Chapter 62: The Second Form, Sword Slicing the Waves

Lin Fan sprinted all the way, setting out from the ruins of the Blazing Flame Valley until he found a secluded dense forest, where he finally came to a halt.

In this tranquil place, he prepared to begin studying the second form of the Void Light Shadow-Chasing Sword Art.

At present, his cultivation had reached the peak of the late Genesis Realm, just a step away from the Soul Realm.

However, this step was an uncrossable chasm; barring a special fortuitous encounter, it was impossible to break through in a short period of time.

Yet, his opponent was an eighth-grade alchemist, possessing formidable strength.

Faced with such a powerful adversary, Lin Fan understood that he had to elevate his own strength to a new dimension if he even hoped to stand a chance against a powerhouse in the Soul Realm.

Therefore, he decided to pour all his energy into comprehending the second form of the Void Light Shadow-Chasing Sword Art, hoping to use it to elevate his strength.

The second form of the Void Light Shadow-Chasing Sword Art was named "Sword Cleaves the Surging Tides."

The offensive method of this form was to transform sword Qi into rolling waves, capable of severing everything in its path.

Its power did not lie in the sharpness of the sword Qi, but rather in its boundless and continuous nature.

Like ocean waves, one wave not yet subsided, another rises to take its place, flowing endlessly without stop, leaving the enemy with no way to defend.

To better grasp the technique of this form, Lin Fan chose to cultivate on a flat piece of ground close to a small stream.

He closed his eyes, attaching his mind and spirit to the sword token within his body, carefully listening to the murmuring sound of the stream, attempting to sense the rhythm of the flowing water from it.

Then, pointing his sword toward the ground, he lightly brandished it, mimicking the undulations of the current.

As time passed, his swordsmanship grew increasingly smooth and fluid.

Lin Fan began attempting to infuse spiritual energy into the sword moves. The blade in his hand danced lightly once more, transforming into wisps of sword Qi.

Each streak of sword Qi resembled a surging wave rising from the water, imbued with his blazing spiritual energy, causing the surrounding temperature to rise significantly.

These wisps of sword Qi intertwined in the air, forming an ocean of sword Qi.

This ocean was as boundless and vast as a true sea, brimming with endless power.

Next, Lin Fan began to control this ocean of sword Qi, causing it to transform into successive torrents of sword waves.

These sword torrents resembled real ocean waves, rolling in wave after wave, uninterrupted.

Their power was far more formidable than a single sword wave.

Finally, he condensed these sword torrents together, forming a gigantic wave of swords.

This massive sword wave resembled a true tsunami, possessing peerless might and blocking all resistance.

Lin Fan opened his eyes, a resolute gleam flashing within them.

He knew he had mastered the second form of the Void Light Shadow-Chasing Sword Art—Sword Cleaves the Surging Tides.

Relying on this single move, he would be completely invincible within the Genesis Realm. Even when facing a powerhouse of the Soul Realm, as long as the opponent lowered their guard, he had the confidence to inflict severe injuries or even slay them.

However, Lin Fan was also well aware that all of this was premised on the condition that the opponent could not soar through the air and did not underestimate him.

Once the adversary possessed those advantages, his chances of victory would vanish completely into thin air.

"Has it been a month?"

Lin Fan murmured silently to himself.

This time, his closed-door cultivation had consumed a full month and more.

This was the longest period of secluded cultivation he had undergone since he first started practicing martial arts.

Even when refining the beast flame last time, which achieved a massive leap in his cultivation base, it had not taken as long as this.

"And this was still with the assistance of the sword token. Without it, relying solely on my own comprehension, it would probably have taken more than two months."

Lin Fan thought to himself quietly. He involuntarily reached out to touch his chest, where the sword token was fused.

It was precisely by virtue of this sword token that his mastery of the sword path had rapidly advanced. Without its aid, trying to improve his swordsmanship would likely have become exceptionally slow.

"I wonder just how many of these sword tokens exist in total.

According to the enchantress, this sword token can only provide me with sword-path comprehension for spiritual techniques below the Earth grade.

The Void Light Shadow-Chasing Sword Art is already at the Xuan grade superior. If I change my sword art again, it will undoubtedly reach the Earth grade.

When that time comes, without the aid of the sword token, my comprehension ability will suffer a drastic decline."

At this thought, Lin Fan could not help feeling a trace of regret.

Ever since stepping into the trial grounds, the enchantress seemed to have lost contact with him.

Otherwise, with her vast horizon and experience, she should have been able to determine whether this trial ground held any sword tokens.

However, after not seeing her for so long, he genuinely missed her quite a bit!

Perhaps due to the buoyant mood of successfully comprehending the second form, Lin Fan's mind involuntarily conjured up the image of the enchantress riding passionately upon him in days past.

For a moment, his thoughts began to wander restlessly.

He shook his head, forcefully casting these distracting thoughts out of his mind.

"And her!"

Another graceful, fair figure surfaced in Lin Fan's mind—the girl with whom he had shared a night of intimacy.

Mysterious and cold, she was unforgettable.

"I wonder where she is now. With her late Genesis Realm strength and that terrifying movement technique, reaching the golden bracelet level shouldn't be too difficult for her, I suppose."

Wielding the Fiery Qilin Sword, Lin Fan pondered as he walked.

By the time he emerged from the dense forest, the thoughts in his mind had regained their calm.

Presently, very little time remained before the conclusion of the trial.

His bracelet had yet to transform into a golden hue.

His target had always been the eight great divine sects.

Ordinary sects did not fall within his range of consideration.

Zhong Cheng's initial arrogance and Luo Qingyi's disdain were things he had kept firmly etched in his heart. Someday, he would make those two understand what it meant not to bully a young man for being poor.

Hm?

After hours of journeying, Lin Fan noticed several successive groups of people hurrying with panicked expressions toward the same direction.

Frowning slightly, he reached out and grabbed one of them, asking, "Brother, do you know what has happened ahead?"

That person was clearly annoyed at having his path blocked, but upon sensing the deliberate pressure emanating from Lin Fan's body, his expression shifted slightly. He looked at the youth in astonishment and replied, "I heard that the Shenxiao Dynasty and the Jinyun Dynasty are fighting over a secret realm spirit key.

Princess Yue Qingcheng of the Shenxiao Dynasty was injured and forced by the top expert of the Shenxiao Dynasty in the trial grounds to go and apologize to the prince of the Jinyun Dynasty."

What?

Hearing this, Lin Fan's expression abruptly changed. He had only been away for a little over a month, yet Yue Qingcheng had managed to get herself into such a mess.

Moreover, even while injured, she was forced to apologize to the Jinyun Dynasty.

And the one issuing the command was actually the number one expert of the Shenxiao Dynasty in the trial grounds—none other than that different-surnamed prince Yue Qingcheng had spoken of.

A cold glint flashed through the youth's eyes. Yue Qingcheng was his companion, his friend.

No matter what, he would not stand by and watch Yue Qingcheng suffer hardship, especially since people like Gu Ningyun were bound to be by her side as well.

"Be so kind as to point out the direction."

Lin Fan's voice was calm, but the terrifying chill radiating from his entire body made the intercepted martial artist's heart involuntarily shudder.

It wasn't as though he had never seen experts at the peak of the late Genesis Realm, but he had never witnessed or heard of anyone possessing such terrifying momentum.

The youth before him was like a newly unsheathed sharp sword, keen and cold, as if it needed to taste blood just to temper this terrifyingly sharp edge.

"It's right over there, about ten miles away."