Checking in for 100,000 Years

"I must be seeing things! Has the tenth Sword Lotus actually appeared?"

On Enlightenment Square, all the cultivators stared wide-eyed and incredulously at the two figures before them. Ten golden Sword Lotuses floated above each person's head, every one of them emanating an astonishing Sword Qi.

"This must be an illusion! It's been a hundred thousand years since ancient times, and no one has ever comprehended the tenth golden Sword Lotus!"

Some cultivators shook their heads repeatedly, rubbing their eyes furiously, unable to believe what was unfolding before them. Nine was already the limit; how could there now be ten?

"Oh my God, Brother Jun isn't just a prodigy; he's like a god among prodigies!" Li Shaobai screamed. When he saw the tenth golden Sword Lotus appear, his expression changed dramatically, and he plopped onto the ground in fright. He was closest to Jun Moxiao and Luo Li, no more than ten feet away, so he could clearly feel the astonishing Sword Intent emitted by the tenth golden Sword Lotus. It far surpassed the previous nine.

This was simply unbelievable, utterly shocking! After an initial burst of noise, the entire Enlightenment Square fell silent as if by common accord. Everyone stared blankly at the ten golden Sword Lotuses spinning above Luo Li's and Jun Moxiao's heads. For a moment, they still couldn't believe that all this was real!

At this moment, Luo Li and Jun Moxiao also awoke from their state of comprehension. In an instant, they both saw the brilliantly glowing Sword King Stone. They also saw the two Wushang figures on the Sword King Stone, who resembled Nine Heavens Divine Kings.

Luo Li's eyes widened, and her heart suddenly began to pound uncontrollably. That majestic figure before me… why does it look so much like our Founder? It's too similar. She was in a daze, almost blurting it out.

"Senior Sister, do... do you see... isn't that man our Founder?" Jun Moxiao stammered.

"I... I think it is..." Luo Li also began to stutter, nodding heavily.

The moment their words fell, the two figures on the Sword King Stone suddenly transformed into two dazzling beams of light, which entered Luo Li's and Jun Moxiao's bodies respectively. In an instant, the brilliance that had illuminated three thousand miles vanished. The two sword marks on the Sword King Stone also lost all their prowess, no longer emanating even a shred of Sword Intent.

The two beams of light shot into their bodies, transforming into an incredibly potent Sword Intent that surged within them like mighty rivers, resonating with the Sword Heart in their cores.

BANG!

Their bodies trembled almost simultaneously, and in an instant, they both advanced to the Shaping God Stage Second Layer.

"Senior Sister, we've broken through again!" Jun Moxiao exclaimed joyfully.

"Yes!" Luo Li couldn't hide her excitement either. Her small face flushed red as she nodded repeatedly.

WHOOSH!

The ten golden Sword Lotuses floating above their heads descended and vanished completely. They both sensed an extremely profound Swordsmanship technique suddenly appear in their minds.

"This is... the Nine Heavens Lotus Sutra!" Jun Moxiao murmured the name of the Swordsmanship, his face a mask of shock.

This Swordsmanship was incredibly powerful when performed alone, but if their swords were combined, it would unleash an unimaginably greater might!

Jun Moxiao and Luo Li stood up together. Their comprehension had now completely ended.

SIGH!

The two glanced towards the Sword King Stone and found that the two sword marks were now devoid of any Sword Intent. Their expressions darkened, and they sighed softly. The remaining Sword Intent of the Sword King Stone had been entirely divided between them.

"Brother Jun, congratulations!" Li Shaobai ran over, his face wreathed in smiles, cupping his fists in respect.

"You're too kind!" Jun Moxiao replied with a smile.

At this moment, he noticed the surroundings had fallen completely silent. All the cultivators were staring at him with peculiar expressions, as if he had taken their most cherished possession. Jun Moxiao merely smiled faintly, unconcerned. After all, he and his Senior Sister had absorbed all the Sword Intent from the Sword King Stone. As the greatest beneficiaries, they could understand the crowd's feelings.

"You two absorbed all the Sword Intent from the Sword King Stone! What about the other cultivators of our Shenfeng Dynasty?" one cultivator demanded, glaring angrily at Jun Moxiao.

"Exactly!" another cultivator chimed in indignantly.

With someone taking the lead, a chain reaction occurred. Everyone became enraged, their expressions fiery as they accused Jun Moxiao and Luo Li. After all, these two outsiders had snatched away the opportunities that belonged to the Shenfeng Dynasty.

WHOOSH!

Suddenly, a tremendous pressure descended from the sky, making all the cultivators on Enlightenment Square feel as though they were suffocating, unable to even open their mouths. A light flashed on the Sword King Stone Cliff, and an ancient Bronze Door appeared.

The Bronze Door slowly creaked open.

A middle-aged man wearing a white mask walked out, seemingly treading on the air itself. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His eyes were like cosmic stars, constantly cycling through birth and destruction. An indescribably terrifying Super Divine Dragon Breath emanated from him.

"It's a mighty cultivator of the Destiny Realm!" Instantly, the face of a talented youth from a top-tier Sect turned pale.

"Coming out from the Sword King Stone... wearing a silver mask... Could this be the Guardian of the Sword King Stone?" another, older cultivator stammered.

It wasn't a secret that the Sword King Stone had a Guardian, but he had rarely appeared since ancient times. Only when some shortsighted Sect attempted to seize the Sword King Stone would the Guardian manifest to repel all covetous parties.

Legend had it that the cultivation base of the Sword King Stone Guardian was comparable to that of the Supreme Elders of the three major Sects of the Shenfeng Dynasty. But now, it seemed this Guardian had reached the Destiny Realm Tenth Level, far surpassing those Supreme Elders. After all, it was said that the Supreme Elders of the three major Sects had not yet truly transcended the Destiny Realm.

The Guardian wearing a silver mask lowered his head, looked towards Enlightenment Square, and said impassively, "Your talents are extraordinary, manifesting the unprecedented ten golden Sword Lotuses and thus receiving the legacy of the Sword King Stone. Now... are you willing to join my Sword King Palace and ensure this Swordsmanship is passed down?"

His voice, though calm, boomed like thunder in everyone's ears. All were stunned. A mighty cultivator of the Destiny Realm... was truly invincible.

"Apologies, Senior Guardian, but my Senior Sister and I will not join any Sect!" Jun Moxiao shook his head, an apologetic look in his eyes.

Rejected?

The Guardian clearly hadn't expected this. He had already unleashed his Destiny Realm Tenth Level Super Divine Dragon Breath; could these two youths below not perceive it? In the entire Shenfeng Dynasty, the three major Sects were nothing more than ants in his eyes. However, he had long abided by his ancestor's last instructions, guarding the Sword King Stone, so very few in the world knew of his existence.

Seeing Jun Moxiao's blunt refusal, everyone on Enlightenment Square revealed expressions of schadenfreude. Daring to offend a mighty cultivator of the Destiny Realm—these two foreign youths were truly audacious!