Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao
Chapter 338 - 203: Coming Out of the Mountain

Chapter 338: Chapter 203: Coming Out of the Mountain

Thunder Flame Breaking Path Mountain.

Endless thunder, flickering beneath a pitch-silver longsword.

Can thunder be controlled?

Thunder cannot be controlled, and yet it submits beneath this spiritual longsword.

The sword remains sheathed.

Sword Intent already fills the void.

In the void, Sword Intent soars through the thunder, then transcends. Transcending the thunder, it radiates a renewed, sharp resolve.

This is a Secret Land, where the finest refining materials and medicinal herbs can be found. As he was about to leave, Zhou Yan chose to temporarily stay here to refine artifacts.

Previously, each time Zhou Yan refined, he had not put forth his full effort, but this time, he exerted all his strength.

He wished to reforge the Broken Worry Sword and craft a brand-new set of Green Lotus Armor.

Enhancing his strength was important, but in condensing the next Sword Soul, he needed everything prepared to the utmost.

At this moment, his Sword Intent commanded the heaven-reaching thunder, within which resided his own Sword Intent.

Now, his once-again youthful black hair, as smooth as satin, danced in the wind. Standing in the void, he appeared as an immortal summit, unsurpassable by anyone.

He was like the Lord of Thunder, his demeanor that of profound depth and loftiness, scornfully overlooking the world, merging with the great thunder.

His hands continuously formed seals, and ancient runes manifested beside him, revealing the terrible aura of the Dao.

Far away, Bai Ying looked on, almost frozen in awe.

Close by, Wan Zichen seemed bewildered, as if seeing Zhou Yan anew; her heart violently trembled, and she felt as if Zhou Yan’s presence was suffocating her very heart.

She murmured to herself, "Is this...is this the Emperor Qi Sword Body? In the Southern Wilderness, there was once an Emperor Qi Sword Body; though highly renowned and brilliantly talented, he perished unluckily due to his soul shattering during the Sword Soul condensation.

But even that one, who successfully condensed his Sword Soul, had... nowhere near one ten-thousandth of his character and boldness..."

Wan Zichen’s heart was deeply captivated by Zhou Yan’s figure, so much so that she forgot the magnificent and thrilling artifact refining process.

"Condense!"

Zhou Yan shouted, and the nascent form of the new Broken Worry Sword was drawn forth.

Then, he briefly ceased the condensation process and began to melt the Green Lotus Armor.

Zhou Yan had only a sliver of Green Lotus material left but possessed many top-tier materials from the White Fox Secret Land inheritance.

For instance, Heaven and Earth Gold Metal, Time Flowing Sand, Sea Smoke Dust and so on—these were also supreme refining materials.

With these combined, crafting a middle-grade Soul Device was not difficult.

The thunder of this realm, fiercer than in the external world, could indeed be manipulated by Zhou Yan.

Thus, refining here meant that the grade of the Soul Devices could be substantially increased.

Within Zhou Yan’s seals and the Thunder Fire Purple Flame, the form of the Combat Armor emerged.

This time, Zhou Yan included some transformations of space from the Void Ancient Scripture into the Combat Armor to better incorporate its ability to change.

Then, he more deeply engraved the ancient runes he had comprehended, integrating numerous space-related runes from the Void Ancient Scripture into the Combat Armor.

Thus began Zhou Yan’s lengthy process of artifact refining.

On the first day, Zhou Yan reforged the Green Lotus Armor and the Broken Worry Sword, equipping himself with them.

On the second day, Zhou Yan additionally crafted a set of middle-grade Soul Artifact Battle Armor and a Soul Longsword.

On the third day, the fourth day.

...

The tenth day.

Zhou Yan ended up spending ten full days here, crafting thirteen sets of middle-grade Soul Artifact Battle Armors and Longswords.

While these thirteen sets were not as fine as the ones he wore, the difference was negligible.

These middle-grade Soul Devices were prepared for some significant figures.

Although...he could not always be by their side to protect them, providing them some extra help was the least he could do.

"With these middle-grade Soul Artifact Battle Armors and Longswords, cultivators of the Void Fifth and Void Sixth Realm can go unbreached in defense; at least, their lives have some more security."

Zhou Yan murmured to himself.

This session of artifact refining made Zhou Yan feel that his abilities had greatly solidified. His Sword Intent, tempered by the thunder, grew increasingly powerful.

Initially, each day, he could only produce one set of Soul Armor and Soul Sword; now, in a day, he could nearly craft two sets.

Not only that, even if refining in the outer world might attract Tribulation Lightning which could destroy the Soul Devices, the Soul Devices he crafted could withstand the thunder and would be completed in the outer world.

Middle-grade Soul Devices, even in the Southern Wilderness, were top-tier items, coveted by many.

The status of an Artifact Sword Cultivator who crafted middle-grade Soul Devices was unimaginably high.

These were also preparations he made for courting the Holy Daughter.

An Artifact Sword Cultivator who crafted middle-grade Soul Devices would surely gain a greater advantage!

And Zhou Yan was not only extraordinary in artifact refining, his Path of Artifact Refining and Alchemy Skills were identical, because he inherited his master’s teachings—artifact refining and alchemy were one and the same. Thus, his alchemy technique also reached the same terrifying realm.

Likewise, a Medicine Sword Practitioner with the same abilities, Zhou Yan was also an Array Sword Cultivator, which was absolutely astonishing.

With these identities, he was in no way inferior to those top geniuses who were nurtured in spirit ponds and grew up in secret realms from areas beyond his domain.

Zhou Yan knew that by breaking the Heavenly Destiny plan, many people absolutely despised him to the bone, and Ling He even informed the world that the invasion from outside was provoked by him, Zhou Yan, breaking the Heavenly Destiny plan, causing all cultivators in the outside world to likely regard him with hostility now.

Zhou Yan also knew, from his master’s memories, that those true geniuses were incredibly frightening. Their terror lay not only in their combat power but also in their heritage!

From terrifying families and hidden major sects came powerful heritages, which allowed them to almost instantly reach Sword Intent, then condense Sword Souls in secret realms and prepare countless die-hard soldiers with prepared Void Bodies to receive inheritances.

Such genius characters, when playing their trump cards, could easily kill a cultivator of the Void Realm even if their own realm was very low, as easily as crushing an ant.

This point was already very evident in Zhou Lingyi, now known as Hou Ling’er.

Hou Ling’er was also of the Sword Spirit Three Realms, but her Light Saber could easily kill a cultivator of the Void Realm.

Such was the heritage of the Emperor Sword Lineage.

The Emperor Sword Lineage, just an older lineage, was just one of the ancient forces; even older forces existed on the Sword Burial Ancestor Star and other Ancestor Stars, perhaps even more.

...

Having retracted the last strand of Purple Flame, Zhou Yan’s Soul Consciousness entered the Purple Flame Void, where he materialized his body at the place once frequented by Yanyan.

"Xi’er, Yanyan, no matter the cost, I will definitely save you both!"

Zhou Yan stared at the crystal coffin, at the quietly blazing Purple Flame, murmuring to himself.

After a long while, his Soul Consciousness’s formed body gradually vanished from this heaven and earth.

After his Soul Consciousness body disappeared, in that space, the quiet Purple Flame suddenly began to flicker irregularly, and strands of fresh red Blood Qi seeped out, gradually overflowing into the crystal coffin.

In the crystal coffin, the face of the woman, looking as if she were in deep slumber, suddenly gained a hint of color, and her waist-length pitch-black hair inexplicably grew much longer.

Her crystal-like exquisite fingernails also suddenly appeared much longer.

Her long eyelashes trembled, as if about to open.

Upon the eyelashes, specks of crimson Blood Qi sparkled.

...

In Thunder Flame Breaking Path Mountain, high up in the Void.

Zhou Yan forged ahead amidst the purple misty cloud sea and towering thunder, after bidding farewell to Bai Ying.

"You can leave whenever you want, there’s no need to accompany me, I’m leaving as well. Let’s part ways here."

Zhou Yan glanced back at Wan Zichen and saw reluctance in her eyes, but he no longer wished to become entangled in more affairs.

Even though this woman was indeed extraordinary and remarkable, and even though she could ignite one’s primal desires, Zhou Yan did not give her a second glance.

Even someone with intense desires, if their heart is wounded by emotions, wouldn’t be passionate when burdened with a heavy heart.

"Zhou Lingzhe, if you ever get a chance, you must come and visit the Wan Family in the Chaotic Land."

"If I get the chance, I will. Two months from now, the Holy Daughter of the Holy Daughter lineage is seeking a suitor; you may want to see, I will participate," Zhou Yan said.

"What... what? This... this is surely a major event, throughout millennia, whenever a Holy Daughter seeks a suitor, there’s always the grace of a Life Soul. Zhou Lingzhe, with your capabilities, why care about that so-called Life Soul..."

Wan Zichen was immensely surprised, but at the same time, her emotions suddenly became a bit dim.

Her voice quietened.

"You don’t understand, the Holy Daughter and Gu Xi are equally important in my heart. Moreover, to save Gu Xi, I need the Life Soul of the Holy Daughter. Both of them..."

Zhou Yan murmured to himself, not saying much more, but this information was already enough.

Wan Zichen trembled, and then sighed, "If that’s the case, then I hope Zhou Lingzhe gets what he wishes. Zhou Lingzhe, when the time comes, I will represent our Wan Family to support you."

"Thank you in advance."

Zhou Yan nodded, speaking calmly.

"See you in two months."

Wan Zichen was reluctant, but at that moment, she finally gritted her teeth and activated a Space-Time Array Plate, and in an instant, she transformed into a streak of light and vanished.

This streak of light opened the prohibitions of this space.

Although it was only for an instant, in that brief moment, Zhou Yan also seized the opportunity.

Using the essence from this burst, Zhou Yan combined the Void Dao from the Void Ancient Scripture and, with a thunderous will, activated the Ancient Runes he had engraved.

The Ancient Array was activated, and as Zhou Yan was transported out through its power, he also transported himself.

This was an array method borrowed from the Sound Symbol Ancient Array.

Combining the Space Rules of the Void Ancient Scripture and Zhou Yan’s understanding of this world, he had transported himself out of Thunder Flame Breaking Path Mountain.

Upon exiting, he appeared in a desolate and barren crater of a mountain.

In the middle of the crater was a dilapidated ancient array, and as Zhou Yan emerged, it directly collapsed.

This showed that here was once an entrance to the Thunder Flame Breaking Path Mountain, unfortunately eroded by time; it could no longer hold the ancient energy within the array, and thus, the ancient array collapsed.