One sword split the heavens.
Two swords eradicated the evil spirits.
With the power of the eternal teardrops, Xu Xi effortlessly destroyed the mountain of corpses and sea of blood. Yet, the battle was far from over. Many demonic entities still lurked within the ruins. Only by eradicating them completely could the nightmare truly end.
“Tear—!”
The air exploded with a deafening roar. Thunder rumbled, winds howled, and the clouds surged violently. A dazzling sword light cut through the heavens, splitting the Boundary Ruins’ foundation from its source. Ghostly energy, demonic auras, and blood-soaked resentment evaporated into the air.
Robes fluttering, Xu Xi soared toward Wang Dali and the others, his sword a constant blur of motion. Every strike cleaved through hordes of malevolent spirits, leaving no room for retaliation.
“Junior of the Heavenly Sword Sect, how dare you!”
“Let me, your ancestor, take over your body and wreak havoc again! Jie Jie Jie!”
“A mere junior, so insolent!”
A massive blood dragon, ten meters long, emerged from the crimson depths. Its vertical pupils glowed ominously, its murderous aura oppressive. With a flick of its tail, the ground quaked and rocks shattered.
Xu Xi remained unshaken. “Noisy.”
He clenched his fist, and with a single punch, the blood dragon burst into a shower of crimson droplets, falling like rain and seeping into the earth.
With a flick of his fingers, he shaped his mana into a blade and slashed a Nascent Soul ghost cultivator from afar.
The sword’s green light radiated vitality and thundered with unparalleled force, obliterating the ghost into fragments of nothingness.
Golden Core Realm? Nascent Soul Realm? They were insignificant.
Xu Xi’s confidence surged. Unless a truly monstrous force appeared, he felt no pressure.
“Damn it! Where did this terrifying junior come from?”
“Everyone, attack together! It’s him or us!”
The remaining specters grew desperate, their fear evident. They unleashed dark magical artifacts—Ten Thousand Flags, the Skeleton Temple, and Human Skin Scrolls—each soaked in the blood of innocents.
Xu Xi shook his head. These weapons, forged through lives taken, were inherently weak against him. With the eternal teardrop’s buffs amplifying his strength, they were no threat.
“My life has always been one of hard work and caution,” Xu Xi muttered, “but today… Eternal Tears, help me!”
His magical power surged. The vibrant green glow of Wood Regeneration melded seamlessly with the Heavenly Sword Style. The brilliant forest-green light erupted, cutting through the heavens and earth, erasing thousands of evil spirits in its wake.
Seizing the moment, Xu Xi rushed toward Wang Dali and his group. They were in dire straits, many nursing injuries. This was expected. Apart from Wang Dali, the rest were only at the Foundation Establishment Realm, unable to withstand the might of Golden Core Realm foes.
“Brother Xu, you just…” Wang Dali’s voice faltered as he stared at Xu Xi in disbelief. The sight of someone obliterating Nascent Souls as if they were nothing left even the strongest man stammering.
“Oh, I had a small breakthrough,” Xu Xi replied with a smile. “You all can leave now. I’ll handle the rest.”
A small breakthrough?
The others exchanged glances, their faces a mix of awe and exasperation. Yet, they trusted Xu Xi’s words. Supporting their injured comrades, they retreated under Wang Dali’s protection.
“Senior Xu, we owe you!”
“Brother Xu, we’re counting on you!”
In moments, the battlefield was left to Xu Xi alone.
“Now I can go all out,” Xu Xi murmured, his gaze fixed on the remaining specters.
Some begged for mercy, others had lost their minds to corruption. A few attempted to flee, while others lunged at him in a last-ditch effort to take him down.
“Cut—”
The single word echoed across the ruins like a divine decree.
The Withered Vine Sword slashed horizontally. At first, its light was faint, like the first glimmer of dawn. But within seconds, it blazed as bright as the midday sun, illuminating every corner of the ruins. The living found renewed hope, the dead perished for good, and all evil was obliterated.
Time seemed to pause.
A gentle breeze swept through, scattering the ashes of the fallen spirits.
The once-terrifying ruins now lay silent. Only remnants of broken magical artifacts and relics of immortal cultivators remained, most too damaged to be of value. Xu Xi glanced around, disinterested, until his gaze caught something unusual.
A wand.
“This… is from the magic side, isn’t it?”
He picked it up, examining the intricately carved object. It was vastly different from anything from the immortal side. It must have belonged to one of the magic practitioners from the Yanshan Bureau.
The divide between the immortal and magic sides was vast. Though both were extraordinary powers, their paths were completely distinct.
Xu Xi had little interest in the magic side and was about to discard the wand when a familiar chime stopped him.
[Ding—]
[Magic side anchor point medium detected. Do you wish to recharge?]
[Note: Recharged anchor media will be completely destroyed.]
“Magic side anchor medium?”
Standing amidst the desolate ruins, Xu Xi first glanced at the simulator panel, then back at the wand. A realization dawned on him. Anchor media referred to extraordinary items.
“But why didn’t the alchemy talismans trigger this prompt?” he wondered aloud.
It didn’t take long to figure out the answer.
Alchemy talismans were tied to the immortal side, the very world he had simulated before. They couldn’t serve as anchor media for a new simulation.
“I see. The simulator can only explore a specific type of world once. That’s why it specifies the magic side now.”
If anchor media were universal, there would be no need for such emphasis.
Xu Xi made his choice. Selecting Confirm Recharge on the simulator panel, he watched as the wand disintegrated in his hand, vanishing completely as if devoured by an unseen force.
[Ding!]
[Magic side anchor point medium loading: 1%]
[Keep recharging, host, and strive for a better life!]