The Void Sword River reappeared in the Mortal Realm Sword Ruins, and many nearby sword cultivators sensed it.
Even the sword cultivators who had just been driven away by Han Yuyao and had yet to go far boldly used various means to investigate.
The creator of the Void Sword River had reappeared in the Mortal Realm Sword Ruins, yet even after using the Void Sword River and the Soul-Annihilating Killing Sword, he had still been defeated by a single strike from Fairy Yu!
At this sight, all the sword cultivators were dumbfounded.
That was a sword prodigy from three thousand years ago!
With the blessing of immortal Sword Intent and three thousand years of drawing upon the power of the sword from the Sword Ruins of Creation, even a pig would have become a supreme sword expert!
Moreover, this man possessed outstanding talent to begin with and carried the Soul-Annihilating Killing Sword, which could slay Sword Emperors!
An existence like him descending upon the Mortal Realm Sword Ruins should have been invincible!
Yet even after exhausting his means, such an existence had been defeated by a single strike from Fairy Yu. Didn't that overturn everything they knew?
Was this an unrivaled prodigy of the golden age?
For a time, news of Fairy Yu defeating the creator of the Void Sword River in the Mortal Realm Sword Ruins spread like wildfire.
Even the many ancient giants could not divine Fairy Yu's exact origins, making her background all the more mysterious and unfathomable.
Some speculated that Fairy Yu was a prodigy an immortal sect with an imperial lineage had kept hidden for countless years, some that she was a reincarnated Sword Saint, some that she was a Supreme reborn through nirvana, and some that she was a child of destiny born in response to a tribulation...
But these were all mere guesses. No one knew Fairy Yu's true origins.
Ice Sword Divine Mountain.
The Ice Sword Divine Son, Li Daoxuan, was comprehending the sword within ten-thousand-year-old profound ice. Upon hearing the news, the Sword Qi spilling from his body blasted the ice to pieces, and his expression grew so dark it seemed water might drip from it.
He had racked his brains trying to unravel the Void Sword River to obtain the immortal Sword Intent within, yet Fairy Yu had easily unraveled it and casually given its immortal Sword Intent to her follower.
Even when the creator of the Void Sword River had come in person and used the Soul-Annihilating Killing Sword, Fairy Yu had still defeated him with a single strike.
Only now did the Ice Sword Divine Son realize that Fairy Yu was an unparalleled prodigy who was no less exceptional than the Innate Dao Fetus of the Cold Moon Holy Dynasty!
With his aptitude, he was not even qualified to be mentioned in the same breath as her!
The treasure he had desperately sought in vain was mere trash Fairy Yu discarded like a worn-out shoe!
Now he felt like a beggar, the delicacies he begged for in vain nothing more than someone else's leftovers!
The more the Ice Sword Divine Son thought about it, the more obsessed he became. A thick pall shrouded his Dao heart, and madness flickered in his eyes.
Just what kind of aptitude did Fairy Yu possess?
Why didn't I have such aptitude?
An unparalleled prodigy like her was far too despair-inducing!
To hell with unparalleled prodigies. In this age of great contention, anything was possible!
If I could seize her fortune and opportunities...
The Ice Sword Divine Son's expression grew increasingly complicated. One moment he was green-eyed with jealousy, the next irritable and crazed, then gnashing his teeth, then blazing with fury. His Dao heart was already on the brink of collapse.
"Li Daoxuan!"
Just then, a Dao shout as resonant as great bronze bells suddenly rang in the Ice Sword Divine Son's ears.
His entire body jolted at the sound. His expression returned to calm, and he cupped his hands toward the void above. "Thank you, Divine Lord!"
The Ice Sword Divine Lord did not appear. His mighty yet indifferent voice reverberated endlessly through the void. "In this golden age, among the Dao children who likewise bear their sects' fortune, many prodigies have already become Emperors!"
"Yet you are still merely a Marquis, already left far behind by the prodigies of your generation!"
"And now, a woman who has only just comprehended mortal realm Sword Intent has actually disturbed your Dao heart!"
"I seriously doubt whether you are still fit to be the Divine Son of my Ice Sword Divine Mountain!"
The Ice Sword Divine Son was appalled. Taking a deep breath, he said solemnly, "This disciple acknowledges his mistake! I was too obsessed with immortal Sword Intent, causing my Dao heart to become unstable. I am willing to accept any punishment!"
"Immortal Sword Intent acknowledging a master merely signifies its recognition of the potential the creator of that Sword Intent displayed at the time. It does not represent their ultimate achievement! You were indeed too obsessed!"
After this rebuke, the Ice Sword Divine Lord changed tack and asked, "How do you intend to deal with Fairy Yu?"
The Ice Sword Divine Son's breath caught involuntarily before he answered solemnly, "This disciple believes that Fairy Yu is indeed an exceedingly rare sword prodigy!"
"With my current aptitude, I fall far short of her!"
"But this is an age of great contention. This disciple must have the courage to compete with her!"
"If I can seize her fortune and opportunities, I can take her place!"
He knew the Divine Lord's intent in asking. If he lacked even the courage to compete with Fairy Yu, he would surely lose his position as Divine Son!
The Ice Sword Divine Lord fell silent for a moment before saying coldly, "The creator of the Void Sword River appeared personally in the Mortal Realm Sword Ruins, yet even with the Soul-Annihilating Killing Sword, he could do nothing to you. What gives you the right to compete with her?"
Determination flashed across the Ice Sword Divine Son's face as he said gravely, "This disciple intends to enter the Ice Sword Void Sea Forbidden Land!"
"If I emerge alive, I will be qualified to compete with any prodigy in the world!"
"If I am unfortunate enough to die in pursuit of the Dao, then at least I will not have disgraced Ice Sword Divine Mountain!"
The Ice Sword Divine Lord nodded slightly. "Good! If you can emerge from the Ice Sword Void Sea Forbidden Land, you will remain the Divine Son of my Ice Sword Divine Mountain!"
After the Ice Sword Divine Lord finished speaking, he made no further sound.
Han Yuyao knew nothing of the sensation she had caused. She moved through the Mortal Realm Sword Ruins as though strolling through a quiet courtyard, and one Sword Intent creation after another crumbled in her hands.
After a long while, Han Yuyao gently shook her head.
Through her unraveling during this time, her foundation in the sword had grown terrifyingly deep. Unraveling ordinary Sword Intent creations like these no longer did much for her sword cultivation.
Han Yuyao gazed toward the distant horizon.
There, divine mountains towered majestically, divine trees held heaven and earth apart, one divine tree after another propped up heaven and earth, the sun, moon, and stars hung high, palaces and celestial halls appeared faintly, divine tigers roared at the heavens, and fiery phoenixes soared. Amid these bizarre and dazzling sights, Sword Qi bristled.
Those were all Sword Intent creations that had earned the recognition of immortal Sword Intent!
Perhaps only by unraveling these Sword Intent creations could she continue to deepen her foundation in the sword.
Treading through the void, Han Yuyao soon arrived near this vast cluster of Sword Intent creations and locked her consciousness onto a heaven-supporting divine tree ahead.
The divine tree stood a full ten thousand zhang tall. Every branch differed in thickness, and every leaf held different patterns. Surging Sword Intent blended together perfectly, and the entire divine tree exuded vast, majestic vitality.
Reflected in Han Yuyao's flawless sword heart, all three hundred and sixty-five variations of Sword Intent contained within the divine tree became perfectly clear to her.
Beyond that, Han Yuyao also sensed three strands of immortal Sword Intent within the divine tree, untouched by time and enduring through the ages.
Han Yuyao stepped onto the crown of the divine tree. Streaks of sword light flashed from her hands, and the branches and leaves at its top rapidly crumbled.
"Hum!"
Suddenly, the entire divine tree erupted with dazzling brilliance, and surging Sword Intent shot into the sky.
Every branch and every leaf began to move to a certain rhythm, as though the entire divine tree had come alive in an instant.
"Who angered the Life Sword Tree?"
Throughout the Mortal Realm Sword Ruins, sword cultivators awoke from their deep comprehension of the sword and gazed toward the divine tree.
Many sword cultivators even transformed into streaks of sword light and flew over, wanting to see for themselves just why the divine tree had awakened.