Ye Chen refined eighteen tombstones at once, the surging sword qi shuttled between his flesh, meridians, and bones!
The injuries that hadn't yet recovered erupted into indescribable pain under such stimulation.
Ye Chen gritted his teeth!
Pain, what's the big deal?
As long as it doesn't kill you.
If he couldn't endure the pain, he might be beaten to death in three days.
Ye Chen operated his cultivation technique to refine the sword qi, his breathing was extremely heavy, looking at the celestial demon residual souls floating around, he roared and lunged forward.
Slaughter sword intent, bloom!
Thirteen Death Swords, executed!
Every move, without any delay, all were the most direct and effective attacks!
After a moment.
Ye Chen extinguished four celestial demon residual souls equivalent to a Martial Artist of Gathering Yuan Realm Tenth Layer.
He looked at Luo Qingyi and shouted: "Elder Qingyi, are there any stronger ones?!"
With cultivation at the peak of the Sea of Qi, Hua Qianxue had the confidence to say all below Primordial Embryo could be killed, this was the real reverse slaughter of high steps.
Killing those of higher small realms than one's own cultivation was truly not worth being proud of, it was necessary to challenge stronger ones.
Luo Qingyi snorted coldly: "Settle these small roles first, then we'll talk, there are even tougher ones waiting for you later."
Ye Chen hmm-ed, once more immersing himself in the slaughter intent of the Thirteen Death Swords.
After half an hour.
The celestial demon residual souls floating around were entirely resolved by Ye Chen.
The sword qi transformed from eighteen tombstones was finally refined too, Ye Chen's skin cracked in many places again, with blood staining all over his body, looking miserable, yet his eyes were bright, fighting spirit high.
"Broke through?" Luo Qingyi asked.
Ye Chen grinned and said: "Hmm, Ninth Layer of Gathering Yuan Realm, Elder Qingyi, I found a very pure energy constantly emerging from within my body, when I refined tombstones, this energy combined with the tombstones' sword qi, rapidly increasing the conversion speed to sword essence."
Luo Qingyi didn't think much, and said: "That old geezer Yang Tianji depleted the energy from a spirit seal to heal you, some leftover energy remains in your body, and with you operating the first layer of Nine Heavens Sword Manual, these remnant energies are refined by you, so this is a normal phenomenon."
"I see." Ye Chen said: "Elder Qingyi, even you said before that Elder Yang's path is very unique, what's it all about?"
In Ye Chen's impression, Luo Qingyi was overwhelmingly powerful.
What Luo Qingyi said was special, Ye Chen thought, must be particularly remarkable.
"How much do you know about Spirit Masters?" Luo Qingyi asked.
Ye Chen said, "Spirit Masters, use spiritual power to condense spirit seals, then continually use spiritual power to nurture the spirit seals, making the spirit seals stronger, Spirit Masters can also craft symbols, set arrays, and forge powerful weapons."
Luo Qingyi said, "Since they're using spiritual power to enhance spirit seals, yet can help heal your physical injuries, don't you find it odd?"
Ye Chen widened his eyes.
Indeed it's quite strange when you put it that way!
Luo Qingyi didn't expect Ye Chen to guess anything, directly said: "Yang Tianji's spirit seals, besides being nurtured with spiritual power, also use Qi Blood for nurturing, hence he practices Ling Wu dual cultivation, understand?"
Ye Chen said: "Understood, a Martial Artist and also a Spirit Master."
"By the look on your face, you haven't understood at all." Luo Qingyi snorted and said: "What you understand as Ling Wu dual cultivation is just the most ordinary kind, what I mean is, Yang Tianji has completely integrated the path of Martial Artists with the path of Spirit Masters, using a more comprehensible term, it's called Ling Wu integration!
Thousands of years ago, I followed the Nine Heavens Sword God, walking between heaven and earth, met countless amazingly talented geniuses, at the time someone proposed this idea, and the Nine Heavens Sword God greatly admired it.
However, creating this unique path is extraordinarily difficult, I remember when the Sword God suppressed celestial demons, those few geniuses who proposed Ling Wu integration had long tortured themselves to death over Ling Wu integration.
Unexpectedly, this path was eventually pioneered, hence I let you learn Yang Tianji's skills."
Ye Chen finally understood this time, showing a look of yearning and longing, he said: "Anyway, it means Elder Yang is very strong, if I learn his skills, I will become strong too!"
Luo Qingyi nodded, not wishing to continue explaining, feeling tired.
"In your current situation, you're nearly at your limit, leave for now, I still need to go deal with some matters on the upper layers of the Sword Tomb, some guys are starting to jump around, if I don't teach them a lesson, they'll really think I, Luo Qingyi, am easy to bully!"
"Elder Qingyi, besides celestial demon residual souls, are there others on the upper layers?" Ye Chen captured the key information in Luo Qingyi's words.
Luo Qingyi smiled: "Exactly, the Sword Tomb was formed from everything the Nine Heavens Sword God sacrificed, what it suppresses cannot be limited to mere celestial demon residual souls, as you go higher, the challenges awaiting are more exciting, if you're not strong enough, even if you own the Sword Tomb, you'll only be beaten."
......
Ye Chen returned to Hua Qianxue's side.
Sitting by the bonfire, Hua Qianxue, who was cultivating with eyes closed, opened her eyes and stared at Ye Chen.
This guy, just went for a bowel movement, took half an hour.
went to resolve a bowel movement, took a circle, with many fresh blood stains not yet coagulated on his clothes, and also reached Ninth Layer of Gathering Yuan Realm...
What exactly did he do?
Forget it, not caring to ask.
"Seems like you've discovered the power teacher left within you." Hua Qianxue said: "With the teacher's strength in your body, you can have an extremely rapid improvement speed in a short period, cherish this chance well, of course, if you don't cherish it, and get beaten to death before reaching Unrivaled County, it's on you."
Ye Chen sat by the bonfire, didn't say anything, silently operated his cultivation technique.
Earlier, he thought the continuous flow of warm energy in his body was because of his unique physique, now it seems he overthought.
Unknowingly, it approached midnight.
Ye Chen finished cultivating and took out the letter from his chest.
"Why did Father leave a letter in the treasure vault?"
Ye Chen silently asked himself, then opened the letter.
'Chen'Er, by the time you read this letter, I should have already left Qingyun City.
I promised your mother that I would look for her after you turned eighteen.
If everything goes smoothly, I will bring her back soon, and our family of three will be reunited.
Chen'Er, don't blame your mother, she loves you more than anyone else in this world. She had her reasons for not being able to take care of you as you grew up. What she sacrificed for your sake is incomparable to anyone else.
If I never return... when you become strong, go to the Heaven Burial Sea to find someone called the Battling Monk, he will tell you everything.'
The content of the letter was very short.
Ye Chen could tell it was indeed his father's handwriting.
"Mother..."
The words softly escaped Ye Chen's lips, a bit awkward and unfamiliar.
Since he was young, he envied others who had their mothers to care for them, but he did not.
For this, he cried countless times.
He repeatedly asked his father about his mother, but never got any answers.
Now, from this letter, he learned a little.
Father had planned to find Mother to reunite the family of three, but... Father has already died.
Even if Mother returns, the family of three can no longer be together.
All of this was caused by that old dog Gu Yue!
In Ye Chen's mind, the image of Gu Yue appeared again.
Disheveled hair, bulging eyes, sharp fangs, a hideous face, and a body covered in bristly hair!
Thinking of this, Ye Chen silently stood up and walked to the side to practice his sword!
Hua Qianxue quietly watched Ye Chen from afar, murmuring to herself, "Acting recklessly below the Peak of the Sea of Qi... Am I putting too much pressure on him?"
The next day.
Despite not resting the whole night, Ye Chen showed no sign of fatigue, and Hua Qianxue did not urge him to continue the journey.
On the road, Ye Chen wouldn't be able to cultivate.
If he can't cultivate, he might really be killed by those guys coming from all over... Hua Qianxue didn't know how she would explain to her teacher.
So, they might as well stay here for a few days and let Ye Chen train well.
......
In the mountain forest, on a small path.
A group of people gathered, standing in threes and twos.
Mostly, it was an elder bringing one or two young ones.
One elderly woman with a sinister look said, "Everyone's goal is the same, to secure a good opportunity for the younger generation of our clans.
But Ye Chen's head is only one, and there are so many of us, it's impossible to share.
Therefore, we must have a solution; otherwise, we might end up fighting among ourselves instead of getting Ye Chen's head."
"I have a suggestion, let's draw lots to decide the order in which each family acts. After taking Ye Chen's head, the younger ones from our families compete against each other. To be fair, whoever takes Ye Chen's head gets a bye for three rounds in the duel, how about that?"
"I have no objection."
"Then it's settled."
"Alright, since we agreed, anyone who dares to go back on their word will bear the consequences!"
Soon, the group that came for Ye Chen's head settled on a simple plan.
......
It had been two and a half days since the three days Hua Qianxue mentioned.
During this time, Ye Chen entered the Sword Tomb twice more, refining over sixty stele and, combined with the constant flow of energy from within him, his cultivation advanced to the Gathering Yuan Realm Tenth Layer!
Returning from the Sword Tomb, Ye Chen went back to Hua Qianxue's side.
Hua Qianxue's eyebrows twitched slightly.
Good kid... this time to resolve some urgent matters, he took more than two hours, and then reached the Gathering Yuan Realm Tenth Layer!
"Even with the residual energy of my teacher's spirit imprint in him, it shouldn't be this fast?" Hua Qianxue muttered to herself, curious about the secrets Ye Chen might be hiding, but every time Ye Chen left, he gave the excuse of dealing with urgent matters, which Hua Qianxue couldn't bring herself to secretly follow.
If she really saw... the scene might be too beautiful, and Hua Qianxue dared not imagine.
"It's only half a day left, are you prepared?" Hua Qianxue asked softly.
Ye Chen replied, "Not prepared."
Hua Qianxue's indifferent expression immediately showed a hint of anger, "Not prepared, do you really think I will help you?"
Ye Chen nonchalantly said, "You wouldn't understand even if I told you, I'm going to practice my sword."
What preparation is needed?
Because he was always ready to fight to the death at any moment.