Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao
Chapter 381 - 032: Challenge Zhou Lingyi

Chapter 381: Chapter 032: Challenge Zhou Lingyi

"Nowadays, the only thing is to re-experience the essence of Ancient Arrays, Alchemy, and Artifact Refining without systematic Enlightenment. But, there’s not much time at the moment, and I nearly exhausted all my Origin Energy in my personal Enlightenment.

Moreover, after the combination and mutation of Sword Intent, the Sword Spirit will definitely also be able to do it! With my dual constitutions, I need to condense an imaginary Thunderflame Sword Spirit and combine it with the twelve Sword Spirits of the Emperor Qi Sword Body.

When the time comes, let the Sword Spirit continue to mutate, and let the Sword Soul continue to mutate! All these will need the Essence Qi and Souls of many dead geniuses!

So, this battle, I will slay some more geniuses, and let them become the energy for my Enlightenment!"

"As long as I comprehend the fusion and mutation of the Sword Spirit, Sword Soul, and Sword Body of the Thunderflame Sword Body and the Emperor Qi Sword Body, the Void Nine Battle Line can be directly understood.

Then, as long as there’s enough energy, it should not be difficult to break through to the Nine Changes Sword Void Realm in one go."

"This time, it is crucial, and it establishes the foundation for all future battles! If this step is taken, no one can stop my progress!"

Zhou Yan calculated in his heart, seeing the future path more clearly.

With such conviction, Zhou Yan retracted all his aura, lifted the Ancient Array Restriction that guarded him, and appeared in his Secondary Main Peak.

At this moment, dawn was about to break, and in the sky, there was a dark moon with a halo of blood.

The halo was hazy, as if covered with a layer of blood water, which caused mist around due to evaporation.

This light was present every day as if it were eternal.

Zhou Yan didn’t pay attention to this moonlight because it contained deeper Supreme Dao that he could not touch.

In the memory of his master, there was no such bloody moon orbiting the Sword Burial Ancestor Star.

What then is this thing? It’s difficult to determine.

Zhou Yan looked around and saw the desolate Secondary Main Peak returning to its original state. The lush trees towered to the sky. The ancient trees around were scattered and extended straight into the endless clouds.

It seemed as if nothing had changed.

"Even if these Secondary Main Peaks, or even the entire main peaks, were reduced to ruins, they could recover extremely quickly in just half a day. This seems like the method of Saints. Saints can let devastated plants revive, plants have life... If one’s power surpasses that of a Saint, could life also have this kind of revival ability? To revive from death?"

The thought unconsciously occurred to Zhou Yan.

But he didn’t delve deeper because at that moment, he saw a familiar figure flying over from the 15295th Secondary Main Peak.

And when he saw this figure, a nameless familiarity surged in Zhou Yan’s heart, as if the proud girl who once stood on the cliffs above and looked down at him practicing the sword in the Cold Pond had returned.

"This is... this is Sword Intent, a powerful and invincible Sword Intent! How is this possible? How could her Combat Power suddenly become so strong?!"

As Zhou Yan stared at Hou Ling’er, he suddenly felt a tremor in his heart and immediately sensed his own mutated Sword Intent being suppressed by an inexplicable aura, which shocked him and led to the rapid concealment of the Sword Intent in his tremor.

However, despite this, Zhou Yan’s estimation of Hou Ling’er increased significantly.

"Huh?"

Hou Ling’er, who was flying, suddenly stalled; her figure floating in the air, ethereal and mystical, enveloped by an aura that seemed to personify the Tao of Nature.

She raised her delicate hand, revealing her fair wrist, emitting an inexplicable divine radiance, like a true Immortal descended among mortals, embodying the utmost fairy-like temperament.

"You... you’re impressive. Truly worthy of being ’his’ friend."

Hou Ling’er underwent a clear transformation, her Qi condensed, her presence deep as the abyss, incredibly powerful.

Her voice sounded like a celestial bird, as pleasant as the sounds of the heavens.

Her beauty was ice-clear and transcendental, her complexion like jade, and her aura like an orchid.

All her characteristics were elevated to a peak.

It was like the time Zhou Yan first laid eyes on this woman as she grew up in the Zhou Family.

The same feeling, the same astonishment, the same shock.

"Unexpectedly, you’ve grown to such an extent, it looks as if you’ve achieved Unity."

Zhou Yan sighed and said.

He did not hide his emotions, his shock, nor the tone of his speech.

Hou Ling’er was momentarily stunned; this stranger had seen through her depth and spotted her Origin!

But no feeling of strangeness arose, but instead an extreme sense of familiarity.

This Zhou Yan with Thunderflame Sword Body, in speech and demeanor, had a touch of the style of Zhou Yan with the Emperor Qi Sword Body—equally domineering, equally candid, equally unyielding and unrestrained.

"You’re ultimately not him, so stop imitating everything about him."

Hou Ling’er’s words carried a hint of desolation. She didn’t respond to Zhou Yan’s comment, instead unexpectedly giving such a mysterious reply.

But this sentence contained far too much information.

This sentence also let Zhou Yan know that Hou Ling’er was now Zhou Lingyi’s soul, and she had completely taken control.

He sighed with relief, laughed noncommittally, and said indifferently, "With differing personalities, a deep friendship is unlikely.

In fact, Yang Qingtan, Zhou Gucheng, Emperor Qi Sword Body Zhou Yan, and I, Lee Sha, are all cut from the same cloth.

Zhou Yan is dead. The name ’Zhou Yan’ is just a means of memorial to help with forgetting, nothing more."

Zhou Yan spoke calmly, with a touch of self-mockery.

This feeling was beyond anyone’s understanding.

Even though Hou Ling’er had become Zhou Lingyi, she truly didn’t understand.

But Zhou Yan had no hopes that anyone would understand. Knowing that Zhou Lingyi had finally defeated that ’Hou Ling’er’ soul, to complete the unity and fusion of her own body, was, for Zhou Yan, a very satisfying result.

He felt very gratified.

These achievements were already perfect; what more could he ask for?

To ask for more, without the power to keep it, would only lead to pain.

"So... The ’fool’ referenced in Xiao Tianlun’s words was real after all. However, possessing great resolve to achieve the Thunderflame Sword Body is certainly no ordinary feat.

You were Zhou Yan’s friend, and it has not been easy for a fool like you to grow into what you are now.

So... for the Holy Daughter’s suitors, I hope you give up on contending for her Life Soul. I don’t wish to be your enemy, but if we come head to head, I will give it my all. You are certainly powerful, but you will also surely fail."

"I know you have your pride, but the ability you’re sensing in me is just the tip of the iceberg. Nowadays, if we’re ranking combat power, I could easily make it into the top thousand."

Hou Ling’er’s voice was very steady.

Even though her combat power had increased tremendously, she showed no arrogance; she spoke of these matters as if they were ordinary, casually, composedly.

She wasn’t arrogant because her nature was to be haughty; she didn’t need to be arrogant to already be prideful.

It was a trait ingrained in her bones, it was a part of her personality.

"When that time comes, we’ll see. To be one of his few friends, you should understand that I am not as simple as you think.

Regardless of life and death, when the time comes, our battle is inevitable.

For the Holy Daughter, I won’t back down."

Zhou Yan’s gaze fixed upon Hou Ling’er, equally resolute.

In both their eyes, there was a collision like that of Sword Intents.

Though not obvious, that kind of unwavering will, no one could shake the other even a bit.

"Breaking through to Seven... not bad, you have such capital. Then, tomorrow, have a good fight with Xiao Tianlun. Don’t die and disappoint him, nor destroy the battle you and I have agreed upon!"

Hou Ling’er’s eyes condensed slightly, instantly seeing through Zhou Yan’s combat power, yet she wasn’t greatly moved; compared to the Origin Energy from the refined Holy Sword Sword Spirit, Breaking through to Seven wasn’t frightening.

She herself had also reached the pinnacle of this state.

"Xiao Tianlun is naught but a waste. Not worth mentioning."

Zhou Yan was haughty, his demeanor powerful, not taking Xiao Tianlun seriously.

"Xiao Tianlun is nothing but number 7015. Just now as I was flying here, I felt amazing auras coming from the top ten Secondary Main Peaks. They belong to genuine genius Saint Heirs. Among them, one mountain has a pair of twin Saint Heir brothers, of one mind, communicating heart-to-heart. They’ve reached the Sword Soul Three Heavens Realm, condensing eight of the battlefronts after Void Nine Battle Line, obviously with combat power near eight.

And this is just in the Guanghan South Mansion of the Southern Mansion. In the east, south, west, north, and center, among the Five Great Prefectures, there are many more such geniuses. If you don’t have Zhou Yan’s pride, don’t imitate his tone, belittling your enemies.

Otherwise, if you die, it will be in vain, and I won’t give you another glance."

Hou Ling’er casually shared some information.

A chill went through Zhou Yan’s heart, and at last, he knew where his unease was coming from.

That unrest wasn’t the result of Xiao Tianlun, but those nameless true geniuses.

"Thank you for the warning."

Zhou Yan nodded slightly, accepting Hou Ling’er’s unceremonious words.

Seeing that Zhou Yan took her words to heart, Hou Ling’er nodded with slight satisfaction and then her figure became ethereal, retreating into the depths of her own Secondary Main Peak, disappearing from sight.