A strand of surprise and praise flashed in Emperor Zhou’s eyes when he noticed that Yang Ye was able to resist the pressure he exuded. Even though it was less than a hundredth of the pressure he was capable of emanating, it was still something that some King Realm experts were unable to resist, yet this young man before him had forcefully resisted it.

Even though Emperor Zhou revealed an expression of praise, the invisible pressure Yang Ye endured hadn’t weakened at all, and it started to grow stronger and stronger instead. This caused Yang Ye’s consciousness to gradually become blurry.

“Those of the sword should possess an edge and rather break than bend. When the head is free of distracting thoughts, the heart of the sword is enlightened, and a single sword strike can destroy all techniques….” Suddenly, Yang Ye remembered the words that the Sword Sect’s Founding Ancestor had left behind on the enormous stone sword at the Sword Sect’s training grounds.

At this moment, these words ceaselessly reverberated in his mind, and in next to no time, Yang Ye gradually attained a clear mental state, and he gradually removed the disorderly thoughts in his mind.

At the same time, his knees that were originally bent to the point of being on the verge of kneeling had actually started to slowly straighten.

“Eh, the Enlightened Sword heart!” A wisp of surprise flashed in Emperor Zhou’s eyes. After that, his expression turned serious. If this young man before him had merely comprehended Sword Intent, then it could only surprise him slightly. However, if it was the Enlightened Sword Heart, then even he had to take Yang Ye seriously.

Just like Sword Intent, the Enlightened Sword Heart was a state that Sword Cultivators dreamt of. Sword Intent was capable of boosting the strength of a Sword Cultivator by a great degree as well as restraining and suppressing the Sword Cultivator’s enemies. On the other hand, the Enlightened Sword Heart was capable of allowing a Sword Cultivator’s heart towards the Sword Dao to become purer, and it wouldn’t be deceived by anything while it could see through the essence of all things!

The saying destroying all techniques with a single strike of the sword referred to the Enlightened Sword Heart because those with an Enlightened Sword Heart were unafraid of the assault of all techniques!

Emperor Zhou had met many people who’d comprehended Sword Intent, but he hadn’t seen a single person that possessed an Enlightened Sword Heart. He’d only heard of a single existence with the Enlightened Sword Heart, and it was the Founding Ancestor of the Sword Sect who was unmatched in the entire southern territory and was called the Sword Saint, Unfettered.

Now, he’d seen someone that had attained the Enlightened Sword Heart. Moreover, this person had even comprehended Sword Intent. So, even he couldn’t help but be shocked by such natural endowment.

After feeling shocked, Xuan’er couldn’t help but reveal a wisp of bitterness. The Enlightened Sword Heart represented that all illusion techniques were useless against Yang Ye. It wasn’t just illusion techniques, even combat techniques would have their flaws found by Yang Ye in a short period of time before he could destroy them with a single strike of the sword.

In short, Yang Ye who’d comprehended Sword Intent and the Enlightened Sword Heart was the greatest counter to her Nine-tailed Fox Clan. If Yang Ye didn’t possess that mysterious tiny vortex, then she wouldn’t hesitate at all to kill Yang Ye on the spot because all the illusion techniques and innate divine techniques of the Nine-tailed Fox Clan that she possessed would be useless before Yang Ye.

After a long time, Yang Ye opened his eyes, and an invisible wave of air suddenly swept out from him. In his eyes, a strand of an imperceptible sword light flashed by. After that, Yang Ye seemed to have noticed something, and he closed his eyes again. A short while later, he opened his eyes while an overjoyed expression surged onto his face.

He’d investigated his body and noticed that he hadn’t just become a First Heaven Realm Profounder, but most importantly, the space in the tiny vortex within his body had become much larger. It could originally accommodate 50 people, yet now it could accommodate around 100 people. Besides the space in the tiny vortex, his pool of Profound Energy had grown much larger as well. It was originally the size of a bathing barrel, yet now, this bathing barrel had become a true pool that was five meters long and five meters wide.

Besides that, he noticed that his golden Profound Energy had undergone a qualitative change, and it was even purer than before. Even though it was difficult to determine anything from its outer appearance, Yang Ye was able to sense it! Of course, Yang Ye hadn’t noticed that the golden Profound Energy had a faint violet hue!

In short, he hadn’t just advanced into the ranks of First Heaven Realm experts, even the tiny vortex within his body had improved greatly!

Yang Ye bowed to Emperor Zhou whose body was growing fainter, and he said, “Thank you, Senior!”

He wasn’t stupid, and he knew that Emperor Zhou hadn’t emanated that pressure just now in order to harm him, it was to help him. As for the reason, it was mostly because of his relationship with that ‘fox’.

Emperor Zhou nodded lightly while he revealed a wisp of a smile, and he said, “Congratulations on advancing into the First Heaven Realm and comprehending the 2nd level of Sword Intent!”

If Yang Ye had merely comprehended Sword Intent, then he wouldn’t take Yang Ye seriously at all. However, Yang Ye had already attained the Enlightened Sword Heart, so it was a completely different situation. Yang Ye was fully qualified to be his son-in-law.

“The 2nd level of Sword Intent?” Yang Ye was stunned, and then he asked. “Senior, Sword Intent is divided into levels?”

“Of course, didn’t the experts of your Sword Sect tell you?” Emperor Zhou was slightly surprised.

Yang Ye smiled bitterly and said, “I’m not a disciple of the Sword Sect any longer!”

Even his Master Lin Shan hadn’t told him about Sword Intent being divided into levels. He didn’t know if Lin Shan didn’t tell him or if Lin Shan didn’t know. However, in his opinion, Lin Shan probably didn’t know. After all, Lin Shan focused on his cultivation in the Dao of Talismans, and he should be extremely unfamiliar with the Sword Dao.

“You aren’t a disciple of the Sword Sect?” Emperor Zhou was even more surprised, and he said, “How could you who has comprehended Sword Intent not be a disciple of the Sword Sect?”

Yang Ye shook his head and smiled. Anyone that sees me thinks I’m a disciple of the Sword Sect.

Yang Ye immediately spoke about the incident between him and the Sword Sect.

“You were expelled from the Sword Sect?” Emperor Zhou was first stunned when he finished listening to Yang Ye, and then he couldn’t help but laugh as he said, “The person that expelled you from the Sword Sect is truly stupid to the extreme. If that Daoist Zui finds out about this, I wonder if he’ll be happy or furious.”

“Daoist Zui?” Yang Ye was puzzled.

“Someone that possesses similarly shocking natural talent like you!” Emperor Zhou said, “All those years ago, he was expelled by the Sword Sect’s Master because he killed someone from the Origin School. However, only a few years had passed before he’d comprehended Sword Intent just like you. Moreover, he even created a Heaven Rank combat technique, the Infinite Sword. At that time, he was the number one expert in the younger generation of the southern territory!”

“Did he return to the Sword Sect?” Yang Ye was very interested in such an expert.

“I don’t know about that!” Emperor Zhou smiled as he spoke.

Meanwhile, Qin Xiyue said from the side, “At that time, for the sake of making him return to the Sword Sect, the Sect Master that expelled Daoist Zui was reduced to an elder by the Sword Sect’s Supreme Elder. However, how could Daoist Zui who was filled with pride turn back? But even though he didn’t return to the Sword Sect, he’s protecting the Sword Sect. Supposedly, it was his master’s instruction before his master’s death.

“Even though he had no feelings for the Sword Sect, he had an extremely deep relationship with his master. He was supposed to be sentenced to death by the Sword Sect’s Master, and it was his master who preserved his life. So, he agreed to his master’s dying wish and protected the Sword Sect.

“It’s exactly because of his existence that the Sword Sect which has fewer and fewer capable members is still one of the six great powers, and it hasn’t been swallowed by the other powers. Because no power isn’t afraid of a Monarch Realm expert that possesses Sword Intent!”

“Looks like you’re very clearly aware of the secrets of all the sects in the Grand Qin Empire!” Xuan’er looked at Qin Xiyue as she sneered.

Qin Xiyue glanced at Xuan’er and didn’t say anything in reply.

Yang Ye had never expected that the Sword Sect actually possessed a Monarch Realm expert that had comprehended Sword Intent. Moreover, that person actually had a similar encounter as him, and they were both kicked out from the Sword Sect.

If I become a peerless expert in the future and Elder Qian or Su Qingshi ask me to protect the Sword Sect, should I agree or not?

In next to no time, Yang Ye shook his head. He didn’t have the time to think about such things now. He immediately cupped his fists towards Emperor Zhou and said, “Senior, please provide me with guidance!”

He wanted to find out about Sword Intent.

Emperor Zhou nodded lightly and said, “Sword Intent is divided into nine levels, and the 9th level is called the perfection-stage. Every single level will allow your strength to experience an obvious increase. For example, the 1st level of Sword Intent is capable of allowing your strength to improve by 30%, whereas, the 2nd level improves your strength by 60%, and so on and so forth. It isn’t just this, Sword Intent’s ability to suppress and restrain your enemies is the same. If you fought a weaker opponent now, then you don’t have to make a move at all, and just utilizing Sword Intent would be sufficient to suppress your enemy to the point of being unable to arouse the intention to resist you!”

“It’s so formidable?” Yang Ye was slightly shocked. He knew that Sword Intent could suppress and restrain his enemies, but he’d never imagined that when his Sword Intent had attained a certain extent, then it was actually capable of directly causing his opponent to lose the will to fight. Presently, he was only at the 2nd level of Sword Intent, yet it was already so terrifying, so what if it was at the 9th level? How terrifying would it be then?

I really look forward to that day!

Yang Ye suppressed the excitement in his heart and asked. “Senior, what’s after the 9th level of Sword Intent?”

“After the 9th level….” Emperor Zhou muttered in a low voice. “That’s probably the Sword Domain. A domain formed with the sword at its base….”

“Senior?” Emperor Zhou spoke in an extremely light voice, and Yang Ye hadn’t heard it at all.

Emperor Zhou shook his head and said, “Don’t reach beyond your grasp. The important matter at hand is to lay your foundation properly. As for what’s above Sword Intent, you’ll naturally find out in the future!”

Even though he was still very curious, Yang Ye still nodded in the end, and he didn’t ask that question again.