Chapter 600

Chapter 600: Heavenly Barrier, Earthly Separation

Du Jianyin, who had initially intended to leave, froze mid-motion. His gaze turned icy as he pivoted to face Ye Yun.

“You aim to stop me? Do you truly believe you can?”

Though fully aware Ye Yun had shattered his strongest sword strike with ease, Du Jianyin’s expression remained cold, murderous intent radiating from him.

Ye Yun chuckled. “Do you doubt my capability to keep you here?”

Du Jianyin’s brows sharpened like blades. His aura coalesced into a towering great sword that pierced the heavens.

As the reincarnation of Ancient Sword Intent, Du Jianyin cultivated at inhuman speed, mastering sword intent early to an unparalleled degree. So long as his sword intent endured, his confidence remained unshakable.

Even if Ye Yun surpassed him in raw power, Du Jianyin refused to believe he could be detained. Sword intent served both offense and defense. When concentrated, countless sword arcs could blot out the sky, forming near-flawless killing formations.

Were Du Jianyin to flee, his great sword could cleave through the void itself. While sword-riding techniques were common, those infused with sword intent were rare. A single strike could traverse endless miles, evading all pursuit.

This certainty anchored Du Jianyin’s resolve—he trusted no one could hinder his departure.

Sword energy sundered the sky as murderous intent saturated the air.

Du Jianyin stood unmoving, cold eyes locked on Ye Yun.

Ye Yun smiled. “Since you’re so certain, let’s test that confidence. Have you forgotten? This is the fifth layer of the Ice Tower. Leaving isn’t so simple.”

As he spoke, Ye Yun shuddered slightly. Bone-numbing cold erupted from him, spreading rapidly outward.

This icy essence mirrored the chill of the Ice Master’s Tomb, but refined through Ye Yun’s absorption, it had gained purity without losing potency.

Within moments, the glacial aura engulfed dozens of zhang. The cold penetrated marrow, freezing blood and breath alike.

Du Jianyin stiffened, unprepared for this assault. The invasive chill locked his joints, invading through every pore. Each thread of cold numbed flesh and spirit—within breaths, his body felt alien, beyond his control.

Shock flickered in Du Jianyin’s eyes. Now he understood: Ye Yun’s sudden power surge stemmed from treasures claimed in the Ice Tower’s fifth layer. How else could he neutralize Du Jianyin’s ultimate strike and unleash such frost?

“Scattered arts forge ancient will! Sword energy purges all corruption!” Du Jianyin roared. A sword arc erupted from his crown, materializing as a Broken Sword of pristine white jade above him.

Though crystalline and flawless, the Broken Sword exuded an unsettling aura. Even Ye Yun’s formidable spirit wavered momentarily under its gaze—this weapon could destabilize minds.

Ye Yun inhaled deeply, steadying his thoughts. The Broken Sword’s white glow still shimmered, but its mental assault now failed.

He observed calmly, curious how Du Jianyin would counter the pervasive cold. Without Ye Yun’s enhanced cultivation, merely moving under such frost would prove impossible.

Du Jianyin stood at the Fifth Level of the Golden Core stage, his sword intent oceanic in depth. What method would he employ?

The Broken Sword quivered, spilling white light that encased Du Jianyin. External cold was barred, but internal invasions raged unchecked.

Ye Yun’s eyes narrowed. This Broken Sword’s power surpassed expectations—a treasure once magnificent. What force could have shattered it? Its remaining array restrictions were faint echoes. Had it remained whole, what heights might it have reached?

“Ancestor,” Ye Yun murmured, “can you discern Du Jianyin’s true cultivation? His sword intent comprehension is unnatural. If he’s truly Ancient Sword Intent reborn… could he be your prophesied child chosen by destiny?”

Ancestor of the Sword Path observed from the side, chuckling, "This boy has some resemblance to a child chosen by destiny, but his cultivation is too weak. He might not be one."

Ye Yun froze. "Too weak? Du Jianyin is at the Fifth Level of the Golden Core stage, his sword intent blazing. He can challenge anyone below the Fifth Level of the Nascent Soul stage. How is his cultivation lacking?"

The Ancestor sneered. "Naturally. A child chosen by destiny is blessed by the heavens—their talent, background, and resources are unmatched. From birth, their path is meticulously arranged, their cultivation soaring without hindrance. The Golden Core stage holds no difficulty for them. They perfect every realm before advancing. Ordinary cultivators rush to break through once they reach a certain level, but perfection eludes them. For the chosen ones, it’s as simple as breathing."

Ye Yun’s lips twitched. "So they face no obstacles reaching the Nascent Soul stage, cultivating flawlessly. Once they break through, they could challenge even those at the Fifth Level, right?"

The Ancestor replied coldly, "A true child of destiny wields supreme luck and resources. Every realm is perfected. When their pill breaks and they’re reborn, they can instantly challenge a Seventh Level Nascent Soul Ancestor. That is a true chosen one."

Ye Yun glanced at Du Jianyin, still straining, and smirked. "Then Du Jianyin falls short. But as the reincarnation of Ancient Sword Intent, he’s no ordinary foe. He survives dire straits, grows stronger each time, and ascends in sword mastery. He may not be chosen by destiny, but he’s close."

The Ancestor’s mental intent swept over Du Jianyin. After a pause, he sighed. "If he truly is Ancient Sword Intent reborn, such fortune makes sense. But that Broken Sword above him… I’ve seen it somewhere. It radiates danger—unexpected."

Ye Yun startled, eyes snapping to the jade-white Broken Sword.

The sword quivered faintly, its white light shielding Du Jianyin from the icy essence. Soon, his pallor faded, replaced by vigor. A sharp glint lit his eyes—his cultivation had subtly improved.

"This cold is fierce," Du Jianyin spat, "but I, heir to Ancient Sword Intent, am guarded by the Heavenly Barrier Sword. Did you think frost could harm me?" His gaze pierced Ye Yun. "Forcing out the Heavenly Barrier proves your skill. But once drawn, it thirsts for blood. Today, I sacrifice a century of lifespan to unleash it—your end lies in this ice!"

He stepped forward. The white Broken Sword blazed like a sun, blinding to behold.

"Heavenly Barrier Sword? So it is! No wonder…" The Ancestor’s voice vibrated with excitement in Ye Yun’s mind.

"What’s the Heavenly Barrier Sword?" Ye Yun asked.

"Heavenly Barrier and Earthly Separation—twin Divine Swords born from primal chaos at the universe’s dawn," the Ancestor said fervently.

"Impossible! Primal chaos-forged blades would be innate divine artifacts. How did they end up like this?"

"You know nothing. They were shattered in the Battle of Immortals and Demons ten thousand years ago—a cataclysm that darkened skies, shattered stars, and destroyed countless treasures. That these swords retain any form is a miracle." The Ancestor sighed, as if recalling the war firsthand.

Ye Yun frowned. "Brother Jian, how do you know this?"

The Ancestor hesitated. "I… don’t know. Fragments of memory, perhaps from ancient texts."

Ye Yun said nothing. The Ancestor’s spirit retained only one-third of its essence. A sliver had been recovered in the Ice Tower, but full restoration required the remaining fragments. Only then could he rebuild his body or seize another.

Suddenly, Ye Yun wondered—was the Ancestor truly just a millennium-old elder of the Immortal Sword Sect? Or an ancient being, alive for ten thousand years?

The thought stuck. Memories flashed—their meetings, the Ancestor’s vast knowledge of cultivation and the Three Realms… No mere sect elder could possess such wisdom with fragmented memories.

No. Impossible.

Anticipation ignited in Ye Yun’s eyes. He yearned to find the Ancestor’s missing spirit fragments.

Smiling, he turned back to Du Jianyin.

"Ye Yun! Witness the Heavenly Barrier Sword’s true power!"