Chapter Fifty-eight: A Sword from Beyond the Heavens, Slicing Through the Shackles of the Heart

Within the world of the Heart Reflection.

The sky was awash in blood-red, thick clouds cloaking the heavens and casting boundless darkness below. The oppressive atmosphere was suffocating, heavy enough to rob one of breath.

A youthful Zhang Yuanyi, battered and scarred, knelt on one knee, leaning upon an ancient sword. The surrounding darkness seemed poised to devour his slender form.

Here, he was not yet the renowned half-step Grandmaster of thirty years hence. He was merely a sword-bearing youth, newly bereaved of his father in a duel.

His body trembled as he gazed up at the blood-red sun overhead—the very source of all this oppressive force. That sword intent, as sovereign as the sun, pressed down on him until he could scarcely breathe.

He had already swung his sword countless times at that great sun in the sky, but no matter how he exhausted himself, he could not shake its dominance.

Despair, terror, helplessness—emotions long since buried—rose anew in his heart, threatening to swallow him whole.

Clutching the ancient sword his father had left him, he forced himself to rise. The cold hilt, solid in his grasp, stirred his courage once more. He readied himself to strike one final blow, even if in vain.

This sword, regardless of success or failure, was solely to give himself an answer.

Sword in hand, he lifted his gaze to the blood-red sun above. Though the sword’s glare stung his eyes, he did not look away.

He raised the sword high, holding it upright above his head. This was the “Sundering Blade Form,” the very first sword technique his father had taught him.

As it began, so would it end.

The sky remained crimson, the sun above the clouds like a distant god, coldly watching the ant below daring to challenge it with his blade.

Just then, Zhang Yuanyi saw the thick black clouds at the horizon suddenly roil and churn. The very heavens trembled.

A beam of sword light, like the first glimmer of dawn, burst forth from beyond the sky!

That seemingly unshakable blood-red firmament was torn open by this sword light, ripped wide with a gaping wound.

Next, the sword light transformed into a falling star that plunged directly into the ancient sword in his hand.

As if granting new life, the sword light infused the weapon with vitality. Instantly, a profound sense of resonance welled up within Zhang Yuanyi—he could feel the sword’s exhilaration.

There was no fear of the invincible foe—only boundless fighting spirit.

Zhang Yuanyi looked up at the rent in the blood-red sky, as if witnessing the shattering of an invincible myth.

He gripped his ancient sword, staring at the breach above for a long while in silence.

Gradually, a look of relief surfaced on his face, and he murmured, “So you are not invincible after all.”

His eyes grew increasingly bright, as if a barrier within his heart had crumbled. The ancient sword sensed this, and exulted in turn. The sword intent within him began to merge with the azure sword intent he had just received.

He was now imbued with a spirit that could cleave the heavens.

“A sword arises from the heart, sundering the clouds and opening the gates!”

With a wild laugh, Zhang Yuanyi lifted his sword and soared into the sky, slashing toward the blazing sun above.

A jade-green arc of sword light shot through the heavens, colliding with the sword intent as resplendent as the sun.

This strike swept away all clouds and darkness!

A rainbow of sword light spanned the sky, shining with dazzling brilliance.

The blazing red sun was utterly torn asunder by this attack, and with it, the endless gloom dispersed, revealing clear blue skies stretching ten thousand miles.

In that instant, the shackles and fetters of the past vanished like smoke.

…

Within the hall.

Under the elder’s anxious gaze, the deep furrow in Zhang Yuanyi’s brow finally shifted.

His expression changed—from fear, to astonishment, then finally to a profound clarity.

A surge of astonishing sword intent burst forth from him, and the true energy within him, as vast as a river, surged mightily.

With a clear, ringing song of the sword, two bolts of divine light shot from Zhang Yuanyi’s eyes.

He let out a thunderous cry, his entire being transforming into a giant sword, his aura soaring to the heavens.

Lin You watched quietly. Seeing Zhang Yuanyi break through his inner demons, a trace of approval flickered in his eyes.

The sliver of azure sword intent he had just bestowed carried no true power, but was like a blow to the head—a chance for enlightenment, should one grasp it.

Clearly, Zhang Yuanyi had seized his opportunity.

Within that sword intent, he glimpsed hope—the hope to shatter an invincible myth—and with it, broke free of his mental shackles.

At the same time, drawing upon deep reserves, he broke through to the threshold of Grandmaster, now able to commune with the heavens and draw upon the power of the world through his martial will.

Suspended in the air, Zhang Yuanyi seemed to merge wholly with heaven and earth.

Empowered by the world itself, the true energy around him surged endlessly, radiating a power that shook all who witnessed it.

“Yuanyi! You’ve broken through?” the elder exclaimed, his eyes alight with joy.

Only moments earlier, he had been wracked with worry, never expecting such a transformation from Zhang Yuanyi in the blink of an eye.

This was a Martial Grandmaster—each one a living legend standing at the pinnacle of Yu Kingdom’s martial world.

At this thought, the elder’s gaze drifted to the otherworldly young Daoist beside him.

This man truly possessed extraordinary means—could he be a true immortal hidden in the mortal realm? If so, might he be able to cure his grandson’s strange illness…?

These thoughts churned through the elder’s mind.

Moments later, Zhang Yuanyi, still suspended in the void, stabilized his new realm.

The surging sword intent vanished, replaced by a profound and restrained aura—the bearing of a Grandmaster, as deep and steadfast as a mountain.

He descended slowly to the ground, but did not first approach the elder.

Instead, he came before Lin You.

With solemn reverence, Zhang Yuanyi knelt to the ground.

“Disciple Zhang Yuanyi thanks Teacher for granting me new life!”

Lin You’s supreme sword intent had not only dispelled his inner demons, but enabled him to break through and ascend to the peak of the martial path.

Such grace was akin to being born anew.

And so, Zhang Yuanyi performed the formal discipleship rite, bowing deeply to Lin You in utmost gratitude.

None present had expected that Zhang Yuanyi, having just broken through to Grandmaster, would pay such homage to Lin You—all were momentarily stunned.

After all, not even the Emperor of Yu, with all the power in the world, could bear the bow of a Grandmaster.

Yet Lin You, faced with this salute, neither dodged nor refused but accepted it calmly.

He was worthy of this bow.

The Azure Sword Intent was the true essence of an ancient Sword Immortal, bearing the might to cleave the nine heavens. Even the faintest wisp of it was a supreme opportunity to any sword cultivator.

As Zhang Yuanyi finished his bow, a transparent thread of fate extended from his brow to the little jade tree above.

By guiding with sword intent and forging a Grandmaster of the sword, Lin You had established the bond of master and disciple.

This thread of fate fed back into the little jade tree, which grew a little taller, and among its branches six translucent, luminous jade leaves sprouted.