Daqin Zhentiansi

The mysterious yin protects the body, and the vermilion fire tempers the essence, instantly nourishing the soul and igniting the body's original essence!
After a brief rest, the auras of all the sword cultivators from Yongtian Continent, the disciples of the Great River Sword Sect, and even those brought by Xuan Chengzi, surged dramatically.

He was full of energy and his eyes shone even brighter!
Many of them broke through their cultivation levels on the spot.

"This fruit grows in an extremely yang place, yet it nurtures the power of profound yin. How wondrous!" Zhang Yuan felt a trace of the condensed true essence within his body increasing.

Unfortunately, compared to his profound accumulation of knowledge and experience, even if there were tens of thousands or millions of these Vermilion Fruits, it would only be better than nothing.

His gaze swept over Wu Daoling and the others, his expression solemn: "This person is skilled in sword formation practice, but even though this formation is strong, it has its weaknesses."

"The sword's momentum is vast and powerful, enough to crush strong enemies, but it is not good at dealing with extremely fast and unpredictable single-target attacks or those with strong penetration."

"The formation transitions during movement still lack a certain degree of smoothness."

His comments were calm and composed, yet they sent a chill down the spines of Wu Daoling and the other sword cultivators from Yongtian Continent, who seemed to be deep in thought.

Marquis Qingyang truly has keen insight!
Chen Duange and the others looked at Zhang Yuan with eyes full of admiration.

The team set off again, continuing along this ancient path of ice and fire.

After traveling for a short while, the scenery ahead suddenly changed.

The elemental storms that used to collide and annihilate each other have disappeared, replaced by a chilling stillness.

The Ice and Fire Corridor becomes exceptionally narrow here, with huge, smooth, mirror-like "walls" on both sides.

The fire curtain and the frost walls were covered with countless, deep holes, like demonic eyes.

A chilling, bone-deep wind suddenly blew in from the depths of the corridor.

The wind was neither cold nor scorching, but pure—killing intent!
"Ugh——!"

A sharp, soul-piercing sound suddenly rang out!
Countless sword holes on both sides of the wall suddenly lit up!
The icy blue frost and the pale white flames did not merge and annihilate each other.

Instead, they strangely merged into an indescribable, grayish-white storm of extremely cold sword energy, like billions of invisible needles, sweeping across the sky and penetrating every nook and cranny, frantically slaying everyone in the corridor!

This storm of sword energy contains a triple killing intent: tearing apart the soul, freezing true essence, and burning away life force!

The area covers the entire dangerous zone!

Once caught up in it, you'll be instantly reduced to dust!
"Extremely cold sword wind! The bloody marks left behind by the ancient battlefield of the Sword Tomb! Quick! Use your own methods to protect yourselves! Charge through!"

Xuan Chengzi's expression changed drastically. He shouted out, no longer caring about his immortal demeanor, and his whisk danced like a raging torrent.

The pure and mysterious light condensed into layers of Daoist patterns to protect himself and several people around him, and he bravely charged forward against the storm.

"Roar!" Cheng Yue roared, pushing the "Heavy Mountain Sword Intent" to its limit. He held the ancient sword horizontally in front of his chest, and his whole body was like a rock.

The heavy sword energy formed a dark domain that barely contained itself. It struggled to move forward step by step against the terrible wind pressure, its feet carving deep furrows in the smooth corridor!
"Pfft! Pfft!"

Several screams rang out almost simultaneously.

Several slow-reacting, weaker cultivators or disciples from small sects had their protective auras shattered upon contact with the sword energy storm.

The body collapsed, disintegrated, and turned into dust mixed with ice crystals and sparks, like a sand dune, and disappeared into the storm.

Not even a trace was left!

This scene shocked everyone!
The Yongtianzhou army is also facing a severe test!

The massive "Sword Intent Landscape" proved insufficiently agile under the intense barrage targeting the soul and energy core.

The military formation slackened slightly, and dozens of outer sword cultivators groaned, blood spilling from the corners of their mouths, their sword energy dimming.

Wu Daoling immediately changed formation: "Split Formation! Sharp Arrow! Charge! The Arrow Formation holds the line, while the flanks parry with sword energy! Nine Suns Undying Sword Domain, protect!"

The three thousand troops instantly split into several smaller, but more agile, sharp arrow formations.

The core fighting spirit condensed into the arrow, transforming into a blazing golden-red sword beam that pierced through the storm ahead. The armored soldiers on both sides exerted all their true energy to form a shield with the Nine Yang Sword Qi, struggling to resist the flank invasion.

It wasn't fast, but it was steady, like several red-hot steel knives cutting through solidified grease.

Zhang Yuan walked through the eye of the storm as if taking a leisurely stroll!

He was surrounded by an extremely thin, almost transparent halo of chaotic light.

It is the protective Chaos Sword Qi that was obtained from the Soul-Forging Sword Talisman, refined from the cold power of the Nether Spring, and combined with the nascent form of his own True Domain!
When that terrifying storm of extremely cold sword energy touched this halo, it was like a mud ox sinking into the sea; it was silently swallowed, decomposed, and assimilated by the power of chaos!
Even the hem of his clothes couldn't be lifted up even a little.

Wherever he passed, the raging storm seemed to briefly find a calm and safe passage.

Xuan Chengzi, Cheng Yue, and a group of quick-witted cultivators who were closely following him felt their pressure lessen, allowing them to cross the death zone more quickly.

"Om-"

As everyone broke through the terrifying storm zone and regained their footing in the open, a strange resonance rose from their dantian.

Passing through this place feels like passing a test of some kind of rule on this ancient battlefield.

Seeds of various shapes and sizes, each emitting a faint aura of ice, fire, sharpness, or malevolence, quietly appeared in the dantian of all those who successfully transcended the tribulation.

Seed of Sword Intent!

This is a gift from this world to the strong!

Plant this seed, and with time to comprehend and refine it, you may be able to develop the prototype of a sword domain in your dantian and step into the realm that countless sword cultivators dream of!
Everyone was overjoyed and, disregarding their disheveled state, immediately sat cross-legged and introspected, trying to comprehend this unexpected surprise.

A slight movement occurred in Zhang Yuan's sea of ​​consciousness, and several of the highest quality seeds were incorporated into the Chaos Furnace, imprinted with his mark, becoming resources to nourish the "True Domain" and the "Chaos Sword Form".

Our strength has been further enhanced!
Having weathered countless tribulations, their gaze finally fell upon the end of this corridor of ice and fire!

There, space was so distorted it was almost shattered!

A gigantic, circular yin-yang symbol appeared high in the sky!
At the eye of the picture are two heaven-reaching divine swords!

On the left is a sword, crystal clear, its blade seemingly carved from ancient ice, radiating an extreme cold sword intent that freezes time and space!
On the right is a sword with flowing black and red hues, like the solidified core of a star. The blade is covered with twisted crimson cracks and exudes a violent, fiery sword intent that burns everything!

The tips of the two swords pointed diagonally downwards, seemingly still, but in reality, the space itself was being distorted and groaning under the oppressive pressure of their diametrically opposed and terrifying sword intents!
A chaotic and ferocious aura, seemingly originating from the very beginning of the world, emanated from the center where the two swords were crossed!
Zhang Yuan stood alone before the army, his black robe fluttering even without wind.

The Chaos Furnace spun wildly deep within the sea of ​​consciousness, analyzing the primordial mysteries emanating from the Yin-Yang Twin Swords.

His gaze pierced through the distorted space and landed on the two divine weapons.

This place of Yin and Yang swords is the true entrance to the core dangers and opportunities of the fourth level of the Sword Tomb.

————————————————————

At the end of the Ice and Fire Corridor, space seemed to have been torn open by a monstrous rift.

The enormous yin-yang diagram slowly rotated.

At the center of the formation, the Ice Crystal Sword and the Burning Star Sword faced each other in mid-air, like two opposing powers suppressing the universe. The Ice Crystal Sword was translucent, emanating an ancient chill.

Wherever the sword pointed, ice crystals spread, and the space itself cracked with a crisp, freezing sound.

The Burning Star Sword is like solidified stellar core lava.

The sword was covered with deep red cracks, spewing out scorching flames that could incinerate stars, the high temperature distorting light, and the air steaming and churning.

Between the two swords, the extreme cold and the blazing fire clashed and annihilated each other, forming a destructive core with a diameter of tens of feet.

Annihilation Domain of Ice and Fire!
This place has reached the level of rejection and collapse at the level of laws, and space is constantly tearing, collapsing, and being reborn like glass!
A dark gray chaotic vortex roared within, emanating an aura of nothingness that devoured everything.

Even a beginner-level Saint Realm expert felt his scalp tingle and his soul tremble.

At the end of the corridor, it had become a battlefield of blood and flesh.

Dozens of forces gathered, and the scorched earth was covered with black ash remains that had been frozen and instantly incinerated, as well as severed limbs and fragments torn apart by spatial rifts.

The Yangtianzhou Immortal-Demon Alliance, led by Xiao Zhengtian of Zixiao Palace, united with the demonic forces of Yangtianzhou. Under the stern command of Elder Xiao Zhengtian, the disciples of Zixiao Palace formed the "Zixiao Thunder-Attracting Formation," drawing upon the thunderous energy of the Nine Heavens, intending to forcibly break the balance of the two swords and seize the treasure.

But an out-of-control wave of blazing fire swept across the edge of the formation, and several disciples were reduced to ashes before they could even scream!

Xiao Zhengtian was the first to be hit. His Taoist robe was charred and torn, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. For the first time, his dignified face showed shock and disarray.

Several cultivators around him, clearly not dressed in Zixiao Palace attire and exuding a chilling demonic aura, retreated desperately, their magical artifacts dimming in light.

Several notorious Grandmaster-level demons from the Blood Wolf Alliance launched a fierce attack, joining forces to unleash a hideous skull blood banner. A turbulent river of filthy blood surged forth, rushing straight towards the Ice Crystal Sword, attempting to corrupt its spiritual essence.

With a flash of light from the Ice Crystal Sword, the tainted blood instantly froze into scarlet ice shards!
"Boom!"

The backlash was like an ice-covered sea surging back.

The banner demon and several of his henchmen were instantly frozen into ice sculptures. Then, the burning star sword energy swept across, and with a crisp "crack," the ice sculptures shattered, leaving no trace of their bodies!
The remaining Blood Wolf Alliance demon cultivators were terrified, their livers and gallbladders trembling with fear. They fled in panic, their previous arrogance completely gone.

Both sides suffered defeats.

The power imbued in these Yin-Yang twin swords is clearly incomparably formidable.

"Om-"

An elder of the Li Chen Palace, with a withered face and billowing black robes, drew upon the Yin energy of the earth's veins, condensing a gigantic ghost claw that reached for the Burning Star Blazing Sword.

The Burning Star Sword hummed slightly, and the cracks on its body suddenly shone as brightly as a furnace. A pillar of fire, resembling a waterfall of lava, shot upwards!

"Hey!"

The ghost claw was as thin as paper; it evaporated instantly upon contact with fire.

The scorching aftershocks of destruction swept past, and several experts from the Li Chen Palace were unable to dodge in time. Before they could even let out a complete scream, they were swept into the edge of the annihilation domain. Their flesh and blood were instantly torn apart and vaporized in the distorted space and the clash of ice and fire!
The cultivators from the Lichen Palace who had narrowly escaped in the distance gasped in shock, their faces turning ashen.

The scattered rogue cultivators and cultivators from small sects were like mosquitoes and flies in a storm. If they were touched by the aftershocks of ice and fire or spatial turbulence, they would either turn into ice sculptures and then be burned to ashes, or be swallowed up by spatial rifts without leaving a trace.

Screams echoed everywhere, turning the place into a purgatory of blood and fire.

Behind the distant ice cliffs, several cultivators dressed in the robes of Heavenly Fire Valley or Profound Ice Palace watched with pale faces, clinging tightly to the rock wall, too afraid to move, their eyes filled with despair and resentment.

The treasure was right in front of them, but no one could obtain it.

This is also an extremely painful thing.

"Woo——"

"Woo——"

At the height of chaos, a sudden change occurs!
The frozen soil beneath the Ice Crystal Sword suddenly shattered, and several "humanoid" figures, their bodies half frozen and half charred, burst forth, shrouded in ancient sword energy!
"Guard the Sword Tomb... Do not let the evil sword be born..."

A hoarse, overlapping, and mournful cry, like the whispers of ten thousand souls, echoed throughout the Ice and Fire Corridor.

The leader was dressed in an ancient Taoist robe unique to Zhao Zhou's Flowing Cloud Sword Washing Pavilion, with a simple and plain style and faded patterns.

The sword intent, as solid as a mountain yet chaotic and violent, instantly overlapped with the image of the senior in the light and shadow of the sword soul stone at Cheng Yue's waist!

"Grandmaster Uncle Li Chunfeng?!"

Cheng Yue trembled violently, as if struck by lightning. His eyes widened, and his hand gripping the sword hilt clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His tiger-like eyes instantly turned blood red!

The elite disciples of Zhao Zhou, who were not far away, also cried out in shock, filled with grief and indignation.

The heroic souls and remnants of these Zhao Zhou ancestors have long been completely corrupted and enslaved by the ferocious power of the twin swords, turning them into Ice and Fire Sword Slaves who only know how to kill!

Their blood-red eyes, clouded with turbidity, were filled only with the twisted obsession of guarding the sword tomb, and they frantically attacked anything that came near the twin swords.

With each swing of the decaying ancient sword in his hand, there was both the chilling cold that froze thousands of miles and the scorching heat that could burn mountains and boil seas!

The remnant spirit completely ignored defenses and launched a suicidal attack with its remaining soul body, instantly drawing several Xuan Guang Sect disciples who intended to approach and launch a sneak attack into the battle, where they died tragically in the freezing and burning.

Cheng Yue watched helplessly as his once revered grandmaster uncle slaughtered indiscriminately like a wild beast. His heart bled, and anger and grief nearly burst from his chest.

At this moment, a voice sounded.

"Tsk tsk tsk... A bunch of useless trash, not even worthy of being used as a sacrifice for the murderous sword!"

The voice, filled with endless killing and cruel mockery, suddenly suppressed all the noise.

The chaotic vortex churned wildly, and a crimson light soared into the sky, reddening half of the heavens. A figure formed from viscous dark blood and tribulation fire stepped out.

It was none other than the projection of Lord Wu'an, Bai Qi!
His blood-red vertical pupils ignored everyone else, focusing intently on Zhang Yuan, who held the Yuanyue Heavy Sword by his side and was observing the flow of the sword's fundamental laws.

"Kid, did you see that?"

Bai Qi's projection grinned, revealing sharp white teeth, and pointed at the hellish battlefield as if admiring a masterpiece, "This is the best blood food to feed the evil sword! Why not lend me a hand and make this... blood feast even more 'grand'!"

He made a fist with one hand, and the invisible, malevolent power transformed into blood-red shackles, which flashed towards the cultivators who were being entangled and struggling by the sword slaves, intending to forcibly drag them into the core depths of the Ice and Fire Annihilation Domain for a live sacrifice!

"Oh no--!"

Xiao Zhengtian, the leader of the Blood Wolf Alliance, and other top experts were horrified. They rallied their full magical power, and their golden Dao principles and demonic patterns surged as they desperately resisted the terrifying pulling force, but their bodies still slid involuntarily toward the abyss.

The muscles in their faces were contorted with rage and grotesque pain from the struggle between fear and power.

Those cultivators locked in by the demonic intent were terrified, their desperate screams echoing throughout the land.

Living sacrifice?

Faced with a three-way deadly situation, Zhang Yuan's eyes were icy cold, as deep as the starry sky and ancient abyss.

His left hand gently caressed the scabbard of the Azure Water Sword at his waist. (End of Chapter)