Under the starry sky of the Soul Realm.
Li Xuan's eyes, which had been closed in meditation, slowly opened.
"Young Master, you've returned?" the Heavenly Dao Brush asked upon seeing this.
Li Xuan nodded slightly, then looked up at the void. "How long have I been in seclusion?"
The Heavenly Dao Brush replied, "Counting the time, Young Master, you have spent three years in this Soul Realm."
"Three years have passed? Yet it feels as if I have lived another life," Li Xuan said with a hint of surprise.
"Young Master, your divine soul has just returned to your body. You should first merge it with your physical form," the Heavenly Dao Brush advised.
"Alright." Li Xuan nodded and then closed his eyes again.
"Young Master, how was your divine soul trial this time?" the Heavenly Dao Brush asked as it sensed Li Xuan's steadily growing aura.
"It was quite good." Li Xuan recalled his time on Earth and then nodded slightly.
As Li Xuan spoke, he moved his mind, and his divine sense instantly spread out.
"What is this..." In the next moment, Li Xuan frowned. He saw spiritual lights, like points of light, appearing in the starry sky and then surging into Li Xuan's body, vanishing without a trace.
"Power of Faith!" the Heavenly Dao Brush exclaimed in surprise.
Li Xuan looked at the Heavenly Dao Brush with confusion. "I can feel my strength has significantly increased. Is it because of this Power of Faith?"
"Young Master, this is likely related to your divine soul trial. The Power of Faith, as the name suggests, is the faith sentient beings have in you. The more of it there is, the stronger the Power of Faith becomes. Naturally, your strength will also increase."
"Young Master, it is no exaggeration to say that once this quantity reaches a certain level, its power is immeasurable."
"So that's how it is..." Li Xuan nodded in realization, vaguely recalling the adoration of the people on Earth towards him in the final moments of his divine soul trial.
"Young Master, try to fuse this Power of Faith with your swordsmanship," the Heavenly Dao Brush suggested, as if an idea had struck it.
Li Xuan's heart stirred. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again quickly.
In the next instant, Li Xuan slashed a sword qi towards the void.
Boom!
Where the sword qi passed, space collapsed.
This single sword strike extended for tens of thousands of meters.
"It's actually so powerful!" Li Xuan was astonished. The power unleashed when the Power of Faith was fused with his swordsmanship was more than double his previous strength!
"Young Master, it's unlikely anyone of the same cultivation level could withstand this sword strike. This Power of Faith is indeed terrifying," the Heavenly Dao Brush remarked.
"Little Brush, you seem to know a lot about this Power of Faith?" Li Xuan asked the Heavenly Dao Brush with curiosity.
The Heavenly Dao Brush replied, "In a certain period, there was a sage with countless disciples. The Confucianism he founded had a profound influence. It is said that the Power of Faith possessed by this sage was so great that even the Heavenly Dao had to avoid its sharp edge. I dabbled in this before, but ultimately gave up."
"Even the Heavenly Dao had to avoid its sharp edge? Hearing you say that, this Power of Faith is incredibly potent. If that's the case, why did you give up?" Li Xuan asked, somewhat surprised.
The Heavenly Dao Brush let out a wry smile. "Young Master, I am merely a brush. This Power of Faith requires the faith of all sentient beings. Can you imagine them having faith in a brush? Is it possible?"
"Furthermore, although the Power of Faith is very powerful, it has a significant drawback. If this Power of Faith collapses, the impact on the cultivator is also immense. At best, their cultivation realm will drop and their strength will greatly diminish; at worst, their life will be in peril."
"For now, the Power of Faith can only be considered a trump card," Li Xuan mused for a moment, then nodded. He glanced around and stood up.
"Young Master, are you going to the Netherworld Realm?" the Heavenly Dao Brush asked.
Li Xuan shook his head slightly and looked into the distance. "There are still two years until the ten-year pact. There's no rush for now. I'll spend these two years returning to see Fuyao, the others, and the child."
As Li Xuan spoke, he moved his mind, and with a swing of his sword, his figure vanished.