At this moment, Edward Carter had forgotten his convictions; he was completely immersed in this cultivation, until the broken silver-gray iron sword, under the blazing red sun, occasionally reflected a flickering red sword light that flashed into his eyes, suddenly awakening him.

At that moment, streams of energy within his body surged like flowing water, roaring as they passed. The meridians, opened up by the ‘Void-Breaking Inner Force’ and the ‘Nine Yin Nine Yang Heart Sutra’, now coursed with clusters of sword energy, each like a tiny silver sword.

When he regained his clarity, he sensed this very scene.

In an instant, a look of astonishment appeared on his cold and resolute face—an expression of joy, shock, and disbelief.

“Sword energy… Sword energy within my body—this is the sign of having reached the Sword Qi realm! But right now, I’m only at the first level of Sword Initiation… How could all this…”

Edward Carter took a deep breath, striving to steady his slightly trembling heart, forcing himself to calm down.

In the path of the sword, there are three realms: Swordsman, Sword Initiation, and Sword Qi. Only after reaching the Sword Qi realm does one qualify to learn and access the realms beyond!

Yet in a single night, he seemed to have qualified to step into the Sword Qi realm!

This was an unimaginable excitement. From the Sword Initiation realm to the Sword Qi realm, there was still a gap of three levels. But to cross from the third level of Sword Initiation to the first level of Sword Qi, that chasm was as vast as an abyss.

In Canglan City, countless prodigies had been stopped at this very threshold!

This level of difficulty was something that once, for a rather mediocre family descendant like Edward Carter, was unimaginable. Yet now, the embryonic form of sword energy had already appeared within him—how could he not be overjoyed?

Understanding this, even with Edward Carter’s partially masterful temperament, he couldn’t help but feel his heart race.

In this world of sword cultivation, the two most important things for a cultivator are: first, physical constitution, also known as innate talent; and second, perception, or comprehension.

Back when he was tested, his innate talent was extremely poor, but his perception was astonishing, far beyond what ordinary people could imagine!

As a result, even though his mother’s ‘status was low’ and she was a ‘mysterious’ courtesan, he still held a place as a core direct descendant of the family.

But, time and again, his performance disappointed his grandfather. Whenever his grandfather looked at him with sadness and disappointment, it felt like a knife twisting in his heart, filling him with shame.

Now, after cleansing his body and marrow, his innate talent could be imagined as incomparably strong, and his perception, as if freed from the shackles of his body, had become even more extraordinary!

He was no longer the grandson who disappointed his grandfather! No longer the one who embarrassed his father, or the so-called ‘genius’ who was looked at with strange and mocking eyes by those around him!

He would never again let his grandfather show such disappointment! Never again see those pained, sorrowful looks in his grandfather’s and father’s eyes!

He would become a true genius—a peerless prodigy who would shock everyone!

Edward Carter sheathed the broken sword, slinging it at his waist, and stepped forward into the morning sun.

Bathed in the radiance of dawn, he seemed to walk out from ancient times, heading toward the immortality of the sword path!

……

“Edward Carter, do you know that you’re already late? The family head grandfather already knows about you pushing your own limits! Do you realize you’ve become the family’s example of disobedience? You’ve already been singled out and criticized by the Transmission Elder!”

Before he even reached the training grounds, Edward Carter heard a somewhat sharp and slightly hoarse voice.

It was the voice of a young boy in the midst of puberty.

He was Edward Carter’s younger cousin, Henry Carter. Henry Carter had excellent physical qualities and comprehension, but was once outshone by Edward Carter. Back then, he would humbly seek advice from Edward Carter, but once he found Edward Carter to be rather ‘dull’, his attitude changed.

Now, he even considered himself stronger than Edward Carter, and was unwilling to call him ‘senior brother’ or even ‘cousin’!

Not only that, he regarded Edward Carter as his own disgrace, never deigning to compare himself to him, believing it would be an insult!

Chapter 003: The Sentimental Sword Path, The Lifeless Sword Path

“Is the name ‘Edward Carter’ something you can just call as you please?”

Edward Carter’s gaze was as sharp as a sword. When he stared at Henry Carter, there was a natural, invisible authority.

He was not so magnanimous as to let things slide. Now that he had the ability, he no longer wanted to endure the days of being trampled underfoot.

Facing this piercing gaze, Henry Carter couldn’t help but feel a vague sense of fear. His eyes flickered, avoiding the sharp edge of Edward Carter’s stare.

He vaguely sensed that Edward Carter was on the verge of erupting, or perhaps, after pushing his own limits and still failing to break through, he had become hysterical?

In any case, since he hadn’t attended this morning’s training at the grounds, he had already angered the awe-inspiring Transmission Elder, so he shouldn’t expect any good days ahead!

For such a useless person, why should a genius like himself even bother?