Under a single sword, ten thousand paths were annihilated.

The sword qi unleashed by Wushuang was erased without even a moment’s entanglement with that simple axe’s sword qi.

Boom!

As that sword qi was cleaved, a thunderous boom rang across millions of miles, raising towering clouds of dust.

In that region the earth split, a chasm appearing in full.

Within the abyss, sword scars ravaged, and a terrifying sword intent lingered, still hard to extinguish!

On the debate platform.

Wushuang was unhurt, yet he knelt on the ground, his expression utterly horrified!

If one looked carefully, they’d see his mighty aura rapidly waning. At this moment, his sword heart had shattered!

In that moment, the entire hall fell silent.

The old Sword Saint abruptly rose, his eyes fixed on Gu Changqing and filled with endless shock.

Not only the old Sword Saint, but even those watching outside the mirror were similarly stunned.

The domineering force in that sword made even their hearts palpitate wildly. Their Dao-hearts trembled in that instant.

And this was despite being some of the most powerful beings of this world!

What was even more inconceivable was that…

Gu Changqing had only stepped into the sword dao for a year!

How could he cleave such will? How could mere sword intent make someone capable of single-handedly suppressing a Saint King quake and cause their Dao-heart to shatter in submission?

Unfathomable!

“This is beyond belief! How could such a person exist!!”

After a short silence, the cultivators outside the mirror erupted.

Countless voices yelled as they began to question reality.

Although Gu Changqing had shown extraordinary sword dao talent in his youth, his cultivation speed was absurdly strange.

The young Heavenly Emperor’s sword had nearly reached Saint King level.

One year and he was already Saint King?

Was he even human?!

People had already thought that it was astonishing enough for Gu Changqing to be able to slay a Saint King after just a year of cultivation, even though Gu Changqing had his Immortal Root back then.

To their utmost horror, his sword dao cultivation progression turned out to be just as unreasonable.

One year, Saint King!!

What most cultivators saw as virtually unreachable realms looked to him like low level qi refining stages.

“Thankfully the Heavenly Emperor’s Immortal Root is gone and thankfully his sword heart later broke.”

Countless cultivators breathed a sigh of relief.

The implication was clear: if the Heavenly Emperor’s Immortal Root remained and his sword heart hadn’t shattered, who in this world could rival him?

Who could possibly defeat such a prodigy?

The entire Sword Sect Holy Land remained utterly silent, all eyes fixed on that youth.

Gu Changqing remained aloof from beginning to end.

He rose to the Sword Saint’s side and cupped his hands in salute. “Master, if there is nothing else, I will return to the pavilion.”

The old Sword Saint stared dumbly and mechanically nodded.

Until Gu Changqing’s figure disappeared entirely from the old Sword Saint’s sight, the old man who had dared to accept the title of Sword Saint finally drew a cold breath, lips trembling as he whispered, “What kind of prodigy… have I taken as a disciple?!”

“Whoa!”

On the white jade-paved square, the crowd of cultivators buzzed.

“Senior Brother Gu is actually this terrifying!”

“No wonder the master took him as a personal disciple, no wonder, no wonder!

After the Sword Sect’s debate, Gu Changqing returned to the pavilion.

In the pavilion he cultivated day and night.

During that time, the old Sword Saint came once to ask about Gu Changqing’s sword dao journey.

When Gu Changqing recounted the true meaning of his sword heart to the old Sword Saint, the elder was both stunned and gratified, and mixed into that complex expression was a trace of embarrassment.

The astonishment came from the grandeur of the boy’s invincible sword heart.

The comfort was in realizing that this extraordinary one was his own disciple.

As for the embarrassment, it was because the old Sword Saint found himself unable to guide Gu Changqing’s sword dao cultivation.

This disciple’s sword cultivation path was harsher than his, purer than his!

“The master has led you to the entrance, but cultivation depends on the individual.”

The old Sword Saint only said that single sentence after listening to Gu Changqing.

Its meaning was clear: he had truly only led Gu Changqing through the Sword Sect’s doors. As for cultivation, it seemed Gu Changqing could only rely on himself.

Time passed. In the blink of an eye, three years went by.

Gu Changqing remained in the pavilion, unnoticed by others.

Previously no one dared disturb him because the old Sword Saint shielded him. Later on, no one dared approach because they were scared of Gu Changqing himself.

However, in three years even the old Sword Saint never came again. After that time, Gu Changqing vaguely sensed his master had been struck by some unknown blow.

The boy who delivered his meals said the old Sword Saint had been in ceaseless secluded cultivation day and night over the past few years.

The same boy said the elder’s prestige in the outside world had been rising.

That one sword even alarmed the upper ranks of the Tianji Sect, and in recent days many elders from the high ranks had been visiting the Sword Sect.

Apart from this boy who sent him meals, no one spoke to Gu Changqing.

It felt as if he were placed in a dead zone.

But accompanied by cultivation, Gu Changqing was not lonely.

He cultivated day and night. The only problem was that he did not know what realm he had reached.

Sword cultivation differed from ordinary systems.

One cultivated an invincible sword heart, not a concrete realm.

He only knew that the sword attack he delivered three years ago had reached Saint King level.

Gu Changqing had thought this life would continue for a long time.

But to his surprise.

The master who had not appeared in three years suddenly and unusually, made an appearance that day.