"Furthermore, from now on, I will personally guide you in sword practice.
Your sword path level is still quite weak and must be improved as quickly as possible.
You must remember, only your own strength is your true trump card," Heavenly Net Sword God sent another Sound Transmission.
"This junior will certainly engrave Senior's instructions in his heart," Ye Yunfei replied excitedly.
To have the renowned Heavenly Net Sword God personally guide him in sword practice was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Alright, you may stay where you are for now. I will begin guiding your sword practice," Heavenly Net Sword God said.
"At your command, Senior."
From then on, Ye Yunfei sat cross-legged before the barrier layer and began practicing his sword under the Heavenly Net Sword God's guidance.
Having entered three Sword Caves previously, Ye Yunfei had already comprehended three complete sword paths, significantly advancing his sword path level. Now, with the Heavenly Net Sword God's personal instruction, his sword path level began to improve at a breathtaking rate.
"Young man, I truly did not expect your natural talent to be this high!"
Soon, Heavenly Net Sword God discovered Ye Yunfei's powerful comprehension ability and exceptional aptitude.
After all, Ye Yunfei possessed two Soul Bodies, sixty Soul Force Planets, and also the divine pupil between his eyebrows. Comprehending any skill or secret technique was much easier for him than for others.
Especially the Pupil Technique of Tianmu Shenjun, which was reputed to see through all things in the world and perceive both past and future.
Back in Tianmu Shenjun's meditation cave, in the center of the white river, every living creature would encounter a being identical to themselves, cultivating exactly the same skills and secret techniques. This, in fact, was the wondrous effect of Tianmu Shenjun's Pupil Technique.
Tianmu Shenjun had deployed the divine ability of his Pupil Technique within that white river. Any living being who demonstrated their skills and secret techniques within it would be instantly replicated. One could imagine how powerful the Pupil Technique legacy of Tianmu Shenjun would be when applied to cultivation.
Ever since he began cultivating Tianmu Shenjun's Pupil Technique, Ye Yunfei would always utilize its legacy whenever he comprehended or cultivated any skill or secret technique, consistently achieving double the results with half the effort.
Heavenly Net Sword God was the founder of the entire Sword Realm Continent. Most of the various sword path inheritances on the Sword Realm Continent today were originally derived from Heavenly Net Sword God's own lineage.
Ye Yunfei's previous sword training had primarily revolved around the Tianjian Sect's sword path inheritance. Now, he was directly exposed to the sword path inheritance of the Heavenly Net Sword God himself — essentially tracing back to the source, reaching the very origin in one leap.
As time passed, Ye Yunfei's sword path level continued to rise at a staggering pace.
An unknowable length of time later.
"The Blade Realm's army has arrived!"
Ye Yunfei suddenly received a Sound Transmission from Sword Elder.
"They've finally come, have they?"
Ye Yunfei immediately stopped his comprehension and sword practice, slowly opening his eyes.
Previously, whenever he thought of the impending arrival of the Blade Realm's army, Ye Yunfei felt immense pressure. But now, he appeared much more at ease.
After all, having established contact with Heavenly Net Sword God, Ye Yunfei felt a lot more confident.
"Senior, the Blade Realm's army has arrived," Ye Yunfei sent a Sound Transmission to Heavenly Net Sword God.
"Very well. Go and deal with the Blade Realm's army for now," Heavenly Net Sword God replied.
"Senior, in the future, I will consistently use the Realm-Stabilizing Dragon Vein Formation to transmit energy to this barrier layer," Ye Yunfei said, glancing at the barrier layer in front of him.
During this period, Ye Yunfei had been continuously using the Realm-Stabilizing Dragon Vein Formation to channel the Earth Qi Energy from the Sword Realm Continent to this location, pouring it into the barrier layer to reinforce it. Thus, the barrier had been continuously fortified throughout.
Ye Yunfei's figure flickered as he left the deep-earth world. By this time, within the Tianjian Sect headquarters, Sword Elder and a group of the sect's higher-ups were standing by, fully prepared. The Guardian Sword Formation protecting the Tianjian Sect headquarters appeared more dazzling and brilliant than ever.
Not only Tianjian Sect, but the guardian grand formations of every sword path sect on the Sword Realm Continent were now fully displayed. Looking out, one saw one magnificent guardian grand formation after another across the land, like one radiant, oversized umbrella after another.
In the distant void, a massive army stood, radiating billowing sword-qi light.
At this moment, the piece of land housing the Divine Sword Sect's headquarters had also flown back, hovering in the void not far from the Sword Realm Continent.
Zhou Duantian, leading the Divine Sword Sect's forces, hovered in the air above their headquarters, killing intent roiling around them.
"Good heavens! The Blade Realm has actually dispatched over a dozen Chaos Gods. It seems this battle is truly intended to annihilate the Sword Realm Continent," Hun Lao remarked.
"With the Blade Realm's Chaos Gods added to those of the Divine Sword Sect, their number exceeds twenty. I've never seen a lineup of this scale before," Hu Miao also chimed in.
"No wonder the Blade Realm and the Sword Realm were both renowned, formidable forces even in ancient times. To casually deploy so many Chaos Gods… very few factions across the entire Chaotic Void Sea possess this many Chaos Gods," Golden Horned Dragon Silkworm exclaimed in surprise.
"Indeed. In the ancient Chaotic Void Sea, the Blade Realm and the Sword Realm were two famously powerful super-factions.
Although the Sword Realm Continent is now a ruin, leaving only a Divine Sword Sect, this one sect alone possesses so many Chaos Gods. One can only imagine how strong the ancient Sword Realm was.
Similarly, the overall strength of the Blade Realm is terrifyingly formidable as well," Hun Lao added.
"Grandmaster."
Ye Yunfei emerged from the ground, standing beside Sword Elder.
"The Blade Realm's army comes with formidable force. For our Sword Realm, this battle brings immense pressure," Sword Elder said, nodding at Ye Yunfei and then sighing.
"Grandmaster, rest assured. Although the forces of the Blade Realm and the Divine Sword Sect are powerful, our Sword Realm Continent also possesses its own hidden reserves. This battle isn't necessarily destined for our defeat," Ye Yunfei responded.
"I hope so. I hope the Realm-Stabilizing Dragon Vein Formation can protect our Sword Realm Continent," Sword Elder said, somewhat surprised by Ye Yunfei's words. He glanced sideways at Ye Yunfei, then continued.
He could sense the confidence embedded within Ye Yunfei's words, though he believed it likely stemmed from the Realm-Stabilizing Dragon Vein Formation.
Ye Yunfei smiled faintly, temporarily withholding the matter of Heavenly Net Sword God.
The Realm-Stabilizing Dragon Vein Formation was certainly one of Ye Yunfei's assets, but his greatest reliance now was actually Heavenly Net Sword God.
Actually, the Ye Yunfei standing beside Sword Elder now was not Ye Yunfei's true body, but one of his clones.
At this moment, Ye Yunfei's true body had arrived at a famous mountain and great river in the central region of the Sword Realm Continent.
Here stood a perilous cliff. Looking up from its base, the entire cliff appeared to be an enormous stone of colossal proportions, soaring straight into the clouds. Its shape somewhat resembled a gigantic, unsheathed longsword, emanating faint threads of pure sword path energy and some translucent sword path principles.
This was the renowned Sword Enlightenment Stone.
There had long been legends that this Sword Enlightenment Stone contained profound, high-level sword path inheritance. However, only sword cultivators with top-tier natural talent stood a chance of comprehending the advanced sword path inheritance hidden within.
Throughout the ages, countless sword cultivators had come before this stone to meditate and practice, hoping to attain that legendary, advanced sword path inheritance. Yet, to this day, no sword cultivator had ever managed to comprehend any sword path inheritance from it.
In short, every sword cultivator who arrived here could sense the sword path energy and sword path principles emanating from the stone, proving its extraordinary nature.
But whether they were outrageously gifted young prodigies or venerable top-tier sword cultivators, none could gain any inheritance from this stone.
Gradually, speculations about the stone multiplied.
Some said the Sword Enlightenment Stone contained no advanced sword path inheritance at all; it was just a lie fabricated by ancient people.
Others said the stone indeed concealed profound sword path inheritance, but only the most supremely talented, monstrously gifted sword path prodigies could possibly comprehend it. And once anyone could obtain the sword path inheritance within, they would have a chance to become the strongest sword cultivator on the Sword Realm Continent — even in the entire world. But so far, such a monstrous sword path prodigy had yet to appear.
Yet others claimed the sword path inheritance within had already been taken by some monstrously gifted sword cultivator long ago.
Still others said the sword path inheritance was specifically reserved for one designated, young sword path genius. Regardless of their talent, no one else had a chance to obtain it. Only that designated sword path genius, upon arriving, could possibly receive the sword path inheritance of the Sword Enlightenment Stone.
And once this designated genius obtained the inheritance, he would become the highest-level sword cultivator on the Sword Realm Continent, even capable of dominating an era and leading the Sword Realm Continent to new heights of glory.
In short, the Sword Enlightenment Stone was surrounded by many mysterious legends, holding an aura of profound mystery in the hearts of countless sword cultivators — though that was all in the past.
Now, in the present Sword Realm Continent, aside from the Divine Sword Sect, all other sword path sects had perished, leaving only wandering, remnant souls. So, for a long time now, no sword cultivators had come here for enlightenment or sword practice.
Ye Yunfei descended before this Sword Enlightenment Stone, surveying the stone famed throughout antiquity.
"This should be the place," Ye Yunfei murmured softly.
According to Heavenly Net Sword God, he had left his sword intent on the Sword Realm Continent at this exact location — within this very Sword Enlightenment Stone.
In fact, the legends regarding the Sword Enlightenment Stone were not wrong; it indeed concealed profound sword path inheritance, one left behind by the Sword Realm's founder, Heavenly Net Sword God himself.
Standing before the stone, Ye Yunfei began, according to the method Heavenly Net Sword God had imparted, to establish communication with the sword intent hidden within.
Since Heavenly Net Sword God had already gifted Ye Yunfei with a wisp of his Soul Power aura, Ye Yunfei soon succeeded in contacting the sword intent that the Heavenly Net Sword God had infused within the stone so long ago.
With a bang, an unimaginable aura erupted from the Sword Enlightenment Stone, shooting skyward. Instantly, the entire Sword Realm Continent was shaken, followed by a violent tremor in the void surrounding the continent.
In that moment, every living being on the Sword Realm Continent, every remnant soul, and every being in the void around the continent felt an utterly terrifying energy pressure bearing down on them.
"What was that?"
Countless gazes turned towards the location of the Sword Enlightenment Stone.
"Just now, an unimaginable aura of sword path energy emerged from that location.
Isn't that where the Sword Enlightenment Stone is?
Has something happened there?"
Discussions erupted across the Sword Realm Continent.
Many high-ranking members of the various sword path sects on the continent were intimately familiar with the Sword Enlightenment Stone. After all, most higher-ups of these sects had once meditated and practiced swordplay beneath it; every sword cultivator on the continent had fantasized about being the fortunate genius to unlock its inheritance.
"Could it be... the advanced sword path inheritance within the Sword Enlightenment Stone is about to emerge into the world?"
Some remnant souls, recalling the various legends surrounding the stone, could not help but voice this conjecture.