Xu Yunfan looked a bit sheepish. He glanced at the Sword Embryo and said comfortingly, "Master, don’t worry. This Sword Embryo was only going to be a low-grade sharp blade anyway. We can just forge a new one... I-I’ll do it!"

Zhan Yan, who had been holding his breath, finally let it out when he heard Xu Yunfan’s last few words. He couldn’t help but let out a soft snort.

"Enough. You’re obsessed with martial arts. Shouldn’t you be at the summit absorbing the Dawn Purple Qi right now? What are you doing here?"

It was a good thing it was Xu Yunfan. If Fu Jin had dared to barge in at this time, Zhan Yan would have beaten him so badly he wouldn’t be able to get out of bed for three days.

Xu Yunfan had, of course, told him that the martial arts he practiced for the Outer Three Harmonies was the Pure Yang Qi Skill from the Taoist Sect. To this, Zhan Yan could only say that Xu Yunfan was incredibly lucky.

The Taoist Pure Yang Qi. Among all the world’s martial arts for the Outer Three Harmonies, this one ranked first. It used the Dawn Purple Qi, blending the forces of Yin and Yang, dragon and tiger, to perfectly fuse the training of sinew, bone, and skin into a single whole.

Even the Arhat Dragon Elephant Strength from Mituo Temple in Mosenan Dao was slightly inferior.

It was a true Supreme Foundation Establishment skill. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Xu Yunfan organized his thoughts.

"Master, last night, someone entered my dream to kill me..."

Xu Yunfan then proceeded to tell Zhan Yan the details of his dream.

Zhan Yan, who had been listening casually, grew more and more serious as he heard the story.

The scene Xu Yunfan described from his dream was indeed similar to the Dream-Entering Technique. They had both experienced Ming Venerable’s Dream-Entering Technique, so they naturally knew what it felt like.

"The Dream-Entering Technique has to satisfy two hard-and-fast rules."

After a long silence, Zhan Yan sat to the side, took a large swig of Cold Wine, and wiped the wine from his beard.

"Either it’s a pseudo-god formed from incense, like Ming Venerable of the Incense and Candle Sect, who creates an Incense Fire Golden Body. After being worshipped by followers for a long time, the Wish Power of thousands of disciples transforms into Incense Smoke Qi. This gathers the remnants of a consciousness, allowing it to reawaken and gain all sorts of unfathomable, god-like powers. Or..."

He gave Xu Yunfan a meaningful look and said lightly, "You’ve come into contact with a ’Divine Treasure’ left behind by an Extreme Daoist."

"Divine Treasure?" Xu Yunfan subconsciously touched his Adam’s apple. His throat still felt a bit dry.

"The Celestial Craft Cave has been established for a thousand years and inherits the Non-Attack lineage of the Mo Family. We naturally have many extremely ancient books. The so-called Extreme Daoists are those who have broken the shackles of heaven and earth, broken through the Nine Realms Qi Cultivation, and stepped into an entirely new realm. Only then can they be called practitioners of the Extreme Dao."

At this point, Zhan Yan seemed to recall something. He shook his head slightly and said, "The power of these people is far beyond what mortals can imagine. They were once even called Immortals."

He looked up at Xu Yunfan and said thoughtfully, "Someone like Ming Venerable, who forged an Incense Fire Golden Body and has the ability to enter dreams, can no longer affect you if you are subconsciously on guard. That method only works when you aren’t aware of it.

The other way is to come into contact with an item imbued with the condensed Heart and Spirit of a former Extreme Daoist... The Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirit has finally revived a little. Although it’s not much, it’s enough to create one of the basic conditions for these Extreme Daoists to exist in this world."

He looked up at Xu Yunfan and pondered for a moment. "’Defeat her, and I’ll let you go.’ Perhaps... this could be an inheritance mark."

"An inheritance mark?"

Xu Yunfan mulled it over, and his heart suddenly jolted. He subconsciously touched his chest.

Seeing this, Zhan Yan shot to his feet. His gaze turned sharp, and he scanned his surroundings like a hawk, listening intently. After confirming they were alone, he instructed Xu Yunfan with a grave expression.

"You must not speak of this to anyone else in detail... Tonight, try sleeping again. If you are on guard and the dream still comes, then it’s the second type..."

Zhan Yan suddenly grabbed the failed Sword Embryo, which had broken in half, from the Weapon Casting Platform.

His eyes were bloodshot. He stared at the Sword Embryo for a long while before waving it in front of Xu Yunfan.

"Three hundred years ago, one of those grave-digging mutts from Bei Mang Mountain produced an astonishingly brilliant disciple. He found half a broken sword in an underground ancient battlefield, and from that day on, his personality changed completely. He wielded his sword as if he were a god, grasping any swordsmanship with a single glance and mastering it with a single explanation. In just two or three short months, he had mastered over ten different styles of swordsmanship."

"Three months later, his sword techniques began to carry a sinister chill... and Sword Intent. An intent that can only be born from one who is loyal to the sword and pushes swordsmanship to its extreme."

Zhan Yan casually tossed the broken Sword Embryo into the Weapon Forging Pool, leaving it for the Earth Fire to melt and reforge.

"In just three short years, he swept through the younger generation of the six top sects of the Great Zhou Six Dao, becoming the undisputed champion. Until..."

A strange inflection entered Zhan Yan’s voice as he glanced at Xu Yunfan.

Xu Yunfan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He felt a sudden chill in his throat.

"When an Old Demon crawled out of his skull, the kid only had half a face left."

Zhan Yan paused here, his tone evening out slightly before he continued, "The so-called inheritance of an Extreme Daoist is nothing but a trick to possess a new body. But if you can overcome it, you can also gain a heavenly opportunity. This matter..."

’Of course, he understood. Xu Yunfan must have found the vessel of an Extreme Daoist.’

"Master, do you think my talent for martial arts is only because of this Extreme Daoist’s vessel?"

"Not at all." A rare chuckle rumbled from Zhan Yan’s throat.

"Your talent is like a divine object that conceals its own brilliance; those without a discerning eye wouldn’t be able to see it. You are a natural-born Qilin Child...

That Extreme Daoist’s vessel is a double-edged sword. Once you start, there’s no turning back. Although the return of the Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirit may be temporary, it has nevertheless manifested in the world. Many seemingly ordinary objects might be hiding the will of an Extreme Daoist. I’m afraid you... have already drawn the bow, and there’s no taking the arrow back... This is something you must face yourself."

Zhan Yan’s voice was low, tinged with a complex mix of emotions.

’With Xu Yunfan’s aptitude, given time, the Celestial Craft Cave could very well produce a Nine Realms Qi Cultivation Supreme Grandmaster. But if he could overcome this trial, he might have the foundation to truly use the lingering Primordial Spirit Breath in the world to break through and surpass the Ninth Realm.’

But this matter, in the end...

"However, you don’t need to worry too much. The records in the Celestial Craft Cave are clear: many of these Extreme Daoist vessels are so ancient that their will has mostly dissipated."

"Heaven and Earth are the furnace; creation is the craftsman." Zhan Yan stood with his hands behind his back and said slowly, "Perhaps this is the critical juncture for you to forge your golden body in the flames."

"Remember, an Extreme Dao inheritance is always a mutual struggle for consumption. Be careful with everything!"

"While you’re scheming to get her thousand years of Martial Dao insight, isn’t she also using your Pure Yang Physique to nurture her remnant soul?"

"Thank you for telling me this, Master!"

After this discussion, Xu Yunfan took Zhan Yan’s instructions to heart. His confidence greatly boosted, he took his leave. He had to go see what other mysteries were hidden in the female husk he had dug out from the Ancient Jade Wall beneath Ninggu Tower.

(Feverishly pounding the keyboard)