Xu Qing took a deep breath as he sensed The Emperor’s Sword in his sea of consciousness. As of now, he could already feel that the sword was fully fused with him. It was an inseparable part of him. It was a sensation that would lead anyone to feel immensely mighty. That was one of the blessings of imperial-class techniques, and was also a result of now being far more familiar with the sword. As Xu Qing experienced those sensations, he checked to see what transformations the enlightenment of The Emperor’s Sword had wrought.7

He could sense every tiny bit of the sword’s structure. He could sense every inch of the blade’s sharp edge. And he could sense every mote of light glittering on the weapon’s surface.3

That said, those seemingly familiar sensations were also illusory, like flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water. He would still need further contemplation and practice before he could make them a reality, and infuse the technique into his soul, to the point where using it came as an instinct.2

“Upgrade it to the second stage, and it will give me additional battle prowess equivalent to a full heavenly palace,” he murmured.1

After a bit more contemplation, he looked down at his right hand. He sent out a thought, whereupon dazzling light shone up from the creases in his palm. Swirling around, it eventually converged into the shape of a sword. It felt like it was so sharp it could slice through any and all living beings. And it was mighty enough to cause all...1