What No One Has Accomplished in Ten Thousand Years

At this moment, ten thousand swords hummed in unison.

Millions of broken swords slumbering throughout the canyon—some embedded in the cliffs, some sunken at the bottom of the river, some buried in the dirt—let out a deafening sword cry at the exact same time.

These sounds merged together, like the roar of a massive army, like a roaring tsunami.

Welcoming the ascension of a new emperor.

The starlight filling the sky did not dissipate.

The shattered rain of starlight swirled in the air for a moment, then, as if finding its home, transformed into visible rivers of pure sword qi that madly surged into Ye Xuan's body from all directions.

Ye Xuan threw his head back and let out a long howl. His cultivation base skyrocketed wildly, but just as it reached the absolute peak of the Soul Formation stage, he forcefully suppressed it.

It wasn't that he couldn't break through; he just didn't want to.

A breakthrough with an unstable foundation was meaningless.

However, his physical body, his meridians, and his sword bones were undergoing an earth-shattering transformation.

Bones shattered and reformed. Every single bone was tempered by the sword qi, becoming as hard as divine iron, emitting a sword's hum when struck.

After a long while, the light faded.

Ye Xuan hovered in mid-air, his upper body bare. The previous transformation had shattered his clothes to dust, revealing a crystalline physique underneath that resembled warm jade.

A faint divine radiance flowed across the surface of his skin. His muscle lines were clear and smooth, exuding a sense of power without appearing brutish.

He slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes had changed. They were no longer purely pitch-black; deep within his pupils, there was now an extremely faint golden halo. As his eyelids opened and closed, the birth and death of the sun, moon, and stars seemed to faintly circulate within them.

He slowly descended, his bare feet stepping onto the Mirror Lake.

The Sun-Slaying Sword returned to its sheath.

The Mirror Lake was already a complete mess. More than half of the lake water had evaporated, exposing the potholed, pitch-black lakebed.

Countless sword marks crisscrossed, slicing the entire lakebed to pieces. The remaining water reflected Ye Xuan's figure.

Pei Yuzhi, Tantai Jue, and Mo Qixing were currently staring at him with the kind of gaze reserved for a monster.

"He... actually killed the Sword Emperor's shadow?"

Tantai Jue was the first to speak, his voice as dry as sandpaper. He swallowed hard, finding his throat terribly parched.

"It wasn't a kill."

Mo Qixing took a deep breath. Beneath the cloth bandages wrapped around his eye sockets, a drop of cold sweat was slowly sliding down.

His voice was very calm, but hidden within that calmness was a trace of heavily suppressed trembling:

"It was a transcendence."

"He defeated the strongest sword cultivator of the past ten thousand years head-on, while at the exact same cultivation realm."

Pei Yuzhi did not speak.

She watched as that god-like, demon-like man slowly descended from mid-air. His bare upper body gleamed with a warm, jade-like luster under the starlight, his face handsome and indifferent.

An absurd thought suddenly rose in her heart.

The three high and mighty female emperors...

Did they truly know just what kind of existence they had missed out on?

This thought existed for only a fleeting moment before she forcefully extinguished it using the Supreme Dao of Forgetting Emotions. But that seed had already been planted.

Ye Xuan paid no attention to their gazes.

He walked straight over to Ying'er.

The little girl had long been scared silly, crouching behind a reef and shivering. However, her large eyes remained fixed in Ye Xuan's direction. Within them, aside from fear, there was a pure, unadulterated adoration and reliance.

Ye Xuan crouched down and reached out to wipe away the crisscrossing tear tracks on her face. The pad of his thumb brushed against her cheek, warm and gentle.

He smiled.

"Let's go, little girl."

He took her hand and turned to face the depths of the Mirror Lake.

"To take back what belongs to us."

As the Sword Emperor's phantom dissolved into a sky full of starry rain, the entire Mirror Lake seemed to complete a ritual that had lain dormant for ten thousand years.

A muffled, thunderous boom echoed from the depths of the lakebed.

The remaining lake water churned violently, then abruptly parted right down the middle.

Amidst the monstrous waves, a throne slowly rose.

The entire throne was built from the sword bones of countless broken swords. Every broken sword was jade-like, crystal clear, and emitted a cold, clear light.

They were layered and interwoven in a neat yet scattered manner, forming a magnificent throne nearly thirty feet tall. The armrests of the throne were two crossed ancient swords, and the backrest was a curtain of light formed from thousands of streams of sword qi, upon which the patterns of mountains, rivers, sun, and moon could be faintly seen.

The entire throne exuded a chilling, domineering aura of unrivaled supremacy over heaven and earth.

Ye Xuan's expression was indifferent. He let go of Ying'er's hand and stepped up into the air, step by step.

With every step he took, a golden sword lotus bloomed beneath his feet. The sword lotuses silently blossomed and silently withered, leaving behind a trail of faint golden footprints.

When he arrived before the throne, he was in no rush to sit down.

He turned around, looking down from his high vantage point at Ying'er, who was tilting her small head up to look at him, and waved her over.

"Come here."

Ying'er froze for a moment, pointing at her own nose.

"Me?"

Ye Xuan raised an eyebrow, the corners of his lips curving up slightly.

Only then did Ying'er wake up from her daze. Lifting her skirt, she flew to Ye Xuan's side with quick, small steps.

Her cultivation was too low to even walk on air; it was Ye Xuan secretly supporting her with his spiritual energy that brought her up. But she was completely oblivious to this, only feeling light on her feet.

Ye Xuan chuckled softly, turned around, and took his seat.

The white bone sword chair bore his weight, letting out a clear and resonant sword hum as if responding to its new master.

Then, he did something that left all the onlookers dumbfounded.

He did not have Ying'er stand in attendance at his side.

Instead, he reached out and scooped her up, his large hand clasping her slender waist. He directly pulled her petite body up and had her sit sideways on his lap.

"Ah!"

Ying'er cried out in surprise, her pretty face instantly flushing red. That rosy hue spread all the way from her cheeks to the roots of her ears, her neck, and even her collarbones took on a thin layer of pink.

She instinctively tried to struggle up, her small hands pushing against Ye Xuan's chest, so flustered she became incoherent:

"M-Master... this is the Sword Emperor's throne... how could Ying'er... this is, this is a great disrespect..."

"Don't move."

Ye Xuan's large hand pressed firmly against her waist. The force wasn't heavy, but it made it entirely impossible for her to break free.

He tilted his head slightly, resting his chin on her fragrant shoulder. His breath brushed against her earlobe, his tone lazy yet domineering:

"This entire world is mine. Naturally, I can sit on this throne however I please."

He paused, his voice dropping a few degrees, carrying a trace of tenderness that no one else could hear:

"You are my woman. It is only right that you share this glory with me."

Ying'er's body softened, and she stopped struggling.

She buried her face in Ye Xuan's chest, her ears so red they looked ready to drip blood. Her heart was pounding furiously.

But she didn't push him away again.

She just closed her eyes and, secretly and cautiously, gripped a corner of Ye Xuan's robes with her fingers.

She gripped it very tightly, terrified that if she let go, this dream would end.

The very instant the two of them took their seats...

The throne violently trembled.

Countless broken swords emitted a resonant hum at the same time. The entire throne was like an activated ancient magic array, the sword patterns on its surface lighting up with a blazing white radiance.

An obscure and profound sword incantation abruptly exploded within Ye Xuan's mind.

"The Heartless and Emotionless Slash of Heaven and Earth."

Ye Xuan snapped his eyes open.

In this instant, his pupils turned into a void of paleness. There were no black pupils, no brown irises, only an empty, deathly white.

Ying'er felt the sudden change in his aura. She looked up, saw those pale eyes, and was startled.

"Master...?" she called out timidly.

Ye Xuan did not respond.

His consciousness was immersed in that dharma spell, sensing its essence.

This sword art did not cultivate spiritual energy, but only the mind and will.

With one strike of the sword, the seven emotions and six desires are severed.

With another strike, karma and reincarnation are severed. With a third strike, all connections in the world are severed.

Once successfully cultivated, the sword wielder would become a true transcendent being, unconstrained by karma, exempt from the cycle of reincarnation, and imperceptible to the Heavenly Dao.

The price was eternal loneliness.

This was the Sword Emperor's strongest, yet most despairing strike in his twilight years.

A ripple finally appeared in Ye Xuan's pale pupils.

He lowered his head and glanced at Ying'er in his arms.

The little girl was looking up at him, her large eyes filled with worry and unease.

Her small hands clutched his lapels, her knuckles turning white from the force.

"Master? What's wrong? Your eyes are so scary..." Her voice was small, carrying an imperceptible tremble. "Do... do you still recognize Ying'er?"

Ye Xuan froze for a moment.

Then, warmth seeped back into those pale eyes bit by bit, like spring water. The paleness faded, and the pitch-black and gold resurfaced.

He looked at Ying'er, suddenly smiled, and reached out to rub her head.

"I recognize you."

The words were spoken lightly.

But Ying'er's eyes reddened, and she almost burst into tears again.

Ye Xuan withdrew his gaze, having already made a decision in his heart.

He accepted the Heaven and Earth Heartless Severing Strike.

But he would not cultivate it according to the original version.

"Heartless?" Ye Xuan sneered in his heart.

"In my past life, because I had no one I wanted to protect, I chose to sever all emotions so I wouldn't be hurt anymore. That was a path of escape."

"In this life, I will not walk that path again."

"This sword, in my hands, will not sever the mortal world, nor will it sever love and righteousness."

His gaze became sharp and resolute.

"It will only sever those who refuse to submit."

A sky-piercing aura erupted from the throne. A golden pillar of sword qi shot straight into the heavens, splitting the remaining clouds above the Mirror Lake in two.

Ye Xuan's cultivation base climbed madly, crashing against the final barrier of the Great Perfection of the Soul Formation stage. Under his assault, dense cracks appeared on the barrier. As long as he wished, he could break through at any time.

But he did not.

Using his willpower, he forcefully suppressed the surge, and then crushed, consolidated, crushed, and consolidated it over and over again.

Every suppression made his aura more profound; every consolidation made his foundation firmer.

By the time this power was completely digested and absorbed by him, his cultivation remained at the Great Perfection of the Soul Formation stage.

Meanwhile, the barrier in the core area of the Sword Tomb, the light curtain that had enveloped the Mirror Lake for ten thousand years, could finally no longer withstand the aftermath of the previous great battle, and streaks of cracks appeared.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

The cracks grew more numerous and denser.

Finally...

Crash!

The light curtain collapsed like shattered glass, turning into countless motes of light that scattered in the wind.

Outside, the tens of thousands of sword cultivators who had been blocked by the light curtain finally saw the scene inside clearly.

Tens of thousands of pairs of eyes focused at the same time.

And then...

Tens of thousands of people petrified simultaneously.

What did they see?

Upon that white bone sword chair symbolizing the supreme honor of the Sword Dao, upon that throne which no one had been qualified to sit on for ten thousand years, a young man in white was lazily leaning back.

He was bare-chested, his skin like jade, flowing with a faint divine radiance. His ink-black hair, half-dry and half-wet, was draped over his shoulders. A few stray strands clung to his temples, adding a touch of laziness and unruliness to that peerlessly handsome face.

In his arms, he held a breathtakingly beautiful young girl.

The girl's face was like a peach blossom, blushing deeply. She buried her head in his chest, her small hands clutching the hem of his clothes, refusing to let go.

The young man had one hand casually resting on the girl's waist, while the fingers of his other hand lightly tapped the armrest of the throne in a rhythmic manner.

He slightly raised his eyes, looking down through the dissipating light curtain at the tens of thousands of dumbfounded faces outside.

His gaze was disdainful, his demeanor lazy, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile played at the corners of his mouth.

This posture was arrogant and unbridled, looking down on everything, yet it possessed a captivating, innate emperor-like charm.

Above the Nine Heavens, in the Void Palace.

Three Heaven-Peering Mirrors floated in the center of the grand hall, reflecting everything inside the Mirror Lake in minute detail.

Three women sat on three sides, having stared fixedly for a whole day and night.

Clang!

The jade slip in Zi Yao's hand fell to the ground.

It was a high-grade communication jade slip, invaluable, but at this moment she couldn't care less. The jade slip smashed against the white jade floor tiles, shattering into powder.

She stared deathly at the image in the Heaven-Peering Mirror. Ye Xuan leaned lazily on the throne, holding Ying'er in his arms, one hand resting on her waist, his posture intimate and natural.

Zi Yao's chest heaved violently, her breathing rapid and chaotic. The fire of jealousy in her beautiful eyes almost materialized, threatening to burn through that Heaven-Peering Mirror.

Her nails dug deeply into the flesh of her palms, her ten fingers curled like eagle claws, yet she remained completely oblivious.

"That seat..."

Her voice squeezed out through gritted teeth, word by word:

"Used to be... mine."

Indeed.

Once upon a time, whenever Ye Xuan obtained anything good, whether it was a spirit stone, a bottle of pills, or a magical treasure, he would immediately present it to her.

Back then, he only had eyes for her.

But now...

He actually held a lowly maid in his arms in front of the whole world, sitting upon the supreme throne.

That doting gaze, that casual tenderness, that rightful possession...

All of it was given to someone else.

"Hehe... hehehe..." Zi Yao let out a low laugh. As she laughed, two clear tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. "Ye Xuan... how cruel your heart is..."

Xia Lengyue did not shed tears.

She was calmer than Zi Yao, and better at hiding her emotions.

But at this moment, her pale complexion and slightly trembling fingertips betrayed her true inner state.

"He... actually really did it?"

Her voice was very light, as if muttering to herself.

"Slaying the Sword Emperor's clone... summoning his past life's Dao fruit... three bodies in one person, immortal and demon coexisting in one body..."

With every word she spoke, her face grew a shade paler.

"Such a feat, even the reincarnations of True Immortals from ancient times might not be able to achieve it. Just how much strength... has he been hiding?"

This question sent a chill down her spine.

Wu Lingxiao sat on the dragon chair, leaning forward, her hands gripping the armrests tightly.

Her face still maintained an emperor's majesty, but deep in her eyes, something was shaking madly. It was her pride as the Daughter of Destiny, being shattered hammer blow by hammer blow by the scene before her.

"Impossible."

She spoke. Her voice was steady, but the slight upward pitch at the end betrayed her guilty conscience.

"This is absolutely impossible."

She stood up. Her golden phoenix robes moved without any wind, the hems fluttering loudly.

"I am the chosen daughter of Heaven's Mandate. When I braved the Sword Tomb back then, I was already the strongest among my peers, yet I only managed to survive five hundred exchanges against the Sword Emperor's clone."

She walked step by step toward the Heaven-Peering Mirror, stopping right in front of the screen of light, her face almost pressed against it.

"He is just a... a piece of trash who only managed to cultivate to his current level by relying on our resources... How could he possibly accomplish something that even I couldn't?"

"It must be luck."

She took a step back and forcefully flicked her sleeves, as if trying to shake off something deeply unsettling.

"Or perhaps it was some sort of hidden mechanism left behind by the Sword Emperor that he just happened to trigger."

"Yes... that must be it."

She was trying to convince herself.

But the faint, almost imperceptible tremble in her voice betrayed all her feigned composure.

Zi Yao looked at Wu Lingxiao with tear-stained eyes. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, no words came out.

Xia Lengyue lowered her gaze, her long, slender eyelashes concealing the emotions swirling in her eyes.

Three women.

Three different reactions.

Jealousy, fear, and self-deception.

But there was one thing that all three of them felt, yet none were willing to admit...

Regret.

That Ye Xuan, who had once been entirely at their mercy, had now grown strong to a truly unimaginable degree.