Bearing the blue sky

Chapter 285 Return to Origin (4k)

A sword?

Zhu Ge's expression was solemn.

Jian Wuhen held his sword with both hands, the tip pointing towards the sky.

The rust marks on the sword began to glow, not with a silvery-white light, but with a dark red light, like rusty iron being heated red-hot in a furnace.

His sword heart throbbed, his sword intent surged, and a phantom of a sword appeared above his head.

This is the "intention" that he has condensed from all his swordsmanship insights over the past six hundred years!

The sword phantom was not large, only three feet long, but its presence was astonishingly strong.

It was as if it were not a phantom, but a real sword, a sword capable of cutting through everything.

Zhu Ge could even sense that the sword intent had actually transformed into "momentum," but Jian Wuhen had not used it at full power.

Therefore, this sword intent can be said to be the ultimate expression of intent!

"This is my old man's rotten wood sword intent." Jian Wuhen still had some strength left, so he laughed and said, "Rotten wood cannot be carved, but it can be burned."

"My sword is made of rotten wood that has been burned for six hundred years. With one strike, everything turns to ashes."

With a flick of his sword tip, the rotten wood sword intent transformed into a dark red sword light and slashed towards Zhu Ge.

The sword light was not fast, even slow, but it carried an irresistible force.

That kind of power that's about to become an influx of energy.

The force of rotten wood, the force of burning, the force of destruction.

The only way to fight back is through martial arts — Zhu Ge took a deep breath, his heart pounding with martial arts passion.

There's no way to fight this off by relying solely on the Yi Dao (易道).

Blood energy was injected into the Purgatory Star Staff, and the silver-red light on the staff shone brightly, with a phantom appearing behind him.

The dawn is breaking!

As night fell, a phantom image of a blessing song appeared in the sky, followed by a burst of light.

"breaking Dawn!"

He swung the staff, colliding with the rotten wood sword light.

"The shockwave spread outwards, the bluestone slabs on the square were blown away, and the surrounding bamboo forest was blown about in all directions."

Zhu Ge was forced back several steps, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but he stood there as the illusory image in the sky dissipated.

Jian Wuhen also took a half step back, looking at Zhu Ge with eyes full of satisfaction.

"I have lost." Jian Wuhen sheathed his sword and laughed heartily. "I used the power of the second realm, but my sword intent was six hundred years old. The fact that Master Zhu could withstand it shows that Master Zhu's heart is even stronger than my six hundred years of sword intent."

He had only come to test the waters out of curiosity, and by displaying Zhu Ge's strength in front of everyone, he could prevent any foolish disciples in the sect from provoking him.

Therefore, Jian Wuhen said, "It seems that Master Zhu is not only unparalleled in Confucianism and Taoism, but also unmatched in martial arts. Swordsmanship, come forth!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a man with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes walked out from a distance with a cold expression.

"kendo?"

Zhu Ge was deeply shaken.

Kendo is ranked ninth on the "Society Ranking"!

The question is, why is Jian Dao, who is clearly not a member of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, here?

After Kendo emerged, he bowed to Zhu Ge and said, "I am Kendo, greetings to you."

"Master Kendo is ranked ninth on the 'Imperial Ranking,' a name that resonates throughout the land. I have long admired you." Zhu Ge returned the greeting with clasped hands: "But Kendo, what brings you here today—"

Seemingly noticing Zhu Ge's confusion, Jian Dao explained calmly, "Jian Wuhen is my great-uncle."

Are you family?

It turned out to be the case.

Zhu Ge understood this clearly in his heart.

"Mr. Zhu, my swordsmanship has not yet reached its peak. I still need to learn by analogy. May I spar with you on both martial arts and Confucianism?" The swordsman's expression was calm, but he was very polite.

"Of course it's possible." Zhu Ge nodded.

He also wanted to learn from them.

It is said that the previous generation was ranked first on the "Ranking of the State", now it is ninth, and the generation before that was fifteenth.

In other words, Kendo was the number one in the previous generation of the "Soviet Ranking"!

Such a powerful individual was born with extraordinary phenomena, and was directly named "Sword Dao," which shows how high the sword family's expectations were for him.

And the swordsmanship did not disappoint. It advanced triumphantly all the way, relying on the swordsmanship that had reached the pinnacle of killing power, and ascended to the top, looking down on all the geniuses and talents in the world.

Even if Zhu Ge uses all his strength, he might not be able to win against someone like that.

Or rather, it's highly unlikely they will win.

Lin Fu is ranked below tenth and cannot defeat Kendo.

Zhu Ge couldn't beat Lin Fu.

The results are obvious.

However, whether we can win or not, we'll only know after the fight.

If the rankings could tell everything, then next time Zhu Ge sees someone ranked higher than him, he should just kneel down and beg for mercy.

There are far too many factors that influence winning or losing.

"I will use all my strength, not only in martial arts, but also in Confucianism," Zhu Ge said solemnly.

"Good." Kendo nodded, then stood still without saying a word.

This is waiting for Zhu Ge to make his move.

Zhu Ge did not rush to make a move.

He stood still, closed his eyes, and adjusted his breathing.

The martial arts heart beat slowly, with the four forces of literary energy, blood energy, witch power, and spiritual energy each following their own path without interfering with each other.

He was waiting, waiting for his heart to completely calm down.

Kendo stood opposite him, motionless.

He didn't draw his sword, nor did he even strike any pose; he just stood there casually, as if he were sunbathing in his own yard.

But his presence was so strong that Zhu Ge could "see" him even with her eyes closed.

Or rather, it's not about seeing his physical form, but rather his "presence".

The sword's momentum, its sharpness, its unstoppable force.

That kind of aura was not as restrained as Jian Wuhen's; rather, it was flamboyant, domineering, and unquestionable.

"I'm about to make my move." Zhu Ge opened her eyes: "Be careful."

"Please." Kendo nodded.

Zhu Ge lightly touched the ground with his toes, activated his Incense-Lighting Body Technique, and his figure, as ethereal as smoke and mist, rushed towards the sword path.

He didn't use the Heavenly Secrets divination method because it's meaningless for someone at the level of swordsmanship.

His sword was too fast, so fast that even if you calculated it, you couldn't dodge it, so you could only meet it head-on.

The silver-red light on the Purgatory Star Staff shone brightly as it smashed towards the swordsman's face.

This strike was delivered with almost full force, tearing the air apart and producing a sharp, explosive sound.

The momentum was already there before the stick even arrived.

The combined power of the four streams flowed into the staff, making the silver-red light even more intense than before, with faint golden patterns flowing within it—a reflection of dragon scale patterns.

Kendo extends his right hand, bringing his index and middle fingers together, and lightly flicks the tip of the stick.

"clang""

With a sharp crack, Zhu Ge was forced back several steps, his hand going numb. The Purgatory Star Staff nearly slipped from his grasp and flew away.

He gripped the staff tightly, steadied himself, and gazed at the swordplay, his heart filled with awe.

That shot contained no spiritual power, no blood energy, only pure strength and skill.

With a single flick of his wrist, he neutralized the force of his full-force strike.

What's even more terrifying is that the kendo practitioner's fingers were completely unharmed, not even a scratch.

Is the difference really that big? — Zhu Ge was deeply shocked.

"Your staff technique is very good," the swordsman said calmly, "but your power is not concentrated enough."

"Although the four forces have merged, the fusion is not complete. It's like pouring four different colors of ink together, stirring them a few times, and they look mixed, but you can still see the layers if you look closely."

Is this some kind of pretentious act?

Zhu Ge was taken aback and looked down at the Purgatory Star Staff in his hand.

Within the silvery-red light, four different lusters could be faintly seen flowing.

The crimson of blood energy, the golden yellow of literary energy, the dark purple of witchcraft energy, and the pale blue of spiritual energy.

They did blend, but not completely; it was like four colors of paint mixed together but not fully blended.

"Watch closely." Kendo drew his longsword from his waist.

The sword is entirely silver-white, with faint starlight flowing across the blade. Black silk threads are wrapped around the hilt, and the tassel is a dark red fringe.

The lowest grade of the meta-level sword!

His sword-wielding motion was casual, as if he were holding a tree branch, but the moment he got his hands on the sword, his aura changed.

It is no longer "momentum", but "sword"!

He is the sword, and the sword is him.

Man and sword become one, inseparable.

"This sword strike is called 'Return to One'." A hint of arrogance finally appeared on the swordsman's expression: "This is what I comprehended when I entered the Third Realm—the return of all laws to one, one sword to break all laws!"

He raised his sword, the tip pointing to the sky, and then gently lowered it.

There was no sword energy, no sword light, only a feeling of "returning home".

It was as if all the power in the world was concentrated in this one sword, and then returned to nothingness.

Return to the most basic state, return to the essence of the sword.

As Zhu Ge looked at that sword strike, a sudden realization dawned on him.

He realized that his four forces were not incapable of being fully integrated, but rather that he had not yet found the right method.

He always treated the four forces as four different things and forcibly mixed them together.

But the way of Kendo is different. It does not knead, but "returns", allowing the four powers to return to the same origin, and then generate from the origin.

Like a tree, the trunk is a source, and the branches are four forces.

Instead of tying the branches together, he let them grow from the same trunk.

"I understand," Zhu Ge said with some emotion.

Before the fight even started, he realized he couldn't win.

The guy on the other side may be pretentious, but he's actually very strong.

I doubt they can beat them.

"Good that you understand." Kendo sheathed his sword: "Come fight me again when you have fully integrated the four powers. Right now, you can't even withstand 30% of my power."

He turned and walked back to Jian Wuhen's side, his back view tall and straight.

Jian Wuhen watched his retreating figure, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

The Power of Return to Origin — Zhu Ge stood still, gripping the Purgatory Star Staff, and closed his eyes.

Four forces surged within him, and he no longer tried to blend them together, but instead allowed them to return to their origin.

What is the origin? It is the "heart".

It is his heart for martial arts, his heart for Confucianism and Taoism, his heart for witchcraft, and his heart for Taoism.

Four hearts, four origins, but ultimately, they are all his heart.

There is only one heart.

Four hearts are simply four sides of the heart. Just like a mountain, viewed from the south it is a south slope, viewed from the north it is a north slope, but the mountain is still the same mountain.

His martial arts heart is a mountain, his Confucian and Taoist literary heart is a mountain, his shamanistic heart is a mountain, and his immortal Taoist heart is also a mountain.

They are not four different mountains, but four sides of the same mountain.

Zhu Ge took a deep breath and tried to slowly merge the four hearts.

It's not about mixing them together, but about letting them return to the same origin, which is his heart.

The four hearts began to melt, like four pieces of ice melting into water, and then flowing into the same river.

The river is his heart; it represents all his experiences, insights, and perseverance from Jianshan Village to where he is today.

Kendo looked at Zhu Ge, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "So fast?"

Jian Wuhen was also taken aback: "Four Dao Hearts? Second Realm?"

Human energy is limited.

Even the most outstanding talents on the "Ranking of the State" can only cultivate two paths simultaneously.

The Zhu Ge before them, though clearly a second-realm being, possessed the powerful strength of a third-realm being in both martial arts and Confucianism.

At the same time, he even cultivated other paths.

"That's what makes it terrifying." A hint of solemnity flashed across Jian Dao's calm expression: "I only fused two Dao Hearts when I reached the third realm, while he's going to fuse four at the second realm!"

"If he succeeds, when he breaks through to the third realm, his Shangyuan Palace will be ten, a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand times larger than that of an ordinary person!"

Jian Wuhen nodded: "Then his divine sense is the same."

"Indeed, his spiritual sense might be even stronger than that of the Great One," the swordsman said enviously.

The square was silent.

The disciples of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect did not know what Zhu Ge was doing, but they could sense that some incredible change was taking place in Zhu Ge.

His aura was changing; it was no longer at the second or third realm, but in a state they had never seen before.

Liu Jianjian stood next to Ma Zhu, her eyes wide open: "Master—what is he doing?"

"Is he about to have another epiphany?" Ma Zhu said matter-of-factly, "I've heard that human prodigies often do this."

Another epiphany is about to happen!

Although Ma Zhu's voice was not loud, what kind of people were present?

It would be incredibly easy for someone with cultivation to hear Ma Zhu's voice.

"A sudden realization?!"

"What do you mean by 'again'? No, who are these two people?"

"I'm angry. All I can say is that Zhu Ge can't be our brother. We're not on the same path."

"You wish! You're only at the mid-stage of the first realm. Dream on."

"Is this what a prodigy looks like? I'm so envious."

The disciples were in an uproar.

It’s amazing!

Before they even fought, the swordsman just raised his hand, and Zhu Ge suddenly had an epiphany?

Adding to the infuriation was the fact that Liu Jianjian and Ma Zhu were chatting there.

The key is that there's nothing that can be done about it; many people understand how vast the talent gap is between people.

They experience this gap constantly through the lens of kendo, and they've gotten used to it.

Zhu Ge being the first person to come and challenge them in recent years was enough to make them feel the blow.

"There was no sudden enlightenment."

Zhu Ge opened her eyes.

He has not yet fully grasped that sense of returning to the origin.

But he's already found his rhythm.

He looked at the Purgatory Star Staff in his hand, feeling somewhat emotional.

The opportunity to achieve the Return to Origin lies in this Purgatory Star Staff.

All you need to do is slowly fuse the power together using the Purgatory Star Staff as a link.

breaking Dawn!

Return to the origin!

He will possess two kinds of intent, and this returning intent can also be used for breakthroughs!

Once Zhu Ge breaks through the three realms, he will usher in his invincible era!

He looked at the sword path ahead, his fighting spirit suddenly rising again: "How about a casual spar?"

Sensing Zhu Ge's fighting spirit, Jian Dao couldn't help but frown.

Zhu Ge's appearance reminded him of some martial arts fanatics, stirring up unhappy memories for him.

"Alright, let's fight!"

The Jianmen Pass is majestic and precipitous; one man can hold it against ten thousand.

The scenery is magnificent, but the road is indeed much more difficult to travel.

Zhu Ge had no need to reveal her ability to fly, so Ma Zhu had to carry her down the mountain.

As a second-realm bamboo spirit, Ma Zhu could walk on a 90-degree cliff if she wanted to.

"Zhu Ge, you really need to teach me this Yi Dao!"

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