187: Chapter 56 I Strike with Only One Sword 187: Chapter 56 I Strike with Only One Sword Xuanshui Cave Heaven has wonders of the world.
This phrase had circulated within the Dachu Dynasty for several hundred to close to a thousand years, yet the Xuanshui Cave Heaven only opened once every sixty years.
As for what exactly these so-called “wonders” looked like,
only a very few people knew.
And now,
Da Sui Sword Palace issued a Sword Qi Decree, reflecting the scenes within Xuanshui Cave Heaven, allowing every sincere swordsman to see the landscape inside this Grotto Heaven—
Xuanshui Cave Heaven’s first layer.
It was a broad and vast river, named “Lotus River”.
All who stepped into the Grotto Heaven needed to advance by controlling their swords.
The water of Lotus River contained Sword Intent; if one chose to stop and meditate on its surface, they could comprehend the Sword Dao Realm left behind by the countless predecessors of the Da Sui Sword Palace.
Beyond that, there was also a chance to encounter drifting remnants of treasures.
If one dared to dive into the heart of the river, perhaps they might find other gains.
Disaster relies on fortune, and fortune lurks within disaster.
Even though Xuanshui Cave Heaven contained innumerable opportunities…
not every cultivator could return with a full load of treasures.
Yue Chenglong, the first to be carried out of the Grotto Heaven, had wanted to delve into the heart of the river to seize a Spiritual Treasure.
This treasure was too high in grade, beyond his capabilities.
Ultimately…
Yue Chenglong suffered severe injuries from the Sword Qi of Xuanshui Cave Heaven.
“Wan Chuo has come out!”
Many people gathered in front of the mountain gate; with only half an hour until Xuanshui Cave Heaven’s closure, finally, someone chose to leave the Grotto Heaven voluntarily.
Wan Chuo was not injured.
He was beaming with a reddish glow, looking in great condition!
Upon stepping into Xuanshui Cave Heaven, he did not proceed to the second layer, but instead sat in meditation right in the middle of Lotus River, sitting for a full eight hours!
“Wan Chuo…
has he advanced?”
Someone exclaimed, finding Wan Chuo’s Divine Soul aura much more robust than the night before.
Just eight hours!
In that time, Wan Chuo had advanced to the third level of the Cave Heaven Realm, and could even step into the fourth level at any moment!
Advancing within the Pocket World Realm was extremely difficult.
Ten levels.
Some spent decades.
Even those geniuses with outstanding aptitude would often spend several years to make a breakthrough.
Eight hours, equivalent to the many years of arduous cultivation for the average person…
Wan Chuo’s current realm was not only without the slightest bit of “emptiness”, but it had also become even more solid than before.
The young Sword Cultivators who had participated in the Sword Qi competition showed looks of admiration.
Was this the greatest source of opportunity and blessing from the Da Sui Sword Palace?
After Wan Chuo, people began to leave the Sword Palace one after the other.
Some obtained Spiritual Treasures that harmonized with the Dao.
Some had comprehended the direction towards the Taoist realms of the Yin God.
There were Flying Sword Cultivators who had never cultivated their physical bodies and achieved the Pseudo Golden Body Realm in less than ten hours.
These people, they all obtained what they had “long dreamed of”.
As long as they were not overly greedy,
they were certain to gain a significant benefit from Xuanshui Cave Heaven!
However, these Sword Cultivators, after leaving the Grotto Heaven, did not depart immediately.
Instead, they lingered in front of the mountain gate, watching the scenes within Xuanshui Cave Heaven through the array patterns.
This grand opening of Xuanshui Cave Heaven,
some chose to take their fortunes on the first layer,
while others chose to head to the end of Lotus River to search for the entrance leading to the second layer of Xuanshui Cave Heaven.
The further along Lotus River one went, the greater the fortunes became.
The deeper one ventured, the greater the resistance they faced.
These sword cultivators, who had chosen to seize the fortunes, did not lack the desire to move onward; instead, they were rendered immobile halfway through their journey.
Their flying swords were barred by the Sword Intent of Lotus River.
Wanting to advance even an inch forward was extremely difficult.
Yet, they remembered very clearly.
Several figures were moving rapidly over Lotus River.
“Xu Nianning, Xie Sheng…
are already nearing the end of Lotus River!”
The onlookers sighed with emotion.
The scene of the Grotto Heaven, reflected by the array patterns, was gradually becoming blurry, and the two most-anticipated individuals of this Sword Qi Festival had already crossed nine-tenths of Lotus River.
But what took everyone by surprise was that there was another person quickly approaching the other shore of Lotus River.
Duan Zhao!
The archives of Fangyuan Workshop had no record of this person.
Nobody had thought that this sectless and factionless Loose Cultivator youth would have come this far.
This young man appeared to be clumsy and foolish but was nimble as he strode along Lotus River, carrying a heavy sword on his back without stopping for a moment.
He was only slightly behind Lu Cheng, and if not for entering the Grotto Heaven two hours later than Xie Sheng and Xu Nianning, perhaps he would have reached the end before them!
“There’s only half an hour left before Xuanshui Cave Heaven closes.
Can this kid make it in time?”
“Tsk…
Who will the Xuanshui Cave Heaven ultimately favor?”
“I think Xu Nianning is in jeopardy, her cultivation is far behind Prince Jiangning’s.”
In the midst of varied opinions,
a streak of Sword Light suddenly flashed by.
This Sword Light came so fast that the crowd gathered in front of the mountain gate had no time to react.
A long rainbow crashed into the Sword Qi gateway.
Even Si Qi, guarding next to the portal, was startled for a moment.
“Wait, what just went through?”
“A flying sword…
Whose flying sword!”
In front of the Lotus Peak gate, those young geniuses were also stunned.
Wan Chuo rubbed his eyes; he couldn’t make out the trajectory of that Sword Qi at all!
In the next moment, a familiar figure in black appeared within the Xuanshui Cave Heaven’s reflection above the sky.
“Xie Zhen!”
“It’s Xie Zhen!”
A cry of surprise exploded at that moment.
All the onlookers looked up in astonishment.
With only half an hour remaining, this thread of Sword Light dashed out from the rear mountain of Lotus Peak and crashed into Xuanshui Cave Heaven, followed by rapidly streaking across the expanse of Lotus River.
This was a magnificent scene that none in their lives had ever witnessed.
Lotus River burst forth with countless pillars of Sword Qi.
Wherever Xie Zhen, wielding his sword passed, treasures darted about, spiritual fish surged, and Dao lotuses blossomed—
These fortunes and opportunities could turn countless green with envy.
But as they all appeared together, they could not make Xie Zhen’s Sword Qi pause even for an instant.
This thread of Sword Qi moved faster than when it had crossed the mountain gate, heading towards the opposite shore.
The so-called “Sword Intent barrier” seemed practically nonexistent, and in a matter of breaths, the Flying Sword’s speed became so fast that even the array patterns struggled to capture it.
All that everyone could see was the “trail” of this Sword Qi, which, in the blink of an eye, traversed the magnificent expanse of Lotus River, piercing through the billions of water droplets that sprayed up, linking them into a long line!
Boom boom boom!
The continuous sounds of the river’s explosion were condensed to the extreme and then burst open!
“Senior Brother, this…”
Si Qi, charged with guarding the gate to Xuanshui Cave Heaven, was dumbstruck.
He looked incredulously at his senior brother Qi Lie.
Even the typically composed Qi Lie could no longer keep his composure at this moment.
Qi Lie watched, somewhat in a daze, as the mighty Lotus River was pierced by Sword Qi.
This strand of Sword Qi
made him think of an old friend he hadn’t seen in a long time.
…
…
Duan Zhao, who was fleeing headlong, suddenly heard the piercing sound of surging Sword Qi behind him.
He turned his head in confusion just as a vast undercurrent burst from the calm surface of the river below his feet, parting the water to both sides.
Then a strand of Sword Qi swept past.
In the instant that it brushed by,
the Sword Qi abruptly fell into extreme stillness.
Xie Xuanyi halted for the first time.
“I heard about what happened at the mountain gate,”
Xie Xuanyi looked at the young man before him, fell silent for a moment, then cursed, “Idiot, if I didn’t come, would you really have not entered the Xuanshui Cave Heaven?”
Duan Zhao scratched his head, not knowing what to say.
The trembling sound of the Wind and Thunder Bracelet finally settled at this very moment.
His mother had cautioned him when he left the island:
Within this bracelet was the most precious thing in the world—his “filial piety.”
The heart directs, the will follows.
While away from the island, he just needed to follow his heart, and not concern himself with anything else.
If ever in doubt, just listen to the sound of the Wind and Thunder Bracelet.
“I knew for certain you would come.”
After pondering for a moment, the young man candidly lifted his head, grinned, and said, “See, I guessed right, didn’t I?”
Although Xie Xuanyi let out a light sigh,
his gaze softened a lot when he looked at the young man.
“I’ll give you a lift.”
Xie Xuanyi said softly, “How about I take you to see the scenery on the second level of Xuanshui Cave Heaven?”
Duan Zhao had no time to react.
His collar was suddenly grabbed from behind…
Hmm, he had encountered this pose frequently over the past few days and was already used to it.
The next moment, he was lifted high into the air, and the Lotus River that he could not see the end of suddenly seemed to shrink before him.
Duan Zhao squinted his eyes and saw two streaks of sword light not far ahead, chasing one another in swift succession.
“Big Sister Xu.”
The little fellow cupped his hands over his head and shouted with all his might.
Xu Nianning, who was nearing the opposite bank of the Lotus River, and Xie Sheng both heard the shout.
The expressions on their faces were immensely intriguing.
Xu Nianning was shocked and bewildered,
while Prince Jiangning was more sullen and angry.
Xie Sheng’s forehead veins stood out.
He increased his speed to the limit, but it was still in vain—
Xie Xuanyi was stepping on a streak of flowing light, and in an instant, he had surpassed them.
In the moment that he brushed by,
Prince Jiangning’s face turned ashen.
He saw Xie Zhen, who was controlling the Flying Sword to reach the other shore, pay no additional attention to himself; and Duan Zhao, who was being carried forward, pull a grimace with gnashing teeth.
“Xie Zhen!”
Prince Jiangning bellowed, “Dare you face me in battle?!”
This bellow rolled over the surface of the great river.
As they drew near to the other shore,
the array patterns of Xuanshui Cave Heaven just happened to be etched to here.
Everyone heard Prince Jiangning’s roar, challenging to a battle!
The millions outside the mountain gate held their breath in silence, quietly waiting for Xie Zhen’s response.
Yet that streak of Sword Qi was too fast; almost in an instant, it reached the end of the Lotus River.
After waiting for several breaths,
a long, lingering voice spread out.
“As you wish.”
Xie Xuanyi released Duan Zhao and gently sent him to the other shore of the Lotus River.
He landed smoothly on the opposite shore of the Lotus River, turned his head, and looked indifferently at Xie Sheng, who was coming on the Flying Sword—
Perfect Cave Heaven, Red Dragon Fortune.
Xie Sheng’s talents were indeed not ordinary.
The Prince Jiangning at this moment seemed to transform into the sun, with twelve Flying Swords rotating around him, adorned with a proud and fierce Red Dragon.
What was most important…
The aura of this Red Dragon was fully achieved, with hints of dharma emerging!
Xie Xuanyi sensed a familiar Taoist aura.
It must be that some Taoist expert had temporarily “conferred the essence” upon Prince Jiangning, transferring a significant amount of Primordial Energy.
Looking at the majestic Red Dragon that nearly filled half the sky, Xie Xuanyi’s expression remained unchanged.
“I…
will strike with a single sword,” he said softly, still just casually picking up a dried twig.
Xie Xuanyi stood on the shore.
The tip of that skinny twig trembled faintly, eventually aiming towards Prince Jiangning.
People always say that the Xuanshui Cave Heaven was actually long since refined by Xie Xuanyi, but that was just a rumor.
Under the strict surveillance of the Sword Palace’s Law Enforcement, the rules between the peaks were rigorous.
In fact, Xie Xuanyi was also entering here for the first time.
But in some places,
one need not visit too often; a single visit can suffice.
The twig quivered gently, emitting a dry, raspy Sword Sound.
In the next instant—
An invisible Sword Qi burst forth from the twig, slashing through.
This sword did not contain too much Primordial Power, lacked the force of Cave Heaven, and bore no majesty of dharma.
What it had,
was nothing but the ancient Sword Intent Xie Xuanyi had hastily perceived on his hurried way here!
This Lotus River contained too much Sword Intent.
The Sword Palace’s previous paragons must have all infused their essence into this Cave Heaven.
And with this sword,
he invoked that Sword Intent.
With a boom!
The grand Lotus River instantly split in two, countless Sword Intents burst forth, transforming into divine radiances, into streaks of light, into the sun, into the moon.
Xie Xuanyi’s single sword strike.
Xie Sheng’s face turned pale.
He saw that as the Sword Qi from the skinny twig approached him, it was more immense than the entire sun.
The Red Dragon Dharma, which concentrated all his Primordial Energy and blazed with ferocity,
lasted for only an instant.
Then it was directly reduced to ashes.
…
…
(Asking for a monthly ticket.)