Golden Sword City's gates stood a hundred feet tall, built from Sword Soul Stone that glimmered with a faint golden sheen. Tiny streams of Sword Soul light could vaguely be seen within the stone—ore unique to the Spirit Realm, naturally capable of suppressing demonic qi. On the gate towers to either side, Sword Alliance cultivators held Demon-Breaking Crossbows, their bolts entwined with silvery-white Sword Intent as their sharp gazes swept over every person entering the city—after the ambush at Black Wind Pass, the Sword Alliance's vigilance had become far stricter than usual.
"Captain Lin, who is this?" The gate guard's eyes flickered with confusion when he saw Ling Yun. After all, Ling Yun was still dressed in the azure sword robes of the Mortal Realm, utterly out of place among the Spirit Realm cultivators' silver armor.
"He is Ling Yun, a cultivator from the Mortal Realm with a Chaos Sword Body. He helped us repel Blood Fiend Hall's ambush at Black Wind Pass just now." Lin Yue took out his identity token and handed it to the guard. "I am taking him to see Alliance Leader Chen and report his entry into the realm."
The guard accepted the token for inspection. When his gaze returned to Ling Yun, it held a little more reverence—ordinary Spirit Realm cultivators had also heard of the Chaos Sword Body, a special physique said to accommodate ten thousand kinds of Sword Intent. He immediately stepped aside. "So it is Fellow Daoist Ling Yun. Please enter. Alliance Leader Chen happens to be handling affairs at the headquarters today."
The moment he stepped into Golden Sword City, Ling Yun felt a wave of pure spiritual qi rush toward him. It was dozens of times denser than that of the Qingyun Region in the Mortal Realm. Though it carried a faint trace of demonic essence, the spiritual radiance emitted by the Sword Soul Stone neutralized it, causing no hindrance to cultivation. Most buildings lining the streets were low stone houses, their roofs laid with lightning-warding crystals that could withstand the demonic lightning that occasionally appeared in the Spirit Realm. Cultivators flowed through the streets like a shuttle, most clad in the Sword Alliance's silver armor, while a small number wore the robes of other sects. They were clearly righteous forces who had come to exchange knowledge with the Sword Alliance.
"The Sword Alliance headquarters lies ahead, at the heart of Golden Sword City." Lin Yue pointed toward a massive building at the end of the street. It was entirely constructed from Sword Soul Stone, and atop it stood a hundred-foot stone sword sculpture, its blade pointed directly at the dark-red sky. "The Soul Breath Mirror is on the top floor of the headquarters. So long as a cultivator's soul breath has been recorded, it can sense her approximate location."
Ling Yun's heart tightened, and his pace unconsciously quickened—he had not seen Su Qingyuan in three years. Though he knew that her Wood Spirit Body protected her, he could not help worrying. The Sky-Rending Sword at his waist trembled gently. The cracks across its blade seemed nourished by Golden Sword City's Sword Soul aura, giving off a faint silver-red glow. It was a sign that the sword was gradually repairing itself.
Inside the Sword Alliance headquarters hall, dozens of Sword Alliance elders sat around a circular stone table, discussing matters. At the seat of honor sat a white-haired elder in a black robe embroidered with golden sword patterns. His face was resolute, and the Sword Intent around him was as steady as a mountain—he was Chen Cang, the Southern Domain branch leader of the Sword Alliance, a renowned righteous powerhouse of the Spirit Realm Southern Domain whose cultivation had reached the early Sword King Realm.
"Lin Yue, you have returned." When Chen Cang saw Lin Yue and Ling Yun, surprise flashed in his eyes as his gaze settled upon Ling Yun. "Is this the Mortal Realm cultivator Ling Yun you mentioned? The one with the Chaos Sword Body?"
"This junior is indeed Ling Yun. Greetings, Alliance Leader Chen." Ling Yun cupped his fists in salute, humble yet neither servile nor overbearing.
Chen Cang nodded slightly and gathered a strand of golden Sword Intent at his fingertips, gently placing it on Ling Yun's shoulder—he was testing Ling Yun's constitution. When the golden Sword Intent touched Ling Yun's chaotic qi sea, it was not rejected. Instead, the Chaos Sword Body absorbed and transformed it, turning it into a trace of pale golden energy that merged into his dantian. The surprise in Chen Cang's eyes deepened. "It truly is a Chaos Sword Body! For the Mortal Realm to produce a genius like you is exceedingly rare. I heard that at Black Wind Pass, you used your Chaos Sword Body to draw in demonic qi and, together with the Sword Alliance's Big Dipper Sword Wheel, repelled Blood Fiend Hall's ambush?"
"It was merely good fortune. The main reason was the Sword Alliance cultivators' coordinated Sword Intent." Ling Yun did not claim the credit. "This junior came here not only to report my entry into the realm to the Alliance Leader, but also to ask for a favor. My companion, Su Qingyuan, and I were separated while crossing a Space Rift. She is an inheritor of Medicine Immortal Valley and possesses a Wood Spirit Body. I hope to borrow the headquarters' Soul Breath Mirror to find her trail."
Chen Cang pondered for a moment, then nodded. "The Soul Breath Mirror exists to aid righteous cultivators. Come with me." He rose and walked toward the staircase at the rear of the hall. "But you should prepare yourself. Recently, Blood Fiend Hall has spread demonic qi across the Spirit Realm's four regions, disrupting the Soul Breath Mirror's sensing range. At present, it can only cover the Southern Domain and part of the Eastern Domain."
Ling Yun followed Chen Cang to the top floor of the headquarters. At its center stood a three-foot-tall ancient bronze mirror, its surface glowing faintly silver, its frame carved with Ancient Sword Patterns—this was the Soul Breath Mirror. Chen Cang placed a hand against its surface and infused it with golden Sword Intent. "Ling Yun, drip blood from your fingertip onto the mirror, then recall Su Qingyuan's soul breath. The Soul Breath Mirror will sense it through your memory."
Ling Yun immediately did as instructed. He gathered a strand of Gold Element Sword Intent at his fingertip and lightly cut his skin, allowing a drop of blood to fall onto the mirror. He closed his eyes, recalling the pale green spiritual glow of Su Qingyuan's Wood Spirit Body and the unique medicinal fragrance that lingered around her. The blood melted into the mirror, and ripples spread across its silver surface as pale green points of light slowly drifted over it—that was the aura of Su Qingyuan's Wood Spirit Body!
"It reacted!" Joy surged through Ling Yun's heart as he stared fixedly at the points of light on the mirror. The lights moved across its surface for a moment before finally stopping in the direction of the Spirit Realm Eastern Domain. Then they abruptly dimmed, as if something had obscured them.
"Her aura is near the Misty Forest in the Eastern Domain, but demonic qi is interfering with it, so we cannot determine her precise location." Chen Cang frowned. "The Misty Forest is one of the strongholds of Blood Fiend Hall Eastern Region Branch. Fellow Daoist Su may have encountered danger."
Ling Yun's expression instantly turned grave, and he clenched his fists. "Thank you for informing me, Alliance Leader Chen. This junior will head to the Eastern Domain and search for her at once!"
"Do not rush." Chen Cang stopped him. "The demonic qi in the Misty Forest is denser than at Black Wind Pass, and Blood Fiend Hall has set up a Soul Devouring Array there. Going alone would be far too dangerous. The Sword Alliance happens to have a mission requiring people to investigate Blood Fiend Hall's branch in the Misty Forest. You can join the mission team and travel with the other cultivators."
He turned, took a parchment scroll from a bookshelf, and handed it to Ling Yun. "These are the mission details. The team leader is the Sword Alliance's 'Thunder Sword,' Chu Feng. His cultivation is at the late Sword Master Realm, and he specializes in Lightning Element Sword Intent, which happens to restrain demonic qi. Also, a Barbarian Blade Cultivator has recently been active near Black Wind Abyss. It is said that he is also tracking Blood Fiend Hall's movements. Perhaps you may encounter him on the road. His blade path and sword path connect with one another; he may be able to help."
Ling Yun accepted the parchment. When he saw the information on the Barbarian Blade Cultivator marked at the end, his heart stirred—the description of that blade cultivator was somewhat similar to the Xiao Zhan Sword Elder had mentioned before. He looked up at Chen Cang. "Thank you, Alliance Leader Chen. This junior is willing to join the mission team!"
"Good." Chen Cang nodded. "The mission team departs in three days. During that time, you may rest and recover in Golden Sword City, or visit the headquarters' Sword Soul Pavilion to select some sword techniques suitable for you. Your Chaos Sword Body can accommodate ten thousand kinds of Sword Intent. Learning more sword techniques will benefit you."
After leaving the headquarters, Ling Yun did not go to the Sword Soul Pavilion. Instead, he returned to the residence Lin Yue had arranged for him. Sitting before the window, he looked at the parchment in his hand, then at the Sky-Rending Sword at his waist—the cracks along its blade had repaired a little more under the nourishment of the Soul Breath Mirror's Sword Soul aura.
"Misty Forest in the Eastern Domain, a Barbarian Blade Cultivator..." Ling Yun murmured, determination flashing through his eyes. "Qingyuan, wait for me. I will find you! If anyone from Blood Fiend Hall dares to harm you, I will make them pay the price!"
Sword Elder's voice sounded within his dantian. "That Barbarian Blade Cultivator should be Xiao Zhan. His blade path contains a 'demon-breaking' quality and complements your Chaos Sword Intent. Once you meet, you can explore Myriad Sword Cave together. The Sword Soul Origin there can not only repair the Sky-Rending Sword, but also allow you to comprehend perfected Sword Intent and break through to the Sword King Realm."
Ling Yun nodded, put away the parchment, and began circulating the Qiankun Sword Canon to cultivate. Golden Sword City's pure spiritual qi poured into his body, accelerating the rotation of the six-colored Sword Intent pearl within his dantian. The demonic essence he had absorbed at Black Wind Pass was completely broken down, and his late Great Swordsman Realm cultivation stabilized further—though the journey through the Spirit Realm was fraught with danger, he had to become stronger to find Su Qingyuan and uncover the truth behind his clan's destruction.
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