They left the stone chambers.
Floating in the air with a serene smile, An Tong announced, "The treasures within those ten chambers were merely small welcome gifts. What comes next is the true grand gift my Wushuang Sect has prepared for you all."
A grand gift?
Everyone's expressions shifted slightly, piqued by curiosity.
"Please follow me," An Tong said, leading the way ahead.
Before long, they arrived at the bank of a river.
Yun Jin's eyes moved slightly as she began to observe.
This river... seemed quite unusual.
The water within it wasn't flowing.
Yet boats floated on the surface, sailing back and forth in a steady loop.
Upon closer inspection, one could see orbs of light scattered along the riverbed, each glowing in a different hue.
Some were large, others small.
The white orbs were the biggest, almost as if they could be plucked from the water with ease.
The green ones were slightly smaller.
Next came the orange.
And the rarest and smallest were the golden orbs.
"What's this?" Yun Jin raised an eyebrow.
An Tong smiled. "This is the River of Enlightenment. It is the very foundation upon which my Wushuang Sect was built. This river is a unique artifact. While the river itself may not be particularly precious, what makes it invaluable is that every generation of Wushuang Sect disciples, upon reaching a certain level of cultivation, has poured their comprehension of the Primordial Concept into its waters."
Infusing one's Concept into the river?
The expressions of the crowd changed.
Duan Yiwei's breathing turned ragged. "So these orbs are…"
An Tong cast a glance his way and said calmly, "They are fragments of the Primordial Forces—what you might commonly call Concept Realm. For example, the Primordial Flame has many branches beneath it. Someone who's comprehended the Laws of Fire can begin to understand that Path. Under it are countless Concepts: Flame Concept, Fire Dragon Concept, True Fire Concept, and so on. Only by fully grasping all of these can one truly master the Primordial Flame and become an unrivaled powerhouse."
The Primordial Forces!
Everyone's breathing grew heavy.
To them, the Primordial Forces had always been a distant, almost mythical concept.
In this world, there are countless Concepts. Under the Primordial Fire, there are Supreme-grade Concepts, High-grade Concepts, Middle-grade Concepts, and Low-grade Concepts. One must comprehend all of these Concepts to fully understand the Law of Fire.
In the current world, the number of powerhouses who have fully comprehended an entire Primordial Force is absolutely few. Looking across the entire human race, they likely number fewer than ten.
And yet the Wushuang Sect...
They had laid out countless fragments of the Concept here for all to see!
If they could absorb these fragments, they too could comprehend Concepts one by one. As long as they comprehended enough Concepts, they could naturally embark on the path to understanding the Primordial Forces.
The atmosphere suddenly grew tense, charged with anticipation. All eyes locked onto the River of Enlightenment, as if everyone wished they could jump in immediately.
Yun Jin arched a brow. "An Tong, do the colors of the orbs represent the grade of the Concept?"
An Tong nodded. "Golden orbs are supreme-grade Concepts. Orange are high-grade. Green are middle-grade. White are low-grade."
"The boats on the river move back and forth. Does that mean we can take them into the water and try to capture the fragments?" Duan Yiwei asked, barely able to contain himself.
An Tong gave him a glance. "The fragments within the River of Enlightenment cannot be captured."
Duan Yiwei's face darkened at once. "Then what's the point of bringing us here? Are you playing with us?!"
An Tong remained composed. "While the fragments cannot be taken by force, they will choose their own rightful bearer. Once aboard the boat, you may display your talents freely. If a fragment resonates with you, it will come to you on its own."
Yue Zhao clicked his tongue in amazement.
So the fragments chose their own companions—like matchmaking for cultivators.
Jin Yu asked, "What if multiple fragments are drawn to the same person?"
An Tong smiled. "Guests are honored. The journey from here to the far shore takes about two hours. However, your soul has its limits. A cultivator at the peak of Divine Transformation can only store up to ten fragments in their sea of consciousness. Those in the Nascent Soul or Golden Core stages can hold even fewer. During these two hours, as long as your soul can contain them, you may keep all the fragments that come to you. My Wushuang Sect will not interfere."
The disappointment of not receiving treasures was instantly swept away. No one knew how many Intent fragments the river held. Even obtaining just one or two could dramatically elevate their strength. Compared to this, any previous treasures paled in comparison. After all, no external artifact could match the importance of one's own cultivation.
"So can we board now?" someone asked eagerly.
"Of course," An Tong replied. "One boat per person. As long as your divine soul can withstand it, you may take as many as you can. This is Wushuang Sect's gift to you."
Everyone's eyes burned with anticipation as they turned to the river.
Yun Jin's thoughts stirred. She quietly asked within her mind, "Senior Tian Po Sword, once these fragments are taken, are they gone forever?"
The Tian Po Sword chuckled. "Not at all. Do you know why the founder chose this river to hold the Intent fragments? It's because this unique treasure has regenerative power. No matter how many fragments are taken, given enough time, it will restore itself. The lower the grade, the faster it regenerates. Supreme-grade fragments, once taken, may take hundreds of years to reform."
The Tian Po Sword let out a sigh. "This River of Enlightenment hasn't been opened in a thousand years. Young Master, the fragments within right now are more complete than ever. Due to some unique properties of the river, it can only be entered once a year at the most. Make the most of this opportunity and collect as many as you can."
Yun Jin nodded, deep in thought.
She'd already mastered quite a few mid-tier and lower-tier sword Concepts.
Even among the advanced ones, she had three—formed within the Sword Tomb itself: the Fire Dragon Sword Concept from the Primordial Flame, the Blade Edge Sword Concept from the Primordial Metal, and the Swift Gale Sword Concept from the Primordial Wind.
There were countless fragments within the river, but time was limited. She'd have to make smart choices.
She decided to focus on improving her strongest Concepts—fire, metal, and wind—and, if possible, aim for the superior-grade sword Concepts hidden within those paths.
And if she had to pick one priority, it'd be wind.
Wind was tied to speed.
And speed, ultimately, was her best defense.
Yun Jin enjoyed basking in the spotlight, but one fundamental truth remained: only by staying alive could she continue to shine.
"With Young Master's talent, you should be able to draw in a supreme-grade fragment," the Tian Po Sword said. "And if you don't encounter one, collecting enough high-grade fragments will eventually lead to enlightenment in a supreme Concept."
Yun Jin nodded.
By now, An Tong had already guided the boats over. "Everyone, you may board now."
Though many had been eager moments before, when the time truly came, most hesitated.
Jin Yu, however, didn't hold back. He strode forward without a second thought. "I'll go first."
He leapt into a boat.
In the next instant, the boat vanished from sight, leaving not a single trace behind.
Yun Jin smiled and stepped forward. "I'll board too."
As Yun Jin climbed aboard, the others finally relaxed. One by one, they followed her lead and began boarding their own boats.