Cultivating Immortality in Two Realms

Chapter 268 Asking the Sword

Fang Qing, having risen through the ranks in ancient Shu, only listened for a few moments. From a cultivator's perspective, he immediately dismissed it as child's play, suggesting a major overhaul was to come later. .

"So it seems that the emperor and princes of Wu, as they appear to be, are only of average strength, around the Qi Conversion and Dao Foundation stages?"

"What imperial succession? It was clearly just a matter of a single word from the Purple Mansion Immortal, yet it's turned into this... Is it fun to slap yourself in the face?"

"If it weren't for the purpose of humiliating someone, that would be terrifying."

He took a sip of wine to calm his nerves, and then unpleasant memories of "Li Rulong" and the "intercalation ceremony" surfaced in his mind.

"The ancient sages and powerful beings profoundly influenced the world with their every action, leaving behind corresponding rituals..."

If future generations imitate this, it will also elicit a response...

"So, this is a ritual unique to the Jin De school?"

"Did some great figure from ancient times, at least at the Golden Core stage, do something like this?"

Fang Qing wanted to do some divination for that Eighth Prince, but this would most likely involve a Golden Core True Monarch, so he thought it best not to court death.

He only ate a casual bite of food before asking, "What is the name of that Eighth Prince? And what about that flying sword?"

"The royal surname of my Wu Kingdom is 'Li,' and the name of the Eighth King is 'Lu'..."

The martial arts expert beside him, slurring his words, replied, "As for that flying sword... tsk tsk... that flying sword..."

"That flying sword, its light is said to be 'Dragon Splits its Shadow, Sparrow Falls and Forgets to Return,' hence its name 'Great Xia Dragon Sparrow'!"

Boss Li replied softly, "I know you want to ask why it's not called 'Great Wu Dragon Sparrow'? Great Xia was a great nation in ancient times, its borders encompassing what are now the states of Wu and Zhou... and even most of the Hehuan region was included within its borders, hence the name 'Heavenly Xia'!"

"As a small stall owner, don't you know too much?"

Fang Qing gripped his longsword, his expression somewhat strange.

"Who sent you to test me?"

Although Boss Li still had a smile on his face, his eyes had turned cold: "My surname is Li, and my given name is Lu..."

"What? You're actually the Eighth Prince?"

Fang Qing's loud shout instantly startled everyone outside.

"What? The Eighth Prince?"

The group of martial arts figures who had been shouting and yelling moments before were now stunned. Looking at Boss Li, they inexplicably felt that this man did indeed possess the air of a refined gentleman, unparalleled in the world. They quickly turned and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness..."

Li Lu's expression was strange at this moment: "Not you?"

He could already sense a sword aura!

But the sword energy came from outside the stall, even tearing apart the falling snowflakes, each one splitting in two...

rustle!

The snow fell with a sound, and a figure came stepping through the snowflakes, leaving a trail of footprints on the snow.

"Qian Mingsu, a disciple of the Wuyue Sword Pavilion, has come to challenge the Eighth Prince to a sword duel!"

As this sound was heard, the surrounding world changed.

Whoosh!

The winter snow melts away, the forests are desolate, and the autumn wind blows the fallen leaves.

It felt as if we had suddenly returned from the dead of winter to late autumn, with a chilling, golden wind blowing!

"Oh, so it's a [Kang Jin] Dao Foundation..."

Fang Qing, watching the show, thought to himself.

This is different from the previous time when I was inexplicably involved in Li Rulong's affairs and felt extremely cautious.

Now, he has the right to calmly observe the changing world.

Furthermore, the scene of Kang Jindao coming to ask for the sword is backed by at most a Purple Mansion True Person, and not even a late-stage Purple Mansion Great True Person!

Even if you kill someone and run to the void, the other party can only watch helplessly...

Qian Mingsu's feet moved like a ruler, each step covering the same distance, until he reached the outside of the stall and slowly unfastened the long sword he was carrying.

"The sword is named 'Autumn Water,' it is four feet and one-tenth of an inch long, and its light shines like autumn water. Please!"

He held the long sword in his hand, yet every movement conformed to the etiquette of a swordsman, just like a schoolteacher in a private school.

For some reason, Fang Qing even sensed a hint of sadness in this person's heart...

"This is an ancient ritual for sword cultivators—mutual killing!"

"If sword cultivators of the same realm fight each other using only their natal flying swords, the victorious side will reap enormous benefits after one of them dies."

"Both Qian Mingsu and Li Lu are at the late stage of the Foundation Establishment realm, and their accumulated experience is already sufficient. The victor will likely reach the Perfection of the Foundation Establishment realm and look forward to the Purple Mansion realm..."

Fang Qing glanced at it and thought to himself.

"well……"

A low sigh was heard.

Li Lu reluctantly stood up and performed the same ancient ritual.

Clang!

A piercing sword cry rang out, and countless birds danced among the withered leaves of late autumn.

Between heaven and earth, a faint dragon shadow appeared.

It was an incomparably magnificent flying sword, exuding immense power. It appeared from nowhere and landed before Li Lu: "Sword Name—Great Xia Dragon Sparrow!"

Fang Qing had long since run far away with the other martial arts figures, and when he glanced around again, he was somewhat stunned:

"Nine-Turn Flying Sword?"

Even the great swordsman of the Purple Mansion back then, Master Yanbo, only had a power level of around seven revolutions with his "Xu Jin Huan" sword...

"This Li Lu actually possesses a Nine-Turn Flying Sword that recognizes him as its master? Could it be a treasured possession of the Wu Kingdom's royal family?"

"No...this must be a hook!"

No wonder Qian Mingsu was somewhat sad; he was also a "human pill," only in a different form...

What role does the Wu-Yue Sword Pavilion play in this melodramatic plot?

Fang Qing sighed inwardly.

He originally thought that Taiyi Xuanmen was an orthodox sect and its atmosphere should be good.

Now it seems that all crows are black!

"If you turn around and leave now, you still have a chance."

"If you turn around and leave now, you still have a chance."

Li Lu reached out and pressed down on the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow, his voice emanating from it.

The surrounding area was filled with the aura of "Kang Jin" (a type of metal element), and a white light shone brightly. It turned out that he was also a late-stage Dao Foundation cultivator!

"Can I still walk?"

Qian Mingsu smiled bitterly to himself. With a flick of his Autumn Water Sword, the autumn wind swept across the sky, turning into countless sword shadows. It was clearly a Dao Foundation Sword Technique where sword light was divided.

"Autumn Leaf Killer!"

He thrust out his sword, the sword energy condensed, attracting thunderous sounds, and a sky full of sword light transformed into a mountain-like force.

The wind moved like a mountain, combining gentleness and speed into one. This sword strike was enough to threaten the Dao Foundation Perfection stage!

Li Lu simply handed over the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow in his hand.

This sword strike was not impressive, and there were no sword moves or techniques involved.

If I had to describe it, it would be "just right".

As if after reaching the pinnacle of swordsmanship, he had washed away all artifice and returned to simplicity, piercing into the "Sword Mountain" formed by the chilling autumn wind with a clarity even greater than "Sword Heart Clarity".

And so the mountains crumbled, and the leaves fell to ashes...

"The dragon's shadow is reflected in the water, the sparrow falls and forgets to return... What a magnificent dragon-sparrow of the Great Xia Dynasty, what a remarkable Li Lu..."

Qian Mingsu stood there in a daze, then suddenly transformed into a golden aura and exploded.

Countless gold and iron objects fell down, as if a rain of gold, silver, copper, and iron had fallen upon the world.

A large amount of iron and bronze artifacts were piled up, reaching a thickness of three inches on the ground, covering the original autumn wind and snow...

The 'Autumn Water Sword' let out a mournful cry and suddenly broke in half.

The Great Xia Dragon Sparrow let out a clear, melodious chirp. Although it could not advance in rank, it seemed as if it had taken a powerful tonic, and a cold glint flashed on its blade.

Li Lu stood with his sword in hand, his expression a mixture of sorrow and joy. The aura of [Kang Jin] emanating from him grew increasingly intense, and his Dao Foundation had actually reached perfection...

"Sigh... my peaceful life these past few years is completely over."

After a long while, he sheathed his flying sword and sighed.

……

Fang Qing glanced at Tai Xu and left on his own.

"I never imagined that what started as a simple visit to a late-stage Foundation Establishment sword cultivator's roadside shop, which I found interesting... would lead me into a scheme orchestrated by a Purple Mansion cultivator."

"Fortunately, I'm not what I used to be; it's a miracle I didn't smash his chessboard."

"However, the customs of this Wu-Yue region are indeed very different from those of ancient Shu. First of all, the martial arts world, the imperial court, and the cultivation world are closely connected... The Wu royal family is at least a Purple Mansion power."

Then the legend of sword immortals spread throughout the martial arts world... There were many examples of young swordsmen being taught swordsmanship by senior sword immortals...

"But...none of this concerns me."

"My first purpose in coming to Wu and Yue is to visit 'Sword-Asking Mountain,' a sacred place for sword cultivators. My second purpose is to go to the coast and see how the Canghai Sect is doing..."

Fang Qing walked a distance and then immediately flew away on his sword.

With the Dao Foundation activated by the "Sharp Edge Chapter," he transformed into a golden light, piercing through the atmosphere and quickly disappearing...

……

Taixu.

In the hazy darkness, a sword light suddenly appeared.

The sword light pierced the darkness, circling the ground, and then two Purple Mansion True Persons appeared.

One of them wore a tall hat and a feathered robe, and had an unusual appearance.

The other man, dressed in a sturdy brown outfit, had bare arms and bulging muscles, resembling an ordinary blacksmith. On his right arm, there was a dark green tattoo that looked like a dragon.

"Brother Li, who are you looking at?"

At this moment, the purple man with the tall crown spoke.

"It's alright, I just didn't expect there to be a [Lou Jin] Dao Foundation cultivator here. I wonder which fellow Daoist lured him here..."

The blacksmith-like Master Zifu calmly replied, "Li Lu is, after all, a member of my royal family... Why didn't you give me a heads-up before taking action?"

Before the words were even finished, a sharp golden aura shot into the sky.

Even with the Great Void as a barrier, it is difficult to withstand its sharp edge.

The man in the tall crown, Zi Fu, immediately said, "This matter has nothing to do with my Wu Yue Sword Pavilion... Could it be the work of a True Person from the Canghai Sect or the Northern Zhou?"

"When did it become the North's place to decide matters concerning Jinde?"

Master Li said calmly, "It seems they've ruined the Six Yang Capital by playing with the strange fire..."

"This great swordsman's killing intent has been growing stronger lately."

The high-ranking Purple Mansion True Man inwardly grumbled, then forced a few smiles before quickly disappearing into the void.

"Hmph... Wu Yue Sword Pavilion."

Master Li gazed in the direction where Master Jian Ge had left, his expression gradually turning cold: "Having entered the Kingdom of Wu, he still maintains his proper attire... his heart is not sincere."

The Wu-Yue Sword Pavilion and the Wu royal family were the pillars of the Wu Kingdom, but they were not an integrated entity.

As the ancestor of the royal family, this Master Li has killed countless demons, monsters, heroes and valiant men with his three-foot-long sword... Now, he is a great sword immortal in the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm with three supernatural powers!

A Grand Master in the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm is a pillar of strength who governs a region.

Sword immortals are renowned for their unparalleled killing power, making them truly formidable.

It can be said that he was the pillar of the entire Wu Kingdom royal family and even the Wu-Yue region!