"Just as I thought!"
"The Blazing Fire Sect's Mysterious Broken Blade contains incredibly powerful Blade Intent!"
Su Yun's heart leaped with joy.
A moment later, Su Yun followed the Blazing Fire Sect's sect master up a flight of steps paved with white jade.
At the top of the steps, a sprawling complex of palaces and buildings came into view.
A faint crimson glow emanated from every building. It was a wondrous sight.
Clearly, this was the Blazing Fire Sect.
In front of the sect's palaces, Su Yun spotted a massive Black Strange Stone.
A three-zhang-long Black Broken Blade was embedded in it!
"Sect Master, this is..."
Su Yun's heart stirred, and his gaze turned to the Black Broken Blade.
"Haha! Young friend Su Yun, there's no need to stand on ceremony between us."
"My name is Chen Tianhua. I'm only a few years older than you. If you don't mind, you can call me Brother Chen."
The Blazing Fire Sect's sect master stroked his beard and smiled.
The two had chatted a little as they climbed the steps.
He was certain Su Yun wasn't holding the earlier incident against him, nor was he harboring any resentment.
It seemed Su Yun had genuinely come as a guest.
That put his mind at ease and made him want to befriend the young man.
After all, who wouldn't covet a peerless prodigy like him?
"Only a few years older?"
Looking at Chen Tianhua, whose beard and hair were white as snow, Su Yun couldn't help laughing to himself.
"Isn't that form of address a little inappropriate?"
Coming back to his senses, Su Yun said with a smile.
"We cultivators don't concern ourselves with mortal formalities."
"Then it's settled."
"You just have to make sure you don't mind having an old brother like me!"
Chen Tianhua smiled warmly, his manner genial.
"All right. I'm Su Yun. It's a pleasure to meet you, Brother Chen."
Playing along, Su Yun smiled and nodded.
Their conversation naturally reached the ears of the Blazing Fire Sect disciples nearby.
They were green with envy!
They had never imagined that their usually stern sect master could be so amiable.
The sight before them completely shattered the imposing image Chen Tianhua had in their minds.
"That's more like it!"
Chen Tianhua laughed heartily, looking utterly affable.
"Brother Chen, what exactly is that Black Broken Blade? Why have I heard that no one can approach it?"
Su Yun pointed at the Black Broken Blade and asked curiously.
"That Black Broken Blade is mysterious, its power unfathomable, and its origins extraordinary!"
"Our sect's founder happened upon it in some overseas ruins and was fortunate enough to bring it back."
"Its rank is unknown. It's called Demon Slayer, and its material is a mystery. Powerful Blade Intent still lingers within its blade. Anyone who gets close risks having their soul cleaved apart. It's extremely dangerous."
As he spoke, Chen Tianhua's gaze toward the Black Broken Blade grew wary.
"Brother Chen, that Black Broken Blade is clearly a treasure. Has no one ever come to take it?"
Su Yun continued asking, hoping to learn more.
"Friend Su Yun, you don't understand. It's not that those powerful figures don't want to take it. They simply can't!"
Chen Tianhua sighed. "In fact, apart from the Blade Intent, a mysterious power remains within the Black Broken Blade. It's extremely strange."
"The moment anyone touches it, that strange power is roused. It invades the body and corrodes the soul!"
"Over the years, many powerful figures have suffered greatly at the hands of that Black Broken Blade."
The Blazing Fire Sect had a treasure like this.
Which powerful cultivator wouldn't want to claim it for themselves?
So over the years, it wasn't as if no outsiders had tried to seize the Black Broken Blade.
But in truth, every powerful figure who had touched it had suffered a terrifying backlash.
At best, they were injured. At worst, they were left on the brink of death!
After that happened often enough, no one tried to claim the Black Broken Blade anymore.
"Brother Chen, may I go take a closer look?"
Su Yun suddenly asked.
"This..."
Chen Tianhua looked troubled.
He was conflicted, unsure whether he should agree.
"If this puts you in a difficult position, then forget it," Su Yun said with a smile.
"That's not it!"
At those words, Chen Tianhua hurriedly waved his hand.
"Friend Su Yun, even if you don't touch the Black Broken Blade, just getting close to it will expose you to its Blade Intent. It will assault your soul."
"If anything were to happen to you here..."
Chen Tianhua didn't finish.
But everyone present understood what he meant.
If Su Yun ran into trouble at the Blazing Fire Sect and was injured by the Black Broken Blade's Blade Intent,
he couldn't possibly shoulder the blame!
If the Mystic Blade Sect held them responsible, the Blazing Fire Sect would be in danger.
"Brother Chen, how about this?"
"I'll approach the Black Broken Blade slowly, and I absolutely won't touch it."
"The moment I reach my limit, I'll stop."
Su Yun proposed.
"This... all right!"
"But, friend Su Yun, be careful. Don't push yourself."
"And remember, don't touch the Black Broken Blade."
"Even experts beyond the Qi Sea Realm can't withstand the erosion of that strange power!"
Chen Tianhua warned him gravely.
"Don't worry."
Su Yun nodded without saying more.
Then he started walking slowly toward the Black Broken Blade in the distance.
As he drew closer, Su Yun's expression gradually grew more solemn.
Boom!!
When Su Yun was about ten zhang from the Black Broken Blade,
terrifying Blade Intent surged from the blade. It was like a black demonic dragon, roaring and lunging at him.
Su Yun's soul trembled slightly beneath its assault!
It felt as though it were about to be torn apart.
The next moment, a voice rang out in his mind.
"Ding!"
"Slaughter Blade Art has sensed a powerful surge of Blade Intent. It's thrilled, inspiration is surging, and it has entered an Enlightenment state!"
"Slaughter Blade Art has grasped the barest hint of Blade Intent and successfully raised Blade Momentum to ninety-four percent!"
"Enlightenment has ended. An even stronger surge of Blade Intent is needed to make further progress!"
In almost an instant, the Blade Momentum within Su Yun surged by another notch.
"An even stronger surge of Blade Intent?"
His heart stirred. He immediately took a step forward!
Rumble!!
In a daze, Su Yun seemed to see a terrifying black demonic blade slashing viciously toward him!
He had taken just one step.
Yet the pressure of the Blade Intent had doubled in an instant!
He knew perfectly well that the black demonic blade slashing toward him wasn't real. It was an illusion formed by the Blade Intent.
He released his own Blade Momentum, and the two forces began to clash.
Under the intense stimulation of the Blade Intent,
Slaughter Blade Art continued to comprehend its subtleties, giving rise to one flash of inspiration after another.
At the same time, with the help of his Blade Momentum, Su Yun took several more steps forward.
The pressure of the Blade Intent bearing down on him grew even more terrifying.
As time passed,
Su Yun's Blade Momentum continued to climb.
Until, at a certain moment—
Rumble!
Su Yun shuddered all over. A powerful, complete aura surged out of him in an instant.
That force actually held back the Blade Intent rushing toward him!
At the same time, a voice rang out in his mind.
"Under the onslaught of terrifying Blade Intent, Slaughter Blade Art has been repeatedly struck by inspiration and successfully raised Blade Momentum to one hundred percent!"
The next moment, Su Yun slowly opened his eyes, his face bright with joy, and relaxed.
The powerful Blade Momentum he radiated immediately caught Chen Tianhua's attention.
"How is that possible!"
"That's the aura of perfect Blade Momentum!"
"Friend Su Yun, how did you do it?"
Chen Tianhua's eyes were wide as saucers, his expression filled with shock.
He simply couldn't believe what he was seeing!
Before you continue