I became a Sword Emperor in the Martial Arts World

Chapter 137 The Sword of the Great River Descends from the Sky

When Qin Haoyu reappeared before everyone, he was full of energy, his eyes were like stars, and he had undergone an amazing change from the inside out.

Clearly, he must have received tremendous benefits within the Yuelu Academy.

This immediately made many martial arts upstarts restless, and they all focused their minds and began to seriously prepare for the challenge.

Linjiang No.1 Middle School was no exception. Lu Yifan, Yu Shouping, and Hou Fei all stepped through the academy gate one after another, displaying their most proficient martial arts moves and fiercely fighting against the paper figures.

Xu Yuebing was initially tempted, but when she turned around and saw Ye Qingzhou standing still, she asked curiously, "Aren't you going to try the challenge?"

Ye Qingzhou looked up at the bright sun in the sky and said something Xu Yuebing couldn't understand: "The timing is wrong, and the method is wrong."

"Timing? Method?"

Xu Yuebing was completely confused, but seeing that Ye Qingzhou did not enter Yuelu Academy, she did not go in either.

Ye Qingzhou leaned close to her ear and whispered, "We can come back tonight and try the challenges together then."

"it is good."

Xu Yuebing was delighted inside, but her face remained icy, making it impossible to discern her true emotions.

After finishing dinner and resting for a while, Ye Qingzhou went to the girls' dormitory and called Xu Yuebing over.

Willow head on the moon, after dusk.

The ambiguous smiles on the girls' faces in the dormitory made Xu Yuebing lose her icy composure. Her face flushed red, like the sunset, which was quite beautiful.

Yuan Zhiyi, who received Ye Qingzhou's call, was also somewhat dumbfounded: "You want to pass the test? Now?"

"Is that not allowed?"

"It's not that it's impossible... never mind, whatever you want."

Yuan Zhiyi was speechless. Who in their right mind would come to try out a challenge so late at night?

They're just being silly and having nothing better to do!

Then, adhering to the principle of sharing weal and woe with brothers, Yuan Zhiyi also called Zeng Jixia over. The latter was very unhappy, as he was just about to go on a date with his girlfriend.

"Yuan Zhiyi, you don't have a girlfriend, but I do. Can't you be a decent human being?"

"Zeng Jixia, don't forget we almost became sworn brothers back then. What happened to our promise to share hardships together?"

"Get lost. I'm so glad I didn't find the chicken head to chop off back then, or I would have lost a lot of money."

The two quickly arrived at Yuelu Academy, where Ye Qingzhou and Xu Yuebing had been waiting for a long time.

Zeng Jixia was still thinking about going back to find his girlfriend and spending romantic time together, so he couldn't help but urge Ye Qingzhou, "When are you guys starting the challenge?"

"Now."

After Ye Qingzhou finished speaking, he sat down cross-legged at the entrance of the academy.

"???"

Zeng Jixia's eyes widened: "Weren't you supposed to be trying to pass the test? Why are you sitting down?"

"This is the correct way to pass the level."

Ye Qingzhou then had Xu Yuebing sit down as well, and then used the Heart Sword technique, the secret art of Heart-to-Heart Connection, to draw a part of Xu Yuebing's consciousness into himself.

After saying that, Ye Qingzhou closed his eyes and used a mental martial art technique that he had never used before.

Yin energy, spirit roams the vast void!

This is a special martial art technique I learned after my Yin-style fighting against Li Yanxin reached a state of perfection.

In fact, it's more accurate to call it a supernatural power than a martial art.

Ye Qingzhou sat motionless, his mind and will, in the form of a Yin spirit that was indistinguishable to the naked eye, detached from his physical body and roamed in the void.

This is the method of spiritual travel through the void.

The way that spirits obtain information is different from that of humans.

Because they have lost their physical bodies, the spirits also lose their five senses and six consciousnesses.

But with loss comes gain. Ye Qingzhou lost his five senses and six consciousnesses, and also lost the constraints of his physical body. His flawless sword heart, like a clear mirror, was able to reflect this bizarre world and reveal a broader truth.

Sound waves, light waves, electromagnetic waves, and various wave phenomena in nature that were originally invisible are now clearly visible to the Yin spirits, as if they were lines on the palm of one's hand.

Even radio waves, microwaves, infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, X-rays, and gamma rays are all clearly visible and reflected in Ye Qingzhou's mental world.

Fluctuations are everywhere.

Having lost sight, one of the five senses, Ye Qingzhou saw a deeper level of the world's structure and witnessed a more real side of the world behind the dazzling colors.

But with gain comes loss.

Ye Qingzhou's Yin spirit is still too fragile. Once he loses the protection of his physical body, this precious raft for crossing the world, he will immediately face the impact of various cosmic rays, just like a person without a boat, falling into a vast ocean.

That's why Ye Qingzhou didn't rashly use the Divine Travel Technique during the day; otherwise, facing the sun directly would be like a drowning person facing raging waves.

"Seniors, I'd like to trouble you to protect me."

"???"

When Zeng Jixia and Yuan Zhiyi heard the voice that suddenly rang in their minds, they were first startled, and then they realized that the person "speaking" to them was Ye Qingzhou.

But Ye Qingzhou, who was sitting on the ground, clearly did not say a word!

"Thought transmission, spirit leaving the body!?"

"Holy crap, isn't this a closely guarded secret of Sanqing Mountain? I heard that only elders and higher-ranking members of the sect can comprehend it. How did Ye Qingzhou learn it?"

Zeng Jixia and Yuan Zhiyi looked at each other, and then a storm of anger surged in their hearts.

Who exactly is this martial arts genius in front of me?

He's even learned the method of astral projection from Mount Sanqing!

Ye Qingzhou ignored their thoughts. At this moment, his Yin spirit was guiding Xu Yuebing's consciousness through the gate of Yuelu Academy, and the two floated directly into the interior.

This time, none of the paper figures launched an attack.

Ye Qingzhou and Xu Yuebing thus passed through the main gate, the second gate, the lecture hall, the half-learning room, the teaching room, the Baiquan Pavilion, the Imperial Library, and the Scripture Hall without any obstruction, bathed in the sound of reading aloud, and arrived at the gate of the Confucian Temple.

The Confucian Temple enshrines the sages and saints of the Eastern Kingdom throughout history, and gathers the thoughts and aspirations of the people of the Eastern Kingdom.

A spiritual energy, formed from pure thought, permeated the entire academy, with the Confucian Temple being the place where this spiritual energy was most concentrated.

As Ye Qingzhou, carrying Xu Yuebing's consciousness, was about to step into the Confucian Temple, two magnificent and vast sword lights flew down from the sky.

"Have you not seen the waters of the great river come from the sky, rushing to the sea never to return?"

"By chance, while playing a game, a divine sword flew and destroyed the first peak of Zhongnan Mountain."

Li Bai, the Immortal Poet!

The Drunken Immortal Lü Chunyang!

The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons: Literature carries the Way!

These two seemingly light lines of poetry possess the weight of Mount Tai in the world of the soul, with a magnificent momentum and a lofty artistic conception.

The sword of the great river, like a celestial waterfall, descends from the Milky Way to the mortal world. Its sword energy is vast and boundless, like mercury spilling onto the ground, unstoppable.

The Flying God's Sword, like a white rainbow piercing the sun, caused a meteor to fall from beyond the nine heavens, tearing apart the sky, shattering the earth, and destroying everything in its path.

At this moment, Zeng Jixia and Yuan Zhiyi, who were waiting outside the academy, were completely shocked by the aftershocks of the two supreme sword intents that reached the heavens and the earth, even though they had not directly faced them.

An unfounded fear gripped their hearts, rendering them speechless and immobile, their faces showing bewilderment and terror.

"What happened?"

Why can't I move my whole body?

"What exactly did Ye Qingzhou do inside? Did he try to demolish the Confucian temple and offend the ancient sages who were being worshipped there?"

The two were terrified and helpless, and could only stand there staring blankly, anxiously waiting.

Ye Qingzhou, who was standing outside the Confucian Temple facing the supreme sword intents of the Poet Immortal and the Drunken Immortal, remained calm and composed, his mind completely unmoved.

"What sword intent! What spirit!"

As Ye Qingzhou comprehended the astonishing sword intent of Li Bai and Lü Chunyang, he felt a pang of regret: "It's truly a pity that I couldn't be born in the same era as the two of them and compete with their famous swords."

Clang~

With a resounding clang, Ye Qingzhou's Yin spirit unleashed a dazzling sword light.

Immediately, his mind soared to new heights, and the six elements of wind, fire, mountain, forest, yin, and thunder transformed into six giant dragons that took flight.

The six dragons all have horns like deer, heads like camels, eyes like rabbits, necks like snakes, bellies like clam shells, scales like fish, claws like eagles, paws like tigers, and ears like oxen. They soar above the nine heavens, stirring up clouds and rain, their might awe-inspiring throughout the four seas and eight wastelands.

"So that's how literature conveys the Way."

Ye Qingzhou felt a pang of emotion and immediately understood the significance of Yuelu Academy's existence.

The so-called benefits of slaying paper figures and receiving the power of thought to strengthen one's mind and will are ultimately no more than picking up a small fish washed ashore on a vast ocean.

It is better to teach people how to fish than to teach people how to fish.

The most valuable aspect of Yuelu Academy is actually its secret art of "using literature to convey the Way".

Literature carries the way; it is the paper and words that record knowledge that carry the civilization of the Eastern Pole Kingdom, and gather the wishes and beliefs of the people, thus making this place a gathering place of culture and a place of flourishing incense offerings.

As martial artists from the Eastern Kingdom, who share the same cultural origins, they can naturally obtain the power of thought and strengthen their martial will by slaying paper figures.

Paper figures represent books and poetry, serving as a tangible embodiment of the power of thought.

Therefore, the sword can naturally serve as a vessel to carry the mind and will of a martial artist.

"To embody the Way with the sword, to defend the Way with the sword!"

"Longyuan, help me!"

Clang~

Ang~

The sounds of swords humming and dragons roaring echoed Ye Qingzhou's mental cry. The Emperor Sword Dragon Abyss was suddenly drawn, flying across the sky and blocking Ye Qingzhou's path.

At the same time, Ye Qingzhou's martial will transformed into six giant dragons, coiling around Dragon Abyss, while the light of Ye Qingzhou's Heart Sword became even more dazzling, illuminating the three-foot space of his mind like moonlight.

Ding~

The three sword intents clashed fiercely and merged with each other, subjecting Ye Qingzhou's mind to an unprecedented erosion, almost leaving it riddled with holes.

However, an indomitable fighting spirit always kept the light in Ye Qingzhou's heart from being extinguished.

Xu Yuebing seemed to sense the crisis Ye Qingzhou was facing. Although her mind was filled with fear and timidity, she still overcame the interference of negative emotions, stepped forward, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Ye Qingzhou to withstand the attacks from the two sword intents, the Great River Sword and the Flying God Sword.

The pain of having one's soul torn apart is unbearable for ordinary people; Xu Yuebing was merely forcing herself to endure it.

Finally, Ye Qingzhou withstood the impact of the Great River Sword and the Flying God Sword, struggling to hold on until the very last moment, and his soul underwent another transformation.

Heart Sword, the mind and spirit become a sword!

This sword is formless and intangible, merging with heaven and earth, allowing Ye Qingzhou's Heart Sword to break through to the third realm—the intention precedes the action!

Before the intent to kill was even stirred, the enemy had already been struck by the sword.

This is an incredibly mysterious divine power. When Ye Qingzhou senses the opponent's hostility, the Heart Sword will automatically launch a counterattack before Ye Qingzhou even has a thought, using sword intent to kill the target.

The stronger the target's hostility towards Ye Qingzhou, the stronger the counterattack from the Heart Sword will be.

Xu Yuebing's Heart Sword, after this ordeal, was also honed to perfection, shining brightly both inside and out, officially entering the first realm of Heart Sword, mastering the supernatural power of the sword moving with the heart.

Eeya~

The test was over, and the gates of the Confucian Temple were suddenly opened wide.

Appearing before Ye Qingzhou and Xu Yuebing was an elderly man whose features were obscured.

This man was very old, yet he gave off a sense of vitality, reflecting the shadows of many sages from the Confucian Temple.

Ye Qingzhou immediately understood that the old man in front of him was not a specific sage, but a personification of the Confucian Temple's concept of "using literature to convey the Way".

Or rather, the "Tao" embodied by the Confucian temple here has manifested as the old man in scholar's robes before us, and the old man carries a part of the national destiny of the Eastern Kingdom.

That's why they look old yet are full of vitality, because the power of the Eastern Pole Kingdom is on the rise, like a rising sun.

He, as the Grand Master of Yuelu Academy, is a final boss who has never been defeated by any martial artist.

Since the founding of Nanjing University, the Confucian Temple at Yuelu Academy has been the final barrier that no one has ever been able to overcome.

In reality, this is not an assessment that can be passed by simply fighting.

An academy is, by its very nature, a place for learning.

The paper figures are obstacles, simply because the academy is a temple of the soul. The true way to pass through is to use one's heart to comprehend the profound truth of "literature as a vehicle for the Way," to learn how to control one's own emotions and will, and to learn how to utilize the power of thought.

Those who manage to break in will forever be confined to the school's scripture hall.

The Grand Master looked at Ye Qingzhou's Yin Spirit: "To be able to withstand the sword intent of Li Bai and Lü Chunyang, your desire for the sword is truly unbreakable."

"I have benefited greatly from this battle, and I am truly grateful."

Ye Qingzhou expressed his sincere gratitude.

"There's no need for that. The opportunity is right here, and those with discernment can seize it. If you gain anything, that's your own skill."

The words of the Grand Master of Ceremonies are like the earnest teachings of a sage, and listening to them is like being bathed in a spring breeze.

Ye Qingzhou had indeed gained a great deal from enduring the mental impact of the two great sword intents.

Especially when the sword intents of the Great River Sword and the Flying God Sword intersected, it was as if the two swords collided. Ye Qingzhou seemed to transcend time and space and sit down with Li Taibai and Lü Chunyang to discuss the Dao and exchange their sword techniques.

The Grand Master glanced at the Dragon Abyss Sword in Ye Qingzhou's arms: "You possess extraordinary talent and wield the sword of imperial power; why not serve your country?"

Ye Qingzhou pondered for a moment, then finally shook his head: "As the saying goes, dragons do not dwell with snakes, and tigers do not walk with dogs. I have devoted my life to the sword, and I cannot be a lackey or a hound, nor can I bend my back."

"What will you do if the country is in peril?"

"Naturally, one should wield a three-foot-long sword, establish unparalleled achievements, sweep away all obstacles, and cleanse the world."

Ye Qingzhou also had his own sentiments, but the Eastern Pole Kingdom did not need his help at the moment, so he refused the Grand Master's proposal with a firm resolve: "Grand Master, the path you seek is the path of self-cultivation, family harmony, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world. But my path is only the sword."

The Grand Master seemed to have expected this, and instead of being angry, he said to Ye Qingzhou meaningfully, "The Emperor's Sword has chosen you, proving that you have lofty ambitions. One day, you will wield the sword for the sake of all living beings. The sword carries the Dao. What is the Dao? The people of the world, what they seek in their hearts, is the Great Dao of humanity."

Having said all that, Ye Qingzhou came to her senses, her mind and will returning to her body.

Zeng Jixia and Yuan Zhiyi were finally able to speak, and they practically pounced on Ye Qingzhou, exclaiming, "Holy crap, what were you doing just now? Did you tear down the Confucian Temple?"

"No, why would I do such a thing?"

Ye Qingzhou looked at the two of them with a strange expression, as if he were looking at two idiots.

The Confucian Temple carries the hopes and aspirations of countless people over the past thousand years. How dare I demolish the Confucian Temple?

Are you out of your mind?

The sword intent formed by just two lines of poetry left by Li Bai and Lü Dongbin almost killed him. If he really went to the Confucian Temple, wouldn't the sages enshrined there step down from their altars and twist off their own dog heads?

Seeing that Ye Qingzhou and Xu Yuebing both looked energetic and radiant, Zeng Jixia asked in surprise, "You've met the Grand Master of Ceremonies?"

Xu Yuebing glanced at Ye Qingzhou but didn't say anything.

Ye Qingzhou nodded: "Yes."

"Holy crap, did you guys beat the game?"

"I guess I've finished the game."

Even Ye Qingzhou wasn't entirely sure of his answer.

After all, the Confucian Temple is the final hurdle that cannot be overcome by fighting. The key is to gain the approval of the Grand Master of Ceremonies and then inherit the tradition of "using literature to convey the Way".

In this way, one can learn how to use the power of thought, and the effect of using mental martial arts techniques will be enhanced in the future.

Before Ye Qingzhou even met the Grand Master, he had already grasped the meaning of "literature as a vehicle for the Way" and changed it to "the sword as a vehicle for the Way".

…………

Nanjing University, Medical Clinic.

"elder brother?"

Gu Mingye struggled to get out of bed, but his brother Gu Minghui pressed him back down.

"How did you get so badly injured?"

"I got into a fight with someone."

Gu Mingye grinned. Although he had suffered a crushing defeat in his battle with Ye Qingzhou, he had gained quite a few benefits, so he was very happy.

Wearing glasses and a research coat, Gu Minghui took out a brocade box and handed it to Gu Mingye: "Perfect, you should be able to use this."

"Um?"

Gu Mingye opened the brocade box and saw a section of lotus root that looked like white jade inside. At the broken part, there were still strands of white silk, which emitted a shimmering light.

He exclaimed in surprise, "A top-grade delicacy, the Thousand-Thread White Lotus Root?"

Gu Minghui adjusted his glasses and said calmly, "An unexpected seven-colored lotus flower bloomed in the Jade Pool, and this thousand-strand white lotus root was assigned to me."

The white lotus root, with its delicate strands, emerges from the mud unsullied. Consuming it can purify the body's essence, resulting in a pure and immaculate state. It also possesses the ability to remain connected even when broken, making it difficult to kill.

Therefore, among the finest treasures, such life-saving items are extremely precious!

(End of this chapter)