Embers of Sword

Chapter 626 The Source of the Dao
The forbidden lotus land was submerged by the great tide of cause and effect.

Countless phoenix flames, accompanied by howls, lashed out at the old man in the center of the forbidden area.

The old man, dressed in a Buddhist robe, looked at the overwhelming tide before him and the heads of all living beings floating in the waves, his eyes filled with compassion.

The next moment, compassion vanished, replaced by unwavering resolve and sharpness.

Zhao Chunyang threw a punch.

boom!
This overwhelming tide was shattered into pieces!

Each punch unleashed a powerful force, causing the void to collapse wherever it passed—

"The Source of the Dao!"

The Empress's pupils contracted. At that moment, she was absolutely certain that Zhao Chunyang had surpassed the Yang God Realm and reached a higher level.

A vast, ethereal river appeared behind Zhao Chunyang.

There are three thousand great paths, each flowing like a river.

The long river that appeared behind Zhao Chunyang at this moment was formed by hundreds of millions of sword shadows. These sword lights swam and collided in the river like fish, rippling with brilliant light. This was the legendary "Source of the Dao". Zhao Chunyang's understanding of the sword path had returned to its original simplicity and reached its ultimate level. This long river was all-encompassing, yet it did not appear chaotic.

The Way is the Way.

This source of the Dao... is called "The Source of the Sword Dao"!
Every blade of grass, every tree, every speck of light, every wisp of dust, every breeze—all can be transformed into a sword!
Every punch, every kick, every palm strike, every finger strike, is imbued with the essence of swordsmanship!

This is why Zhao Chunyang, despite being a sword cultivator, resembled a martial artist. All these years of cultivation were for the purpose of refining the "sword way" into the "sword source"!
After the Long River of Swordsmanship appeared.

This great tide of cause and effect was thus cut in half—

The Great Phoenix Cave Heaven, the Immortal Tree, and the entire Moon Concealment Realm were all unable to withstand this surging power of the sword source.

Just one punch.

This great tide of cause and effect, which embodies the principles of all living beings, was subdued and thus came to an end.

Despite her best efforts, the Empress was unable to resist the attack, and she was sent flying like a kite with a broken string.

The entire Great Phoenix Cave Heaven was blasted to the point of near collapse.

Phoenix fire rained down from the sky.

Yuan Huang sat on the ground, pale-faced, as the vast river of sword energy spread out around the Lotus Forbidden Land.

In the long river, golden lotus flowers float and sink...

With each step Zhao Chunyang took...

A lotus flower bloomed beneath his feet, catching the master of the sword source.

Below the heavens and man, all are practitioners.

Above the celestial beings are those who uphold the Way.

Zhao Chunyang didn't need to study or comprehend it; the essence of the "Sword Dao" he cultivated, this great river of knowledge, was already entirely within his grasp.

"This... is this what a celestial being is?"

The Empress Dowager was deeply shaken by what she saw.

This was still under the constraints of an era where the Dao was limited and the vital energy was depleted... Even if Zhao Chunyang comprehended the "Source of the Dao," he would not be able to advance.

In this situation.

Despite holding three dragon veins in his hands, he was utterly powerless to fight back!

"ended."

Zhao Chunyang lowered his eyes and stared at the woman in front of him.

He raised his palm.

The mighty river of sword energy surged like a dragon.

The next moment, Zhao Chunyang suddenly frowned and looked towards the entrance of the Lotus Forbidden Land.

A dragon's roar resounded—

Countless paper snowflakes fluttered in, and a blanket of snow poured into the Great Phoenix Cave.

"Sword Qi Dragon Vein!"

A light rekindled in the Empress's eyes, which had been filled with despair.

She entered the game herself, stepping onto this Lotus Peak.

The purpose was to stall Zhao Chunyang!

The silence of the Lotus Forbidden Land was broken by the roar of a dragon. Amidst the swirling waves of paper snow, the figure of a blue dragon, struggling to break free but bound and imprisoned, stood out conspicuously!

"..."

Seeing this, Zhao Chunyang's eyes flashed with murderous intent.

The sword energy dragon vein beneath the Great Eagle Sword Palace... has finally been extracted!
Inside the Great Phoenix Cave, fire rain swirled and mingled with paper snow.

Lu Yuzhen concealed his figure, intending to send the "Sword Qi Dragon Vein" into the hands of the Holy Empress... The Holy Empress also sensed the Paper Daoist's thoughts and once again used the Dao of All Beings. The causal tide of the Great Phoenix Cave Heaven descended again, but this time it was no longer an attack on Zhao Chunyang. Instead, it covered the sky and obscured the view, completely submerging these paper snowflakes.

Unfortunately, a moment later, Zhao Chunyang's divine sense locked onto a point in the void.

He threw a punch without any expression on his face.

This punch was even more powerful than his previous attack on the Holy Empress!

The Sword Source River roared.

Countless sword energies burst forth, shattering the causal waves of the Great Phoenix Cave Heaven once more, along with the endless paper snow—

Under the illumination of the Dao source.

Lu Yuzhen had nowhere to hide.

In the void, Lu Yuzhen, draped in a snow-white cloak, was forced to reveal his true form, and he quickly used his supernatural powers.

Countless paper snowflakes fluttered in the air.

His proud "Incarnation of a Blank Sheet" and his "Life-Saving Technique" that had never failed... were utterly reduced to childish tricks in the face of overwhelming power!

The force of that punch remained undiminished.

Millions of sheets of paper were shredded in an instant.

"puff!"

Lu Yuzhen spat out a mouthful of blood, flew backward, smashed through layers of causal waves, and crashed heavily into the edge of the Great Phoenix Cave Heaven, almost breaking through the cave heaven itself.

"..."

The Empress Dowager turned pale as she watched this scene.

Zhao Chunyang slowly withdrew his fist, glanced at the woman beneath him, and took a step outward.

next moment.

Guided by the lotus flower in the Sword Source River, Zhao Chun instantly appeared in front of Lu Yuzhen.

He reached out and pressed his palm against Lu Yuzhen's neck, frowning as he stared at the paper effigy in front of him.

"Cough cough..."

Lu Yuzhen gasped for breath, and the vast amount of water vapor inside her dantian evaporated at an extremely rapid speed.

His situation had never been worse...

His own perfected White Paper Dao Domain couldn't even withstand a single blow from Zhao Chunyang; it was shattered in an instant.

Judging solely from combat prowess, this Sword Palace Master seems to be even stronger than the two "Ancient Celestials" of the Great Yue Kingdom... At least in the battle in the Great Yue Kingdom, I was able to get involved a little, but in the battle in the Lotus Forbidden Land, I don't even seem to have the qualifications to set foot there.

If it weren't for the Fountain of Immortality.

He should already be "dead".

"Lu Yuzhen?"

Zhao Chunyang stared into the eyes of the paper effigy in front of him and slowly said, "...I've seen you before."

"It's truly...an honor..."

Lu Yuzhen grinned, managing to force a smile.

He wasn't surprised by Zhao Chunyang's words.

Although Zhao Chunyang has been in seclusion in the Sword Palace for many years, never leaving Lotus Peak... this Sword Palace leader has reached the "Celestial Realm" above the Yang God realm. His physical body has retreated into the void, his soul wanders in the River of Life, and in this divine travel state, he can know the past and glimpse the future.

It is only natural to have seen oneself.

"What were your last words before you died?"

Zhao Chunyang gazed at Lu Yuzhen and spoke calmly.

"..."

The paper doll remained silent for a long time.

He looked at the old man in front of him, whose eyes shone as brightly as the sun.

"If... I could... just die like this..."

Lu Yuzhen squeezed out his last words from his chest, saying with utmost seriousness and regret, "...How wonderful."

The sound fell to the ground.

Zhao Chunyang throws a punch.

The fist, imbued with the power of the Sword Source River, shattered the void as it struck.

With a loud bang!
Before the fist even arrived, the overwhelming pressure of the Great Dao pressed down like the sky collapsing.

The paper doll's head first cracked with a snap, then exploded like a watermelon!

……

……

(PS: As usual, here's one chapter for now. There will be another chapter today, but I'm not sure when.)
(End of this chapter)