After everyone confirmed Zhang Yong's true identity, the tension began to dissolve, replaced by a feeling of relief and joy.
But the blows he received on his head made him wince in pain as he rubbed the spot, smiling.
"You should have had more faith in me!" Zhang Yong said, shaking his head, but his eyes sparkled with warmth.
"Faith in you? You destroyed your soul right before our eyes!" Liu Yan said, wiping her face. "How were we supposed to know you were planning this?"
Zhang Yong laughed. "You should have known that I wouldn't make a move without calculating all the possibilities. The Demonic Devouring Flame in my upper Dantian was enough to deal with an Emperor's spirit, especially one weakened over the centuries."
Wang Fei looked at him with appreciation. "So, all of this was part of your plan? Even the apparent sacrifice?"
Zhang Yong nodded. "Exactly. I knew Emperor Kuan Ling would seek a powerful body, and Su Ming was an obvious target with his Heart of the Sword. I offered him a seemingly better alternative – my body with its unique structure. If he had chosen Su Ming, we would have been in trouble."
"And what about the Sacred Ground?" Liu Yin asked in her quiet voice. "Is it now under your control?"
Zhang Yong smiled more broadly. "Better than that. With Emperor Kuan Ling's disappearance, the Sacred Spirit of the land is now free and unbound to any master. And since I am technically the Emperor's 'heir,' I have full control over this place."
At the same time, the Sacred Spirit appeared beside Zhang Yong. "Master, you are not fully the heir yet. You still must pass the Sword Intent Stele test."
"The Sword Intent Stele test?" Su Ming raised an eyebrow slightly. "Wasn't it settled with Emperor Kuan Ling's disappearance?"
Zhang Yong nodded his head. "That's not entirely correct. The creator of the Sacred Ground is the one who determines the test. Defeating the Emperor means I must pass a test similar to the one he underwent. In this case, it's the Sword Intent Stele."
The Sacred Spirit slowly shook its head. "What the master says is correct. Follow me to the stele's location." Then the spirit walked ahead of them.
During the walk, Wang Fei whispered to Zhang Yong, "Are you sure this spirit won't betray us since we disposed of its master?"
Zhang Yong shook his head. "Yes. The Sacred Spirit is not a living being or even a will. It's an incomplete thing. Think of it as one of the Emperor's thoughts that died and this Sacred Ground was created from it. All its concern will be for the Sacred Ground, and it doesn't care who inherits it."
The group continued following the Sacred Spirit through the glittering crystal passages of the Sacred Ground until they reached a vast plaza.
In the center of the plaza, on a raised platform of white jade, stood a dull black stone stele that looked ordinary but was not.
"This is the Sword Intent Stele," the Sacred Spirit pointed with its small hand. "All you have to do is strike it with your Sword Intent, and the test will be passed."
"Should I step forward?" Su Ming said, pointing at the stele.
"There's no need. I have my own Sword Intent," Zhang Yong said with confidence.
He had been planning to go to the Sacred Ground from the very beginning. That was why he had gone to the Dao Discussion Assembly – to rise to the Sword Intent realm.
After hearing Zhang Yong's admission, surprise and admiration mingled in Su Ming's eyes. "You've already formed your Sword Intent?! When? I was merely joking about doing it in such a short period"
Zhang Yong smiled mysteriously. "I already formed it. You just never asked."
Zhang Yong advanced toward the black stone stele. He stood before it, closed his eyes for a moment, then quietly drew the Yatsufusa sword. There was no powerful aura, no surging spiritual energy, only a strange calm surrounding him.
He slowly raised his sword, his movement simple and ordinary, as if merely cutting through the air.
Sword Path – Formless Sword Intent
Clink!
A faint sound echoed in the plaza.
The stone stele did not break, nor did any explosion occur. Instead, the dull black stele began to glow with a soft light, then a small cut appeared on it.
The cut was not large, but it was very clear.
Zhang Yong opened his eyes and looked at it with satisfaction.
A brief silence fell, then light exploded from the stele, covering the entire plaza. Mysterious engravings appeared on the stele's surface, gleaming with golden light.
The Sacred Spirit nodded its head. "The test is complete. Congratulations, you have become the new master of the Sacred Ground."
He turned to his companions, smiling. "Well, now the Sacred Ground is truly ours."
Everyone's faces were full of joy and excitement. Everyone knew this meant they could use this perfect training place to make great progress.
"But first, let's settle here for a while," Zhang Yong said, looking around the plaza. "The Sacred Ground is not only a place for training; it also contains many resources."
Then Zhang Yong turned to Su Ming. "This Sacred Ground is suitable for people of the Sword Path."
The small Sacred Spirit nodded in agreement. "The master is right. While this place was designed to support sword cultivators, the Qi springs and unique environment are beneficial for everyone. You can stay here as long as you wish."
Liu Yan said happily: "This is great! With the immense energy density here, I can quickly improve my talisman drawing level!"
Even Wang Fei couldn't hide his enthusiasm. "The Qi concentration here is incredible. We owe you, Little Brother."
Zhang Yong smiled, waving his hand. "It doesn't matter, Big Brother. You can go train. The time ratio here is 1:15. Half a month here equals a day outside. We'll move after a month from now."
After confirming that, everyone turned and began to disperse, then Su Ming was pulled aside before he could leave.
"Give me the deer horn," Zhang Yong said, extending his hand.
"What are you planning to do?" Su Ming said suspiciously, but he still reluctantly gave him the horn.
Zhang Yong smiled, feigning innocence. "I'm going to make something. Don't worry." Then he turned toward the Sacred Spirit. "Designate a suitable area for him."
The Sacred Spirit designated the Red Steel Mountain for Su Ming, which excelled in refining the Heart of the Sword and mental energy.
After everyone took their positions, Zhang Yong entered the main building, which he had to climb the Sword Understanding Stairs to reach.
Upon entering, he looked at the glowing golden spring swirling quietly. This was the Sacred Qi Spring.
It could be said to be a more powerful and useful version of an ordinary Qi spring.
"Sacred Spirit, how large is the Sacred Ground's area?" Zhang Yong asked without turning around.
"To answer the master's question, it spans several hundred kilometers," the Sacred Spirit said, bowing.
"It's quite small," Zhang Yong said with a sigh.
Normally, Sacred Grounds were about the size of an entire province, and they were located in various places—possibly underwater, inside a volcano, or even in the sky and on earth. There was a type of natural spatial formation around them.
So that if one passed through without an invitation or sufficient power level, they would pass through and come out the other side without even noticing.
And that wasn't all.
"This, Master, is the result of ten-year calamities. To resist them, the previous owner tore apart parts of the Sacred Ground to avoid danger," the Sacred Spirit explained with a hint of slight displeasure.
This was a special rule. Nothing in the world was complete. Calamities were natural phenomena that could destroy the Sacred Ground if not dealt with.
They appeared once every ten years since the Sacred Ground's creation
Because of the laws of heaven and earth , everything should return to the origin
And the calamities was a way to digest the sacred lands , if not , the sacred lands will ended up like a parasite which might weaken the world
Since they rely on absorbing heaven and earth energy and affecting the laws
"When was the last calamity?" Zhang Yong asked with curiosity.
"It was three years ago. It was the Heavenly Wind Blade Tribulation, which the previous master resisted using the Red Steel Mountain," the spirit said, pointing to the mountain.
Zhang Yong held his chin, thinking. 'This simply means I have seven years ahead of me. That seems like more than enough time to make preparations.'
The Sacred Spirit looked at Zhang Yong with some embarrassment. "Um, actually, Master, for full inheritance, I request that you bind your soul with mine."
Zhang Yong smiled and nodded. "Good, that is necessary after all."
The two extended their hands and matched them together. Zhang Yong suddenly felt a connection between himself and the entire Sacred Ground.
He could see every tree and blade of grass, every flow of spiritual energy here.
"Sacred Spirit, I will call you Ping Ping. I want to know about the inheritance rewards," Zhang Yong said with a smile.
The Sacred Spirit's eyes glowed with a warm flicker. Throughout its years of existence, it had only been called "the spirit" and had never had a personal name. But this master was very generous.
Ping Ping nodded its small head with a happy smile, its crystal eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Of course. In every Sacred Ground, there are manuscripts left by the creator of the Sacred Ground. But let me warn you, Master: you can only choose one."
Ping Ping snapped its fingers, and a set of manuscripts appeared before him. Each of these manuscripts held a specific technique. It wasn't necessarily from the Sword Path.
Zhang Yong looked at one of the manuscripts and recognized one of them already: the Tyrant's Body. Then he looked at another technique that showed interest.
That was the Sacred Curse Talisman technique
This technique was unique, and because of it, Wu Rushian had been able to possess an implicit understanding of Death Qi
But she barely scratched the surface , as for Zhang yong , we can say he had actually a higher progress in understanding it more than the spiritual energy
Zhang Yong reached out for that technique and grabbed it. "I will take this technique."
After Zhang Yong chose the Sacred Curse Talisman technique, he felt a wave of mysterious energy permeate his soul.
Complex information flowed into his mind, forming strange and powerful patterns that explained the foundation of Death Qi, which was curses.
"It truly is a precious treasure," Zhang Yong whispered, opening his eyes, his red eyes flickering with a faint glow.
Ping Ping, the Sacred Spirit, looked at him with concern. "Master, are you sure? This technique relies on your understanding of pain to form curses in your soul. It itself generates Death Qi without limit. The creator of this land had reached a thousand curses and was on the verge of death while using it."
Zhang Yong nodded his head. "I am sure of it."
This technique, as long as the user felt pain, they would have more curses. Therefore, for someone suffering from heart demons, it was an excellent technique
With this technique, he could solve the problem of using his life force to use Death Qi or having to go to places filled with it
Also, thanks to his possession of the life and death structure, and a Desolate Soul, perhaps he could surpass the number of curses of the previous user. This first goal of his journey had been achieved.
Then Zhang Yong commanded, "Bring me Emperor Kuan Ling's storage ring and his sword."
Ping Ping nodded its small head. Suddenly, a simple-looking silver ring and a long sword bathed in a red glow appeared before Zhang Yong.
Zhang Yong took the ring first. When his mental energy touched the ring, he felt a strong barrier. But after a moment, thanks to his control over his mental energy, the barrier shattered easily.
The storage space inside the ring was vast, much larger than any storage ring he had seen before. It was full of treasures: mountains of spirit stones, rare herbs, and other resources.
Zhang Yong raised his eyebrows, then took out jade slips and gave them to the Sacred Spirit. "Transfer me to the workshop, and give these slips to my brothers , it's a technique to conceal their cultivation levels"
After receiving the jade slips, Ping Ping nodded seriously. "Understood, Master." Then it disappeared in a flash of light.
Zhang Yong remained in the hall, examining Emperor Kuan Ling's sword. The blade was long and straight, carrying a faint gleam, with precise engravings of ocean waves on the hilt. As soon as he held it, he felt a wave of coldness and sharpness pierce his palm.
"A good sword, but not suitable for me," Zhang Yong whispered, setting it aside. The Sword Path was not his primary path.
Originally, Emperor Kuan Ling was only a spirit, and he had four disciples. After sending them out, he wanted them to return, at least one of them, so he could take over their bodies.
But who would have thought that his goal would have to be completed after a thousand years? In the end, Zhang Yong prevented him from that.
Then Zhang Yong looked at the Sacred Qi Spring and sighed. The water level was at 21%. It could be increased by throwing in sacred artifacts carrying traces of Sacred Qi, but that would mean the artifact would dissolve and disappear.
Currently, Zhang Yong would only use a small amount of what the pool had to offer, and its greatest benefit would only come after he restored his Dantian and training level.
For now...
He sat in a cross-legged position, focusing on the Sacred Curse Talisman technique he had just obtained
According to the manuscript, the foundation of this technique was transforming "pain" into a "curse." The greater the physical or psychological pain the user suffered, the greater number of curses they could generate.
The curses would accumulate in the soul as mysterious symbols. Each symbol represented a curse with a different effect—some drained life, some paralyzed movement, and others shattered the mind...
All based on the type of pain experienced. As a result, a curse of equal measure would be created. And most importantly, like all curses, he could cast them on others.
He closed his eyes and began to focus. He summoned the pain he had experienced up to that point: the pain of loss, the pain of helplessness, the pain of loneliness, the pain of longing, the pain of lack, the pain of incapacity, the pain of despair.
He chanted a mysterious incantation. Gradually, the space of his soul began to warp. Thin black lines appeared, intertwining like venomous serpents.
The black lines continued to appear, intertwining and forming complex symbols pulsating with power
Each symbol represented a different type of pain transformed into power.
Zhang Yong opened his eyes, his breath slightly heavy. On his forehead, a faint black symbol appeared to the naked eye, then disappeared.
"Pain... loses its meaning if it doesn't change a person. After all, it is the best teacher," he whispered, touching his chest, where the pain of losing his homeland and his deep loneliness still pulsed.
Zhang Yong raised his hand and released Death Qi before him, extending into the form of a giant black hand. And this time, he didn't lose a single bit of life force.
Then Zhang Yong took the Soul Seed from the son of fortune's reward and tossed it into his mouth.
This seed was not one of the Yggdrasil seeds; it was different. This seed stabilized the soul, in one way or another, thus reducing the effect of curses on him.
Zhang Yong examined his Spirit Sea and noticed a small tree root in the center. That was the Soul Tree.
Then he summoned Ping Ping and gave clear instructions: "Help me upgrade my Spirit Sea to the Sacred Form."
Ping Ping nodded seriously. "This will require intensive use of the Sacred Qi Spring's energy, Master. The water level may drop significantly."
"Do it," Zhang Yong said firmly. "This is a necessary investment for the future."
Zhang Yong sat at the edge of the spring, while Ping Ping controlled the spring and poured it over Zhang Yong.
He closed his eyes and began directing this energy toward his spiritual sea.
The pure golden energy flooded his soul like an inexhaustible waterfall, flowing through every pore of his being.
Under this immense energy, the previously calm spiritual sea began to transform. The waves, which had resembled the surface of a calm sea on a moonlit night, began to boil and expand.
The limited space began to expand at an astonishing rate, and the white mist that had covered the horizon began to dissipate, revealing a more spacious and deeper spiritual space.
In the center of the spiritual sea, where the Soul Tree seed had been planted, the seed began to sprout rapidly under the influence of Sacred Qi energy. From a small bud, it grew into a sapling, then a small tree.
This transformation continued for several days, and during this period, Zhang Yong sat motionless, completely immersed in this evolutionary process.
The Sacred Qi energy not only strengthened his spiritual sea but also purified it, making it clearer and more transparent.
When Zhang Yong finally opened his eyes, his spiritual sea had completely transformed into a Sacred Sea of Spirit.
The space was ten times larger than before, and the density was much higher. Even a sky appeared above the sea, gleaming with small stars.
With this power, his mental energy was higher than everyone else's and lower than a God's. But when his mental energy break through to the God level, his power would surpass them.
(Congratulations to the host for developing your mental power. You can now unlock fifty more Paths.)
"This is good!" Zhang Yong smiled happily. Opening the first fifty Paths had made him nearly invincible, and now with fifty more Paths, it might truly make him invincible!
Now was the time to forge a weapon suitable for him.