Chapter 701: Chapter 133: Sword Intent Great Accomplishment, Confrontation with Bian Ruxue (Two in One)_4
His Dao Domain extended, thirty-seven layers of Dao Domains were superimposed one after the other, the quantity of those Dao Domains startled and shook the disciples below—his Dao Domain alone was enough to suppress over ninety percent of the Inner Sect disciples.
However, compared to Haoyue Saint Son’s forty-nine-layer Dao Domain, it still fell far short.
Sword light pierced through, converging in a straight line, and in the blink of an eye, it tore apart Qiu Wuheng’s Dao Domain.
A succession of sword lights struck him, sending him flying, his arm severed.
A vast and mighty power suddenly enveloped Qiu Wuheng, fending off the remaining hundreds of sword lights.
Haoyue Saint Son slightly furrowed his brow and looked up toward one of the six Elders.
“You have already won this battle,”
the Elder said calmly. Then, the body of Qiu Wuheng on the battle platform disappeared, along with the sword held in his severed hand, reappearing in front of the Elder.
The Elder extended his hand, and Law Power enveloped it, swiftly healing the body, restoring the injuries.
Haoyue Saint Son remained indifferent as he also retracted his Dao Domain, the golden light around him fading into concealment.
If he had slain his opponent in this battle, it would have been detrimental to his reputation, and a great loss to the Holy Land—he wasn’t angered, though.
Qiu Wuheng stood up, his complexion somewhat unsightly, knowing that he had been defeated, and very thoroughly at that.
His sword pursued the traceless like a fine rain, but in front of the opponent’s Sun and Moon Divine Eye, it was entirely exposed, and his Returning Ruins Extreme Realm was also nullified; the difference in their strengths was indeed too great.
“Thank you, Master,”
Qiu Wuheng bowed to the Elder and said, before turning and withdrawing.
The Elder let out a silent sigh in his heart; without trying, one would never know the gap, but hopefully, this battle would not be a blow to Qiu Wuheng but an encouragement instead.
As the opening battle concluded, a cheer erupted from the silent disciples below, with countless calls of “Haoyue Saint Son” ringing out.
In this place, the strong were revered; Haoyue Saint Son’s strength heated up countless Outer Sect disciples—so powerful, he was a clear break in the ranks of the Saint Heirs. With one sword, he heavily injured another Saint Heir, and with another, he nearly killed him, truly terrifying.
The expressions on the faces of other Saint Heirs and saintesses turned even more solemn, feeling as if a great mountain was pressing upon them with the return of Haoyue Saint Son.
Lin Qingyue’s eyes flickered slightly, feeling a bit of pressure; her Gentle Sword Intent had reached Great Accomplishment, which technically was the peak of her training, and going further would be Entering Dao.
She did not know if her current swordsmanship could measure up to him.
Elsewhere, Bian Ruxue was also sizing up Haoyue Saint Son. His Sword Intent was grand and vast, with the sun and moon reflecting upon each other, and he naturally possessed a Divine Eye. In their generation, he was known to be at the top.
Just yesterday, Sword Saint had sent her a message, instructing her that Haoyue Saint Son had been cultivating longer than she had; he was not an existence she could contend with at present. Her goal in this competition was to rank in the top five!
After all, compared to these other Saint Heirs and saintesses, she was much younger, and her foundation was still somewhat lacking.
“His sword must be close to what my Master called the Ultimate Sword, but that is not the true Ultimate Sword…”
Bian Ruxue glanced at Haoyue Saint Son, then withdrew her gaze, having witnessed the Ultimate Sword displayed effortlessly by Sword Saint, a Dao Entrance Level sword technique.
The manner of that sword had left an indelible impression on her, stabilizing her Dao Heart, and confirming that she hadn’t erred in her pursuit of the Sword Dao. If she could master that sword, all would be worth it!
“With Brother Hao’s talent, if he focused on sword training, perhaps in a hundred years, he might approach this level…”
Bian Ruxue’s mind conjured up the image of that person in the Mortal World, but thinking of his smiling face as he leaned over a chessboard, she also felt some regret.
At that moment, the Elder’s prompting voice came from ahead, calling her name.
Bian Ruxue also snapped back to reality and saw that it was her turn to fight in the second battle.
And her opponent was Lin Qingyue.
Both women exchanged a glance, no excess words exchanged, as they descended onto the battle platform.
Seeing the two saintesses clash, the atmosphere below the stage heated up again, male disciples’ eyes were shining; setting aside their swordsmanship skills, just the graceful deportment of the two saintesses was a treat to the eyes.
But those elite inner sect disciples paid even more attention to the battle of swordsmanship between the two, dismissing physical appearances as inconsequential.
“It’s Saintess Xue’er, I’ve heard she’s the youngest among the saintesses, only 27 years old?”
“Tsk tsk, at twenty-seven, to be at the Dao Law Realm, it’s simply terrifying!”
“That’s not all, her master is a Sword Saint, top-tier Pill Masters serve her, and she has Sword Saints guiding her cultivation, do you understand what it means to be taught by a saint?”
“This battle looks perilous for Saintess Qing Ying.”
“Are you kidding? Saintess Qing Ying has twice the years of cultivation as her, there’s no way she could lose.”
“Saintess Qing Ying’s master made a mistake and was locked in the Sword Prison; she’s self-taught in her cultivation. What does it matter if she’s older than Saintess Xue’er when she can’t match the guidance of a Sword Saint?”
“Don’t underestimate her just because she’s young, this Saintess Xue’er has a natural affinity for the sword and high aptitude, she’s not much less than the other saintesses.”
The disciples below were buzzing with discussion, all familiar with the youngest saintess of the holy land.
On the battle stage, the array slowly solidified.
Lin Qingyue’s expression was indifferent, the incarceration of her master being a scar in her heart, but at this moment in the battle, she wouldn’t let these thoughts affect her.
Bian Ruxue’s expression also became serious; this was her first time fighting a saint-class disciple, and her debut battle.
She had watched Lin Qingyue’s previous fights, her Sword Intent as gentle as water, similar to her own ice and snow, but her Sword Intent was even more fierce.
Since the two were not familiar with each other, they didn’t engage in much conversation.
As the battle commenced, neither took the other lightly, but both released their Extreme Realm, Divine Power, and Heaven and Earth Vein!
Quickly, they brought their conditions to their peak.
Lin Qingyue’s eyes were as calm as a lake, while Bian Ruxue’s eyes seemed to have drifting snowflakes, gradually becoming piercingly sharp.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Bian Ruxue brandished her sword, and in an instant, the battlefield seemed frozen, as the heavens and earth turned to ice.
From her Sword Intent, her Sword Dao was restraining Lin Qingyue’s; Lin Qingyue’s Sword Intent was soft like water, but she could freeze it!
To shatter the ice, only the most rigid and radiant Sword Dao would suffice, and for Lin Qingyue’s gathering and dispersing, soft as water Sword Intent, it was very susceptible to being influenced by Bian Ruxue.
This was a battle she believed she must certainly win!
As the frost covered everything, even through the array, the disciples outside could feel a cold draft, with temperatures dropping around them.
Lin Qingyue’s gaze turned serious; she knew the difficulty of this battle. If it had been earlier, she might not have been confident, but at this moment her Sword Intent reached Great Accomplishment, enlightening her to the principle of utmost gentleness.
The pervasive frost in the air was also a trajectory of her Sword Intent!
Zing!
A green light-like Sword Intent suddenly struck out, tearing a gap in the ice, the soft as water force now tearing through the frost, flying straight toward Bian Ruxue.
Bian Ruxue was taken aback, her pupils shrinking slightly as she suddenly swung her sword, her Dao Domain expanding, freezing everything around her.
The onrushing Sword Intent was also obstructed by the Dao Domain; her Dao Domain layered upon itself, twenty-two layers strong!
And within the Dao Domain were all Sword Qi, evidently each layer was the Sword Domain of different superior sword technique!
As the Sword Domains overlapped at that moment, drifting snowflakes rose around her, suddenly roaring, shattering the incoming Sword Intent into pieces, and shrouding Lin Qingyue beneath.
But it was at that moment that Lin Qingyue took a step into the Returning Ruins, appearing behind Bian Ruxue, her hand’s green light slashing out, the breath Bian Ruxue exhaled turned into guiding lines, forming Sword Qi, enveloping and strangling her body!
Chapter 702: Chapter 134: Defeat, Artistic Path Ninth Stage (Two in One)
The sword Qi illuminated the 22 Dao Domains and directly slashed Bian Ruxue’s cheek, leaving a scar on her beautiful face.
But the wound healed instantly, Bian Ruxue’s body disappeared into the Returning Ruins, avoiding this sharp sword in an instant of injury.
When she reappeared, Bian Ruxue’s gaze became much more solemn.
“Great Accomplishment of the Gentlest Sword Intent!”
“Qing Ying actually perfected her Sword Intent, was it a sudden insight after the battle with Dragon Slayer?”
On the Saint Platform, the eyes of many Saint Heirs and Saintesses turned solemn.
Many of them had yet to perfect their Sword Intent. A perfected Sword Intent meant one step away from Entering the Dao!
“Unfortunately, it’s just a minor path.”
Haoyue Saint Son showed a hint of surprise in his eyes, but immediately shook his head slightly. Compared to his own Sun and Moon Dao, it was all minor, even if it was perfected, it was not worth considering.
“This child Qing Ying, since her master’s mishap, has been self-studying swordplay every day and has not fallen behind in her cultivation. It appears that the incident didn’t affect her much.”
Yao Ancestor narrowed her eyes slightly; to be able to perfect Sword Intent to Great Accomplishment at such a young age indicated a terrifying perception in Sword Dao.
Given another few hundred years, she would be another Half-Saint of Sword Dao.
But monster cultivators face fierce competition and often die young.
On the battle platform, Bian Ruxue sensed that her opponent’s Sword Intent appeared to be perfected, surpassing her own, so the restraining effect she had was nullified.
She took a deep breath, gathering Qi Force in her spine where her innate Sword Bone resided — a trait she was born with but lay dormant until awakened by the Sword Saint. Now, Qi Force infused into her Sword Bone, spreading an icy chill throughout her body.
The temperature around her dropped further, and Bian Ruxue’s aura grew stronger. The Qi Force inside her body, transformed by the Sword Bone, turned into Sword Gang!
Swoosh!
Suddenly, she stepped forward, performing the Returning Ruin Instantaneous Movement.
To reach the Returning Ruins Extreme Realm, many Object Control skills must be perfected to their limit.
Bian Ruxue, having been taught and guided directly by Daoist-level Sword Saint, mastered the entire Sword Saint’s Heavenly Command and entered the Returning Ruins Extreme Realm within half a year.
Therefore, despite her short years of cultivation, she had almost all her potential Extreme Realms opened.
As she appeared instantaneously in front of Lin Qingyue, the vast Sword Gang within Bian Ruxue condensed, and she struck with her sword, freezing Heaven and Earth.
Lin Qingyue’s Dao Domains emerged, layer upon layer, totaling 28, but now they were frozen by the icy chill, the Sword Intent and laws of her Sword Domain all solidified, and countered directly by Bian Ruxue’s own Dao Domains!
When the piercing Sword Gang slashed towards her, Lin Qingyue’s sword light twisted, spreading out like a tidal flow encircling the Sword Gang, pulling it aside. Then, in a wave-like reversal, the Sword Intent surrounded Bian Ruxue.
Bian Ruxue felt a chill in her heart and suddenly exclaimed in a low voice. Sword Intent erupted, and the intense cold froze the tidal-like Sword Momentum.
Clang!
The two swords clashed, and the fierce Sword Gang, like a great axe, forced Lin Qingyue back.
“Ice Sword Bone, no wonder she was taken as a direct disciple by the Sword Saint, reportedly a chance encounter in the mortal world.”
“In combination with her cultivation of Sword Dao, it fits flawlessly.”
“Sword Saint personally taught her; how could there be any mistakes? She won’t make a false step.”
On the Saint Platform, the eyes of all the Saint Heirs and Saintesses flickered, surprised that the youngest saintess possessed such formidable skills, using her Ice Sword Bone to actually suppress Lin Qingyue’s perfected Sword Intent and 28 Dao Domains!
However, they could see that Lin Qingyue had not yet used her True Force.
After all, perfected Sword Intent was not limited to this, and Lin Qingyue also had a Taoist Body which she hadn’t yet used.
“Aren’t you going to use Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation?”
Bian Ruxue looked at Lin Qingyue with calm eyes.
Compared to other Saint Heirs and Saintesses, her biggest weakness was the lack of Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation.
Others were at the Five Extremes Realm, but she was only at the Four Extremes Realm. When she was in the Soul Succession Realm, she was taken away by her master Jian Wudao, and due to some connections, she was sent to Gan Tao Palace to worship the Dao Law Realm True Person.
This prevented her from ever connecting with the Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation in her lifetime.
However, having met her current master Sword Saint, he had told her that when she reached a bottleneck in her life’s cultivation, she could reincarnate and rebuild, and the master would protect her, for her next life was her true peak!
Lin Qingyue heard her words, shook her head slightly, didn’t say anything, only gradually converting the energy inside her body into her Innate Yin Daoist Fetus. Right now, energy swirled in her abdomen, her entire being turning into a soft, water-like force.
Only she knew the true extent of her strength after reaching the Perfection of the Gentlest Sword Intent.
Combined with her Innate Yin Daoist Fetus, she could push her Sword Intent to its limits. She had planned to save this power for stronger rivals later on, but now, she was forced to use it prematurely.
As Lin Qingyue’s aura shifted, Bian Ruxue quickly sensed it. Her gaze became solemn; she didn’t speak but concentrated the Sword Gang within her Sword Bone, merging it into the Ice Sword Intent. Raising her sword, she executed the sword technique she had studied from a young age, later refined to the Daoist level by her master’s guidance.
Snow Realm!
The sword hadn’t moved, but the piercing cold spread out like ice cracking.
Suddenly, she struck with her sword, a falling snow!
In that instant, it seemed as though a heavy snow floated across Heaven and Earth.
Countless snowflakes, turning into thousands of sword lights, all transported instantaneously in front of Lin Qingyue by the Returning Ruin Instantaneous Movement.
Equivalent to thousands of sword lights instantaneously firing, freezing everything.
But Lin Qingyue stood there, as if unable to react in time, the falling snow-like sword light converging, yet passing through her body.
“Utmost Gentleness!”
Untouchable softness.
Dressed in blue, she stood amidst the wind and snow, surrounded by stirring Sword Gang, yet not even her hair was stirred.
Chapter 703: Chapter 134: Defeat, Artistic Path Ninth Stage (Two in One)_2
She stood quietly with her sword, just silently watching Bian Ruxue.
However, such a terrifying scene caused Bian Ruxue to lose her composure.
The people outside the arena were also shocked by this sight.
“How is that possible?”
“She’s unharmed, untouchable?!”
“Is this the perfection of the Softest Sword Intent?”
Many Saint Heirs and saintesses on the Saint Platform were also shocked, and the techniques displayed by Lin Qingyue at this moment made many of them feel frightened and their scalps tingle.
“Innate Yin Dao womb combined with the perfected Softest Sword Intent, Qingyue is now at the Half-Step into the Path state.”
“Amazing, although Shui Yue made a mistake, she has indeed recruited a good disciple for our Holy Land.”
The Semi-Saints such as Yao Ancestor saw this scene, their eyes revealing admiration.
However, the standing Sword Saint in the center remained indifferent, showing no change in expression.
At this moment, Lin Qingyue stood amidst the storm for a while, then suddenly used Returning Ruins Flash to appear in front of Bian Ruxue.
Bian Ruxue reacted extremely quickly, her Sword Gang roaring out like a Silver Dragon, slashing towards Lin Qingyue.
But the Silver Dragon Sword Gang passed through Lin Qingyue’s body while she merely raised her hand, and with a sweep of her sword, Bian Ruxue only felt a slight chill in her throat. She touched it and saw a smear of fresh blood on her fingertips, yet the wound on her neck had already healed.
However, she knew that if the opponent had used a killing move, it wouldn’t be just a mere scratch.
Bian Ruxue was somewhat in a daze, her body’s Sword Gang gradually dissipating, and the surrounding fierce snowstorm also slowly faded.
“I lost.”
A complex light flashed in her eyes; when she saw that the opponent had mastered the perfected Sword Intent, she had vaguely known this battle wouldn’t be easy to win since she hadn’t yet achieved Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation. Unexpectedly, the opponent hadn’t used Law Manifestation either and defeated her purely through swordsmanship.
Lin Qingyue withdrew her sword, said nothing, and turned her head to look in the direction of the floating seats.
Without those three paintings that brought her Sword Intent to Perfection, today’s battle might have been extremely tough for her, and the outcome uncertain.
Even with an additional Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation, under the situation where her Sword Intent was restrained, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference.
Noticing Lin Qingyue’s gaze, Bian Ruxue followed her eyes. When she saw Li Hao, confusion appeared in her eyes, but she didn’t think much about it.
Bian Ruxue had heard some stories about this saintess Qingyue, knowing her mentor had made mistakes and was imprisoned more than a decade ago, leading to more than a decade without anyone to guide her, forcing her to cultivate on her own.
“Did you understand Sword Intent by yourself? I’m not as good as you.”
Bian Ruxue was slightly silent, sighing lightly. She had come to realize that there are skies beyond skies, and the splendor of the Mortal World pales in comparison to here.
Lin Qingyue withdrew her gaze, responding indifferently:
“Someone accompanied me in practicing swordsmanship, so I wouldn’t consider it self-realization.”
Accompanying in sword practice… Bian Ruxue’s eyes flickered. At their level, each practiced swordsmanship through self-realization or sought guidance from a mentor. To accompany them in practice, it must at least be at the same level; otherwise, it would be meaningless.
Bian Ruxue didn’t ask further about which Saint Heir was accompanying Lin Qingyue in her cultivation; that was someone else’s privacy.
However, the mention revived memories of a scene in a courtyard from her childhood.
It seemed… it had been a very long time since someone had accompanied her in practicing swordsmanship.
If she were to return to the Mortal World, could he still accompany her in sword practice?
Bian Ruxue shook her head slightly; by then, they would be at different levels, the child’s play of the past was gone.
She gathered her thoughts, seeing Lin Qingyue had already turned and stepped down from the battle platform, she also silently turned and flew away, returning to the Saint Platform.
Watching the two return, the other Saint Heirs and saintesses’ eyes flickered, weighing their own strength against theirs.
The face of the Dragon Slayer Saint Son looked somewhat unpleasant; he had hoped to draw Lin Qingyue in today’s lot to redeem his previous shame, but the recent battle made him realize it was fortunate he hadn’t met her, or the embarrassment today would have been greater.
Losing once could be stubbornly claimed as an accident; losing twice would be too thorough.
Moreover, the defeat would have been quicker this time.
With Sword Intent Perfection and the perfect integration with the Dao womb, that state was too invincible.
Lin Qingyue sensed the gazes from others, but her expression was calm, showing no reaction; she knew this battle would make many see her as a formidable opponent.
But the path of the strong never fears the cold wind nor the piercing chill.
…
“Qingyue won!”
“That was incredible; what was that just now? That raging blizzard of Sword Qi couldn’t even harm her.”
Lin Shanhai and other Alchemists were excited, their faces filled with joy.
Although Bian Ruxue was young, her status as a Direct Disciple of a Sword Saint was not to be underestimated.
And indeed, Bian Ruxue did display extremely strong techniques, but it seemed Lin Qingyue completely surpassed her level, winning overwhelmingly.
Many Alchemists cheered, congratulating Lin Shanhai.
Li Hao sat aside, his expression calm. He hadn’t expected their first match to be between the two of them, but now he viewed it as a normal battle, the same regardless of the opponent.
Winning and losing are common; one could only blame inferior skills, if lacking, then practice more.
“The saintess Xue’er lost, indeed, still too young!”
“She’s very strong though, reaching that level at 27. We were still hovering in the True Man Realm at 27.”
“What? You reached the True Man Realm at 27, then what does it make me at 27 still in the Four Stands Realm?”
“Don’t mention it, my cousin was still in the Three Immortal Realms at 27.”
…
The outside audience discussed animatedly, seeing the youngest saintess in action for the first time. Although she lost, many recognized Bian Ruxue’s strength and did not underestimate her.
Chapter 704: Chapter 134: Defeat, Artistic Path Ninth Stage (Two in One)_3
Lin Qingyue’s performance undoubtedly gave everyone a great surprise. Many Inner Sect top geniuses felt a bitter taste in their hearts, and finally realized what kind of monstrous beings these Saint Heirs and saintesses were. Apart from the Haoyue Saint Son, there was now another saintess with Sword Intent Perfection.
That final unique state was deemed unsolvable; if they were in her place, they could only admit defeat obediently.
This victory won Lin Qingyue a spot in the top eight, while Bian Ruxue was relegated to the loser’s bracket, and would need consecutive victories there to advance to the top ten, which was even more difficult.
Soon, a new round of combat unfolded.
This time the two Saint Heirs were evenly matched, fighting to a standstill, with use of the Five Extremes Realm that kept the audience on the edge of their seats, more so than the earlier matches in terms of spectacle.
After all, the previous two battles had one side clearly outmatching the other, making them seem less intense.
When the battle concluded, the entire fighting stage had been pitted with deep craters; one of the Saint Heirs was unconscious and covered in blood, while the other also bore a similar wretched state, with his War Body nearly shattered.
Such a fierce battle caused the disciples watching to be terrified; this was the confrontation of Holy Level disciples indeed.
Li Hao was also quietly observing the battle, gradually incorporating the secret skills passed on to these Saint Heirs and saintesses by their mentors, skills that were not to be found in the Sword Tower, belonging to the unique abilities created by Semi-Saints.
Although now they were incorporated into his panel, Li Hao knew he could not rashly use them; such stealth learning was taboo.
However, once incorporated into the panel, they would blend with other Cultivation Techniques, eventually deducing another technique. Even if used, it would be different and not noticeable.
This incorporation of Cultivation Techniques would also enhance Li Hao’s Dao Domain by several layers.
Not long after the intense top eight clashes ended, there was a three-day break for rest and recovery.
Then the battles in the loser’s bracket would take place, with eight striving for two spots to join the top ten, followed by the decider for the top ten.
Li Hao, observing the battles of the day, felt that if Lin Qingyue performed well, she could definitely make it into the top three.
Apart from the Haoyue Saint Son, there was another Spiritual Fantasy Holy Son with Sword Intent Perfection, who was incredibly formidable.
And naturally, this Holy Son’s Illusory Sword techniques had also been included in Li Hao’s panel. By deducing it to the highest level, he came to understand it.
This Sword Intent also blended into Li Hao’s own Sole Sword Intent, making his Sword Intent a bit sharper.
During the three-day break, Lin Qingyue continued to meditate on sword techniques in the courtyard. Li Hao felt she was a bit too tense.
“Why don’t you take a good rest these few days and relax a bit?”
Li Hao saw that aside from eating and drinking, she was usually holding a sword, even more engrossed than he was when playing chess.
Lin Qingyue opened her eyes and saw Li Hao looking like he was about to go out, she rarely asked, “Where are you going?”
Li Hao often went out in the past, but she never inquired.
“I’m heading to the Sword Tower to fish with someone. Would you like to come and see?”
Li Hao said with a smile.
Lin Qingyue was surprised at heart; the Sword Tower was the domain of the Sword Master.
She thought for a moment, then got up and said, “Okay, I’ll come with you for a walk.”
Li Hao was somewhat surprised; it was a casual invitation, and he never expected her to agree.
“Okay, let’s go together,” Li Hao said with a smile, always practicing the sword and thinking could easily lead to a bottleneck. Sometimes relaxation was more conducive to cultivation, similar to how he cycled between playing chess and painting. Otherwise, one could get stuck in a rut and miss out on much of the scenery.
Occasionally experiencing different perspectives can inspire new thoughts and insights.
Right away, Li Hao flew through the air, leading the way.
Lin Qingyue followed behind, her expression revealing a touch of amusement. Li Hao had been in the Holy Land for just a year and already seemed like a regular, familiar with the place.
On the contrary, although she had been cultivating in the Holy Land for many years, she hadn’t seen all of it herself, mostly just eating, drinking, and practicing the sword, staying in her courtyard.
Before long, Li Hao brought Lin Qingyue to Saint Mountain, where many disciples recognized Lin Qingyue and exclaimed in surprise.
Li Hao felt a bit helpless; having a saintess by his side was like accompanying a big star out, drawing quite a bit of attention.
Luckily, the Sword Tower was a sacred place, and disciples did not linger, making it very quiet.
The Sword Attendant man, seeing Li Hao’s arrival, directed his gaze to Lin Qingyue, who was following behind, and expressed surprise, “What is this?”
Lin Qingyue recognized this Sword Attendant man; when she originally came to the Sword Tower to select a Cultivation Technique she knew he was a disciple of the Sword Master, extremely powerful, a standout in the Dao Law Realm. Even they, the Saint Heirs and saintesses, might not be his match.
After all, he was a Holy Level disciple from the previous era, now centuries older than them with naturally far more terrifying cultivation.
“Here to fish, just taking her out for a walk,”
Li Hao said with a smile.
The Sword Attendant man glanced at Lin Qingyue; she remained calm, though her gaze shifted away, showing a hint of awkwardness.
The Sword Attendant man chuckled and said, “Alright, go ahead, the Sword Master is waiting for you. He even said that without you there to keep him company while fishing, it’s not as enjoyable.”
Li Hao smiled inwardly; although he and the Sword Master were very quiet when fishing, the feeling when a fish bit was another matter. Accustomed to competing in fishing, to return to doing it alone really lacked the same charm.
After greeting the man, Li Hao led Lin Qingyue around the bamboo forest of the Sword Tower, heading towards Sword Cliff.
Lin Qingyue followed, her heart filled with astonishment and curiosity. Was he really fishing with the Sword Master?
And it seemed he was quite familiar with the place. His frequent outings previously couldn’t have all been here, could they?
Chapter 705: Chapter 134: Defeat, Artistic Path Ninth Stage (Two in One)_4
Lin Qingyue felt a trace of strangeness in her heart. The Sword Master was a being of the Saint Realm, and many Saint Heirs sought his favor with no avenue to approach him. Li Hao had only been in the Holy Land for a year and already seemed quite familiar with him, which was somewhat unbelievable.
Soon, they arrived in front of Sword Cliff. Li Hao saw that, apart from the Sword Master, Qiu Wuheng was also there.
Lin Qingyue also noticed Qiu Wuheng, and her eyes slightly narrowed.
“Sword Master, senior.”
Li Hao stepped forward and greeted him with a cupped-hand salute.
The Sword Master slightly turned his head, caught sight of Li Hao, and naturally noticed Lin Qingyue too. His eyes flicked, and he said, “This lass has come to fish too?”
Being observed by the Sword Master made Lin Qingyue’s skin crawl, as if her hair were standing on end, and a hard-to-describe pressure welled within her. She immediately bowed in greeting.
Upon hearing the Sword Master ask, she shook her head slightly, “I just came to see with him, never expecting to meet you, senior.”
“Come to see, let’s just look then.”
The Sword Master, having heard this, said no more.
However, Qiu Wuheng glanced toward Lin Qingyue and nodded slightly, then said:
“I saw that battle of yours, Great Accomplishment in Sword Intent, quite impressive!”
“You had a great battle too; the Thousand Strands Sword was quite impressive.”
Lin Qingyue responded similarly.
The corner of Qiu Wuheng’s mouth twitched slightly—after all, he had been defeated miserably by Haoyue Saint Son in that battle.
Hearing Lin Qingyue’s words, Li Hao felt somewhat at a loss. What kind of straightforward woman was she? Was this their way of making small talk?
“Come, have a seat.”
Li Hao invited Lin Qingyue to sit at the cliff’s edge and returned to his usual spot, then focused his power into a line and cast it into Sword Cliff.
Lin Qingyue watched the three of them fishing, somewhat curious. Was there any significance in doing this?
She looked at the Sword Master, for whom this might be a hobby, and the same for Li Hao, but for Qiu Wuheng…
“Are you using this to comprehend the Sword?” Lin Qingyue was not dull and sensed the purpose of his fishing.
Qiu Wuheng nodded slightly, “Indeed.”
Lin Qingyue’s eyes revealed contemplation.
Li Hao smiled at Lin Qingyue, saying, “Your Gentle Sword Intent is quite suitable for fishing. You can delicately sense the water’s behavior to judge if there’s a bite, you might also try it.”
The Sword Master, hearing Li Hao’s words, laughed and cursed jokingly, “You lad!”
Clearly, he meant Li Hao was tempting someone into wrongdoing.
Li Hao gave an embarrassed smile. What he said was also the truth.
Lin Qingyue, however, shook her head slightly, not interested in the activity.
Nevertheless, she did not leave but quietly sat next to Li Hao, soaking in the peaceful nature.
Before long, Li Hao got a bite.
Lin Qingyue looked over, surprised to see a True Dragon hooked on the line.
“It’s you again.”
Seeing the Dragon Demon Ao Jie, Li Hao couldn’t help but gasp.
Ao Jie was also taken aback and quickly pleaded for mercy.
The two had almost become old acquaintances from fishing.
Helplessly, Li Hao unhooked him and let him go.
Hearing this Dragon Demon speak, Lin Qingyue realized Li Hao was already a regular here. Her gaze fell on Li Hao’s profile, and suddenly, the memory of coming back from cultivation one day flashed in her mind. She had heard the ground shaking and when she went to check, she saw Li Hao severely injured in a pit…
A flush delicately appeared on her cheeks as she lifted her head and gazed into the distance.
When the sun set in the west, Li Hao bid farewell to the Sword Master and Qiu Wuheng before taking Lin Qingyue back to the Pill Refining Institute.
In the following two days, Lin Qingyue did not practice sword again, but instead accompanied Li Hao to go fishing daily.
Qiu Wuheng did not come, seemingly having gone into seclusion.
After all, he needed to compete in the loser’s bracket in three days.
Lin Qingyue sat at the cliff’s edge, watching the swirls of water within the deep pool, her thoughts drifting far away.
The Sword Master made casual conversation, but seemingly with intention, he brought up the Gentle Sword Dao which allowed Lin Qingyue to catch the transmission of his Dao sounds and vaguely glimpse the levels beyond Sword Intent Perfection.
But it was just a glimpse of direction; truly reaching it was still far off.
On the fourth day, the loser’s bracket competition took place, and Lin Qingyue went to watch. Li Hao, however, did not go and kept to himself at Sword Cliff, continuing to fish here.
To him, fishing was cultivation.
“There’s also a battle going on over there today, why didn’t you go?”
The Sword Master, seeing that Li Hao still came today, asked somewhat unexpectedly.
Li Hao laughed and said, “I’ve seen all that before.”
“You rascal, did you not understand, or did you find it too boring?” The Sword Master smiled as he looked at him, his eyes seemingly piercing into Li Hao’s heart.
Ever since learning that Li Hao was 28 years old and had cultivated 97 layers in the Dao Domain, he knew that Li Hao’s talent was beyond imagination and among the Saint Heirs, he was an exceptional existence belonging to the top elite.
“I didn’t understand…” Li Hao said with a sheepish smile.
To say it was boring would be downright embarrassing, especially since those were the Saint Heirs painstakingly cultivated by the Sword Ancestor Holy Land.
The Sword Master frowned at him disapprovingly. If you didn’t understand it, you would even more likely watch it. How could you have the free time to come here?
In all his years as a Saint, he had never met someone as bizarre as Li Hao.
Qiu Wuhen came here to fish, using it as an opportunity to comprehend the sword, but Li Hao’s fishing had nothing to do with swords. It was just a hobby.
When Qiu Wuhen got a bite, his face was expressionless, as if he was just lifting a rock.
But when Li Hao got a bite, the excitement in his eyes was clearly visible.
Such emotion couldn’t be concealed; only someone who truly loved fishing would display such feelings.
“If you feel going to watch the battle is somewhat offensive, you don’t have to. Sooner or later, they must contest with the other two Holy Lands, and even the entire Thirty-Three Realms for the title of the strongest. If their flaws are spotted by just a few glances, they deserve to lose,” the Sword Master stated indifferently.
Li Hao nodded. The current Sword God War was not only to decide the strongest pride of the Holy Land but also to select the top ten to compete against the other two Holy Lands, vying for the title of the top ten strongest in the Canglan Realm.
Seeing Li Hao was uninterested, the Sword Master didn’t persuade further. He regarded Li Hao as a rival Saint Heir from the Supreme Saint Gate, who would inevitably meet his Holy Land’s Saint Heir in the future Three Realms’ Pride of Heaven Battle. He didn’t mind Li Hao’s reluctance to spy; in fact, he quite admired his pride.
As the day progressed with intermittent fishing, Li Hao, after repeatedly fishing for Ao Jie, found that his fishing experience had barely diminished.
A bit helpless, he reeled in his line and said to the Sword Master, “Senior, may I draw a picture for you?”
The Sword Master raised his eyebrows, surprised, and soon thought of Li Hao’s previous famous paintings from the Sword God War. He smiled and said, “If you want to paint, feel free.”
Overjoyed, Li Hao immediately took out a painting board from the Heaven and Earth Space and began to paint in front of Sword Cliff.
The sound of the waterfall crashing, the Sword Master wearing a bamboo hat sitting quietly alone at the edge of the cliff, across him the breathtakingly profound sword scar on the Sword Cliff, carrying with it heaven-reaching Sword Qi—all these Li Hao captured in his painting.
While depicting the Saint, Li Hao felt the difficulty of the Artistic Path; it was completely different from painting others.
His expression was solemn, he observed carefully, but always felt there was a sort of mist surrounding the subject, making careful observation during painting different from casual viewing.
He aimed to capture the essence, but that essence was incredibly elusive, like a True Dragon that showed neither head nor tail, constantly changing and inscrutable.
When Li Hao faintly perceived it, he suddenly felt a sharp, buzzing-like Sword Qi explode beside his ear.
The Sword Master’s expression shifted, slightly surprised; had the Sword Dao concealed within his body been perceived by the other?
“Huh? Are you alright?”
The Sword Master looked toward Li Hao, only to see golden blood seeping through Li Hao’s eyes, which looked as though they had been slashed blind.
From his gaze, he sensed a faint Sword Intent, his body’s Sword Dao reflected in the other’s eyes, damaging his eyesight.
This wasn’t his doing. He raised his hand, intending to withdraw the sword force, otherwise, if it continued to linger in Li Hao’s eyes, they wouldn’t heal.
“Senior, don’t mind me; I’m painting!” Li Hao seemed to notice his movement and quickly spoke.
The Sword Master paused, taking another look at Li Hao. At that moment, he understood why the other had managed to paint such famous paintings from the Sword God War.
The other wasn’t obsessed with the sword, but with painting!
His passion for painting even surpassed many Saint Heirs’ obsession with the Sword Dao!
The Sword Master looked at him deeply; it was hard to imagine someone whose heart was so passionately devoted to painting and still had such enthusiasm for fishing, and what was more formidable was the fact that he had reached 97 layers in the Dao Domain at the age of 28!
Such a monstrous talent, even if said to be a reincarnation of a Saint, he fully believed it.
At that moment, Li Hao’s eyes were slit, blood continuously flowing, but his hands continued moving on the painting.
He painted with his heart!
As time passed, the outlines on the paper became clearer, and the side profile of the sitting Sword Master gradually took on his essence.
At first glance, he looked like an old man sitting; upon closer inspection, he resembled a steep sharp sword standing on the edge of a cliff!
But looking again, he was still an old man.
When the painting was completed, the two streaks of reflected Sword Qi in Li Hao’s eyes were also transferred into his painting through the Artistic Path.
As the painting took form, Li Hao’s eyes also regenerated and took shape.
Simultaneously, a panel popped up in front of him:
[Artistic Path Experience +372742]
[Stage Eight Artistic Path Experience filled]
[Congratulations, you have comprehended the heart of the Artistic Path, advancing to Ninth Stage]
