'The Secret Patterns on this tower are endlessly profound. They must be one of the most powerful types, on par with the Greater Yang Secret Pattern. If I can master them, I'll be able to completely erase all traces of my past lives once I leave.'
'At that point, I'll be much safer, at least on the surface.'
Clearly oblivious to Yang Ziling's unusual state, Yang Xiao's mind was currently consumed by thoughts of the tower and its Secret Patterns.
In this life, he had changed quite a bit.
He cultivated the Nine Yang Celestial Skill and comprehended both the Greater Yang Secret Pattern and the Star Secret Pattern.
However, the True Greater Yang Fire, the Nine Yang Celestial Skill, and even the Void Sword Manual were all closely tied to his previous two lives. If a determined individual were to investigate, they could easily uncover his former identity.
Before he was strong enough,
such a discovery would be fatal.
But if...
if Yang Xiao could comprehend this new Secret Pattern...
things would be different.
Although he would inherit some of the karma of the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion's lord, Yang Xiao felt his own enemies were far more formidable in comparison.
The sheer audacity to use the entire Immortal Dao as a chessboard...
Throughout history, few could ever hope to achieve such a feat. In fact, the only person Yang Xiao could think of with that kind of audacity was Celestial Emperor Yuan Shi, who, amidst the Ten Thousand Races, elevated the Human Race to a position of singular supremacy, making them the very protagonists of fate.
Even his own master, the Nine Yang Supremeâhailed as the invincible Ultimate Supreme of Supreme Yang and Firmnessâlikely lacked such nerve.
'I don't know who that person is, but anyone with audacity comparable to the number one Saint Emperor, Celestial Emperor Yuan Shi, must be incredibly powerfulâa Dominator at the Saint Emperor Level, at the very least.'
Faced with such an enemy,
how could Yang Xiao not be cautious?
Besides, anyone who encountered such a mysterious, High Level Secret Pattern would be overcome with curiosity and the desire to possess it. Yang Xiao was no exception.
So, after one final inspection outside the tower, he stepped inside.
The moment he stepped in,
the scene before him transformed.
"Welcome to the Inheritance Tower. Take out your Inheritance Sword Order to receive one inheritance and one opportunity to undergo an assessment."
A voice sounded in his ear.
Yang Xiao instinctively looked toward the source.
He saw a high platform.
On the platform was an indentation, which, judging by its size, seemed designed to hold an Inheritance Sword Order. Directly above the platform hovered a phantom figure.
The phantom was very strange.
At first glance, Yang Xiao saw what appeared to be a benevolent old man.
But upon a second look, it seemed to transform into a stern, middle-aged man.
When Yang Xiao looked a third time, the phantom changed again, becoming a youth with an overwhelming, sharp aura.
It was very peculiar.
"If the Inheritor does not wish to proceed with the inheritance and assessment, please leave the Inheritance Tower within three breaths. You may enter again in one month."
Seeing that Yang Xiao didn't move, the phantom spoke again.
Yang Xiao froze.
Then, he strode quickly toward the platform.
The phantom was bizarre, but Yang Xiao couldn't afford to wait a month.
Besides, from the sound of it, this strange tower was the Inheritance Tower, and one could receive an inheritance simply by possessing an Inheritance Sword Order.
If Yang Xiao's guess was correct, then the Northern Wilderness Sword Order must be the so-called Inheritance Sword Order.
If that was the case,
since Xuan Tianzhan had entered before him, he had likely already received the inheritance.
If he hesitated any longer,
he might truly be surpassed by the newly empowered Xuan Tianzhan.
That would be a disaster.
So, without the slightest hesitation, Yang Xiao gave it a try, placing the Northern Wilderness Sword Order from his hand into the platform's indentation.
CLICK!
'Just as I thought. This is it.'
Yang Xiao was overjoyed.
He saw the phantom point a finger at his forehead.
He instinctively tried to dodge.
But Yang Xiao was shocked to realize
that as the finger approached,
it seemed impossible to evade, no matter where he tried to move.
And it was incredibly fast.
It was as if the thought to dodge had just formed,
and the finger had already arrived.
Immediately after, a figure appeared in his Sea of Consciousness as the phantom's voice echoed in his ear once more: "Receive the inheritance: the first form of the Celestial Desolation Swordsmanship, Nine Hundred Life and Death. A hint: one finger-snap is sixty *kshanas*, and one *kshana* contains nine hundred moments of life and death. You have three days to comprehend it. After three days, you will decide whether to take the assessment. You only have one chance."
'Celestial Desolation Swordsmanship, Nine Hundred Life and Death?'
At that thought, Yang Xiao's Spirit Will entered the figure within his Sea of Consciousness.
In that instant,
he felt the figure begin to move.
He watched it slowly raise its hand and slash with a sword.
The move looked utterly ordinary.
And yet, that same slash was filled with infinite profundity.
Then,
another slash.
This time, it was still filled with a profound rhythm, but the speed seemed to have increased slightly.
The third slash.
The same slash, but faster still.
The fourth slash.
The fifth slash.
The sixth slash.
With each successive slash, Yang Xiao found the figure repeating the same move, but each time it was a fraction faster than the last.
After more than a dozen slashes,
Yang Xiao felt he could barely follow the blade's speed anymore.
Because...
it was too fast.
Incomparably fast.
'This is so difficult to grasp. What kind of Swordsmanship is this Celestial Desolation Swordsmanship? Just the first form is this profound... Can I really comprehend it in three days?'
For the first time, Yang Xiao doubted his own ability to comprehend.
But soon,
he adjusted his mindset
and regained his confidence.
'No matter how hard it is, I have to try. If even I can't grasp it, I refuse to believe Xuan Tianzhan can. As for Xue Yi... I'll worry about her later.'
Yang Xiao calmed his mind.
Regardless of whether he could see the movements clearly, he simply continued to watch.
After the figure had unleashed an unknown number of slashes,
and after he had lost all track of time,
Yang Xiao suddenly noticed something.
Within the figure's movements,
which were so fast they blurred to the naked eye, he vaguely sensed something familiar.
This "something" seemed to flow, yet was also still.
It was constantly shifting.
'Are those the Secret Patterns I saw outside the tower?'
Yang Xiao was startled.
But his shock immediately turned to elation.
'I get it! I finally get it! This Secret Pattern... it must be the most mystical of them allâthe Time Secret Pattern! Finger-snap, *kshana*, Nine Hundred Life and Death, Celestial Desolation Swordsmanship... haha, I was so stupid! All of these names are related to time, how could I not have realized it?'
'And the so-called Nine Hundred Life and Death must refer to the end of life within a single *kshana*. If I take that concept to its extreme, isn't that just ultimate speed?'
Yang Xiao laughed aloud.
He knew that in all of creation, ten types of Secret Patterns were considered the most powerful.
Among them, the Time Secret Pattern was the most mystical and the rarest. Even among the ten strongest, it ranked in the top three.
The Void Secret Pattern was similar.
But unlike the Void Secret Pattern, which nearly all True Gods and even some Demigods could and would try to comprehend, the cultivation methods for the Time Secret Pattern were appallingly scarce.
And now, Yang Xiao had a chance to obtain it.
Even if this move before him was difficult to understand,
and incredibly difficult to comprehend,
Yang Xiao was still thrilled.
He now had a direction for his comprehension.
At the same time, a sense of urgency washed over Yang Xiao.
He had gained such an inheritance with just one Sword Order.
What about Xuan Tianzhan?
Given the profundity of the Time Secret Pattern, if he mastered even a little of it...
Xuan Tianzhan's power would likely skyrocket.
Although Yang Xiao didn't believe Xuan Tianzhan had the aptitude, he couldn't afford to dismiss the possibility, however slim.
If Xuan Tianzhan actually succeeded, then...
'No. I must comprehend this before Xuan Tianzhan does. And the Inheritance Sword Order in his possessionâI will take it!'
His expression hardened with resolve.
Yang Xiao resumed his comprehension.
This time, he had direction and determination.
The figure's movements gradually grew clearer, and the Secret Patterns began to slowly reveal themselves...
Yang Xiao's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
But at that very moment...
outside the tower, Yang Ziling...
had fallen into a dire crisis.