Blade Dao.

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Emerging from the despair of never being able to wield the blade again, Tian Xing watched as the illusory Blade Dao practitioner first roared with indignation toward the sky at the perceived unfairness imposed by the heavens.

With renewed conviction and resolve, the Blade Dao practitioner used his limping hand to swing wildly, attempting to replicate the blade strikes he had performed many times before. However, since Tian Xing had ensured that the knowledge of the blade was absent from this illusion, the practitioner fell into despair once more. Yet, he stood up again with even greater conviction and resolve, determined to become the same as, or even better than, he once was.

Swinging repeatedly with his limp hands until every muscle vein bled, Tian Xing nodded, recognizing that the Blade Dao practitioner had begun to accept the Yin Confusion and Yang Contradiction within himself, and was starting to resolve the issue one by one. The practitioner's first solution was to make his swings so fast, with precisely the same angle, that even if they didn't cut, they could still break whatever he intended to.

Nodding in approval, Tian Xing acknowledged that cutting is fundamentally the same as breaking—separating bonds within atoms. The first issue of being without a weapon had been solved, Tian Xing then observed the practitioner gain further enlightenment, noticing that the nails on his fingers had a similar thinness to the blade of a knife. Lengthening and sharpening these nails, the illusory figure trained again with conviction, focusing on cutting using only a small part of his body, making the sharpness of his attacks even more deadly.

Nodding once again in acknowledgment as he saw the man recognize that to sever bonds between atoms more easily, a weapon must be as thin as possible, Tian Xing's thoughts briefly wandered to one of his melodies, Charlotte, the highest Fencing Dao practitioner. She had attained the same enlightenment and became the deadliest martial practitioner in the pavilion. Shaking his head, knowing it wasn't the time to dwell on anything other than becoming the Tian Ming Dao practitioner, observing the fate of many beings from the sidelines, Tian Xing watched as the man began creating numerous martial arts techniques using only his nails, arms, and even his feet to perform slashing attacks.

Once again sensing the sharpness the Blade Dao practitioner had regained, Tian Xing silently applauded the man for resolving the Contradiction and Confusion within himself and becoming a better version of who he once was. Noticing the sharpness in his eyebrows that made everyone uncomfortable, as if their eyes were stung by lemon juice, Tian Xing nodded in approval, knowing this illusory Blade Dao practitioner now had the conviction and resolve to remain sharp, no matter what the future held for him.

Knowing that the enlightenment was now complete, both for this illusory figure and for himself, since it was only a matter of refining it to perfection alongside manipulating cultivation energy, Tian Xing rubbed his chin, contemplating how to make the future more intriguing, seeing scenarios where any potential enemies would have to face other challenges first before reaching him, as he had already planted many seeds in various fields.

Walking closer to the illusory Blade Dao practitioner, who had a true soul within him rather than a false one, Tian Xing asked, "Do you want to have a life of your own where you can practice your Blade Dao?"

Seeing the illusory figure nod, since the man could not speak, Tian Xing continued, "I can free you from this entrapment. But I don't want to see you become just another replica of your variant, Dante. So, I will give you one last test to truly assess your conviction and determination to become the highest Blade Dao practitioner. Are you ready?"

Only nodding with no hesitation whatsoever, Tian Xing shook his head, unable to imagine the fate of being a practice figure for anyone taking the Asura Road Path—someone who cannot speak and is only subjected to constant killing. Even though the test would become more challenging, this man did not even spare it a glance or lose his conviction, showing no care for the despair he must endure once again.

Perhaps it was the chance to have a life of his own that motivated him, Tian Xing thought. Regardless, he knew that even if the man failed, he would still reincarnate him as a way to thank him for the enlightenment he had provided and for observing another's fate. Tapping his Golden Branch on the ground twice, Tian Xing watched as the man fell to the ground, as if the strings connecting him to his body had been severed, rendering him immobile.

Similar to the vegetative state he had previously endured and would continue to endure, Tian Xing subjected this man to the same treatment, ensuring that only darkness accompanied the living Blade Dao practitioner, with no other senses perceptible other than his sixth sense of the mind.

Unable to read the thoughts or know the exact nature of the enlightenment the man had gained, since for a true soul such knowledge remains a secret between him and the Tao, Tian Xing then felt the sharpness radiating from the man's body. This sharpness had grown so intense that many who walked the same path as him had met their deaths due to loss of concentration in a fight, or being struck by this physical manifestation of intent, which had become sharper and sharper.

Growing to the extreme of sharpness where even the ground and sky were being cut and slashed, Tian Xing waited for the man to complete his final enlightenment. This illusory physical manifestation, which only existed in this generation, was not something he sought. 

Sure enough, Dao Yan did not disappoint him. Tian Xing observed the sharpness that once aimed to split the Asura Road return to him, now remaining silent like a Blade Dao practitioner resting in his small garden heaven. Seeing Dao Yan evolve into a better version of himself, Tian Xing nodded and tapped his Golden Branch twice on the ground, sending Dao Yan to reincarnation and continued walking, simply wishing the man success on his journey of life.

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