Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 21 Sword Cultivator
On the ninth day of the fifth month, on the border of the State of Chu.

Autumn Leaf Mountain Range, Silent Valley.

On the eastern cliff face, there are several ancient and simple buildings. This is the base of the three major sects.

The disciples who are on duty here to guard the valley and those who are on missions usually live here.

Council Chamber, Hall of Clear Understanding.

The surrounding area was isolated by a soundproof array, and Wang Xi stared coldly at the talismans and magical artifacts floating in front of him.

"I'm already at the eighth level of Qi Refining. Killing a few outer disciples of a minor sect at the fifth level of Qi Refining is fine if I just ambush them... do I really need these things?"

He looked up, seemingly sensing the disrespect, and his eyes flashed with anger.

Shen Yu frowned: "Of course we don't need to, but you know, the faster things end, the more time we'll have... to turn it into an accident."

Shen Huai stood beside Shen Yu, remaining silent.

Shen Yu continued, "What I want is not for you to win a great victory against two opponents, but for you to use swift and decisive means to silently eliminate the outer disciples of both sects."

It's like wiping away an ant while scratching an itch.

"I can do it without these..."

Wang Xi seemed to have thought of something, clenched his fists, and gritted his teeth.

Why does everyone look down on me? What Zhou Liu can do, I, Wang Xi, can do too!

Shen Huai saw this and sighed softly.

They entered the sect at the same time and had the same dual spiritual root aptitude, but Senior Brother Zhou Liu has already reached the ninth level of Qi Refining and is preparing to advance to the perfect tenth level of Qi Refining.

They were all proud and arrogant young people, and none of them could accept such an outcome.

So Wang Xi became what he is now, resenting his master, his fellow disciples, and the injustice of the world.

Suddenly he fell silent, his eyes regained their calmness, and his voice became indifferent.

"understood."

Shen Huai wanted to add a few more words of reminder: "If there are other disciples..."

"Just kill them all."

Wang Xi's emotionless voice interrupted her.

In his view, the Xuan Yuan Sect was like an emperor in the cultivation world of Chu. If they took a fancy to a spiritual vein or a spiritual mountain, they would just seize it directly without any need for concealment.

Shen Huai was precocious; she actually saw things more clearly than Wang Xi.

Many sects engage in dirty deals, selling out their disciples for personal gain, through such means.

However, the Dongyuan Sect is special; this process must be followed, and it must be followed clearly.

"Om..."

A talisman was used to transmit a message; a disciple outside the door had come to inform them.

"Elder Shen, the disciples from Dongyuan Sect and Lingfu Sect have all arrived."

"Let's go out and meet them."

……

Following Lu Ziye, Song Yan was the last of the disciples to disembark from the sect's flying magical artifact, the Wind and Cloud Spirit Boat.

As a hermit who hardly participated in any social interactions, he didn't know a single person here.

Just now on the spirit boat, the senior brother and junior sister sitting on either side of him were chattering away, and Song Yan inexplicably got to know these two people.

Shao Sichao, Qi Refining Level 6.

Gu Qingqing, Qi Refining Level 5, disciple of Lianyou Peak.

What's unique about the Dongyuan Sect is that female cultivators' cave dwellings are not differentiated by whether they are inner or outer disciples; they are all arranged on the inner sect's Lianyou Peak.

The rest are the same as for male monks.

The other disciple was named Tang Lin, whom Song Yan did not know, but Shao Sichao would occasionally chat with him.

Speaking of which, Song Yan found Shao's way of speaking and behaving somewhat familiar.

He had a vague feeling that this was the monk who sold forbidden books at the night market that day.

However, he had no evidence.

"Elder Xu, how have you been?"

"Hehe, the same old story... But I've heard that your Spirit Talisman Sect has recently taken in quite a few promising talents..."

Coincidentally.

The Lingfu Sect members seemed to have just arrived at Jiran Valley.

Elder Xu Ziqing, leading the Dongyuan Sect, was exchanging pleasantries with Elder Zou from the Lingfu Sect when Shen Yu flew in from afar, accompanied by Shen Huai and Wang Xi. He was unfamiliar with everyone else, but the elders and disciples of the Xuanyuan Sect were the most familiar to Song Yan.

He had visited Danfang before and even gave a lecture.

"Elders, please forgive my lack of proper greeting."

When facing Shen Yu, Xu Ziqing, for some reason, didn't say much, but just smiled.

The elders had their own matters to discuss, while the younger members followed the arrangements made in Silent Valley and settled down.

Some cultivators from the three sects were acquainted with each other and took this opportunity to meet and reunite.

Whether it's enjoying drinks and conversation, or... a beautiful night under the moon.

No one sought out Song Yan for casual conversation.

However, being a loner also has its advantages.

With no one to disturb me, I can finally take a good look at the miscellaneous collection of local products, "The Complete Record of Immortal Customs," which I obtained in the night market that day for two spirit stones.

These days, Song Yan was completely immersed in cultivating his divine sense and refining the "Sword Dao True Essence," and had not had time to look at it.

"South of the South Sea, there is still land, and on that land is the Kingdom of Longbo, where giants a thousand feet tall live..."

It is said that in ancient times, there was a natural ravine to the east of the ancient sea, which the ancients called "Guixu".

Within the Ruins of Guixu are five immortal mountains, each inhabited by immortals.

The five immortal mountains were carried by fifteen giant demonic turtles, which maintained the distance between them.

Unexpectedly, there was an ancient kingdom called Longbo in the Southern Sea, where all the people were thousands of feet tall. One of the giants, having nothing better to do, fished up six giant turtles that carried the immortal mountains. As a result, two of the immortal mountains sank and disappeared without a trace, leaving only three of the five immortal mountains.

The celestial lords were furious about this and turned the Longbo Kingdom into a place of exile. They also used magic to shrink their bodies generation after generation.

"..."

Song Yan remained silent...

A person a thousand feet tall?
However, Song Yan was not there to question or correct anything; he continued to scan with his divine sense.

Skipping over some legends and myths, he finally found what he wanted to see.

In ancient times, sword cultivators were very pure.

"A natal flying sword is something that can only be obtained by refining one's Dao heart and comprehending the sword intent."

The so-called sword cultivators and natal flying swords in the cultivation world today are nothing more than cultivators who are skilled in sword control techniques and the magical artifacts and treasures they mainly wield.

In ancient times, sword cultivators used sword boxes, scabbards, and gourds—all for the purpose of nurturing the natal flying sword within.

Some may abandon magical artifacts and treasures, arrays and talismans, and some even go so far as to abandon spiritual energy and their physical bodies, all in pursuit of comprehending the supreme sword intent and divine sword techniques.

The greatest truths are the simplest; to slay an enemy, one strikes with a single sword.

Song Yan was deeply moved.

but……

"The Dao Heart...?"

"Sword Intent?"

These mysterious and profound things were, in Song Yan's view, extraordinary things that a dull and useless person like himself could never hope to reach in his entire life.

I took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed that longing and impulse in my heart.

At this moment, within Song Yan's dantian, a unique and incomparably sharp spiritual power was quietly suspended.

If you immerse your consciousness in it, you will find that, in addition to the sound of spiritual power and blood surging through your limbs and bones, there is also a faint but sharp sound of swords ringing out.

"Sword cultivator..."

The place was quiet. Song Yan closed his eyes and carefully sensed the energy of the so-called "True Essence of Sword Dao".

"..."

As if guided by a ghost, he gently raised his right palm, and the sword essence in his dantian began to disintegrate, then gathered at the tip of his right finger.

With his index and middle fingers joined together, a sharp and piercing aura resonated from his fingertips.

"Om-"

The sword energy gradually began to materialize until Song Yan felt a stinging sensation from his fingertips. Only then did he wake up from his daze and quickly disperse the sword energy from his fingertips.

That sharp and piercing "spiritual energy" re-gathered in his dantian, though it was slightly smaller than before.

"If this sword essence were activated on my own body, even with protective spiritual energy, I would truly be doomed..."

The power of this sword comes from nearly a month of gathering spiritual energy.

Its imposing presence did not disappoint Song Yan.

(End of this chapter)