I Have a Sword

The Great Daoist Brush Master?

Sui Sui frowned. She had never heard of this name before, and it sounded rather unappealing to her.

Ye Guan's eyes were completely closed, and his aura couldn't be felt. However, the Invincible Sword Intent within him was surging uncontrollably, growing stronger by the second.

Sui Sui was slightly surprised. "Hmm?"

The sword intent inside Ye Guan was becoming increasingly powerful as if it were about to burst out of him anytime soon.

Sui Sui's sword trembled slightly, and astonishment flashed in her eyes.

Sui Sui had yet to deal the killing blow.

As the trial officer, her role was to test the fruits of the Tianxing Civilization rather than kill them.

After all, anyone who managed to make it this far was an outstanding individual. If they showed potential, she'd consider training them, just like how the previous Chief Enforcement Officer trained her.

Ye Guan wasn't a fruit, but he was allowed entry by those fruits, which made him eligible to be treated as a fruit of the Tianxing Life Tree.

The Invincible Sword Intent within him grew wildly, and the trembling of Sui Sui's sword became more and more intense.

Sui Sui stared at Ye Guan, neither making a move to kill him nor help him.

Hum!

A resonant sword hum echoed, and a terrifying sword intent erupted from him, eventually converging into Sui Sui's sword, causing it to tremble violently.

Sui Sui reached out to grasp her sword, but she stopped halfway. She cast a curious gaze at the unceasing flow of Invincible Sword Intent pouring out of Ye Guan.

Bam!

Sui Sui's sword was forcefully expelled by Ye Guan's Invincible Sword Intent. Immediately afterward, countless streams of sword intent surged into the sky, forming towering columns of sword energy that stood tall between the heavens and earth.

The sword intent was transforming!

The towering columns of Invincible Sword Intent transformed into a sword, and it plunged straight into Ye Guan.

Boom!

Ye Guan trembled violently, and his eyes snapped open.

A powerful aura surged from within him—the aura of a Path Annihilation Realm expert!

Ye Guan had just made a breakthrough from the Path Creation Realm to the Path Annihilation Realm!

Ye Guan opened his palm, and a myriad of sword intent flowed out like a tide.

They eventually converged to form a big sword.

Ye Guan then closed his eyes. His sword intent had transformed; he could feel it keenly. The transformation of his sword intent also allowed him to make a breakthrough into the next realm.

Sui Sui's eyes were filled with surprise.

Ye Guan opened his eyes and looked at Sui Sui with some confusion. "Senior?"

Sui Sui smiled. "Your breakthrough has nothing to do with me. It's all because you managed to let go of certain obsessions in your heart."

Ye Guan was even more confused. "Let go of certain obsessions?"

Sui Sui nodded, and then she used two fingers to grab a strand of Ye Guan's Invincible Sword Intent. She examined it and said, "At first, your sword intent was pure, but it was not unfettered. It was likely due to your obsessions. However, your sword intent has become much more refined. While you are not completely unfettered, it has become far freer than before. Congratulations."

Obsessions? Ye Guan frowned. What does she mean by that? Did I make a breakthrough because I gave up on my desire to survive? No, it's not about giving up on survival. It was about giving up my desire to ask for help.

Ye Guan fell silent. He definitely did not want to die at that moment. He wanted to live but to survive; he had to ask for help.

When facing enemies far stronger than himself, asking for help had never burdened his conscience. However, he was in the middle of his own trial, and he ought to complete it himself.

If he had to ask for help even in his own trial, then what was the point of cultivating? He might as well stick to his father or his plain-skirt aunt for the rest of his life.

Thus, Ye Guan resolutely chose not to call for help and accepted the consequences of his actions. What he hadn't expected was that his decision would lead to a breakthrough in both his sword intent and cultivation base.

Obsessions!

Ye Guan lowered his head, staring at the sword intent in his hand with mixed emotions. Unknowingly, calling for reinforcements had become a deep-rooted obsession in his heart.

If he had chosen to call for help, he would have embarked on the path of becoming the King of Relying on Others.

Had he taken that route, he would have truly become arrogant. If gods stood in his way, they'd be killed. If even Buddha dared to stand in his way, Buddha would be killed, too!

Ye Guan could not help but chuckle at that.

Chief Enforcement Officer Sui Sui asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Ye Guan pulled himself out of his thoughts and looked respectfully at the lady before him before bowing. "Thank you for showing mercy, Senior."

He made a breakthrough, but it was only made possible because Sui Sui had given him the opportunity to do so. If she had followed up with another strike, he would have died, much less make a breakthrough.

Sui Sui looked at him, smiling. "You saved yourself. If you hadn't shattered your obsessions, you would have died."

Ye Guan asked, "Senior, are you a swordsman as well?"

Sui Sui nodded. "I primarily cultivate the sword!"

"I humbly ask for your guidance."

"Of course, I'll guide you. Our trial isn't over yet."

"Let's continue then."

With that, Ye Guan took the initiative to slash out. He thrust his sword forward, and the surrounding spacetime transformed into mysterious spacetime grids.

Spacetime Folding! Spacetime Compression!

Lifespan Severance!

In one smooth, fluid motion, the void before them collapsed.

It was a slash capable of severing two billion years' worth of lifespan!

Since his sword intent had transformed and he had made a breakthrough, he no longer needed the Qingxuan Sword to use Life Severance to its limits. His sword intent alone could now handle the immense power of Life Severance.

At the same time, Sui Sui slashed out as well.

Boom!

It was as if something shattered between the heavens and earth and in an instant, Ye Guan was blown back thousands of meters. As soon as he came to a stop, the sword intent surrounding him shattered with a loud explosion.

Ye Guan was utterly shocked. His Invincible Sword Intent had already evolved, but he still could not withstand the power of this young lady.

Sui Sui did not continue her assault. Instead, she sheathed her sword, resting it against her back. With a slight smile, she said, "You're missing something."

Ye Guan was puzzled. "What?"

"Resolve," she replied.

He grew even more confused.

Sui Sui walked slowly toward him, explaining, "Your sword intent is excellent, but you haven't fully embodied it."

Ye Guan fell silent. Embodying my sword intent? What is my sword intent exactly? Naturally, it is invincibility.

He hadn't fully embodied that intent, and clearly, when he delivered that strike, he lacked the spirit and the resolve to be invincible.

Ye Guan suddenly recalled Ye Xiuran's words; the first was about purity, and his second words were the following, "Your sword intent has form but no spirit. In other words, you're missing the vitality, the sharpness. As a young person, you should be full of energy, full of passion, with the boldness to challenge the heavens and earth."

Vitality and sharpness!

Ye Guan looked at the sword in his hand, and he finally understood what Ye Xiuran was talking about.

His sword intent had evolved, but as a person, he had not evolved at all.

As a swordsman, one needed the resolve and spirit to cut down everyone, including one's father or grandfather. To put it simply, one could lose the fight, but one could not be humiliated.

Sui Sui suddenly stopped and looked at him, smiling, "Try again."

Ye Guan retracted his thoughts and, without saying a word, thrust his sword forward again.

Schwing!

Sui Sui swung her sword casually.

Bam!

Ye Guan's sword intent shattered, and before he could react, a sword was already pressed against his forehead.

Ye Guan fell silent.

Sui Sui sheathed her sword and said, "Not enough resolve. Try again."

Instead of attacking, Ye Guan closed his eyes. A familiar figure appeared in his mind. His plain-skirt aunt.

Throughout his journey, his aunt had taken action many times. And each time, how had she cut down their enemies?

Had she looked at his opponents with disdain or contempt? No, she looked at them with indifference as if she were a god looking down on an ant.

Her opponents were already dead in her eyes before she could even slash out.

Ye Guan knew that he was not qualified to imitate her, but he could use her as a role model.

If strength wasn't enough to conquer his enemies, then he had to feign confidence to make up for it!

Ye Guan opened his eyes and looked at Sui Sui. She no longer seemed like the terrifying expert earlier. Instead, she felt more like a flashier Jing An!

With that thought in mind, Ye Guan's mindset immediately shifted, and he thrust his sword forward once again.

Hum!

A sword hum echoed throughout the heavens and earth.

Spacetime Folding and Spacetime Compression!

Ye Guan's attack carried with it an aura that was drastically different compared to earlier!

Sui Sui thrust her sword as well. It was a casual strike, but as soon as her sword met Ye Guan's sword, the latter's Invincible Sword Intent shattered once again.

Sui Sui's sword was then pressed against his forehead.

Ye Guan froze, and his expression went stiff.

Sui Sui explained, "Your sword aura has indeed changed from before, but it doesn't mean that you can defeat me right away.

"That's not realistic. Still, it's a good start. At least you've truly recognized the flaws in your swordsmanship. Now, all you need is constant refinement and improvement. You've got to work hard to live up to the intent you've decided to use."

Ye Guan nodded. "I understand."

Sui Sui withdrew her sword and said, "Again."

Ye Guan suddenly grew curious and asked, "Senior, I'm not one of the Tianxing Civilization's fruits. Why are you still willing to guide me?"

"By helping you, I'm planting a seed of goodwill between us. Who knows, maybe one day in the future, you'll help the Tianxing Civilization in return!" Sui Sui answered.

Ye Guan fell silent.

"Of course, if this goodwill bears fruit in the future, that's wonderful. But if it doesn't, it's no big deal. How can everything in this world go as we wish? There's no need to overthink everything. As long as our conscience is clear, that's enough," Sui Sui added.

A clear conscience!

Ye Guan was in awe. He bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for the guidance."

Sui Sui smiled and said, "Let's continue."

Ye Guan nodded and slashed out with his sword, but this time, he didn't use his special spacetime technique. Instead, he unleashed a technique that he had almost forgotten he had—Absolute Strike!

A trace of astonishment flashed in Sui Sui's eyes at the sight of it.