After returning to Black Tortoise Peak, Xuan Yi had just stepped into his private courtyard when a clear, crisp system notification rang out in his mind.
[Ding! Congratulations, you've completed the Sidequest and have received a reward.]
At the sound of the notification, a tremor ran through Xuan Yi's body. His pulse quickened, and before he could fully process what was happening, a wave of searing spiritual energy surged from deep within him. He could feel the very core of his being undergo a dramatic shift as his cultivation base transformed.
In an instant, his cultivation leapt forward by two whole levels, propelling him into the early stages of the third level of the Nascent Soul Realm!
Xuan Yi blinked in astonishment, his gaze flickering with disbelief. With this newfound strength, he now stood above even Jian Nantian, the Sect Master of the Profound Sword Sect, in terms of cultivation!
The transformation was not just in his body, however. Deep within the vast sea of his consciousness, a spectacular sight unfolded: a sword shadow began to form, shimmering faintly in the distance. It was delicate and ephemeral, barely there—like a breath away from vanishing into nothingness. Yet, despite its fragility, it pulsed with an unshakable, terrifying sharpness.
Xuan Yi's breath caught in his throat.
Sword Intent.
That ethereal sword shadow was the embodiment of something far more profound: the embryonic birth of true Sword Intent.
He understood that as his comprehension of Sword Intent deepened, the shadow would slowly coalesce, becoming stronger and more tangible until it transformed into a physical manifestation.
Sword Intent was known to exist in nine levels, each successive level amplifying a cultivator's combat power exponentially. But there was something even greater—a legendary realm that few had ever touched. Above the Ninth Level of Sword Intent lay the mythical Sword Realm, a place of unimaginable mastery over the blade. Even in the annals of ancient legends, those who attained the Sword Realm were said to be as rare as phoenix feathers or qilin horns.
For now, the first level of Sword Intent was already an extraordinary opportunity, one that placed him at the pinnacle of sword cultivation.
With an almost imperceptible flick of his wrist, Xuan Yi summoned a blade from the very air—a pure, flawless longsword formed entirely from condensed sword qi. In a heartbeat, it shimmered to life in his palm. Without a second thought, Xuan Yi willed his newly understood Sword Intent to burst forth.
The world seemed to shudder as the air around him twisted, the fabric of reality itself bending in response to the sheer power radiating from him.
"So strong!" Xuan Yi's heart raced, a wild excitement sparking in his chest.
At that moment, he knew with absolute certainty that even if he faced a fourth or fifth-level Nascent Soul cultivator, he could hold his own without fear of defeat.
Still, despite his newfound power, Xuan Yi remained cautious. He quickly reined in his bubbling excitement, suppressing the surge of pride rising in his chest.
While comprehending Sword Intent allowed him to break through two major realms and challenge opponents much stronger than before, facing cultivators three realms above him was a different matter entirely. Such an encounter would be a considerable challenge, even for him. After all, the higher a cultivator's level, the more difficult it became to fight across realms.
Back when he had been in the Foundation Establishment stage, geniuses could defeat opponents four or five realms above them. But now, even at the Nascent Soul level, surpassing one realm was a feat in itself.
Before comprehending Sword Intent, even his extraordinary talent had only allowed him to challenge others on his level, or slightly stronger opponents at best. Now, with Sword Intent as his weapon, he could challenge opponents across realms, shifting the balance of power in his favor.
If Xuan Yi had achieved Sword Intent when he was only at the first level of Nascent Soul, he could have faced off against fourth-level Nascent Soul experts without blinking. Now, as a third-level Nascent Soul cultivator, fighting against a fifth-level Nascent Soul expert didn't seem entirely out of reach.
However, sixth-level Nascent Soul experts were still too far beyond his grasp.
"The system is truly remarkable. It allowed me to skip the embryonic stage and directly comprehend true Sword Intent!" Xuan Yi marveled, his thoughts momentarily drifting in awe.
Most sword cultivators, before reaching true Sword Intent, would first grasp its embryonic form—an indistinct, half-formed state that lay between comprehension and enlightenment. Even achieving the embryonic form was exceedingly rare.
In the surrounding kingdoms, such as the Heavenly Wind Kingdom, while few cultivators ever reached true Sword Intent, many had managed to capture its embryonic essence. Those who mastered this embryonic form experienced a tangible increase in their combat strength.
Although the boost was minor in comparison to actual Sword Intent, it was enough to tip the scales in battles between equally matched foes. The one who wielded the embryonic form of Sword Intent would almost always emerge victorious.
However, even among those who could grasp the embryonic form, few ever ascended to true Sword Intent. It was said that out of a thousand sword cultivators who touched the embryonic form, not a single one would fully comprehend the true power of Sword Intent.
This rarity was precisely why so many sword cultivators yearned for Sword Intent but found it elusive, slipping through their fingers despite years of painstaking effort.
Just as Xuan Yi was reflecting on this, another system prompt chimed in his mind, cutting through his thoughts.
[Ding! A side quest has been triggered: Have a disciple with more than 200 aptitude points. Mission reward: Upgrade host by one level, comprehend the second level of Sword Intent!]
Xuan Yi's eyes widened, and a spark of excitement flared within him. A disciple with more than 200 aptitude points was a difficult goal to reach, but not impossible—especially with his newly accepted disciple, Gui Yiyi.
The reward for completing this side quest was staggering: not only would it upgrade him by a whole cultivation level, but it would also grant him the comprehension of the second level of Sword Intent!
Xuan Yi took a deep breath, steadying himself. He could hardly contain the excitement bubbling in his chest.
The power he had gained from mastering the first level of Sword Intent was already phenomenal. To break through to the second level—he could hardly imagine just how terrifying his combat strength would become!
At that moment, a voice echoed from outside the courtyard.
"Junior Sister Gui, please follow me to see Elder Xuan."
The Gui family had arrived at Black Tortoise Peak, escorted by two inner sect disciples of the Profound Sword Sect.
As they approached the entrance, the two disciples—clad in robes marking their inner sect status—turned to Gui Yiyi with warm, respectful smiles, gesturing for her to proceed. Their expressions radiated deference, and their polite tone left Gui Yiyi feeling both flattered and slightly overwhelmed.
These disciples were figures who, in the outside world, would be considered small elites, and yet they were treating her, a new disciple, with such profound respect.
Gui Yiyi, who had grown up humble in the Gui family, felt a tightness in her chest. She nervously tightened her grip on her small bag and followed behind the two disciples, her heart fluttering with both excitement and anxiety as she took each step closer to her new life.
Inside the courtyard, sensing their arrival, Xuan Yi slowly stood from his seat. A faint smile played at the corners of his mouth, and his eyes gleamed with something more—anticipation.
"Gui Yiyi," he murmured softly to himself, his gaze unwavering as he stared out toward the approaching figures. "I wonder what surprises you will bring me."
Outside, the mountain breeze whispered through the trees, the robes of the approaching figures fluttering softly in the wind, as a new chapter in the story began to unfold quietly.