The Galgame Martial Saint

Chapter 147: What Do You Mean, a Hehuan Sect Sword Domain?

Following the reminder from Hundred Bones Resonating, Gu Chengming refocused his attention on the panel of the so-called 【Divorce and Counterattack System】.

He stared at the mission reward column, his gaze lingering for a long time.

Is this something that should really appear in a proper game?

Gu Chengming complained in his heart.

He didn't know if the Unfettered Freedom Art was playing a prank or if the Little Terror Immortal had used this opportunity to send him a gift. Regardless, judging by the name alone, this thing probably wouldn't be very useful to him.

However, he did find a few pleasant surprises.

Namely, the affection value of the 《Unfettered Freedom Art》.

Previously, this Sixth Realm technique had been disguised as that old-fashioned 'Rebirth Revenge System.' Gu Chengming had assumed that under such a disguise, the technique hadn't even entered the affection cultivation stage. He hadn't expected it to be silently calculating affection points in the background.

If he wasn't mistaken, before the system crashed and reset just now, the affection level for this technique had quietly climbed into the forties.

The affection stage had unknowingly transitioned from 'Stranger' to 'Friendly.'So, the only question was... where was his reward for the stage transition?!

Gu Chengming stared at the rebranded 【Divorce and Counterattack System】 before him, quite speechless.

Based on past experience, whenever a technique's affection level broke through a stage boundary, it was inevitably accompanied by a reward of attribute points.

This technique, however, had used the system reset as an excuse to flat-out embezzle his stage reward.

He took a deep breath, forcing down the urge to complain. No matter how much this broken system withheld rewards, now was clearly not the time to argue about it. After all, Elder Yu was still waiting beside him.

He blinked, and the virtual panel in his vision faded. The dim light and shadows within the Cangjian Pavilion reclaimed his sight.

Elder Yu was clearly oblivious to what had just occurred.

From her perspective, Gu Chengming had simply reached out to touch the sword hilt and then stood there frozen, as if his soul had been plucked from his body for quite some time.

"Xiao Gu, are you alright? You looked like you'd lost your soul just now."

Seeing him finally move, Yu Wenqiu hurried forward a couple of steps, her tone laced with concern.

Gu Chengming waved his hand, indicating he was fine.

He pondered for a moment, trying to verify something with Elder Yu, and asked if she knew anything about the deeds of the Life-Defying Calamity-Slaying True Monarch from back then.

In response, Yu Wenqiu's face showed nothing but confusion.

Clearly, with Elder Yu's current Fourth Realm cultivation and status, she simply couldn't access that level of information.

Those shocking secrets regarding ancient calamities and the collapse of the laws of the Heavenly Dao had long been completely erased or sealed deep within the memories of a few great powers. They were not things an ordinary elder could know.

"If the Elder doesn't know, then forget it. When I touched this sword just now, a few fragmented and strange words flashed through my mind. It was likely just some residual obsession left in this ancient sword," Gu Chengming said, making up a casual excuse to gloss over it.

Yu Wenqiu looked him over carefully. Only after confirming his breath was steady and his spiritual energy was flowing normally did she let out a complete sigh of relief.

"The things deep within this Cangjian Pavilion are quite strange. Since we can't make sense of it, it's best to touch it less in the future. The grand competition is imminent; let's not create unnecessary trouble."

Gu Chengming smiled and agreed. The two of them then wandered around the Cangjian Pavilion for a bit longer. Yu Wenqiu performed her duty as a guide very diligently, bringing out several prized treasures and introducing them as if they were her own family heirlooms.

Unfortunately, Gu Chengming's standards were extremely high now. Ordinary Dharma Treasures simply couldn't catch his eye, so the two of them treated the walk as a casual stroll and chat.

As the sun began to set and the light in the Cangjian Pavilion grew dim, Gu Chengming finally took his leave.

Standing at the office door, Yu Wenqiu watched Gu Chengming's departing back. She raised her wrist to look at the monster core bracelet, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl upward.

"Hehe, I guess this counts as a date."

...

After parting with Yu Wenqiu, Gu Chengming took a leisurely stroll back to his small courtyard in the back mountains.

Just as he passed the mountain path, he saw a plain white figure squatting at his gate from a distance. It was clearly Su Qingmeng.

This Dao Child of the Daoning Gate was currently squatting on the stone steps by the gate without a shred of her usual image. She held a dry twig she had picked up from somewhere and was intently poking at the dirt on the ground, appearing to be... counting ants?

Gu Chengming stopped and watched the scene, his expression becoming quite subtle.

The current Su Qingmeng lacked even a trace of the cold, celestial atmosphere she had when they first met.

Gu Chengming sighed in his heart.

He suddenly realized that among the female cultivators he knew who held the title of 'cold goddess,' it seemed none of them could maintain that persona from beginning to end.

Was this the legendary fate of cold goddesses? Once they fell from their pedestals, would they rapidly gallop toward becoming comedy relief or pranksters?

Hearing footsteps, the twig in Su Qingmeng's hand stopped poking the dirt.

She looked up. The moment she saw Gu Chengming, her eyes lit up. She stood straight up with a 'whoosh,' not even bothering to brush the dust off her skirt.

"Daoist Gu!" Su Qingmeng's tone was full of anticipation. "Shall we practice the sword?"

Gu Chengming stepped forward. Looking at her eager expression, he asked with some confusion, "Daoist Su, how long have you been waiting at my door?"

Su Qingmeng laughed brightly and replied without a care, "I've been here since noon. I waited until now, and seeing the sky grow dark, I thought you might not return today."

Gu Chengming felt a subtle pang in his heart.

Waiting from noon until dusk? Then you were really unlucky. I probably left for the Cangjian Pavilion just as you arrived to start your stakeout.

He sighed and pulled a Sound Transmission Talisman from his robe, handing it to her.

"Daoist Su, if you want to find me for a spar in the future, there's no need to wait like this."

Gu Chengming pointed at the talisman. "If I happen to be down the mountain on business, wouldn't you be squatting here for days and nights? If there's something in the future, just use this to contact me."

Su Qingmeng took the talisman with both hands, turning it over several times to look at it.

"Daoist Gu, may I ask what this is?"

Gu Chengming was stunned. Only then did he realize that this Dao Child had lived in the Daoning Gate for years, rarely going out. Her daily life consisted of nothing but sword practice and meditation, leaving her almost completely isolated from the outside world.

She was completely ignorant of Sound Transmission Talismans, which were common among ordinary cultivators and even Outer Sect disciples. She hadn't even seen one.

Gu Chengming patiently gave her a brief explanation on how to use it, noting that she only needed to inject a bit of spiritual energy to transmit short messages across a distance.

After listening, Su Qingmeng's eyes grew even wider. She carefully tucked the talisman into her sleeve and gave Gu Chengming a solemn, respectful bow.

"Thank you for the gift, Daoist Gu. I like it very much."

Gu Chengming opened his mouth, wanting to say that these things could be bought in the sect's market by the handful for a few copper coins and didn't really count as a gift. But seeing how much she cherished it, he ultimately swallowed his words.

After putting away the talisman, Su Qingmeng spoke again.

"By the way, Daoist Gu. Recently, I feel the bottleneck in my cultivation loosening slightly, as if there is an opportunity for a breakthrough. That is why I came to find you for sword practice today. I hope you will grant me your guidance."

Gu Chengming looked up at the setting sun on the horizon. The afterglow had stained the bluestone floor of the courtyard orange-red.

This time was indeed a bit inappropriate; it would be dark soon.

But looking at her bright eyes and thinking about how she had sat at his door for an entire afternoon, Gu Chengming really couldn't bring himself to refuse.

"Fine. Since Daoist Su has such an interest, let us begin."

Gu Chengming nodded. With a flick of his wrist, his standard-issue long sword was already in his hand.

The two of them moved to the open space in the courtyard and stood facing each other.

Without needing words, Su Qingmeng's figure blurred, and her sword light arrived.

In this exchange, Gu Chengming immediately noticed a difference.

The entire process of sword practice was much more intense than any previous time.

Clang!

Their swords met. Gu Chengming's wrist shook slightly as he used her own momentum against her, the spine of his sword precisely striking the side of Su Qingmeng's blade.

Su Qingmeng couldn't withstand the clever force and tumbled backward, falling heavily onto the ground.

Gu Chengming was about to sheath his sword, but he saw Su Qingmeng didn't even pause. She rolled and scrambled back onto her feet.

"Again!"

She gripped her sword tightly and charged at Gu Chengming once more.

Clang!

She was knocked back again.

"Again!"

Get up, charge, get knocked back, get up again.

Su Qingmeng's forehead was already covered in fine beads of sweat, and a few strands of hair were stuck to her cheeks, making her look a bit disheveled.

Her breathing became rapid, and her hand holding the sword was even trembling slightly, but the gaze she directed at Gu Chengming grew brighter and brighter.

Gu Chengming calmly dismantled her moves while carefully observing her state.

He could clearly feel that Su Qingmeng was at a critical juncture.

In that case, he would give her a hand.

Gu Chengming stopped simply defending and counterattacking and began to actively guide her. Every one of his strikes hit the exact threshold where Su Qingmeng needed to explode, forcing her to constantly squeeze out every bit of potential within her body.

The sun sank completely, and night fell.

In the courtyard, only the sparks from the two swords constantly clashing flickered in the dark.

When Su Qingmeng was knocked back for the umpteenth time, to the point where she could barely grip her sword, Gu Chengming suddenly felt the atmosphere around them change.

The evening breeze stopped. The spiritual bamboo in the courtyard that had been swaying with the wind froze instantly.

More specifically, the temperament of Su Qingmeng's body underwent an earth-shaking transformation. Her original aura vanished, replaced by a sharp, tangible sense of pressure.

Gu Chengming's expression turned serious. He knew the moment had arrived.

"Strike!"

Gu Chengming shouted in a deep voice. His voice was like a twilight drum or a morning bell, snapping Su Qingmeng awake.

Su Qingmeng snapped her head up. She slowly raised the long sword in her hand, which was already somewhat notched, and directed a final, light-as-a-feather strike toward Gu Chengming.

It was incredibly fast.

No, it wasn't just speed; it was unavoidable.

Gu Chengming was slightly shocked. He thought this strike was a bit too absurd; it definitely wasn't something a cultivator at the early stage of the Third Realm should be able to perform. That sword intent had even approached, if not touched, the threshold of the Fourth Realm.

Facing this stunning strike, Gu Chengming did not retreat. He used his sword to take it head-on.

Zheng!

After delivering this strike, Su Qingmeng seemed to have all the strength drained from her body. Her legs went soft, and she toppled forward.

Gu Chengming reflexively retracted his left hand and stepped forward, catching her by the shoulder.

As her blood and qi returned to normal, she suddenly realized how terrifying the power of her strike had been.

"Daoist Gu! Are you hurt?!"

Su Qingmeng struggled, wanting to check Gu Chengming's left hand.

That strike had been delivered during her sudden insight, and she had no control over the force. Gu Chengming let go of her, steadied her, and then casually shook his left hand, showing her his open palm.

It was completely unharmed, without even a white mark left behind.

Su Qingmeng was dazed by the sight.

He had taken a strike comparable to a Fourth Realm sword cultivator just like that.

She stared blankly at Gu Chengming's unblemished hand, then at her own completely ruined long sword. She thought that Daoist Gu's strength was perhaps a bit too ridiculous.

Unaware that Su Qingmeng's thoughts were quite similar to his own just moments ago, Gu Chengming was filled with curiosity.

There was no doubt that the strike Su Qingmeng had just delivered far exceeded her current level.

And yet, it had nothing to do with spiritual power, the power of the moves, the strength of her body, or her Dharma Treasure. It was more like... a trait?

"Daoist Su," Gu Chengming couldn't help but ask, "how exactly did you manage that strike just now?"

Su Qingmeng finally managed to snap out of it. She steadied her breathing and answered frankly, "That is the prototype of the 'Dao Sword' technique passed down in the Daoning Gate."

She paused for a moment, seemingly organizing her words. "This technique is extremely difficult. One must break through their obsessions at the edge of life and death just to enter the gate. Once mastered, a single strike can spontaneously unfold a world that is isolated from the outside."

After thinking for a moment, she used a more accurate term to supplement her explanation.

"According to the records in the sect's ancient texts, perhaps it can also be called... a Sword Domain prototype?"

So why has another new setting popped up?

What on earth is a Sword Domain?

...

Well, although he wasn't clear on what a Sword Domain actually was.

Presumably, it was some kind of achievement in the field of sword dao, similar to sword intent?

As for why Su Qingmeng would comprehend this...

After all, the cultivation world never lacked peerless geniuses who broke all common sense, let alone the fact that she was the Dao Child of the Daoning Gate.

The two of them stood in the courtyard staring at each other for a moment. Su Qingmeng herself only had a half-baked understanding of this 'Sword Domain prototype' she had just touched. Other than being able to deliver that strike, she couldn't explain anything substantial.

Since the person involved was confused, Gu Chengming naturally had no reason to continue questioning her.

He bid Su Qingmeng farewell in a steady tone.

Su Qingmeng, holding her notched long sword and still immersed in the aftertaste of that strike, gave a serious bow in return and then left the back mountain courtyard with a light step.

Judging by her eager appearance, she clearly intended to enter seclusion immediately to completely digest the flash of inspiration she had just touched.

After watching Su Qingmeng leave, Gu Chengming turned and walked back into the house.

When in doubt, consult the ancient texts. This was a good habit Gu Chengming had always maintained.

In his mind, he replayed the data from when Su Qingmeng swung her sword.

There was no doubt that this so-called 'Sword Domain' should be a brand-new, independent multiplier zone, separate from the basic panel, technique levels, and move power.

Gu Chengming knew better than anyone what it meant to have an extra independent multiplier in the game's underlying logic.

Even if it was just a prototype, the resulting damage increase would grow exponentially.

For the current Gu Chengming, the temptation of this extra multiplier was truly staggering. If he could master it, even just touching the surface, his ultimate DPS check could be pushed significantly higher.

With this in mind, Gu Chengming didn't delay for a moment and immediately set out for the Wenjian Sect's Scripture Repository.

The ancient texts in the Scripture Repository were like a sea. Relying on his authority as an Inner Sect disciple, Gu Chengming went straight to the floor where high-level theoretical texts were kept.

After flipping through dozens of dust-covered jade slips and tattered animal skin scrolls, he finally pieced together a systematic introduction to 'Sword Domains.'

The records stated that Sword Domains shared the same source as sword intent, yet they were as different as clouds and mud.

Sword intent was a cultivator attaching their understanding of the sword to their moves, whereas a Sword Domain was purely about triggering a resonance with the laws of heaven and earth within the field of sword dao, thereby forcibly opening a domain around oneself. Those who possessed a Sword Domain were usually top-tier sword cultivators who had stepped into the Fifth Realm. In some extremely special cases, a perfected Sword Domain could even produce terrifying effects similar to a 'Dao Throne.'

Seeing the words 'Dao Throne,' Gu Chengming's gaze sharpened slightly.

He had personally witnessed the power of a Dao Throne in the Tianque Secret Realm; it was a rule-level power capable of overturning heaven and earth.

Relying solely on reading dead objects was, in the end, just theorizing on paper. Gu Chengming put the jade slip back in its place, turned to leave the Scripture Repository, and headed straight for the Main Peak hall.

When it came to knowledge of the sword dao and understanding of the sect's techniques, it was naturally best to consult Sect Master Shen Qianqiu.

...

Inside the Main Peak hall, Shen Qianqiu was sitting behind a large red sandalwood desk, reviewing the scrolls sent from various peaks.

Seeing Gu Chengming stride in, he put down his vermilion brush and gestured for Gu Chengming to take a seat with a warm expression.

"Chengming, the grand competition is imminent. Why are you not resting and preparing in the back mountains? What brings you to see this Sect Master?"

Gu Chengming bowed and directly explained his confusion and purpose.

Hearing the words 'Sword Domain,' Shen Qianqiu's hand holding the teacup paused slightly.

He looked at Gu Chengming with some confusion. He clearly hadn't expected this disciple—who, despite having extremely high sword dao talent, usually didn't like using proper sword techniques and preferred blasting people with his fists—to suddenly become interested in such a profound realm of sword dao.

Shen Qianqiu asked why he was interested in Sword Domains.

Gu Chengming answered truthfully, "Today, Daoist Su Qingmeng came to find me for a spar. At the final moment, she delivered a strike whose power far exceeded her current realm. She confessed that it was the Sword Domain prototype passed down in the Daoning Gate. I became curious, so I came to seek guidance."

Hearing this, Shen Qianqiu was a bit unsure of what to think.

In Shen Qianqiu's view, it was common for young people to be proud and competitive. Although Gu Chengming usually acted steadily, he was still a young man who hadn't even reached thirty.

Now that he had seen his peer, Su Qingmeng, display a high-level technique he hadn't mastered, he likely felt a sense of competitiveness and wanted to vie for superiority in this area as well.

Shen Qianqiu thought for a moment and felt it was necessary to properly comfort this treasure of the sect, lest he fall into a dead end due to temporary discouragement.

"Chengming, you don't need to feel discouraged because of this."

Shen Qianqiu spoke earnestly, comforting him, "The Dao Sword inheritance of the Daoning Gate is different from the inheritances of the other branches of our Wenjian Sect. It is a path to the heavens meticulously paved by generations of Daoning Gate predecessors specifically for their most talented disciples. It is a top-tier inheritance that leads directly to the Fifth Realm."

He paused to give Gu Chengming time to digest this information, then continued, "In other words, the fact that the girl Qingmeng could display a Sword Domain prototype is not because her understanding of the sword dao has far surpassed yours. It is because of the characteristics of her technique. When the Dao Sword inheritance is practiced to a specific stage, as long as the opportunity arrives, the technique will naturally guide her to comprehend the accompanying Sword Domain. This is a case of predecessors planting trees for the successors to enjoy the shade; it is not something that can be forced by personal talent alone."

Gu Chengming listened quietly to Shen Qianqiu's guidance, finding it quite amusing in his heart.

Realizing the Sect Master had completely misunderstood, he explained, "The Sect Master has misunderstood. I mentioned this not because I felt competitive or wanted to compare myself to Daoist Su. I am simply curious about the principles behind an innovative achievement like a Sword Domain, which exists independently of conventional cultivation."

Seeing Gu Chengming's clear gaze and hearing that his tone was definitely not one of stubbornness, Shen Qianqiu finally let out a long sigh of relief.

"So that's how it is. It's fine if it's just curiosity."

Shen Qianqiu stroked the beard on his chin.

"This Sword Domain is mysterious and profound. Comprehending it depends too much on personal destiny and the opportunities of heaven and earth. In the cultivation world, there are many senior sword cultivators who remain in the Fifth Realm for their entire lives without ever unlocking their own Sword Domain before their lifespan ends. Your realm is still low. If you waste your precious time on this, it would instead hinder your own cultivation progress. That would be unwise."

But then he became a bit troubled. He hadn't even unlocked a Sword Domain himself, so how was he supposed to explain the relevant knowledge to this child?

"Let me explain it to Xiao Gu."

A clear voice with a hint of laughter came from outside the hall.

Before the voice had even faded, Elder Han Zhe, dressed in green robes, stepped into the hall with a calm pace.

Han Zhe gave a slight nod to Shen Qianqiu and then walked over to Gu Chengming's side.

He looked at Gu Chengming and shook his head with a smile, though he was secretly sighing in his heart.

The reason the previous Sect Master and the many senior elders who left with him had chosen Shen Qianqiu to be the Sect Master was precisely because they valued his steadiness and reliability.

In reality, Shen Qianqiu's talent was not outstanding; it could only be considered mid-to-low level.

He was fine as a Sect Master, but when it came to teaching a disciple with such overwhelming talent as Gu Chengming, he was a bit out of his depth.

"Come with me, Xiao Gu."

Han Zhe composed his thoughts and turned to walk out of the hall. "A Sword Domain is something that cannot be explained clearly with words. Once you see it with your own eyes, you will naturally understand its depth."

After bidding farewell to Shen Qianqiu, Gu Chengming immediately followed Han Zhe.

The two didn't go far, arriving at an extremely spacious cliff platform on the back mountain of the Main Peak.

The sea of clouds churned here, and the astral winds were biting; it was an excellent place for martial demonstrations.

Han Zhe stood with his hands behind his back at the edge of the cliff, letting the gale blow against his green robes.

"Watch closely."

Han Zhe's tone was flat. He made no extra movements and did not mobilize the massive spiritual energy within his body.

He simply stood there quietly, his eyes slightly closed, then suddenly snapped them open.

In an instant, the world before Gu Chengming's eyes completely changed.

The originally howling astral winds stopped instantly, and the churning sea of clouds froze as if turned to ice.

Gu Chengming felt an indescribable sense of pressure sweeping in from all directions. He looked up and saw that the space within a thirty-foot radius of Han Zhe was already shrouded in a pure green light. Within this green area, there was no wind, no clouds, and even gravity seemed to have lost its effect.

Standing at the edge of this Sword Domain, Gu Chengming even found his breathing becoming sluggish.

He had no doubt that with a single thought from Han Zhe, every living thing within this space would be strangled in an instant.

This was the Sword Domain of a Fifth Realm sword cultivator.

Gu Chengming stared intently at those suspended sword qis. Relying on his extraordinary divine sense and the keen perception granted by the 《Unfettered Freedom Art》, he vaguely captured some key nodes.

He saw that those sword qis were not generated out of thin air; rather, the spiritual energy within Han Zhe's body had resonated with the surrounding environment and was then given form by some powerful personal will. But this feeling was too hazy, and he couldn't quite grasp the essentials.

Seeing that the demonstration was sufficient, Han Zhe withdrew his aura.

The green light vanished, the astral winds began to howl again, and the sea of clouds churned once more.

"Well?" Han Zhe turned around and looked at the pensive Gu Chengming.

Gu Chengming answered truthfully, "It was extremely shocking. I vaguely saw the resonance between spiritual energy and the outside world, but I cannot fathom the thing that dominates it all."

Han Zhe nodded in appreciation.

"It is normal that you cannot see through it, because you have not yet found your own 'core.'"

Han Zhe began to explain patiently, "In the construction of a Sword Domain, whether spiritual energy is abundant is merely the foundation, and whether sword moves are exquisite is merely the surface. Its true principle is the manifestation of a person's own 'traits.'"

Han Zhe pointed to his own chest.

"These traits are the dao you have upheld for half your life of cultivation. The reason the Daoning Gate's techniques can lead directly to a Sword Domain is that they have been continuously strengthening their traits since they entered the gate. When a trait is polished to the extreme, one can project their internal will into external reality, transforming it into a Sword Domain."

"If you try to imitate another's Sword Domain, you are putting the cart before the horse. You must find the most prominent aspect of your own sword dao, magnify it infinitely, and use it to infect the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

Gu Chengming stood where he was, repeatedly chewing over Han Zhe's words in his mind.

Manifestation of traits, projection of will.

The principle sounded profound, but if translated into game terminology, wasn't it just forcibly transforming one's passive skill effect into a large-scale field aura?

Once he cleared up this layer of logic, Gu Chengming suddenly felt enlightened.

He gave Han Zhe a deep, solemn bow.

"Thank you, Elder Han, for teaching me everything without reservation. I have learned much."

Han Zhe laughed and waved his hand. "Go. The path of cultivation must ultimately be walked by oneself. There is no need to rush for success regarding the Sword Domain; accumulating and settling is the best strategy."

If an ordinary cultivator heard such heartfelt advice from a Fifth Realm powerhouse, they would certainly treat it as a golden rule and go back to meditate and practice their sword, slowly polishing their sword dao traits over the years. But Gu Chengming was clearly not among them.

...

After bidding farewell to Elder Han Zhe, Gu Chengming returned to his small courtyard at the Huiyuan Gate with a light step.

Closing the courtyard gate, Gu Chengming sat cross-legged on his bed. His mind constantly replayed the scenes of Han Zhe unfolding his Sword Domain and the principles he had mentioned.

Manifesting traits...

In a situation where a trait hasn't been established, could the 《Unfettered Freedom Art》 be used to simulate one?

Regardless, he had to try.

Having made up his mind, Gu Chengming closed his eyes and began to circulate the spiritual energy in his body.

He decided to start by trying the 《Huiyuan Sword Manual》, which he was most familiar with.

The core sword intent of the 《Huiyuan Sword Manual》 was the word 'Entanglement,' and its trait lay in being continuous and following like a shadow. Gu Chengming mobilized the 《Unfettered Freedom Art》, attempting to infinitely magnify this 'Entanglement' trait and project it outward.

The air around him began to distort slightly, and his spiritual energy spread outward like countless invisible threads.

However, at the very moment these threads were about to weave into a net and form a domain.

With a soft 'pop,' all the spiritual energy threads snapped like over-tightened lute strings, and the distorted air returned to calm.

He failed.

Gu Chengming opened his eyes, his brow furrowing slightly.

He carefully reviewed the process just now. There was no problem with the spiritual energy output, and the simulation by the 《Unfettered Freedom Art》 was also perfect. The reason for the failure lay in the final fusion stage.

Was it because his original temperament was not compatible with the traits of the 《Huiyuan Sword Manual》?

Gu Chengming was thoughtful. Although he had practiced the 《Huiyuan Sword Manual》 to an extremely high level and even unlocked the Bond of Love, his fundamental fighting style was to break through cleverness with power.

Having him dominate an 'Entanglement' Sword Domain did indeed create a conflict to some extent.

Gu Chengming quickly adjusted his thinking and turned his attention to the 《Hundred Bones Resonating》 within him.

In that case, what if he tried to manifest the will of Emperor Bai?

He circulated the 《Unfettered Freedom Art》 again, and the result was even more disastrous. As soon as he began the simulation, Gu Chengming felt his blood and qi churning. The surging battle intent could not be spread outward as steadily as spiritual energy; instead, it was ignited directly within his body, forcing him to immediately cut off the spiritual energy flow and forcefully swallow a mouthful of blood that had surged to his throat.

"Pure body cultivation techniques are clearly not suitable for constructing a Sword Domain." Gu Chengming was a bit puzzled.

He tried many techniques in succession, including the 《Qingxin Art》, 《Red Dust Phantom Step》, and 《Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art》.

Either the traits were too hidden to form a tangible pressure, or the traits were too rigid and lacked fluid change, always failing to take the final step.

Simulations of various traits rose and fell within the small courtyard, but without exception, they all ended in failure.

Gu Chengming sat on the bed, feeling a bit frustrated.

Did he really have to let nature take its course and wait until he reached the Fifth Realm to comprehend it?

Finally, he turned his attempt toward the 《Yin Yang Creation Strategy》.

This time, the spiritual energy did not collapse, nor did it explode within his body.

A circle of pink ripples visible to the naked eye rippled through the air, centered on Gu Chengming, and instantly spread outward for about ten feet.

Within this ten-foot radius, the light became soft and ambiguous, and the wild, drifting spiritual energy around him was forcibly soothed and transformed into extremely gentle and pure Kan and Li Energies.

Although this pink domain only lasted for less than two breaths.

There was no doubt that in that brief moment, Gu Chengming had indeed unfolded a Sword Domain prototype for a split second.

Gu Chengming sat blankly on his bed, looking at the air that had already returned to normal, his expression becoming subtle.

What do you mean, a Hehuan Sect Sword Domain?