Chapter 1496: with translation of chapter title

"Oh? After tens of thousands of years, another monster has climbed the ninety‑nine steps?"

Jian Tianye wore a blue robe, sitting cross‑legged; dozens of spirit swords around him formed a sword array, constantly winding, as a heaven‑reaching devouring sword domain unfolded toward heaven and earth, this space entirely within the sword domain.

He was in a closed‑door cultivation retreat; this place formed its own world, with the sun, moon, and stars revolving, the heavens high and distant, mountains ranging, and the momentum magnificent.

Beside him, piles of white bones were hair‑raising.

The robes of these bones were tattered, yet faintly the insignia of the Azure‑Heaven Sword Sect could be seen; many identity jade tablets lay scattered nearby, some belonging to elders, some to disciples.

All the dead were elders and disciples of the Azure‑Heaven Sword Sect!

"Master!"

At that moment, a gray‑robed elder of the Dao Fruit Realm stepped into the sword domain, bowed respectfully to Jian Tianye, yet his body trembled with fear.

He naturally knew his master Jian Tianye's secret.

Any elder or disciple who entered here died, their Dao Resonance and cultivation completely drained by Jian Tianye.

Jian Tianye left many sword‑qi sky‑paths in the Jade Pool Star Region; seemingly to screen talents, but actually to select seeds for himself.

Once one cultivates Jian Tianye's Devouring Sword Art, a sword‑intent seed is planted within them unseen.

When that seed blooms, it is the time for Jian Tianye to harvest.

The gray‑robed elder knelt on the ground, his body trembling, not daring to lift his head to look at Jian Tianye.

In the outside world, Jian Tianye is a legendary figure, greatly revered, even leaving his inheritance throughout the Jade Pool Star Region, letting sword‑cultivation monsters challenge it.

In truth, he is a demon.

The examination of the second level, the incomplete sword art left by Jian Tianye, is itself a trap.

As long as one cultivates that sword art, a sword‑qi seed will develop within their body!

The third level, while appearing to be an examination, actually forces challengers to constantly circulate the Devouring Sword Art, accelerating the precipitation of the sword‑qi seed, all under Jian Tianye's control.

Once one reaches the summit of the third‑level examination, they cannot escape Jian Tianye's palm.

"Pfft!"

On a distant altar, countless intricate gray sword patterns intertwined, forming gust after gust of storms.

The gray‑robed man was startled, looked up, and shook his head in the dark, "Another sword‑dao monster is about to fall into this demon's hands!"

Jian Tianye was in high spirits; his hand seal shifted, and he struck the altar.

Soon, a phantom of Yang Xuan appeared on the altar.

This altar, which he had exhausted vast treasures to have the Reclusive Elder craft, can scout the situation of every trial ground; whenever a heaven‑defying sword‑cultivation monster clears a level, he receives immediate notice.

Yang Xuan had already stepped onto the ninety‑nine steps and begun fighting.

Life‑and‑death sword intent, clashing hard against Jian Tianye's devouring sword intent!

Seeing this, Jian Tianye slightly furrowed his brows, "How can this child have no aura of devouring sword intent? Such a sword art—could it come from some ancient Dao lineage?"

Merely an early‑stage Two‑Star Dao Lord, yet he has stepped onto the ninety‑nine steps—truly heaven‑defying!

The gray-robed elder kneeling on the ground also felt shocked; this blue-clothed sword cultivator youth actually could resist the temptation of the Sword Qi Stone Tablet Spirit Technique, without cultivating it?

You must know, back then, when he saw that Sword Qi Stone Tablet, he could obtain it like a precious treasure and immediately cultivated it.

Not to mention the rank of this sword technique is extremely high; moreover, if one does not cultivate it, it is absolutely impossible to proceed in the third stage examination.

"Could it be that he doesn't take a liking to my sword technique?" Jian Tianye stroked his chin, "That shouldn't be? However, this child's sword dao talent, among the seeds I have devoured over tens of thousands of years, absolutely can rank among the top ten."

Although he did not cultivate his sword technique, since he has stepped into the Icepeak Sword Sect, it is now under his control.

"You cannot escape!"

Jian Tianye stretched out his big hand, gripped it tightly, then turned his gaze toward the gray-robed elder below.

Those words just now were meant for Xuan Yang, and also for the gray-robed elder below.

The gray-robed elder's body began to tremble; he knew what was awaiting him.

Jian Tianye lowered his eyes, slowly opened his mouth.

"Ye Qing, how long have you been in the Dao Fruit Realm?"

The gray-robed elder thought, "Over a thousand years."

Jian Tianye asked again, "Ye Qing, how long have you cultivated?"

The gray-robed elder said, "Tens of thousands of years."

Jian Tianye said, "Tens of thousands of years, to reach the Dao Fruit Realm without my guidance is absolutely impossible. You should be grateful; without me, you would likely have died long ago in the Jade Pool Star Region. The Icepeak Sword Sect is a subordinate force of the Eternal Life Sect, constantly at war, with too many sword cultivators dying."

"If you had not become my disciple, you would have died long ago."

The gray-robed elder gave a self-mocking smile, "Master, you want to kill me yet want me to be grateful to you. Is this fair?"

Jian Tianye sneered, "Since the Eternal Life Sect took control of the Chaotic Star Sea, is there still fairness? Humans are merely tools of the Gu Clan; to have lived this long is already a great fortune! I can protect you for tens of thousands of years; this is a blessing you could not cultivate in ten lifetimes!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Qing suddenly stood up, "Hahahaha!"

He laughed loudly, directly tearing up.

"Jian Tianye, you want to seize my Dao Fruit, you will also have to pay a price!"

In an instant, Ye Qing's face turned ferocious, he shot up into the sky and actually came to slay Jian Tianye.

"Naive! Childish!"

Jian Tianye sat cross-legged, not rising at all, merely flicked his sleeve, shook his head in utter bewilderment, "Why do you all not know gratitude? Your previous senior brother was like this, senior sister was like this, and you are like this too."

In an instant, a sword qi pinned Ye Qing dead Above the Void, leaving him utterly unable to move.

In the next instant, the myriad blooming devouring flowers in Ye Qing's inner world scattered their petals, flowing into his meridians; his Dao foundation began to be refined, and all sword essence on his body began to be stripped away.

"Hiss!"

A terrifying formation pattern appeared inside his body, continually plundering his Dao Fruit.

Pain!

Too painful!

Ye Qin's face turned incredibly ferocious, his Dao Resonance continuously condensed, gradually transforming into the shape of a fruit.

Jian Tianye instantly appeared before Ye Qin, his large hand stroking Ye Qin's blood‑stained face, wearing a sincere expression as he asked, "Why don't you know gratitude? I really hope to meet a disciple who understands me!"

Ye Qin gritted his teeth, "Jian Tianye, you will die a horrible death! One day you will die miserably!"

"Heh." Jian Tianye smiled dismissively.

At that moment, another roar sounded from the altar; Jian Tianye turned his head, slightly startled.

Yang Xuan had already reached the hundredth step.

Jian Tianye's face showed a greedy expression, as if Yang Xuan were a purer Dao fruit, "This child, I must take him as my disciple!"

……