A simulation of peerless killing intent

[Day twenty-three, Shi Haoyan took you to his cave abode.

Only upon arriving did you finally understand what a sacred cultivation ground truly was.

Not only was spiritual energy abundant here, but all manner of spirit herbs grew everywhere.

Even the Spirit-Nourishing Fruit, which Liu Chenyu treasured so dearly, was hardly rare here.

However, rather than cultivate immediately, you took out the Emerald Crystal you had obtained in the Secret Realm.

To your pleasant surprise, you discovered that this Emerald Crystal further improved your Wood Spiritual Root aptitude.

The improvement was slight, but enough to delight you.]

[Month four, after cultivating under Shi Haoyan for just over three months, you broke through to the Foundation Establishment late stage, and your swordsmanship grew increasingly refined.]

[Month five, Shi Haoyan sent you into an unnamed Secret Realm to temper yourself.

You discovered that Demon Beasts corrupted by Demonic Qi were everywhere here, some even comparable to Core Formation cultivators.

When you encountered such Demon Beasts, you could only flee on your sword light.]

[Month eight, after three months of surviving in the Secret Realm, your swordsmanship became increasingly fierce, and your movement techniques increasingly unpredictable.

Even against Demon Beasts comparable to the Core Formation stage, you could hold your own.]

[Month ten, with the sword in your hand, you finally slew your first Demon Beast comparable to a Core Formation cultivator.]

[Month twelve, you slaughtered foes on all sides, gradually venturing deeper into the Secret Realm.]

[Year two, month one, you finally fought your way into the depths of the Secret Realm and plucked an Immortal Lotus growing in the Demon Pool.

You vaguely sensed that absorbing it would allow you to form your core on the spot.

However, your goal was nothing less than a first-rank Golden Core, so you were in no hurry to break through.]

[Year two, month four, you returned to the mountain and recuperated for three months, fully assimilating everything you had gained before entering another Secret Realm.

Demonic Qi still hung thick here, but there were not only Demon Beasts; there were also cultivators corrupted by Demonic Qi.

However, your sword intent was already extremely powerful. Even Core Formation Stage demon cultivators could do nothing to you.]

[Year two, month nine, you slaughtered foes on all sides, prompting the enemy's Core Formation Stage evil cultivators to organize several encirclements to kill you, but you cut your way out of every one.

During this time, you slew countless Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining evil cultivators, leaving the enemy afraid to show their faces.

Whether from drinking too much blood or from your frequent use of sword intent, your Greenwood Sword's spirituality became increasingly pronounced.

Even without your guidance, the Greenwood Sword could fight somewhat weaker Core Formation cultivators on its own.]

[Year three, month six, after spending more than half a year fighting across several other Secret Realms, you finally decided to enter the Dao through slaughter.

The instant you understood your true self, the true essence in your dantian rapidly condensed into a Golden Core-a first-rank core.

After condensing your Golden Core, you did not even stabilize your cultivation before turning and charging into the depths of the Secret Realm, slaughtering the Core Formation Stage evil cultivators you had previously fought and scattering their remnants.

Your cultivation fully stabilized amid the slaughter.]

[Year four, month two, you fought across several Secret Realms, slaying countless demonic cultivators, and your cultivation unknowingly broke through to the Core Formation middle stage.]

[Year four, month eleven, you continued fighting across the Secret Realms, and your cultivation broke through to the Core Formation late stage.

Your reputation had already become quite prominent within the Setting Sun Sect.

Even Li Changge, who had already condensed his Nascent Soul, could not overshadow your name.

You and Li Changge were hailed together as the two heaven-supporting swords of the Setting Sun Sect's future.]

[Year five, month three, you decided to leave those Secret Realms and temper yourself in the wider world.

Because you hated evil as bitterly as a mortal enemy, you slew a Core Formation elder of the Yin Corpse Sect after barely half a month.]

[Year five, month five, you repeatedly cut through traps laid by the Yin Corpse Sect's Core Formation elders and escaped unscathed after exchanging blows with a Nascent Soul Elder of the Yin Corpse Sect.

The Yin Corpse Sect marked you as someone who must be killed.]

[Year five, month eight, you carelessly fell into an enemy trap and were surrounded by three Nascent Soul Elders of the Yin Corpse Sect.

Just as the situation hung by a thread, you activated the Divine Sword Phantom within your body.

A streak of sword light suddenly slashed out, gravely wounding the Nascent Soul Ancestor directly ahead of you on the spot.

You followed up with another strike to slay him, then made your escape under pursuit from the other two Nascent Soul Ancestors.

This battle further magnified your renown, and you entered secluded cultivation to reflect on the insights you had gained.]

[Year five, month twelve, after four months of secluded cultivation, your Golden Core had reached complete perfection.

Without hesitation, you shattered your Golden Core and condensed a slaughter Nascent Soul.]

[Year six, month one, upon learning that you had shattered your core and formed your Nascent Soul, the Yin Corpse Sect pulled back on every front as though facing a formidable enemy, terrified that a god of slaughter like you would return.

However, instead of going straight to trouble those Yin Corpse Sect elders, you went to Shi Haoyan.

After growing accustomed to one another over the years, you had come to regard Shi Haoyan as your mentor and decided to tell him the truth about the Setting Sun Sect's crisis.

Upon learning of the threat posed by the Yin Corpse Sect, Shi Haoyan immediately decided to investigate the matter with you.

You would slaughter foes openly to attract the attention of the enemy's high-level cultivators, while Shi Haoyan secretly searched for the Old Devil who was about to awaken.]

[Year six, month four, you slew three Nascent Soul Ancestors of the Yin Corpse Sect within three months, finally driving the enemy into an utter fury.

Disregarding his standing, a Spirit Transformation Ancestor actually attacked you in person.

Though your swordsmanship was peerless and you possessed a defensive Magic Treasure bestowed by Shi Haoyan, you still could not contend with a Spirit Transformation Ancestor and could only flee using your flying sword's tremendous speed.

Though you were in a sorry state, you were inwardly delighted, knowing that Shi Haoyan would surely seize this opportunity to deal with the Yin Corpse Sect's Old Devil before he revived.

Moments later, fluctuations from a battle between Spirit Transformation Ancestors indeed surged from afar.

But to your astonishment, the intensity of the spiritual energy fluctuations far exceeded anything you had imagined.

The Spirit Transformation Old Devil pursuing you told you with a vicious grin that your earlier arrogance had drawn the attention of the other sects to the Yin Corpse Sect.

To prevent anything unexpected from happening, the Yin Corpse Sect had awakened its patriarch early.

Whoever had gone there to launch a surprise attack had walked straight into the net.

Just then, a second "blazing sun" suddenly rose on the horizon.

Looking at that blazing sun, you instantly understood what had happened there.

Shi Haoyan had detonated himself!

Your heart lurched in shock, and a momentary opening appeared in your sword light.

The enemy's Spirit Transformation Ancestor seized the opportunity to strike.

Though you slashed out with all your strength, your Nascent Soul was still shattered.

With a vicious laugh, that Spirit Transformation Ancestor prepared to refine you into a corpse yin.

But just as he was about to act, he suddenly froze.

The light of that "blazing sun" had already reached this place.

Amid the blazing sun's aura was a trace of Corpse Qi that should never have been there.

Seizing the instant when the enemy's Spirit Transformation Ancestor was distracted, you abruptly ignited your shattered Nascent Soul and unleashed the most brilliant sword strike of your life.

Watching your sword light pierce the enemy's body, you died with a smile.]

[You died!]