Chapter 206: Chapter 165: Entering the Daoist Monarch’s Game, So Both Parties May Be Willing

’This sword is named [Inverted]?’

Jiang Yi looked over. On the gnarled, dragon-like Peach Wood Branches, a Black Sheathed Ancient Sword hung upside down. It was over three feet long, simple and somber, like a lifeless object.

’This is the most prized piece from the collection of True Monarch Qiao, the Sword Savant?’

He raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised.

For ten thousand years, the Sword Dao had been a behemoth of Yanfu, one that nearly became the fifth great worldly Daoist Lineage. Its derivative schools and branches were innumerable.

They could be roughly divided into two categories: "Pure" and "Creation."

If one delved deeper, there were many other paths as well, such as "Rainbow," "Material," and "Symbolic."

"Is this a Pure-school sword?"

A flicker of curiosity appeared in Jiang Yi’s eyes.

In this day and age, Sword Cultivators were a dying breed, and the Creation school had become the mainstream. Very few Sword Cultivators dared to walk the path of the Pure school.

You probably couldn’t find enough to count on one hand throughout the entire Nanzhan Continent.

Not one in a hundred who embarked upon this path survived, so serviceable swords for it were naturally even rarer.

Jiang Yi hailed from a Demon Dao Dharma Lineage. The Inner Sect had no deep Dao Inheritance, and cultivators on the inner and outer peaks all practiced Eighth and Ninth Grade Ding Fire and Kui Water Qi Cultivation. Naturally, he wouldn’t know the intricacies of Sword Cultivators.

The Sword Dao had thousands of schools and endless branches. It revered the "Pure" path and was dominated by the "Creation" path. Jiang Yi only knew this because Elder Xu of the Skill Transmission Institute had mentioned it a few times while telling old stories, and he had silently committed it to memory.

Jiang Yi only had a rough understanding of the difference. The so-called "Pure" school was about "nurturing the sword with spirit, refining the sword with heart."

It sought the union of person and weapon until they were indistinguishable, only then could it achieve ultimate killing power.

It sounded quite simple, without any fancy frills.

But it was precisely this simplicity that made it supremely pure. No matter the Dharma Body, golden form, or divine visage, all would be annihilated by a single sword strike!

Therefore, the most famous technique of Pure-school Sword Cultivators was called "One Sword to Break All Techniques"—utterly and boundlessly tyrannical!

Their most distinctive characteristic was "wearing the sword"—carrying the sword on their person, treating it as dearly as their own Life Essence, never letting it leave their side for an instant.

Creation-school Sword Cultivators were the opposite. They valued methods of application, often refining their swords into pills to be stored in their Primordial Gate and nourished with their Divine Sense.

A single thought could send sword light splitting forth, accompanied by the roar of thunder—an unrivaled display of power!

"Young Master Jiang, you are truly knowledgeable. I can’t believe you even know that the Sword Dao is divided into the two main schools of ’Pure’ and ’Creation’."

Qiao Yu’s eyes fluttered, clearly and pleasantly surprised.

The Sword Dao had long since fallen into decline. The sword-refining Spells and Flying Sword Spells collected and taught by the various Dharma Lineages were, in reality, quite shallow and superficial.

They were little more than rehashed techniques for Magical Combat using artifacts, hardly worthy of a second thought.

The ’Pure’ school’s intent and the ’Creation’ school’s spells, which the Sword Discourse Pavilion took most pride in, were rarely even spoken of anymore.

"I only know a thing or two, just scratching the surface. I would never dare to show off in front of the daughter of True Monarch Qiao."

Jiang Yi said with a faint smile, his tone light.

In terms of seniority within the Sword Dao, this young woman in green could probably make over Nine Tens of all the Sword Cultivators under heaven obediently call her "Senior."

"In the early years, the Sword Discourse Pavilion did indeed argue several times over which was superior, ’Pure’ or ’Creation.’ In fact, that’s where the ’Sword Discourse’ part of the name originally came from."

Qiao Yu frowned in recollection, vaguely remembering it as a very lively scene.

Her father sat at the head seat, with the stern True Monarch Wujie beside him. Uncle Hao stood to his right, while Uncle Dian was the one citing classics and speaking endlessly.

"But it was always a ’gentleman’s debate,’ never escalating to a schism in the Dao path as irreconcilable as fire and water."

Jiang Yi nodded. It was perfectly normal for a Daoist Lineage to split into several factions.

He had heard Cat Master mention that even on the Dongsheng Continent, where all revered Tai Yang, there were still undercurrents swirling beneath White Jade City.

Such as Thunder Core, Jade Void, and Clear Qi.

So many Golden Positions, so many True Monarchs.

Who among them wouldn’t want to advance further and become the very symbol of their Daoist Lineage’s worldly manifestation?

Jiang Yi looked up again, his gaze fixed on the Black Sheathed Ancient Sword hanging upside down from the peach branch.

Qiao Yu raised her head and said:

"The Sword Discourse Pavilion has held over nine hundred appraisal gatherings, large and small, though it was interrupted a few times."

The Three Bureaus picked the best of the best, selecting the Ten Great Dharma Swords, the Ten Great Slaying Swords, and the Ten Great Dao Swords.

This [Inverted] sword is special. It was ranked ’Fifth among Dharma Swords,’ ’Third among Dao Swords,’ and ’First among Slaying Swords.’

My father is particularly fond of it, calling it the crown jewel among his thousands of private treasures."

Jiang Yi’s expression was complex. He suddenly sighed softly.

"So my Dao heart isn’t as firm and unshakeable as I thought."

Qiao Yu’s face flushed crimson, dyed the brilliant color of sunset clouds.

She naturally understood that Jiang Yi was teasing her about the overly generous dowry and couldn’t help but let out a light snort.

"Don’t be so happy yet, Young Master Jiang! This [Inverted] has a huge temper. Its Artifact Spirit is unlike any other, with incredibly high standards. Even my father only managed to earn its approval, not become its master."

Qiao Yu wrinkled her nose, as if to get back at Jiang Yi for his teasing, and couldn’t resist pouring cold water on his hopes:

"Young Master Jiang, you are the successor to the Shao Yang, your Dao Wisdom and nature are impeccable, and your fortune and Luck are growing stronger by the day."

"But when a sword chooses its master, especially a top-tier Slaying Sword, it never cares about such things."

After delivering this counterattack, Miss Xiaoqiao felt a pang of guilt, as if she had done something terribly wicked.

’Did I go too far? Will that hurt him?’

Qiao Yu’s gaze drifted, not daring to look at Jiang Yi.

But after waiting for a long time, she still hadn’t heard a word from him.

’What a petty guy! Is he really going to hold a grudge over this?!’

Qiao Yu’s cheeks puffed up like a bun. She was about to apologize to Young Master Jiang when she looked up and met his calm, steady eyes.

The gentle youth in his wide-sleeved robes had a smile playing on his lips as he said in a perfectly serious tone:

"Miss Xiaoqiao, you’ve misunderstood. My Dao heart was not shaken by [Inverted]."