"Let's wait for a while first. After that old fellow Sword Elder's disturbance, many factions on the Sword Realm Continent are now keeping a covert eye on our Divine Sword Sect. Given the circumstances, we should refrain from any movement for now.
I have already sent word regarding the situation here on the Sword Realm Continent to several of the core elders in the Blade Realm. I believe they will take action soon."
After a moment of thought, Mo Chenzi spoke his piece.
"Everyone, what truly matters most for us remains the goal we have been persevering towards throughout these long years.
For the sake of this goal, we must continue to endure and conceal ourselves. We cannot prematurely expose ourselves over some petty dispute or clash of pride."
Mo Chenzi's gaze swept slowly across the dozen or so elders in the underground palace before he voiced this.
Hearing Mo Chenzi's words, the expressions of the other dozen or so elders instantly grew solemn. Deep within their eyes, flickers of anticipation and fervor were faintly visible.
"Elder Mo's words hold merit. Compared to that goal, the conflicts between our Divine Sword Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect pale into insignificance.
There will come a day when our Divine Sword Sect ascends to the pinnacle of the entire Sword Realm Continent.
No, if we succeed, our Divine Sword Sect will come to dominate not only the entire Chaotic Void Sea, but even more Void Seas, establishing an eternal hegemony."
An elder seated cross-legged beside Mo Chenzi declared with an impassioned voice.
"Your turn now, everyone.
Hurry down. Don't waste time. I feel the barrier has noticeably thinned during this period. The day of our success should not be far off."
At that moment, an incredibly domineering voice emanated from the center of the underground palace, originating from the ancient altar within.
As the voice emerged, faint but oppressive sword-qi and Saber Law principles faintly permeated the underground hall.
"Let us enter now!"
Hearing the words spoken by that voice, a look of pleasant surprise instantly appeared on Elder Mo's face as he rose to his feet.
The other dozen or so elders also instantly stood up. Then, Mo Chenzi led them all onto the altar.
Boom!
The ancient altar erupted with powerful spatial energy, enveloping Mo Chenzi and the elders, beginning its teleportation. Moments later, they had all vanished without a trace.
Then, the teleportation altar returned to calm, and the underground palace stood empty.
However, after a short while, this ancient teleportation altar began to tremble slightly, radiating billowing light, and a dozen or so figures instantly appeared upon it.
These dozen or so figures each radiated billowing saber-qi. Dense, intricate strands of saber energy spiraled around their bodies, slicing through the surrounding space.
All of them were saber cultivators, and each possessed terrifyingly formidable strength.
"Alright, let us rest for a while now. It's time for those fellows from the Divine Sword Sect to expend their effort grinding away at that barrier layer."
Among them, a tall, burly elder with a face full of stern-looking flesh spoke.
"I can clearly sense the barrier has grown much thinner compared to before. It seems our efforts all these years have not been in vain," another saber cultivator said excitedly.
"Doubt not, everyone. Through our efforts over these years, that barrier indeed has become thinner and weaker.
Once that barrier is broken, we can obtain everything left behind by Saber Demon Patriarch, including his inheritance and that Heavenly-Sundering Demon Saber."
Said the tall, burly elder.
"Saber Demon Patriarch's inheritance and the Heavenly-Sundering Demon Saber!"
Hearing the words of this tall elder, the other saber cultivators felt a surge of spirit, their eyes shining with intense light.
"They say that Heavenly-Sundering Demon Saber embodies the pinnacle of the saber techniques cultivated by Saber Demon Patriarch throughout his lifetime. Moreover, the saber itself was forged from a strange and malevolent Chaotic Demonic Iron that was born in the boundless, absolute void even before the Chaotic Void Sea was fully formed. It was inherently sinister. After being forged by Saber Demon Patriarch into the Heavenly-Sundering Demon Saber, it was further infused with his lifelong cultivation essence in saber techniques. Its power is unimaginably potent.
Whether it is Saber Demon Patriarch's saber technique inheritance or that Heavenly-Sundering Demon Saber, either one would allow our Blade Realm to truly dominate the entire Chaotic Void Sea.
At that time, all major factions and powerhouses within the Chaotic Void Sea, including the Guardian Faction and the Hunyuan Sect, will have no choice but to bow to our Blade Realm.
Moreover, Saber Demon Patriarch is the founding Patriarch of our Blade Realm. His saber technique inheritance is the very origin of all saber methods within our realm."
The tall elder continued to speak.
"Elder Long, we've all invested such a long time and effort here for Saber Demon Patriarch's inheritance and the Heavenly-Sundering Demon Saber, while those fellows from the Divine Sword Sect seek the rumored inheritance, treasures, and Sword Heart of the Sword Realm Continent's founding Patriarch, the Heavenly Net Sword God.
In ancient times, did the founding Patriarch of our Blade Realm and the founding Patriarch of the Sword Realm truly perish together deep within the heart of this Sword Realm Continent?"
An elder questioned with some doubt.
"According to the records of an ancient text preserved within our Blade Realm's archaic Blade Cavern, indeed it is so. That text has been passed down through generations in our Blade Realm. Many of its contents have already been verified, so the legend regarding the heart of the Sword Realm Continent is most likely true as well.
Furthermore, throughout these years, we have consistently been able to sense both saber energy and sword energy seeping from within that barrier — energies of the purest, highest, and most ancient grade we have ever encountered. I believe only Saber Demon Patriarch of our Blade Realm could possess such refined, high-level, and archaic saber energy.
Similarly, that sword energy should be left behind by the founding ancestor of the Sword Realm Continent, the Heavenly Net Sword God. I believe there is little doubt about that.
All we need to do is break that barrier, enter its interior, and obtain what we desire. By then, our Blade Realm will possess the capital to soar into the heavens, potentially becoming the strongest superpower among all worlds and realms.
That will herald the glorious age when our Blade Realm rules over all worlds and realms. This is precisely the purpose for which we have invested such a long period of time here."
As he reached this point, the tall elder's voice grew impassioned and fervent.
"But... if we break the barrier and obtain what Saber Demon Patriarch left behind, those fellows from the Divine Sword Sect are also likely to acquire what the Heavenly Net Sword God left behind.
According to ancient legends, the Heavenly Net Sword God was a supreme powerhouse of the same level as our Saber Demon Patriarch. In that case, the Divine Sword Sect's power would also likely soar."
A long-faced elder whose visage resembled a horse suddenly thought of this point and voiced his concern.
"I have already considered this issue long ago. For now, we and the Divine Sword Sect are merely in a cooperative relationship, united by the common goal of breaking that barrier.
However, once that barrier is broken, our cooperative relationship with the Divine Sword Sect will turn into one of competition. At that time, hehe..."
The tall elder spoke up to this point with a cunning, cold laugh.
The other elders around them instantly understood his implication, and they too couldn't help but smile coldly.
"The Sword Realm Continent now only has the Divine Sword Sect left, whereas our Blade Realm retains our full peak strength. After breaking that barrier, our Blade Realm's main forces will formally enter the Sword Realm Continent to take control of this continent.
In truth, after investing such long years here, we aim not only to obtain what Saber Demon Patriarch left but also what the Heavenly Net Sword God left behind. By then, we can cultivate both saber and sword techniques, possessing the inheritance and all treasured relics left by both supreme powerhouses of the ancient era.
Imagine, just how formidable the foundation of our Blade Realm would be by then!"
The tall elder sent this message through a Soul Power transmission to the other elders.
The other elders hearing this also grew agitated, each one full of anticipation for the future.
At the same time, deep within the heart of the Sword Realm Continent, in a specific location, there existed a vast, misty space.
Within this vast space was a shimmering, luminous barrier that constantly shifted through various colors.
Engraved upon this barrier were numerous arcane runes related to the civilization of saber techniques and sword techniques respectively.
Multitudes of bizarre patterns extended across the barrier's surface, as if possessing life, with dense clusters of saber-light and sword-light periodically erupting from the barrier layer, cleaving the surrounding space into tatters.
Mo Chenzi and a dozen powerful elders from the Divine Sword Sect sat cross-legged around this barrier layer.
Before each man hovered several long swords, large quantities of sword energy incessantly surged from within their bodies, channeled into the swords before them. Those swords continuously slashed against the barrier, emitting a chorus of clanging sounds.
Before Mo Chenzi hovered a dark-golden long sword, emanating terrifying sword energy alongside vast quantities of intangible Sword Laws.
If those remnant souls of the Sword Realm Continent were here, they would immediately recognize this dark-golden long sword as the Divine Sword Sect's supreme sect treasure and a legendary divine blade renowned across the entire Sword Realm Continent: the Apocalypse Divine Sword.
It was said that in the past, a founding ancestor of the Divine Sword Sect wielded the Apocalypse Divine Sword, single-handedly slaying over a dozen Chaos Gods in a single battle. That fight so frightened all Chaos Gods that they trembled, ever since, turning pale at the mere mention of the Apocalypse Divine Sword's name.
Clang! Clang! Clang!...
Under Mo Chenzi's direction, the Apocalypse Divine Sword swung again and again, striking the barrier before him. Each slash left a shallow sword scar upon the barrier layer.
Already, countless millions of identical sword scars marred the section of barrier before Mo Chenzi.
The dozen elders of the Divine Sword Sect resembled blacksmiths tirelessly hammering away, continuously directing their long swords to strike against the barrier layer before them, sparks flying with every clang.
Though their actions were insufficient to cause significant damage to the barrier in the short term, with prolonged time and accumulated effort, the stability of this barrier was gradually being undermined.
Simultaneously, within the Heavenly Sword Sect headquarters, Ye Yunfei sat cross-legged within a Sword Cave, immersed in sword meditation.
During this period, Ye Yunfei had already sensed and perceived many of the long swords within this Sword Cave, successfully obtaining the sword technique inheritances contained within them.
During this process of meditation and sword practice, his body was radiating billowing sword light, so dense and intricate like a flowing galaxy, enveloping Ye Yunfei's figure in numerous layers.