38: Third Life: How Am I the Villain? (Part 3)

Inside the quiet room, the Formation was activated, isolating the inside from the outside.

Xu Yuan sat cross-legged and looked within himself.

Inside his chest, the Innate Blade Bone that originally belonged to Ye Feng had perfectly fused, presenting the same lustrous white luster as his own bones. Only by carefully sensing it could one discover the purer and sharper Saber Intent emanating from it.

And even more miraculous was the Innate Blade Heart.

Between the powerful pulsations of Xu Yuan's heart, a faint yet incredibly clear sound of a blade humming could be heard. An indescribable true meaning of the Saber Dao flowed throughout his body, naturally nourishing and communicating with the transplanted Innate Blade Bone.

Under this constant resonance and nourishment, the Innate Blade Bone was truly activated and assimilated at an astonishing speed, no longer a simple "implant," but truly becoming a part of his body!

Boom!

On the seventh day of seclusion, a clear, dragon-like humming of a blade suddenly resounded within the quiet room!

The Spiritual Qi around Xu Yuan fluctuated violently, pouring madly into his body. His aura climbed steadily, and the barrier of the 6th Layer of Qi Condensation, with the accumulation of water reaching its channel and the blessing of dual talents, was shattered!

7th Layer of Qi Condensation!

Moreover, his Realm was incredibly stable, and his Spiritual Qi was pure and condensed, far surpassing those of the same rank.

But this was not the greatest gain from this seclusion.

At the very moment Xu Yuan broke through, his connection with the Innate Blade Bone reached an unprecedented level of closeness.

Hum—!

A mysterious and obscure stream of information, accompanied by countless flashing blade light phantoms, suddenly emerged from the Innate Blade Bone and was branded directly into the depths of his Sea of Consciousness!

Heavenly Tribulation Blade!

This was an innate technique nurtured on the Innate Blade Bone; no, rather than a technique, it was closer to the prototype of the "Dao."

It was not a fixed Move, but a kind of Saber Intent that stirred the Origin of destruction and slaughter. It was domineering and unparalleled, its power growing infinitely with Xu Yuan's cultivation, Comprehension Ability, and understanding of the Saber Dao.

It was even enough to rival the minor Divine Ability of a Golden Core True Person!

"It is worthy of being the Legacy carried by the Innate Blade Bone itself!" A brilliant light erupted in Xu Yuan's eyes.

Xu Yuan focused his mind to comprehend it, using the terrifying Comprehension Ability of his "Innate Blade Heart" to continuously ponder, deduce, and condense this Move of Saber Intent.

He pointed his fingers like a blade, subconsciously following that comprehension and lightly swiping.

Chila!

In the quiet room, although no real blade was wielded, invisible Saber Qi spontaneously condensed from time to time, cutting through the air and emitting a heart-palpitating hiss.

The aura around Xu Yuan also became increasingly condensed and sharp, as if he himself were a peerless, vicious blade being tempered a thousand times, about to be unsheathed!

...

One month later.

The stone door of the quiet room slowly opened.

Xu Yuan stepped out from within.

His posture was upright, and his face did not seem to have changed much, but as his eyes opened and closed, a soul-captivating sharp light flashed within them. His aura was restrained, yet it gave people an extremely dangerous feeling, like a surging undercurrent hidden beneath a calm sea.

The attendant who had been guarding outside saw this and immediately stepped forward respectfully: "Young Lord, you have come out of seclusion! The Sect Master has ordered that if you come out, please head to the Overlord Blade Sect Hall immediately."

"Could it be that they have found traces of Ye Feng?"

Xu Yuan nodded slightly, feeling some anticipation in his heart.

Inside the Overlord Blade Sect Hall, the atmosphere was solemn.

Sect Master Qin Zhantian sat high in the main seat, and on both sides were the various powerful Elders of the Sect, including Xu Yuan's father, Chen Ping.

Everyone's gaze was focused on Xu Yuan, who was walking slowly into the hall.

Feeling the indescribably sharp aura on Xu Yuan, a flash of satisfaction crossed Qin Zhantian's eyes.

"Yuan'er, you have come at just the right time. After discussion between myself and the Elders, given that you possess the Innate Blade Heart and Innate Blade Bone, your talent is unparalleled throughout the ages, and you are the hope for the future rise of our Overlord Blade Sect..."

Qin Zhantian paused, his voice suddenly rising, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness:

"I have decided that from this day forth, Chen Yuan shall be established as the Dao Child of our Overlord Blade Sect!"

"He shall enjoy the highest resource allocation of the Sect, need not bow to the Sect Master, and shall have a status of great reverence, second only to myself and the Grand Elder!"

"Throughout the Sect, seeing the Dao Child is like seeing me in person!"

Dao Child!

As soon as these words were spoken, an irrepressible uproar broke out in the hall.

Although everyone had long guessed that the Sect would vigorously cultivate Chen Yuan, directly establishing him as the Dao Child still exceeded many people's expectations.

The Dao Child is the future successor of a Sect, a symbol of being cultivated with the full strength of the entire Sect!

Immediately, an Elder stepped out. He was an old man with a rigid face and deep seniority. He said in a deep voice:

"Sect Master! The strength of Junior Disciple Chen's talent is indeed the fortune of our Overlord Blade Sect for ten thousand years."

"However, the matter of establishing a Dao Child concerns the Sect's Legacy and is no small matter. Although Junior Disciple Chen has high talent, he is too young and his seniority is too shallow. I fear he may find it difficult to convince the masses and may also struggle to handle the responsibilities that a Dao Child must bear!"

"Elder Liu speaks the truth," another Elder who was on good terms with Elder Liu chimed in, "The position of Dao Child has been vacant for a long time. The Inner Sect's head Disciple, Zhao Zheng, has already reached the 9th Layer of Qi Refining. He handles matters steadily, his combat power is unrivaled in the Inner Sect, and he has very high prestige among the Disciples. Should we reconsider, or perhaps let Junior Disciple Chen gain more experience for a few more years?"

As soon as these words were spoken, many gazes turned toward a young man in the crowd whose aura was as steady as a mountain, with a cold and resolute face.

That young man was none other than the Inner Sect Senior Brother, Zhao Zheng!

His posture was upright, and standing there, he was like an iron tower. His Spiritual Power was incredibly thick, and he was likely only one step away from the Foundation Establishment Dao. He had not broken through yet, likely to accumulate a foundation to condense a stronger Dao Foundation when he did break through to Foundation Establishment.

At this moment, Zhao Zheng's lips were tightly pursed, his gaze like lightning. The look he gave Xu Yuan was complex, containing both scrutiny and dissatisfaction.

If it were the previous Xu Yuan, relying only on the Innate Blade Heart, even with the memories of his past life, wanting to challenge the half-step Foundation Establishment Zhao Zheng across two levels, the outcome would likely have been uncertain.

But now...

Xu Yuan felt the questioning gazes in the hall. He was unhurried, stepped forward, bowed slightly to the Sect Master and the Elders, and spoke in a calm tone:

"Sect Master, Elders, Chen Yuan understands your concerns."

"On the path of cultivation, the strong are respected. The position of Dao Child requires both virtue and talent, and even more so, strength to convince the masses."

Xu Yuan's voice suddenly paused. His gaze shifted sharply toward Zhao Zheng, sharp as a blade's edge, and his clear voice spread throughout the hall:

"Senior Brother Zhao Zheng is the outstanding talent of our Inner Sect, with profound cultivation, and Chen Yuan has always admired him."

"Since that is the case, to avoid any resentment among fellow Disciples, Disciple Chen Yuan, though untalented, is willing to ask for guidance from Senior Brother Zhao Zheng here!"

"It will also allow the Elders and Senior Brothers to witness with their own eyes whether Chen Yuan... is qualified to take on this position of Dao Child!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall was shocked!

After all, none of the people present were weak, and everyone could feel the faint Spiritual Pressure on Xu Yuan, who had just broken through to the 7th Layer of Qi Condensation not long ago.

And now, Xu Yuan was actually going to challenge the number one person in the Inner Sect across two levels!

Even Sect Master Qin Zhantian and his father, Chen Ping, had a trace of surprise flash in their eyes, but they did not stop him; instead, they showed expressions of anticipation.

They were even more curious than others: what kind of transformation would Xu Yuan undergo after fusing with the Innate Blade Bone?

A scorching Battle Intent erupted from Zhao Zheng's eyes. He took a step forward, his voice like a booming bell:

"Sect Master, Elders! Since Junior Brother Chen has such confidence, I, Zhao Zheng, am willing to exert my full strength to spar with him and serve as a witness for the position of Dao Child of our Overlord Blade Sect!"