111: Chapter 012 Your Realm is too Low!

111: Chapter 012 Your Realm is too Low!

For such an ability, Zhou Yan gradually grasped its essence, and his mood improved significantly in an instant.

At that moment, Zhou Yan concealed himself using the Nine Concealing Souls Ancient Prohibition technique, and then he felt as if he had returned to his true nature.

His Blood Qi, which even shocked him, was almost completely concealed.

His appearance was just like that of a slightly more potent Cultivator, indistinguishable from the rest.

Subsequently, Zhou Yan used the same method to change his appearance, which altered very naturally as if it was naturally formed, showing no anomalies.

It seemed that such an ability was more suited for completely changing his appearance.

Zhou Yan then experienced a series of other abilities, being extremely satisfied with this ancient prohibition technique of concealing and changing himself.

He wasn’t someone timid or afraid to show his true face, but having an additional method for contingencies was naturally better.

Having fully grasped this ancient prohibition, Zhou Yan’s mood was refreshed, and only then did he think about his own realm’s transformation.

The massive influx of Life Energy into his Soul due to a previous session of Enlightenment naturally caused his Cultivation to skyrocket, but at Zhou Yan’s level, breakthroughs were exceedingly difficult.

This surge of immense and violent Life Energy allowed Zhou Yan to sense some progress in the Sword Heart Third Layer Heaven realm, but it was still far from Perfection.

Zhou Yan’s Three Qi Columns each had five energy cycles.

The first Qi Column had reached Perfection, but the second Qi Column had just barely filled up to the third cycle.

The third Qi Column was still completely empty.

All this showed that his realm in the Sword Heart Third Layer Heaven was just at mid-stage, nearing the late stage.

Even with a massive impact of Life Energy and Soul Energy enveloping his body, he hadn’t even fully charged the second Qi Column, exposing the vast gap and difficulty involved.

This time, Zhou Yan could feel his tremendous progress, having grasped an ancient Sword Array Dao method and also the ancient technique of merging Sword Intent through focused vision, marking a groundbreaking and transformative advancement.

Despite such significant progress, there was no major leap in the realms, and Zhou Yan now understood the difficulty in advancing at his current stage.

Having truly experienced it, Zhou Yan also increasingly appreciated the challenges of cultivation.

Zhou Yan then retracted his aura and sensed the changes in the outside world but detected no Cultivator or Demon Beast approaching, which puzzled him.

However, upon emerging from the Hidden Soul Sword Array Ancient Prohibition, Zhou Yan was somewhat astonished to discover that it wasn’t that no Cultivators had come, but rather that this entire area was enveloped in such an ancient prohibition.

This ancient prohibition wasn’t set up by Xie Wuyang’s brother; instead, it was triggered by one of their secret techniques!

Once triggered, it seemed capable of targeting an individual and pulling them toward it.

Looking at the external Array, Zhou Yan suddenly had an epiphany.

“So that’s it, so this place must be within a major Sword Array—with smaller Sword Arrays nested within, forming a chain of life and death, formidable indeed!”

Guessing this, Zhou Yan then analyzed it carefully and confidently walked towards a certain direction.

In that direction was the base of a Sword Array, where a special kind of barely detectable energy fluctuation was forming an energy recycling loop.

“This is it.”

With a slight smile, Zhou Yan confidently approached the spot and then connected it to an external looping Ancient Forbidden Sword Array he had learned using the same method.

The external Array, completed using ancient techniques, was just a special direct loop, not like the currently active self-sensing loop.

It was analogous to a circuit with a switch, where the base of the Ancient Forbidden Sword Array acted like an automatic air switch sensing the current flow, and the air switch was currently locked, so the current was active.

To leave without disrupting the circuit required interrupting the Sword Array.

But the interruption of the Sword Array couldn’t last too long, or it would self-destruct, destroying everything here.

So, at that instant of interruption, another switch automatically replacing it would allow for normal replacement.

What Zhou Yan had set up was just such a short-circuited form of an Ancient Forbidden Sword Array, allowing the switch to connect to another circuit at the moment of disconnection.

Thus, Zhou Yan could leave, the ancient Array wouldn’t collapse from base destruction, and Zhou Yan wouldn’t be annihilated…

After finishing, Zhou Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, with a flick of his Sword Intent, he effortlessly opened a gate in the Sword Array and walked out confidently.

Once outside, Zhou Yan no longer heard the strange beast’s calls but instead sensed many real, distinct Sword Intent energies boiling around him.

Zhou Yan keenly sensed that everything between Heaven and Earth had become extremely cordial—though the weather here was still somewhat dim and the atmosphere oppressive, his current feelings were entirely different from before.

Zhou Yan grasped the fundamentals of the ancient Sword Array, allowing his Soul to further transform, and he could distinctly feel the difference between reality and illusion, making him immune to the illusionary Sword Array here.

He looked around, the sky overcast and the air brimming with spiritual energy.

Energy types were mixed, but the surroundings were still very barren.

Not only barren but also silent, as though this place was a land of desolation that had never heard a sound.

Zhou Yan turned around, and his gaze immediately was drawn to an ancient Sword Array nearby exuding a terrifying aura.

He instinctively walked toward it.

Around a hundred meters away, Zhou Yan converged an Ancient Sword Intent, directly shooting it from his Broken Worry Sword.

He ferociously attacked a spot within the base of the vaguely terrifying Ancient Sword Formation.

Zhou Yan simply wanted to try, in the situation where he couldn’t break the formation, whether the rebounding force and method of the Ancient Formation could serve as a reference point for breaking it.

“Shoo—”

A streak of Sword Light flew out, after which an even more terrifying aura suddenly emerged, as if suddenly infuriated.

The Ancient Sword Formation trembled abruptly; a terrifying wave of energy, like a sweeping mountain torrent, pressed back towards Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan’s face changed dramatically, almost instinctively, he retreated hundreds of meters, finally stopping at the earlier location of the base of the Nine Concealing Souls Ancient Forbidden Sword Formation.

At this time, that terrifying energy also gradually dissipated after coming into contact with the Ancient Prohibition here.

Zhou Yan was horrified in his heart; he reached out and called back the Broken Worry Sword, which had nearly lost control and fallen to the ground.

Only then did it “swoosh” back to his waist.

“This is an Evil Formation… The rebounding force is extremely strong.

If not for the ‘Same Origin’ within the Ancient Prohibition, I used the momentum of this Ancient Forbidden Sword Formation to counteract that kind of impact.

I’m afraid just this time alone, I would have suffered greatly.

This place seems to be quite peculiar!

Moreover, there are so many Ancient Formations here…

It’s a pity there’s no corresponding silk, and temporarily no chance to further understand the Enlightenment Fire Lotus.”

Zhou Yan muttered to himself.

Then, once again, he stepped out of the Ancient Sword Formation.

Since he could neither gain any benefits nor gain further insights, Zhou Yan planned to leave this place and look elsewhere.

After all, there were rumors that in Ancient Tomb Mountain there were many Demon Beasts; if he could kill some and refine Ancient Essence Blood, that would indeed be quite good.

With this thought, Zhou Yan stepped out of the Nine Concealing Souls Ancient Forbidden Sword Formation.

At this moment, in the distant sky, there seemed to be inexplicable energy fluctuations.

Zhou Yan focused his gaze and sensed several streaks of light rapidly approaching from afar.

Under Zhou Yan’s sensing, it was a black-clothed old man and a young man and woman chasing a white-clothed woman.

The white-clothed woman, sensing the energy fluctuations from the sword array here, fled towards this direction.

…

“Li Qimeng, even if you flee to the ends of the earth, it’s useless.

Coming here, do you think you’re still in the Li Family?!”

A man in azure spirit armor taunted coldly behind the white-clothed woman.

“Heh heh, even if it’s the Li Family, times have changed!

Now with all the geniuses emerging, troubled times have begun, and even the Li Family must tread carefully!

As for you, hiding your Taiyin Sword Body bloodline, it just so happens you can be combined with that Extreme Cold Sword Body by our Young Master to forge into an Ancient Taiyin Cold Sword Spirit, ultimately transforming into a powerful Sword Spirit!

Better not resist, just accept your fate and await your death quietly.”

Another cold voice followed.

“Hum—”

The fleeing white-clothed woman soared out, upon seeing Zhou Yan from a distance, noticing he was only at the Third Layer Heaven of the Sword Heart Realm, her face immediately filled with disappointment and contempt; then she ignored Zhou Yan and looked around once more, revealing even more despair in her eyes.

Knowing there was no hope, she still didn’t give up; instead, she attempted to directly cross that area with a vaguely terrifying aura.

As she flew over that terrifying Sword Formation, a wave of terrifying Sword Intent energy ferociously bombarded her.

The body of the woman in the white gown trembled, froze for a moment, and then was sent flying backward even faster!

Suddenly, there was a “thud” as her body in white was swiftly soaked in blood; she was instantly grievously injured by the power of the Sword Formation.

Even with her tremendously powerful Sword Soul Realm, she had no power to resist!

“Thud!”

The woman fell from the sky to the ground, screaming miserably, nearly fainting from the severe injuries.

“Swoosh swoosh swoosh—”

Three figures landed not far in front of the woman.

“I told you, you couldn’t escape.

Letting this old man chase you so far, I’ll just extract your soul and torture you well first.

Since that Extreme Cold Sword Body has also run off.”

The old man spoke ominously, his voice surrounded by a chilling atmosphere that chilled the hearts of listeners.

The old man had been better off not speaking, but once he did, Zhou Yan’s gaze immediately turned stern, starting with the words ‘Extreme Cold Sword Body,’ which had already stirred the killing intent in his heart.

Now, with the old man mentioning it again, Zhou Yan could almost be sure that the Extreme Cold Sword Body must be Ning’er.

As Zhou Yan’s aura shifted, it caught the attention of the black-clothed old man.

“It originally had nothing to do with you, but since you’ve shown killing intent, it means you’re seeking death!

Hmm, not bad, your Blood Qi is very vigorous, you seem to be a genius, but your realm is too low!

Low realm, yet oblivious, I wonder how you’ve managed to survive till now!”

The old man stared at Zhou Yan, his eyes showing a peculiar light, clearly no longer considering the injured woman on the ground but instead sizing up Zhou Yan as if he were already a dead man.