Han Rao’s drop was worth far more than imagination could encompass.

What is sword intent?

Sword intent is a type of artistic conception, an extremely profound form of power that exists on the spiritual level.

After cultivators shatter the Golden Core and form a Nascent Soul, they gradually shift from cultivating tangible things to cultivating intangible things.

And artistic conception is precisely one of the main focuses of cultivation.

Artistic conception is divided into nine ranks, with the first rank being the lowest and the ninth rank being the highest.

Only after comprehending artistic conception to a certain level do Nascent Soul–stage cultivators have a chance to cause their Nascent Soul to undergo a transformation and become a powerful Primordial Spirit.

Most cultivators only gradually come into contact with the realm of artistic conception after breaking through to the Golden Core stage or even the Nascent Soul stage, when their spiritual power increases dramatically.

Of course, throughout history, the cultivation world has never lacked peerless geniuses.

Some prodigies are able to comprehend sword intent as early as the Foundation Establishment stage.

Such cases are not nonexistent, merely extremely rare.

Once such a genius appears, they will inevitably become a prized target fought over by all major forces.

This is because anyone who comprehends sword intent at the Foundation Establishment stage is invariably extraordinarily gifted, with comprehension far surpassing ordinary people.

As long as such a person’s foundation is not too poor, shattering the Golden Core and forming a Nascent Soul is almost guaranteed.

With a bit of fortuitous opportunity, even breaking through realms and entering the Spirit Transformation stage is not impossible.

Their future is limitless.

Among all forms of artistic conception, sword intent ranks at the very top in terms of lethality.

And among the many sword dao conceptions, Hao Ran Sword Intent is likewise ranked near the top in both power and potential.

Among cultivators of the same realm, those who have condensed Hao Ran Sword Intent are almost unstoppable.

Let alone when it is the highest-ranked Ninth-Rank Hao Ran Sword Intent.

Yan Chixiao’s ability to earn the title of Hao Ran Sword Saint owes greatly to his Ninth-Rank Hao Ran Sword Intent.

Once Ninth-Rank Hao Ran Sword Intent is unleashed, ninety-nine percent of sword cultivators under heaven will pale in comparison before Yan Chixiao.

This is a supreme artistic conception.

‘Your sword intent is strong, but now it is mine.’

Li Hanguang revealed an expectant expression.

‘Ninth-rank sword intent… I wonder just how extraordinary it is.’

Before the Bronze Seal recognized him as its master, he himself had been a sword cultivation prodigy.

Under the guidance of the Vast Sea Sword Venerable, he cultivated Long River Sword Qi and comprehended Long River Sword Intent at the age of ten.

Of course, it was merely the weakest First-Rank sword intent.

First-rank sword intent is also known as a “sword intent prototype,” barely touching the threshold of artistic conception.

Yet even this sword intent prototype had already allowed Li Hanguang to dominate invincibly, crushing all peers within Taicang Prefecture without equal.

Now that he had obtained Ninth-Rank Hao Ran Sword Intent, Li Hanguang could not even imagine how powerful he would become.

‘Fuse!!!’

As he silently invoked fusion, that small light sphere merged into Li Hanguang’s body.

In the next instant, he slowly closed his eyes.

An aura of ultimate rigidity, ultimate yang, ultimate vastness, ultimate hardness, and ultimate strength filled heaven and earth.

Clang~

The sword qi within Li Hanguang’s body could not help but resound, as if countless tangible divine swords were clashing loudly with one another.

Stimulated by Hao Ran Sword Intent, the Five-Elements Sword Qi was activated once more.

This time, the power of the released sword qi was more than ten times greater than the previous eruption.

The wooden hut that had already been reduced to ruins was completely pulverized into dust under the ravaging of this brand-new sword intent and sword qi, dispersing into the wind.

Behind Li Hanguang, a sword-intent river over a thousand zhang in length manifested.

The surging waters roared onward.

The mighty Yangtze washes away all heroes.

This was not tangible sword qi, but a phenomenon condensed purely from sword intent.

So-called phenomena are special scenes formed when artistic conception is cultivated to a profound level and resonates with the Great Dao of heaven and earth.

They usually do not possess obvious lethality.

However, those capable of condensing phenomena either possess top-tier artistic conception or have cultivated an ordinary artistic conception to an extremely high level.

Either case signifies a terrifying amplification that allows one to sweep invincibly through peers.

Thus, in the cultivation world, there has long been an unspoken rule.

If you encounter someone whose phenomenon is outrageously powerful, just surrender.

At this moment, behind Li Hanguang appeared a terrifying phenomenon of a sword-intent river stretching over a thousand zhang.

This scale of phenomenon was both top-tier and advanced.

Basically, only holy land elders or figures at the level of a Holy Lord could condense such a sight.

If a younger generation prodigy were to see it, they would probably be scared out of their wits.

If demonic or heretical cultivators encountered it, being scared to death would not be an exaggeration.

After all, among all artistic conceptions, Hao Ran Sword Intent ranks at the very top in terms of suppression against demonic and heretical paths.

Once the Hao Ran River manifests, even minor demons below the Spirit Transformation stage might be scared into soiling themselves.

Leaving lethality aside, the visual effect alone is absolutely intimidating.

‘Hao Ran Sword Saint Yan Chixiao truly lives up to his reputation!’

After fully absorbing the Ninth-Rank Hao Ran Sword Intent, Li Hanguang slowly opened his eyes, his sharpness fully revealed.

‘I have never felt the sword qi within my body be so obedient. Its circulation and mobilization flow like clouds and water, with both speed and power multiplying. Worthy of Ninth-Rank sword intent.’

Li Hanguang silently marveled and stood up from the ground.

Yes, he was currently sitting on the ground.

The bed beneath him had already turned to dust along with that unfortunate wooden hut during the earlier sword qi rampage.

However, all of this was worth it.

Li Hanguang could clearly feel that after fusing Ninth-Rank Hao Ran Sword Intent, the power of his Five-Elements Sword Qi had increased by nearly another tenfold.

Yes, tenfold.

One must know that using Primordial Unity Spiritual Energy to drive sword techniques already increases their power by more than tenfold.

Now that Li Hanguang was also activating Hao Ran Sword Intent, the power increased by another tenfold.

Stacked together, that was nearly a hundredfold amplification.

If the opponent were demonic or ghostly beings and further suppressed by Hao Ran sword qi, the damage would be even more explosive.

Without exaggeration, even facing Foundation Establishment–stage demonic entities, he could slaughter them with ease.

One must remember that Li Hanguang’s current cultivation was only at Qi Refining Fourth Layer.

In this cultivation world, the gap between each minor realm was already extremely difficult to cross.

Slaughtering enemies across an entire major realm would sound unbelievable if spoken aloud.

‘It’s a pity that only sword intent dropped, and no cultivation technique.’

Li Hanguang felt a hint of regret.

The artistic conception a cultivator comprehends is not entirely random.

Most are derived by cultivating corresponding techniques or combat arts to profound levels and gaining insight from them.

For example, the Long River Sword Intent prototype that Li Hanguang comprehended at the age of ten was triggered by cultivating Long River Sword Qi to perfection.

Some profound supreme techniques or Emperor Scriptures allow one to comprehend artistic conception after achieving only minor success in cultivation.

Moreover, after comprehending artistic conception, one can continue nurturing and elevating the corresponding conception to higher and stronger ranks through cultivation of the technique.

Li Hanguang was certain that Yan Chixiao must possess a cultivation technique specifically for Hao Ran Sword Intent.

If that technique could drop, perhaps in the future, he could further elevate Ninth-Rank Hao Ran Sword Intent to an even higher level.

Even if Ninth-Rank sword intent had already reached its limit and could not be raised further, it would still not be meaningless.

After all, using Hao Ran Sword Intent to drive its corresponding sword technique should trigger a set bonus effect, potentially resulting in greater power than driving other sword techniques.

‘I wonder if he will pass his trump-card technique on to that kid Chu Xiaolian. If he does, the drop rate will double.’

Gazing at the red afterglow of the setting sun, anticipation flickered in Li Hanguang’s eyes.

‘The next phase of leek harvesting targets will be Supreme Metal Spiritual Root and Supreme Earth Spiritual Root. And also… that mysterious sword technique!’