"You are…" Feng Yunwuji looked at the brave and resolute face before him with some confusion. The face seemed familiar, yet he couldn't quite place where he had seen it.
"Master, have you forgotten me? I've never forgotten you." Chi Shang bowed deeply, eyes glistening with emotion and joy. "Master, it's me—Chi Shang."
"Chi Shang?… So it's you!" Feng Yunwuji's expression suddenly brightened as recognition dawned. Before his ascension, he never had disciples—if anyone could be called a disciple, it was only Chi Shang. So much time had passed—over four hundred years—that his memories had grown faint.
Looking at his disciple now, Feng Yunwuji felt a surge of emotion. "Time flies so fast… I didn't expect that you've already ascended."
Seeing that Feng Yunwuji didn't deny him, Chi Shang's joy soared. He looked up and said, "Master, though you never established a formal lineage on the continent, nearly everyone there considers themselves your student. Three hundred years ago, I mastered the 'Demon-Slaying Sutra' to perfection and ascended… though I didn't expect this place to be anything but the Immortal Realm."
"Indeed. I was shocked too back then—turns out the legendary Immortal Realm was a lie, and humanity's plight is desperate… You must be the only one to ascend in four hundred years, right?" Feng Yunwuji sighed deeply.
"Master… Actually, besides me, others have ascended in the past three hundred years."
"Oh? Where are they?"
Chi Shang called out, "Come here, everyone! This is our master."
At his words, thousands of sword practitioners clad in green robes swooped in like a flock of wild geese settling on the sand. Feng Yunwuji was taken aback. He had expected only a handful—maybe a dozen or two recent ascenders—but never imagined so many.
The presence and authority of a Sword Emperor were unlike those of ordinary sword cultivators. Even though Feng Yunwuji now wore tattered robes, the grandeur and dignity of the Sword Emperor realm radiated so strongly that even a royal robe wouldn't surpass it.
"Salute to Sword God Feng!" As soon as the thousands of swordsmen entered within a hundred meters of Feng Yunwuji, they all knelt instinctively—a dense, black sea of kneeling figures that drew the attention of nearby people from the Four Domains.
Reaching the Sword Emperor stage imposes an overwhelming aura of control over all sword cultivators. At a first meeting, no one knows another's true background and wouldn't simply trust words alone. Yet these thousands utterly believed this man was the legendary Sword God spoken of centuries ago. In his presence, everyone felt a subtle but undeniable connection—something like subjects before their ruler. Even those with dark thoughts found themselves fully subdued, unable to even think of drawing their swords. A swordsman whose sword is controlled is effectively crippled; such was the might of the Sword Emperor's presence.
Seeing the thousands of swordsmen, a long-suppressed thought in Feng Yunwuji's heart suddenly awakened.
"Rise!" Feng Yunwuji's voice rang out, filled with the dignity befitting a senior master. The aura of the Sword Emperor stage was unmistakable. "You are all humans from the same dimension as I. Though your time in this Primordial World has been neither short nor long, I know you all mastered the 'Demon-Slaying Sutra' before ascending. And now, you have all trained and re-studied your martial arts at the Sanctuary, correct?"
"Yes." The crowd nodded, still kneeling. Within a certain radius, all swordsmen feel an instinctive submission to a Sword Emperor-level master.
"This Primordial World is the realm of blade cultivators—this much is well known. As a sword cultivator, I cannot allow blades to dominate alone. Therefore, I've decided to establish the 'Sword Domain,' to gather all sword practitioners and strengthen our sword path's influence. You are all free agents, and if you wish, you may join my sect. What do you say?"
The crowd exchanged surprised looks and murmured among themselves, clearly unprepared for this proposal.
"Master, I am willing to join the Sword Domain!" Chi Shang lifted his head confidently. In Feng Yunwuji's dimension, Chi Shang's influence was nearly on par with his master's. Since Chi Shang ascended last and maintained close ties with various sects, several people quickly followed his lead. "We are willing to join your Sword Domain, senior."
"No, it's not my Sword Domain—it belongs to all sword cultivators. My aim is to build a force strong enough to rival the Blade Domain, to protect us all. More importantly, I have a goal that can only be achieved through this Sword Domain…" Feng Yunwuji gazed into the sky, hands clasped behind his back, lost in thought.
"We are willing to follow Sword God Feng!" Hundreds more, moved by his presence, spoke loudly.
"We are willing to follow the Sword God!" Hundreds more kowtowed in response. These were people who had witnessed the Blade Domain's tyranny. The saying goes, "Two fists can't beat four hands," and heroes are overwhelmed by numbers. Their lack of a solid base made them humble in allegiance.
Once a leader speaks, those undecided naturally fall in line. "We are willing to follow," others echoed.
One by one, the swordsmen knelt, lowering their proud heads. Before a Sword Emperor, every swordsman becomes humble and respectful.
Of course, not everyone agreed. Some had switched to other paths or had different plans. A dozen or so quietly said, "We have other plans. Senior, may we be excused?" Their hearts filled with unease.
Feng Yunwuji had anticipated this. Looking carefully, their number was small, so he replied calmly, "You may leave. I will not force you."
"Thank you, senior." Those few retreated several dozen meters before daring to look back, then soared away.
Feng Yunwuji turned and surveyed the surroundings, pondering for a moment. Under all eyes, he finally spoke:
"This place has seen a great battle; the mountains and rivers have been leveled, making it perfect for our Sword Domain's home… I hereby declare that from today onward, the Sword Domain is officially established here!"
His words echoed like thunder. Several thousand meters away, members of a free sword sect heard this and exchanged startled looks before hastily departing. Feng Yunwuji narrowed his eyes and smiled knowingly. He was certain news of the Sword Domain's founding in the Fifth Domain of the Primordial World would soon spread through their mouths.
"Since we are resolved to establish the Sword Domain, we must have a home. Very well, let us together raise the first pillar of the Sword Pavilion." With that, Feng Yunwuji swept his sleeves. Several dozen giant fallen trees lifted into the sky, propelled by an overwhelming sword intent. They shot upward and then, with immense force, dropped into the earth at the four corners of the pavilion site. The trees sank deep into the ground, and with a cracking sound, their thick bark split and peeled away naturally, leaving smooth, straight trunks firmly embedded in the soil…