Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1420 Chang Geng
After reading the four lines, Li Zhouwei felt a hollow pain in his heart. Everything in front of him seemed to be soaked in a dark and indistinct darkness. When that name came into view, his vision, which was never clear, became extremely blurred. Drops of ink-like cracks appeared, causing him to suddenly look up!
He seemed to wake up from a nightmare, his face faintly covered in cold golden blood, and before he knew it, two lines of bloody tears had fallen down his neck, his mouth tasting sweet.

But he seemed completely oblivious. The mysterious characters flickered and danced before his eyes. The King of Wei steadied himself for a long time before swallowing the blood in his mouth, slowly exhaling a breath, and secretly alarmed:

'What incredible skill!'

Based on the Li family's understanding of the current moral order of the world, these four sentences are quite clear!
Louling Ziguan—this is a name commonly used by Tongxuan. Shuolou and Guanhua are disciples of Tongxuan Master. Zitai usually refers to the Shaoyang lineage. And the slightly unfamiliar "Ling" in this name is most likely related to the fourth lineage of Tongxuan, which represents Wutu!
That is, the patriarch worshipped by Luoxia today!

Taiyan refers to the Douxuan Sitian Dao that suppressed the entire world at that time, and the name Huayang is usually closely related to the Beihai Leigong of that time!

"The Purple Pavilion of Louling is but an ordinary path, the Taiyan Huayang is but a small palace." In this single sentence, the supreme Daoist lineage of Tongxuan is dismissed as worthless, and Douxuan's vast empire in ancient times amounted to nothing more than "a small palace!"

'At least six people were mentioned in that one sentence; they weren't even worth mentioning if they weren't top-tier figures!'

If the first half still shows disdain for the lineage of those immortal lords, the second half is already pointing the sword at the Heavenly Dao... The one who conceals his tracks and hides his form also has the meaning of a swordsman. This half of the concealment may be that he has not yet exhausted his ambition, or perhaps he has only drawn half of his sword - even if this person is as high as the Heavenly Emperor, he still does not think that he has done his best.

It was only half a lesson!

After thinking it over, Li Zhouwei had already made up his mind:
'Throughout the past thousand years, there has never been such a free and unrestrained person.'

He was also inspired by the lofty ambition within, and could not forget it for a long time. Combined with the earth-shattering and complex sword intent, Li Zhouwei also had a guess in his heart:

'It's probably the greatest swordsman since the beginning of time, that Sword Ancestor…'

He paused briefly, then sighed inwardly:

'If this place still stood on the earth, all the sword immortals in the world would flock to it and regard it as a sacred place. This [Xunyang Pool] may not be the place where that person attained enlightenment back then, but it is at least a pool for washing swords. It may not have been unreasonable to say that the Sword Sect's lineage should be established in Shu...'

In this way, he understood even more clearly:
'And you True Lords must also know what is buried here, which explains why for thousands of years, no one has dared to occupy this place privately, nor has anyone dared to damage this Sword Pool…'

No wonder that with his current supernatural powers, he can't even touch this wall, let alone step into this place. To put it bluntly... given this person's abilities and tone, if there really is any sword intent left here, even a Celestial Lord would have to think twice!
His mind raced, and he stopped trying to pick up Cha You. But as soon as he closed his eyes, those mysterious characters flashed before his eyes. After pondering for several days, he seemed to have gained some insight.

Then he extended two fingers, brought them together completely, and bent the other three fingers inward, with the fingertips touching his palm. Three inches of white light emanated from those fingertips, resembling a sword but not quite, yet possessing a certain sharpness.

The King of Wei chuckled, shook his head, and left, secretly regretting his actions.
'If I were a sword cultivator, I would definitely spend ten or twenty years cultivating here, but now it's like scratching an itch through a boot...'

However, that person's handwriting was so profound that even though he didn't know much about swordsmanship, he could still glean some insights from it based on his cultivation. They were just some interesting and ordinary techniques.

'Once Jiang Chun emerges from seclusion, I'll definitely let him see him too…'

He ventured deep underground, and although he didn't find the immortal sword, he didn't feel like he had gained nothing. So he bowed to this ancient predecessor to make up for the disturbance he caused by mistakenly entering this treasure land, and then disappeared back into the earth. He didn't know how much time had passed before he returned to the surface.

Shangguan Mi remained in the same spot, but somehow, another person had appeared in front of him.

This person had a handsome face and looked like a young man, but his demeanor was somewhat mature. His attire was not like that of a high-ranking cultivator, but rather like that of a chivalrous knight-errant. He had a sword at his waist and another sword on his back.

Seeing Li Zhouwei manifest his form, the young man raised his hand in a salute and smiled:

"Xuanzhou greets Your Majesty!"

Li Zhouwei looked closely and found that the person's aura was blurry, his supernatural powers were restrained, and his aura was unstable. He seemed to be a cultivator of the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao, but he also had the demeanor of a Qi Refiner.

"That's the sword immortal."

Li Zhouwei nodded slightly, his golden eyes flashing, yet he had already seen through the person before him, and asked in surprise:
"It's you..."

He had seen this person before—back when he achieved two supernatural powers and went to Wanling Heaven to search for treasures, he had met a sword immortal of the Gengjin Dao, and this was the one in front of him!

The boy, however, felt somewhat ashamed and said:
"Indeed... I also remember King Wei—his cultivation was similar back then, but now King Wei has become a Great True Person, while I have only mastered two supernatural powers. I am truly... ashamed!"

Li Zhouwei, however, seemed to have noticed something amiss. He had long ago detected the unusual nature of this person's supernatural abilities and raised an eyebrow, saying:
"Sword Divine Power?"

The boy paused for a moment, then replied:

"King Wei has excellent judgment!"

"This junior has cultivated sword intent for many years and has refined it into a divine power, which is now integrated into 'Intent that Can Transform the Body'!"

Li Zhouwei's heart stirred slightly, and a look of interest appeared on his face as he said:

"My family was famous for swordsmanship in my early years, but I didn't know that sword intent could also be used as a supernatural power!"

Xuan Zhou shook his head and said:

"Your Majesty Wei may not know this, but the sword intent originates from the metal position. It can be called the rudimentary form of supernatural power, and it is extremely domineering. It is not allowed for other paths to dabble in it. This is why the Purple Gold Path can only obtain its intent when one has reached the Foundation Establishment stage. Only after obtaining this intent can one dabble in other supernatural powers. In short, the sword path must be superior to other paths."

He paused slightly, observing the other person's expression, and said:
"The way of the sword also has its ranks and positions."

Li Zhouwei was not surprised, he simply asked:
"Appreciate further details."

Xuan Zhou said solemnly:

"This position was attained by the ancient Qingxuan cultivator Kongzheng, and it is not an ordinary position. Since he attained it, no one has ever obtained it again. This position is also his Dao title."

Li Zhouwei's expression turned serious as he listened to the young man's solemn words:

"Chang Geng!"

Li Zhouwei was certain in his heart:
'That's him!'

Having considered this, he raised his head and said:

"So the lineage of sword immortals also has origins... but why did they cultivate Geng metal first, and then cultivate this sword supernatural power?"

Li Zhouwei's eyes were truly remarkable, seeing through all the supernatural powers in him. Since this Xuanzhou Zhenren cultivated Gengjin to achieve supernatural powers, wouldn't it be cutting off his path to cultivation if he started cultivating other supernatural powers halfway through?
Master Xu understood his meaning, gently shook his head, and said:

"Your Majesty misunderstands. The way of the sword... still lacks a Purple Gold lineage! Nor can it be treated as a supernatural power..."

He sat cross-legged, completely unconcerned about the dust on the ground, picked up a twig and gestured, saying:
"That Sword Ancestor didn't leave behind a Great Dao. Although there were cultivation techniques passed down on the Immortal Wall, they were all Qingxuan methods. Back then, cultivators who practiced Qi cultivation were just feeling their way across the river, let alone the Purple Gold Dao. Furthermore, I'm afraid no one in the world has the ability to break down the Sword Dao into five supernatural powers..."

"Even in ancient times, few cultivators made their living with swords. Instead, many obtained sword intent. Thus, many cultivators took turns studying it. This sword intent could be refined. Once one mastered its mysteries, one could condense it into a divine power..."

He paused, then said seriously:

"If we were to draw an analogy, it would be like a Taoist priest who cultivates his inner energy and possesses the supernatural power of the Purple Mansion Golden Elixir Dao. He would naturally be formidable in combat... but ultimately it is a technique, not a path to a stable life."

He said:

“My sect was inspired by this place and obtained the sword transformation technique. Although it is called ‘Intent-Capable Body’, it varies from person to person. Rather than a sword supernatural power, it is more accurate to say that this ‘Intent-Capable Body’ contains sword intent.”

Disappointment gradually appeared in Li Zhouwei's eyes. He said:
"I see…"

Xuan Zhou nodded, then said awkwardly in a low voice:

"If King Wei insists on asking about swordsmanship, I've heard there's another one in the world, a cultivator from the Northern Free and Unfettered Golden Dao lineage. That person follows the ancient immortal path, seeking to make a living through the way of the sword..."

Li Zhouwei's keen interest stemmed from his thoughts of his junior, Li Jiangchun, who already possessed sword intent but also a unique sword essence. His quick wit led him to believe there might be a path to follow in the swordsmanship. For now, he could only shake his head inwardly, muttering:
"I've only heard that the True Monarch who attained enlightenment in the North Sea possesses two sword intents..."

The boy quickly shook his head, as if anticipating the question, and said:

“The True Lord of Shangyuan did not achieve his goal through the sword. Although I do not know why he has two paths, I have asked my master. The path cannot be two separate paths. If the True Lord wanted to prove his Dao through the sword, he would have to choose one and study it for his entire life. If he used both, it would only be a technique. His true Dao is still above Yuzhen.”

Li Zhouwei understood now, but the young man looked him up and down, seemingly sensing something amiss with his aura. His eyes widened in surprise and shock, and he said:
"King Wei, what a brilliant escape technique... Did you return from the Immortal Wall?"

The Sword Immortal of the Tomb-Snatching Sect, having long resided in Shu, was not surprised to know of this matter. Since the person before him possessed such profound knowledge of swordsmanship, he could naturally sense the powerful sword intent remaining within him. Li Zhouwei nodded and said:
"I've already seen it, it's amazing!"

Xuan Zhou bowed deeply and smiled, saying:

"I've heard that the Immortal Wall was once the place where the Sword Ancestor cultivated. Now, without a superior method, one cannot approach it, and ordinary cultivators cannot linger before it. Even fewer people know about it... Even someone with my master's swordsmanship dares not touch it..."

The poem and title that Li Zhouwei saw through Cha You were something that even Duoling wouldn't dare to discuss, let alone Xuan Zhou before him. Seeing that Li Zhouwei only nodded in reply, the master hesitated slightly, then finally stood up, slowly closed his eyes, and said in a complex voice:
“Xuan Zhou came here... also to return some old items to the King of Wei... Li... can be considered half of my benefactors.”

"Oh? What does 'en' mean?"

Li Zhouwei raised an eyebrow, and the young man before him sighed deeply, saying:
“Your Majesty, you may not know this, but I am originally from a small county called Maoshan County, which is located by Xunyang Pond. This county is isolated from the world because it is far away in the marshland and close to Xunyang Pond. It does not often communicate with the outside world. My father’s surname is Xu and his given name is Huan. He was originally a minor cultivator in this county.”

"My father was extremely talented and ambitious in his youth. Since Qize was a vast and sparsely populated area, he often practiced cultivation in the wild mountains. He built a courtyard there, and one day when he went out from his seclusion, he discovered a nest of cats outside the courtyard..."

"Seeing that this litter of cubs possessed remarkable intelligence, he suspected they were descendants of demons. He captured them all, locked them in cages, intending to sell them for a good price. Unexpectedly, halfway through his cultivation, the demon mother appeared to him in a dream, saying that she was unwilling to have an affair with the demon king in the mountains and had to escape, ending up here severely injured and unable to move. With no one around, she could only entrust her cubs to him, insisting that he feed them with spirit rice... and was willing to repay him with her life..."

Li Zhouwei slightly shifted his pupils, showing a hint of interest, while the young man's eyes welled with tears as he said:
"That demon possessed immense spiritual energy, but my father, young and impoverished, could not possibly grant her wish. First, he tricked her into giving him a reward, stealing her spirit stones. His greed grew, and he feigned compliance until he found the demon's hideout. However, his efforts were in vain, and she escaped. So he returned empty-handed, drew his knife, and immediately slaughtered those few offspring, skinning and dismembering them, cooking and eating them over three days..."

He whispered:

“Those kids were born into extraordinary families. Since my father received this nourishment, he has become even more powerful. He finally established his foundation and became the prefect of this place. The demon was unwilling to give up and devoted itself to cultivation. Its bloodline was also unique. It transformed into a woman and gradually fell in love with my father. They had been together for many years.”

“My mother was just a mortal, old and faded, and she panicked whenever she saw a cultivator. How could she possibly defeat her? My father also showed disgust towards her. So she seized the opportunity. First, she killed my mother and forced him to consume large amounts of blood essence bought from the Southern Frontier, which further bewitched him. Then she secretly cooked and killed my elder brother, transforming his flesh into that of a demon, and tricked him into eating it…”

"The demoness was overjoyed and kept asking him questions. My father only said that the taste was very good, and she was satisfied. From then on, she stayed by his side and loved to cook and kill her children and grandchildren for him to enjoy. I was favored by my father's subordinates and escaped alone, but I was not talented and my cultivation made no progress. I could only wander around all day, making a living by rowing boats for others. Seeing that war was about to break out, I could not even afford to buy spirit rice... So I could only row my boat to this pond and cry..."

"I cried for three days, letting myself go, until I suddenly awoke from a dream. I picked up a fishing net, and at the bottom lay a precious sword, inscribed with bird-script characters, its aura chilling... This gave me an opportunity to travel the world, to attain the essence of swordsmanship, and only later was I valued by my master..."

"Qingji was acting recklessly, causing great chaos in Sichuan, let alone this remote border region. When I returned to the county, my six nephews and nine grand-nephews had all been eaten clean, and the clan's graves were scattered all over the mountains. My father was still unaware of this, while the demoness showed no remorse and laughed heartily."

"So I killed both my father and the witch."

The boy's tears had vanished. These past events didn't sound too painful to him, nor were they overly lighthearted. He bowed solemnly, wiped away his tears, respectfully removed the sword from his back, offered it with both hands, and said softly:

"The esteemed sword [Xili] is here. I have borrowed it for many years, and now I have avenged my blood feud. I now return it to the Li family!"