However, as Hong Yuan walked toward his small courtyard, his eyes narrowed involuntarily. Under the Little Green Bamboo Forest in front of his courtyard stood a grandfather and granddaughter!

The granddaughter was as beautiful as a flower, resembling a snow phoenix from the Immortal Realm.

The grandfather had an extraordinary aura, like a high immortal who had attained enlightenment.

The visitors were none other than Ye Qingcheng and Great Saint Taibai!

"Gu Fan..." Ye Xiner subconsciously gripped Hong Yuan’s large hand tightly.

Upon seeing Ye Qingcheng, Ye Xiner instantly felt tremendous pressure.

Every woman of the Ye Family yearned for Ye Qingcheng’s unrestrained charisma and that devastatingly beautiful appearance.

Although Ye Xiner wasn’t as dramatic as the other Ye Family women, she still had complex feelings toward Ye Qingcheng.

"Rest assured, I’ve got everything under control," Hong Yuan soothed her.

The sudden appearance of Great Saint Taibai was a bit against the martial code because Hong Yuan’s worm hadn’t detected him at all.

To some extent, Great Saint Taibai had disrupted Hong Yuan’s plans, but Hong Yuan wasn’t too flustered.

After all, he was currently in a Dream World. In the previous "Han Jiuming" Dream World, he, Hong Yuan, had slaughtered Great Saints as easily as slaughtering dogs. Even Quasi-Emperors were harvested one after another.

If it were the real world, Hong Yuan would have had some reservations.

In the Dream World, though, he felt no pressure whatsoever!

"Ye Gufan, I’ve come to discuss an important matter with you!" Ye Qingcheng said proudly.

Hong Yuan, expressionless, nodded and said, "Come inside to talk."

SQUEAK.

The courtyard door slowly opened.

Hong Yuan serenely led Ye Xiner home, his demeanor unfazed.

At his side, Great Saint Taibai looked at Hong Yuan, his eyes brimming with a smile.

A layer of platinum light flickered in his eyes, but still, he had not managed to uncover the depths of Hong Yuan’s existence!

「A quarter of an hour later.」

Ye Qingcheng and Great Saint Taibai departed indifferently.

They had engaged in an exchange of interests with Hong Yuan and tentatively reached an agreement.

Hong Yuan was to help Ye Qingcheng claim the title of Leader of Alchemy at the Hundred Arts Conference, and in return, during this period, Hong Yuan would receive numerous resources.

For instance, the nine Sword Peaks—Hong Yuan could enter and exit them freely by invoking the authority of Great Saint Taibai!

Hong Yuan was quite satisfied with such an exchange.

Because his initial goal had already been achieved.

Combat was one of his methods; navigating social dynamics was another.

He would use whichever was more convenient, treating them all equally.

The "Five Finger Fist Dream Sword" Divine Power—I, Hong Yuan, will have it!

「Later that evening...」

The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting its cold moonlight on the First Sword Peak.

In the moonlight’s glow, a figure in a blue robe, as tall and straight as a pine, stepped out and moved forward nonchalantly.

Gradually, this figure emerged from the darkness, revealing a handsome face.

It was Hong Yuan!

It seems that Ye Qingcheng and Great Saint Taibai are plotting something against me?

As Hong Yuan moved forward, he recalled yesterday’s conversation.

With further reflection and inquiry, he noticed something odd—the beautiful woman Ye Qingcheng looked at him as if he were prey.

Prey? It seems Ye Qingcheng’s craving for fame comes with some hidden agenda.

It didn’t take long for Hong Yuan to find the answer.

But he did not delve too deeply into it.

This was just a Dream World, after all. Even if it involved time-space travel, he, Hong Yuan, was merely a passerby.

Once he got through this Dream World scene, he would return to the present to embark on becoming a saint through Dream Tao.

And to become a saint in Dream Tao, he needed to transcend tribulations!

Five Finger Fist Dream Sword, here I come.

Thinking of the imminent success of this peerless Divine Power, Hong Yuan couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement in his heart.

The unity of the five realms of Sword Tao, combined with the essence of Dream Tao—how powerful would that Divine Power be?

So powerful, perhaps, that it could even contend with the Power Tao’s Great Moon True Dragon Heaven!

Probably only Divine Powers centered around Heaven Earth Secret Realms could surpass it.

For example, the Reversed River Body Protection Seal centered around Reverse River, or the "Soul-Cleansing Sound of the Incoming Dream Tide" centered around Soul Cleansing Mountain...

And Heaven Earth Secret Realms were supremely precious treasures between heaven and earth—serendipitous yet elusive.

Even Great Emperors of past eras could control only one or two Heaven Earth Secret Realms at most.

Therefore, the value of the "Five Finger Fist Dream Sword" Divine Power needed to be even higher, definitely surpassing the "Water Dragon Chant" by a level!

TAP TAP...

After a while, Hong Yuan arrived at a valley.

The valley was very small, clearly visible at a glance, only some four to five hundred feet in circumference.

Nearly half the space within the valley was occupied by an extremely shallow pond formed by a spring, with fairy mist rising from it.

This was clearly an Essence Qi hot spring, containing hundreds of variously colored Sword Pills soaking within.

Some of these Sword Pills were incomplete, seemingly lacking Divine Charm. Others were perfect but had lost their sharpness.

Upon careful observation, different flaws could be discerned in them.

As Hong Yuan approached, the hundreds of Sword Pills all stilled, as if awakening to consciousness and turning to observe Hong Yuan simultaneously—as if hundreds of eyes were watching!

CLANG!

Hong Yuan boldly drew his cold sword, activating his aura.

He laughed heartily. "Come, lend me your strength!"

The next moment, the tremendous True Essence within the aperture in his lower body roared into action, transforming into Sword Origin, coursing through his body, and spreading to his limbs.

HUMMING—

Hong Yuan’s aura gradually climbed, becoming sharper, as if he were a Sky-through Immortal Sword. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

His blue robe billowed, his black hair danced wildly, and streaks of Sword Origin burst forth, like a Sword Immortal awakening.

Around him, the sounds of dragon roars and phoenix cries seemed to reverberate.

Immeasurable Fairy Light arose and azure mist spread everywhere. A majestic and sacred Azure Lotus phantom appeared behind him.

Eternal Azure Lotus!

The hundreds of Sword Pills let out jubilant sword cries, dashing towards Hong Yuan, revolving around the phantom of the Eternal Azure Lotus.

It wasn’t just them; all the Swords on the First Sword Peak, as if driven mad, rushed towards Hong Yuan.