Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 511: Sword Opens Heaven Gates and Person and Sword as One
As a genius sword and spell cultivator, Lu Yang’s talents were beyond question.
In spells, his talents rivaled Yun Zhi’s.
In swordsmanship, he vaguely showed signs of surpassing the Taciturn Daoist Priest.
The Taciturn Daoist Priest remarked, “Initially, I planned to teach you the proper execution of fundamental sword moves, but it seems that’s no longer necessary.” Fundamental sword moves formed the bedrock of swordsmanship. The slightest deviation in angle could drastically alter the resultant power.
“The sword techniques I’ve mastered all demand a higher cultivation than yours, so I can’t teach you yet. ‘One Sword Into Ten Thousand Swords’ requires immense spirit energy reserves. While yours are exceptional for the Golden Core Stage and surpass even most Nascent Soul cultivators’, they still fall short of that threshold. When you reach the Nascent Soul Stage, I’ll be able to impart this technique to you.”
Traditionally a sword move for the Divine Transfiguration Stage, One Sword Into Ten Thousand Swords unleashed a single sword that multiplied into ten thousand blades, blotting out the sky like a legion. It was a technique every sword cultivator dreamed of mastering. However, considering Lu Yang’s talent in the Sword Dao and his immense spirit energy reserves, performing it at the Nascent Soul Stage was possible for him.
“You’ve also mastered flying on swords by yourself.
“It’s too early for you to learn ‘No Sword Beats A Sword’ now. You could be easily led astray. Besides, with your Qingfeng Sword, there’s no way ‘no sword’ can beat ‘a sword.’
“The baseline for ‘Ten Thousand Swords Return to One’ is the Divine Transfiguration Stage. You’re nowhere close.
“As for my ultimate move, ‘Sword Opens Heaven’s Gate,’ it’s even harder. Don’t dream of executing it if you’re not at the Fusion Stage.”
The Taciturn Daoist Priest listed various sword moves that were unsuitable for Lu Yang to learn now.
“Sword Opens Heaven’s Gate? Did you comprehend that yourself, Shifu?” Lu Yang had never heard of such a move.
The Taciturn Daoist Priest sighed as he shook his head. “Forced by circumstances; not my wish.”
It’s an implicit confirmation. Lu Yang gazed at the Taciturn Daoist Priest with envy.
The techniques of sword cultivators were actually few. Most of them, like ‘Person and Sword as One’ and ‘One Sword Into Ten Thousand Swords,’ were passed down from ancient times. Sword cultivators studied these moves faithfully. However, the same sword move could manifest with wildly different power based on one’s comprehension.
Those who created their own sword moves were exceedingly rare. The only other creator he knew was the Sword Tower’s Supreme Lord.
That said, numerous sword styles existed in the cultivation world, including Falling Rain, Hundred Flowers, Dawnbreaker, and Carefree. Some sword cultivators' naming sense wasn’t up to standard, and many sword spells had the same name. Lu Yang knew at least four types of “Carefree Sword Spells.”
“Forced by circumstances?” When Shifu created this move, he was likely already a Fusion cultivator. There should have been few who could have rivalled him.
Could it be that Shifu provoked too many enemies? And they ambushed him? Besieged by a hundred peers, it would be hard to escape even for someone as strong as Shifu. Faced with the relentless assaults, he was battered and on the verge of death, but he attained enlightenment at this life-and-death moment and comprehended the sword strike that saw through life and death—Sword Opens Heaven Gates!
The moment this sword appeared, it even tore open a rift in the heavens!
The Taciturn Daoist Priest stroked his white beard. “That happened over a thousand years ago. Back then, I did something wrong, and your grand-shifu confined me to Heaven Gate’s Peak for a decade. You know me, I’m a secular cultivator. How could I tolerate not going out?
“But I had no other choice. Your grand-shifu’s cultivation was higher than mine, and he specialized in sealing spells. He sealed the entire mountain peak. I knew it couldn’t go on like this. Wouldn’t I really have to be locked away for ten years?
“In that moment, I entered an enlightened state and sat in meditation on the spot. My body turned into a crucible that harbored every comprehension of the Sword Dao I had—refining, transforming, tempering, and polishing them until I unleashed a sword strike that split open the seal on Heaven’s Gate Peak!
“Thus, I named this move ‘Sword Opens Heaven’s Gate.”
Lu Yang, “...”
Shifu...why is this process nothing like what I’d envisioned?
The Everlasting Immortal Fairy chimed in. “Speaking of sword cultivators, I encountered one before becoming an immortal. He was terrifyingly powerful, a strong adversary, and truly the most formidable combatant of his cultivation realm.” The Taciturn Daoist Priest’s story of comprehending sword moves reminded her of this past event.
“Please share the details, Immortal Fairy.” Lu Yang’s interest was piqued when he heard it involved someone of his ilk. It’s rare to hear about ancient sword cultivators.
“That sword cultivator was called Liu Ningxuan. Peerless in both qin and sword, his honorific title was Qin Sword Venerable Lord. You know the move ‘Person and Sword as One,’ don’t you? He invented it.”
Lu Yang’s eyes widened. Person and Sword as One was a renowned sword technique that amplified one’s combat power in the shortest time possible. It was said that this move had been passed down from ancient times, though no one knew from whom it had originated. He didn’t expect to hear the answer from the Everlasting Immortal Fairy.
“That fellow Liu Ningxuan could fight pretty well. Like all sword cultivators, his faith was the sword in his hand. Wielding it changed his entire essence, qi, and spirit; it was especially intimidating. With his sword in hand, he pierced dimensions, shattered voids, and slashed through time.”
Lu Yang inhaled sharply. These feats sound powerful, far from what I can achieve now. This senior called Liu Ningxuan must have also been the cream of the crop among ancient sword cultivators, or even the number one sword cultivator of ancient times.
The Everlasting Immortal Fairy continued, “When he unleashed his sword, even someone as strong as me would rather retreat than face it head-on. That said, he still couldn’t match me in the end and fell by my hand.”
“You’re amazing, Immortal Fairy! How exactly did this Qin Sword Venerable Lord lose?”
“That battle was truly perilous. Our intense combat threatened to destroy heaven and earth and shook multiple stars. Perhaps he sensed a life-and-death threat from me, and under such tremendous pressure, he somehow gained a higher comprehension of the Sword Dao.
“He realized he couldn’t defeat me with his original techniques and needed innovation. Building upon his comprehension of the Sword Dao mid-battle, he elevated ‘Person and Sword as One’ to an unprecedented realm. Merging with his sword, he transformed into an immortal sword, his aura exploding like the primordial separation of heaven and earth.”
Lu Yang listened with twinkling eyes, immersed in imagining this cosmic-level battle, and eagerly asked, “What happened next?”
The Everlasting Immortal Fairy scratched her head with a troubled expression. “Next? There was no ‘next.’ After becoming one with the sword, he found the fusion too complete for him to transform back.”
Lu Yang, “...”
Immortal Fairy, have you never encountered any normal opponents during your path to immortal ascension?
Right then, the Taciturn Daoist Priest slapped his forehead as he remembered something, interrupting Lu Yang’s thoughts about the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s glorious history.
“I’ve just remembered! There’s one move I can teach you.”
“Which one?”
“Person and Sword as One! This is a signature move passed down from ancient times. It can unleash incredible power instantly, making it perfect for overcoming stronger opponents or mounting a last-ditch counterattack...”
“Not learning it,” Lu Yang refused decisively.
The Taciturn Daoist Priest was puzzled, unable to understand why his youngest disciple would reject it so firmly and abruptly. Since he’s unwilling to learn Person and Sword as One, it seems there aren't any other sword moves he can learn at his cultivation stage now.
“Fine then, I’ll teach you how to comprehend the Sword Dao.”
