Chapter 54: Thunderous Sword Aura

“Open...”

A streak of sword light descended from the heavens, accelerating faster and faster until it became a dazzling speck, piercing the sea’s surface and plunging straight into the depths below.

No one knew how long had passed.

Thunder rumbled... thunder rumbled...

Finally, the peals of thunder came from above, echoing down from the nine heavens.

Chen Yang withdrew the invisible sword and revealed his form. Listening to the thunderous sounds ringing in his ears, he couldn’t help but rub his beardless chin and curse with a smile, “Good boy, you actually managed to develop such powerful sword techniques on your own. You’ve truly shocked me. No, I must redouble my efforts; otherwise, in a few years, if my disciple surpasses me, how could I bear the shame?”

His disciple was too outstanding—being a master was no easy burden.

In recent years, Chen Yang had actually been rather lazy, especially since his physical body was restored.

There were many reasons. First, he had realized that the essence of the Dao lay in conduct, with magical powers and spells being secondary. Thus, he spent more time contemplating his own Dao and less time diligently cultivating his energy.

Second, although enlightenment made magical powers readily accessible, one still had to reach out for them. The superior spiritual medicines in this realm had long been depleted by predecessors. Ordinary elixirs Chen Yang disdained to refine, leaving him somewhat stuck between stages.

Thirdly, even following a steady cultivation regimen, it would take only forty or fifty years to achieve the Primordial Spirit again, with his Dao advancing continuously. Once he attained the Primordial Spirit, he could directly ascend to the so-called Upper Realm, where the missing spiritual medicines of this world, though not easily obtained, would not be as rare as now—when scouring the world barely yielded a single plant.

All these reasons combined made him appear lazy these days, traveling the Great Tang, cajoling his own disciple to practice his newly created Celestial River True Law, as if he had no proper business or bearing.

Now, seeing his long-unseen disciple, Zhong Shenxiu, not only possessing impressive magical power but also making leaps and bounds in swordsmanship—even creating his own—he was invigorated once more. After all, if his disciple truly surpassed him, he would lose all face.

The sword just now, swift enough to cleave the atmosphere and cause a sonic boom, with thunder rolling across heaven and earth, was not merely a sword technique, but true swordsmanship.

With that single strike, Zhong Shenxiu’s magical power, though only slightly above a Golden Elixir and still below a Nascent Soul, combined with his refined Hundred-Spirit Immortal-Slaying Sword—which naturally countered alien beings—would utterly overwhelm the realm’s transformed demonic monsters.

He could even slay those monsters more cleanly than Chen Yang himself.

Chen Yang secretly resolved to work harder and not indulge in laziness as he had in recent years.

Though Zhong Shenxiu’s sword was formidable, against the might of the sea eye—the force of heaven and earth—it still fell short. Despite nearing the Crystal Palace, he remained unable to cross the seemingly short distance, swept away by the thousand different undercurrents within the sea eye.

Riding his sword, Zhong Shenxiu burst out from the sea again, ignoring the nearby Chen Yang. His mind was entirely occupied by those thousand undercurrents in the sea eye.

Dozens of sword lights swirled around him as he sat atop the waves, sinking into deep contemplation once more.

Chen Yang was slightly taken aback, then nodded to himself. This disciple was indeed worthy of his initial favor.

“Ahem... ahem...”

With two light coughs, Chen Yang interrupted Zhong Shenxiu’s train of thought. Annoyed, Zhong Shenxiu looked up and finally saw Chen Yang smiling.

“Master.”

A flash of excitement appeared in his eyes, but his nature prevented him from any intimate gesture or affectionate words, even if he deeply missed his mentor. He simply stood and bowed respectfully.

Chen Yang smiled and nodded, saying, “I didn’t expect you to master such swordsmanship. Just as well—your master has a major task to undertake. Stay by my side as an enforcer.”

“I obey, Master.” He was as concise as ever, not even asking what the major task was.

Of course, in his heart, he didn’t need to know.

If his master said he was to be an enforcer, that was easily settled.

He knew little else, but killing was his forte.

Upon hearing his master praise his swordsmanship, he was ready to offer it without hesitation.

Such directness made Chen Yang feel somewhat awkward and he retorted, “All your swordsmanship was taught by me. Now you want to challenge the master? It’s only a sword technique—I need only glance at it to learn. Watch.”

With that, he pointed, and the invisible sword flew from his sleeve. A mighty thunderous sound erupted at his side, echoing far and wide.

Zhong Shenxiu’s expression remained blank, but he praised, “Master’s magical power is peerless.”

Chen Yang: “.........”

You little rascal, are you truly challenging the master?

Bringing Zhong Shenxiu into the Crystal Palace, Chen Yang saw the gourd had accumulated two drops of True Water of Heaven. He laughed and said, “A few years ago, I took another disciple named Guo Xiaoshan. He seems a bit foolish, but he’s loyal and upright. He cultivates my newly created Celestial River True Law, and the True Water of Heaven is of great use to him. The other drop is needed for this major task, so I won’t give it to you. Anyway, the grand array is here; every three years it can condense a drop. If you need it later, just come and take it yourself.”

Zhong Shenxiu nodded and said, “Thank you, Master,” then fell silent.

Chen Yang knew this disciple was a cold, taciturn sort and didn’t mind. He waved the Mysterious Water Controlling Banner to alter the grand array, pausing the condensation of True Water of Heaven. Then he took out the Supreme Spirit Banner he’d recovered from another foolish disciple when leaving Eastern Victory Continent.

With a twist, the spirit banner revealed its true form, appearing ever more sinister and evil, the demon gods within even fiercer.

“My magical power is still lacking. How can the Supreme Heavenly Demon Banner look so monstrous? It should appear as an immortal treasure at first sight, captivating all who see it.”

He hadn’t noticed it before, but with his deeper understanding of Dao and demon, he felt the banner had clearly been forged along the wrong path. Later, he’d have to properly refine it so that the demon banner could unify Dao and demon.

As the demon banner swayed, Yang Xuan, far away in Baohua Continent, became dazed, rising from his secluded chamber and walking outside.

He was utterly absent-minded, muttering something to himself, and anyone who saw him would sense something was wrong.

But Yang Xuan’s reputation was so formidable that ordinary disciples, even if they noticed something amiss, dared not approach, only reporting to the elders.

By the time Yang Xuan’s disciples and the elders arrived, they found Invincible Yang already engulfed in demonic flames, his stature increased by seven or eight inches, scales bearing demonic patterns sprouting across his body, with two bulges forming on his head.

He was no longer human.

“Master?”

Meanwhile, in the Great Li Dynasty, at the Supreme Demon Sect—

All those who practiced the Divine Demon Art began to reveal their true demon forms, their demonic light being seized from afar.

Those disciples of the Supreme Demon Sect whose demonic light was taken were left drained in spirit and energy; even if not dead, they became ruined.

In a single day, beginning with Chen Yang’s actions, the overlord of Baohua Continent, the Supreme Demon Sect, perished by his hand.

Chen Yang was not cruel—in fact, he was profoundly compassionate.

If he had left these people alone, sooner or later the Divine Demon Art would lead them into the demonic path. Lacking the true transmission to suppress it, their fate would be to fall entirely into the Heavenly Demon Banner, forever enslaved by the demon gods within, never to be reborn.

Such a fate was far worse than death.