The moment Li Wuchen committed to the second stage transition, reality around him began to shift in ways that transcended normal physical laws. The Supreme Demon Blade in his hands started vibrating with frequencies that seemed to resonate not just through matter, but through the underlying fabric of existence itself. The silver fire that had been merely visible before now became palpable, washing over him in waves of sensation that rewrote his understanding of what power could feel like.
"Hold steady," Wuji warned, his mental voice taking on harmonics that suggested the sword spirit was also undergoing transformation. "The evolution process requires absolute focus. Any distraction could result in incomplete awakening or worse."
But maintaining focus proved challenging when the battlefield around him was descending into chaos. The demons had recognized what was happening and were launching everything they had in desperate attempts to interrupt the transition. Dark projectiles screamed through the air toward his position while corruption waves rolled across the ground, seeking to destabilize the spiritual foundation necessary for the awakening.
None of it mattered. The Supreme Demon Blade operated according to principles that transcended conventional concepts of attack and defense. The demonic assaults simply passed through the space Wuchen occupied as if he existed in a slightly different dimension—which, in a very real sense, he was beginning to.
The physical transformation of the weapon itself was remarkable to witness. The thirty-centimeter dagger began extending, its blade lengthening with fluid grace until it had become a ninety-centimeter longsword of impossible beauty. The black jade surface took on new depths that seemed to contain entire galaxies of swirling light, while the simple leather grip expanded and reshaped itself to perfectly accommodate his changing grip.
But the physical changes were merely the visible manifestation of something far more profound occurring on spiritual levels. Wuchen could feel his synchronization with Wuji deepening beyond anything they had previously achieved, creating connections that merged their consciousness while maintaining their individual identities.
"Twenty percent synchronization achieved," the sword spirit announced, and his voice now seemed to come from inside Wuchen's own thoughts rather than from an external source. "Second stage abilities coming online."
The awakening of the new capabilities was like suddenly gaining additional senses that revealed previously hidden dimensions of reality. Wuchen could now perceive the spiritual anatomy of every living thing on the battlefield with perfect clarity, tracking not just their physical movements but the flows of intention and energy that preceded all actions.
More importantly, he could feel the longsword's new ability manifesting—what Wuji had called "Tracking Sword Qi." Unlike the fragments that could only attack targets within direct line of sight, the sword qi possessed an almost supernatural ability to pursue enemies regardless of obstacles or evasive maneuvers.
"The qi doesn't travel through normal space," Wuji explained as Wuchen experimented with the new capability. "It follows spiritual connections between you and your targets, manifesting wherever it needs to be to achieve its purpose."
To demonstrate, Wuchen focused on one of the Infernal Dukes that was directing the assault from what it believed was safe distance within the forest. With a casual flick of the transformed blade, he released a single sword qi that appeared as a streak of silver light arcing impossibly high into the air.
The demonic commander noticed the attack and moved to evade, using supernatural speed to relocate several hundred meters from its original position. The sword qi adjusted its trajectory mid-flight, curving through the air like a guided missile before striking its target with precision that defied physics.
The Infernal Duke staggered but didn't fall—its supernatural constitution allowing it to absorb damage that would have annihilated lesser entities. But for the first time since the assault began, one of the enemy commanders looked genuinely concerned rather than merely annoyed.
"Excellent accuracy," Wuji observed with satisfaction. "But single strikes won't be sufficient against enemies of this caliber. Time to demonstrate why this stage is called 'Tracking Sword Qi' rather than 'Tracking Sword Strike.'"
Wuchen raised the longsword again, this time channeling significantly more power into the technique. Instead of releasing a single projectile, he generated a continuous stream of sword qi that separated into dozens of individual tracking attacks, each one pursuing a different target with relentless determination.
The effect on the battlefield was immediate and dramatic. Demons that had been advancing confidently suddenly found themselves under attack from projectiles that seemed to emerge from impossible angles, striking with accuracy that made evasion pointless. The tracking capability meant that even the most agile enemies couldn't escape once they had been targeted.
But the most impressive aspect of the technique was its intelligence. The sword qi didn't just pursue targets—it analyzed their defensive capabilities and adapted its approach accordingly. Heavily armored demons were struck repeatedly in the same locations until their protection failed, while more agile enemies found themselves caught in crossfire patterns that eliminated all possible escape routes.
"Thirty-six simultaneous tracking attacks," Wuji reported as the assault continued. "Each one capable of adjusting trajectory, timing, and impact force based on target analysis. This is what true overwhelming firepower looks like."
The Infernal Dukes were no longer treating the situation as a routine siege operation. All six of the demonic commanders had turned their attention toward Wuchen's position, their expressions shifting from confidence to alarm as they realized they faced an opponent whose capabilities exceeded their intelligence reports by orders of magnitude.
"Impossible," one of them snarled, its voice carrying clearly across the battlefield despite the distance. "The Supreme Demon Blade was sealed! Its wielder died a thousand years ago!"
"Clearly," Wuchen called back, his voice enhanced by the sword's power to carry with perfect clarity, "your information was incomplete."
He punctuated the statement by releasing another volley of tracking sword qi, this time targeting all six Infernal Dukes simultaneously. The demons were forced to focus entirely on defense, conjuring barriers of corrupt energy and shadow while abandoning their assault on the pavilion's walls.
"Now we have their attention," Wuji observed with satisfaction. "And the tactical advantage shifts in our favor."
But even as the second stage abilities proved their devastating effectiveness, Wuchen could feel the enormous cost of wielding such power. The synchronization process was burning through his spiritual reserves at rates that would have been fatal without the sword's support, and he could sense fundamental changes occurring in his consciousness that went far beyond simple power enhancement.
"The transformation is accelerating," Wuji confirmed. "Each stage awakening pushes you further from purely human existence. Are you prepared for what comes next?"
"Whatever it takes," Wuchen replied, watching as Azure Sky Pavilion's defenders began to rally behind the overwhelming demonstration of power. "These people deserve protection, regardless of the personal cost."
"Then let us show our enemies what happens when they threaten those under our protection."
The longsword blazed with renewed intensity as Wuchen prepared to press his advantage. The second stage capabilities had evened the tactical situation, but victory would require pushing even deeper into the weapon's potential—and into transformations that would change him forever.