Yi Xiao was in another room, sitting cross-legged on a mat as she waited for Qin Yun to exit seclusion.
Suddenly, she heard a dull sound. It was the sound of a stone door being opened.
“He’s out?” Yi Xiao got up immediately and headed out.
The moment she entered the hall, she saw Qin Yun.
“You came out of seclusion after only a day?” Yi Xiao was somewhat astonished.
“Everything went very smoothly,” said Qin Yun with a smile. “I thought my Intrinsic Flying Sword would take a few days, but to my surprise, it broke through to the third-grade within a day.”
“A third-grade Intrinsic Flying Sword is said to match a first-grade flying sword when used,” Yi Xiao exclaimed in delight. “Furthermore, it uses a lot less Dharmic powers. My Divine Firmament Chapter only has a few heritages that focus on cultivating an intrinsic talisman amulet. Even my intrinsic talisman amulet is only at the sixth-grade at the moment!”
A talisman amulet was similar to a Dharma treasure.
It was very rare to cultivate an intrinsic Dharma treasure or talisman amulet. For instance, the Godfiend and Physical Establishing Sage lineages did not have intrinsic Dharma treasures.
“Xiaoxiao, now that we are still trapped here, there isn’t any suitable treasures needed to nurture an intrinsic talisman amulet,” said Qin Yun. “Your intrinsic talisman amulet can still be enhanced in the future.”
“Yea, that’s right.”
Qin Yun took out a Fire Cloud Calabash from the Cosmic Bag hanging by his waist and handed it to Yi Xiao. “Xiaoxiao, take this Golden Core Outer Pill. I kept offering it to you but you always refused it.”
“You aren’t going to use it?” asked Yi Xiao.
“Yea, my Sword Immortal Dharmic Powers is only slightly weaker than the Golden Core Outer core’s Dharmic powers. But when used to control my flying swords, the strength is in no way inferior to the Golden Core Outer core,” said Qin Yun. “My body and soul has long been nurtured to the level of the Connate Golden Core stage. This Golden Core Outer Pill has no more use for me.”
Yi Xiao smiled. “Alright, I won’t decline it then.”
Previously, Qin Yun had offered it to Yi Xiao but she refused to accept it! Qin Yun had previously consumed a Golden Core Outer Pill and had long depleted it. Yi Xiao was afraid that there would be danger when cracking the array formation, so she made Qin Yun keep it.
“Let’s go. Let’s see if I can crack the array,” said Qin Yun.
“With Brother Yun’s most powerful flying sword art, perhaps you can forcibly crack the array formation with overwhelming strength.” Yi Xiao looked forward to it as well. She knew very well that Qin Yun had improved tremendously over the past two years.
The two quickly came to the deep depths of the stone-walled passage. In front of them was the array formation’s streaming light.
“Swoosh.”
Qin Yun extended his hand. A three-inch flying sword floated above his palm. It looked blurry like a mist and when powered by his Dharmic powers, it had extraordinarily terrifying might.
Even Yi Xiao felt the pressure while standing beside him. She commented, “Brother Yun, this Intrinsic Flying Sword seems to be a lot stronger than it was in the past.”
“The same move is about fifty percent stronger.” Qin Yun stared at the array formation in front of him. “With my Dharmic powers and Intrinsic Flying Sword’s breakthrough, as well as my newly created flying sword art… Let’s see if I can crack it.”
“You will definitely be able to do so.” Yi Xiao felt a sense of anticipation.
Qin Yun held his breath and focused.
At present, Qin Yun’s Misty Rain Sword Art had three ultimate moves. One was Bright Moon Over River that he had from early on. Over time, it naturally became more perfected. The next move was an ultimate move known as Dual Flight, choreographed by two flying swords. The third move was very unique. It was named Samsara by Qin Yun. It stemmed from his eagerness to enter the array formation to seek Yi Xiao. The emotions of him risking everything and the wish to never abandon her in life or death had been heartfelt for more than a year before it was infused into a flying sword art.
It stemmed from the fervent feeling of being willing to abandon his own life. It made Qin Yun gradually create this flying sword art, that was different in every way!
First…
The two ultimate moves, Bright Moon Over River and Dual Flight could be cast instantly and it drained an ordinary amount of power.
But for Samsara, it was even more demanding on one’s state of mind! He had to embrace his emotions, making him fall into the state of frenzy and passion, the state of him willing to abandon everything because of Yi Xiao! Only under such a state of mind could he produce that strike! If there came a day when Qin Yun no longer believed in love or for other reasons, be incapable of entering such a state of mind, he would not be able to cast such a move again.
This move was somewhat crazy, with the idea of consuming his life to make a desperate bet. When cast, it was extremely draining to his soul and mind.
After casting it once, he would feel mental fatigue.
After casting it twice, he would immediately collapse and feel like sleeping.
If he were to cast it thrice… Qin Yun had a feeling that the outcome would be very serious. It might even harm the foundations of his very soul.
“Break!”
Qin Yun’s eyes were filled with frenzy as he seemed to risk everything. The state of mind he had allowed him to inject large amounts of Dharmic powers into his Intrinsic Flying Sword. With a hum, Qin Yun suddenly felt a special but odd feeling. Just as the Intrinsic Flying Sword’s might blasted out, it also caused the surrounding Heaven and Earth powers to resonate. The resonance felt marvelous.
It resembled the dropping of a stone into a lake which caused concentric ripples. It was just like an echo that resulted from a roar in a mountain valley.
When the Intrinsic Flying Sword’s might reached a certain threshold, it would naturally cause the surrounding Heaven and Earth powers to resonate.
With a mere thought from Qin Yun, a total of twenty-one beams of Sword Qi condensed around the Intrinsic Flying Sword.
“Sword Flash Dissociation?” Yi Xiao was astonished.
The legendary Sword Flash Dissociation was not like the Misty Rain Sword Art’s Spring Rain, which sacrificed the main flying sword’s might to dissociate into other sword flashes. Instead, it was because it was too powerful that it influenced the surroundings by nature. It guided the Heaven and Earth powers to condense sword flashes that followed right in its wake! Its original strength was not reduced in any way.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
As the Intrinsic Flying Sword flew out, twenty-one sword beams followed closely behind.
Thunder rumbled as the Intrinsic Flying Sword, in a dazzling sword beam, struck the swirling array formation. And immediately following that, the twenty-one sword beams struck the same spot. The extremely stable array formation finally trembled and distorted.
“Just a little short.” Qin Yun clenched his teeth. “Crack!”
The Intrinsic Flying Sword flashed and returned for another mighty smite.
The same moment it struck the array formation, the twenty-one sword beams that condensed out of the void bombarded consecutively. The distortions in the array formation turned more obvious, and there were even signs of it cracking.
“Huff. Huff.” Qin Yun stopped with his face pale. His soul felt extreme exhaustion.
“Just a little short. What a pity. It was just short of that tiny bit.” Qin Yun was unwilling to give up but his mind buzzed with dizziness.
Yi Xiao consoled him. “Brother Yun, your flying sword art can already achieve Sword Flash Dissociation. It’s very impressive. Furthermore, it won’t take long before this array is broken. Brother Yun, as long as your strength increases a little more, it will probably shatter.”
“My Dharmic powers and Intrinsic Flying Sword cannot be raised again. My flying sword art… Samsara is considered a desperate attack of mine. Just two strikes and I won’t be able to continue.” Qin Yun felt his mind clear up a little. However, his face remained pale. He said while shaking his head, “There’s no chance of me raising my strength anytime soon. I really can’t accept it. I was just a little short.”
“If it’s made know that you have attained Sword Flash Dissociation, it will shock the whole world,” consoled Yi Xiao.
“Yea,” Qin Yun nodded and said with a smile. “I never expected that an attack at full force would result in Sword Flash Dissociation. The sword beams that dissociated aren’t weak at all. From what I know, figures who have attained the Sword Flash Dissociation can produce Sword Flash Dissociation with a nonchalant strike. This move of mine has now skimmed that stage but unfortunately, I can only do it twice.”
…
Qin Yun rested for a few days before he attempted to leave directly from the dark passageway they had originally taken. He realized that leaving directly was even harder! The vast white array’s suction force was too powerful and with Qin Yun’s present strength, he was still unable to escape it.
When his flying sword art skimmed the legendary realm of Sword Flash Dissociation, Qin Yun and Yi Xiao were rather happy. However, Qin Yun continued feeling a little resentful that he was unable to crack the array. All he could do was continue enduring it.
******
Grand Dominance, Qin Manor. It was the festive season of the new year once again.
“It’s the new year! It’s the new year!”
Shubing and Shuyan were releasing fireworks. Qin An and his wife were watching by the side. In her arms, she was carrying a baby.
“It’s the new year and the two of them are now eight.” Sitting not far away, Qin Liehu and Changlan were watching. Qin Liehu said with a sigh. “I remember back when Yun’er was eight. Our Qin family suffered from unfortunate circumstances and moved to Grand Dominance City. Yun’er also began practicing the way of the sword diligently.”
“Yea, back when we left the village for Grand Dominance, Yun’er could be considered insane when it came to his practicing of his swordplay. Furthermore, he was very perceptive.” Changlan said helplessly. “As for Shuyan and Shubing, they are far inferior. Not only are they not perceptive, their diligence is nowhere comparable to Yun’er and company when they were in the village, much less back when Yun’er came to Grand Dominance.”
“They have been spoiled. All I can do is force them to practice their swordplay for two hours a day.” Qin Liehu shook his head as he looked at the rising fireworks with the night sky as their backdrop. “Today’s the eve. I wonder how Yun’er is and when he will return.”
“It’s been more than two years.” Changlan looked into the night sky and felt pangs of worry.
It had been more than two years.
There were many rumors in the Jiang Prefecture’s cultivation world. Some even spread rumors that Qin Yun had died inside the immortal abode after he entered it to seek treasure! Of course, Hong Lingtong and company knew that Qin Yun was still alive because his transmission mark had not dissipated yet! However, the rumors spread by ordinary cultivators only became more ridiculous.”
“Yun’er hasn’t returned all this while. The cultivators that pledged allegiance have turned disorderly,” said Qin Liehu. “Thankfully, there was Young Master Hong to strike fear in them.”
“But there were three that left,” said Changlan.
“Let them leave if they want to. It’s pointless forcing them to stay,” said Qin Liehu. “However, that guy named Wu Jun was truly shameless. In his greed, he snuck away with the array formation treasures of our Qin Manor. Young Master Hong has managed to learn that Wu Jun has supposedly escaped out of Jiang Prefecture.”
“Hmph.” Changlan was also incensed. “Thanks to Young Master Hong, he helped us reestablish our Qin Manor’s array formations. It wouldn’t be that simple for those mercenaries to steal the array formation treasures.”
“These matters are trivial. What I’m most worried is Yun’er. It has been more than two years but there’s no news from him at all,” said Qin Liehu with a sigh.
Changlan fell silent as well.
…
In a blink of an eye, Qin Yun and Yi Xiao spent three years in the immortal abode.
“Swoosh.”
Qin Yun stood afar and waved his hand.
A flower more than hundred feet away was silently cleaved apart. Even one’s psyche could not sense any Sword Qi. As for Qin Yun and Yi Xiao, both of them revealed looks of delight.
“Brother Yun, you mastered it. The Formless sword intent. you have finally mastered it,” said an excited Yi Xiao.
“Out of the seven sword intents, this Formless sword intent took me the longest. I have finally mastered it.” Qin Yun felt excited as well. All his blood was coursing through his veins in excitement. The second obstacle out of the three stone chambers had stumped him for three years. “Let’s go. Let’s crack the second stone chamber and see what obstacles it has in store.”