Chapter 75: Sword Body, Second Level

Outside the gates of Chang’an.

A young man and woman stood still, gazing up at the three grand characters inscribed above the city entrance. The youth, his face swollen and puffy, rubbed his cheek while grumbling curses under his breath.

“We finally made it, damn it all... To get to Chang’an, I nearly lost my fat little life...”

Beside him, the girl glanced at his already chubby cheeks, now marred further by purple bruises and a blackened eye. She struggled to suppress a laugh. “Does it still hurt, Fatty? It’s all my fault—if not for me, you wouldn’t be injured...”

These two were Lin Hu and Xiaocui. During their travels, they had heard news that the secret realm of Tianhu outside Chang’an would soon open, and that the three great sects were gathering in the city. They hurried over, though it was clear that some trouble had found them on the road.

“If you want to laugh, just do it. Your face is about to turn red from holding it in...” Fatty Lin said, pinching Xiaocui’s cheek.

Judging by Xiaocui’s lack of resistance, their relationship seemed to be nearing fruition. At his words, Xiaocui could hold back no longer, bursting into laughter. She gently stroked Lin Hu’s swollen face, then shyly withdrew her hand.

Taking Xiaocui’s delicate hand, Lin Hu strode confidently through the city gates.

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From all directions, the winds stirred and clouds gathered.

Brilliant arcs of light sped toward the horizon, but Lin Cheng remained oblivious, wholly immersed in the critical moment of his breakthrough. Spirals of spiritual energy were drawn into his dantian, transformed into sword essence that coursed through every bone and sinew, forging his Five Element Sword Body.

The spirit stones around him gradually disintegrated into ash, vast spiritual power surging within. Dazzling radiance burst forth from his body. The agony of tempering his form for the second level of the Sword Body contorted his face; sweat soaked him through.

Clenching his teeth, Lin Cheng’s expression was resolute.

Buzzing filled the air.

When every spirit stone had been consumed, a mighty resonance echoed within him.

Just a little more!

With a thought, a thousand gold-attributed spirit stones appeared, unleashing a mighty golden tide that engulfed him.

Still not enough. He drew from his storage pouch the broken spirit pill he’d obtained from the Changsun family, and swallowed it whole.

Boom!

The pill dissolved instantly, spreading gentle energy through his organs. Surged by the internal and external flows of power, Lin Cheng radiated multicolored light, enveloped like a five-hued sun as he slowly began to float.

Break through for me!

With a shout within, there was a resounding bang.

His clothes turned to ash, leaving him naked, suspended in the center of the room.

The five-colored glow gradually receded into his body.

---

A body like flawless crystal appeared.

After a brief pause, the surrounding golden energy once again surged into him. Currents of spiritual power flowed like spring water through his limbs and organs, making him almost moan in delight.

The energy poured into his now doubled golden dantian, replenishing his nearly depleted reserves.

Ceasing the absorption, Lin Cheng slowly opened his eyes.

With a wave, he collected the less than five hundred remaining gold spirit stones, feeling a pang of loss.

Breaking through the second level of the Sword Body and reaching the Spirit Realm had nearly exhausted his fortune—he hadn’t spent this many stones even reaching the twelfth level of True Qi before!

Alas, poverty.

How would he manage further breakthroughs? Lin Cheng could not help but sigh.

He set aside such thoughts and slowly savored the raging power within. With a casual gesture, spiritual energy beside him formed a phantom weapon in his palm.

It was not as powerful as his own spiritual artifact, but the technique marked his ability to wield the world's energy.

The Spirit Realm!

Though it was only the Minor Spirit Realm, the leap in strength was far more than a mere addition.

Thinking of his Five Element Sword Body, now at its second level, he quickly examined himself.

Eh?

A chill touched him—his lower half was starkly exposed.

No matter, the room was warded and none could see. He took the opportunity to study his new form.

Drawing the Pointing Heaven Sword, he stabbed himself through the chest.

Nothing happened.

He grinned, putting the sword away.

He next took a mid-grade spiritual saber and hesitantly traced it across his arm. Sparks flashed, leaving no mark.

Applying greater force, he hacked at his arm.

A sharp pain and a spurt of blood followed.

Watching the wound slowly knit itself closed, Lin Cheng felt reassured.

Weapons at the Spirit Realm could not harm him. Other weapons might, but with his sword body’s regenerative power, he was confident he could stride unchallenged through the Spirit Realm.

A sense of invincibility welled up in him, and he could not help but laugh out loud.

He cast a cleansing spell, donned a green robe, and dismissed the room’s wards.

Just as he stepped toward the door, full of delight—

A thunderous roar erupted from the sky.

Crack!

A bolt of lightning split the heavens.

Though the sun stood high and the sky had been clear, dark clouds now suddenly swept over, blotting out the blue.

---

Pedestrians in the city looked up, faces filled with confusion and alarm at the sudden thunder and lightning. What was happening? Why had the weather changed so abruptly? Was a torrential rain on the way? It was all too strange.

While all were mystified—

Deep within the solemn, imposing palace of Chang’an, an old man shrouded in deathly aura slowly opened his eyes. He looked up, as though seeing through layer upon layer of palatial walls to the sky above.

At the same moment, the elderly manager on the sixth floor of Taibai Tower woke from his leisure chair, staring in astonishment at the heavens.

In a mansion in the southeastern quarter, Huang Pu Zun and others, in the midst of discussion, noticed the abnormality outside and quickly rose to look skyward.

“Brother Shen Shang, do you know the cause?” Huang Pu Zun asked.

Shen Shang and Daoist Zhenyang exchanged glances, their faces grave. “Someone is undergoing tribulation...”

Their eyes were full of disbelief—for centuries, no one in Zhao had undergone tribulation, and now it was happening right before their eyes.

“Who could it be?”

All across Chang’an, the powerful of every faction gazed upward in confusion.

In the eastern quarter, within the estate of the Dongfang family, the Azure Sun Sect Master was conversing amiably with the patriarch.

Dongfang Yu sat below, opposite a young man of about twenty-five.

The young man’s face was cold, his presence unsettling.

“How have you fared in Azure Sun Sect, little brother?” The man smiled slightly as he spoke.

Dongfang Yu, clearly wary of his elder brother, answered softly, “Thanks to you, Brother Hao, all is well.”

“Good,” Dongfang Hao replied, falling silent.

Chang’an, as the capital of Zhao, was a web of power. Beyond the three great sects, several mighty clans held sway. The Zhao royal family needed no mention, but alongside them stood the Dongfangs, Changsun clan, and the Huang Pu clan—each rumored to harbor a sovereign within their ranks.

The Dongfangs were blessed with two prodigies: Dongfang Hao, the young patriarch, and his brother Dongfang Yu, who had been taken as the Azure Sun Sect Master’s final disciple at a young age, his cultivation now unfathomable.

As the two spoke, the Azure Sun Sect Master suddenly rose and strode quickly to the door.

Sensing something amiss, the others hurried after him.

This—!

Staring at the sky, now abruptly darkened, they were struck dumb.

The Dongfang patriarch turned to the sect master. “Brother Qingyang, what is this?”

Even as the patriarch, he was clearly at a loss.

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