This Sword Cultivator is Somewhat Dependable-Chapter 1622 - 3: Beneath the Surface Waves

The flood dragon coils and perches; even the sky dares to roar, how magnificent is the spectacle?

Yet a flood dragon is ultimately a flood dragon; without transforming into a dragon, it cannot defy the heavens.

"All I can help with, I have already done. This last step, in the end, depends on you." Upon the city wall, Great Xia's female sovereign Xia Zhao murmured.

Xia Zhao calmly surveyed her surroundings. Although the thriving Chang'an city was bustling with crowds, in her eyes, it was desolate and empty at this moment.

The aura accumulated by the Xia Family in Chang'an for millions of years was gone.

The grand fortune of this day now belonged to one person.

"Throughout ancient times, the first-ever female Sword Immortal..." Xia Zhao laughed softly, finding it extremely amusing, yet filled with anticipation, "Your sword chose her, then she will certainly succeed."

"Definitely." The Female Sovereign was immensely confident.

...

For five hundred years of cultivation, Xia Daoyun's path had always been smooth and unimpeded.

The obstacles that posed challenges to most cultivators in the world seemed non-existent to her, not even effortless to overcome.

——A tiger sees no crevasses in its eyes; it's the mortal's world that's filled with hurdles.

But even with Xia Daoyun's talent, before the threshold of becoming a Sword Immortal, her progress inevitably slowed, encountering obstacles, unable to comprehend a higher realm. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

It's like the road ahead was covered with dark clouds.

Only by clearing away the clouds could she see the light.

A Sword Cultivator pioneers the way.

This path is one with almost no experiences to draw upon.

At that time, there was only one Sword Immortal remaining, and when Lu Qingshan inquired, the answer given was merely "Eating fish and fighting battles led to becoming a Sword Immortal."

Is this the path to becoming a Sword Immortal?

Indeed, because Chu Mu achieved Sword Immortal status this way.

But also, it is not.

Because anyone else in the world, except Chu Mu, trying this would never become a Sword Immortal.

The path of the Sword Immortal is unique to themselves and absolutely cannot be replicated.

......

Xia Daoyun withdrew her gaze from the city wall, turning around, with only the road leading out of the city remaining in her view.

Back then, the Sword Immortal named after Chang'an left through this very road.

The broad and wide road leads to an endless distance, seemingly without end.

"He told me that to walk the path of invincibility, one must first traverse countless roads. Since you have inherited his sword, then walk the path he once walked, perhaps it will enlighten you."

The questions she pondered arduously remained unanswered, but Xia Zhao provided her with a solution, a line of thought, for her to verify.

Though Xia Zhao's words were ambiguous, Xia Daoyun had to think more clearly.

"Cultivate intention, clarify the heart."

She knew what she lacked.

Cultivation emphasizes both transcendence and engagement with the world.

Reflecting on her cultivation experience, transcendence was achieved, her heart as innocent as a child, her intent as firm as steel.

But seemingly, she lacked engagement with the world.

Since the start of her cultivation, she had never engaged with the world.

With this thought, Xia Daoyun took a deep breath of air.

The spring rain has just cleared.

The scent of soil washed over by rain was rich, and the fragrance of grass permeated the air.

This was a scent she could never have smelled while soaring through the skies with sword control.

At this moment, Xia Daoyun solidly confirmed her direction.

She intended to retrace the path of Dao taken by Li Qiubai during the Chang'an years, walking step by step through mountains and rivers, ultimately completing the final step of transforming from a flood dragon into a dragon.

....

Whether it was the Sword Sect or the War Demon Clan, they believed that the beginning of the Second Dao Demon War would take place outside Yumen Pass.

But to everyone's surprise, while the three Venerables of the War Demon Clan were dispatching troops and preparing for the impending war, the Asura Clan from the Black Armor Domain, almost inexplicably and against reason, took the first step to launch an assault on Guangling Pass, guarded by the Martial Debate Hall.

The human region corresponding to the Black Armor Domain is the Central Martial Domain.

The Daoist Sect of the Central Martial Domain is the Martial Debate Hall.

Among the Seven Great Daoist Sects of the Human Realm, the two with the least presence are the Armor Pavilion and the Martial Debate Hall.

Of course, it could be said that the Armor Pavilion's business spans the world, making it the wealthiest sect, rich across the Sky Dome Heaven, merely habitually keeping a low profile.

It's also said that the Martial Debate Hall is a Nether Cultivator sect, where their cultivation system determines a preference for low-key existence, resulting in these two Daoist Sects being less prominent.

But no matter what is said, it cannot change the fact that among the Seven Great Daoist Sects, the Martial Debate Hall and Armor Pavilion rank lowest, with the weakest comprehensive strength—true strength cannot be hidden, even with low-profile conduct.

The Armor Pavilion's side fares somewhat better, for while their sect's cultivators lack in strength, they excel in being "well-equipped".

In field battles or life-and-death struggles, "equipment" naturally cannot compare to the cultivator's own strength and combat skills, for a strong cultivator can render your host of magical treasures useless.

But when defending a pass, this issue ceases to exist.

No matter the consequences, just throw down all kinds of magical treasures.

Therefore, the Armor Pavilion side is not something to worry too much about.

Calculated this way, the weakest point in guarding the pass has become the Martial Debate Hall.

Nether Cultivators are strong in the cultivation system of life-and-death combat, possessing extremely powerful stealth capabilities and martial techniques as exquisite as those of Sword Cultivators.

The combination of these two allows Nether Cultivators, when planning strategically, to often kill enemies stronger than themselves.

But... Nether Cultivators are not good at group warfare, you could even say this is their weakness.

One-on-one, Nether Cultivators are very strong, but in many-versus-many, they appear average.

And the battle between humans and demons is not even many-versus-many, but rather the Human Race's few against many.

If the seven great passes are truly broken one by one, the first to fall is likely Guangling Pass.

This is a consensus accepted by all the cultivators in the Martial Debate Hall.

....

Countless legions of the Demon Race, like a flood, pass through space rifts, coming from the Black Armor Domain to the outside of Guangling Pass, then surging towards Guangling Pass.

The scene resembles a tidal wave.

On the path of the demon tide, there are some cities established outside the pass by the Human Race, originally meant as bridgeheads, but now they're like insignificant reefs in the waves, swept away in an instant, without even a splash.

The real test has arrived.

.......

The Asura Clan, renowned as one of the Eight Great Holy Demon Clans, is famous for its bravery and prowess in battle, with a bloodline talent of ultimate strength, possessing sky-reaching power.

This is a warlike and skilled fighting race.

At this moment, the Asura Clan is displaying a fighting spirit that is enough to move anyone.

At the mouth of the space rift, four immense beings stand high above, watching the neatly emerging demon army from the rift.

Their expressions vary, but the one thing in common is their extremely hideous faces.

These four are the four Asura Kings of the Asura Clan.

The rulers of the War Demon Clan are Chi Venerable, War Venerable, and Ming Venerable, three top Demon Lords.

Yet the Asura Clan possesses four Asura Kings.

Poya, Luo Qiantuo, Vimozhiduoluo, and Luohu.

Each of the four Asura Kings has combat power more than thirty-five times above the ninth grade.

Poya's eyes are filled with pride.

Because he is the nominal governor of the Black Armor Domain, it is under his excellent governance that the Asura Clan has grown strong.

"Luohu, Guangling Pass is the weakest among the seven human passes, to advance slowly is a certain victory strategy, why rush now?" Luo Qiantuo frowned, clearly against the decision to attack.

"The first to make a move can easily become the target of all, the Heart Demon Clan rushed ahead, leading to their current tragic ending." Luo Qiantuo wasn't alone in misunderstanding this decision; Vimozhiduoluo also didn't understand and glanced at Luohu, slightly ahead of them.

Clearly, there is a precedent, so why proceed like this?

Though the Asura Clan has four kings, Luohu was the first to become an Asura King and has cultivated for the longest time.

More importantly, the other three Asura Kings had all challenged him and were defeated by Luohu head-on.

Thus, he holds extremely domineering decision-making power within the Asura Clan.

The decision to launch a full-scale attack now was initiated by him, opposing all dissent, and finally pushing the decision into action.

"The Heart Demon Clan's example has shown us that even when facing the fall of an entire domain, only a few sects of the Human Race will extend help, right?" Luohu said calmly.

"In the Central Spirit battle, Sword Sect lost half of its people, and can they send their remaining half to support Guangling Pass? Will they still guard Yumen Pass?"

"If Sword Sect doesn't come, then what do the other small fry matter?"

"But... what about behind us?" Luo Qiantuo hesitated.

The so-called target of all, it doesn't just mean the Human Race as external enemies but also internal ones within the Demon Race.

Who knows if the other Holy Demon Clans might take the chance to intervene.

"If other Demon Clans do intervene, then we'll fight on multiple fronts."

"Our Asura Clan is born natural warriors, why should we fear war?"

"The wars in the rear can be fought with lives; will fifty thousand suffice? If not, then a hundred thousand! Could they possibly use all their forces just for internal strife?" Luohu said expressionlessly.

"Even if we sacrifice a million soldiers, as long as we take Guangling Pass, the loss won't matter."

"Isn't the cost too great..." Vimozhiduoluo wanted to speak but stopped, still unable to understand why Luohu insists on this impulsive "worst strategy" when there could be more cautious options.

If it were Poya with such an idea, he wouldn't be surprised, as he is a reckless fellow.

But Luohu is clearly the most profound thinker among the four, hard to see through, why would he make such a "disastrous" decision?

Luohu did not explain further, he just kept watching as the demon tide surged forward, gaze toward the north.

That was the Human Realm.

Then, he grinned fiercely.

In the Human Realm, there's also a "person" who timely lifted his head, looking towards the south.

As if sensing something, he likewise smiled.

Equally fierce.