Within the valley—
Thunder roared without end.
Pools of Azure Sky Lightning brimmed with terrifying might.
Even the rocks along the banks had been melted, transmuted into a crystalline, glass-like texture.
At this moment—
Li Zhexian and Yu Tianxin were both submerged within the Azure Sky Lightning Marsh.
Outside the valley—
The disciples of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan held their breath, not daring to make a sound.
Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan clutched each other's hands tightly.
Yu Tianheng and the five of Emperor Team all wore faces taut with unease.
Yu Jinghan and Yu Luomian, meanwhile, stared into the depths of the valley with gazes as deep and unmoving as ancient wells.
Under everyone's watchful eyes—
Fine dragon scales crept across Yu Tianxin's neck.
Azure arcs of lightning danced over their surface, making his jaws clench tight and veins bulge across his temples.
Meanwhile, Li Zhexian sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.
His plain white robe flared violently in the seething blue thunderlight.
At his brow, the mark of the Qinglian Sword flickered, and faint fire-and-azure radiance glimmered within his flesh.
Just by their appearance, Li Zhexian was undoubtedly far more composed than Yu Tianxin. You could even clearly see that he was gradually adapting to the Azure Sky Lightning, his aura becoming increasingly calm.
This scene left everyone in awe. This was Li Zhexian's first time enduring the Azure Sky Lightning's tempering!
For this was Li Zhexian's very first time enduring Azure Sky Lightning tempering!
The disciples of the Blue Lightning Clan whispered in shock:
"This is Sword Wine!"
"So formidable… it seems Sword Wine is going to win!"
"The name Sword Wine is truly well-deserved!"
YYu Tianxin gritted his teeth. The Azure Sky Lightning was like a thousand dull knives scraping at his muscles and bones, the pain nearly suffocating him.
He struggled to turn his head and glanced at Li Zhexian not far away. Li Zhexian was only slightly frowning, and the rest of him seemed to be completely unaffected.
Yu Tianxin's heart trembled. A suffocating feeling of being unconvinced surged within him. "He's putting on a show!"
He didn't believe Li Zhexian could truly be so relaxed. He just thought Li Zhexian was holding on, just like him.
"Let's see how long you can keep up the act!"
At that moment—
Li Zhexian truly was enduring.
Each surge of thunder through his body brought agony that threatened to rend him apart.
But he was not merely withstanding the tempering.
He was…
Tasting the thunder.
Attempting to comprehend its essence.
"I comprehended the flicker of starlight, and forged 'Yaoguang'…"
"I comprehended the interdependence and opposition of fire and ice, and forged 'Blaze · Frost'…"
"I comprehended the corrosion of wind across all things, through endless years, and forged 'Formless Wind'…"
"Then what of thunder?!"
"What form must thunder take?!"
Through paralysis and torment—
Li Zhexian's thoughts blazed like lightning.
Visions of thunder flooded his mind.
A rain-drenched night—
A single stroke of lightning shattering the ink-black sky!
A mighty ancient tree—
Reduced to ash in a blaze of white!
A divine punishment—
A spear of thunder splitting the heavens, cleaving a towering mountain into rubble, stone collapsing, magma spewing!
"Thunder… is the scourge of heaven, the whip of divine punishment."
"Thunder… is the decree of creation and destruction, the dominion of life and death."
"Thunder… is the incarnation of wrath, whether of the mighty—whose fury leaves corpses strewn by the million—or of the lowly, whose cry of indignation still shakes the soul!"
Li Zhexian felt a flicker of comprehension.
Buzz!
A crisp, clear sword cry rang out.
The Qinglian Sword rested across his knees.
Strands of azure thunderlight coiled about its blade, while the twelve lotus marks upon its spine quivered faintly.
"No…"
Li Zhexian suddenly gripped his sword.
Before the astonished gazes of all, he swung lightly through the air.
Where his blade passed—razor sharp—
Even the raging Azure Sky Lightning was cleaved apart.
The valley's onlookers went pale, their hearts pounding.
"Sword Wine's sword… it's terrifying!"
Yet—
Li Zhexian's brows only furrowed deeper.
"That's wrong, that's wrong. My comprehension is too shallow. I'm nowhere near touching its essence."
"The intent of thunder cannot be so light, so facile."
"After all…"
"This is the sword with which I knock upon the Fourth Realm of Sword Dao!"
Li Zhexian's gaze grew clear, yet also tinged with confusion.
He knew the destination—
But could not see the path.
"A sword that cuts others…"
"A sword that cuts oneself…"
"A sword that cuts the night…"
"Then what must the Fourth Sword cut?"
"Shall it cut against this blazing thunderous might of heaven?"
The Azure Sky Lightning wrapped around Li Zhexian's body, gnawing at his flesh and corroding his bones. Even the air felt distorted under its power.
But... it was not enough!
It was far from enough!
What he needed—
Was purer, more annihilating thunder.
Enough to cleave apart the fog veiling the Fourth Realm of Sword Dao!
Li Zhexian stumbled as he got up. The Azure Sky Lightning clung to his white robe, looking like a flowing, light blue veil draped over him.
And when the disciples outside the valley saw him step out of the lightning marsh—
A commotion broke out at once.
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling's faces paled.
They rushed to the valley's entrance, ready to greet him.
Yu Feng sighed. "Is our idol reaching his limit?"
Osler pursed his lips. "Almost five minutes. That's extremely impressive."
The Blue Lightning clan disciples began discussing. "Sword Wine can't hold on anymore?"
"Was that composure just now an act? Strong on the outside but hollow on the inside?"
"Sigh, the Azure Sky Lightning is too strong after all. It's not easy for Sword Wine to have lasted this long!"
Among the crowd, only the two powerhouses, Yu Jinghan and Yu Luomian, saw clearly. With their eyesight, they could naturally tell that Li Zhexian had not reached his limit.
"He's leaving already?" Yu Jinghan's white eyebrows furrowed tightly. The impression Li Zhexian gave him was not that of a person who would retreat from pain.
"Could it be..." Yu Luomian whispered from the side.
Yu Jinghan was stunned at his words. Then, he sharply drew in a cold breath. "That... that's impossible..."
Yu Tianxin caught a glimpse of Li Zhexian's retreat from the corner of his eye. His numb face twitched, and a wild joy surged within him.
He knew it!
Li Zhexian was just holding on! He's revealing his true colors now!
"Thankfully I didn't let him mess with my mind... I'm almost at my limit too..." Yu Tianxin's heart relaxed, and he also prepared to exit the lightning pool.
However, in the next moment, under everyone's surprised and shocked gazes, Li Zhexian, who had just stepped out of the Azure Sky Lightning marsh, did not walk toward the valley's entrance.
He dragged his body, which was still covered in unextinguished lightning, and with a charred footprint for every step, he turned and walked toward the depths of the valley.
That staggering, white-robed figure was reflected in the eyes of everyone, their surprise turning into shock.
"What is Sword Wine doing?!"
"Why is Sword Wine going deeper into the valley?!"
"He… he… don't tell me he's heading to the Purple Evil Lightning Grounds?!"
Yu Jinghan urgently shouted toward Li Zhexian's back, "Hold on, young friend Zhexian! That Purple Evil Lightning is not comparable to the Azure Sky Lightning!"
"In our Blue Lightning Clan, fewer than a dozen elders can endure its tempering!"
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling were burning with anxiety. They were about to rush into the valley.
But Li Zhexian did not look back.
His slightly hoarse voice was carried by the wind and thunder. "Don't follow me. If something were to happen to you, I would be distracted."
At these words, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling bit their pearly white teeth and stopped in their tracks. "Brother Zhexian/Li Zhexian... please be careful!"
"Zhexian… please, be careful!"
Everyone watched that white-robed figure disappear from sight. A deathly silence fell over the area outside the valley.
"If it was just for body tempering, he wouldn't be so stubborn." Yu Luomian looked at Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, and others.
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling just stared into the depths of the valley, silent.
Yu Tianheng took a deep breath. "Zhexian once went to the Sword Wind Sect to comprehend the sword. This trip to our Blue Lightning clan must be for the same reason."
These words were like a stone thrown into still water, creating a ripple in everyone's hearts.
For the sake of comprehending the sword!
To the point of disregarding his own life?
Yu Luomian muttered, almost imperceptibly, "Brother... your judgment is truly accurate."
Yu Tianxin stumbled out of the valley in a daze. He collapsed onto the ground, staring blankly at the trail of charred footprints leading into the depths of the valley...