Immortal of the Ages

"News from the Sea of Swords!" a voice boomed, resonating across Conclave Mountain, abruptly halting Yun Xiao's momentum. Everyone's brows furrowed in unison as they turned to see the source of the interruption.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH! Four streaks of sword rays descended from the sky, ignoring the palpable tension in the air and landing directly amidst the thick crowd.

BUZZ! The spectators parted, leaving a cleared area beside Yun Xiao. With a series of loud thuds, four figures touched down steadily.

Yun Xiao turned to see the arrivals: leading them was a woman clad in purple battle armor, a fierce yet beautiful vision with her long hair tied back, a pronounced aquiline nose, and a figure that combined grace with undeniable strength. A wild, untamed essence surrounded her, making her an alluring force to be reckoned with. She was but a few years older than Yun Xiao, a wild mare of the Azure Spirit, known for both her audacity and her allure.

“Ziyan!” Ye Tiance stepped forward, addressing her with a grave tone.

“Father, what's going on here?” Ye Ziyan swept her cold gaze over the gathering, sensing that something was amiss.

Yun Xiao pieced it together quickly. This was Ye Tiance's eldest daughter and also his first disciple, a young woman renowned for her fiery spirit and penchant for besting men in combat. Her influence within the Azure Spirit Sword Sect was only surpassed by Ye Guying and Zhao Xuanran.

Her entourage consisted of Ye Tiance's second, third, and fourth disciples, rounding out the group of his direct disciples, whose numbers had tragically dwindled.

“They brought news from the Sea of Swords?” the crowd murmured, their curiosity piqued.

Elder Fan’s face contorted with displeasure at the interruption. “Step aside, all of you,” he ordered, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Ye Ziyan raised an eyebrow defiantly. “Elder Fan, Ye Guying has practically turned the Sea of Swords upside down this time!” she proclaimed.

“Upside down?” Elder Fan scoffed with a cold laugh. “No matter the case, they better not disrupt the birth of a Planet-grade Sword Soul!” His stern reprimand hung in the air for a moment before his eyes softened, admiration returning as he looked towards Yun Xiao.

Ye Tiance exchanged a quick, stern glance with his daughter before turning to Elder Fan, his voice tinged with urgency. “Elder Fan, please hear Ziyan out.”

"I have three things to say!" Ye Ziyan declared with a grin that promised havoc. "I guarantee that after Elder Fan hears them, he will dash back to the Sea of Swords, bursting with pride to be acquainted with Swordking Ye."

Elder Fan froze momentarily, then raised an eyebrow in skepticism. Could she really be that confident? "Speak," he urged coolly.

Ye Ziyan turned a sweeping gaze upon the crowd, her eyes dancing with an unruly fervor. "First," she announced, voice echoing through the mountains, "Swordking Ye smashed the record in the Sea of Swords, inheriting the Rank 10 Azure Kite, undergoing an evolution of his Sword Soul right on the spot, ascending to Mid Planet grade!"

The news detonated through Conclave Mountain, inciting a frenzy of gasps and exclamations.

"A Rank 10 Azure Kite?"

"He actually underwent a Sword Soul evolution?"

"A Mid Planet grade Sword Soul? That's esteemed even in the SEa of Swords!"

The crowd erupted into chatter, their faces a mix of shock and awe, their eyes riveted on Ye Ziyan as she continued.

"Yes! Ye Guying has lived up to our expectations!" Ye Tiance exclaimed with unrestrained joy, clapping his hands in admiration. The pillar of his faith had once again proven his worth, never disappointing him. Soaring within the ranks of the Sea of Swords was incomparable to the Azure Spirit Sword Sect! And this was just the first piece of news!

"Next!" Elder Fan was visibly shaken, taking a step towards Ye Ziyan, his back now to Yun Xiao.

Ye Ziyan couldn't contain her smile, a wild charm radiating from her as she breathed in deeply. Then, with a voice both booming and piercing, she roared with zealous fervor, "The reason why Swordhing Ye could inherit the Rank 10 Azure Kite is because his true Dantian talent awakened! After evaluations, the Sea of Swords acknowledged his Planet grade Dao Seed Talent! His Twin Dantian reportedly awakened its bloodline, morphing into the Nine Dragons Dantian, not only amplifying his power manifold but also skyrocketing his realm!"

The crowd erupted once again, their cries shaking Conclave Mountain to its very core.

"A Dao Seed Talent? And it's at the Planet grade again?"

"The Nine Dragons Dantian!!"

Faces turned crimson with excitement, breaths caught in a thousand throats, hanging onto every word.

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!" Ye Tiance bellowed, laughing heartily with tears of pride welling in his eyes, his face a beacon of radiant joy. "I told you all, Guying's Dantian is his most terrifying talent on the path of immortality! Compared to Sword Soul talent, Dao Seed Talent is the true mark of a genius!"

Elder Fan couldn't hold back a grin, clapping appreciatively and taking another step towards Ye Tiance. "Indeed, I have said before that Ye Guying is truly one of a kind, which is why I sent him to the Sea of Swords. His hard work has paid off, awakening the true bloodline of his Dantian."

The crowd was now utterly spellbound, hanging on their every word, minds buzzing and throats choked with emotion, unable to utter a single word. Even Yun Xiao looked a bit stunned.

"Blue Star, what's going on?" he whispered, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"You've struck gold," Blue Star replied succinctly.

"How so?" Yun Xiao asked, still not quite grasping the gravity of the situation.

"He's absorbed far more from the Rain of Creation than I imagined! After pushing himself to the limits, he's managed to tap into his full potential!" Blue Star remarked, brimming with anticipation. Essentially a Dao Seed Talent was a Seed of Creation!

Yun Xiao hadn't anticipated that cultivators had even managed to categorize the Seed of Creation into different grades. Previously, Ye Guying harbored a Seed of Creation of the Comet grade. But now, it skipped the Moon grade and directly evolved to Planet grade!

The unsealing of his Dantian talent allowed him to inherit the Rank 10 Azure Kite, triggering a progression even in his Sword Soul. Evolution of the Sword Soul was a considerably rare phenomenon. For most, the rank of their Sword Soul remained stagnant throughout their lifetime.

"Is the Nine Dragons Dantian considered powerful?" Yun Xiao furrowed his brows, an air of skepticism enveloping him.

"In the mortal realm, this is already an exceptional Seed of Creation. If you kill him and take the essence, your Primordial Void Technique can split into nine separate Primordial Voids!" Blue Star declared, his voice tinged with a ruthless undertone.

"So, we're striking it rich, huh?" Yun Xiao asked, almost speechless.

"No shit!"

"But he has become mightier, and his momentum is escalating," Yun Xiao noted, sensing his own influence waning rapidly, being suppressed by the surging tide of awe and reverence directed towards the First Sword Peak, which was reclaiming its prominence as the paramount force in the Azure Spirit Sword.

"People are once again regarding the First Sword Peak with reverence!"

"What a load of crap!" Blue Star scoffed disdainfully.

"Creator, if we devour him, it would save us a lot of effort!" Red Moon chimed in, gritting its teeth with an intense fervor.

"I guess so!" Yun Xiao nodded in agreement.

"You consume the Dantian, and I get the... milk! You're not hogging it all this time!" Red Moon declared fiercely, its eyes glaring ominously.

"Ye Guying is a man, you know!" Yun Xiao exclaimed, covering his face with his hand in exasperation. Nevertheless, he had seen the bigger picture. His gaze intensified. The stronger Ye Guying became, the greater the harvest they would reap.

"Ziyan, what's the third thing you have to announce?" Elder Fan inquired with a smile, although his voice quavered slightly.

All chatter ceased once again, every person holding their breath in suspense. The first two revelations had been earth-shattering; the third was bound to be monumental.

Ye Ziyan reveled in the undivided attention from the crowd. Although the awe wasn't directed at her, the exhilaration was palpable. She grinned at Elder Fan.

Elder Fan gasped slightly, urging, "Please, go on."

Ye Ziyan offered a playful smile, sweeping her gaze over the crowd before dramatically drawing out her announcement, "The Forbidden Tower opened its celestial gate for Swordking Ye on the spot! From now on, he is a member of the Forbidden Tower!"

The atmosphere around Conclave Mountain resonated with a deep humming, reverberating thrice.

"The Forbidden Tower! The celestial gate has opened!!!"

Many were left dumbstruck, their voices caught in their throats, unable to articulate their astonishment.

The Forbidden Tower! Upon hearing this, the faces of the individuals from Sword Pavilion turned ashen, a chilling realization setting in.

Ye Tiance and Yao Manxue froze, unable to believe what echoed in their ears.

"Ziyan, the Forbidden Tower?" Ye Tiance's voice trembled as he asked.

"Yes! The Forbidden Tower!" Ye Ziyan emphasized, pausing between the words.

"The Forbidden Tower?!" Yao Manxue shrieked, her lips quivering. "If he only trains there for ten days, he'd surpass the prime Zhao Jianxing, right?"

"Yes!!" Ye Tiance took a deep breath before erupting into wild laughter.

"Ha ha ha!"

Many Sword Cultivators from the First, Third, and Sixth Peaks joined in the hearty laughter. Elder Fan found himself enveloped in an awkward atmosphere, but he chimed in with laughter nonetheless.

"Well done, well done! Truly worthy of being the disciple I introduced to the Sea of Swords! Exceptional indeed! The glory of Azure Spirit for generations to come belongs to Ye Guying!" Elder Fan raised his voice, making sure everyone heard his proclamation.

At this moment, the momentum of the Sword Pavilion plummeted, leaving Ye Tiance and the first peak basking in their renewed glory.

In the crowd, Yu Xuanzhou's face changed drastically. He hurriedly moved towards Ye Tiance, joining in the laughter. "Swordking Ye is truly a dragon among men!"

"Nonsense! Anyone who can stir up the Sea of Swords and enter the Forbidden Tower for cultivation is no ordinary figure!" The Seventh Sword Venerable, Zhang Jian, chuckled.

"Some people must be scared to death now," Yu Xuanzhou sneered, glancing at Yun Xiao. "As the saying goes, it's still uncertain who will have the last laugh, only the one who laughs last enjoys the best laugh!"

Yun Xiao watched the performance of this stout and wide-waisted elder with calmness. The speed of this man's change of face vividly illustrated the true nature of reality. Utterly ruthless!

Ye Ziyan's three sentences had unleashed an undercurrent, stirring violently in everyone's hearts. Images of the black-haired, white-browed young Sword Cultivator surged in people's minds—Ye Guying, cold and decisive!

"Swordking Ye is terrifying indeed..." Yu Xuanzhou gave a thumbs up, "I suggest we appoint Swordking Ye as the Sect Master! This position would give him more face in the Forbidden Tower!"

The current Sect Master of Azure Spirit was still around, but no one countered Yu Xuanzhou's disgraceful suggestion for the moment. Three announcements had suppressed the grand momentum. An eerie silence enveloped the entire place.

"Elder Fan!" Ye Tiance stepped forward, slinging an arm around Elder Fan's shoulder, grinning, "Didn't you say I couldn't speak before Yun Xiao's Sword Soul was assessed?"

"It was just a joke! We are brothers, don't take it to heart," Elder Fan responded with a sheepish smile.

"Oh really?" Ye Tiance laughed before suddenly slapping Elder Fan on the head, "Look at my memory, Elder Fan still has to assess the Sword Pavilion genius's Sword Soul! How could I have delayed it? If this angers the genius, I really fear he might kill me with a single sword strike, ha ha!"

For a moment, many people laughed, releasing the tension that had built up, as they found relief in the jovial banter. So, the laughter now grew even more unrestrained, spreading across faces like wildfire on a prairie.

"Come now, Elder Fan, why not have him tested? Maybe he'll even shatter the Rank Four Sword Inheritance Stone? That would signify a Sword Soul that surpasses the Planet level! He might even outshine Ye Guying, don't you think?" Ye Tiance said, his laughter bubbling through his words, echoing grandly across the Sword Pavilion.

A collective hum of anticipation rippled through the crowd, all eyes turning as one to Yun Xiao, who stood amidst them, a beacon of calm in a sea of bubbling excitement. After all, Blue Star had said he hit the jackpot, which supposedly meant a shortcut in his cultivation journey. So what was there to fret about?

"Yun Xiao, show them!" Grandpa Qin's voice crackled with rekindled rage, ringing out clearly amidst the clamor.

"Show them!" echoed the crowd, their spirits alight with fiery curiosity and barely contained resentment.

"Compare with Ye Guying!" Cai Maomao bellow, fueling the growing fire of expectation.

"Compare with what now? What makes him think he's even in the same league as Senior Brother Ye?" A quivering feminine voice suddenly pierced through the commotion, drawing everyone's attention to Jiang Yue, whose face radiated admiration and longing for the individual bearing the surname Ye.

For a brief moment, time seemed to freeze, all eyes once again turning to Yun Xiao. To test, or not to test? Through it all, Yun Xiao's demeanor hadn't faltered. His grip on the Heaven Burial Sword Soul tightened.

"I just want to find out, what kind of Sword Inheritance Stone can withstand your sharpness?" He drew his sword! But at that very moment, the unforeseen occurred. With a swift, sweeping motion, Elder Fan struck.

WHOOSH! Like a leaf caught in a wild gust, Yun Xiao was swept off the Sword Inheritance Stone.

In a blink, Elder Fan occupied the spot where Yun Xiao had stood moments before, hurriedly stowing the massive Rank Four Sword Inheritance Stone into a Pouch of Holding.

An awkward hush descended upon the gathering, a stark contrast to the heated frenzy moments before. Even the usually vocal birds seemed to have lost their voices.

Yun Xiao looked up, a wordless expression painting his features. What in the world?

With a wave of impatience, Elder Fan addressed the crowd, "Everyone, I must inform you that the Sword Inheritance Stone was merely a borrowed item. Unfortunately, the borrowing period has expired, and it's not suitable to use it any longer."

The crowd offered no response, a palpable hush hanging heavily in the air.

Thud! Without further ado, Elder Fan returned to Ye Tiance's side, whispering conspiratorially, "As long as Yun XIao remains untested, there's no certainty. No one can confirm whether the Rank Two Sword Inheritance Stone shattering was its own fault, right?"

"Absolutely! It must have been due to the deteriorating condition of our Azure Spirit's Sword Inheritance Stone over the years!" Ye Tiance replied, a hearty chuckle escaping him.

"Given that, I hope you can put in a good word for me with Ye Guying about... the earlier incidents," Elder Fan said, a trace of worry lining his face.

"Rest easy, Elder Fan. As far as I'm concerned, nothing happened just now!" Ye Tiance reassured, his laughter a booming echo that cut through the lingering tension.

"Hahaha!" Finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, Elder Fan joined in the laughter.

And so, Yun Xiao's second attempt at evaluating his Sword Soul came to an abrupt end. He was speechless. Utterly speechless.

"If anyone dares to ask me to test a Sword Soul again, I swear I'll shove it right down their throat!" Yun Xiao fumed, a promise echoed in the swirling energies around him.

While Ye Guying became the sensation of the Sea of Swords, not a shred of anger emanated from him.

But Elder Fan withdrawing the Sword Inheritance Stone to prevent Yun Xiao from gaining fame... now that ticked him off. It left a bitter taste in his mouth, a sense of being played like a fool. Yun Xiao gritted his teeth, his glare sweeping across the assembly like a blade seeking vengeance.

"Just you wait!" At that moment, the Conclave concluded. Yun Xiao and the Sword Pavilion had acquired the results they desired. Yet, a greater shadow began to loom ominously over them.

It was clear to all. Once Ye Guying returned from his cultivation retreat in the Forbidden Tower, a thorough cleansing of the Azure Spirit would surely ensue. The Sword Pavilion, the Second Sword Peak... their fate seemed almost predictable.

Elder Fan didn't even dare to let Yun Xiao undertake the Sword Soul test. Who then would dare to defy the one hailed as the Swordking of the Forbidden Tower in the Sea of Swords?

"The Sword Pavilion, victorious today and yesterday, yet doomed for the future."

"How many days can they keep hold of the reclaimed Azure Spirit Cauldron?"

"When Ye Guying returns, not even the Eight Swords Conclave will remain for the Azure Spirit Sword Sect..."

"The seven prodigies of the Sword Pavilion... amount to nothing!"

Sighs and expressions of regret filled the air. A generation brimming with geniuses, yet only the strongest could truly make everyone kneel. At this juncture, many could only shake their heads in pity as they looked at Yun Xiao.

"Why have Xiao, if you have Guying?"

"Yun Xiao, born in an unfortunate time..."

Amidst the lamentations of the crowd, a commanding and icy female voice cut through.

"Are you Yun Xiao?"

All eyes turned to the speaker—Ye Ziyan. Yun Xiao was tall, but this Ye Ziyan stood nearly eye-to-eye with him.

"What do you want?" Yun Xiao questioned, his gaze meeting hers without falter.

Ye Ziyan flung a piece of paper towards him, stating, "Ye Guying sent you a message."

Catching it deftly, Yun Xiao unfolded it to reveal just two words.

"Cloud Nation!" The message, as cryptic as it was, held a gravity that seemed to pull all the surrounding noise and unrest into a silent vortex, leaving a tension that buzzed like a plucked string, resonating with unanswered questions and foreboding intrigue.

Yun Xiao's pupils contracted sharply. Ye Guying! He must have surmised a connection between him and the emperor of the mundane world in Cloud Nation, judging from Yun Xiao's name and his actions towards Jiang Yue.

"Why did he leave these two characters?" Blue Star wondered aloud, confusion knitting his brows.

"It's a warning. He's cautioning me not to abandon the Azure Spirit Sword Sect, lest he forces the common folk of Cloud Nation to accompany me in death," Yun Xiao stated, a simmering fury building within him as he crumpled the note. "However, he's assuming too much!"

Yun Xiao harbored no plans of fleeing. Instead, he awaited the moment Ye Guying would perfect his transcendent techniques and return, only to meet his demise.

A delicate laugh pierced the heavy atmosphere as Ye Ziyan suddenly spoke, "Zhao Xuanran, there is a message for you as well." She playfully tossed over another note, her voice taking on a teasing lilt. "Your wedding from three years ago was interrupted by a sudden misfortune. Yet, the Swordking hasn't forgotten you. What kind of virtues did you accumulate in your past life to have such a man completely smitten over you?"

The mention of the wedding caught Yun Xiao off guard, his attention pivoting sharply towards Zhao Xuanran. She caught the flimsy paper, her eyes harboring nothing but murderous intent. Stretching his neck, Yun Xiao peeked at the note in her hands.

It read, "My dear Xuanran, I will return in ten days, perfected. I hope to share a drink of Daughter's Red wine with you under the osmanthus tree."

Daughter's Red? Yun Xiao's gaze sought Zhao Xuanran, finding her momentarily stunned before she subconsciously met his eyes. A beat of silence followed, the air thick with unspoken words before Zhao Xuanran turned her head away.

"Cough, cough." Yun Xiao murmured under his breath, a playful twinkle in his eyes, "By the time you, Ye Guying, return, Senior Sister Zhao's wine jug would've grown mold."

Wouldn't Ye Guying spit blood on the spot if he returned only to find out about all these developments? This scenario promised to be more exhilarating than Jiang Yue's Sword Soul testing—it was downright hilarious!

"I'd have drunk myself under the table by then, and you're still holding onto hope?" Zhao Xuanran snorted, her words tinged with a bitterness that held a trace of mirth.

JL's Thoughts