BOOOOOM!
The moment Qin Chen tested the full strength of the Zenith Sword Soul, an uncontrollable surge of terrifying Sword Intent erupted from his body.
The air around his residence shattered like glass, the very space trembling under the overwhelming pressure. The earth beneath him cracked, and his surroundings were filled with an invisible, yet undeniable, sharpness.
Qin Chen's golden eyes flickered in shock.
This… this was true sword intent!
Not just an aura, not just comprehension—his soul itself had transformed into a Zenith Sword, the peak of all swords, carrying a divine will that suppressed all other blades.
Even without consciously activating it, his very existence radiated supreme dominance over the Sword Dao.
But he wasn't the only one who noticed it.
Far away, atop a secluded peak of the Core Sect, an elder dressed in deep blue robes was meditating in silence. His cultivation had long since surpassed the Core Formation realm—he was one of the few elders who oversaw the Core Disciple Rankings.
At this moment, his eyes suddenly snapped open.
His expression changed.
A wave of sword intent far beyond what a Foundation Establishment cultivator should possess swept through the sect like a silent storm.
His first thought?
Liu Chenqing?!
That was the only reasonable explanation. The Second-Ranked Core Disciple was the greatest sword genius in the Azure Sky Sect. It was possible he had made a breakthrough after his sister's return.
But then—
His pupils shrank.
The sword intent wasn't coming from Liu Chenqing's cultivation chamber.
And this fluctuation shouldn't be something Liu Chenqing is capable of.
No.
It was coming from a completely different direction.
"…Impossible."
His spiritual sense expanded instantly, sweeping toward the source of the disturbance.
What he saw made his heart pound violently.
A figure sat cross-legged in a courtyard, his eyes closed, but the air around him twisted and screamed with unparalleled Sword Dao resonance.
Sword light flickered chaotically, as if a divine blade was awakening after countless years of slumber.
And the one responsible for this phenomenon?
Qin Chen.
The elder forgot to breathe.
Qin Chen was already a monstrous fire talent—but now?
Now, he had stepped into the realm of Sword Dao comprehension?!
A terrifying thought surfaced in his mind.
Dual supreme talents.
Fire Sovereign Dao Body.
Supreme Sword Intent.
Qin Chen wasn't just a prodigy.
He was a walking calamity.
The elder didn't hesitate.
His figure blurred, vanishing into the void as he streaked toward the Sect Master's hall at full speed.
At the peak of the Azure Sky Sect, in a grand hall that towered over the entire sect, the Sect Master of the Azure Sky Sect sat in quiet contemplation.
A tall, dignified man with long black hair and piercing golden eyes, his presence alone was immense—like an ancient deity gazing down upon the world.
He had already been preparing to summon Qin Chen after his return from the Crimson Hellstorm Domain.
But before he could send the order—
BOOOM!
A figure flashed into the hall, landing on one knee before him.
The Core Elder who had witnessed the disturbance.
The elder's voice was sharp and urgent.
"Sect Master!"
The Azure Sky Sect Master raised an eyebrow. "You seem… disturbed."
The elder took a deep breath before speaking.
"It's Qin Chen."
The Sect Master's expression remained calm. "I am aware of his achievements. He has returned with the Third-Ranked Core Disciple. This alone is enough to warrant his summoning."
"No—it's not just that." The elder's voice trembled slightly. "I… I was just meditating when I sensed an impossibly strong surge of Sword Dao intent."
The Sect Master's golden eyes flickered with curiosity. "A surge? From who?"
The elder swallowed.
"At first, I thought it was Liu Chenqing making a breakthrough."
"But it wasn't him."
The Sect Master's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Then who?"
The elder clenched his fists.
"It came from Qin Chen."
Silence.
For the first time, the Sect Master's composed expression slightly shifted.
He slowly stood up from his throne.
"You're certain?"
The elder nodded. "Beyond a doubt. I saw it with my own eyes. He was exuding Sword Dao resonance that surpasses anything a Foundation Establishment cultivator should be capable of."
The Sect Master exhaled slowly.
Fire Sovereign Dao Body.
Supreme Sword Intent.
A monstrous genius in not one, but two absolute paths.
The Sect Master turned toward the horizon, his golden gaze deep and unreadable.
"…Summon Qin Chen."
Summoned by the Sect Master
Just as Qin Chen was preparing to figure out how to spend his 131,200 SP, a sudden pulse of sect authority descended upon him from his communication talisman.
Ding!
[You have been summoned to the Azure Sky Sect Master's Hall.]
Qin Chen's smirk faded slightly.
The Sect Master? Already?
He had expected to meet him again soon, but not this fast.
His golden eyes flickered as he exhaled.
"I guess the old man couldn't wait to see me."
With a calm step, he vanished from his residence, heading toward the heart of the sect.
This meeting…
Would change everything.