Obsession

In the blink of an eye, five years had passed.

Everyone thought Yi Feng was dead, and the New Sword Sect's reputation had plummeted as a result. Even with Toad and the Snail holding the fort, struggling to support the massive sect, its former glory was no more.

But Toad and the Snail never gave up. They continued to guard the sect, never once thinking of leaving the New Sword Sect. While painstakingly defending their foundation, they would also take the time to visit the Void Sword Mound, delivering various supplies to the Youth in Black who had been holding out there to this day.

Five years passed in a flash, bringing changes to people and places alike.

Even within the New Sword Sect, many disciples had left.

Only these three brothers remained, bitterly waiting for Yi Feng's return just as they had years ago.

...

Deep within an unknown void.

While the outside world had been turned upside down over the past five years, the chaos here remained completely unchanged.

A vast expanse stretched in all directions. Aside from various sword intents drifting and echoing, nothing else could be seen. It was like an endless, dim ocean.

Within this chaotic realm, a faint glimmer suddenly flickered.

From afar, the indistinct light looked like a grain of sand, so insignificant that it could barely illuminate its surroundings, seeming as though it could be swallowed by the surrounding darkness at any moment.

An unknown amount of time passed.

That faint glimmer grew brighter and brighter, illuminating a foot of space around it.

Only then was Yi Feng's figure revealed. The golden sword-shaped mark on his forehead continuously flickered with increasingly bright light; that faint glow was bursting forth from this very mark.

At this moment, the mark's light began to spread across his surrounding skin, slowly expanding and brightening at a speed almost imperceptible to the naked eye. The change was faint, yet it seemed to harbor an incredibly profound power, causing Yi Feng's body to begin its revival.

A full two years later.

Yi Feng, who had been continuously floating in the void, began to emit light from his entire body. The light then retracted to his forehead, surging into the sword-shaped mark as if it had been absorbed by his body.

Until finally, the mark on his forehead also vanished.

Yi Feng opened his eyes at last.

He found himself floating in the void; all sword intents and sword glows in the surroundings were long gone. Only various turbulent currents surged past, pushing him deeper and deeper.

Suddenly, various memories flooded into Yi Feng's mind, making his eyes widen!

Where is this place?

I clearly entered the Void Sword Mound, so why am I floating here?

The sect, my brothers...

I have stepped into the Dao of the Sword, it is time for me to go back!

Yi Feng struggled to channel his spiritual energy, levitating his body to fly in the opposite direction!

But in the next moment, countless void turbulences suddenly rushed toward his face!

Boom!!

The terrifying force of the energy far exceeded a hurricane!

Yi Feng was blown so hard his body swayed; he could only erupt with a stronger cultivation base to resist!

Unfortunately, the turbulence seemed endless, as if determined to drag him deeper into the void. Yi Feng had no extra supplies and no pills on him, so his cultivation could only be continuously drained.

Every breath he took to move forward cost him a significant amount of spiritual energy!

Under this constant drain, the spiritual energy in Yi Feng's body was quickly exhausted. His physical body had reached the extreme limits of weakness. He could only rely on his sheer willpower and sword intent to forcibly withstand the endless turbulence, inching his way along the path home.

A full year later.

Yi Feng's body and mind had reached their absolute limits, and his consciousness was growing blurry. Even though he had broken through to major accomplishment in sword intent and ascended to a stronger realm, it was still difficult to withstand the torment of the endless turbulence.

He was able to hold on until now entirely because of his resilient Dao heart and his desperate obsession with returning home!

No matter the countless hardships and dangers, he had to go back!

Even after suffering a year of torment, Yi Feng still remembered everything from the past.

He had promised Er Pang that he would drink heartily with his brothers.

He remembered his resolve that the next time they drank, he would gather enough Peach Blossom Wine to get Er Pang completely drunk!

He also remembered that the Youth in Black was determined to admire all the brilliant colors of the mortal world.

And there was also that one tael of silver he kept thinking about...

When they met again in the future, he would surely hear a lot of amusing boasting and laughter.

These various memories remained incredibly profound to this day. In particular, that precious brotherhood had long surpassed everything else, making it impossible for Yi Feng to let go. This was his only motivation for holding on until now.

What a pity.

After a year of exhaustion, his entire body could barely move. He could only rely on his supreme sword intent swirling around him to resist the endless turbulence before his eyes.

Moving forward with such difficulty along this path was an immense torment to both his body and spirit. If it had been an ordinary cultivator, they probably would have been reduced to dust after staying in this void world for just a few breaths!

Having held on until now, Yi Feng had long surpassed his limits. Perhaps in the next moment, his body and soul would be completely destroyed.

Perhaps heaven always leaves a way out.

Just as he was reaching the absolute end of his rope, a fly-like speck of light actually appeared in Yi Feng's already blurring spiritual vision, and his sword intent sensed the existence of what seemed to be a spatial rift!

That was highly likely the weak point of this void!

Even if he could not be completely certain, it might be his only path to survival.

Yi Feng no longer looked human at this moment. With no time to overthink, he immediately put everything on the line, squeezed out the last bit of his willpower, and used all his strength to manipulate the protective sword intent around him, charging toward that weak point!

The heaven-shaking sword intent condensed into a divine weapon, crashing toward that weak point.

Finally, this void world was torn open!

The next moment.

The surrounding void turbulence was entirely sucked into that rift, forming a massive vortex before his eyes. Along with the sword intent and the turbulence, Yi Feng plunged headfirst into that unknown rift, completely losing consciousness...