Chapter 127

As the sword bone gradually fused with Si Yan, his aura surged higher and higher.

Foundation Establishment Great Perfection… early Golden Core, mid-stage, late-stage… early Nascent Soul, mid-stage, late-stage…

Early Nascent Soul, mid-stage, late-stage… until it finally stopped at the Body Integration Stage.

The Melon-Eating System was astonished.

【Goodness gracious, really, goodness gracious! Is this still our little Innocent Cultivator? Is this really the same little Innocent Cultivator?! Innocent Cultivator, you’ve become so strong that even I can hardly recognize you!】

【Innocent Cultivator, you are now this powerful!】

Ning Xu: …

She had not expected to witness Si Yan’s cultivation skyrocketing like this. At some point, he had completely shed the label of a “low-level cultivator” and stepped into the realm of top-tier combat power in the cultivation world.

The Melon-Eating System muttered,

【Si Zang had reached the early Mahayana Stage. Most cultivators store their cultivation within their blood and flesh, but for Si Zang, having the majority of his cultivation stored in his sword bone is also understandable.】

【Otherwise, why would I say our little Innocent Cultivator is lucky?】

【He’s completely standing on Si Zang’s shoulders!】

【Si Zang cultivated with painstaking effort, only for all his efforts to benefit our little Innocent Cultivator in the end.】

【Innocent Cultivator, you’ve won without even trying!】

Ning Xu, however, was not as optimistic as the Melon-Eating System.

She said, “He has jumped from the Foundation Establishment Stage to the Body Integration Stage. That means he has to endure the accumulated tribulations from Foundation Establishment all the way to Body Integration.”

The Melon-Eating System responded,

【After all, it’s never easy to take advantage of the Heavenly Dao. These tribulations are inevitable.】

Ning Xu continued, “His cultivation advanced too fast. What if his state of mind can’t keep up? With such a massive surge of power all at once, he might not be able to fully control it.”

The Melon-Eating System hesitated.

【Originally, that might have been a serious problem, but…】

Ning Xu watched Si Yan in midair and asked, “But what?”

The Melon-Eating System completely gave up trying to explain.

【Never mind, you’ll find out sooner or later anyway.】

Ning Xu: “???”

While she was speaking with the system, Si Yan finally faced his first tribulation lightning!

The Core Formation Lightning, which signified the breakthrough from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core, was now insignificant for someone at the Body Integration Stage.

The Melon-Eating System laughed wildly.

【Host, we’re about to witness a once-in-ten-thousand-years spectacle of a tribulation lightning storm!】

For someone at the Body Integration Stage, the Core Formation Lightning posed no challenge whatsoever. Si Yan even had time to glance at Ning Xu.

His eyes were naturally beautiful, with slightly upturned corners that carried an innate allure.

But now, there seemed to be something more in them.

The moment he saw her looking at him, the corners of his lips curved slightly.

As the first bolt of lightning fell, several more Core Formation Lightning bolts rained down on him.

At that moment, Si Yan released his natal spirit beast.

It was a small, yellow calf.

Ning Xu was momentarily stunned.

“The egg hatched?”

The Melon-Eating System also clicked its tongue twice in surprise, clearly not expecting the egg to have successfully hatched over the past three years.

【Compared to that old yellow ox, this little calf is really tiny. You could probably lift it with one hand.】

【It’s still small and cute. Once it grows bigger, it won’t be cute anymore.】

However, the calf did not stay small for long.

As one lightning bolt after another struck, the calf swelled rapidly, as if inflated, and before long, it was no different from the old yellow ox from three thousand years ago.

For the first time, the Melon-Eating System had nothing to say.

After a long silence, it spoke in a weary tone.

【Seeing it, I feel like I’m looking at that seemingly honest but actually quite cunning old yellow ox.】

After saying that, it fell completely silent.

By now, Si Yan had endured dozens of tribulation lightnings. This fierce storm of tribulation lightning was indeed unprecedented in history.

Ning Xu knew very well that the initial tribulation lightning was not dangerous. The ones she truly needed to worry about were the last few lightning bolts for the ascension from the Soul Formation Stage to the Body Integration Stage.

Soon, the intensity of the lightning increased. The sky nearby was now dyed a deep purple, and as far as the eye could see, the area within three hundred kilometers was engulfed in the tribulation’s range.

Even beasts had the instinct to seek safety. By now, there was hardly any living creature left within three hundred kilometers.

Ning Xu rummaged through her storage ring, picked something out, and tossed the entire ring toward Si Yan.

“Si Yan!”

Si Yan caught the storage ring.

After being silent for a while, the Melon-Eating System suddenly started gossiping again.

【Elder Wu is going to be so jealous of our innocent little Innocent Cultivator.】

After all, no matter how hard Elder Wu tried, he could never achieve what the innocent little Innocent Cultivator had so effortlessly obtained.

A rich older sister who sticks close and spoils him!

Ning Xu focused entirely on Si Yan.

She had thought that, having jumped straight from Foundation Establishment to Body Integration, Si Yan would need some time to adjust. But to her surprise, he adapted far faster than she had expected.

Facing these tribulation lightnings, he was completely at ease.

The young calf was also growing at an astonishing speed.

Seeing Si Yan like this, Ning Xu felt a strong sense of certainty—he would easily pass the Body Integration Tribulation.

And indeed, that was the case.

He moved swiftly through the tribulation lightning, using the power of thunder to temper his body while also refining the obsidian sword in his hand.

The originally ordinary-looking obsidian sword, under the dense lightning flashes, became incomparably sharp.

After enduring sixty-four strikes of the Body Integration Tribulation, a divine rain descended from the sky.

Along with it, golden light filled the heavens.

This golden light pierced through the firmament, and no matter where one was in the cultivation world, any cultivator would notice it!

This signified that another Sword Immortal had emerged in the cultivation world!

At the moment when the golden light enveloped Si Yan entirely, Ning Xu seemed to see the figure of Si Zang in him.

Three thousand years ago, she had seen Si Yan through Si Zang’s eyes.

But three thousand years later, she now saw Si Zang through the tribulation-successful Si Yan.

For a fleeting moment, their figures seemed to overlap…

Just as Ning Xu was about to say something, Si Yan suddenly grabbed her arm and swiftly took her away from the tribulation site.

“Someone’s coming.”

At the same time, in the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area, a post was slowly gaining traction.

【Another Sword Immortal has emerged. I wonder which genius it is this time?】

The post quickly sparked heated discussions.

【Is this for real? As far as I know, there hasn’t been a new Sword Immortal in the past thousand years.】

A cultivator soon replied, 【Of course it’s real. That golden light was so obvious—how did you not notice it? What are your eyes even for?】

【Wait, I’ve been in seclusion indoors all this time. Hold on, let me go outside and take a look!】

【Go quickly! The golden light is still visible!】

【I was fortunate enough to witness the tribulation near the Endless Sea—it was truly breathtaking.】

【I was also near the Endless Sea today. This trip was definitely worth it.】

【How exactly was it breathtaking? Can someone describe it?】

【Nearly two hundred strikes of tribulation lightning! Does anyone know what’s going on with this genius?】

【Two hundred strikes? What do you mean?】

【I mean, this newly ascended Sword Immortal endured nearly two hundred strikes of tribulation lightning.】

【That’s impossible! Even an Ascension Tribulation only has eighty-one strikes, right? Where did these nearly two hundred come from? Are you making things up?】

【I counted too. It was exactly 199 strikes.】

【???】

【This is impossible. It doesn’t align with the principles of the cultivation world!】

【199 strikes of heavenly lightning sound absurd, but that was the actual number. If there’s an explanation, it can only be that he jumped directly from a low cultivation level to the Body Integration Stage. Otherwise, I really can’t explain why there were so many strikes.】

【Wait, is it really that ridiculous?】

【I wasn’t envious at first, but now that someone suggested he jumped from a low level to the Body Integration Stage, I am. I’m truly envious. What is this, a meteoric rise? Even if it’s a meteoric rise, it shouldn’t be this exaggerated!】

【The theory above is logically possible, but realistically, no one should be able to do it. Think about it—how could someone jump straight from a low cultivation level to the Body Integration Stage? As everyone knows, when a powerful cultivator falls, their cultivation completely dissipates. Due to the special nature of this small world, even before their death, they wouldn’t be able to pass on their cultivation to someone else. Cultivation is something that must be obtained through one’s own efforts!】

【Hilarious. What’s the point of your long-winded explanation? If I knew the answer, would I even need to ask?】

As cultivators continued their heated discussion, one of them suddenly proposed a theory.

【Actually, under certain conditions, a low-level cultivator jumping straight to a high-level one is possible.】

This statement immediately caught the attention of many cultivators.

【What kind of conditions?】

【Tell us. Let’s see if we can learn something from it.】

【Stop stalling! Just say it!】

The cultivator who made the speculation didn’t hold back and directly stated, 【Many direct disciples of major sects should know that three thousand years ago, a Sword Immortal perished. That Sword Immortal was born with a natural sword bone. However, after he fell, his sword bone mysteriously disappeared.】

【To this day, no one knows where his sword bone went.】

【But what if… someone was extraordinarily lucky and found his sword bone?】

The cultivators: !!! That’s possible?!
At this moment, the Melon-Eating System was also munching on the gossip in the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area.

Upon seeing that reply, it sneered and mocked, 【This person thinks sword bones are as common as cabbages—anyone can use them?】

Ning Xu countered, “Aren’t they?”

The Melon-Eating System explained, 【Only high-level cultivators can assimilate someone else’s sword bone as their own.】

【Low-level cultivators? Forget about it. They simply don’t have the capability.】

The reason Si Yan could perfectly fuse with the sword bone was that he was the reincarnation of Si Zang. If he weren’t, it would have been absolutely impossible for him to merge the sword bone with himself.

Suddenly, the Melon-Eating System changed the topic.

【Host, the commotion that the Innocent Cultivator just caused was way too big. A lot of cultivators are heading this way. The Endless Sea is no longer a safe place to stay, but he still needs to stabilize his cultivation.】

【Host, where do you think we should go now?】

Ning Xu thought for a moment and quickly made a decision.

She smiled and said, “It’s time to visit an old friend.”
The emergence of a Sword Immortal was no small matter. Following the original post, several more cultivators made similar posts, all of which went viral. Many cultivators scrambled around like scavengers in a melon field, desperate to get the juiciest scoop.

Unfortunately, no matter how they searched, they still hadn’t found the most authentic gossip.

So, how exactly did this new Sword Immortal rise to power overnight?

There were many theories circulating, but none had been confirmed. In the meantime, the story spread at an astonishing rate.

After all, countless cultivators were dying of curiosity. Who didn’t dream of skyrocketing to greatness? Who didn’t wish to become a powerful cultivator? They couldn’t do it themselves and usually didn’t even dare to imagine it, yet someone had actually done it—announcing it to the entire cultivation world in such a grand manner!

That blinding golden light—any cultivator out in the world had no way of missing it!

Aside from those in secluded cultivation, most cultivators learned of this matter within a short span of time.

As the news spread further, discussions about it only grew more intense.

After all, a low-level cultivator suddenly leaping into high-level cultivation was an explosive topic in any era.

Many cultivators were envious, many were jealous, and many were eager to know this new Sword Immortal’s origin story.

Could this lucky person really have stumbled upon the legendary sword bone? Where did they find it? According to some insider information, certain high-ranking figures had nearly gone mad searching for that sword bone. They had scoured everywhere to no avail, yet in the end, an ordinary low-level cultivator had managed to pick it up? Could that really be true?

While some cultivators were envious and others were curious, a few were downright panicked.

Gou Chen learned of the news an hour after the first post was made.

His immediate reaction upon hearing it was—

That person… has returned.