The moment the thought sparked in Zong Shou's mind, that blood-red sword weapon shot out from his sleeve, hovering before him.

However, at this point, it had returned to tranquility.

The sound of the sword's cry had also ceased.

Was the sword spirit of this nameless sword issuing a warning? But what warning could there be? It was truly baffling— Zong Shou impatiently tapped the sword body, intending to inquire.

But the nameless sword merely let out a soft 'hmmph' and fell silent again.

This left Zong Shou completely bewildered.

Recalling carefully, the intent transmitted by the sword spirit at that time was 'anger.' It must have been anger, just as if a child’s favorite toy had been snatched away.

But for what reason, Zong Shou could not know.

It was true that he shared a spiritual connection with the nameless sword, but it hadn't reached the level where he could decipher such a complex intention.

Next came 'disdain,' a look of utter contempt for something.

The sword spirit felt it had been slighted, defiled.

Finally, there was petulance mixed with lethargy, as if saying, 'I'll go with you all; I can’t be bothered to care anymore.' But who were these 'you all,' and what was there to care about? Zong Shou was again left in the dark. "This sword is actually throwing a tantrum—" Zong Shou was caught between laughter and tears, thinking he hadn't done anything to provoke this thing.

Was it the item in his hand? Unlikely.

Besides, the spirit of the nameless sword had always been relatively well-behaved, never bothering him.

Puzzled beyond measure, Zong Shou could only set the doubt aside for the moment.

Thinking it wasn't a major issue, the immediate priority was actually to comprehend and perfect the military doctrine from this fragment of the Supreme Demon Slaying Record! This time, obtaining Lu Tianqing's (relics), the low- and mid-grade Immortal Stones alone amounted to a staggering three thousand pieces.

The wealth Zong Shou had exhausted because of Lin Xuanshuang was instantly replenished.

It was perfect timing for this purpose.

By using the Zhou Shu acceleration, he could quickly convert the over one hundred Immortal Cultivators on this jade disk into strength under his command.

However, Zong Shou was distracted once more.

This time, it was because the dragon-shaped talisman mark on his right arm was emitting a faint warmth.

Stunned for a moment, Zong Shou erupted in boundless joy, rising abruptly! "It's Ao Kun.

His injuries have fully healed, and he is rushing over here!" Zong Shou only kept his movements secret from two individuals.

One was Long Ying, and the other was Ao Kun.

The mark's sensing indicated that Ao Kun was now less than two hundred worlds away and rapidly converging on him.

In addition, there was another person accompanying him.

This was the best news possible, arriving just when he might have to confront the Tianfang Cultivation Society and the Nine Capitals Immortal Court head-on.

With Ao Kun's assistance, he would have no remaining worries, and the comprehension and perfection of the Supreme Demon Slaying Record fragment, relying solely on him and Ye Xuan, might not be perfectly executed.

But if one or two Saint Realm experts joined them, the situation would be entirely different. "Ao Kun?" Lu Wubing's eyebrows shot up.

Then, a strange light flickered in his eyes as well.

He had heard of this person—a name that resonated like thunder— "Is he the Sovereign's sworn brother? The one recently reputed to be the only one capable of injuring a Great Perfection Saint Venerable? If so, the peril facing the Primordial Lotus World can surely be resolved instantly." Ye Xuan, who had been blank and indifferent, suddenly straightened his back, his eyes sharpening when Lu Wubing finished speaking.

The only one capable of injuring a Great Perfection Saint Venerable? After decades confined within the Nine Absolutes Death Prison, such an outstanding figure had emerged in the world? Zong Shou, having excitedly finished speaking, realized the other two might not know.

Hearing their reactions, he couldn't help but laugh wryly. "He couldn't before; as for now, I truly don't know!" They hadn't seen each other for years, so Zong Shou was unsure how Ao Kun's fortunes had turned or what level his strength had grown to— The Dragon Devouring Secret Art? Zong Shou narrowed his eyes slightly; the rapid cultivation technique that fellow practiced always left him uneasy.

※※※※ The meeting took place three days later.

Ao Kun, with his Saint Realm cultivation, traversed the void much faster than Zong Shou's Demon-Repelling Divine Shuttle.

However, the latter, after being fitted with those new components, now possessed additional functions.

It only required setting a destination and establishing a rough flight path; the shuttle could travel at maximum speed on its own, requiring no manipulation.

Zong Shou sighed, finding it astonishing that features like 'autopilot' and 'intelligence,' which he thought only appeared on large voidships millennia later, had already been realized ten thousand years in the past.

During the three-day journey on the shuttle, Zong Shou used the Zhou Shu to accelerate the time experienced to about thirty days.

With a Divine Realm cultivator by his side now, the Immortal Stones consumed by the Zhou Shu increased tenfold! But it was still worth the price.

Ye Xuan had indeed immersed himself deeply in this fragment of the Supreme Demon Slaying Record.

According to this ultimate swordsman, he had spent decades in the Death Prison relying solely on this to pass the time.

He practically provided the complete version, including the cultivation technique for the Dao Soldier and the entire sword array.

In those forty days, Zong Shou only needed to borrow content from the Celestial Grade Dao Soldier technique created by Xi Zi of the Common Folk Dao—the 'Origin Sea Spirit Transmutation Method'—to supplement and continue refining it.

Dao Soldiers of most major cultivation sects, apart from those forcibly conscripted, were usually individuals with no hope of further advancement who chose this unorthodox path.

For example, the Earth Grade Dao Soldier 'True Martial Swordsman' in the Dao Spirit Vault Realm were Ninth Stage cultivators who couldn't pass their tribulation and, after cultivating the Daoist True Martial Divine Firmament Art, entered the Spirit Realm.

In essence, this was also a shortcut, incomplete.

It wasn't impossible to advance further, but achieving truly complete Spirit Realm divine abilities was impossible, and the gap between them and normal cultivators would widen increasingly.

Only those whose every hope was extinguished would choose this path.

Only Xi Zi’s Origin Sea Spirit Transmutation Method was somewhat different.

After all, it was created by a half-step True Man; the combat power of the 'Origin Sea Common Folk Soldier' was not outstanding among the Dao Soldiers of various teachings, merely mid-tier.

Yet, it allowed the Dao Soldiers to continuously nurture their own soul origin qi sea, making the transformation into true spirits easier.

With perseverance, there was hope of returning to the orthodox path.

As far as Zong Shou knew, within the Common Folk Dao, there were at least three Divine Realm experts who had progressed to this level starting as low-grade Dao Soldiers.

Integrating the strengths of this technique into the Supreme Demon Slaying Record should prove mutually beneficial.

As for the Lu family's Nine Flame Soldier Burning Art, it was best to forget it.

Although slightly superior to the Early Qin's methods, it too was obsessed with squeezing out every last bit of potential from its Dao Soldiers.

It simultaneously increased the Dao Soldiers' combat power and extended their lifespan so they could be used longer.

Perhaps due to innate nature, or possibly influenced by concepts from a 'past life,' Zong Shou, unless facing a mortal enemy, always preferred to leave a sliver of room for maneuver when acting.

His thinking was simple: since these people served him, he was responsible for them in turn.

It could not be purely extraction without contribution.

At this stage, only some crucial aspects of the Dao Soldier combined attack formation still contained inherent flaws. "The cultivation technique is nearly ninety-nine percent complete.

The sword array's general application is manageable.

The remainder, however, still requires Ao Kun's assistance—" Standing at the bow of the Demon-Repelling Divine Shuttle, waiting quietly, Zong Shou's mind was still filled with patterns and the evolving cultivation scriptures.

But moments later, a hint of helplessness crossed Zong Shou's face.

Ninety-nine percent; it sounded close to perfection.

Yet, it was precisely this last fraction that was the most critical.

In Dao Soldier combat, even a single unexpected flaw could mean death; caution was paramount.

However, constrained by their own realms, he and Ye Xuan could not improve it further.

They could only await Ao Kun, and the other, rumored to be a half-step Great Perfection expert, Ao Yi.

Thinking of this, Zong Shou's blood pupils flashed, illuminating the void.

This was one of the abilities of his so-called World-Burning Pupils, developed after his bloodline mutation.

One of his pupil divine abilities was illusion; the second was the Command of the World-Burning Word; the third was the distortion of objects and all laws of time and space; the fourth was the control of all lightning within sight; the fifth was the mastery of all water-attribute spiritual energy within sight, allowing for the transformation of water and fire divine abilities.

Beyond these, there were other capabilities.

And Void Scrying was one of its derivative divine abilities.

It allowed perception of all voids within five worlds around him.

This greatly benefited his Star Dao Seed's spatial translocation ability.

Over the thirty days, besides studying the Supreme Demon Slaying Record, Zong Shou also worked to familiarize himself with and master this newly acquired pupil technique.

The results were not numerous; he only managed to ensure that when looking at something, he wouldn't accidentally burn, corrode, smash, or simply twist it into dust. "They're here!" Zong Shou's gaze brightened; he finally located Ao Kun's trace two worlds away.

He smiled immediately and retracted his blood pupils.

Then, in just a short moment, Ao Kun's figure appeared before him.

He wore the same nonchalant expression as a few years prior, seemingly unconcerned with anything.

But upon seeing Ao Kun's somewhat sunken eyes, Zong Shou's heart tightened.

For that woman, was it worth it? Then he heard Ao Kun laugh loudly, "I'm not blind!" He strode onto the vessel, sweeping his gaze over the three people and one 'eye' here.

His divine sense paused slightly when it passed over Ye Xuan before moving away.

Zong Shou shook his head internally; not blind? But for someone like Ao Kun, it was ultimately somewhat inconvenient.

However, these words were awkward to speak, so he instead bowed to the white-clothed woman who had followed Ao Kun. "Zong Shou pays respects to Sister-in-Law!" Ao Yi was slightly taken aback, then smiled faintly.

Although she didn't reply, she made no verbal objection either.

When her gaze fell upon Zong Shou, it was exceedingly gentle and affectionate.

Ao Kun's frame visibly stiffened, then he coughed slightly with slight awkwardness, saying, "Before I came looking for you, the Nine Capitals Immortal Court was already preparing to move against the foundation of your Primordial Lotus World.

Ruoshui couldn't reach you, so she had no choice but to inform me—" Zong Shou raised an eyebrow, then sneered coldly, "They are courting death!" Ao Kun said nothing, seeming to concur wholeheartedly.

Zong Shou then turned to ask, "Were there any hindrances from the Dao Sect or the Spatial Dragon Clan?" Ao Kun let out a light laugh at the question. "Now that my injuries are healed, it is their good fortune that I didn't go looking for them.

How would those jumping clowns dare to cause me trouble?" His words brimmed with absolute confidence.

Zong Shou didn't find him arrogant.

Since the method of existence could threaten the Great Perfection Realm, how could Ao Kun possibly regard ordinary Saint Realm powerhouses as a threat? Moreover, Ao Yi was by his side.

The two of them combined could sweep through every Saint Realm expert in the entire Nine Capitals Immortal Court.

(To be continued...)