Chapter 1168: I Saw the Hope of Immortality

The thunderous clouds of the Lei Gao Jie in the starry sky dispersed.

A dark, utterly lightless starry sky began to reveal twinkling stars; broken space, snapped order, even fractured cosmic laws began to heal.

"The Immortal Sect's Sword Son from the Upper Realm…"

Jiang Ding murmured.

He lowered his head and looked at his own body.

His body was covered in gray ash, devoid of any trace of blood, utterly withered; much of his flesh and skin had been burned away, exposing bones that were pale and lifeless, like dry firewood, no different from the glowing charcoal in a stove—very little residual life essence remained within.

This was the price of burning one's essence and flesh.

Jiang Ding's body, though seemingly intact, was already like firewood in a furnace—less than one-tenth of its vitality remained; if he delayed another ten breaths, his entire body and soul would vanish into ash!

"Just a mark left by one Lei Gao Jie… Ha!"

"Hahaha!"

Jiang Ding suddenly smiled.

He felt no defeat, no heaviness, no sorrow—only pure joy, a simple smile spreading across his face: "But such an opponent is truly wonderful!"

"I've seen the hope of becoming an Immortal!"

"After slaying the Heavenly Sword Sword Son Xuan, even the slimmest chance of Immortality will appear before me… The path to Immortality is no longer empty rhetoric, no longer mere illusion—it has truly revealed a glimmer of light."

"If Zou Zou Xiyuan were to revive, and if all past Masters of the Great Sun Sword were to return, wouldn't they be envious enough to split their very bones?"

"... Hahaha, what can I do? I'm just a kind, innocent youth—I can't endure hardship like Zou Zou Xiyuan, counting days on my fingers like some pitiful wretch. After all, I'm a fine new-generation youth."

As his emotions shifted, the starry sky ten thousand li around took on a joyful hue.

Jiang Ding mustered a trace of magic power and spiritual awareness, circulating them through his body, constructing crude networks of magic power, blood qi, and spiritual awareness to contain all his injuries and prevent further deterioration.

Then Jiang Ding turned his gaze to the Taiqing Flying Sword.

Jing!

The Taiqing Flying Sword emitted a weak, mournful hum—her current state was even worse than her master's.

Her blade was riddled with countless nicks, and at its center ran a deep gash that nearly cleaved her in two; her aura was faint beyond measure.

This wound came from the final strike of the Heavenly Sword Sword Son Xuan!

Remember, the Taiqing Flying Sword was forged from sixth-rank divine metal Taiqing Divine Iron and Po Fa Xian Jin, refined over countless trials with innumerable heavenly treasures into a sixth-rank Lián Xū sword embryo—always a treasure capable of slaying foes above its rank.

Yet now, in a battle of equal rank, it was nearly severed by the mere shadow of the opponent's sword—not even the true blade, merely a shadow!

Just a shadow.

This was a truly horrifying experience.

"The Heavenly Sword Sword Son's flying sword must be far beyond sixth rank, beyond seventh rank—an embryo among the strongest under a True Immortal, forged by the Upper Realm's Jiang Jiang Jinxian faction with all their heart and effort…"

Jiang Ding drew a deep breath.

Sword sects never neglect their flying swords.

For example, the Great Sun Sword Pavilion—each Great Sun Flying Sword's creation drains the sect's strength for a long time, pushing their capabilities to the absolute limit.

They don't consider cost or cost-effectiveness—those are irrelevant. They only strive for the sect's greatest strength.

"When fighting such an opponent, you cannot compete in raw power like treasure quality."

"No matter how lucky you are—encountering eighteen miracles in one day, six thousand four hundred and eighty in a year, never ceasing—still, you cannot match a Jiang Jiang Jinxian faction Sword Son."

"The things they casually obtain are the most precious heavenly treasures across countless worlds."

"We can only refine our sword techniques, sword realm, and sword intent—these are the only things the poor possess. Hardship has forged us thoroughly; this is a precious wealth…"

Jiang Ding sighed deeply.

His sword technique still lagged far behind the Heavenly Sword Sword Son's, but he was not discouraged—he had fixed his path. This was the only way someone of his origin could overthrow the powerful and attain the Dao.

"Besides, the Heavenly Sword Sword Son mentioned a name: the Great Yin-Yang Sword Realm's Sun Sword Son Yu Yu Lingzi."

"Is Yu Yu Lingzi still alive?"

"If I can slay him, my flying sword will achieve a massive breakthrough—truly rivaling the flying swords of Jiang Jiang Jinxian faction Sword Sons—and my weakness will be remedied… He'd better be evil, or I'll feel guilty."

"I'm not someone like Chong Chong Guang Zi who kills chaotically."

Jiang Ding planned his path, then looked at the body of the Taiqing Flying Sword.

On its blue-and-gold blade, the aura was sharp and scorching, radiating destruction; crimson semi-liquid metal flowed across its surface, seeping deep into the blade, adding a faint tinge of blood-red.

These were the remnants of Dong Xue Xu Tian Ming Jin.

From the Jiao Demon Emperor Clan, the Mingtian Ancient Imperial Prince, the Eight Ancient Imperial Princes, and dozens of Imperial Princes' Ben Ming Fa treasures—these were the last remains. Under the Lei Gao Jie and the Nine Heavens Immortal Sword Forging Art, all that was insufficiently hard vaporized; only the purest essence fused into the Taiqing Flying Sword.

The Mingtian Imperial Prince who died in the Yin-Yang Void Realm seemed to have a special connection with the Mingtian Ancient Imperial Prince, but it didn't matter—a race on the verge of total defeat wasn't worth studying for its social customs or traditions.

Dong Xue Xu Tian Ming Jin!

This was the Jiao

Demon Emperor Clan's unique sixth-rank spiritual metal, possessing strong spatial affinity and blood qi affinity; fused into the Taiqing Flying Sword, it strengthened the blade's body, especially enhancing the nascent sword realm, thickening Jiang Ding's own foundation.

Of course, Jiang Ding didn't melt it all—he reserved five portions to donate to the Banyan Tree Array Spirit Scholarship.

If, in the future, the Immortal Sect produces a Dao Disciple-level youth like Teacher Gu Lin, and if that youth possesses excellent moral character, these Imperial Weapon embryos could be used to forge a Lián Xū space embryo for him.

"My foundation has advanced a step."

Jiang Ding closed his eyes, sensing the Taiqing Flying Sword, then opened them: "But it's still not enough. The Heavenly Sword Sword Son's ability to acquire resources far surpasses mine. If possible, I should seek out more Dao Disciple-level experts and kill them."

"Of course, they must be evil, violating Immortal Sect laws…"

He looked around again.

The supercarrier Great Sun Sky Mother Ship and nearly a hundred thousand unmanned drones and vessels had vanished by more than half; the survivors were all grievously wounded, having lost virtually all combat capability.

Immediate healing was urgently needed.

The surrounding heavens, the cosmic rivers, began to show faint, elusive distortions; many things were changing silently, imperceptibly.

"Heart Demon?"

"The heart-demon tribulation after the heavenly tribulation?"

Jiang Ding let out a silent, incredulous laugh.