A massive amount of Origin Qi could allow the Undying Rebirth Technique to be utilized to its fullest extent.
With this means at his disposal, Zhou Yan had laid out many contingency plans for himself.
This should have been a cause for joy, yet there was only desolation in Zhou Yan’s heart, with not a hint of happiness.
Yanyan’s departure truly had an impact on his heart.
At his current realm, Zhou Yan thought he could be detached from many things, but in reality, he was far from indifferent, which had nothing to do with his cultivation level.
The Affectionate Sword Dao and Lifeless Sword Dao—these two paths of the sword had unwittingly combined into a grand momentum within Zhou Yan’s Sword Intent.
"If I were to have affection, the Purple Flame Void would be Heaven, where a single thought blossoms a hundred flowers, giving life to all beings."
"If I were devoid of affection, then the Purple Flame Void would turn into Hell, a place of eternal damnation, filled with nothing but cold winds and freezing air, eternally desolate, bleak, and lonely."
"Reluctance is born from affection. Heartlessness, too, stems from affection. The path of emotion is, after all, a Supreme Dao."
Zhou Yan murmured to himself, and in this moment, he seemed to step out from the clutches of his unwillingness to part with Yanyan, replaying all the profound insights of the Tao he had understood before.
Standing still, he became absentminded, but in the wink of an eye, he comprehended many aspects of the Tao.
His body, previously battered by the forces of the Tao to a point of bloodshed, now completely recovered, his skin as freshly grown and tender as a baby’s.
His hair was as silky and black as satin, full of resilience.
His gaze was as deep as the Star River, inscrutable.
In such profound comprehension of the Tao, the realm of the Sword Spirit Second Layer Heaven naturally advanced, and soon this level reached a peak state.
With just a single thought, Zhou Yan could break through this realm again.
To reach the Sword Spirit Three Heavens, one must face the perilous task of condensing the Sword Soul. Historically, very few have succeeded. The ancient geniuses, none of whom were mediocre, were all darlings of Heaven and Earth, created by extraordinary opportunities and defy-fate destinies—most of them failed, and Zhou Yan didn’t believe he would be successful.
And so, Zhou Yan did not impulsively enter the Sword Spirit Three Heavens and face the pressures of the Sword Soul unprepared!
His so-called confidence was merely a suggestion he gave himself, but in truth, he knew in his heart that it would be an extremely difficult path.
Perhaps, he might even perish.
Having confronted life and death, witnessing the demise of his fellow geniuses one after another, Zhou Yan no longer possessed his original mental state; he had outgrown those impetuous years—although, in reality, he was not yet twenty-one.
After a long time, Zhou Yan exhaled a sigh of turbid air, reined in his emotions, then took a look at the now empty room. Despite feeling some shame, he had no regrets.
He glanced at the remnants of the Ancient Array around him, sighed, and deactivated the internal restrictions, then stepped out of the Transmission Array.
A streak of rosy light fell from the sky, dissipating the gloomy and oppressive air.
Outside, it was still a riot of colors, spring breezes gentle, sunlight warming the heart.
After Zhou Yan appeared, two gray-robed old men bowed and said, "Zhou Lingzhe, the Clan Leader mentioned that guests from the opposing side of our Emperor Sword Lineage are coming, and after you emerge, please proceed to the Lonely Sword Peak Heavenly Pond."
"Understood, elders, I appreciate your patience."
Zhou Yan replied respectfully.
"Not at all, not at all, it is our duty. Zhou Lingzhe, please don’t be polite; otherwise, you’ll belittle us, the two Elder Guan Xiu’er."
The two gray-robed elders quickly bowed again, as if Zhou Yan’s status demanded as much respect from them as that of Hou Yan, the Clan Leader.
Zhou Yan felt puzzled, but seeing their sincerity, he no longer insisted on formalities.
Guided by the two, Zhou Yan transformed into a light of Sword Intent and returned to Lonely Sword Peak.
Lonely Sword Peak remained solitary, unaffected by the beautiful surroundings, standing alone in its desolate loneliness.
A vague pain arose in Zhou Yan’s heart when he saw the two arm-like Sword Peaks, as he always felt they were like flesh severed from his own body.
Yet, he managed to control the distress in his heart quite well, showing no trace of it.
In this world, there were many things he could not understand; forcing the exploration could only bring greater peril. Regardless of the truth, since the shadow of that mysterious woman had repeatedly warned him this was not his place to tread, Zhou Yan took her words seriously and had no intention of delving deeper.
Perhaps one day when he became stronger, many secrets of this place would be gradually unearthed.
Crossing the Sword Peak, Zhou Yan wanted to look back, but he restrained himself, controlling his emotions, and landed on the platform above the Heavenly Pond.
Here, were a few dozen figures like Hou Yan, the three venerable great elders, Xiao Chenchen, Cai Xuan, Chen Tianjian, and other genius individuals, as well as three ethereal ladies in colorful clothes.
These three ladies, somewhat unfamiliar, had an aura that bore a slight resemblance to that of genius figures like Cai Xuan.
When Zhou Yan approached, all three ladies turned to look at him.
Then, in their eyes flashed an unusual color, which was immediately replaced by a sense of disdain.