The sun rose in the east, casting its light upon the earth.
However, the scorching sunlight could not dispel the gloom of the Fallen Area.
Zhou You opened his eyes; the result of consuming a Yao Beast core was…
No result.
But Zhou You’s mood remained as usual; he felt nothing about it.
If there was a change, it would be a stroke of luck.
If there was no change, that was also customary.
However, after last night’s battle, he felt that the Overlord Sky Art circulated more smoothly.
He got up and walked to an empty area, closing his eyes to sense his own condition.
He felt that he was still somewhat different.
It seemed that the real battle had stimulated his body, making it ‘alive’.
His Left Hand rested on the sword hilt, and his Sword Stream was as smooth as flowing water.
If before he merely drew the sword for the sake of drawing it, now he at least had a reason to draw the sword.
“Strange.”
Zhou You opened his eyes, “My Realm has not increased, but why has my sword drawing speed increased by twenty percent? And its power by twenty percent? Is it because of the sword heart?”
Master had said that the sword heart was the true heart of the sword user.
It seemed simple, but not everyone could possess it.
The first step in cultivating the sword was to forge the sword heart.
This sword heart represented fearlessness and symbolized an unyielding advance.
But this sword heart was covered in dust.
Zhou You had asked this question before, and Master’s answer was very casual, only saying that he would understand when he grew up. As a result, he was over a hundred years old and still didn't understand.
The sword heart was not a heart; it was a kind of intent.
What the sword heart sought was an answer.
An answer to why the sword was drawn.
A double-edged sword meant it could harm others and oneself.
The steps of the Sword Stream were very simple: nurturing the sword, drawing the sword, and sheathing the sword.
Nurturing the sword was about nourishing the sword, and also nourishing one's own heart.
Drawing the sword was for attack and killing, clearing all obstacles.
Sheathing the sword was about letting go, returning to oneself.
Drawing a sword was not rare; anyone could do it.
But adding the word ‘Technique’ to ‘drawing the sword’ meant it was no longer just a simple act of drawing the sword.
At the moment of drawing the sword, the scabbard held in his Left Hand was already accumulating power for the sword. What was needed was the explosive burst at the moment the sword was drawn, and that burst would transcend one's own strength.
Zhou You let out a long breath, vaguely feeling that a small piece of dust had been removed from his dusty sword heart.
“What are you doing?”
Li Wanji leaned closer, asking in confusion.
In her eyes, Zhou You had been standing there blankly for a moment, not moving, just holding the sword hilt.
She was even a little curious: was this sword broken? Why had she never seen him draw it?
At most, he would occasionally pretend to grasp the sword hilt with his Right Hand; it was truly too unconventional.
Zhou You released his Right Hand; he felt he needed to continue killing to seek the purpose of his sword drawing, which would be his Dao.
A grand Dao awaiting his footsteps.
“I need to go deeper.”
Zhou You looked into the distance, raising his hand to point, “From here, I can see the silhouette of a city; it should be another Fallen Area, right?”
Li Wanji said without even looking, “That direction is Ye City.”
“Oh.”
Zhou You turned around awkwardly, pointing in the opposite direction, “Then let’s go that way!”
Li Wanji’s expression changed, “I told you before, the longer a place has been occupied, the more Yao Beasts there are. And the relationships within are also intertwined, to the point where it can be said to have completely become the territory of the Yao Race.”
Zhou You suddenly said, “I heard that newly Fallen Areas cannot be rescued? And it’s supposedly some agreement between the Yao Emperor and the Dynasty?”
Li Wanji was startled, “What?”
Zhou You was puzzled, “You don’t know?”
Li Wanji shook her head, “Never heard of it.”
Zhou You said “Oh,” thinking that the Blood Shadow Wolf King might have been spouting nonsense.
At this thought, he felt that these Yao Beasts had indeed grown brains and knew how to play tricks.
Li Wanji scrutinized Zhou You, feeling a strange surprise in her heart. What a peculiar feeling; this person seemed to have undergone a great change from yesterday to today.
Yet, that feeling was completely indescribable, as if he was still him, but he was no longer him.
Zhou Chen had awakened from her Cultivate state and asked with a smile, “Second Master, what about us next?”
Zhou You yawned, “Eat pork leg.”
Zhou Chen nodded quickly, “I’ll go find some wood now.”
From Lu Renjia, she had learned a trick: everything could be barbecued.
Li Wanji took out a porcelain bottle from her bosom, “Why don’t we eat bigu pills instead? They can also fill you up. Actually, when traveling in the wild, it’s best not to start a fire.”
“Ugh…”
The moment she opened the stopper, Zhou You’s face changed drastically, and he began to vomit profusely.
Disgusting, he couldn't even bear to hear the name.
Li Wanji was startled and hastily checked the bigu pill in her hand. Could it be…
Expired?
There was no strange smell either.
But his reaction didn’t seem fake at all.
“Put it away, put it away, put the bigu pill away!”
Zhou You turned his back to Li Wanji and roared.
“Oh, oh.”
Li Wanji hastily put away the bigu pill, “What’s wrong with you? Why such a strong reaction?”
Zhou You spat out the last bit of saliva and took several deep breaths, “From today onwards, you are not allowed to mention bigu pills to me, and certainly not allowed to give them to me to eat.”
Li Wanji was stunned for a moment, then finally chose to go find wood with Zhou Chen, “What a temper.”
bigu pills…
Those weren’t for humans to eat!
Zhou You gritted his teeth, hating this Medicinal Pill with an itch in his teeth.
Let alone eating them, he didn't even want to hear the name.
Fortunately, the two women quickly returned with a pile of dry wood and began a new barbecue.
Now with a treasured sword, Zhou Chen was much more efficient, cutting the large pork leg into pieces.
Zhou You rubbed his hands and sat by, watching eagerly.
As for why he didn’t help?
If you ask, it’s because I am an elder!
Where is the logic for an elder to do the work?
Not only was Zhou You unwilling, but Zhou Chen was also unwilling.
Li Wanji silently helped, filled with suppressed frustration. She finally understood a saying: as long as you live long enough, you're guaranteed to meet all kinds of people.
In Xijue City.
Two shadows stood, looking at the smoke from the hillside.
“Was the incident in the city done by him?”
“Impossible, at least a thousand Blood Shadow Wolves, and a Blood Shadow Wolf King.”
“What is he doing? Is he here to kill Yao Beasts, or to have a picnic?”
“Too strange, this guy definitely has a problem.”
The two shadows exchanged their thoughts. They had intended to approach and monitor, but because they had been discovered before, they were much more cautious.
Well, now this guy was actually having a picnic?
Could he not do something serious? Like finding some powerful Yao Beasts so they could see his strength, and then report back, right?
One of the shadows walked to a pile of corpses, “His moves are swift and ruthless, a single sword strike to kill, without any hesitation. Such swordsmanship is truly remarkable.”
The other shadow nodded, “However, we didn’t see clearly the sword strike he used on me. My butt still hurts. Did he really hide his strength? Otherwise, how could he have injured me?”