In the starry void, Ye Xuan glanced at the white-clad woman beside him.
He had to admit, she was stunningly beautiful, her features flawless, but she was a bit cold.
Ye Xuan mentally asked, “Little Pen, can you sense her realm?”
The Great Dao Pen paused, then said, “You overestimate me. I’m just a pen.”
Ye Xuan was speechless.
Little Tower chimed in, “I know.”
Ye Xuan quickly asked, “What realm?”
Little Tower replied, “I don’t know exactly, but I’d bet she’s stronger than you.”
Ye Xuan said, “Well said. Don’t say it again.”
Little Tower: “…”
Ye Qingqing suddenly spoke, “Order Realm?”
Ye Xuan nodded, “Yes.”
She glanced at him but said nothing.
Ye Xuan smiled, “Qingqing, Miss…”
Ye Qingqing cut in, “Just call me Qingqing.”
Ye Xuan blinked, “Uh…”
She frowned, “Problem?”
Ye Xuan said, “No, Qingqing…”
Ye Qingqing nodded, “Good.”
Ye Xuan glanced at her. Though she seemed cold, she was surprisingly approachable.
Ye Qingqing said, “You need to raise your realm. But your path is Outer Order, so you can’t rush it—it’s slower.”
Ye Xuan smiled, “Outer Order… you know about it?”
Ye Qingqing looked at him, “Do I not look like a master?”
Ye Xuan’s expression froze.
Just then, sounds of fighting echoed from afar, the starry void trembling.
Ye Xuan snapped out of his thoughts, looking toward the distant stars where an old man battled a beautiful woman.
Both were in the Order Realm.
Heavenless Realm experts were rare in any universe.
Ye Xuan turned to Ye Qingqing, who said flatly, “Why do you keep looking at me?”
Ye Xuan: “…”
She added, “I’m not going to eat you.”
Ye Xuan laughed, “Alright.”
Ye Qingqing glanced at him and continued forward.
Suddenly, the fighting pair stopped. The old man turned to Ye Xuan and Ye Qingqing, roaring, “Get lost if you don’t want to die.”
Ye Qingqing looked at Ye Xuan, “Kill him.”
Ye Xuan froze.
She said, “They’re not worth my effort.”
Ye Xuan hesitated, then looked at the old man, “How about you speak more politely?”
The old man glared, “How dare you!”
He clenched his fist and threw a punch, a fist imprint surging toward Ye Xuan.
Ye Xuan stood still, letting the punch hit him.
Boom!
He was unscathed.
The old man and the woman froze in shock.
Ye Xuan glanced at Ye Qingqing, who remained calm, not a ripple of surprise.
He frowned. Wasn’t she impressed by his strength?
Ye Qingqing suddenly said, “So impressive.”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened.
Was she patronizing him?
The old man trembled, “Sir, I apologize for my offense. Please forgive me.”
Ye Xuan nodded, “Go. Be humble and polite next time.”
The old man bowed respectfully, “Thank you for your mercy, Senior.”
He vanished into the starry void.
The woman glanced at Ye Xuan and Ye Qingqing, then left.
They continued forward.
Ye Qingqing asked, “Is this your Order?”
Ye Xuan smiled, “Killing over a word isn’t great.”
Ye Qingqing looked at him, “That guy’s used to being arrogant. You think he’ll change after this?”
Ye Xuan thought, then said, “I think he’ll be more cautious in the future.”
Ye Qingqing said, “Your Order is too idealistic, not practical.”
Ye Xuan considered, then asked, “Any suggestions?”
Ye Qingqing glanced at him, “Laws and punishment to restrain hearts.”
Ye Xuan pondered.
She added, “Don’t overthink it. Focus on raising your strength, or it’s all empty talk.”
Ye Xuan nodded, “True.”
They moved on.
Ye Xuan glanced at her sword, “Qingqing…”
She cut him off, “I said call me Qingqing. Why add ‘Miss’?”
Ye Xuan: “…”
She said, “Ask away.”
Ye Xuan asked, “Are you from the Xuanaqing Sect?”
Ye Qingqing replied, “No.”
No!
Ye Xuan frowned. He’d thought she was from the Xuanaqing Sect, but she wasn’t.
He fell into thought.
Ye Qingqing said, “We’re almost there.”
Ye Xuan looked ahead, spotting a giant sword in the distant stars.
His interest piqued, “Qingqing, what’s the Ancient Sword Tomb?”
Ye Qingqing said, “A burial ground for a group of sword cultivators.”
Ye Xuan looked at her, “Burial ground?”
She nodded, “Long ago, a great battle happened there. Countless sword cultivators died, making it a sword tomb.”
Ye Xuan asked, “Can you tell me about the battle?”
Ye Qingqing said, “Nothing worth saying. Weaklings fighting weaklings.”
Ye Xuan looked at her. She paused, then added, “That’s it. Not much to say.”
Ye Xuan was speechless.
Soon, they reached the giant sword, at least a thousand feet tall, covered in nicks.
Ye Qingqing said, “Let’s go.”
She led him deeper, but as they approached, an invisible sword aura pressed toward them. A shadowy figure appeared, declaring, “Trespassers in the Sword Tomb die.”
Ye Qingqing nodded, “Got it.”
She waved her sleeve.
Boom!
The shadow was erased.
Ye Xuan: “…”
Ye Qingqing said, “Come on.”
They continued.
Ye Xuan glanced around. The area was desolate, with broken swords and artifacts floating in the starry void, confirming a past battle.
He noticed the space here was fragile, as if it could shatter with a touch.
Ye Qingqing said, “Don’t bother with these—they’re trash. Go deeper. It’s still trash, but better.”
Ye Xuan glanced at her, “No one comes here?”
Ye Qingqing asked, “Know the strength of that shadow?”
Ye Xuan was curious, “What was it?”
She said flatly, “Ancient Dao Realm.”
Ye Xuan froze.
What the hell?
That shadow was Ancient Dao Realm?
He hadn’t expected that—it died too fast!
It appeared and was gone in an instant.
Ye Qingqing said nothing, leading him deeper.
Soon, they entered a pitch-black starry void, like an endless abyss, chilling to behold.
Inside, Ye Xuan sensed countless powerful auras.
He edged closer to Ye Qingqing, “Qingqing, anything still alive here?”
She said, “All dead.”
Relieved, Ye Xuan relaxed.
He glanced right, spotting a floating sword. He opened his palm, and it flew to him. Examining it, he said softly, “Good sword.”
Ye Qingqing said, “Trash.”
Ye Xuan’s expression froze.
She said, “Move.”
She pulled him deeper.
Soon, she stopped, looking around, “This is it.”
Ye Xuan noticed powerful sword intents floating around.
Ye Qingqing looked at him, “Want to improve your swordsmanship? Here.”
Ye Xuan asked, “Comprehend here?”
She glared, “Not comprehend—absorb. Absorb all the lingering sword intents, sword auras, and these broken swords.”
Ye Xuan froze.
She said, “What are you waiting for? Do it.”
Ye Xuan hesitated, “Is that okay?”
She nodded, “Of course. These are ownerless. If you don’t absorb them, they’ll vanish over time.”
Ye Xuan thought, then nodded, “Alright.”
He sat cross-legged, absorbing the lingering sword intents, auras, and broken swords surging toward him.
As he absorbed them, his aura skyrocketed.
Ye Qingqing watched silently from the side.
More sword intents and auras appeared.
Countless sword cultivators had died here, many strong, leaving behind powerful intents and auras. Absorbing them would greatly boost Ye Xuan’s strength.
Suddenly, a black-robed woman appeared nearby, her gaze fixed on Ye Xuan, her killing intent undisguised.
Her right hand clenched, a terrifying force gathering.
Ye Qingqing suddenly said, “Do I not look like a master?”
The black-robed woman looked at her, then charged, throwing a punch.
Ye Qingqing slashed her sword.
Boom!
The woman was flung back nearly a million feet, her right arm severed at the root.
She looked up at Ye Qingqing, eyes filled with disbelief, “Damn it! How many backers does this bastard have…”
