Forge your destiny into a sword, slash your soul and ascend to immortality

Chapter 117 Severing Your Fundamental Sword Qi

"bass!"

"bass!"

"bass!"

The sword in Shangxi's hand rubbed against the whetstone, producing a piercing sound.

The blazing sword energy emanating from the blade was even more chilling.

His unusual behavior aroused the tension of the several powerful cultivators around him.

Even though their side had a large number of people and their cultivation was far superior to that of the seemingly frail old man on the other side.

But the person opposite him is [Chunyangzi]!
It is the top-tier assassin with the backing of countless powerful beings.

If the other party is completely immobile and has to be carried over on a stretcher, you [Star Pickers] will still show them the respect they deserve.

Even if the opponent was on their last breath, none of the [Star Pickers] dared to cross the line.

All those who didn't believe in or take this seriously are already dead!

Faced with Shang Xi sharpening his sword, the group remained silent, yet no one dared to intervene.

For a moment, only the piercing sound of sharpening a sword echoed across this silent, desolate sky.

……

On the other hand, Jing Qian headed straight for [Xuzhou]. He moved with lightning speed, able to travel 100,000 miles a day, crossing countless mountains and rivers.

【Xuzhou】is located outside the northern border of the Divine Dynasty. Further north from 【Xuzhou】is the northern region 【Juzhou】, which is filled with mountain spirits.

The only barrier between the two is the North Pass.

The entire [Xuzhou] is a huge basin, where the vital energy is depleted, not a blade of grass grows, and the land is covered with hardened rock layers as hard as glass, as if it had been punched by Zhu Rong, who forcefully wedged the entire land into the surface.

In the entire continent, there is only one solitary mountain, Ruins Sword Mountain, surrounded by a lush forest, and its area is not very large.

Jing Qian had already become a disciple of the lineage who had passed through the academy's sacrificial banquet and had been certified by the divine dynasty. His status was no longer the same. He had abandoned some of his cautiousness and become more open and confident.

His status as a disciple of the Pure Yang Ruins granted him a unique political and social position, which proved extremely useful in his interactions with other branches of the Divine Dynasty.

Therefore, he traveled across Yingzhou and Youzhou and entered Xuzhou with almost no obstacles.

On the few occasions he did ignore them, he simply turned and bypassed them.

Right now, his mind is mostly occupied by the next stage of cultivation, and he has no time to think about anything else.

Once he obtains a new inheritance in the Pure Yang Ruins, he can condense his Dharma form without any scruples and seek a crucial advancement.

He was already getting impatient after all this time.

During the academy's sacrificial banquet, he successfully condensed a superior-grade [Daoist Venerable Fishing for the Void Image], experiencing the true power of a Dharma Image.

He was extremely eager to advance his cultivation level.

At this moment, anyone who tries to stop him will truly become his mortal enemy.

Jing Qian's eyes were like lightning, and with the full power of his [Worldly Understanding], he could see thousands of miles away on this unobstructed [Ruins Continent].

Upon approaching, he immediately spotted the location of the Void Sword Mountain!
Just as he was fleeing towards his target at top speed, six extremely powerful magical auras locked onto him from afar.

These magical powers were imbued with intense malice, as if warning him not to approach.

Jing Qian could see clearly that all six magical powers were at the [Star-Picking] level, and some were even among the most highly skilled members of the [Star-Picking] level.

Anyone you pick out is far more powerful than the Qiongqi in your mind.

This malicious targeting was clearly a form of coercion, an attempt to prevent Jing Qian from approaching the Pure Yang Ruins.

But Jingqian didn't care at all!
Having finally found my group, I can't let anyone stop me.

Without any hesitation, he directly entered the [Sumeru] dimension, easily evading the enemy's lock-on, and headed straight for the Ruins Sword Mountain.

When he leaped out again, he was already standing in front of the white bull.

Without hesitation, he bowed deeply to the old swordsman riding the white ox before him and said:
"Disciple Jingqian, having been selected through the academy's sacrificial banquet, has entered the Pure Yang Ruins for cultivation. I have come here to report my entry."

The atmosphere here was extremely heavy and oppressive, but his sudden appearance completely broke the silence!
The six powerful cultivators around them stirred up enormous waves of magical power, but they had no effect whatsoever on the old man, the young man, and the ox trapped in the middle.

Shang Xi stopped what he was doing, looked ahead, and sized Jing Qian up and down.

The pure white eye between his brows suddenly opened, and a chilling killing intent locked onto Jing Qian.

Jing Qian felt as if mountains of corpses and seas of blood were sweeping towards him, as if they were about to completely engulf him.

Just then, a flash of light appeared in his mind's eye on the [Qingping Sword Box]. The sword energy within it was drawn by Shang Xi and, as if by reflex, slashed out.

A surging sword light slashed straight at Shang Xi; his apprenticeship ceremony was quite unique!
Shang Xi, however, didn't seem to care at all; in fact, a rather pleasant expression even shone through his cloudy eyes.

This kind of sword energy has a few traces of pure Yang flavor!
Over the past three thousand years, Shangxi has taken in many disciples, but the talents of the vast majority of them do not meet the requirements for the inheritance of the Pure Yang Heaven.

Jing Qian, standing before him, was undoubtedly the best disciple he had ever encountered.

He had given up all hope of passing on the torch, but unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better and he experienced a new beginning.

Shangxi laughed loudly:

"Good! Good! Good!"

"It wasn't in vain that I endured a few more years before I died."

"Today I will slay a [Star-Picking] to celebrate for my disciple Jingqian!"

Shang Xi's laughter, accompanied by the clang of swords, reverberated between heaven and earth. Suddenly, the rusty iron sword in his hand burst forth with a dragon's roar and a sword's howl.

“Disciple, you shall strike the first sword and let me see your cultivation.”

Upon hearing this, Jing Qian did not hesitate at all, turned around and unleashed his most powerful sword strike towards the horizon.

With this sword strike, he burned six fleshy buds, using the [Heaven-Opening Sword Force] combined with the [Burying Body] sword light, making it incomparably magnificent.

The sword light was aimed at a blood-robed cultivator who was retreating at an extremely rapid pace.

The cultivator's eyes were filled with malice as he enveloped himself in a river of blood and fled into the distance.

Faced with Jing Qian's lightning-fast sword light, he remained completely calm, his body bursting like a bubble and dissolving into the river of blood.

The person Jing Qian randomly picked was Xue Cang, a powerful cultivator from the Blood River Sect. He possessed the low-grade Heavenly Title "Blood River Crossing," and his strength had already reached the edge of the upper three grades.

Jing Qian's sword energy limit is still far from being able to kill Xue Cang.

But his sword strike was like a crow's death sentence, a pronouncement of beheading.

When Shang Xi stood behind him, Jing Qian pointed at anyone and they died!
His sword light was fast enough, but just a moment before it struck the Blood River...

Shang Xi also lightly swung the iron sword in his hand, which he had been sharpening for seven days.

A sword light far surpassing Jing Qian's could chase after him, following the path of his sword light. In an impossible moment, it caught up with Jing Qian's sword light, surpassed it, and struck the Blood River first.

It struck later but arrived first, cleaving the blood river formed by Xue Cang into ashes with a single sword strike.

Even a powerful fourth-rank expert couldn't withstand Xi Yijian's attack!
This sword strike extinguished ninety-nine percent of Xue Cang's life force, severing his magic power, spiritual energy, flesh and blood, and divine consciousness, leaving only a trace of them.

However, instead of killing Xue Cang, he gave him to Jing Qian as a gift.

When Jing Qian's sword light struck, Xue Cang was left with only a thin layer of health, and naturally, he couldn't withstand the sword light at all.

In the end, this powerful being who had reached the Star-Picking Realm still died at the hands of Jing Qian.

He once again defeated a powerful cultivator of a higher level, successfully taking away his title, "Blood River Crossing."

For a moment, he closed his eyes again to sense and began to accept the new title.

Looking up at the sky, the remaining five [Star-Picking] masters had already reached the edge of [Ruins Continent] and fled to avoid battle.

Even Xue Cang's direct disciple and grand-disciple, Xue Tu, who was also at the [Star-Picking] level, ran away very fast and showed no intention of revenge whatsoever.

The plan to besiege Chunyangxu this time failed, and the group lacked the courage to fight Shangxi to the death, so they could only retreat for now.

Shang Xi sheathed his sword and stood up, coughing violently twice, even coughing up a mouthful of blood, looking quite weak.

Looking at Jing Qian again, in his sea of ​​consciousness, the [Son of Sumeru] received the benefits of the [Blood River Crossing], successfully accumulating three low-grade titles and beginning a crucial round of advancement.

Within a year, Jing Qian received three titles: "Son of Thunder," "Daughter of the Witch," and "Crosser of the Blood River," a truly extraordinary stroke of luck.

Among them, the most difficult one, "Crossing the Blood River," can be said to have been a gift from Shang Xi himself.

The mid-grade title is being formed, and Jing Qian has temporarily awakened.

Seeing that he had woken up, Shangxi spoke to him:
"Come with me up the mountain!"

After saying that, he rode the old white ox and slowly flew towards the Ruins Sword Mountain.

Jing Qian also cleverly used his escape technique to follow closely behind.

As Shang Xi flew, he said:
“Our Pure Yang Heaven is not large in number. Within this realm, there are only the two of us and this Lord Niu. There is no need for formalities. You can be more relaxed and don’t be reserved.”

"It is our destiny to be able to join my school. Don't underestimate us just because we are few in number. We still have some talent. You can slowly discover it."

"If your cultivation can keep up, everything will be yours after I die."

"I'll guide you through the basics first, and then we can have a proper chat, you and I."

Shangxi drove the white ox to the foot of Xujian Mountain, then dismounted and walked up the steps on foot.

The mountain was steep, and he was too weak to walk steadily. Jing Qian wanted to help him, but he stopped him.

Shangxi slowly climbed up and spoke again:
“The sword mountain beneath your feet was formed from the fatal sword strike of my master three thousand years ago. Now that you have mastered the [Sword Storage Box], you should be able to sense the sword energy within it.”

“My master’s aunt is a third-grade [Heaven-Mending] cultivator. In our [Pure Yang Heaven], she is considered one of the most talented people, far more gifted than me.”

"If it weren't for the great calamity, she would surely have succeeded Ancestor Ren Chong and suppressed our sect for ten thousand years."

Even without Shang Xi's prompting, Jing Qian clearly sensed the sword energy emanating from the mountain beneath his feet the moment he stepped onto it.

This mountain, thousands of feet high, is shaped like a long sword, plunging upside down into the earth.

The entire Sword Mountain is composed of bluestone, forming a single, unified whole. Within it lies boundless sword energy, solidified like diamond, unyielding and firmly embedded in the earth's core.

Jing Qian was a connoisseur; the sword energy within this Sword Mountain was extremely powerful, far exceeding his expectations.

If we consider the quality of the sword energy within his [Azure Lotus Sword Box] as one unit, then the sword strike Shang Xi just used to kill Xue Cang was at least thirty units!

But the sword energy within this sword mountain actually exceeded one hundred!
More importantly, through the sword mountain beneath his feet, he could clearly sense that an enormous ape head was sealed firmly within the earth by the sword mountain.

The sword of his own ancestor was firmly stuck between the ape's eyebrows and forehead, corresponding to the location of its sea of ​​consciousness.

This terrifying giant ape had a red face and fangs, and was extremely ugly. More importantly, the faint aura it revealed was extremely powerful, even able to penetrate the barrier of the sword mountain and sting Jing Qian's consciousness.

The giant ape with only its head left was still alive!
In terms of rank, it is at least a second-rank fisherman, on par with the Eyeless, the Fisherman, and the Impermanent Emperor that Jing Qian had met.

Judging from the tight seal placed on it by the Sword Mountain, this ape must be a great enemy of the Pure Yang Heaven.

If this ape were to escape, the current Pure Yang Ruins would be utterly incapable of resisting it.

He and Shang Xi were clearly squatting on top of a giant powder keg.

Jing Qian withdrew his divine sense and couldn't help but ask:
"Master, what exactly is this great calamity you speak of?"

"Are the monkeys trapped beneath the Sword Mountain part of the great calamity?"

Shang Xi glanced at him and then said:

"You can sense [Wuzhiqi]? Your spiritual cultivation is quite good."

"That's right, this second-rank great demon is one of the enemies that invaded my [Yingfutu Realm] during the great calamity."

"It was all for the sake of suppressing the great demon and resisting the calamity that my master's aunt died young, and almost all the disciples of the sect were wiped out, leaving only me to survive."

"As for that great calamity, there's not much to say."

"[Yanfu Dao] A certain plagued ancestor caused trouble in the void and accidentally provoked a force he shouldn't have."

"But he ran fast enough that others followed the map and found the [Yingfu Pagoda Realm]."

"It just so happens that during those two years, my ancestor Yuan Yang of the Pure Yang Heaven returned to the sect to recuperate, and casually killed the person who came to our door with a single sword strike."

"The result was that the enmity was compounded, and the enemy was thoroughly enraged."

"These senior figures are all people who kill without caring about the aftermath. They only seek momentary pleasure before heading to the depths of the void to cultivate."

"But the enemies they've provoked are no small matter. Unable to find the main culprit, they've come to vent their anger on my [Yingfutu Realm]."

"Three thousand years ago, six second-rank powerhouses launched a sneak attack simultaneously, attempting to destroy my realm."

"The Ying family, the Yanfu Dao family, and the Chunyang Tian family almost exhausted their resources to finally survive."

"But you can see the result now."

"My entire Pure Yang Heaven faction was almost wiped out, leaving only me to hold the fort."

"And the [Yanfu Dao] was in an even worse state. The sect's very foundational cave heaven, [Yanfu Ti], was destroyed. Within its domain, all the disciples perished, and even the inheritance was lost."

"If it weren't for the last generation of [Yan Fuzi] who tricked two second-rank enemies into the void turbulence, my realm would have been in real danger."

"And that Ying family, don't be fooled by their current prosperity, as if they haven't been affected by the great calamity."

"They survived entirely because during the great calamity of that year, the most talented member of their family, the Ying Clan Human Emperor, was forced to marry into another realm and become a furnace for a human empress, thus borrowing military strength."

"That great calamity severely damaged the vitality of my [Yingfutu Realm], which has not recovered for three thousand years, and there is no possibility of advancing to the [Sea Realm] again."

"Even so, the enemy has not completely given up the idea of ​​revenge."

"The culprits of this great calamity are 60% from the [Yanfu Dao] and 40% from my [Chunyang Tian], so we can't blame the others."

"If you happen to encounter the [Yuan Yang] Ancestor returning to the realm after I die, please spit on him a few times for me!"

Shang Xi's few words contained too much information and too many flaws, leaving Jing Qian in deep thought for a moment. He had countless questions that he didn't know where to begin.

Ueki could tell he still had questions, but he spoke again:
“We can talk about these old stories in detail later. I can still hold on for a few more years, so I have plenty of time. I’ll just guide you through the basics first.”

As they spoke, the two had already climbed to the edge of the Sword-Sharpening Cliff atop the sword's edge.

Jing Qian's gaze was instantly drawn to this strange treasure.

This Sword-Sharpening Cliff is an absolute treasure of swordsmanship.

Every disciple of the Pure Yang Heaven sect adds a handful of stone powder from the Sword Grinding Cliff when forging the Sword Box.

In this way, as long as they are within the boundary, the sword energy of the Chunyang disciples will be connected with the Sword Grinding Cliff, leaving a trace of sword intent on the Sword Grinding Cliff.

Before Jing Qian actually stood on the Sword-Sharpening Cliff, he could clearly sense that it contained boundless sword intent, as if thousands of powerful sword cultivators were holding sharp swords, their blades pointing directly at him, confronting him.

If one's cultivation level is insufficient or one's willpower is weak, one might feel terrified just standing before this Sword Grinding Cliff.

At this moment, Shang Xi spoke up:
"The Sword-Sharpening Cliff before you is the very foundation of my Pure Yang Heaven's lineage, and it holds endless wonders."

"You have completed the [Sword Storage Box] and accumulated fundamental sword energy. Now unleash your fundamental sword energy and strike at the Sword Grinding Cliff!"

Jing Qian was also taken aback upon hearing this, and immediately looked at Shang Xi for confirmation.

Ke Shangxi nodded at him with a serious expression, indicating that he hadn't misheard.

Jing Qian had no choice but to take a deep breath and fix his gaze on the Sword Grinding Cliff.

Shang Xi's move must have a deeper meaning, but if he were to unleash his sword energy in reality, it would be no less powerful than ransacking Grandet's house.

The Qingping Sword Box contains his accumulated vital energy from over a hundred years. He himself has completely lost count of how much life essence he has poured into it.

This fundamental sword energy is the foundation of his combat system and the basis for his ability to challenge opponents of higher levels.

Once this fundamental sword energy is unleashed, although it can temporarily unleash one's strongest output, it will also lead to a prolonged period of weakened strength afterward.

Although there will be a day when the savings will be recovered, the opportunity cost in between will be unimaginably high.

But Jingqian still chose to believe in Shangxi!

"Don't hold back, use as much force as you can!"

Upon hearing this, Jing Qian no longer hesitated. He resolutely released the Qingping Sword Box and unleashed the fundamental sword energy.

This sword carries all the wonders of the [Qingping Sword Box], with the [Life-Locking Needle] integrated into it. It is blessed by the [Six Paths Reincarnation Sword Force] through the sacrifice of the flesh buds of the six paths.

Unless it destroys other cultivation foundations, this sword energy is the true upper limit of Jing Qian's offensive power!
Such sword energy is comparable to the sword strike that Shang Xi used to kill Xue Cang; it is a great explosion of his true potential and foundation!

The Jingqian Sword, like a dragon emerging from the water, struck the Sword-Sharpening Cliff in an instant. However, all the power contained within the sword energy seemed to disappear into the sea without a ripple, as if a dragon had entered the ocean.

The Sword Grinding Cliff didn't leave a single trace; it completely devoured his sword energy!

But the next second, the power of the Sword Grinding Cliff was fully activated, and in an instant, the many sword marks engraved on it were lit up one by one.

Jing Qian clearly sensed that endless sword energy was emanating from these sword marks.

All these sword energies locked onto him as their target, eager to kill him completely.

An overwhelming sense of terror about life and death descended upon his heart.

This made Jing Qian involuntarily think of avoiding his sharp edge.

Just then, Shang Xi spoke up again:

"Don't hide! Hold on!"

As a result, Jing Qian was firmly rooted to the ground, facing the full might of the Sword-Sharpening Cliff.

In just a few moments, all the sword marks on the entire Sword Grinding Cliff were lit up. Then, a sword light emerged from each sword mark and slashed towards Jing Qian.

He didn't dodge, letting the sword light strike him!

In an instant, he was subjected to the agonizing sword strikes!
The excruciating pain, like a thousand swords piercing his heart, nearly ripped away his sanity.

However, his body was smooth and clean, without any scars.

Even though the power of these sword lights actually struck him, not a single bit of the power leaked out. Instead, it all seeped into his body, continuing to ascend along his meridians and directly into his brow and sea of ​​consciousness.

Here, the empty Qingping Sword Box is opening its arms wide, absorbing all the sword energy from Mojian Cliff.

These sword energies originated from the fundamental sword energy that Jing Qian had just unleashed. After being purified by the Sword Grinding Cliff, they became even more refined and delicate.

More importantly, the magical power capacity of these sword energies far exceeds that of Jing Qian's fundamental sword energy!

After Jing Qian spent nearly an hour absorbing all the sword energy from the Sword Grinding Cliff, he was shocked to discover that not only had all his original sword energy returned, but his accumulated magical power had also doubled!
Jing Qian was utterly shocked!
His most important cultivation foundation doubled in power. From then on, the mana consumption of each of his sword strikes did not increase much, but the power directly doubled!

At this moment, Shang Xi spoke up again:
"Congratulations on being able to use your fundamental sword energy to trigger the refinement of sword energy at the Sword Grinding Cliff. This is your initiation ceremony."

"From this moment on, you have officially entered the sect of my Pure Yang Heaven, and can be called a true disciple of Pure Yang!"

"Over the past three thousand years, I have taken in many disciples, but none of them have achieved what you have today. You can only be an outer disciple of my Pure Yang Heaven."

"You are the only true disciple who has been accepted into my sect."

"The lineage of my Pure Yang Heaven has finally been restored!"

Shang Xi looked relieved and at ease as he spoke.

"As a true disciple of my Pure Yang Heaven, you can come to the Sword Grinding Cliff to release your fundamental sword energy once every time you advance in rank."

"As a reward and feedback, the Sword-Sharpening Cliff can refine your sword energy and then double it back, saving you countless hours and mana to condense your sword energy."

"This is one of the most powerful benefits for a disciple of Chunyang."

"You were able to activate the Sword Grinding Cliff to refine your sword energy before you could even condense your Dharma form. You are truly blessed with exceptional talent and opportunity."

"Once you condense your Dharma form, you can come and strike again, doubling your chances against me!"

"Once you reach my level of cultivation, your combat strength will likely surpass mine!"

At this point, Shang Xi shook his head with a sigh. If a top disciple like Jing Qian had been placed three thousand years ago, before the great calamity, he would probably have had a much better future.

At this moment, the support that [Pure Yang Heaven] could provide him had greatly diminished!

Suddenly, Shangxi shot out a sword light that struck the Sword Grinding Cliff, creating a doorway on its front.

Shang Xi stepped inside and turned to Jing Qian, saying:

"Follow me through the apprenticeship process, and I will bestow the sect's legacy upon you."

"Yes, it's a real person!"

Jing Qian followed closely behind, entering the Sword-Sharpening Cliff together with Shang Xi.

(End of this chapter)