The air grew denser with Sacred Qi energy with each step, making breathing feel like sipping fresh water after a hot day in the desert.
Even without the ability to use spiritual energy, everyone felt their foundation being refined and deepened under this positive pressure.
After several days of travel, they arrived at a vast plaza surrounded by giant crystal trees.
Before them stood what appeared to be a house, or rather the facade of a red temple. The path leading to it was paved with pure white stones.
Wang Fei's eyes widened when he saw it. "Impossible. The bricks are made of Light river Stone. The tiles are made of White Jade, and there's Radiant Star Wood. Any one of these elements alone would make a person drool."
While everyone was engrossed in admiring the priceless treasures of the crystal palace, they suddenly heard footsteps behind them.
They turned to find two other groups had arrived at the plaza at the same time.
The first group consisted of three people wearing blue robes, led by a tall old man with a staff. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, emanating a powerful aura.
The second group consisted of four people wearing green clothes, led by a middle-aged man with sharp features and thick eyebrows.
"Oh, it seems the other two bloodlines have arrived here," Zhang Yong said, giving them a sidelong glance.
Before either side could say anything, a small child who appeared about seven years old suddenly appeared at the crystal palace's gate.
He wore a white robe, his long black hair flowing over his shoulders, and his crystal eyes sparkled with a kind of mischief.
"Welcome to the Sacred Inheritance Ground," the child said in a pure, clear voice. "I am the Sacred Spirit of this land."
Everyone looked at the small child in surprise. They hadn't expected the Sacred Spirit of this place to be a young child.
The Sacred Spirit was a separate existence that controlled the Sacred Ground, and this spirit was naturally born when the Sacred Ground was created, living and dying with it.
This spirit had full control over the land, but in all cases, it obeyed its master without disobedience.
The child smiled, as if reading their thoughts. "Whoever reaches the peak of the Sword Understanding Stairs can inherit Master Kuan Ling's legacy and obtain the Sacred Ground."
He pointed his small hand toward the long crystal stairs leading to the palace. "These are the Sword Understanding Stairs. Each step represents a different level of understanding of the Sword Path. The higher you climb, the deeper your understanding."
The three groups looked at each other, their gazes full of caution and competition.
Everyone knew this was an irreplaceable opportunity, but only one could win the final prize.
The child said with a smile: "You may begin now. Remember, the ultimate goal is to reach the last step."
The groups understood the words immediately. There were no additional conditions. All there was was reaching the last step.
Attacking each other was an option, but only sword experts had a chance.
After the groups understood the challenge's condition, they began advancing toward the Sword Understanding Stairs.
Zhang Yong extended his hand and stopped them, whispering: "No, wait. Don't climb up there. Let the others go up."
"Why shouldn't we advance? I'm confident I can surpass them," Su Ming expressed his dissatisfaction.
Zhang Yong smiled mysteriously. "Simply put, there's no need to rush. If they don't have deep understanding, they won't get very far. Look at them already."
Indeed, the members of the other two groups began climbing eagerly, but after a few steps, some of them began freezing in place, expressions of struggle appearing on their faces, as if trapped in their own nightmares
the elderly leader of the blue group stopped at the fifth step, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
Zhang Yong smiled and stepped forward, bowing. "This descendant pays his respects to Emperor Kuan Ling."
After Zhang Yong bowed respectfully, the sound of deep laughter came from the top of the stairs.
The laughter was deep and clear, filling the crystal plaza without being loud, yet it resonated in the depths of everyone's hearts.
It seemed to come from every direction, and from within their minds at the same time.
"Finally... after all these years, one who truly understands has come."
It was the voice of Emperor Kuan Ling—or at least, the remnants of his will recorded in this place.
From the sword embedded at the top of the stairs, a long shadow flew and quickly took human form.
The will materialized in the form of a handsome middle-aged man, wearing a pure white robe.
His stance alone was enough to project a majesty that made everyone feel as if they were standing before a towering mountain.
Everyone's bodies rose into the air with a wave of Emperor Kuan Ling's hand, and his spiritual energy began to invade all of their bodies.
The Emperor's eyes gleamed with surprise, and he focused his gaze on Su Ming. "Sword Will at this age, and Heart of the Sword! Haha, fortune truly favors me!"
Then the Emperor looked at the other groups still stuck on the Sword Understanding Stairs and shook his head lightly. "As for you all... your understanding of the Sword Path is too superficial. Even after thousands of years, the bloodlines of my disciples have failed to produce anyone who can surpass the tenth step. Hmph, disappointing."
"Your Majesty, I hope you will show them mercy..." Zhang Yong spoke quietly and harshly.
Emperor Kuan Ling looked at Zhang Yong for a moment. "Oh, right, it was you. How did you know my will was still alive?"
Zhang Yong smiled coldly. "It's obvious. For a King rank or higher, it's difficult to destroy the soul, especially if their life energy is immense, making it possible for another chance to return to life."
He already knew: if a King or Emperor left behind a soul fragment, and the body was destroyed and the person died, if the fragment could find a body, it could return to life.
The spiritual energy released them, and they all stood on the ground. With a movement of his finger, the other two groups disappeared from the plaza, sent outside the Sacred Ground with zero memory of this place
That was another mechanic to protect the sacred land , anyone going out without holding the ownership of it will automatically forget everything about it
Just to avoid troubles in the future
"This is impressive. You have no training foundation, yet you know so much. But unfortunately, I will refuse your offer. His Sword Will, talent, and Heart of the Sword are perfect for me," the Emperor said quietly, holding his chin.
Zhang Yong clasped his fists. "You can be content with my body, but let my brothers go."
Emperor Kuan Ling's eyebrows rose slightly, a flicker of interest passing through his crystal eyes. "Oh? Sacrificing yourself for others? That is quite rare."
Zhang Yong did not hesitate. "They are not just ordinary travel companions. They are my family." He stood firm, his red eyes blazing with strange determination under the Emperor's immense pressure.
The Emperor seemed to think for a moment, then nodded slowly. "A noble heart. But..." He smiled a meaningful smile. "Who said I want your body? Your soul is unusually strong, but your body... is quite ordinary. It may be tough, but your Dantian is broken."
"What if I have a better body than my brother's?" Zhang Yong said, his eyes flickering with cautious light.
The Emperor gave Zhang Yong a half-glance. "What are you saying?"
Zhang Yong struck his chest. "I have a special body. Rather, an acquired Law Body."
After hearing Zhang Yong's words, Emperor Kuan Ling's eyebrows rose slightly, a look of interest and curiosity glinting in his eyes.
"A better body? You mean you have a body more suitable for me than this youth with the Heart of the Sword?" the Emperor said in a quiet voice that carried a clear interrogative tone, with a slight smile on his lips. "This is interesting. Tell me about it."
Zhang Yong nodded his head. "I possess the structure of Life and Death , as well as the Ice and Fire alchemy physique. Therefore, you can continue pursuing the Sword Path with high-level understanding talent."
After hearing Zhang Yong's words, Emperor Kuan Ling's eyebrows rose slightly, a look of interest and curiosity glinting in his crystal eyes. "The Structure of Life and Death? The Chemical Ice and Fire Body? This... is truly rare."
Zhang Yong nodded. "With this structure, not only can you recover your former power, but you may even be able to surpass your old limits and reach higher ranks."
"Amazing..." the Emperor whispered, his eyes shining with genuine interest. "The Structure of Life and Death that embodies Yin and Yang, and an elemental body that combines the opposing forces of fire and ice... these are truly invaluable treasures."
Internal conflict blazed in the Emperor's eyes for a moment. He looked at Su Ming, then at Zhang Yong. "But I will refuse. This youth's Heart of the Sword... is also very rare." Then he looked at Zhang Yong with a complex expression. "Hmph, no one is foolish enough to sacrifice their soul so easily. There's a trick to this."
A bead of sweat appeared on Zhang Yong's face, but there was still hope. "What if I destroy my essential soul? Taking over a body whose original owner doesn't wish to disappear would be extremely difficult to stabilize the soul afterward. But if my soul were destroyed, wouldn't my body serve the purpose?"
A heavy silence fell , the Sacred Spirit averted its gaze between the Emperor and Zhang Yong, its crystal eyes reflecting strange curiosity.
Finally, the Emperor broke the silence. "Alright. You've convinced me." He turned toward Su Ming and the others. "They can leave. But you..." He looked at Zhang Yong. "Will stay here."
"No!" Su Ming suddenly shouted , breaking the pressure, his golden sword gleaming in his hand. "I won't let you take him!"
Even Wang Fei, Liu Yan, and Liu Yin stepped forward, their gazes determined. "If he stays, we stay with him."
Emperor Kuan Ling smiled, but his eyes were cold. "That is not a choice."
He raised his hand, and before anyone could react, Zhang Yong found himself trapped inside a transparent crystal dome.
"Brother!" Su Ming shouted, attacking the dome with his sword, but the spark that flew threw him backward.
Zhang Yong looked at them and smiled. "Farewell, everyone. I hope we meet again someday." Then he raised his hand, struck his skull, and destroyed his essential soul.
His body fell limp to the ground, without breath. With a single glance, the Emperor knew the pulse had stopped. He had truly destroyed his soul, and his body was nothing but an empty shell.
"No! Zhang Yong!" Su Ming shouted in a choked voice, charging toward the crystal dome again.
"Little Brother!" Wang Fei said in a hoarse voice, his eyes carrying deep pain but trying to remain steady.
Liu Yan seemed on the verge of collapse, her tears flowing silently as she stared at the still body
Liu Yin, just stared blankly without an expression
After witnessing Zhang Yong sacrifice himself for them, flames of anger and pain blazed in Wang Fei's heart.
He could no longer remain silent or retreat. He had failed in his duty as the eldest brother.
Wang Fei drew a dagger and stabbed his shoulder, then dragged the blade along his arm. But instead of blood, a purple substance flowed from his arm.
Ten Thousand Poisons Art – Abyssal Sky Dragon
The purple substance flowing from his arm was not blood, but pure concentrated poison, the product of years of training in the Poison Art.
A black-purple aura began to form around Wang Fei, writhing like an angry dragon. The air around him distorted from the poison's intensity, and even the ground beneath his feet began to wither and turn black.
"Former Emperor... I will not allow you to so easily misuse my brother's body" His voice was hoarse and tainted with the pain of the poison flowing through his veins.
Emperor Kuan Ling looked at Wang Fei with renewed interest. "Poison? I remember fighting the Poison Emperor. But you are only at the Ancestor realm. Do you think this can harm me?"
Emperor Kuan Ling looked at the attack as if watching children playing. Naturally, if it were an attack from outside the Sword Path, it wouldn't work.
That was because the spiritual energy of the people had been sealed. But this wasn't spiritual energy; it was more like a living entity.
That poison dragon was nothing more than a worm living inside Wang Fei's body.
Therefore, it did not rely on spiritual energy.
"Pointless resistance." He simply waved his hand, and a wave of energy pushed everyone back, instantly stopping the attack.
Naturally.
The gap in power was so vast that their resistance seemed like a joke.
Emperor Kuan Ling's spiritual body flew into Zhang Yong's body and pierced through his upper Dantian.
The Emperor's immense energy flowed like a raging river, trying to seize control of the empty body.
But suddenly...
Inside Zhang Yong's upper Dantian, Emperor Kuan Ling looked around. "Hehe, good. I can now control the body."
After Emperor Kuan Ling entered Zhang Yong's upper Dantian, he found himself in a vast inner space illuminated by what resembled a starry sky.
"Oh, what is this? The spiritual sea is unexpectedly pure," Emperor Kuan Ling looked around, then released his mental energy to try to take control of the body.
"Hah, an Emperor-rank soul will cause some problems, but it's still without a body," a blue spirit suddenly appeared before the Emperor, its form feminine and its voice feminine.
It was Ling Xi.
"Impossible!" Emperor Kuan Ling shouted. "You destroyed your essential soul yourself! How can you—"
She pointed her finger, and golden energy chains appeared from nowhere, wrapping around the Emperor's spirit. "Hmph, you don't deserve to know that!"
Emperor Kuan Ling tried to resist, but he discovered that his power was rapidly fading. In an instant, she clenched her fist, squeezed him, and detonated him.
A deep silence fell in Zhang Yong's upper Dantian.
Nothing remained but scattered, glowing fragments of soul energy, which began to be slowly absorbed by the body itself, as if devouring what remained of the Emperor's existence.
Outside, Su Ming, Wang Fei, Liu Yan, and Liu Yin were still trapped outside the crystal dome, watching in stunned silence as Zhang Yong's still body suddenly began to glow with a faint light.
Zhang Yong slowly opened his eyes. They were red as usual, and at the same time, the crystal dome disappeared.
A faint smile appeared on his lips, and he looked at his comrades, who were still stunned.
When Zhang Yong approached close enough, Su Ming raised his sword toward him. "Don't you dare come closer."
Zhang Yong stopped, his gaze clear and sharp as always. "Su Ming, I'm still me. Emperor Kuan Ling is gone."
Wang Fei said cautiously: "How can we believe that? Prove it to us."
Su Ming's pupils contracted for a moment, then he asked, "What was our first mission from the mission hall when we entered the sect?"
Zhang Yong sighed and pointed at Su Ming. "It was hunting Silver Fang Wolves, which ended with us being chased by an entire pack. And a week after that, it was the Demon Spider mission, where their mother caught you and wrapped you in webs, and you nearly became her food if I hadn't saved you. Of course, after mocking you."
Su Ming froze for a moment, and his eyes widened. This was a private memory between them, shared with no one. His cautious gaze began to melt, replaced by a glimmer of hope.
Wang Fei was still not fully convinced. "How did you survive? We saw you destroy your essential soul yourself!"
Zhang Yong smiled until his eyes closed. "It was a trick. It's my Demonic Devouring Flame. It's extremely powerful and has a strong effect on spirits. To contain it, I keep it in my upper Dantian. Therefore, any attempt to seize control will end with the culprit being devoured."
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Wang Fei's, Su Ming's, and Liu Yan's fists landed heavily on Zhang Yong's head.