Xiuxian: I studied abroad in modern times

Chapter 521 The Milky Way of Yesteryear, A Question from Afar

Hearing Xie Qingxue's words, Zheng Fa craned his neck and looked up.

Total darkness.

The flying sword beneath his feet emitted a sword radiance, which shot into the void, only to be swallowed up as if by an invisible maw, disappearing without a trace.

Xie Qingxue wouldn't go so far as to tease herself.

Zheng Fa focused his attention and examined the matter closely, only then noticing something amiss:
In the dim darkness, a faint light flickered in the distance.

Upon closer inspection, one could see a massive, arc-shaped object rotating and undulating.

This face looks familiar...

"compass?"

An idea flashed through Zheng Fa's mind, and he suddenly realized.

After examining it closely, he confirmed that this thing was the compass that Headmaster Yan had used to verify his identity back then.

The compass has a notch in the middle, which is exactly the shape of the yin-yang fish jade pendant.

Now this compass is rotating around the mountain peak, as if it's putting a headband on this mysterious and profound summit.

I am standing right in this gap.

Xie Qingxue sighed, "This gap is the gateway to the Myriad Swords Realm. Unfortunately, the Myriad Swords Realm is pitch black and chaotic. Our Tianhe Sect has searched for hundreds of thousands of years, but we have not been able to uncover its secrets."

Does this mean he's already halfway into the Realm of Ten Thousand Swords?

Trying to circulate his spiritual power, Zheng Fa transformed into a rainbow and flew into the sky.

The method of transforming into a rainbow has also been restored!

He flew through the gap in the middle of the compass, but there was still only darkness ahead. As he flew, a chill ran down Zheng Fa's spine, and he quickly stopped the rainbow light.

A sword aura swept past him, cutting a crack in the darkness before him.

Starlight shone through the crack.

"what happened?"

This Myriad Swords Realm is quite peculiar; the Jade Tablet of Creation seems to have been unaffected, and its communication with the Nine Mountains Realm has remained uninterrupted.

Seemingly sensing the danger just now, Senior Sister Zhang's tone was full of anxiety.

"It's nothing, it's just a bit sudden."

"However, the power of this sword energy is no weaker than when I use the Immortal Trapping Sword."

Zheng Fa was also somewhat frightened.

“It’s not as strong now,” Xie Qingxue added. “According to my records in the Heavenly River, this realm was full of sword energy at the beginning of the era. The weak ones were not worth mentioning, and the strong ones could even kill a True Immortal with a single sword strike.”

"So many years have passed, and these sword energies are no longer what they used to be..."

"Only then do we dare to explore slowly."

Uncle Pang was stunned and asked in surprise, "You mean, these sword energies existed for an entire era?"

"At least one era."

Even Zheng Fa was somewhat taken aback.

He became more cautious, wandered around in the darkness for a while, and then returned to the summit of Tongtian Sword Peak, his brows slightly furrowed.

"No response..."

He originally thought that with the Yin-Yang Fish Jade Pendant, the Myriad Swords Realm would be ready to pounce.

When he arrives, even if there aren't huge crowds, there will be plenty of decorations and lanterns.

But there was absolutely nothing wrong with it.

The exploration just now, even if it wasn't completely fruitless, at least... it must have been exhausting, right?
The people from the Nine Mountains Realm looked at each other, all turning their gazes toward Xie Qingxue.

Xie Qingxue couldn't think of a solution for the time being. After pondering for a moment, she could only guess: "Sect Leader, why not start with that compass?"

These words made Zheng Fa's eyes light up.

How do I get started?

"There is a method in the sect to refine this compass, which only the sect leader can learn. I suppose only my master has it."

Zheng Fa glanced at the live stream.

Sect Leader Yan seems to be controlled by the sword formation. To contact him, one would have to go through the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor... I should have known better than to tell the truth.

But what made Zheng Fa hesitate was another problem—refining magical artifacts always takes a long time, and this cannot be completed in just a few days.

He feared that the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor was truly gone.

Fortunately, making a key is too slow, and he can also pick locks...

Five-colored divine light, both positive and negative, rise!

A rainbow streaks across the darkness, falling straight to the distant compass.

In an instant, Zheng Fa established a connection with the compass through his divine sense.

The yin-yang fish jade pendant in his sea of ​​consciousness suddenly began to spin.

As the jade pendant turned, a Tai Chi diagram suddenly appeared in front of Zheng Fa, as if a veil had been placed over the Tongtian Sword Peak.

The Tai Chi symbol slowly rotates, and the curve at the center, like an elevator door, slowly opens a crack, through which a faint radiance shines.

Zheng Fa has not yet made a move.

The ten thousand flying swords on the Tongtian Sword Peak, like birds flocking to the forest, rushed into the crevice.

Suddenly, the crack became a noisy hubbub of voices.

Hearing the sound, Zheng Fa became even more puzzled and did not make any rash moves. He simply waited for the crack to grow larger and larger until it eventually became a passageway with a diameter of over a hundred feet.

The scenery revealed in the passageway was beyond Zheng Fa's expectations, and also left Xie Qingxue of the Nine Mountains Realm stunned.

……

"Isn't this the Tianhe Sect?"

It was Uncle Pang who broke the silence first.

It's the Tianhe School.

Zheng Fagang was sent from Tianhe, so he naturally recognized him.

Familiar city, same mountains.

Pavilions, terraces, mansions, and waterside pavilions are all clearly visible in the distance.

He even recognized some special buildings—such as the main hall of the sect leader and the scripture hall.

At the city gate, disciples were coming and going.

On the mountainside, the light of swords flashed back and forth.

A scene of bustling prosperity.

Xie Qingxue slowly shook her head, her tone unreadable: "It's the Tianhe Sect, but not the current Tianhe Sect."

Zheng Fafei entered the passageway and then he could see clearly that the disciples at the city gate were all dressed in ancient clothes, and he recognized some of them: they had just been shaved.

"This is... the Heavenly River Sect from the previous era?"

He asked in a daze.

"Yes, some buildings have changed a long time ago, and even the terrain of many mountains is very different from what it is now."

Zheng Fa nodded silently.

He had only been to the Tianhe Sect once, so he wasn't familiar with it; Xie Qingxue was naturally more familiar with it.

But this Realm of Ten Thousand Swords is really not what I imagined.

He walked through the passageway, his eyes filled with curiosity, carefully examining the ancient Tianhe Sect.

Needless to say, the disciples of Tianhe, along with the ordinary people in the city, all carried long swords at their waists, stood upright, and were full of pride.

That makes sense; even if they are mortals, they are still mortals under the feet of the Xuanwei Overlord.

How can one not have a bit of pride?

At the foot of Tianhe Sect Mountain, the area was ten times more prosperous than Haori Mountain before. Cultivators' escape lights were like rain, and the fragrance of spiritual pills filled the air, creating a lively scene.

On the mountainside behind the city, it seemed that many disciples were sparring and fighting, their swords flashing and disappearing, stirring up the clouds and startling the birds.

Even by Zheng Fa's current standards, the swordsmanship of these disciples is quite profound.

The hustle and bustle of the city and the cries of swords echoing from the mountains gave him a sense of tranquility and peace.

Perhaps it was because everyone here, regardless of whether they were cultivators or mortals, high or low in cultivation, had a sense of peace on their faces.

As he was deep in thought, he suddenly heard his Uncle Pang exclaim in his ear, "Oh no, Lu Yao has gained the upper hand again!"

Zheng Fa immediately looked towards the live broadcast room.

Sure enough, the situation of the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor began to deteriorate again:
He was probably preoccupied with the progress on Zhengfa's side, which distracted him somewhat.

After waiting for several days, Lu Yao, seeing that Zheng Fa had not yet appeared, seemed to have given up his thoughts and focused on refining the Book of Life and Death.

As one thing diminishes while another grows, the Buddha's light in the underworld is almost halfway gone.

Even the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor's face showed a hint of tranquility and liberation, as if he were about to convert.

Zheng Fa finally understood that the key to Lu Yao's complete refinement of the Book of Life and Death was to convert the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor; otherwise, it would be difficult to achieve the desired result. Just like Hao Ri Mountain's refinement of the Immortal Trapping Sword, without the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor as the weapon spirit, the effect of the Book of Life and Death would be greatly reduced.

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor is now behaving too peacefully, even seeming to want to lay down his sword.

Not good.

Thinking of this, he took out the Jade Tablet of Creation, recorded the scenery in front of him, and sent it to the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor.

During the live stream, the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor was stunned, seemingly having received the footage from Zheng Fa, and then his eyes turned red.

He suddenly looked up, glaring at Lu Yao, his body radiating intense, fiery light as he desperately tried to suppress Lu Yao's Buddhist light.

Even Lu Yao was a little stunned—after trying to convert him for so long and reciting Buddhist scriptures over and over again, why did the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor look at him with increasing hatred?
Zheng Fa watched the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor's vigorous efforts in the live broadcast, smiled slightly, and kept his merits and fame hidden.

The scene before him was like an archaeological dig for him, but for the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor, it was the past.

This is equivalent to having a beloved but unattainable love interest who gets murdered. When you face your enemy and see a picture of that love interest, you will absolutely think... Where is my murder weapon?
"Is this your natal magic weapon?"

A voice suddenly rang out behind him, startling Zheng Fa. He turned around and saw... a show-off.

This person's attire is very familiar; it's just like Yan Wushuang's style back in the day.

Wearing a crane-feather cloak and a star-studded crown, she was dressed entirely in white, with a wide gold-threaded belt that danced in the wind.

The man was young and not particularly striking in appearance, but his eyes were sharp and piercing, which made Zheng Fa feel a chill run down his spine when they fell on him.

"The Venerable Tianhe?"

At this time and in this place, dressed like this, he really couldn't think of anyone else.

The man nodded, but his gaze remained fixed on the Jade Tablet of Creation. He seemed to have seen through its contents at a glance, and praised, "This magic treasure is quite interesting."

"It all depends on the Venerable One's natal magic weapon technique."

Zheng Fa said politely.

Unexpectedly, Venerable Tianhe was not a polite person. He nodded with a self-satisfied expression, accepting all the gratitude without hesitation.

He pointed to the live stream and asked curiously, "Is this Jiuyou?"

"Yes, the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor resisted Lu Yao's refining."

“Being completely dominated by Lu Yao, tsk.” Venerable Tianhe’s tone was disdainful. “After all these years, you haven’t improved at all.”

"..."

Zheng Fa suddenly had some doubts: was this guy actually Venerable Tianhe?

Something's not right!
Just then, the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor sent a spiritual message, urgently asking, "Is this the Realm of Ten Thousand Swords? What else did you encounter?"

Zheng Fa thought for a moment and replied, "I met someone who claimed to be Venerable Tianhe."

"He's still alive? That shouldn't be! What did he say?"

"He's complaining that you, Demon Ancestor, are...weak."

"...It's him!"

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor's reply was decisive and without the slightest hesitation.

Very good, it's not a fake.

"Your Excellency, you also know Lu Yao's background?"

"I know, the Demon Emperor, the Primordial Ancestor of the Sun, the Primordial Demon Ancestor, is a bit troublesome."

Venerable Tianhe spoke casually, as if he didn't care at all.

Seeing him like this, Zheng Fa felt a glimmer of hope.

"Since you, Venerable One, are still alive..."

"I am dead."

Then what are you so smug about?

"..."

"I am actually just a remnant soul. I can't get out of here. The Myriad Swords Realm is not for fighting. Even if I go out, I can't beat them."

Seeing the Heavenly River Remnant Soul's calm expression, Zheng Fa felt somewhat disappointed and asked again, "After the Heavenly River Law is combined, is there any next step? If the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor can obtain the perfected Heavenly River Law, he might be able to reverse the defeat."

Tianhe's remnant soul nodded: "Yes."

"Please, Venerable One, impart your teachings!"

Zheng Fa was surprised that things went so smoothly and quickly said...

"Well, I can't make that decision."

"Can't make the decision?"

Zheng Fa was stunned.

"I'll listen to them."

The remnant soul of Tianhe pointed towards the Tianhe Sect.

He was referring to the disciples of the Heavenly River Sect.

Zheng Fa was increasingly puzzled. Was this really so democratic?

Seemingly noticing his confusion, the remnant soul of Tianhe chuckled softly: "Come with me."

Zheng Fa was also confused, and followed behind him towards the Tianhe Sect.

After taking two steps, the scenery before my eyes suddenly changed.

Although the two were still under the Tianhe Sect's feet, the air was thick with a chilling atmosphere.

In the sky, light shimmered, and countless immortal swords were gathering.

"Back then, my Tianhe Sect had just begun to rise to power, and my strength was not yet invincible, but the special nature of the Tianhe Law had already been exposed," said the remnant soul of Tianhe. "When the Holy Dynasty invaded our territory, the four sects deliberately delayed and did not come to our aid. That was almost the most urgent time for the Tianhe Sect."

The Holy Dynasty is the power of the Demon Ancestor and also a major enemy of the Heavenly River Sect.

Zheng Fa could naturally imagine the danger of the situation.

He is now stronger than most loose immortals, but the Nine Mountains Sect still faces great pressure.

"I'm being held back by the Demon Ancestor." Tianhe's remnant soul spoke calmly, but Zheng Fa fully understood the danger involved. "We can only rely on these disciples to protect the Tianhe Sect."

He looked at the disciples on the flying swords; they didn't speak, but simply gathered silently.

Half an incense stick later, without any orders, they flew off into the distance as if by telepathy.

Ten thousand swords emerge from the Milky Way, their sword energy sweeping across the sky.

Zheng Fa watched this scene with a somewhat downcast mood.

The remnant soul of Tianhe remained silent.

The two simply walked forward, seemingly traversing time and space, as the light and shadow before them shifted once more.

A disciple has returned.

When he went there, he had over ten thousand disciples.

When they returned, it seemed there were fewer than four thousand.

These disciples had been through countless battles, both large and small. Their auras were weak, and they were all wounded. There were bloodstains on the flying swords at their waists, and the air was filled with a stench.

Their eyes seemed somewhat vacant as they stared at each other, as if searching for someone.

They couldn't find it, and didn't say anything.

Zheng Fa could only watch in silence.

Tianhe's remnant soul carried Zheng Fa forward, passing through this deathly silence, when they heard human voices.

He then saw another Venerable Tianhe.

This venerable one, along with several thousand disciples, formed a circle.

Within the circle, rows of immortal swords stood upright, their hilts planted in the ground and their tips pointing to the sky.

One of the disciples sang aloud an ancient ballad that Zheng Fa had never heard before, but the sorrow in it still moved him.

One disciple remained silent, flicking his sword with his fingers, the sound ringing out, his anger barely concealed.

Many others, like Venerable Tianhe, simply stared blankly at the sword forest.

Suddenly, a disciple turned to look at Venerable Tianhe and asked:

"Sect Leader, what will Tianhe and Xuanwei be like in the future?"

Venerable Tianhe remained silent.

"If these senior brothers could see the future, would they regret it?"

The crowd gradually fell silent, and all eyes turned to Venerable Tianhe in the center of the crowd.

Venerable Tianhe turned his head and looked in the direction of Zheng Fa.

Thousands of eyes simultaneously focused on Zheng Fa, as if seeking an answer.

The remnant soul of Tianhe beside him had disappeared.

Zheng Fa suddenly understood what the remnant soul of Tianhe meant by "listen to them."

He and these souls of the Milky Way have waited for hundreds of thousands of years, waiting for an answer.

(End of this chapter)