Yang Yan was unsure if the legend Elder Jinyu Xingye spoke of was the same as the one mentioned by the woman in the white robe.

But it was significant enough that even the Sword Dao Emperor's demeanor changed drastically to prove it, and Xingye was willing to risk danger to verify it in the heavens.

This legend was certainly extraordinary!

Elder Jinyu Xingye spread his wings and rose, swirling within the vortex.

With sharp eyes, he glanced back at Yang Yan, watching the flicker in Yang Yan's eyes!

"This legend can cause those with a weak heart to collapse directly,

but I see that your stance is firm and your gaze is deep and distant, similar to my master's.

I fear that even knowing the danger, you would proceed.

So today, I shall tell you," Elder Jinyu Xingye said.

His words were spoken with such gravity that even Yang Yan had to take them seriously!

A legend that could even cause the collapse of one's heart realm!

This legend must be incredibly unusual!

"It is said that at the end of the Dao lies a path to ruin.

Regardless of how remarkably talented the Ancient Great Emperors were, all would end in tragic downfall!" Elder Jinyu Xingye continued.

"Only by ascending to the Nine Heavens will I know the truth.

When you ascended to the Sixth Layer Heaven and sounded the Bone Flute, I did not respond.

You must consider carefully whether to step into the Emperor Realm in the future!"

As he spoke the last words, his figure had fully entered the heavenly vortex.

The golden feathers swayed as he soared upward, and in an instant, his figure disappeared.

Leaving Yang Yan alone, suspended in the air.

Watching as the vortex in the sky slowly vanished, Yang Yan raised his eyebrows.

"At the end of the Dao lies a path to ruin?"

He couldn't help but recall the figure he saw at the end when riding the ox towards heaven.

And the two fragmented divine figures he saw through He Yi'er and Yue Qinglan.

"The Ancient Great Emperors, no matter how remarkably talented, all ended tragically?" Yang Yan's gaze flickered.

He thought of the Immortal Dao Emperor, Sword Dao Emperor, Divine Dao Emperor, Emperor Xianjiu, and so on.

They had already arranged their Daoist inheritances and buried themselves before their deaths.

It was evident that they already knew their fate was doomed to be tragic!

So, did they lay down precautions in advance and then await death?

Speculating to this point, Yang Yan's heart wavered!

Even the Great Emperors awaited death... then he laughed freely.

"Regardless of its truth or falsehood, I must become Emperor!"

Yang Yan clasped his hands behind his back and headed in one direction, his figure gradually disappearing.

"How can one know the feeling of surveying all the mountain peaks without reaching the summit!

Without becoming a Great Emperor, how can one know the taste of overlooking the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths from the peak!

Danger? Tragedy? So what?

I, fear nothing!"

In the air, his last spoken words lingered.

On this day, countless cultivators across the Central Continent witnessed the scene of a sword piercing the heavens, and many saw the divine descent of the saints, only to be shattered by a gigantic divine bird.

For a while, the entire Central Continent was abuzz.

Many sects contacted the heavenly sects, wanting to know what had transpired.

Only to learn that Yang Yan had pierced the heavens with a single sword and an unknown divine bird had feasted on the Saints—such a terrifying tale!

Suddenly, the excitement spread beyond the Central Continent to other continents as well.

Yang Yan's name was propelled to the pinnacle of the human world!

"The foremost genius of the human world, the greatest warrior of the human world, Yang Yan!

Is he now alive or dead?"

Regarding the rumors and speculations of whether Yang Yan was alive or dead by the major sects and powers, Yang Yan was unaware.

He was searching for a way to ascend to the heavens, and he first went to the Evil World.

Intending to find Xu Ye, he discovered that after he departed, Xu Ye had died, and Bai Xue had become the Evil World Master, her cultivation now unfathomably deep!

However, despite Bai Xue's increased strength, she continued to show respect towards Yang Yan upon meeting him again.

It was Yang Yan who saved the people on the island and gave her a new life. She was deeply grateful to Yang Yan, seeing him as her benefactor!

And from Bai Xue's words, Yang Yan learned of a method to ascend to the heavens.

Ascend through forbidden zones!

In each restricted area, there was a path leading to the heavens, though the path was extremely dangerous.

Yang Yan knew of two restricted areas where he could ascend more safely.

One was the Ninth Restricted Area, governed by the existence in the river!

As for what the existence in the river truly was, Yang Yan did not know.

He could tell it was a cunning tiger.

If he entered, it would be like negotiating with a tiger, too perilous.

Yang Yan considered the Ninth Restricted Area as a backup plan, prioritizing the Third Restricted Area.

Within the Third Restricted Area stood the Sword of the Sword Dao Emperor.

Now that he had entered the Sword Dao and could wield One Sword Separates Life,

perhaps he could open the Third Restricted Area and resonate with the Sword of the Sword Dao Emperor.

By then, pulling out the Sword of the Sword Dao Emperor, he could use it to open the first heaven and easily ascend to the skies.

Apart from these two restricted areas, other areas were perilously unknown.

Having not explored them, Yang Yan naturally would not venture there.

"Head to the Third Restricted Area first!"

He bid farewell to the Evil World Master Bai Xue and left the Evil World.

Then, employing Near and Far, he arrived outside the Third Restricted Area.

In the Third Restricted Area stood a towering black mountain, upon which a sword was embedded.

From the base to the peak of the mountain,

no grass grew, and every place retained remnants of scattered bones.

Including a half-corpse, half-bone body.

"Inside is a twisted space-time, and to ascend it, one must tear through and isolate all of space-time to approach the Sword of the Sword Dao Emperor!" Yang Yan held a Divine Sword in his hand.

The Dao Essence within him expanded, flowing into the Divine Sword.

"One Sword..."

The Profound Qi within him surged as he made his move.

"Separates Life!"

The residual Emperor Dao Essence of the Sword Dao Emperor within him was limited, but to obtain the Sword of the Sword Dao Emperor and ascend to the heavens,

he once again unleashed the Sword Dao Emperor's strongest sword strike, One Sword Separates Life!

Without a Secluded World Stone, he could only use this sword to open the Third Restricted Area!

Otherwise, with his current cultivation, he could not possibly enter the Third Restricted Area to obtain the Sword of the Sword Dao Emperor!

With this sword unleashed, the Sword Qi, carrying the Dao Essence, struck into the Third Restricted Area.

The sword instantly tore through the Third Restricted Area, stirring up ripples layer by layer.

Making the entire Third Restricted Area resemble a surging ocean, endlessly turbulent.

Within, all the scattered bones shattered.

Only that half-corpse, half-bone existence remained unchanged.

"No, this sword isn't strong enough!" Yang Yan's face darkened.

This sword did not reach the mountain's peak, nor did it reach the Sword Dao Emperor's sword.

It merely reached the waist level!

This was supposed to be his strongest sword, capable of piercing the heavens, yet it did not open the Third Restricted Area!

"My sword, it seems, still falls significantly short of the Sword Dao Emperor's!" Yang Yan thought to himself.

He was about to withdraw the sword and leave, when unexpectedly, the towering black mountain began to tremble.

The entire restricted area shook ceaselessly, and cracks formed in the void.

"Quickly withdraw the sword, or that thing will use your sword to break free from its shackles and escape out!"

Suddenly, a voice echoed in Yang Yan's ears.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am called Mortal World!"

The Sword of the Sword Dao Emperor!

The name of the sword was precisely that!

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