CHAPTER 223: CHAPTER 219: HOW MUCH SWORD INTENT CAN BE EXCHANGED

Li Fan and Lu Yuan entered the city. Within the shattered city, demons were still everywhere, and wherever Li Fan’s Sword Seed howled past, all demons perished.

The two came to a high abandoned pavilion and sat cross-legged. Li Fan looked up, his eyes turning golden as if seeing demon energy rising to the sky from all directions in the distance.

Was this all a trial prepared for foreign cultivators like them?

The dangers in this secret realm first originate from the realm itself, and only then from the sword cultivators entering it.

If he were just an ordinary cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Realm, even at the Late Stage Foundation Establishment, the demon horde’s assault just now would have certainly been lethal.

Yet, that demon leader’s threat far exceeded Han Zhong’s, definitely top-tier combat power within the Foundation Establishment Realm.

"Lu Yuan, absorb the Sword Intent," said Li Fan.

This place is dangerous, so for the moment, let’s not think about collecting more special Sword Intent, but first refine and enhance ourselves. Under such cultivation conditions, if one can take a step forward within half a month by absorbing Sword Intent and enter the Middle Stage Foundation Establishment,

then the remaining half a month will be sufficient.

Lu Yuan nodded, sat cross-legged beside Li Fan, and they both closed their eyes, concentrating on refining the Sword Intent.

Strands of Sword Intent surrounded them and were then refined into their bodies, merging with their own Sword Intent, enveloping them in Sword Intent.

In the distance, demons watched this direction with eyes full of brutality. Yet when their eyes were on Li Fan, their gaze was extremely cautious, not daring to act recklessly.

Li Fan’s previous fierce slaughter had frightened them.

After several hours, the Sword Intent on Li Fan had been completely refined, and the Sword Intent emanating from him seemed a bit stronger than before.

Li Fan opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and bright.

"In this secret realm, it seems that by obtaining Sword Intent through slaughter and then refining it, a person’s temperament becomes sharper too," Li Fan mused, noting that humans are easily influenced by their environment.

In Chi Xiao City, the sword cultivators mainly seek to spar and test their skills, but entering the secret realm, many humans develop a bloodthirsty intent.

At that moment, Li Fan seemed to perceive something, and with a thought, terrifying Sword Intent swept toward a certain direction.

In a part of the shattered city, a demon felt locked by Sword Intent, and in terror, he turned to flee, but the Sword Intent instantly engulfed him.

"Spare me, young master," the demon pleaded, turning around and kneeling, begging for his life.

"Come here."

A voice trembled in his mind, and in front of the demon appeared a phantom of Li Fan.

"Yes," the demon nodded, his heart shaken; this alien human sword cultivator truly was terrifying.

He trembled as he walked to Li Fan’s side.

Li Fan walked forward, floating in the air, his gaze as sharp as a sword. The demon trembled, prostrating on the ground, and said, "What orders does the young master have?"

"I will ask you questions, and you will answer honestly," Li Fan said.

"Yes," the demon nodded.

"What is this place, and why are you here?" Li Fan asked, as rumors had it in Chi Xiao City that this was an immortal cultivation secret realm, and he and Lu Yuan had discussed it.

Then what were these demons exactly?

He wanted to hear what the other had to say, to compare different accounts, and see if he could find an answer.

"This is the world in which we survive; we have always lived here," the demon replied. "Conversely, human cultivators like the young master come here periodically to kill, so to survive, we must become strong enough to kill the invading human cultivators."

Li Fan displayed a hint of surprise, hearing the implication that they seemed to be the heinous invaders.

Of course, humans and demons follow different paths, so he didn’t feel too much sympathy, recognizing it as a predetermined fate.

"You’d better tell the truth, otherwise..." With a thought, Li Fan’s terrifying Sword Intent bore down on the demon, filled with murderous intent.

"I dare not deceive you, young master," the demon trembled, saying, "However, if we kill human cultivators, we can also plunder Sword Intent from them to enhance our cultivation, with a chance to become demon leaders."

"Like the demon I killed earlier?" Li Fan asked.

The demon shook his head: "Although he was the strongest demon in this city, he was not a demon leader; there are many demons like him in the Sky Sword City you are headed to."

"Sky Sword City?" Li Fan frowned, realizing his information was still limited. The Shadow Bearing Sword Dojo annually sends many disciples into the secret realm, who then take the information out.

Surely they know much more about the secret realm’s affairs than he does, and such an information gap would allow them to seize a certain advantage, rapidly plundering Sword Intent.

"Master cultivators like you hunt here to gather enough Sword Intent, your ultimate goal being to enter Sky Sword City. There, you will find the opportunities human cultivators seek," the demon continued. As a native of the secret realm, he clearly knew more than Li Fan.

"Where is it easiest to obtain the world’s Sword Intent?" Li Fan continued to pursue.

"Surrounding Sky Sword City are Nine Cities teeming with demons. The Nine Great Demon Generals govern these cities; if you wish to quickly acquire a large amount of Sword Intent, that is the fastest route," the demon replied.

Li Fan frowned, and with a squelch accompanied by a wretched scream, a flying sword pierced through the demon, who trembled as he spoke, "Young master, I speak the truth, but the Nine Great Demon Generals possess immense combat power and bloodied hands from human cultivators. Though you are powerful, exercise great caution if you venture there."

Li Fan stared at the opponent. Was this demon scheming with him?

Trying to send him to his death.

Being able to preside over the main city in the secret realm without dying showcases undeniable strength, just as the other party said, their hands must be stained with the blood of many human cultivators, which in turn strengthens them.

From this perspective, this is a secret realm where humans kill demons to gain Sword Intent, while demons kill humans to enhance their own strength as well. Such brutal competition increases the difficulty of the trials faced by humans entering the secret realm.

"Where is Sky Sword City?" Li Fan asked.

"Follow that direction all the way forward, young hero, and you will naturally reach it," the demon pointed in a direction, hoping Li Fan would quickly go and die there.

"Whoosh..." A flying sword flew straight through its forehead, the demon stared wide-eyed at Li Fan.

Such a ruthless human.

Even after pleading pathetically, the other party still mercilessly killed him.

After absorbing the Sword Intent from the opponent, Li Fan directly refined it within his body, continuing to enhance himself.

At this time, Lu Yuan also finished refining and came to Li Fan’s side.

"We received the news a bit late. As for the Shadow Bearing Sword Sect disciples, they must have known everything about this secret realm in advance," Li Fan said, "Let’s set off."

Getting the information beforehand allowed them to gain a head start.

Time needed to be seized in here.

Moreover, one had to see with their own eyes to truly understand.

......

One of the Nine Cities outside Sky Sword City.

At this time, a group of figures entered this city.

"The disciples of the Shadow Bearing Sword Sect truly live up to their reputation, all incredibly talented, leading us here in such a short time," a sword cultivator from Chi Xiao City praised.

The group consisted of over a dozen people, led by several disciples of the Shadow Bearing Sword Sect including Ying Ze and Ren Yuzhi.

"Cooperation leads to mutual benefit. There are many formidable demons here, going alone would be very dangerous," Ying Ze said, "Let’s go, we enter the city."

The group charged into the Demon City, quickly encountering demons, but they were absolutely no match for Ying Ze’s group.

Xia Yao was also among the crowd. She initially wanted to join the Shadow Bearing Sword Sect but missed the opportunity because of Li Fan. Later, like Lu Yuhuan, she invited Li Fan to travel together.

But Li Fan chose Lu Yuhuan.

She brought two members of the Xia Family to this secret realm, and later, when the disciples of the Shadow Bearing Sword Sect called for everyone to join forces, she also joined in.

After all, the disciples of the Shadow Bearing Sword Sect had the most information.

However, Xia Yao remained cautious on this journey, for human nature is unpredictable, especially in this secret realm. It’s better to stay vigilant.

Whoosh... A flying sword harvested the Sword Intent within a demon’s body, Xia Yao directly collected it and glanced at Ying Ze’s side, where they were all hunting demons.

Was it just her being overly suspicious?

"The Nine Cities around Sky Sword City, each has a Demon General stationed. Even I might not win, but if we join forces, we can obtain a large amount of Sword Intent," Ying Ze said.

"Alright."

"We’ll follow Brother Ying’s plans." The group seemed a bit excited, advancing with great momentum.

Up ahead appeared a palace, with sword aura soaring to the sky, the group headed directly in that direction.

Upon stepping onto the plaza before the palace, a terrifying demon stood atop the palace, and demons emerged in large numbers around the area, encircling it.

"Demon General," someone whispered.

"There’s a lot of demons here."

"Don’t worry, with Brother Ying, the number one on the Green Cloud List, and several disciples of the Shadow Bearing Sword Sect, we will surely be able to slay this Demon General."

"I am Ying Ze, here for Sword Intent," Ying Ze looked ahead and spoke loudly, boosting everyone’s morale a bit more.

Truly worthy of being the number one on the Green Cloud List.

But Xia Yao frowned. This tone didn’t seem right.

She quietly and silently stepped back a bit.

"How much Sword Intent can these sword cultivators exchange for?" Ying Ze pointed to the crowd and said, causing everyone’s heart to race and their faces to instantly turn pale.