Firmament Sword

Xu Luo stopped in his tracks, a look of delight spreading across his face. Based on this fluctuation alone, he could already tell that his brother would undergo a monumental, transformative change upon emerging from seclusion!

A glint appeared in Xu Luo’s eyes. ’The Ancient Emperor Tribe... the Blood Pills... they’re truly incredible! It’s just a shame these elixirs can’t be replicated. If only I could find an Ancient Sacred Beast now and hunt for its blood...’

He then dismissed the idea as absurd. ’Never mind whether any Ancient Sacred Beasts still existed in this world. Even if they did, they certainly weren’t something someone at my level could hope to match.’

’An Ancient Sacred Beast from the Ancient Emperor Tribe on the verge of death could have crushed me with ease, to say nothing of a Holy Beast in its prime. With my current power, even getting close would be a pipe dream.’

’But then there’s that sect assembly Su Qianqian mentioned. I can go check it out and broaden my horizons. Even if I can’t obtain a treasure like Holy Beast Essence Blood, I should be able to get my hands on some rare herbs. And Big Brother’s Pill Scripture must have other pill formulas in it...’

As Xu Luo mulled this over, the fluctuations from deep underground grew stronger and stronger!

Xu Luo suddenly noticed the trembling in the bluestone passage beneath his feet lessening. Immediately after, a gentle yet incredibly resilient force began to emanate from the walls on either side.

This mystical power, though gentle, was in fact immensely strong. It completely suppressed the fluctuations coming from deep underground!

Xu Luo’s heart skipped a beat. ’Looks like this underground area of our home is far more complex than I ever imagined.’

’Clearly, there’s an unknown array here that activates automatically to protect this place when something happens!’

’It seems the Xu Family had some powerful ancestors,’ Xu Luo mused as he continued deeper into the passage.

...

Xu Su sat cross-legged in the center of a secret chamber, which was bare save for an old meditation cushion on the floor.

He had been cultivating here for many days and had already consumed three Blood Pills!

When he took the first one, Xu Su had been apprehensive. It was an elixir from the Ancient Era, after all. Though it had been stored in a Jade Marrow Bottle, who knew if it had spoiled over time?

’Could it have transformed from a strength-enhancing Top-Grade Elixir into a deadly poison?’

However, the medicinal fragrance wafting from the elixir was enough to convince him to take the risk.

In truth, he had no other choice.

From the moment he’d set out to find the Ancient Ruins, Xu Su had understood the vast chasm between the secular world and the sects.

Before the might of the sects, the pride and dignity he held in the secular world had been shattered.

Then, his brother rescued him from the Stony Sect. He watched with his own eyes as the little brother who, just a few years prior, had needed his protection, unleashed hell upon the Stony Sect. With the force of a raging thunderbolt, he had single-handedly annihilated a small, but by no means weak, sect!

’Now *that* was true power!’

Later, at the Ancient Ruins, when they were besieged by members of a major sect, Xu Su could do nothing but watch helplessly, completely unable to assist.

Though Xu Luo constantly reassured him, Xu Su had the same blood in his veins. How could he not have his own pride?

Therefore, his desire to become stronger was far more intense than most.

Driven by this fierce determination, Xu Su consumed the first Blood Pill.

The sheer purity and power of the energy contained within that tiny pill caught Xu Su completely off guard, and he nearly suffered a cultivation deviation.

At the critical moment, Xu Su’s calm and steady nature proved to be crucial.

He cast aside all distracting thoughts and completely immersed himself in absorbing the Blood Pill’s energy.

Just like that, he skyrocketed from a Tier Three Sword Venerable all the way to a Tier Six Sword Venerable!

A single elixir had caused his power to soar, bringing him nearly to the level of his own father!

Overjoyed by the result, he rode the momentum and took the second pill.

As expected, the results did not disappoint. Xu Su’s Dantian expanded once more, and the True Essence within grew even purer.

His power reached the level of a Tier Nine Sword Venerable!

When it came time to decide whether to take the third Blood Pill, Xu Su felt conflicted.

The reason was simple: he had already experienced the miraculous effects of the Blood Pills firsthand and no longer harbored any doubts about them.

’But if I increase my strength this frantically, without sufficient mental fortitude or real-world experience... even if I break through the Sword Venerable realm and reach an even higher one, will I truly be able to wield the full power of that level?’

Xu Su was not one to be overly ambitious. On the contrary, his path from childhood had been one of building an exceptionally solid foundation.

From Sword Disciple to Sword Master, then to Great Sword Master, and finally breaking through to become a Sword Venerable.

Xu Su could be said to have taken each step of his journey with great care.

That was why he hesitated now.

’If I don’t take the third elixir, with my current strength, I can secure a respectable position for myself, be it in the military or within a sect.’

’But if I want to help my father fulfill his lifelong dream of defeating the Da Han Empire... my current strength still seems insufficient. If only I could break through to the next realm...’

’To enter the Transformation Realm...’ A look of yearning flickered in Xu Su’s eyes.

Sword Disciple, Sword Master, and Great Sword Master—these three realms were collectively known by Martial Artists as the Mortal Realm.

Martial Artists in the Mortal Realm formed the cornerstone of the secular world.