Chapter 173 - 103: The Eleventh Jue (2)
Chapter 173: Chapter 103: The Eleventh Jue (2)
It wasn’t just four types of Sword Dao.
Aside from the somewhat unremarkable Wind Snow Sword Intent, the other three Sword Daos were each more dazzling than the last.
’Has this Wind Snow Sword Immortal really only been in cultivation for some thirty-odd years, following the path of Mortal Cultivation?’
Old Demon Gujue’s expression was complex. He looked with a hint of terror at the Daqian Marquis beside him.
"That’s right."
The Daqian Marquis couldn’t make sense of the intricacies of the intertwined Sword Intents.
He turned and asked Old Demon Gujue, confused.
"Senior."
"Are these four Sword Daos that impressive?"
Old Demon Gujue fell silent.
This went beyond impressive.
This was monstrous.
His aptitude was no less than, and perhaps even greater than, that of the two Sword Immortals with Sword Heart Clarity.
But it still came back to the same thing.
"He’s too hasty!"
"Tonight."
"This prodigy will be crippled..."
Old Demon Gujue firmly believed in his own judgment.
Meanwhile.
Outside the Imperial City.
In the river.
At the Great Yu Imperial Mausoleum, above the seal over the Immortals’ tombs, Mr. Sword and Sword Spirit, who were locked in a strategic contest, both turned their gazes toward the Imperial City, where a hundred thousand Sword Intents stood like a forest in the sky.
"A third Sword Immortal is about to be born!"
"It’s just that... I didn’t expect it to be so soon..."
"He’s only in his forties, right?"
The two Sword Immortals, their faces obscured, looked at each other, both seeing the astonishment in the other’s eyes.
Their astonishment was directed entirely at the Wind Snow Sword Immortal.
’No matter how I look at it, these so-called three swords—Burial Star, Moon-slaying, and Sun-Chasing—have not the slightest connection to the unremarkable One Sword, Three Transformations I taught him...’
Sword Spirit seemed to sigh helplessly, a faint hint of envy in his voice.
Such talent was terrifying.
Even though he had used the Spiritual Embryo Skill to create his Sword Spirit and enhance his own comprehension and aptitude, he still felt as if he’d been left in the dust.
BOOM!
The next instant.
In the night sky above the Imperial City, ten thousand swords fell from the sky.
"Hahaha!"
"It collapsed."
Great Yu Yue laughed loudly.
Old Demon Gujue didn’t look surprised. He simply shook his head with a regretful expression.
’The prodigy is now a cripple, his Sword Dao completely destroyed.’
’This is the price of impatience!’
BOOM!
At this moment, however, an even more terrifying aura rose from the Imperial Palace, soaring into the sky and standing between heaven and earth.
There, it was as if the aura of a person was gone, replaced by a terrifying, Heaven-Reaching Giant Sword, wreathed in endless chains and surrounded by both Annihilation and Vitality!
"This is... Sword Heart Clarity!"
"No, that’s not right!"
"Is this the aura of a Ten Extremes Skill?"
"That’s not it either!"
"There is only one Ten Extremes Skill of the Sword Dao, and that is the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Skill mastered by the Great Yu Sword Immortal."
"That brat Su Chen walks the path of Mortal Cultivation. He doesn’t even have Spiritual Qi, so how could he possibly wield an Immortal Skill?"
"Among the Ten Extremes Immortal Techniques, how could there be an eleventh?"
"It must be an illusion!"
Great Yu Yue and Old Demon Gujue shot into the sky, moving like thunder and lightning toward the location of that sword.
It wasn’t just them.
Throughout the Imperial City, all the notable Innate Realm experts and High Tier Qi Cultivation Immortals were utterly horrified. Disregarding the possibility of angering the Wind Snow Sword Immortal, they all rushed over.
However, by the time they arrived, the place was already empty.
"The Library Pavilion..."
They looked at the plaque on the nine-story pavilion and fell silent.
’Was what we just saw an illusion?’
’Sword Heart Clarity?’
’Or was it an eleventh Immortal Extinction Skill?’
’Could it be that the Wind Snow Sword Immortal also has a Spiritual Root and has abandoned his martial path to pursue cultivation?’
’Could he have actually succeeded?’
’Sword Heart Clarity!’
Old Demon Gujue’s face was filled with utter disbelief.
Great Yu Yue’s expression, however, darkened.
’This Wind Snow Sword Immortal is such an eyesore! At first, he was nothing more than a slightly stronger grasshopper I could have crushed under my heel. Now, he can actually stand on equal footing with me.’
He wasn’t one of the famed One King, Two Venerables, or Three Immortals of the Great Yu Era, but he dared to hold them all in contempt.
He insulted the Three Immortals, calling them the Three Traitors, and the Two Venerables, calling them vulgar fools.
He had his reasons for being so confident.
During the Heavenly Fall, there were ten individuals at the Foundation Establishment realm in this Human World, known as the Daoist Ancestors! When these ten Daoist Ancestors perished, their Daos gave birth to the Ten Extremes Immortal Techniques.
But in reality...
There was an eleventh Daoist Ancestor.
The Dao he left behind when he perished transformed into a treasure!
A Slaying Treasure!
This was also why, despite his arrogance, he had been able to remain safe for four hundred years and rise to the top.
’I hope you don’t stand in my way!’
Great Yu Yue reached into his robe. The Killing Intent within him swelled and dissipated, then swelled again. Finally, he looked toward the coalescing Gate and decided against acting.
"Congratulations!"
"You actually forged a Sword Heart..."
Yu Le clapped. He should have looked shocked, but he didn’t.
At some point, he had started to feel that no matter how outrageous things got around Su Chen, it was all somehow normal.
"This third sword, Sun-Chasing, is now complete."
"As expected of a sword that can only be wielded by one who has forged a Sword Heart. To think it turned out to be an eleventh Immortal Extinction Skill..."
"He created his own Ten Extremes Skill!"
"Su Chen, are you really from this Human World?"
Yu Le marveled.
He gave Su Chen a complex look.
He didn’t say anything more.
Shaking his head, he turned and left.
He went to protect Cyan Sparrow, also known as Lady Shui. If he didn’t go after her now, she would get too far away.
In Su Chen’s palm, an illusory White Jade Small Sword slowly solidified, then transformed into a mark that settled between his eyebrows before vanishing without a trace.
This was his third sword.
No!
This could no longer be considered Sun-Chasing.
Rather...
This was his Sword Heart.
He had no heart.
His Sword Heart was, in fact, also empty.
But this Sword Heart Clarity was enough.
’I am not a person of this Human World, but not in the way you imagine...’
A Great Immortal fell, and thus, the Human World was formed.
From then on...
there was the Heavenly Fall Era, which preceded the Great Yu Dynasty.
Before the Heavenly Fall, there were always legends of Immortals arriving in the mortal world.
Perhaps.
Back then, the Immortal Gate was always open, and the passage to the true Human World had never been closed.
After the Heavenly Fall.
The Gate closed.
Those people from the true Human World were left behind.
Perhaps they died.
Or perhaps, some are still alive.
In that moment, Su Chen felt that Yu Le had likely mistaken him for one of those people from the true Human World who had been left behind.
Only the true Human World could produce such a monstrous prodigy, after all.
But in reality...
Su Chen really wasn’t.
He was not from the Human World of this realm, nor was he from that other Human World...
「Library Pavilion.」
The figures dispersed.
And so, Su Chen returned to the Library Pavilion and began trimming the flowers and branches.
The Xuanyuan Treasure Tree was almost mature.
The closer it got to maturity, the more unremarkable the Xuanyuan Treasure Tree became. Even Su Chen couldn’t connect it with that azure sapling from before.
It was just like an ordinary old tree.
With lush branches and leaves.
Bearing the weight of the accumulated snow.
Swaying in the wind.
No one would have guessed that this was a top-tier Spirit Tree, capable of producing a Curiosity like the Xuanyuan Fruit.
Void had been here before but had not recognized it.
The same went for Yu Le.
Even the Great Yu Pill Immortal, who had once told Su Chen this was the Xuanyuan Treasure Tree, had likely come here without recognizing it.
"This sword is complete!"
"Before long, I will set off for his homeland."
"When the time comes."
"The heavens will die!"
The wind rustled the leaves.
Su Chen suddenly spoke.
Inside the Library Pavilion.
At some unknown time, another figure had appeared.
A Black Dragon Emperor’s Robe.
It was Void.
"I know."
Void extended a hand toward Su Chen.
At his feet.
The mass of shadow was practically bursting with impatience. A pair of crimson eyes opened, full of fervor, staring intently at Su Chen.
If Su Chen refused, it would undoubtedly try to take them by force.
Su Chen did not take out the Four Holy Pearls.
He kept his back to the one in the Black Dragon Emperor’s Robe! He looked at the stone table, and for a moment, it seemed as if a Black Dragon Prince was there, placing a dim Treasure Pearl on the table for him.
Su Chen shook his head and let out a wry laugh.
"You gave me one back then, and now you want four in return. I’m really getting the short end of the stick here."
"The Black Abyss Ancestor... if he’s released, who knows how many creatures’ life force he’ll have to devour just to make up for what he lost while sealed..."
"And what if I refuse?"
Su Chen raised his eyes and asked.
"When the Immortal Arrival occurs, we will need Zhuo’s help to deal with the calamity of the Immortals!"
"I would lie to anyone else."
"But I would never lie to you!"
"If Zhuo truly starts his Life Stealing, I will be the first to act!"
Void declared.
His Black Dragon Emperor’s Robe fluttered in the wind.
Inside the Library Pavilion.
Su Chen didn’t speak.
He turned, looking at Void in his Black Dragon Emperor’s Robe, and also at the pair of crimson eyes within the shadow at Void’s feet.
A long silence passed. Neither of them spoke again.
In the end, it was Su Chen who broke the silence.
He asked.
"Who is the legendary ’One King’?"
"I once thought it was Great Yu Yue, but I later realized that’s not it. Although he has the confidence to face the Two Venerables and Three Immortals, I always felt he wasn’t quite worthy of the title."
"So, is it you?"
"The mysterious King... you and the Black Abyss Ancestor sealed beneath your feet are both from the true Human World..."
"Yes or no?"