall. Ji Hong stared at Li Yan, disbelief lingering in his eyes.
____
Li Yan's eyes opened. The visions vanished. He was once again seated before the ancient parchment within the hall.
The word Sword still glowed faintly before him, but its presence had changed. The overwhelming pressure it once carried had subsided, as if it had acknowledged his comprehension.
Li Yan flexed his fingers slightly. A subtle sharpness now existed within him. Not in his body—but in his being.
It was as if his spirit itself had been refined, honed like a blade. His perception felt clearer. His awareness is more precise.
Everything felt… sharper.
Li Yan lowered his gaze and glanced at the bracelet on his wrist.
2:49:13 remaining.
His eyes narrowed slightly. More than eight hours had passed. Yet to him, it had felt like only an hour or two. Li Yan exhaled slowly, his expression returning to calm.
But deep within—
Something fundamental had changed.
Then, Li Yan slowly turned his head, his gaze meeting Ji Hong's.
The sect leader sat frozen, his expression caught between disbelief and shock. His eyes were wide, his lips slightly parted, as if words had abandoned him entirely. The air itself felt heavier, burdened by what had just occurred.
For a moment, both of them simply stared at each other.
Then Ji Hong blinked, his pupils tightening as clarity returned to his gaze.
"Li Yan…" His voice trembled faintly, caught between awe and disbelief. "Did you truly comprehend the word 'Sword'?"
Even as he spoke, there was hesitation in his tone—as though saying it aloud might confirm something that should not have been possible.
Li Yan offered a faint, calm smile. His demeanor remained composed, almost serene, as if what had just happened was nothing extraordinary.
"I just got lucky, Elder Ji," he replied evenly.
Ji Hong's breath caught. "Lucky?" he repeated inwardly, feeling as if he might cough blood from the understatement.
This was not luck. This was something far beyond it.
His gaze lingered on Li Yan, his thoughts racing. "At his age… with barely the foundation of Sword Aura… and he comprehended the Sword Inscription?" The more he thought about it, the more absurd it became.
For a brief moment, Ji Hong felt like a young disciple again—standing before something that surpassed his understanding.
Silence stretched between them.
Then Li Yan spoke again, his tone calm and natural. "Elder Ji, could you tell me more about Swordsmanship? Like… how many levels are there?"
Ji Hong blinked, caught off guard. "What?" he said, frowning slightly. "You mean to say… You don't know?"
Li Yan shook his head without hesitation. "I've practiced with swords a little before joining the sect. Nothing more. I never studied Swordsmanship in depth."
Ji Hong stared at him. Speechless.
A long breath escaped him as he straightened his back, shaking his head slowly. "I truly don't know whether to laugh or cry…"
Here stood a boy with no formal training, no inheritance, no guidance in the way of the sword—yet he had achieved something cultivators spent decades chasing.
Ji Hong's expression shifted slightly as another thought surfaced.
"Li Yan," he said, narrowing his eyes. "If you didn't study Swordsmanship… then how did you awaken Sword Aura?"
Li Yan frowned slightly, thinking for a moment. "Sword Aura? I think it awakened when my Sword Intent awakened."
Ji Hong immediately shook his head. "No, no. I'm talking about the Sword Aura I sensed on your sword during your final match with Mu Fan."
Li Yan's eyes widened slightly.
"What?" he said, genuinely surprised. "Elder Ji, are you saying I had already awakened Sword Aura before coming here?"
Ji Hong nodded firmly. "I sensed it clearly."
Li Yan paused for a moment before a faint, modest smile appeared on his lips. "Then… I suppose I got it while hunting with a sword for the past month and didn't pay much attention to it."
Ji Hong's expression stiffened slightly.
"What?" he muttered inwardly, almost exasperated. "Is this the blessing of the heavens… or a cruel joke on the rest of us?"
He let out a slow breath, calming himself before continuing.
"Listen carefully," Ji Hong said, his tone turning more serious. "Swordsmanship begins with Sword Aura." Ji Hong paused. "There are nine stages in total."
He raised a hand slightly as he listed them. "Stage 1 – Flicker. Stage 2 – Trace. Stage 3 – Veil. Stage 4 – Flow. Stage 5 – Ripple. Stage 6 – Surge. Stage 7 – Field. Stage 8 – Dominance. Stage 9 – Completion."
After a brief pause, he continued, "These nine stages form the foundation required to awaken Sword Intent. When I sensed your aura during the final match, it was at Stage 1—Flicker."
Li Yan listened quietly, then nodded. "So that means… Have I now awakened Sword Intent and skipped the foundation?"
Ji Hong chuckled faintly, though disbelief still lingered in his eyes. "You could say that. In this matter… You are indeed blessed. But you didn't skip them; instead, you completed your Sword Aura stages through trials and awakened your Sword intent."
He paused briefly before adding, "As for Sword Intent itself, there is much more to it. You'll have to explore that path on your own. The Shadow Knowledge Pavilion contains many books on Swordsmanship."
Li Yan's brows furrowed slightly. "I've already checked there, Elder Ji. I didn't find any books related to Swordsmanship."
Ji Hong looked surprised for a moment, then nodded in realization. "Ah… that's right. Knowledge of swordsmanship starts from Level 3 and above in the Pavilion. You must have searched on Level 1."
Li Yan nodded after a brief thought. "Then it seems I neglected to unlock the higher levels."
Without lingering on the matter, Li Yan rose to his feet.
His movements were smooth and composed, carrying a quiet balance that had subtly changed after his breakthrough. Though young, there was now a refined sharpness in his presence.
He cupped his hands respectfully, his eyes calm. "Thank you, Elder Ji, for the clarification."
Ji Hong waved his hand lightly. "It's nothing," he said.
Then his gaze sharpened slightly as he looked at Li Yan. "By the way, what is your Sword Intent? When you awakened it, I sensed that it somehow related to Defiance… but it didn't feel Defiance itself."
Li Yan smiled faintly. "Elder Ji, you're right on both counts," he replied calmly. "It is linked to Defiance… but it's not purely Defiance. My Sword Intent is called Defiant Judgment Sword Intent."
Ji Hong froze. "Two principles?" he asked slowly, disbelief creeping into his voice. "You're saying your Sword Intent is a fusion?"
Li Yan nodded. "Defiance and Judgment."
Ji Hong shook his head, letting out a quiet breath. "Li Yan… you truly know how to surprise me every time we meet."
Li Yan chuckled softly. "Elder Ji, you're praising me too much."
After a brief pause, Li Yan's gaze shifted slightly as he glanced at the bracelet on his wrist. "A little over two and a half hours left… not enough to comprehend another Inscribed Word," he thought.
He spoke again after a moment. "There's still time remaining. I'd like to understand my Sword Intent better… and also gain control over my Sword Aura."
Then he paused, his eyes settling on Ji Hong. "Elder Ji… have you ever tried comprehending the word 'Spirit'?"
Ji Hong raised a brow. "No," he replied plainly. "My focus has always been the word 'Sword.' I never considered the others."
Li Yan nodded slowly, a thoughtful glint passing through his eyes. He understood that Ji Hong had not yet awakened Spiritual Consciousness, but given Ji Hong's mental strength, there was a possibility.
"Elder Ji," Li Yan said carefully, "I believe you should try it. Comprehending the word 'Spirit' may open paths you haven't considered. It might even help you awaken Spiritual Consciousness—or at the very least, strengthen your mind."
Ji Hong looked at him in silence—a young disciple, barely fourteen, offering him cultivation advice.
And yet… There was no arrogance in Li Yan's tone. No pride. Only clarity.
For a moment, Ji Hong said nothing. He simply observed the boy before him. He did not see a junior.
He saw potential. A storm, quietly gathering strength.
"…Very well," Ji Hong said at last, his tone softer than before. "Perhaps it's time I reconsider some of my paths."
Li Yan gave a slight nod, then moved to the center of the platform and sat down cross-legged. His attention shifted inward, focusing on the newly awakened Sword Intent and the Sword Aura within his body.
Ji Hong remained standing, watching him for a moment.
"This boy…" he thought silently. "No… this monster. If he's already like this at the beginning of his journey… what will he become in the future?"
Shaking his head faintly, Ji Hong turned and began walking slowly through the Ancient Techniques Hall. His gaze drifted toward the other three champions, who remained seated before their respective pillars, fully immersed in their comprehension.
None of them had any awareness of what had just occurred.
They were still struggling to grasp fragments of Divine Tier techniques, completely absorbed in their own efforts.
Meanwhile, Li Yan's focus had turned inward. As he probed his Sword Aura and Sword Intent with his Spiritual Sense, he suddenly felt a subtle disturbance within his Spiritual Consciousness.
His eyes opened immediately before closing again.
In the next moment, his awareness sank inward.
When he opened his eyes again, he stood within his spiritual world—the vast blue sea stretching endlessly beneath him.
But this time, something was different. A structure stood before him. Li Yan's eyes narrowed slightly.
A tower.
It was the same tower he had seen within the Sword Realm—the one that had emerged from the ground and vanished after he touched the sword inside it.
Now it stood before him once again. Smaller than before, yet unmistakably the same.
"What…" Li Yan muttered under his breath. "How did this appear here?"
His gaze lingered on the structure, his expression turning thoughtful. "I thought I failed that trial… and the tower disappeared."
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and approached it. As he neared the entrance, he noticed something immediately.
There was no pressure.
In the Sword Realm, the tower had emitted overwhelming pressure with every step he took toward it. But here, within his Spiritual Consciousness, there was nothing.
No resistance.
No suppression.
Li Yan extended his hand toward the door. This time, his palm met a solid surface. It did not pass through.
"So it's real this time…" he murmured.
He pushed against the door. Nothing happened.
He applied more force—still nothing.
The door remained completely unmoved.
Li Yan stepped back slightly, his eyes narrowing as he studied it.
"So brute force won't work…" He fell into thought, considering what this meant—and what he needed to do next.
Then his gaze sharpened slightly. "So… it requires something else."