Chapter 80 A New Major Realm

Twenty years passed in the blink of an eye. 

During those two decades, Zan Yunxiao remained in secluded cultivation within the cultivation chamber beneath Cloud Ascension Peak, never once stepping outside.

The spiritual energy surrounding the peak continuously flowed into the chamber like an endless river.

Finally...

A powerful fluctuation erupted from deep within the mountain.

Boom!

An immense aura spread throughout Cloud Ascension Peak before quickly being restrained.

Inside the cultivation chamber, Zan Yunxiao slowly opened his eyes.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I've finally broken through."

With a thought, he opened the system panel.

[Name:] Zan Yunxiao

[Cultivation Level:] 1st Void Space Transformation Realm

[Cultivation Technique:] Zan Heaven Veiling Scripture

[Age:] 304 / 15,000

[Physique:] Clear Spirit Physique

[Items:] Heaven Moonveil Sword

[Offensive Techniques:] Moonveil Severing Sword Art, Sun Extinguishing Divine Finger

[Defensive Technique:] Star Thread Reflection

Seeing his updated status, the smile on Zan Yunxiao's face deepened.

"The lifespan increased to fifteen thousand years..."

The breakthrough into a major realm had once again greatly extended his longevity.

After closing the system panel, Zan Yunxiao decided to familiarize himself with the abilities of his new realm.

With a single thought, the surrounding space began to distort.

The air rippled like the surface of water as a small spatial domain formed around him.

Everything within several meters became completely isolated from the outside world.

"So this is the power of the Void Space Transformation Realm..."

Moments later, Zan Yunxiao took another step.

His figure silently disappeared.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself inside a strange, empty dimension.

The surroundings were filled with endless gray mist, while the space itself stretched as far as he could perceive.

It was as though he had entered a world detached from reality.

"Hm..."

Zan Yunxiao carefully observed his surroundings.

"It resembles a storage space."

Apart from the endless void, there was nothing else within it.

After inspecting it for a while, he nodded to himself.

"I can use this to hide from powerful enemies."

As long as he entered this void, ordinary cultivators would have no way of detecting his presence.

However, he quickly dismissed the idea of relying on it completely.

"If my opponent is stronger than me..."

"They may be able to tear open the void itself and drag me back out."

Such a technique would only be effective against opponents of comparable or lower cultivation.

Against truly terrifying experts...

It could not be considered an absolute refuge.

Fortunately, Zan Yunxiao was not worried.

He still possessed his greatest trump card.

Dimensional Travel.

If he truly encountered an enemy beyond his ability to resist...

He could simply leave this world altogether.

With that thought, Zan Yunxiao's confidence grew even stronger.

At the very least...

His chances of surviving had increased considerably after breaking through to the Void Space Transformation Realm.

Speaking of the void, Zan Yunxiao suddenly recalled the mysterious place he had entered by accident many years ago.

It was a strange realm where his Sword Intent had been tempered.

The memory immediately piqued his interest.

Sitting cross-legged, Zan Yunxiao slowly calmed his mind and attempted to recall the sensation he had felt back then, as though responding to an invisible call.

After several moments...

His surroundings blurred.

When he opened his eyes again, the familiar scene appeared before him.

He had entered that mysterious place once more.

Just as he remembered, two doors formed entirely from pure energy floated within the endless darkness.

One radiated an overwhelmingly terrifying aura that instinctively warned him not to approach.

Even now, Zan Yunxiao had no intention of stepping through it.

His gaze instead settled on the second door.

The door that tempered Sword Intent.

Without hesitation, he stepped through.

Beyond it stretched a long, endless path.

The surroundings were engulfed in boundless darkness, resembling an infinite void without beginning or end.

Zan Yunxiao steadily walked forward.

The moment he took his first step, he once again felt countless invisible sword intents assaulting his soul.

However...

This time, the sensation was vastly different.

Back then, every step had felt as though countless swords were tearing his soul apart, and he had nearly believed he would die after taking only a few dozen steps.

Now...

The piercing pain felt no more than countless tiny needles pricking his soul.

"It seems my breakthrough has strengthened my soul considerably."

With calm confidence, he continued forward.

Ten meters...

Thirty meters...

Fifty meters...

The pain gradually intensified.

Yet Zan Yunxiao refused to stop.

Eventually, after advancing roughly one hundred meters, the familiar unbearable agony returned.

Countless invisible sword intents erupted simultaneously, threatening to shatter his soul.

Just as his consciousness was about to collapse.

Snap!

His vision blurred.

The next instant, Zan Yunxiao abruptly opened his eyes inside the cultivation chamber.

He exhaled deeply before muttering to himself,

"So..."

"I managed to walk one hundred meters."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"When I first entered this place..."

"I could barely reach forty meters."

"Now..."

"I've more than doubled that distance."

Although he had once again been forced out, Zan Yunxiao could clearly feel that both his soul and Sword Intent had become noticeably stronger after enduring the trial.

Zan Yunxiao carefully sensed the changes within himself.

A faint smile gradually appeared on his face.

"My Sword Intent..."

"It's noticeably stronger than before."

Although the improvement wasn't enough to cause a qualitative leap, he could clearly feel that every strand of Sword Intent he released had become sharper and more refined.

It was as though every step he took within that mysterious place continuously tempered his sword intent, allowing his Sword Intent to grow stronger.

However...

One question still lingered in his mind.

"What exactly is that place?"

Despite entering it twice, he knew nothing about its origin.

There was no name, no clues, and no records.

All he could see was an endless expanse of darkness and a single river-like path formed from pure energy.

Every step along that path unleashed countless invisible sword intents that pierced directly into his soul. Though excruciatingly painful, those attacks continuously tempered and ultimately strengthening his Sword Intent.

After pondering for a moment, Zan Yunxiao nodded to himself.

"A river of sword souls..."

"Then I'll call it the Sword Soul River."

The name suited it perfectly.

The mysterious place where countless sword intents assaulted his soul and tempered his understanding of the sword became known to Zan Yunxiao as the Sword Soul River.

Having settled everything, Zan Yunxiao step outside in his cultivation chamber and stood at the edge of Cloud Ascension Peak.

"It is time."

"I should make a journey throughout the Western Continent."

Before setting off, he decided to test the movement ability granted by the Void Space Transformation Realm.

With a single step forward, the surrounding space rippled.

His figure silently merged into the void and disappeared without leaving the slightest trace.

Only the gentle mountain breeze remained.

. . .

At the same time, inside the Patriarch Hall of the Zan Clan...

Dozens of exquisitely crafted chests were neatly arranged across the hall.

Each chest was filled with gold, precious jade, rare jewelry, silk, and countless valuable gifts.

It was an extravagant dowry.

The owner of the gifts was a dignified middle-aged man standing respectfully before Zan Wei.

He had come to propose a marriage alliance with one of the Zan Clan's descendants.

Zan Wei merely glanced at the mountain of treasures before withdrawing his gaze.

To ordinary families, such a dowry would be astonishing.

To the Zan Clan...

It was hardly worth mentioning.

After all, the Zan Clan had already become the wealthiest family in the Crimson Empire.

Gold and jewels no longer held much value in their eyes.

Looking at the middle-aged man before him, Zan Wei immediately understood his true intention.

The marriage proposal was merely an excuse.

What he truly wanted was to establish a connection with the Zan Clan.

Zan Wei remained expressionless as he asked,

"Where is your son?"

"I'll judge whether he's worthy of marrying into my clan."

The middle-aged man blinked in surprise.

"My... son?"

He hurriedly cupped his fists.

"Patriarch, you've misunderstood."

"It isn't my son."

"It is my daughter who wishes to marry into the Zan Clan."

Zan Wei was momentarily taken aback.

"Hm?"

He had subconsciously assumed it was the usual arrangement, where a man sought a bride from another family.

Suppressing his surprise, he calmly asked,

"Then where is your daughter?"

The middle-aged man respectfully replied,

"She is waiting outside the hall."

"She is probably chatting with one of your clan's descendants at the moment."

Hearing this, Zan Wei inwardly smiled.

"What a cunning old fox."

He had clearly instructed his daughter to become acquainted with the Zan Clan's younger generation beforehand, hoping to leave a favorable impression.

Still...

Zan Wei had no objections.

As long as the marriage benefited both sides and expanded the Zan Clan's influence throughout the Western Continent...

He was more than willing to consider it.

Just as Zan Wei was about to continue the discussion, the entire Patriarch Hall suddenly trembled.

Boom!

A terrifying surge of spiritual energy descended without warning, causing the surrounding air to collapse inward.

The expressions of everyone present changed drastically.

Crack—

The space before the hall suddenly fractured.

A pitch-black spatial crack slowly tore itself open, as though an invisible hand had ripped reality apart.

"This...!"

Elder Dan's pupils contracted violently.

"This is my first time witnessing such a spatial technique..."

Even after living for centuries, he had never seen someone tear open space with such ease.

The core members of the Zan Clan instinctively stood from their seats.

Spiritual energy surged through their bodies as they assumed defensive stances, their eyes fixed on the expanding spatial crack.

Even Zan Wei's expression turned solemn.

"Who is this expert?"

"An enemy..."

"Or a friend?"

On the other side, the middle-aged man who had come to propose a marriage had long since turned pale.

His legs trembled uncontrollably.

"Did... did I offend some hidden senior?"

The overwhelming pressure left him unable to move from where he stood.

The hall fell deathly silent.

Then...

A figure slowly stepped out from the spatial crack.

His long black hair flowed behind him without the slightest movement of the wind.

He wore a plain black robe that seemed to merge with the surrounding darkness.

However...

His face was completely obscured.

It was as though an invisible veil distorted his features, making them impossible to discern no matter how hard one looked.

No one could recognize his identity.

The mysterious figure calmly swept his gaze across the hall.

The atmosphere instantly became suffocating.

And not a single person dared to speak.