Sword cultivators need no deliberate defense; they only need to refine their killing sword qi to the extreme, and an invisible sword domain will naturally form around them.
“This art can actually resolve our sect’s millennium-old ailment!” Dao Lord Zisu’s fingertips trembled slightly.
Ever since the founding patriarch established the sword dao principle of “rather break than bend,” successive generations of sword cultivators have suffered immensely during their tribulations.
There was once a remarkably talented Seven Kill Sword Venerable who, with Spirit Transformation cultivation, consecutively slew three Spirit Severing demonic cultivators, but ultimately perished during the celestial lightning tempering of his body.
The Dao Lord suddenly formed a hand seal to set up a sound-insulating barrier, her gaze like a sword piercing directly at Qing Feng: “Is this truly unrelated to the Dao Sect? Do you know what would happen if that old Daoist Tian Xu found out such a secret manual came from his tomb?”
No sooner had she finished speaking than the teacup on the table suddenly moved without wind, as if the surging sword qi had stirred the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
“Shibo is wise.” Qing Feng bowed neither subserviently nor arrogantly: “The Sect Leader of the Dao Sect has cultivated various miscellaneous arts for generations, but has never seen such a supremely masculine and rigid body-refining method. This art secretly aligns with our sect’s sword intent, almost as if it was created specifically for sword cultivators.”
He deliberately omitted the latter part of his sentence; that day in his dream, the white-robed sword immortal who called himself Lu Yan, when demonstrating this art, clearly used the Beast Taming Sect’s long-lost “Heavenly Escape Sword Art.”
“Absolutely true, this is a secret treasure Ao Pan Dragon Emperor obtained during his travels across the four seas, and has absolutely no connection to the Dao Sect.” Qing Feng pushed the jade slip forward, and the green jade table emitted a crisp sound.
Dao Lord Zisu’s five fingers trembled slightly, and the teacup on the table moved without wind: “Good, good, good.” She repeated the word “good” three times, purple lightning flickering in her eyes, “What are those mundane artifacts and magic tools? This is the true stairway to the celestial dao, directly leading to the Grand Dao.”
Regardless of whether it belonged to the Dragon Palace or the Dao Sect, at this moment, this scroll of “Complete True Pure Yang Art” was, in Zisu’s eyes, already an item within the Beast Taming Sect’s grasp.
Eight hundred years ago, to obtain half a damaged scroll, she had battled three great demonic beasts in the Northern Abyss for seven days; now, a complete dual cultivation method for both life and spirit was right before her eyes.
“May Shibo use this technique to comprehend the profound mysteries of life and death, and open the Heavenly Gate soon.” Qing Feng bowed deeply to the ground, his Xuan-iron token at his waist clanging against the ground, producing a metallic sound.
It is widely rumored in the cultivation world that there are nine Heavenly Stages, but in reality, there are hidden mysteries. From the beginning of Qi Refining to the end of Mahayana, the Tribulation Transcendence and Mahayana realms are actually expedient measures cleverly set up by ancient sages.
Upon reaching the Perfection of Void Return, a cultivator’s leaked qi will trigger a heavenly tribulation. However, while the celestial dao wants to test cultivators, cultivators may not always be prepared for the test!
Senior mighty cultivators displayed their various divine abilities, either concealing their aura in blessed lands or using spiritual treasures to obscure heavenly secrets, forcefully extending an instant tribulation into a preparation period of hundreds of years.
Even more astonishingly talented individuals even transformed heavenly tribulations into opportunities for breakthroughs in combat power.
As for the Mahayana realm, it is the final transformation before ascending to immortality. Spiritual energy transforms into immortal essence, and the mortal body transforms into a Dao body, which should directly enter the Immortal Realm.
However, the allure of the mortal world is hard to abandon, and the path to immortality is fraught with unpredictable dangers; how many cultivators prefer to be 'Red Dust Immortals,' willingly remaining in the mortal world.
Not to mention that the Heavenly Gate is now tightly shut, and no one has ascended in eight hundred years. Three years ago, when Dao Lord Xuan Ming underwent his tribulation, the tribulation clouds had not even gathered before he was torn apart by the Nine Heavens Astral Wind, turning into that undried bloody stain on the peak of Kunlun Mountain.
“It would be fortunate if this Deputy Head could even touch the threshold of Mahayana, but you, you little rascal.” Dao Lord Zisu lightly tapped Qing Feng’s glabella, and the jade slip in her palm emitted a faint, clear light, “Once I comprehend the crucial points within it, I will hold a lecture for you all in the Sword Pond.”
“At that time, Disciple will surely give you a ride at the Ascension Platform!” Qing Feng smiled and stepped aside to avoid it.
“You scoundrel!” Zisu laughed and scolded, flicking her sleeve and departing. Her cloud-patterned wide sleeve swept up the leftover tea on the table, condensing into four water characters, “Hun Yuan Wu Ji,” which lingered for a long time.
Dao Lord Zisu waved her sleeve and said, “Go on, don’t be an eyesore here. Someone is waiting for you in your bamboo hut; they’ve been waiting for three whole years. You foolish boy are quite blessed, but don’t get tripped up by the scent of rouge.” With that, she cast a meaningful glance at the distant bamboo shadows.
A certain figure flashed through Qing Feng’s mind, but he smiled and teased, “Shibo is joking, who would truly care about me?” He turned and exchanged smiles with Qin Yue, then soared over the sea of clouds on his sword.
In front of the bamboo hut, amidst falling apricot blossoms, a girl in green leaned against an ancient tree. Her ink-black hair cascaded down to her waist, and beside her, a white tiger lay coiled like a snow-capped ridge, exuding the majesty of a hundred beasts even in slumber. Sensing the aura of an old friend, the giant beast suddenly sprang up, joyfully pouncing towards Qin Yue.
“Good child.” Qin Yue gently stroked the white tiger’s neck fur and chuckled. Three years of tempering in the flames of war had made this spirit beast even closer to her.
“You’re finally back!” Yan Yi hurried forward and embraced her friend, but as they hugged, Qin Yue whispered mischievously, “I heard you’ve been guarding an empty hut alone for three years, could it be…”
“What nonsense!” Yan Yi pushed her away in annoyance, “It’s not like Zouwu refused to go to Dan Refining Peak, I can’t possibly live in Master’s courtyard with a spirit beast.” The tips of her jade-white ears turned slightly red.
“Oh? I thought you were waiting to be a new bride.” Qin Yue winked slyly, “Perfect, we can be companions.”
“If anyone’s getting married, it’s you. Who rushed into the demonic den regardless of everything back then?” Yan Yi retorted, lightly tapping the other’s chest with her fingertip, “I wouldn’t dare steal the childhood sweethearts’ affection.”
Qing Feng was happy to watch the two beauties bicker, and simply lay down on the white tiger’s soft belly fur.
After three years of rough living, sinking into the warm fluff now made even his fingertips tingle.
The distant sounds of laughter suddenly turned into a whistling gale. He looked up to see a streak of crimson flame brush past Qin Yue’s temple.
“A Foundation Establishment fire art can harm a Golden Core?” Qin Yue spun around in surprise, her black hair curving with the heat wave.
Yan Yi raised an eyebrow slyly, the golden flames dancing in her palm illuminating her eyes: “Guess?”
“My three-colored spirit flame is self-created; when I form my Golden Core, it will surely transform into the Nine Heavens True Flame.” Yan Yi’s fingertips danced with red, blue, and green flames, and a mischievous light flickered in her eyes.
Qin Yue lightly raised her delicate hand and pressed the other person onto the bluestone, her sword tassel dangling and brushing against the other’s nose: “You’ve been stuck at the Perfection of Foundation Establishment for seven years; you might as well think about your Golden Core formation gift first.”
“You sword maniac.” Yan Yi struggled, her ear tips flushed, as the tassels at her waist intertwined with Qin Yue’s sword hilt, “If I weren’t worried about you going berserk during your secluded cultivation, why would I come to this bamboo hut every day to guard you?”
The Xuan-iron scabbard suddenly loosened its grip. Qin Yue leaned against the mottled old tree, her dark, tight-fitting attire outlining a breathtaking curve: “We haven’t met in three years. I was just testing your cultivation progress. Besides Qing Feng, in this world, only you are left to drink with me under the moonlight.”
“Your feelings for Qing Feng are more than just camaraderie.” Yan Yi, tidying her disheveled hair, suddenly became serious, “If Qing Feng were to take a partner someday, how would you handle yourself?”
The mountain breeze swept across the sword practice ground, stirring up fallen bamboo leaves. Qin Yue stared blankly at the distant straw hut: “Why should cultivators be bogged down by love? My destined sword is my Dao companion.”
“What if his Dao companion cannot tolerate your protection?” The flame in Yan Yi’s palm flickered erratically.
Qin Yue suddenly smiled brightly, her sword-finger lightly tapping the other’s glabella: “You’ve always known the bond between the three of us. If someone truly were to form a bond with Qing Feng…” Her sword qi suddenly shifted towards the bamboo bed in the straw hut, “You actually slept on Qing Feng’s bed for these past three years?”
“Zouwu is fond of the warm jade on the bed, I was merely comprehending alchemy arts here.” The jade bracelet on Yan Yi’s wrist emitted a clear chime, and dozens of talismans formed a formation in mid-air, “As for a certain someone, three years ago, she wouldn’t even touch my flowing cloud tent.”