In the boundless darkness.
Jiang Chen remained calm. At first, he was still thinking about how to leave the Land of Despair.
But slowly...
He entered a profound state.
Although darkness was everywhere, obscuring any light and inducing despair.
But...
This very desolation and absolute silence, once he cast aside his fear of the dark and the anxiety of despair, became a state of perfect tranquility—incredibly suitable for cultivation!
’Follow my heart!’
Jiang Chen no longer controlled his body with his thoughts. He let his heart guide him completely.
’My heart’s desire is to become stronger!’
’To forge ahead relentlessly!’
’A heart like a mirror, to see through my own essence. A heart like iron, so no external factor can hope to interfere with my decisions. A heart like a sword, to slash through all obstacles blocking my path...’
Jiang Chen’s state of mind was undergoing an earth-shattering transformation.
It was a transcendent state!
At this very moment, within Jiang Chen’s heart, there was only the will to become stronger, the drive to forge ever forward, and only—the sword!
An unknown amount of time passed.
Jiang Chen’s heart became purer and purer, no longer holding any impurities.
HUM...
Within the darkness, a faint sound, like the ring of a sword, suddenly echoed.
Within the Dao Origin Void.
The Flower of Time was blooming with brilliant radiance. And at this moment, right beside the Flower of Time, a sword-shaped illusion suddenly appeared.
This sword-shaped illusion grew more and more condensed.
It finally transformed into a small, seven-colored sword. It was not large, but the light it radiated could rival that of the Flower of Time.
SWOOSH...
Jiang Chen’s eyes snapped open. Two peerless beams of Sword Aura erupted from them, like two sharp blades of light that made the void tremble. This was a tangible gaze, and at the same time, it was real Sword Aura!
"Sword Heart!"
A gentle smile graced the corner of Jiang Chen’s lips.
In the desolate darkness, he had finally comprehended the Sword Heart—the Heart of Swordsmanship!
Once the Sword Heart was formed, Jiang Chen felt that all the Sword Dao problems he previously couldn’t grasp were now effortlessly solved.
"Eight Trigrams Sword!"
Jiang Chen casually slashed out with his sword.
SWISH!
A Sword Aura in the shape of a Yin Yang Tai Chi Diagram appeared before him, formed entirely of Sword Qi. The corner of Jiang Chen’s lips curved up. "To think that condensing my Sword Heart would allow me to comprehend the Eight Trigrams Sword. This is the strongest Saint Tier Defensive Sword Technique. With the Eight Trigrams Sword, I can weaken even an Emperor Realm expert’s attack by fifty percent. Coupled with my Divine Demon Tyrant Body, not even a typical Emperor Realm attack can hope to injure me!"
"Now to try the ninth sword—the Nine Palace Sword!"
Jiang Chen rose to his feet. With a slash of the Spirit-Slaying Sword through the void, nine enormous palaces appeared upon the Sword Aura.
They were like nine ancient stars descending from the heavens, rumbling loudly!
The power of this one sword was enough to instantly kill a Peak Human Emperor Realm expert. Even an ordinary Emperor Realm master would be injured if caught off guard!
"It’s a pity that the tenth sword, the Ten Directions Sword, requires a domain to use. Otherwise, I could have executed it too. When that time comes, even an Emperor Realm expert would have to retreat in the face of this sword!" A thrilled smile curved Jiang Chen’s lips.
This was the power of the Sword Heart!
"I have seen through my own heart and condensed the Heart of Swordsmanship... This Land of Despair can no longer trap me!" Jiang Chen’s figure blurred as surging Sword Qi erupted from his body.
CRACKLE! CRACKLE!
The entire dark space, like a shattered eggshell, flaked away piece by piece.
And vanished!
Jiang Chen squinted, finally seeing a sliver of light. Before him sat a figure clad in green.
This was an existence as majestic as a mountain and as profound as the starry sky.
"This junior, Jiang Chen, greets the Mystic Sect Master!"
Jiang Chen took a deep breath and spoke respectfully.
The moment he left the Land of Despair, he understood its true nature. This was indeed the Tenth Celestial Palace of the Mystic Sect. The Tenth Layer of Heaven hadn’t collapsed back then; it had been transformed by the Mystic Sect Master into a Heart Refining Land. If one could not see their own heart clearly, even a Demigod who entered would be consumed by despair and die from cultivation deviation!
Although it felt as if he had spent several years in the Land of Despair, only a few double-hours had passed in the outside world.
"This is merely a remnant will of mine. There is no need for such formalities."
The Mystic Sect Master opened his eyes. They were a pair of eyes that could see through everything. His gaze fell upon Jiang Chen, and he nodded slightly with a smile. "Immortal Sword Body, the Flower of Time, and you even passed the trial of the Land of Despair’s Heart Refining Land. Little one... even in the Eastern Continent of the Ancient Era, you would have ranked among the very top geniuses!"
"Senior, you praise me too highly," Jiang Chen said humbly.
The Mystic Sect Master smiled faintly and continued, "Since you were able to pass the trial of the Land of Despair, you are naturally qualified to inherit my position as the Mystic Sect Master. This is the Mystic Sect Leader’s Order. From now on, the Mystic Sect is in your hands!"
SWOOSH!
A purple-gold token landed in Jiang Chen’s hands.
Holding the Mystic Sect Leader’s Token, Jiang Chen felt neither joy nor sorrow. The trial in the Land of Despair had already caused an earth-shattering change in his state of mind.
It was a state of ethereal tranquility!
Jiang Chen put away the Mystic Sect Leader’s Token and bowed. "This junior will do everything in his power to revive the Mystic Sect!"
"Revive the Mystic Sect? That is easier said than done. As long as you can continue the Mystic Sect’s lineage, I can die without regrets!" The Mystic Sect Master gave a bitter smile.
Jiang Chen frowned. "Senior, back then, the Mystic Sect had you, a Demigod, presiding over it. How could it have been annihilated?"
This was something Jiang Chen could not understand.
Logically, a Demigod already stood at the Peak of the Martial Dao on the Qiankun Continent. Unless a Divine Spirit took action, who could possibly destroy the Mystic Sect?
The Mystic Sect Master sighed softly. "Even true Divine Spirits can fall, let alone a mere Demigod. In our Eastern Continent, a Demigod is the absolute peak, but in the Martial Arts Holy Land of Zhongzhou, there are still countless top-tier experts. Little one, the Eastern Continent Ancestral Vein has been severed. It’s impossible to advance to Demigod by staying in the Eastern Continent. I have left a trace of Space Power within that Sect Leader’s Token. After you advance to the Emperor Realm, go to Zhongzhou!"
"That is the true birthplace of the strong, the paradise of Martial Artists!"
The Mystic Sect Master stared intently at Jiang Chen, his voice gentle.
Jiang Chen nodded. "Senior, rest assured. This junior already planned on heading to Zhongzhou." He then told the Mystic Sect Master about his three-year pact with Xiang Tianwen.
"The Demon God Palace?"
A vicious glint and a look of hatred appeared in the Mystic Sect Master’s eyes. He gritted his teeth and said through clenched jaws, "To think you’ve made such a powerful enemy from the Demon God Palace. Is this fate? HAHAHA..."
"Eh? Senior, you also have a feud with the Demon God Palace?" Jiang Chen was taken aback.
The Mystic Sect Master nodded. "More than a feud. The Demon God Palace and I share a sworn, irreconcilable hatred. Little one, didn’t you just ask who destroyed the Mystic Sect? My Mystic Sect was destroyed by the Palace Master of the Demon God Palace, Xiang Panglong. And I, too, died at Xiang Panglong’s hands!"
Jiang Chen sucked in a sharp breath.
He had only known before that the Mystic Sect was destroyed by an expert from Zhongzhou. He never imagined that person was the Palace Master of the Demon God Palace.
Jiang Chen’s heart sank. The Demon God Palace had such a terrifying existence within it. His battle with Xiang Tianwen would inevitably make him an enemy of the Demon God Palace.
’Hmph, so what if he’s a Demigod? I, Jiang Chen, will forge ahead relentlessly. Anyone who dares block my path, even a Demigod, I will cut down without hesitation!’ Jiang Chen snorted coldly, the trace of hesitation in his heart vanishing completely.
The Mystic Sect Master’s expression was uncertain, but he finally took a deep breath, seemingly having made a momentous decision. He said in a deep voice, "Little one, I originally didn’t want to give that thing to you, for fear it would bring a fatal disaster upon you. However, since you have already offended the Demon God Palace, I will give it to you. Perhaps you will have a chance at survival!"
"Senior, what is this thing you speak of?" Jiang Chen asked, confused.
The Mystic Sect Master took a deep breath and said slowly, "Back then, the Mystic Sect was destroyed because of it. This thing... can lead you to the path of the strongest!"
The path of the strongest!
The words were powerful and resonant.
It made Jiang Chen’s heart tremble violently...