He brushed the dust off the blade, examining the saber closely.
Suddenly.
A stream of information entered his mind from the blade.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"To reach the Dao through killing, but ultimately unable to break through to the Tongtian realm due to too much killing karma, I paid with my life to forge this Killing Divine Saber, and slew the phoenix here."
"I leave this saber art within the blade, awaiting a fated person."
"In the next life, I shall strive for martial arts anew!"
Within his mind, a figure roared to the heavens, each word brimming with intense killing intent and profound regret.
Xu Chuan's expression was shaken.
The owner of this blade was unwilling to die without breaking through to the Tongtian realm, ultimately sacrificing his life to kill this phoenix here.
Did this mean the blade's owner was a peak Reincarnation realm expert?
More importantly, what he said at the end – leaving behind a saber art created before his death within the blade?
This…
This was a saber art capable of fighting against Tongtian realm experts despite a lower cultivation!
Xu Chuan rejoiced and immediately reviewed the information transmitted from the blade.
Indeed!
A saber technique manual appeared in his mind.
"《Sha Sheng Dao Fa》, Earth-tier, Low-grade."
It was an Earth-tier, Low-grade saber art.
Xu Chuan trembled with excitement.
He had initially thought that besides this saber, this trip to the secret realm would yield no other significant gains.
He hadn't expected to inherit an Earth-tier saber art.
How powerful was this saber art?
Xu Chuan didn't know, but he understood one thing.
In the Taiyi Sacred Land, most inner disciples could not even access Earth-tier martial skills.
Xu Chuan picked up the long saber and began to cultivate according to the saber art passed down.
"Clang—"
As soon as he swung the saber, a sharp, killing aura assailed him.
A good saber!
Even if he couldn't discern its grade now, he could still feel it was a treasure.
An Earth-tier, Low-grade 《Sha Sheng Dao Fa》 saber art, coupled with a treasure saber.
For Xu Chuan, who was only at the Qi Gathering realm, this was a great fortune, no less significant than the phoenix inheritance.
"As expected, following the protagonist, even if you can't get meat, you can at least drink the soup."
Xu Chuan mused inwardly.
For this immense fortune alone, if Su Miaoyin ever sought revenge for her sect's destruction, he would definitely lend her a hand.
...
Three days later, within the secret realm.
A tall and slender figure was practicing a saber art with a long saber in hand.
Dao light rolled, and fierce winds swirled, giving the display a formidable aura.
"Whoosh—"
After completing another round of the 《Sha Sheng Dao Fa》 manual, Xu Chuan sheathed his saber and stood, panting heavily, his robes soaked with sweat.
"Three days have passed, and I still haven't even scratched the surface of 《Sha Sheng Dao Fa》."
Xu Chuan wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling quite helpless.
Since obtaining the cultivation method for this martial skill, he had been practicing 《Sha Sheng Dao Fa》 here for three days.
However, after these three days, Xu Chuan had practiced it hundreds of times according to the manual, yet he was still unable to grasp its essence.
The ground around him was covered with countless saber marks.
The saber marks were chaotic, reflecting Xu Chuan's agitated and frustrated emotions.
"Sigh, I shouldn't aim too high. I'll cultivate 《Chi Xue Dao Fa》 first."
After all, this was Xu Chuan's first time cultivating an Earth-tier martial skill.
The Earth-tier, Low-grade 《Sha Sheng Dao Fa》 was obscure and difficult to comprehend, far beyond what a mere Qi Gathering realm martial artist could grasp.
He finally understood.
Why the Sacred Land only allowed Qi Gathering realm disciples to cultivate Yellow-tier martial skills.
It wasn't that the Sacred Land lacked them, but rather that the higher the grade of a martial skill, the more difficult it was to understand.
Just like Xu Chuan now, if he were given a Heaven-tier martial skill, he might never even grasp its basics in his lifetime.
And ultimately die with regret.
Xu Chuan shook his head, no longer dwelling on it.
It was simply not the right time.
When the time was right, everything would fall into place naturally.
"I should go check on Su Miaoyin."
Xu Chuan made up his mind and headed towards her, carrying his saber.
For three days, Su Miaoyin had been receiving the inheritance, constantly enveloped by flames.
Since there was no danger here, Xu Chuan hadn't paid her much attention.
Before long, he arrived at the place where the phoenix had died.
"What's happening?"
Xu Chuan's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Su Miaoyin's location.
The flames had vanished without a trace.
In their place, an icy cold aura emanated from Su Miaoyin's body.
The cold was so intense that it had frozen the surrounding land.
Before Xu Chuan could get close, he began to shiver uncontrollably.
Looking at Su Miaoyin, she was now encased in a massive block of ice.
Her Body Tempering realm cultivation was simply unable to withstand this fierce cold, and she was on the brink of death.
Seeing this.
Xu Chuan had to quicken his pace.
After a brief contemplation, Xu Chuan understood the reason for this sudden change.
It was most likely due to her Ice Muscle Jade Bone physique.
The system had previously hinted that this physique required a large amount of Yang energy to neutralize for its awakening.
Xu Chuan had assumed the Yang energy from the phoenix inheritance would be sufficient.
He had not anticipated this intense cold.
Fortunately, he had discovered it in time. If he had been a moment later, Su Miaoyin might have perished today.
Placing his hands on her back, Xu Chuan channeled his Great Sun Yuan Energy to Su Miaoyin.
This finally prevented the situation from worsening.
However, this was merely a temporary solution.
To resolve it completely, he had to absorb all the cold energy within her.
But this cold energy was so potent that even Xu Chuan felt a twinge of apprehension.
Yet, thinking of Su Miaoyin's terrifying destiny and talent.
Xu Chuan gritted his teeth.
"Let's do this!"
He then stopped channeling Yuan Energy to her and instead began to absorb the cold energy from within her.
As soon as this cold energy entered Xu Chuan's body, it began to burrow into his meridians.
Instantly, Xu Chuan trembled uncontrollably from the cold.
"Damn it, what the hell is this? How can it be so powerful?"
To avoid being frozen solid, Xu Chuan quickly mobilized all his Yuan Energy to neutralize the cold.
The cold seemed to have found an opening, and without Xu Chuan actively drawing it in, it poured into his body in a torrent.
At this moment, Xu Chuan's face was covered in frost.
Anyone seeing him would think he had just emerged from the frigid north.
After prolonged exertion, Xu Chuan's Yuan Energy was nearly depleted.
He had no choice but to circulate the Profound Yang Art, constantly absorbing the world's Yuan Qi, only for it to be neutralized by the cold.
He was like a machine, tireless.
"Boom!"
After an unknown amount of time, a deafening roar echoed from the flat ground.
Qi Gathering, third level.
He had succeeded!
Constantly refining the world's Yuan Qi and then expending it.
This made the Yuan Qi within Xu Chuan incredibly pure.
Already at the peak of the second level of Qi Gathering, he had naturally broken through to the third level.
The cold energy flowing out of Su Miaoyin's body also gradually diminished.
Until it finally disappeared.
Only then did Xu Chuan stop.
A short while later, Su Miaoyin also slowly awoke.
"I'm at Qi Gathering, first level!?"
The moment she woke up, she sensed the changes within her.
Her martial cultivation had directly jumped from the fifth level of Body Tempering to the first level of Qi Gathering.
When Su Miaoyin realized what had happened, she still found it hard to believe.
"How did my cultivation increase so much all of a sudden?"
Su Miaoyin repeatedly confirmed the strength of the Yuan Qi within her body, confirming that she was now a Qi Gathering realm martial artist. She was stunned.
"This talent, truly, alas..."
As Su Miaoyin circulated her Yuan Qi, Xu Chuan noticed a faint glint in his eyes, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
When the cold energy within her body was being neutralized by Xu Chuan, she had unconsciously begun cultivating the inherited techniques.
Until the cold energy was completely neutralized, her cultivation had directly broken through to the Qi Gathering realm.
Such monstrous talent combined with an exceptional physique made Xu Chuan feel incredibly frustrated.