Supreme Being: The Sword of True Martial Arts

"I've found you."

The voice rang directly in Lin Yan's mind, elegant and composed, with a hint of playful laughter, like the teasing of friends after a successful prank. But a layer of cold sweat seeped down Lin Yan's back—not from fear, but because his Myriad Manifestations Sword Heart sensed an extremely strange power at that moment. It wasn't true qi, nor spiritual power, but a power he had never encountered before, existing between reality and illusion, like a cold finger extending in the opposite direction from his sword sense, gently touching his consciousness.

The moment he touched her, Lin Yan "saw" a scene.

A dimly lit hall stood with a floor paved with black stone slabs, intricately carved with patterns—the same as the array patterns in Ding Changsheng's secret chamber, but ten times larger in scale. At the very center of the hall was a three-foot-high altar, upon which floated a fist-sized azure crystal. Within the crystal, a human figure was vaguely visible, curled up like an infant in the womb. Dozens of men in black knelt around the altar, heads bowed, motionless, like stone sculptures. Azure light emanated from the crystal, enveloping the entire hall and casting an eerie azure hue upon the faces of each man in black.

Deep within the main hall, at the end of the black stone steps, stood a black stone chair. A person sat in the chair.

He was very young, appearing to be no more than twenty years old. He wore a moon-white long robe, his hair tied up with a jade hairpin, and had delicate features with a faint smile on his lips. His eyes were blue—not the kind of blue controlled by the Heart-Stealing Pill, but a clear, emerald-like blue. If one ignored the eerie surroundings, he would look like a noble young master enjoying tea and admiring the moon in his own garden.

He was looking at Lin Yan. Despite the layers of stone walls and the distance of dozens of feet, his gaze pierced through all obstacles, landing directly on Lin Yan. His smile deepened.

The scene abruptly ended.

Lin Yan suddenly opened his eyes, a fine layer of sweat beading on his forehead. The passive perception of the Myriad Manifestations Sword Heart automatically severed the connection with that divine sense—not that Lin Yan actively severed it, but that the Myriad Manifestations Sword Heart instinctively judged that the divine sense was dangerous and shielded it on its own.

"What's wrong?" Qi Xia noticed his unusual behavior.

"He sensed me." Lin Yan took a deep breath to steady his mind. "No, that's not right—he's been sensing us for a long time. From the moment we entered the Hidden Emperor's Fortress, he's been watching us through the eyes of the Heart-Stealing Pill puppet. It's just that when I destroyed the formation just now, he noticed my sword sense, so he made contact with me on his own initiative."

Jiang Zhiwei frowned: "What did he say to you?"

"He said, 'I've found you.'" Lin Yan gave a wry smile. "Then he showed me a picture—the central hall, the underground altar, dozens of men in black, a blue crystal, and inside the crystal was a figure. And there was himself. Sitting in a chair, grinning in a way that looked incredibly smug."

"There's someone inside the crystal?" Meng Qi's eyes widened. "Alive or dead?"

"I don't know." Lin Yan shook his head. "But the aura inside the crystal is strange—it's not the aura of a living person, nor does it resemble that of a dead person. It's more like something... that's been sealed away."

Jiang Zhiwei paused for a moment, then drew her longsword. "Whatever he's doing, our mission is to kill the fortress lord. Since he's at the underground altar, let's go there." She looked at Lin Yan, "Can you lead the way?"

Lin Yan nodded. Although the contact with his divine sense was brief, his Myriad Manifestations Sword Heart had already locked onto Tianci's location. The ball of azure flame was clearly visible in his sword sense, like a lighthouse in the night.

"Come with me."

He turned and walked into the passageway, his pace quickening. Qi Xia followed closely behind him, the Water-Splitting Dagger clasped in her palm, its blue light swirling. Jiang Zhiwei and Meng Qi walked side by side in the middle, while Yan Wujiang followed cautiously at the back, muttering again, "May the Third Miss protect us."

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the passageway began to slope upwards. The torches on the stone walls became fewer and fewer, and the light grew dimmer and dimmer until only the faint glow of the luminous pearl in Qi Xia's hand remained. But Lin Yan didn't need light—under the Myriad Manifestations Sword Heart, every detail of the passageway was clearly visible.

"The exit is ahead," he said.

At the end of the passageway was a half-open stone door, from which a faint blue light shone. The light was exactly the same as the blue aura in Ding Changsheng's eyes, only a hundred times more intense. Lin Yan stopped in front of the stone door and glanced back at the four people behind him.

"Ready?"

Jiang Zhiwei gripped her longsword and nodded. Qi Xia took a deep breath, and the blue light on the Water-Splitting Dagger intensified. Meng Qi swallowed hard, raised his ring-shaped knife to his chest, the blade trembling slightly. Yan Wujiang's face was as white as paper, but surprisingly, he didn't collapse and remained standing.

Lin Yan reached out and pushed open the stone door.

A surge of blue light erupted, illuminating the entire passageway in an eerie blue hue. Lin Yan squinted, adjusting his vision for a few moments before finally making out the scene before him.

Central Hall.

It was exactly the same scene he had "seen" during their spiritual connection—black stone slabs covered the ground, engraved with dense array patterns, each line faintly glowing, like blue blood flowing through veins. In the very center of the hall stood a three-foot-high altar, upon which floated a fist-sized blue crystal. Inside the crystal, a figure was curled up, arms wrapped around knees, head buried between them, like an unborn fetus.

Dozens of men in black knelt around the altar. They stood motionless, heads bowed, their faces hidden in the shadows of their hoods. But Lin Yan's Myriad Manifestations Sword Heart could sense it—they were still alive. Each man's heart was beating, but the rhythm was so slow that a normal person could barely hear it. Their breathing was extremely weak, only once every ten or so breaths. The true energy within their bodies had completely ceased circulating, replaced by a cyan power—of the same origin as the Heart-Stealing Pill, but purer and more concentrated.

It wasn't controlled by drugs, but rather transformed by some deeper force.

Deep within the main hall, at the end of the black stone steps, stood a black stone chair. Seated in the chair was a young man dressed in a moon-white robe.

He watched as Lin Yan and the others entered the main hall, and the smile on his lips deepened. He didn't get up, but simply raised his right hand slightly, making a "please" gesture—exactly the same gesture Ding Changsheng had made in the secret room.

"Gentlemen, you've come from afar, you must be tired." His voice was elegant and composed, with a languid quality typical of those who had long held positions of power. "I thought you would stay in the secret chamber a little longer—after all, that bottle of divinely bestowed elixir is a truly valuable item."

Lin Yan, gripping his sword hilt, took a step forward with a smile. "Heaven-sent elixir? You mean that bottle of slow-release poison laced with the Heart-Stealing Pill?" His tone was as relaxed as if he were arguing with someone in a teahouse. "Lord of the Fortress, no offense, but your taste in names is truly appalling. Heaven-sent elixir, heaven-sent—do you particularly like the word 'heaven-sent'? Are you going to name your ultimate move 'Heaven-sent Divine Palm' or 'Heaven-sent Invincible Sword' next?"

Tianci's smile faltered slightly. Not from anger—his eyes still held that composed smile—but from surprise. Surprised that this young swordsman, whose energy was fully charged, dared to speak to him like that.

"Interesting." He tilted his head, a hint of amusement flashing in his blue eyes. "You're more interesting than I imagined. When Cheng Yong died, I saw your swordsmanship—precise, cunning, every strike hitting its mark. Your sword sense is incredibly strong, stronger than anyone I've ever seen. I'm very curious, where does your sword sense come from?"

He was testing him. Alarm bells rang in Lin Yan's mind. As Tianci spoke, his Myriad Manifestations Sword Heart sensed a slight tremor in the azure crystal on the altar, emitting an extremely faint fluctuation. That fluctuation shared the same origin as Tianci's divine sense, attempting to reconnect with his sword sense.

"It's innate." Lin Yan said without changing his expression, secretly severing the Myriad Manifestations Sword Heart's perception of that fluctuation. "Just like the Lord of the Fortress, his skin is naturally thick."

Tianci laughed. Not a polite laugh, but a genuine laugh of amusement. When he laughed, his entire demeanor changed—he was no longer the languid young nobleman, but like a child who had seen an interesting toy.

"Alright," he said. "Since you don't want to talk about sword sense, let's talk about something else. For example—" His gaze swept over the four people behind Lin Yan, finally landing on Jiang Zhiwei, "The Supreme Sword Scripture of the Sword Washing Pavilion. Su Wuming's disciple, the Sword of Selflessness has already reached a certain level. That sword strike on Cheng Yong's shoulder was very beautiful."

Jiang Zhiwei narrowed her eyes slightly, remaining silent. Her hand had already tightened its grip on the sword hilt.

"And there's Miss Qi from the Great River Gang." Tianci's gaze shifted to Qi Xia. "You used the Water-Splitting Dagger quite well. But the most valuable thing you have isn't the Water-Splitting Dagger, it's those Tang flowers in your arms. They're the ultimate hidden weapon of the Tang Clan of Sichuan; one flower can blow up a secret room. Are you willing to use them?"

Qi Xia's expression changed. She had obtained the blueprints for the Tang Flower from the Lord of the Six Paths of Reincarnation using her merits, and had secretly made them herself; even Jiang Zhiwei didn't know how many she had made. But Tianci saw right through what she was carrying.

"And then there's Senior Brother Zhang Yuanshan from the Zhenwu Sect," Tianci continued, "He's in the east passageway. He's already rescued Ma Lianghan and Tan Wenbo. However, both heroes have taken the Heart-Stealing Pill, and its effects are kicking in. Senior Brother Zhang can't control both of them alone. In another incense stick's time, he'll have to make a choice—to kill the two heroes, or to be killed by them. What do you think Senior Brother Zhang will choose, given his personality?"

Lin Yan's heart sank. Tianci could monitor the entire Hidden Royal Castle in real time—every puppet's perspective was his eye. He not only knew the progress of Lin Yan and the others on the west side, but also knew that Zhang Yuanshan was in trouble on the east side.

"Oh, right." Tianci seemed to suddenly remember something, and snapped his fingers. "And there's Senior Brother Qi Zhengyan from the Huanhua Sword Sect, and Daoist Qingjing from the Xuantian Sect. They also encountered a little trouble. Hero Ma Lianghan's drug took effect faster than expected, and he ambushed Qingjing, stabbing him in the back—but Daoist Qingjing reacted quickly, and before dying, he shattered Hero Ma's heart meridian with a backhand strike. They died together. Very heroic."

He spoke these words in a calm tone, as if he were reporting the weather. But every word was like a heavy hammer, striking Lin Yan and the others' hearts.

Qingjing is dead. Ma Lianghan is dead too. The side quest's objective was to "rescue" the four masters, but Ma Lianghan died at Qingjing's hands, and Qingjing died at Ma Lianghan's hands. Does this count as "rescue"? Will the merit points still be awarded? Nobody knows. But one thing is certain—on Zhang Yuanshan's side, only Qi Zhengyan remains standing. And the effects of the Heart-Stealing Pill within Tan Wenbo could kick in at any moment.

"You're stalling for time," Jiang Zhiwei suddenly said. Her tone was cold, like the chilly wind of December.

Tianci's smile remained unchanged. "Delay? Why should I delay?" He shrugged. "This is the central hall, my altar. These forty-nine men in black kneeling before it have all taken the Heart-Stealing Pill, and each possesses combat strength approaching the Awakening stage. At my command, they will pounce and tear you to shreds. Why should I delay?"

"Because you can't make a move yourself." Jiang Zhiwei's longsword was already drawn, the tip pointing at Tianci. "You've used all your power to maintain the altar. What's inside that crystal is your real purpose. You've said so much just to try and shake our resolve with words before we can act. You're not afraid of us, you're afraid of us disrupting the altar's operation."

Tianci's smile finally faded slightly. He looked at Jiang Zhiwei, a hint of surprise flashing in his blue eyes. "Su Wuming has taken on a good disciple," he said earnestly, then sighed softly. "You're right. The altar does indeed need my maintenance. But you're wrong about one thing—I'm not afraid you'll disturb the altar. I'm afraid you'll die before the altar is completed."

He stood up.

As he rose, the entire hall was suddenly illuminated by a brilliant blue light. The blue crystal on the altar trembled violently, its internal blue light surging like boiling water. The forty-nine men in black kneeling around the altar simultaneously raised their heads, revealing pairs of emerald green eyes beneath their hoods. Forty-nine pairs of eyes, perfectly aligned, looked at Lin Yan and the others. No one gave the order, yet the forty-nine men in black stood up at the same time. Their movements were stiff and synchronized, like a group of puppets pulled by the same string.

Tianci stood at the top of the black stone steps, his moon-white robe fluttering in the blue light. He gently raised his right hand, his five fingers loosely clenched, as if holding something.

"Gentlemen," his voice remained elegant and composed, but now carried an undeniable air of authority, "since you're here, please stay. Once the altar is complete, I will personally collect your remains—in the name of Heaven."

As soon as he finished speaking, the forty-nine men in black moved at the same time.

Instead of attacking Lin Yan and his group, they split into seven teams of seven, forming a strange array around the altar. The seven positions corresponded precisely to the Big Dipper. Forty-nine people, seven teams of seven stars, an array within an array. Azure light emanated from the heads of each black-clad figure, weaving into a massive net of light that enveloped the entire altar.

Lin Yan's Myriad Manifestations Sword Heart sensed that the net of light was not merely defensive—it was also absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy and continuously pouring it into the cyan crystal at the center of the altar. The light inside the crystal grew stronger and stronger, and the curled-up figure began to tremble slightly, as if it might awaken at any moment.

"He's using the life force of these puppets to power the altar," Lin Yan whispered. "With every breath the light net operates, a portion of the life force of these men in black is drained away. Once the thing inside the crystal awakens, all forty-nine of them will die."

"Then what do we do?" Meng Qi asked, his palms sweating as he gripped the ring knife.

Jiang Zhiwei glanced at Lin Yan. "Can you find a flaw in the optical network?"

Lin Yan activated his Myriad Manifestations Sword Heart at full power, his sword sense surging into the azure light net like a tidal wave. Seven teams of men in black, seven in each team, stood in the positions of the Big Dipper constellation: Tian Shu, Tian Xuan, Tian Ji, Tian Quan, Yu Heng, Kai Yang, and Yao Guang. Among the seven stars, Tian Quan was the weakest—not due to negligence on the part of the array setter, but rather the inherent characteristics of the Big Dipper formation itself. Tian Quan, located in the center, connected the other six stars, serving as the hub where the power of the entire formation converged, but also as the most congested node in the flow of power.

"The Tianquan position," Lin Yan said, "the one in the very center, led by a man in black. He is the power hub of the entire formation. If we break through him, the light net will have a temporary gap. But the gap can only last for three breaths—we must rush in within three breaths, otherwise the light net will automatically repair itself."

"Three breaths are enough." Jiang Zhiwei gripped her longsword tightly and turned to Qi Xia and Meng Qi. "Sister Qi, you are responsible for restraining the rest of the men in black. Don't fight them head-on. Just make sure they can't surround you. Little monk, you stay here and guard Master Yan. Don't move."

She finally looked at Lin Yan. "I'll attack the black-clad men at the Tianquan position. You're in charge of finishing them off—if I can't break through, you'll attack from the side."

Lin Yan thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No. The black-clad man at the Tianquan position has the highest cultivation, approaching the Six Apertures level. Your left shoulder injury hasn't healed yet; a full-force sword strike might tear the wound open. I'll attack the Tianquan position, and you can finish him off from the side."

Jiang Zhiwei looked at him and remained silent for a moment. "Are you confident?"

Lin Yan grinned, a smile tinged with the arrogance typical of youth. "I'm not confident. But my swordsmanship excels at finding weaknesses—although the black-clad man of the Tianquan rank is highly skilled, a portion of his internal energy has been drained by the formation. There's a blockage in the meridian of his right leg, which will slow his turning speed by half a beat. If I attack his left side, his right leg will be slower to generate power and won't be able to keep up with my sword."

A hint of surprise flashed in Jiang Zhiwei's eyes. She had been observing the man in black, but hadn't noticed anything wrong with the meridians in his right leg. Lin Yan, however, had noticed it with just one glance.

"Alright." She didn't argue anymore. "You attack Tianquan, and I'll finish him off with my sword."

Lin Yan took a deep breath and drew the iron sword from his waist. It wasn't Cheng Yong's high-level longsword; it was the standard iron sword he had used since the outer sect. The blade was slightly curled in a few places, and the rope wrapped around the hilt was a bit loose. But this sword had accompanied him from the outer sect competition all the way to where he was now, and it was the one he used most comfortably.

"Let's do it."

He was the first to rush out.

Forty-nine men in black simultaneously let out low growls, and the azure light net trembled violently. The seven men from the Tianxuan position were the first to pounce, seven pairs of azure claws grabbing at Lin Yan from different angles. An opening. Lin Yan sidestepped, passing through the gap between two claws. His iron sword thrust out, striking the true energy node in the right arm of one of the men in black. Intercepting the River Style. The man's right arm immediately went limp, creating an opening in the encirclement of the two men beside him. Lin Yan passed through the opening and continued charging towards the Tianquan position.

The black-clad men at the Tian Shu and Tian Ji positions also moved. Fourteen men surrounded them from the left and right, their cyan claws weaving into an impenetrable net. Lin Yan did not slow down. His Myriad Manifestations Sword Heart broke down each black-clad man's movement into a slow-motion video—the angle of their claws, the flow of their true energy, the rhythm of their steps. Flaws, flaws, and more flaws. He weaved left and right through the encirclement of the fourteen men, each time barely grazing the cyan claws, each time precisely stepping into the gaps in the encirclement.

Three breaths later, he emerged from the encirclement of fourteen men. A corner of his Taoist robe was torn off, and there were three claw marks on his left sleeve, but no flesh was injured. The black-clad man of the Tianquan rank was three zhang ahead of him.

It was a tall man in black, a full head taller than the others around him. His eyes were deep blue, almost emerald green. Seeing Lin Yan charging towards him, he didn't dodge, but instead unleashed both claws, ten blue energy blades tearing through the air as they slashed towards him.

A weakness. Right leg.

Lin Yan's body suddenly changed direction while rushing forward at high speed, and he swam around to the left side of the man in black like a fish. The man in black's claws missed, and he tried to turn around, but the blockage of true energy in his right leg slowed his turn by half a beat—and in that half beat, Lin Yan's iron sword had already pierced through.

The sword tip pierced between the third and fourth ribs on the left side of the man in black, exactly in the same spot as when it pierced Cheng Yong. The true energy of the "Intercepting River Style" flowed along the sword tip into the man's body, precisely severing the flow of true energy between his dantian and the meridians in his right leg. The man in black completely lost power in his right leg, and his entire body tilted to the right.

Just then, a dazzling sword light appeared.

Jiang Zhiwei's sword arrived. Her sword was faster and more ruthless than Lin Yan's. The tip pierced the black-clad man's brow, the sword energy penetrating his skull and exiting from the back of his head. The black-clad man's emerald eyes instantly dimmed, and his tall body fell backward.

The position of Tianquan is broken.

The azure light net trembled violently, and a three-foot square gap appeared centered on the Tianquan position. The edges of the gap were constantly writhing, trying to repair themselves, but very slowly. "Three breaths!" Lin Yan shouted. The four of them simultaneously passed through the gap and rushed into the interior of the light net.

Inside the net of light was a completely different scene. The azure light was so intense it felt almost tangible, and every breath filled the lungs with a chilling sensation. The altar was just ten feet ahead, and the light within the azure crystal was blindingly bright. The figure inside the crystal began to stretch out from its curled-up position, slowly opening its limbs like a baby stretching.

Tianci stood beside the altar, his right hand resting lightly on the crystal. His face still held a smile, but that smile had changed—no longer elegant and composed, but rather a near-fanatical anticipation. A bluish light illuminated his face, outlining his features with distinct light and shadow, like an eerie portrait.

"You're faster than I expected," he said, his voice slightly breathless, "but not fast enough. She's already awake."

The words had barely left his mouth when the blue crystal shattered with a deafening crash.