"I tell you one secret, and in exchange, you tell me one of yours," Xia Tian said, with a sly grin on his face.

Xuan Ruyan knew it was a trap, as she saw the twinkle in Xia Tian's eyes that betrayed his intentions. But she couldn't resist the thrill of a good deal, and without realizing, she took the bait.

"How will your secret help me?" she asked with a hint of suspicion in her voice.

Xia Tian laughed inwardly. He had already planned everything, and this was just the beginning of his scheme to bring down the Sword Fairy.

"My secret?...hm? I think it can help you obtain the one thing that you have desired for a long time, but have never been able to achieve," he said in a whisper, making Xuan Ruyan nod in agreement.

"What is the thing that I have long desired?" she asked curiously.

Xia Tian remained silent, and a wicked smile formed on his lips, making her feel uneasy.

"What is that brat doing near her?" Xia Chen, who was observing them from a distance, thought, taken aback by the unusual noises from their conversation.

The Sword Fairy hesitated for a moment, as a look of uncertainty flashed across her face. "Can you really help me break through the shackles of mortality?" she asked cautiously.

Xia Tian chuckled, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Indeed!" he replied, lying shamelessly. He had no idea what the Sword Fairy wanted, but he knew exactly how to manipulate her and bring her to say out her desires aloud.

Now that his plan was in motion, he would make the Sword Fairy ride on his sword, and bring her down to her knees.

The innocent Xuan Ruyan was oblivious to the slyness of Xia Tian, and she accepted his proposal without hesitation.

"What do you want to know about me?" she asked, eager to make a deal.

Naturally, Xia Tian had to help her. But he was a master of deception, and he would use any means to gain the upper hand.

As for Xuan Ruyan, she believed that she had nothing to hide in her life, and she felt like she wasn't losing anything by revealing her secrets. After all, it might give her a chance to increase her chances of becoming immortal, even if by just a slight margin.

As the bird had flapped its wings inside the cage, Xia Tian's lips curved into a wider smile as he directed his gaze towards Xuan Ruyan. "What were you doing here?" he asked, masking the amusement in his voice.

Xuan Ruyan, who was renowned for being astute and discerning, was momentarily taken aback by Xia Tian's seemingly simplistic question.

However, in her heart, she knew there was more to his inquiry than met the eye.

'Of course, I was here for-' she thought, feeling a slight jolt of surprise seize her. Yet, she struggled to come up with an answer despite the fact that she had been preparing for all types of questions.

Suddenly, as if a lightbulb had been switched on in her mind, she shifted her focus onto Xia Chen. "I was watching over his training?" she asked herself, almost disbelieving the words that spilled from her lips.

Xia Tian's unwavering gaze seemed to penetrate into the very depths of her soul, creating an invisible pressure that forced her to ruminate before responding.

Having studied Xuan Ruyan for some time, Xia Tian was aware of her rigid belief system - one that solely revolved around cultivation. The matters of the world, however trivial or significant, seldom piqued her interest.

She was someone who would stop at nothing to reach the pinnacle of success, only to discover that the elation she sought was rarely found in the things she had forfeited. Eventually, she would transform into an apathetic figure, devoid of any motivation.

For Xia Tian, the prospect of tempting or swaying this woman to the darker side was undoubtedly tempting. What if he could make her forget what cultivation truly meant by overwhelming her with pleasure and sensations beyond her wildest dreams?

But there was a problem. Xuan Ruyan had already confronted her beliefs and found a way to explore past them.

Xuan Ruyan's lips parted as she spoke, interrupting the silence that had enveloped the space between her and Xia Tian. "I was evaluating him," she said, her voice low and measured, as her gaze swept across Xia Chen's figure.

Her wry smile hinted at the challenge Xia Tian had just posed with his inquiry. The latter nodded in agreement with her sentiment, though the smugness that crept up in his expression was unmistakably narcissistic. 

"The only problem is," he drawled, his voice dangerously smooth, "how can you even think of someone as an idiot, when the world's most charming man is standing right in front of you?" 

Xuan Ruyan's lips twitched, betraying the disdain she felt. "Your brother has reached the peak of the Earth profound realm," she began, "while you are one league below him. Perhaps you should have worked harder." She tilted her head inquisitively, as if actually entertaining the idea of Xia Tian possessing the talent she sought. 

Sword Fairy noted that something felt different about her conversation with Xia Tian. Though not many words had been exchanged, there was an understanding between them that was effortless and immediate. 

Xia Tian shook his head dismissively. "The last woman who told me to work harder didn't end up well," he quipped, his tone laced with a dark humor that Xuan Ruyan found unappealing. 

Her eyebrows furrowed in displeasure. "I won't bend against someone weaker than me," she said, her eyes glistening with defiance. 

Xia Tian chuckled lightly, as if thoroughly amused by her indignant reaction. "Did you forget your defeat so easily, or do I need to remind you?" 

"I haven't forgotten," she retorted, though her tone lacked the conviction she intended. "I don't know who taught a monster like you, but your sword skills are indeed superior to mine. However, if we were to utilize qi, you would lose by a significant margin." She shook her head resolutely, clearly not willing to concede just yet. 

She was not denying her loss, but nor was she accepting it. In a real fight, one would use whatever was present at their disposal. When she said she sought someone capable of defeating her, she meant someone who possessed equal or superior talent to her, without any additional restrictions. 

Sword Fairy understood that the mundanity of others might hinder their comprehension of her and Xia Tian's conversation. She had been evaluating Xia Chen, to determine whether he possessed the requisite talent to defeat her. As the last surviving member of her clan, it was her duty to leave behind an offspring. But there was no way she would accept a partner who did not have the talent she deemed necessary.

But one question lingered: with her stunning looks, why hadn't someone from the Wei family already taken her as a bride? Even if she resisted, the slave seal would render her helpless.

The problem was much more complex, for it wasn't that the Wei family hadn't tried. Sword Fairy had rejected all of them because they lacked the talent to match her own.

As for forcing her, death was preferable to dishonor for a woman like her. She had even rejected proposals from a divine realm guardian, whose immortal status stemmed solely from his pureblood heritage, lacking her superior prowess in sword talent.

Thus, her hope rested on the newly arrived disciple in her clan, Xia Chen, whose extraordinary talent impressed her. But she did not plan to consider him further until he became an overlord and defeated her. She offered to guide him through the process, but it was a long shot.

Meanwhile, Xia Tian had shaken her mind, but his cultivation progress was nonexistent, leading Sword Fairy to think of him as a man with exceptional skills but poor talent. Destiny and heaven determined one's talent, and there was nothing she could do to improve his.

Xuan Ruyan was the kind of woman who waited endlessly for a man who could meet her lofty standards. Once a son of destiny had conquered her, he would seek an even greater challenge, ignoring the earlier conquest. Right now, Xuan Ruyan was under the false assumption that Xia Chen's talents were comparable to hers, but she would soon realize how far superior he was - too late to do anything about it.

But Xia Tian was bewildered by her thinking. How did she assume she could defeat him using qi? Wasn't she a trillion steps ahead to think like that?

Even with his core formation realm, he might lose in a direct confrontation with her, but he had tricks up his sleeve. His arsenal was enough to defeat thousands of women like her if it came to that.

Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind. "Does that mean you would spread your legs if I manage to defeat you?" he asked, his eyes giving her a measuring glance. 

Xuan Ruyan was taken aback by his impudent suggestion, and for a moment she doubted her own ears. But seeing the determined glint in his eyes, she slowly nodded her head. 

When it came to matters of the flesh, she was indifferent and detached. However, she felt a flicker of sympathy for Xia Tian. If only the heavens hadn't cursed his talent, she would have considered him an ideal partner, considering his outstanding swordsmanship. 

Little did she know that she had fallen into a trap that she could never escape from. Though she had claimed to only want a partner to bear a child with, there was an unspoken desire within her that she yearned to explore. 

Breaking her belief was out of the question. She was already looking beyond the realm of cultivation. However, her other belief that Xia Tian couldn't defeat her, could still be proven false. But Xia Tian had no intention of fighting her to prove his point. 

"Now, it's your turn," Xuan Ruyan invited with a glint in her eyes.

With a faint smile tugging at his lips, Xia Tian began to circle her, causing the Sword Fairy to knit her eyebrows in perplexity. Unable to detect the slight glow emanating from his legs, she had no inkling of what was to come. 

Finally, Xia Tian spoke, "The reason why you have yet to achieve immortality is simple. You don't think like one."

Xuan Ruyan's curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean, think like an immortal?" she asked, puzzled.

Xia Tian nodded sagely. "You still care for the mundane lives and deaths of mortal beings," he answered.

Xuan Ruyan shook her head in denial. "I don't."

Xia Tian's smile was reminiscent of the cunning fox as he returned to his starting point. "You do. Why else would you be at odds with the Dark Soul Sect?"

"But they are committing genocide!" Xuan Ruyan defended herself.

This time, Xia Tian's smile was more pronounced, catching the Sword Fairy off guard. "An immortal should not be swayed by what happens in the mortal realm. You still lack the heart of an immortal," he remarked, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction.

"How to think like an immortal then?" Xuan Ruyan asked apprehensively, sensing that she was being played.

Xia Tian laughed, ready to spout nonsense. "That is quite simple, Sword Women. Have you ever wondered why the immortal realm is so fierce? Why people are ready to kill over trivial matters?"

"Picture this: among the myriad dimensions that exist, the lower-level ones are the epitome of calmness, where violence is scarce. In those realms, strict rules and laws governing killing are in place. You see, in these lower dimensions, an individual's limited cultivation prevents them from accomplishing everything alone. Consequently, they strive to protect and preserve human resources as much as possible."

"As for the mid-level dimensions harbor a slightly more savage environment. Here, individuals possess formidable cultivation, granting them the power to accomplish feats that would require a multitude of people elsewhere. They can single-handedly construct or demolish an entire house. This lack of dependency fuels their ferociousness. Unless confronted with a major genocide, the life and death of a cultivator hardly elicits any concern."

"Ah, but as we ascend further to the high-level dimensions—the realm of the Immortals. There, a solitary immortal possesses the might to cleave mountains asunder with a mere flick of their powers. Immortals seldom require assistance to sustain themselves, as they bask in centuries of solitude. They possess the ability to create and fashion whatever they need through their own formidable powers. They remain unperturbed by conflicts that obliterate families and sects, for they revel in their immortal existence."

"Life and death, are but continuous cycles. When you are born, you consume existing resources like food and water, only to dissolve back into them when your time comes. The balance among resources remains constant, for though the birth rate may exceed the death rate, the distribution of resources just changes to adjust itself, as you continue to consume more and more."

"But for the Immortals, this cycle takes a different form. Forever bound to eternal life, they harbor no qualms about extinguishing entire populations. They know that new life will inevitably arise, as long as one or two survive. Over the course of billions of years, a complete civilization will flourish once again, and the Immortals shall continue their existence."

"Only a mortal would fret over a genocide. Immortals, on the other hand, remain indifferent. If people perish, so be it. They shall simply spawn anew, ready to embrace life once more."

It is akin to contemplating the apathy of beings dwelling in the void realm toward the universe.

Even if the universe were to crumble and perish, a fresh creation would inevitably emerge as the chaos cycle begins anew....

And let us not forget the Void-level experts, for they too care naught for the life and death of others....

They exist independent of such concerns, capable of conjuring entire castles with a mere flick of their fingers....

Such is the consequence of a lack of dependency—a situation painted in vivid hues of indifference and self-sufficiency...