Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts-Chapter 268 - Sword Domain.

Xia He pinched the pill between his fingers and swallowed it.

The moment it entered his stomach, it rapidly dissolved.

His body began to swell uncontrollably, bulging grotesquely in different spots, as if something inside him was struggling to burst out. His flesh twisted and expanded like a writhing mass of meat, making for an utterly disgusting spectacle.

Xia He’s eyes turned blood-red. He clawed at his own body, his gaze icy and filled with madness.

“Boom... boom... boom...!”

His heartbeat grew louder and stronger, until even the entire sky echoed with its rhythm.

Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo recognized this as an opportunity.

Xia He was in the middle of digesting the pill—this was his weakest moment.

Without hesitation, the two of them cut down the monstrous birds in their path and charged straight for Xia He.

The deeper Xu Ming fought his way forward, the more he entered a state of absolute focus.

Ever since stepping into the Jade Purity Realm, Xu Ming had started seeing a completely different world.

Unlike his time in the Sea Observation Realm, he now felt as if he could perceive the very essence of reality—as if he could see the laws governing this world themselves.

He had become highly attuned to the aura of the Dao, able to clearly observe the flow of fate itself weaving through the air.

And he had an overwhelming sense that if he took one step further, he could seize control of these laws.

The temptation to do so was immense—like a battle-hardened warrior, having endured ten years of abstinence, suddenly finding himself in the presence of a breathtaking beauty, stepping out of a bathing pool, her body draped in nothing but a thin silk robe, beckoning him with a single finger.

For the first time, Xu Ming began to understand.

Why was Xia He so obsessed with breaking through?

Why did he abandon all morality, forsake every principle, and cast aside his very humanity?

Because this realm—this supreme power—was something no cultivator could truly resist.

Some chose to maintain their integrity.

Others, like Xia He, discarded all limits.

Xu Ming gradually entered a state of enlightenment, contemplating all that the Jade Purity Realm had revealed to him.

It was like standing at mid-mountain, only to suddenly find himself at the summit, gazing down upon the world from above.

Even if he hadn’t climbed the mountain himself, but had instead been carried to the top, the view remained the same.

Regardless, his perspective had expanded.

His understanding of the Dao had deepened.

And deep within him, he sensed a sword—a sword with no physical form.

Yet, despite its intangible nature, this sword kept calling to him, urging him to draw it forth.

“HAAAH!!!”

Xia He let out a furious roar, unleashing a shockwave of spiritual energy that exploded outward like a storm.

Every cultivator charging toward him was blown away, sent crashing through the air.

He had fully absorbed the Tianxuan Sect’s fortune.

His spiritual energy surged to unprecedented levels, his aura soaring as if he had stepped into the highest realm of existence.

“Do not fear! He has not yet reached the Ascension Realm!”

At that moment, a Nascent Soul Realm elder from the Wanjian Sect spoke up.

He had witnessed true Ascension Realm cultivators before.

Though Xia He’s aura seemed to be on the verge of that power, he was still a step short.

And sometimes, being one step short was the same as being a world apart.

Xia He knew this as well.

He had entered an awkward state, stuck between the Immortal Realm and the Ascension Realm—neither fully one nor the other.

But he didn’t care.

Even if this was just a “False Ascension Realm”, it was enough.

Once he killed everyone here, he would have all the time he needed to finish absorbing the Tianxuan Sect’s fortune—and then, he would truly ascend.

Xia He stepped forward, his foot shattering the very void beneath him.

Xia He transformed into a streak of light, rushing straight toward the Tianxuan Mirror.

“Senior Sister, I really don’t want to hurt you,” Xia He sighed.

He struck out with his palm, a golden force crashing down like a colossal mountain.

Wang Xuan’s aura was completely locked in place—there was nowhere to dodge.

Frowning slightly, Wang Xuan met his attack head-on, launching a palm strike of her own.

Boom!

Two golden hand-shaped manifestations collided, their impact tearing at space itself.

The resulting shockwave instantly knocked out all cultivators below the Cave Mansion Realm within the sect.

But Wang Xuan was not Xia He’s equal.

Her golden palm shattered completely under the overwhelming force.

As Xia He’s golden palm came crashing toward her, her expression remained calm.

Neon Cloud Butterfly glanced in her direction, wanting to rush to her aid, but she held back, remembering Wang Xuan’s command—her duty was to escort the Tianxuan Mirror to Sanshi Peak.

At that moment, as Wang Xuan prepared to accept her fate, a youth stepped in front of her.

He was no more than sixteen or seventeen, wielding nothing but a common second-grade magic sword.

His cultivation was lower than hers.

And yet, the moment he stood before her, she felt a strange sense of security.

For a moment, she even found it laughable that someone so young and unassuming could make her feel safe.

“Don’t throw your life away,” Wang Xuan said.

Xu Ming tightened his grip on his sword.

“Let me try.”

Hummmm—

A deep sword hum resonated.

The sword wind billowed against Xu Ming’s blue robes, making them flutter wildly.

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The massive golden palm descended rapidly, but at the same time, Xu Ming’s sword aura and intent soared higher and higher.

Wang Xuan, who had intended to urge him to retreat, closed her mouth instead, her gaze flickering with realization.

A thought surfaced in her mind—

“Could it be...?”

And indeed, her guess was correct.

Countless streaks of sword energy surged like a school of fish diving into the sea, merging into Xu Ming’s longsword.

Around him, his sword intent began to materialize—

And the manifestation of sword intent was none other than—Sword Domain!

“Wu Kingdom truly is extraordinary, producing so many geniuses,” Wang Xuan thought, deeply moved.

She knew that Xu Ming had used an external force to forcefully enter the Jade Purity Realm.

Normally, being carried to the peak was nothing like climbing it yourself.

But Xu Ming—

Even though he had only stood atop the peak for a fleeting moment, he had glimpsed its true essence.

And now, despite still being at the Sea Observation Realm, he was on the verge of forming his own Sword Domain.

“Hummm... Hummm... Hummm...!”

Xu Ming’s longsword trembled ceaselessly, absorbing all his sword energy.

The blade in his hands turned a dazzling white—

Not the white of the mundane world.

Not the white of the heavens’ snow.

But a color that had never been seen before—

Yet, one could only describe it as white.

If this color needed a name, Wang Xuan thought—

It should be called “Sword White.”

Even as an Immortal Realm cultivator, Wang Xuan did not dare to look at it directly.

The sheer sharpness of the sword aura made her feel as if it could pierce her very eyes.

Yet she forced herself to endure the pain—

And watched in awe as Xu Ming’s blade grew so sharp it cut through the very void itself.

Xu Ming lifted his gaze—

And with a casual motion, he swung his sword.