Chapter 30: Comprehending the Blade Intent

Ye Tianci and Ye Mingzhen are both veteran Inner Mansion disciples; their resources are always fully provided, and they lack nothing. In cultivation, a dedicated Elder serves as their teacher, so they have no questions to ask.

Thus, Ye Liuyun volunteered: "Clan Chief, I wish to deepen my understanding of Spatial Power and advance my practice of the Lingkong Art. I also need to further improve my swordsmanship; the Clan's lower‑grade Mysterious Tier Overlord Blade Form has only three moves, which I have already mastered, and I don't know what to train next!"

"Oh? Show me those two methods," the Clan Chief said with interest, asking him to demonstrate and see how far he has progressed.

So Ye Liuyun first practiced the Lingkong Art, then performed the three moves of the Overlord Blade Form.

After watching, the Clan Chief's eyes lit with amusement, and he kept nodding.

Ye Tianci and Ye Mingzhen stared at him as if watching a monster.

"The Clan Competition ended only about twenty days ago, right? I didn't expect you to have cultivated these two Mysterious Tier methods to such a degree. Especially the Lingkong Art—no one in the Clan has ever reached your level."

The Clan Chief praised without holding back, "I recall you also chose a Star‑Plucking Hand and a Thunder‑Charging Fist, right?"

Ye Liuyun was startled by the words: "Bad! I let it slip—I actually mentioned that I'm cultivating the Lingkong Art."

But seeing the Clan Chief's expression, which seemed unconcerned about him mastering an extra method, he let out a sigh of relief in his heart.

"Yes. Both methods are nearing the realm of completeness."

Hearing this, Ye Tianci and Ye Mingzhen became even more unsettled.

The Clan Chief, however, laughed heartily, clapping his hands in approval!

"Great, great! You truly are a cultivation prodigy! The two questions you asked are exactly what I can help with; any other question I truly couldn't answer. Come with me, I'll take you somewhere."

So Ye Tianci and Ye Mingzhen returned to cultivate, while the Clan Chief led Ye Liuyun to the Ye Clan ancestral hall.

After entering, the Clan Chief bowed deeply to the elderly keeper of the hall. "Ancestor, this youngster is Ye Liuyun, the first place in this year's Clan Competition. I'd like him to see the Blade Intent Diagram, and I'll trouble you further!"

The elder looked at Ye Liuyun; his previously murky gaze suddenly became clear and sharp, startling Ye Liuyun.

Just a single glance made Ye Liuyun feel as if pierced by a sword, his hair standing on end.

The Ten Thousand Gods Command in his Sea of Consciousness instantly dispelled that fierce pressure; otherwise Ye Liuyun would have struggled even to breathe.

"What a keen gaze! Is this my Ye Clan Ancestor? This level must be at least True Yuan Fifth Tier," he thought silently, then respectfully called out "Ancestor."

The Ancestor felt his fierce aura being dispelled and was also taken aback. He withdrew his gaze and praised, "What an impressive youngster! The Ye Clan is thriving!"

Hearing this, the Clan Chief's smile grew even brighter. Being the first person the Ancestor called "impressive" is certainly Ye Liuyun!

"Kid, follow me!" he said, leading Ye Liuyun deeper into the ancestral hall.

The Clan Chief followed respectfully at the very end.

Arriving at the rear hall, the Ancestor pointed to a painting and said, "Soon I will use true qi to unfurl this scroll; study it carefully and grasp its meaning. How much you comprehend depends on your destiny. Treasure this chance."

"Thank you, Ancestor!" Ye Liuyun bowed in gratitude.

Ye Liuyun looked at the painting; it showed only a single sword suspended in midair, its tip pointing downward, seemingly unremarkable.

But when the Ancestor infused true qi, Ye Liuyun felt his Soul being tugged into the painting.

Inside the painting there was still only one sword, yet it seemed truly present, standing between Heaven and Earth.

The sheer aura emitted by that sword could slice a person into powder.

Ye Liuyun was deeply shocked; he had never imagined a sword could possess such a powerful conception.

As he stared, it seemed like a hallucination—a phantom figure appeared, demonstrating a sword technique.

When he watched the technique closely, Ye Liuyun almost shouted. "Isn't this the Overlord Blade Form? Could the complete moves be here?"

He dared not be distracted, fearing to miss any detail; his Soul strained to memorize every motion.

The phantom repeatedly demonstrated the Overlord Blade Form. After several rounds, Ye Liuyun had memorized it fully and then began to deeply comprehend the sword's meaning.

Each slash from the phantom carried an overwhelmingly domineering, contemptuous momentum over the world.

With this conception, not even cutting a person—let alone a mountain or even splitting Heaven and Earth—requires no effort.

Gradually, Ye Liuyun sensed this as an unstoppable, invincible overbearing aura.

One slash out, none can block, nothing is unbroken!

One slash out, heaven and mortals alike fear, spirits and ghosts yield!

One slash out, every battle is won, with me I am invincible!

This is the true essence of the Overlord Blade Form!

When the blade is released, a person's will becomes the blade's will. Man is the sword, sword is man! Man and sword become one!

This is the realm of the Overlord Blade Form!

Overlord Blade, i. e., domineering.

This is the conception of this sword method!

As Ye Liuyun's comprehension deepened, his body also radiated this domineering conception.

And it grew ever sharper, ever more forceful!

The Ancestor nodded excitedly, praising, "Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! This is true genius!"

Then he instructed the Clan Chief, "Yuan Ji, you must protect this child! Devote all your strength to cultivating him!

This Ye Liuyun is far stronger than that Ye Qingyun who went to the Heavenly Luck Royal Mansion! Don't count on that disciple; he isn't even as good as Ye Tianci!"

"Yes! Yuan Ji will heed the Ancestor's teachings!" The Clan Chief also bowed eagerly in agreement.

After about an hour, the Ancestor finally withdrew the true qi.

Ye Liuyun felt as if several days had passed, unusually exhausted.

"How do you feel?" the Ancestor asked with a smile.

"Thank you, Ancestor, for your cultivation. I have already found my path!"

The Ancestor kept nodding upon hearing this.

Ye Liuyun uttered only the word "direction," rather than describing a conception, which alone shows his vision has become far‑sighted, beyond the immediate.

"Go then! If any problem later proves unsolvable, you may come to me directly!" the Ancestor said.

"Yes! I take my leave!" Ye Liuyun bowed respectfully to the Ancestor and exited the hall together with the Clan Chief.

After leaving the ancestral hall, the Clan Chief said to Ye Liuyun, "You are the first in a hundred years that the Old Patriarch has praised as outstanding! You are also the first who, after seeing that picture, instantly manifested an astonishing sword intent! Moreover, you are the first whom the Old Patriarch said has an unsolvable problem and can go directly to him!"

Ye Liuyun listened and was also shocked beyond measure.

"I thought the Old Patriarch was just speaking casually…"

"The Old Patriarch never speaks casually! If it were anyone else, the Old Patriarch wouldn't even utter a single word!" The Clan Chief said, and as he spoke he became excited himself!

Then the Clan Chief led Ye Liuyun to the Ye Clan's Treasure Vault, letting Ye Liuyun wait outside. The end.

Not long after, he took out a stone and handed it to Ye Liuyun.

"This is the Wukong Stone! Holding it will help you perceive the power of space. It is a treasure the clan has cherished for many years. Even the Elder has no right to use it. Now I give it to you! I hope you won't disappoint the clan's expectations of you!"

"Thank you, Clan Chief, for your trust and support! I will certainly not disappoint the clan's expectations!" Ye Liuyun did not expect the Clan Chief to have such high expectations of him, and felt a little excited.