From a martial arts disciple to a god through countless trials and tribulations

Chapter 260 The True Scripture of Mountains and Seas is a Dead End
The sword fairy Su Fuyao, dressed in white, took out a sandalwood box containing the ancient bamboo slips that recorded the "Chenghuang True Scripture".

Shen Jianqing's initial shock subsided. He understood his senior brother's meaning; out of consideration for their relationship, he had given a seemingly top-tier gift that was actually impossible to take with him.

Because ancient bamboo slips are not something that people of low cultivation levels can comprehend. Even the Sword Dao True Monarch often tries to understand the Immortal Scripture from them, but he is often stumped!
Shen Jianqing did not hate Chen Xuan, but because they came from the same impoverished place, the other party had already made a name for himself in a relatively "inspirational" way, so he couldn't help but feel a bit competitive and comparative.

He waited to see the other party run into a wall and fail miserably.

"This martial arts prodigy is no ordinary person; he might even have a higher level of comprehension than the Sword Fairy," Black Horse thought to himself, looking forward to Chen Xuan's comprehension of the ancient bamboo slips.

When it was in Liuzhen with the Sword Fairy, it met Chen Xuan in his mortal days, and therefore it was most impressed by Chen Xuan's current level of cultivation.

After all, a martial arts prodigy has gone from an ordinary person to the third level of the cauldron realm in just over three years. Such an achievement would cause a sensation anywhere.

Apart from the "One Worldly Venerable" figures of the Heavenly Mandate Immortal Seed level, who else in the world can compare to him?

Dark Horse knew that Sword Embryo Su Fuyao's breakthrough speed was equally rapid, but Su Fuyao had the entire Sword Inquiry Dojo as her backing, with inexhaustible elixirs, cultivation techniques, and resources, as well as the meticulous nurturing of several True Monarchs. But what did this martial arts lad have?
Yaoguang Prefecture was so impoverished that the only way to obtain cultivation resources was to devour cultivators of the same Qi.

If Shen Jianqing, with the bloodline of a sword immortal, had not become a disciple of the old sword master, would he have been able to become a cultivation vessel within three years if he had stayed in the Chu Kingdom of Yaoguang Prefecture? Probably not. The fact that he was able to break through to become a high-level Daoist cultivator in one bloody battle after another is already considered an amazing stroke of luck.

"This martial arts kid might be able to see the True Lord chapter of the 'True Scripture of the Yellow Emperor'," Black Horse thought to himself, having high expectations for Chen Xuan.

Su Fuyao, holding the sandalwood box, walked up to Chen Xuan and casually reminded him:
“Running the White Qi True Scripture or the secret sword technique makes it easier to resonate with the ancient bamboo slips.”

With a gentle flick of her white sleeve, the sandalwood box landed on the table. She turned and left, the black and white swords hanging on either side of her slender waist swaying slightly, their curves captivating.

"..." Chen Xuan stared at Su Fuyao's slender waist and back. After her original sword broke, she quickly replaced it with new swords? And two of them?

This is actually a terrifying thing, because a sword cultivator's cultivation of the Great Dao is all contained in a single sword strike, and the sword cannot be easily discarded... Su Fuyao's ability to change swords at will also inadvertently reveals some of her special qualities.

It is rumored that some divine sword cultivators ascend to godhood using their swords as their very weapon.

Qi Yuan stood up and led the group of sword cultivators away, making room for Chen Xuan to meditate. As he passed by Chen Xuan, he said:
“Little guy, I know you have initially mastered the Shangyang Secret Essentials, and your comprehension is no less than that of Fuyao. How much of the Chenghuang True Scripture you can take away depends entirely on your own abilities.”

The other sword cultivators were scrutinizing Chen Xuan. All the immortal techniques in the world were legendary, but the Shangyang Secret was even more mysterious. They were very curious about what level Chen Xuan could achieve in an hour.

Chen Xuan said, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Qi. If I ever comprehend the second half of the Divine Travel Scripture of the True Scripture of the Yellow Emperor, I will never pass it on to anyone else."

Qi Yuan and his group walked to the palace gate and waited, watching Chen Xuan from afar. Some young sword cultivators from the mountains also gathered around to watch the excitement.

Chen Xuan did not open the sandalwood box directly, but calmed his mind and entered a state of clear consciousness.

"Throughout history, only a few Bai Xiao Immortals who eventually became immortals were able to comprehend the 'True Scripture of the Yellow Emperor' in one go through ancient bamboo slips."

Outside the door, Qi Yuan was speaking to his fellow disciples. Throughout the entire Immortal-Ghost Era, only a handful of people were able to comprehend the essence of the matter in one go.

"Comprehension is important, but it is not the only standard for judging the achievement of a Qi practitioner... Old Sword Master was dull-witted. When he was young, it took him a whole year to barely comprehend the first half of the 'True Scripture of Riding the Yellow River'."

The loud voice startled the group of sword cultivators at the door.

Who is slandering the Old Sword Master and saying such taboo and outrageous things? The sword cultivators couldn't help but turn their heads to look.

A tall old man and a young Taoist boy appeared at the entrance of the hall, peeking inside.

"But a higher level of comprehension is naturally better, as it will save you from many detours." The old man was tall and robust, easily two meters tall, and dressed in a martial artist's hempen outfit.

He had large hands and feet, shoulders like two solid rocks, and a tall, upright posture. His face had strong, chiseled features, etched with the vicissitudes of time, and exuded an imposing presence.

"Senior Wei, what guidance do you have?"

Qi Yuan respectfully clasped his hands in greeting and then bowed to the young Taoist boy beside him, saying, "Master Lu."

"Grandpa Tianya, what brings you up the mountain?" Su Fuyao called out to Wei Zhenjun in a friendly tone, clearly indicating that they were quite familiar with each other.

"Come up and see the murderer," Wei Tianya said, raising his head.

The group of sword cultivators were shocked upon hearing this. A murderer? Who? Everyone followed Wei Tianya's gaze and looked towards Chen Xuan in the hall. Who did he kill?

"Wu Taotie!" Su Fuyao was startled, and her eyes immediately turned to Chen Xuan.

Because Black Horse had mentioned to her that Martial Gluttony died in the distant Yaoguang Prefecture. It had speculated that either Nanmian failed in alchemy, or the two realm lords used underhanded gang-up tactics...

Of course, there are also a few rumors that Wu Taotie died at the hands of the Southern Wilderness Holy Son.

But rumors stop with the wise; almost no one believes such absurd rumors.

"The martial arts kid killed Wu Taotie! He really did something amazing!" The black horse was quick-witted and reacted immediately, excitedly transmitting his voice to Su Fuyao, full of resentment.

Lu Zhuan, dressed in a black Taoist robe, with clear and bright eyes, quickly spoke:

"Wei Zhenjun is spouting nonsense. What murderer? That sounds awful... By the way, Qi boy, how many sword cultivators have died in your family? Do you think the old Sword Lord will ever come back to find me?"

In an instant, the place fell silent.

Then, a commotion broke out at the entrance. These two extraordinary True Lord-level figures dared to say anything!

Some sword cultivators with bad tempers changed their expressions, gritted their teeth, and wished they could draw their swords and chop these two arrogant guys a few times.

“It’s not impossible that your entire True Lord army was wiped out.” Lu Zhuan stared at Qi Yuan with a serious expression, indicating that he was not joking.

What level of power does Xiao Qingtian possess? It originates from the Dao Ancestor, one of the oldest sages!
The main body of the Sword Inquiry Dojo is simply the Immortal Dojo of [White Cloud Jade Palace Sword Lord], and then it incorporates some of the sage inheritance of [True Martial Demon-Slaying Heavenly Venerable].

Like the occasionally brilliant ancient dojos such as Qingnang, Tongtian, and Butian, the Wenjian Dojo has a significant gap in foundation compared to the timeless sage traditions of Xiaoqingtian and Xiaoyinjian.

"Master Lu, stop talking!" Qi Yuan quickly stopped him. This kind of topic should not be discussed casually, as it could cause widespread panic.

Some of the young sword cultivators looked worried because Lu Zhuan was the head of the Tongtian Dojo, and the words of such an important figure were very credible.

Although the Sword Inquiry Dojo alone mobilized four True Lords from the present world's [Bai Xiaotian], plus a great deal of power slumbering in the Taixu, all of them were directed towards Qingming Prefecture.

However, Xiao Qingtian is equally unfathomable. This force has gone mad and chaotic, but it has never been weak.

"You're just spouting discouraging words!"

Wei Tianya said coldly, then turned to Qi Yuan and said, "Xiao Qingtian has angered everyone. Every True Monarch has a Heavenly Fate Pill, and even a minor cultivator in the Cauldron Realm can get one. Their behavior shows they don't respect anyone in the world."

The young sword cultivators were filled with emotion, their thoughts swirling and their imaginations running wild.

Yes, behind every chosen one, there isn't just one force watching. Little Qingtian has such a big appetite; the other ancient Daoist sects certainly won't agree to it.

"Grandpa Wei, did your true form also go to Qingming Prefecture?" Su Fuyao asked carefully, vaguely guessing that Wei Tianya seemed to be secretly related to the deceased Wu Taotie.

But Wu Taotie is Xiao Qingtian's elixir, how could Wei Tianya not hate it?
"Since the old swordsman has started the war, we old guys who are scheming for destiny should naturally follow suit."

Wei Tianya said, then glanced at Lu Zhuan, whose expression was somewhat strange, and sneered, "The Little Underworld, the Thunder Ancestor's dojo is hiding everywhere... True Monarchs from all walks of life are gathering, all weighing the alchemists. Qingming Prefecture is very lively."

The group of sword cultivators were all unable to calm down as they digested the information that Wei Zhenjun had casually mentioned.

Outside the hall, there was a cacophony of voices, but inside, it was quiet and serene. Chen Xuan took a deep breath and opened the sandalwood box on the table.

Wisps of platinum-gold mist emerged from the box.

What comes into view is a white ancient bamboo scroll. The bamboo strips are very thin and covered with densely packed small characters, accompanied by numerous spiderweb-like cracks.

Chen Xuan carefully unfolded it. This was an ancient artifact from tens of millions of years ago, and he was afraid that it would break if touched even lightly.

The ancient bamboo slips were severely damaged; the first bamboo slip was cracked, and many of the subsequent bamboo slips were even missing a corner, resulting in the loss of a large amount of text.

"That's quite challenging."

Chen Xuan thought to himself, no wonder Qi Yuan said that the true scriptures are difficult to comprehend. It requires one's own comprehension to understand the traces left by the immortal Bai Xiao millions of years ago.

If it works, it works. If it doesn't, it doesn't work.

In fact, the geniuses of the Wenjian Dojo throughout the ages have all studied the ancient bamboo slips, spending a great deal of time constantly revising and verifying them, and have already obtained a complete "Chenghuang Zhenjing".

However, the ancient bamboo slips, which record the first chapter of the Chenghuang Sutra personally carved by the immortal Baixiao, still bring many benefits when one resonates with them.

"The earliest ancient seal script."

Chen Xuan scanned the ancient seal script on the bamboo slips. This script was obtained from the bloodline of the ancient beasts of the mountains and seas and was used by all the spiritual beings in the entire world of immortals and ghosts.

"Ok?"

When he looked at the first bamboo slip, he immediately noticed that the characters were glowing faintly, like ancient beasts that resembled foxes and horses moving and rearranging themselves.

Then, they transformed, and in a daze, Chen Xuan saw a fairy mountain in the sea, with auspicious beasts with long horns climbing the mountain and roaring. All the seal characters were evolving into strange scenes.

Then, they changed again, transforming into countless tiny figures that blotted out the sky before his eyes. Some sat cross-legged with palms facing upwards, while others danced and performed various cultivation movements in harmony with heaven and earth. Chen Xuan stared at the countless tiny, fluttering character figures before him, a flood of information rushing into his mind, chaotic and disordered, countless voices about the origin of power filling his mind.

"It's really difficult... First, I need to find the beginning of the Ascension chapter." Chen Xuan muttered to himself, his expression serious and focused, as he began to unravel the chaotic text, tracing its origin.

He only has one hour and needs to devote all his energy to this important matter.

"His expression was serious; he was probably stumped by the ancient bamboo slips."

Outside the palace gates, the sword cultivators who had been waiting focused all their attention on Chen Xuan.

Shen Jianqing said, "It is very difficult to comprehend the true scripture. When I first tried to comprehend it, I drank two pots of sword-washing tea and spent half an hour before I was able to resonate with the ancient bamboo slips and see those densely packed characters."

Deciphering ancient bamboo slips is incredibly difficult, even just establishing a connection with them in the first step. Those who can do this are considered geniuses with good comprehension.

"Huh?" A sword cultivator exclaimed in surprise.

Because, almost the instant Chen Xuan took out the ancient bamboo slip, the dim bamboo slip lit up with a spiritual white light, accompanied by auspicious beast cries.

Is this ancient bamboo slip a form of feedback?

Everyone saw the tattered ancient bamboo slips rapidly transforming, and one by one, the seal script characters resembling small beasts, like foxes and horses, leaped onto Chen Xuan's body, as if they were dancing gracefully, flowing with a strong Taoist charm.

"So fast?" Even Shen Jianqing, who always considered himself exceptionally talented, was taken aback.

He quickly turned his head and looked at the sword fairy Su Fuyao beside him.

Su Fuyao stared intently at Chen Xuan, who was enveloped in platinum light, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"It's faster than I expected. This has only happened to Junior Sister Fuyao, who is a sword embryo." Qi Yuan, who was in the central area of ​​the palace gate, also exclaimed in surprise.

It should be noted that Su Fuyao is a natural-born swordsman, and her understanding of things related to swordsmanship is divinely aided. However, Chen Xuan, who is "a jack of all trades but master of none," is in no way inferior.

However, the scene unfolding at this moment is enough to demonstrate that Chen Xuan's comprehension is in no way inferior to that of a celestial being!
Many sword cultivators expressed their admiration. Although in recent days, many well-informed people in the Yunmeng Land already knew that the Qingnang Dojo had found an outsider named Chen Xuan.

Yunmeng Prefecture, after all, is a land of outstanding people and abundant resources, where exciting events happen every day.

For example, Zhang Dongxuan ascended to godhood with the virtue of earth, Daze Zi Ri was reincarnated, and the sword cultivator asked Xiao Qingtian about the Dao... Although Chen Xuan's defeat of Han Shuangjiang of the Five Elements Sect caused a stir, it was just a slightly larger ripple in the deep sea. These sword cultivators in Yunmeng Prefecture were very unfamiliar with Chen Xuan.

But at this moment, everyone here truly realized that Chen Xuan was a true prodigy who was in no way inferior to those born with a Heavenly Fate Immortal Seed.

"Qingnang Daoist Temple has struck gold." Wei Tianya stared at Chen Xuan in the hall, then looked at Lu Zhuan and asked, "Old Daoist Lu, who are you referring to as the young man from Xinzhai?"

He remained at Wenjian Mountain in his ordinary state, and thus clearly witnessed Lu Zhuan's presumptuous attempt to mediate.

"Wei Zhenjun, are you plotting against Xinzhai?" Lu Zhuan glanced at Wei Tianya and said, "You defeated dogs of the Dou tribe, don't even think about it. Take care of your own lives first!"

"..." Wei Tianya remained silent, his expression gloomy, because the human race's power in the Dou tribe had almost completely withered and was about to be completely cut off from its lineage.

In the Southern Region today, let alone newly promoted Doubu warriors, there are hardly any people left who cultivate Doubu Qi... Wu Taotie was originally someone who could recreate some of the glory of Doubu warriors, but unfortunately he has already perished and his Dao has vanished.

"I need to take another look," Wei Tianya muttered to himself, staring at Chen Xuan.

In the main hall, Chen Xuan's eyes were deep, his gaze seemingly piercing through the mists of time, looking directly at the original secrets of the ancient bamboo slips.

"After the Ascension Chapter, it's time for the Daoist Canon Chapter."

Chen Xuan's aura became increasingly clear and ethereal. After finding the initial source of the Ascension Chapter, his comprehension speed increased countless times. The chaotic text in front of him was instantly linked together as if by a thin thread, and there was no longer any disorder.

The rest was not difficult.

Chen Xuan quickly reached the chapter on the cauldron, followed by the second half of the Tao Hongchen True Scripture. He paused slightly in the middle, but once he had sorted out his thoughts, he began to speed up and memorize the second half of the Chenghuang Scripture.

"There's still plenty of time left." Chen Xuan estimated the time; only half an hour had passed.

The lower half of the Chenghuang Sutra is thousands of times more profound than the upper half.

Chen Xuan was on high alert and devoted himself entirely to it. However, as soon as he began to comprehend and memorize the information, extremely exaggerated images immediately appeared in his mind.

"Woo!"

A phantom image of a fox-like, horse-like ancient beast appeared, with white sharp horns growing from its back. It was hundreds of meters tall and lay on the ground, its body filling the entire palace, protecting Chen Xuan in its embrace.

This illusory image of Chenghuang was almost real, its body blocking the palace entrance, making it difficult for those outside to see Chen Xuan's state of enlightenment.

"As expected of a martial arts prodigy, he's starting to comprehend the Divine Travel Chapter!" The black horse had exactly that expression; it knew the martial arts prodigy could definitely do it!

"Why was he so fast?" Su Fuyao's heart was filled with mixed emotions.

She was somewhat lost in thought. Was Chen Xuan's comprehension really that high?
Comprehension and innate talent have always been the most direct ways to demonstrate talent on paper.

Su Fuyao knew that Chen Xuan's physical aptitude wasn't particularly good; a physical aptitude of eight or nine thousand jin was common on Wenjian Mountain... but comprehension was a talent that was extremely difficult to discern, requiring many things to verify before one could determine its level.

"He really can? This is unreasonable!" Shen Jianqing's eyes widened in disbelief. The talent displayed by this fellow villager far exceeded his expectations.

"The Qingnang Dojo has already taken one Realm Lord, and they still want to get this young man? Aren't they afraid of choking themselves to death?" Qi Yuan muttered to himself.

Everyone knew that Chen Xuan had made a great gain.

Comprehension is one of the most important qualities for a Qi practitioner.

People suddenly realized that Chen Xuan's comprehension was at a terrifying level, that he could directly comprehend the "True Scripture of the Yellow Emperor" on ancient bamboo slips.

“He is not suited to cultivate the true scriptures of swordsmanship; the true scriptures of the Fighting Division are more suitable for him,” Wei Tianya muttered to himself. Chen Xuan’s perfect body, cultivated through the Shangyang Secret Manual, is more in line with the inheritance of the Fighting Division martial artists.

At this moment, Chen Xuan's heart was filled with excitement. He quickly studied the second half of the Chenghuang True Scripture, and images of mountains and seas appeared in his eyes. White mist swirled, runes danced, and the power of metal virtue flowed swiftly.

He even saw a blurry figure in the mountains and seas, with a celestial sword hanging at his waist and dressed in white. Was that the ancient White Cloud Jade Palace Sword Lord?
Meanwhile, as time passed rapidly, Chen Xuan's energy was quickly waning. Maintaining a high level of comprehension and resonance was extremely taxing, even more so than going through a major battle.

The Scripture of Divine Travels, the Scripture of True Lords, the Scripture of Immortals...

After about half an hour, Chen Xuan obtained the complete Chenghuang Sutra, which consists of six chapters.

"Is there more of the [Supreme Heaven] scripture at the end?"

Chen Xuan did not stop his comprehension and continued to examine the ancient bamboo slips. Suddenly, with a hum, a grand Daoist roar resounded in his ears, and his vision went black. He almost fell to the ground.

In a daze, he seemed to see a blurry white-clad figure with a celestial sword hanging at his waist, transforming into countless layers, pressing down on his eyes.

"Hey!"

Chen Xuan felt an ancient emotion of sorrow and desolation fill his mind, causing him to lose his composure. Was this the lament of the ancient immortal Bai Xiao?
At the same time, his blood and qi surged, and a mouthful of blood rushed to his throat, almost spitting it out.

"There are no more scriptures... The 'True Scripture of the Yellow Emperor' cannot be cultivated to the level of the Supreme Heaven."

Chen Xuan thought to himself that the "Chenghuang True Scripture" passed down by the Wenjian Dojo was a dead end.

Soon, he exited the state of enlightenment, having thoroughly understood the secrets of the ancient bamboo slips.

In an instant, the phantom of the ancient beast Chenghuang, which filled the hall, and the characters that fluttered and swirled around it, retreated like a tide back into the ancient bamboo slips, and all the strange phenomena disappeared.

At the entrance of the hall, people finally saw Chen Xuan's figure clearly again and were immediately stunned. How did he get injured while trying to comprehend the true scripture? His face was frighteningly pale. Was he suffering a backlash from forcibly comprehending the true scripture?
"Huh? The smell of blood!" Some people with high cultivation levels smelled a faint scent of blood on Chen Xuan. He failed to comprehend the true scripture and was injured as a result, forcing him to withdraw from the comprehension state in the Central Plains!
Shen Jianqing and the other sword cultivators were slightly taken aback. Shen Jianqing thought to himself, "This fellow villager is too reckless. He wants to take everything he finds. Although he is highly perceptive, his temperament is far inferior to his. He is a truly steady person, taking things one step at a time."

Well, what a mess! He tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead. He was injured and had to quit halfway through, probably without even managing to memorize the scriptures of the Divine Journey!
Black Horse and Sword Fairy were also shocked upon seeing this... Had Chen Xuan failed?

“His potential only goes this far,” Su Fuyao murmured. This was completely unexpected; she had originally thought Chen Xuan should have been more persistent.

But now, the other party may not have even finished reading the Divine Travel chapter of "Chenghuang Zhenjun".

Just then, Wei Tianya, with a solemn expression, suddenly spoke.

“Fuyao, go and test him, and see why he is so fast.”

Of all those present, only Wei Zhenjun keenly sensed the anomaly, for just now, he seemed to hear faint sighs of lamentation from the immortals emanating from Chen Xuan.

"Huh? Me? Isn't this inappropriate for a distinguished guest?" Su Fuyao exclaimed in surprise, pointing to herself and then looking at Chen Xuan, who was recovering from his "internal injuries" in the hall.

Chen Xuan put the ancient bamboo slips back into the box.

“He practiced your family’s True Martial Secrets. You, a natural sword prodigy, didn’t sense it?” Wei Tianya said in a deep voice.

In an instant, all the sword cultivators' gazes were fixed on Chen Xuan, as if they were lamps shining with platinum light.

(End of this chapter)