Chapter 23 Sword Twenty-Three!

Seemingly just one sword technique, Yan Xiake felt a thousand sword intents surging within him, ten thousand sword techniques flowing, and various essences, giving rise to boundless insights.

In a daze, he seemed to see the life of an unparalleled swordsman.

By the Green Water Lake, Divine Sword Twenty-Three.

"Such a sword technique, such a sword technique..."

Yan Xiake was shaken, feeling that this sword was incomparably suited to him.

He was a latecomer to Taoism, and although he was a sword cultivator, the sword he wielded was that of a worldly knight-errant, not the flying sword of an ordinary sword cultivator.

In the Imperial Heaven Realm, the flying swords of sword cultivators have only edges and no handles, because sword cultivators do not need to hold swords at all. After receiving the talisman, they can kill people from a hundred steps away with just a thought, and their natal achievements can easily slay people ten miles away.

After being tempered by the Di Sha Tian Gang, and after the sword art transforms into divine power, they can slay enemies thousands of miles away with a single sword.

Where is the need to hold it in hand, where is the need for a hilt?

But he was a latecomer, without a teacher, and the Myriad Swords Art he learned was only the lowest level Dharma-level Dao scripture. After receiving the talisman, it was impossible to change.

Therefore, even if he had reached the Warming stage before, he might not be able to defeat a formal sword cultivator in the Talisman Realm.

But seeing this sword technique at this time, a sense of emotion arose in his heart.

This sword technique was too suitable for him.

"Thank you, Zhenren, for imparting the sword!"

After a moment of恍惚, Yan Xiake secretly felt grateful.

An Qisheng first saved his life, and then taught him such a sword technique. He usually pays attention to repaying all debts, but such a person, he is afraid that he will owe for a lifetime.

.......

In the貢院, Sa Wuling sometimes bit his penholder listlessly, and sometimes wrote furiously. When he was annoyed, he would look at the troubles of the scholars around him.

The examination lasts for several days, and among these literary scholars, there are many who are physically weak, and naturally suffer greatly.

"I will not help you cheat. Whether you succeed or not is your own business. Killing the old emperor has nothing to do with me."

Mu Longcheng communicated with Sa Wuling:

"Learning literature and martial arts are both cultivation. Your spiritual cultivation is average. Learning more will naturally be beneficial, but learning literature is not about chewing words, but about understanding the spirit in the words..."

Unlike his initial reluctance, as he deduced the Taiji 感应篇, his fear of An Qisheng deepened, and he changed his thinking.

Unable to escape, all his expectations and ambitions can only be realized through Sa Wuling.

He really wants to mold this old Taoist.

But he will not help him do everything hand in hand.

Sa Wuling gritted his teeth and stopped begging. He was also a stubborn person. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to seek immortals and visit Taoism for decades, and to perform super度for the dead.

Immediately, he buried his head and wrote furiously.

Whether he writes correctly or incorrectly, well or badly, he always has to write a full one, what's the point of a blank piece?

The會试usually takes three days, and there are extra examinations, even taking seven days.

But whether it is three days or seven days, this time is too short.

Wanting to learn Sword Twenty-Three in such a short period of time is also an extremely difficult thing for Yan Xiake.

Therefore, in the next few days, he stayed at home and practiced this sword technique day and night.

The more he practiced, the more shocked Yan Xiake became.

This sword technique initially seemed to be martial arts from the mortal world, but the core inside was ‘神’ (spirit), emphasizing 御 (controlling) the sword with 神, emphasizing intention over moves, emphasizing momentum over form.

Although he obtained its 神意 (spiritual intent) inheritance, it might take ten or eight years for him to truly master it.

But he is not thinking about truly mastering it at this time.

He just wants to perform this one sword strike.

He understands that he only has one chance. After the last assassination, the old emperor will definitely be more vigilant.

One sword strike, he must kill him.

At that time, the turmoil of the dragon energy and national fortune may allow the suppressed old City God to escape!

Some things cannot be compromised, cannot be postponed, and cannot be put off until tomorrow.

Even if he knows that if he waits ten or eight years to completely master this sword technique, the opportunity will be greater and he will be more confident, he still decides to act according to plan.

If everything has to wait until there is complete certainty, then nothing in the world can be accomplished!

In the dim little room of the inn, Yan Xiake brewed his own sword intent:

"Sword Twenty-Three..."

.......

As the 万法大会 (Ten Thousand Dharma Assembly) approaches, countless people flock to Qingdu City every day.

Unable to, the garrison at the city gate has increased its manpower several times.

Even so, the soldiers guarding the city are so busy that they can't even count the entrance fees they collect.

Clang~

The crisp sound of copper coins entering the basket rang out.

An old and a young Taoist priest walked through the long city gate with the crowd and entered Qingdu City.

The old Taoist's robe was mottled, the same color as his beard and hair, his hands empty, looking poor.

The little Taoist was dark and a little chubby, carrying a banner with the eight characters ‘天地有灵，人间有道’ (Heaven and Earth have spirits, the human world has Tao) written on it.

The wide avenue was paved with bluestone, enough for eight horses to walk side by side. The towering buildings on both sides extended, all the way to the end of the line of sight.

At this time, the sky was just dawning, but there were already many people on the street.

Many vendors' shouts and the aroma of food filled the ears and nose.

"Is this Qingdu City? It's really prosperous, but the entrance fee is too expensive, eighteen copper plates!"

The short little Taoist carried a banner that was not too big or too small. He was already a little tired, but at this time, seeing the prosperity of Qingdu City, he temporarily forgot to complain of fatigue.

"A thousand-year dynasty is not strange to have such a scene, but unfortunately, it has already reached its peak and is declining."

The old Taoist also looked at it, and sighed with a complex expression:

"Unfortunately, unfortunately..."

Although the two were looking in the same direction, they saw different things.

The little Taoist saw the crowds and the bustling prosperity.

What the old Taoist saw was the dragon of fortune traversing the four fields, but showing signs of fatigue. A layer of dim blood red was沾染 (stained) on its original 赤金 (red-gold) body.

"盛极而衰 (Reaching its peak and declining), how could it be?"

The little Taoist rubbed his shoulders and put down the banner.

Puchi~

The seemingly wooden flagpole pierced through the thick bluestone slab when it was put down. The little Taoist was startled and quickly pulled it out.

"Be careful."

The old Taoist glared at him: "You can't afford to pay for breaking other people's things. We only have a hundred or so copper plates on us now!"

"Oh."

The little Taoist smiled sheepishly, and then became a little annoyed:

"Master, we are also Taoists, but look at how glorious and majestic the 天意教 (Heaven's Will Sect) is! Didn't you say that our ‘人间道’ (Human Realm Path) has a very long heritage, why are we so downcast?"

Smelling the faint fragrance in the air, the little Taoist swallowed.

"Shut up!"

The old Taoist glared at his disciple with a dark face. Looking at his disciple's aggrieved appearance, he sighed in his heart.

His name is Lian Sheng, and the little Taoist is his disciple, Jingxin, and they are the only two remaining members of the Human Realm Path.

The Human Realm Path is the Dao lineage left by the You Ming Fu Jun (幽冥府君, Underworld Monarch). In theory, it should be extremely glorious now.

Unfortunately, the founding purpose of the Human Realm Path is to protect the human world. The City Gods are in the light, and they are in the dark, and there is no chance to show themselves in front of people.

But if that was all, they wouldn't be so miserable.

The turning point also occurred after the Underworld Monarch disappeared.

The Human Realm Path's inheritance is different from all the other cultivation sects in the world. The difference lies in the secret arts of the Human Realm Path.

The Great Art of Inviting Gods.

As the name suggests, their existence is rooted in the Underworld Monarch and the Underworld Gods.

From small ghost City Gods to the Eight Lords of the Underworld, they can borrow their power.

However, after the Underworld Monarch disappeared, the upper limit of the ‘Gods they can invite’ plummeted from the Underworld Monarch to the City God, which can be said to be appalling.

"Freshly baked steamed buns!"

"Sweet and delicious tofu brains...salty ones too!"

"Baked cakes, baked cakes!"

Various hawking sounds were endless.

The old Taoist Lian Sheng sighed, took out four copper plates to buy two baked cakes, and handed one of them to his disciple:

"Make do with eating some, it's not easy to live in this Qingdu, other cities, one copper plate is enough for one baked cake, in the county town, one copper plate can buy two baked cakes."

The little Taoist Jingxin swallowed and took the饼子(bingzi, cake).

Bigu (辟谷, grain avoidance) is a necessary skill for cultivators, but who would want to avoid grains if they can eat?

The two masters and disciples squatted by the roadside eating baked cakes, talking from time to time.

"You still need to practice the skill of 辟谷 more."

The old Taoist Lian Sheng ‘tsked’ his fingers and wiped them on his clothes.

The little Taoist Jingxin rolled his eyes and sighed:

"Master, why don't you expel me from the sect? Even if I do something else, if I don't cultivate the Dao, I won't starve to death."

The Human Realm Path practices the art of inviting gods. The stronger the gods you invite, the stronger you become.

Previously, there was even a record of a predecessor who practiced for three years, invited Seventh Master Xie, and killed a Transcending Tribulation Great Zhenren with one move.

No sect could possibly achieve this effect.

But conversely, the constraints are also very large.

Which god you want to invite, you must infinitely converge to that god. For example, the old Taoist Lian Sheng is sloppy and unkempt, because魁星(Kui Xing, God of Literature) is like this.

Does 魁星 want money for catching ghosts?

If 魁星 doesn't want it, can you want it?

There are too many such restrictions, such as a former predecessor who was most greedy for the pleasures of the tongue and loved to eat beef.

Then, he invited ‘Ox-Head’.

"Once you enter the Human Realm Path, you are a person of the Human Realm Path even after death!"

The old Taoist Lian Sheng's face darkened:

"My Human Realm Path only has cleaning up the sect, there is no such thing as expelling from the sect!"

"Master, I was just saying that."

Feeling that his master seemed a little angry, the little Taoist Jingxin stuck out his tongue and dared not speak.

"Let's see what happens this time. I asked 魁星 to calculate a卦 (gua, divination), this time Qingdu will undergo great changes, and there should be a turning point for us."

The old Taoist Lian Sheng patted his buttocks and stood up. He couldn't really get angry with his disciple.

Because even he himself can't see where the future of the Human Realm Path lies.

With the loss of contact with the Underworld, he can only invite gods through the Kui Xing statues worshiped by the people. And as Kui Xing is forgotten by the world, one day he will no longer be able to borrow the power of Kui Xing.

He sighed in his heart, but he couldn't show it on his face:

"Let's go, follow me to worship the old City God, and see if we can get any harvest..."