Start from a baby to become a Taoist

Chapter 424 Fight!
The golden chains that were blocking the way trembled violently, making a "crackling" sound as they struggled to bear the weight!

The phantom images of the wooden sword and the rusty iron sword, suspended above the ocean, also shook violently under the impact of this violent killing intent, their light flickering!
The wooden sword, representing "human resilience," and the rusty iron sword, representing "deathly annihilation," both seem somewhat out of place in the face of pure "killing and slaughter."
"war!"

A will, seemingly from an ancient battlefield, filled with iron-blooded madness, roared in Xu Ran's sea of ​​consciousness!

This thought did not come from the newly appeared sword of slaughter, but seemed to come from a deeper part of Xu Ran's own spiritual sea!

It was the instinctive resistance of the power sealed by the nine-story tower after being stimulated!

"Om-"

Just as the killing intent was about to erupt completely, and might even break through the sealing chains!
The phantom of the nine-story pagoda suddenly became clear for a moment above the sea of ​​consciousness!
An indescribable, immense force crashed down from the top of the tower!

This power is vast, ancient, and majestic, carrying an aura of suppressing everything!

Boom!

The once incredibly violent and murderous sword intent was instantly suppressed in the face of this great power, as if it had encountered its nemesis!
The boiling golden ocean has calmed down again.

The trembling golden chains also stabilized.

In the end, that aura full of killing intent and battle spirit was forcibly compressed and condensed, transforming into the phantom of the third sword, which hovered beside the wooden sword and the rusty iron sword.

It was a blood sword, entirely crimson, as if it had been drenched in blood, its blade covered with jagged cracks, radiating an endless aura of malevolence!
The third sword is complete!
The sea of ​​spirits has once again returned to its sealed, lifeless state.

But Xu Ran knew that the tremor and roar he felt just now were not an illusion!
Deep within his spiritual sea, it seems, slumbers a ferocious beast yearning for battle and slaughter!

And in this third trial, this sword of slaughter happened to trigger it!

At this moment, the outside world.

Xu Ran suddenly opened his eyes, a fine layer of cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

The danger he had just encountered in the sea of ​​consciousness, though brief, left him with lingering fear.

The scene before us has once again undergone earth-shattering changes.

It is no longer a bloody slaughterhouse, but a vast and boundless ancient battlefield!
The sky was dark red, like congealed blood.

The earth was scorched black, covered with marks of knife and axe strokes, and countless broken weapons, shattered armor, and corpses that had long since turned to skeletal remains were scattered everywhere.

A desolate, tragic, iron-blooded, and chilling aura swept over us, so intense it was almost suffocating!

The wind howled, whipping up dust and ashes from the ground, making a mournful sound, as if countless fallen heroes were crying and roaring.

In the center of the battlefield, a figure stood as firm as a rock.

He was a warrior clad in tattered black armor and wielding a similarly broken greatsword that still exuded an astonishing aura of menace!

He couldn't see the face clearly, only the towering back like a mountain, and the boundless fighting spirit that seemed to cleave the heavens and earth!
At his feet, bones piled up like mountains!

There were bizarre monsters, enemies clad in exotic armor, and even some remains that exuded a terrifying aura and were clearly not of ordinary beings!

This place seems to be a microcosm of the battlefield of countless worlds!
"kill!"

A deep, yet seemingly heaven-shaking roar came from the warrior's mouth!
He moved!
There were no unnecessary movements, just a simple swing of the sword!

Cut it out with one sword!
There was no dazzling brilliance, no fluctuation of laws, only pure and extreme slaughter!
boom!
Xu Ran felt his very soul trembling!
He saw that as the warrior unleashed his sword, the void in front of him seemed to be torn apart!
A pitch-black crack, like a hideous wound, appeared beneath the dark red sky!

From within the crack came even more terrifying roars and howls!
It's as if it connects to a world full of destruction and slaughter!

Countless bizarre shadows, exuding a violent aura, swarmed out of the crack, rushing towards the lone warrior like a tide!

"war!"

The warrior roared again, and the broken greatsword in his hand transformed into streaks of black lightning that tore through the heavens and earth!
With every sword strike, countless monsters are cleaved into pieces!
Black blood, broken limbs, and desperate screams created an extremely tragic scene!

He is like a reef standing firm in the torrent of destruction, unmoved by the wind and waves!

New wounds kept appearing on his body. His black armor was already tattered, revealing his bronze skin and those terrifying, deep wounds that showed the bone!
But he seemed tireless and painless!

In his eyes, there was only war!

Only kill!

Completely annihilate all enemies that stand in your way!

Xu Ran was captivated and his blood was boiling!

This is the real battle! This is the real sword!

The sword was wielded for survival, for protection, and for that indomitable fighting spirit!
Unlike Old Zhang's "Silent Thrust" which is eerie and restrained, this sword is full of masculinity, violence, and an unstoppable domineering force!
"This person was an unnamed general from the ancient times. He fought all his life and never lost. On the edge of the battlefield of myriad realms, he fought alone against the extraterrestrial demons for three thousand years, killing hundreds of millions of enemies. In the end, he died from exhaustion, but his fighting spirit never died and his desire to kill transcended the past and present."

Yu Kong's voice rang in Xu Ran's ears at just the right moment, carrying a rare hint of admiration.

"What he cultivated was not a specific sword technique, but the pure 'sword intent of slaughter.' He used battle to sustain himself and proved his Dao through slaughter. This third sword is the condensation of his lifelong will to kill."

Xu Ran fell silent.

He watched the warrior's figure, still frantically wielding his sword amidst the endless onslaught of demons, and was filled with awe.

three thousand years

独战
Slaying millions of enemies
What terrifying will and strength this is!
This blood-red, deadly sword represents not only slaughter, but also an indomitable and unyielding military spirit!

Xu Ran's gaze fell on the giant sword that the general was constantly wielding.

He began to try to understand and comprehend.

To appreciate the decisiveness contained in each sword strike.

Feel the anger and roar contained in each kill.

Feel the pride of standing tall and unyielding in the face of endless enemies!

Time, once again, became blurred.

Xu Ran seemed to have transformed into a speck of dust on the battlefield, witnessing this endless slaughter.

He saw that the general's wounds were increasing and his movements were getting slower, but the fighting spirit in his eyes was becoming more and more intense, like a star about to burn out, bursting out its last light!

at last
After the last demon was shattered, the warrior leaned on his greatsword, kneeling on one knee, his blood staining the ground beneath him. He raised his head, looked up at the dark red sky, and let out a low growl, like that of a wild beast, filled with resentment and exhaustion.

then
His body, along with the broken giant sword, turned into countless specks of light and dissipated in the wind.

Only that pure, murderous sword intent, seemingly capable of tearing apart eternity, remained, still echoing above this ancient battlefield.

Xu Ran remained silent for a long time.

In his spiritual sea, the blood-red phantom of the malevolent sword was now radiating a violent and intense red light, forming a stark contrast with the gentleness of the wooden sword and the deathly stillness of the rusty iron sword.

Three swords.

Three distinct meanings.

The resilience of mortals, the annihilation of death, the carnage of war.

They float side by side above the golden ocean, seemingly representing the way of the sword, or rather, three different aspects of the "way".

"How is your understanding?" Yu Kong's voice rang out again.

Xu Ran slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his eyes becoming incredibly determined.

"Disciple understands."

He understood that the trial of this nine-story tower was not just a simple test, but more like a kind of inheritance! A kind of guidance!
It is guiding Xu Ran to understand the various fundamental wills that constitute this world and the "Tao"!

The sword is merely a vessel that carries these wills!

"Very good." Yu Kong seemed quite satisfied with Xu Ran's comprehension. "You have grasped the essence of the ancient warrior's way of slaughter. Now, prepare to receive the fourth sword."

Before the words were even finished, the ring formed by the twelve iron swords began to spin again!
This time, what lit up was a wooden sword that was entirely emerald green, radiating vitality, with vines seemingly wrapped around its blade, full of natural charm.

Do not!
Unlike the first simple wooden sword that represented the will of mortals!

This sword is full of agility and vitality!

The moment it lit up, Xu Ran even felt that the desolate ancient battlefield around him seemed to show signs of revival!

Fourth sword

What kind of insights will this bring?
Xu Ran's heart was filled with anticipation.

He knew that his path was being broadened and reshaped step by step in the trials of this nine-story tower!
And deep within that sealed sea of ​​spirit, with the fusion of these three sword intents, something indescribable was seemingly undergoing a transformation.
His gaze was fixed on the fourth sword that was about to be shot at him, his eyes filled with determination and longing!

come on!

Let me see where this nine-story tower, this Origin Realm Trial, will lead me!

The emerald green light, like the first handful of melting snow in early spring, carried an indescribable freshness and vitality, instantly dispelling the murderous and bloody atmosphere that had previously permeated Xu Ran's heart.

That was a light containing endless vitality!

The light was not dazzling, but rather warm and gentle like jade. Wherever it passed, the ancient battlefield, which was dark red and seemed to be soaked in the blood of billions of lives, began to come back to life at a speed visible to the naked eye!
On the dry, cracked ground, tender green shoots stubbornly sprouted from the cracks!
On the broken weapons and white bones scattered on the ground, which had long lost all their spirit, delicate green vines began to entwine!
Even the crimson mist that floated in the air, symbolizing death and resentment, seemed to thin out under the emerald light, gaining a sense of purification.

Xu Ran's pupils constricted slightly, his mind once again subjected to a violent shock.

If the first three swords represent the resilience of the mortal world, the final silence of death, and the brutality of war.

The fourth sword, then, displays a power completely opposite to "death" and "killing"—

Born!
It was the first glimmer of life when heaven and earth were first created and all things began to sprout!
That tenacious spirit that cannot be extinguished by wildfire and will spring back to life with the spring breeze!
It is the cyclical, ever-changing, eternal pulse of life!

hum!
The emerald green sword light, devoid of any killing intent, gently yet irresistibly enveloped Xu Ran's soul.

In an instant, the scene before Xu Ran's eyes changed again!
It is no longer that ancient battlefield strewn with corpses and filled with murderous intent.

He felt as if he were in a boundless primeval forest!

The towering ancient trees, each one seemingly having grown for countless years, their canopies blocking out the sun, their gnarled roots deeply embedded in the earth, like earth dragons rolling about.

Sunlight filters through layers of dense foliage, casting dappled patterns of light, creating a scene of tranquility and peace.

The air was filled with the rich fragrance of grass and trees, as well as an indescribable aura of "spirit" that seemed to come from the very source of life!

This aura was purer and more powerful than any spiritual energy Xu Ran had absorbed from the outside world!
He even felt that just by standing there and breathing, the spiritual energy in his body was circulating on its own, and a feeling of comfort and ease came from his limbs and bones.

The fatigue from days of trials and the hidden injuries to the soul were quietly being repaired under the nourishment of this aura.

"Hoo," Xu Ran took a deep breath, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

He looked down and saw thick, soft moss under his feet, which felt like a carpet.

All around, exotic flowers and plants bloom in vibrant colors. Many of these plants have forms never seen or heard of before, emitting a faint glow and exuding a fantastical aura.

In the distance, a clear stream flows gently, making a pleasant sound.

In the stream, colorful fish swim freely.

Deep in the forest, the occasional clear bird song or the low growl of some docile beast could be heard, filling the air with harmony and tranquility.

This place is like the cradle of life!
It's a miracle of creation!
This forms two extremes compared to the desolate world of the second sword and the bloody battlefield of the third sword!
"This sword is named 'Life and Derivation'."

Yu Kong's voice drifted over, carrying a strange rhythm, as if it were one with the pulse of the forest.

"What it represents is the first wisp of 'life' born in the beginning of heaven and earth, in the primordial chaos. It is not the life of plants and trees, nor the life of birds and beasts, but the 'life' of the origin of all things and the evolution of the universe."

"The one who wields this sword is a mysterious being from the ancient times, known to the world as the 'Ancestor of Wood'. No one knows his origins or his true form, only that wherever he goes, withered trees will spring back to life, all things will grow, and even the most desolate places can be revitalized."

"The ancestor of wood gave birth to many things," Xu Ran murmured to himself, his gaze sweeping across this boundless green sea of ​​life.

He tried to understand it.

Unlike the resilience of the mortal sword, which requires "guarding," the deathly stillness of the annihilation sword, which requires "stillness," and the violence of the killing sword, which requires "releasing."

How should we grasp the meaning of "birth and development"?
Is it to feel the growth of the plants?
Is it to experience the rushing of the stream?
still is
Xu Ran sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and completely immersed his mind in this world full of life.

He cleared his mind, no longer deliberately pursuing anything, but simply feeling quietly.

(End of this chapter)