Chapter 005 - Sword Soul Unleashed! Victory or Death!
Ye Guao caught the chin of the young maiden, his lips quirked in amusement and a hint of mischief on his face. "You better not move, or I'll kill you on the spot!"
The girl panicked, clutching at her chest protectively. "Azure Spirit is a place for Immortals, not your playground!" she spat back, teeth gritted in anger.
Ye Guao burst into laughter, the sound echoing around them. Suddenly, he slapped her. The girl fell to the ground with a thud, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, barely conscious.
"When my brother becomes the youngest Sect Master in the history of Azure Spirit, this place will be mine!" Ye Guao declared.
Just as he was about to continue having his way with the girl, a cold voice cut through the forest. "Let her go."
"Who!?" Ye Guao cried out in shock. He spun around to look at the source of the voice.
Suddenly, a youth in white appeared before him. Standing amidst a flurry of maple leaves, his long hair billowed like the waves, his face handsome and regal, his eyes as vast as the cosmos.
"Oh, well if it isn't the pretty boy?" Ye Guao began with a mocking chuckle. He'd originally been on edge, but he relaxed after seeing who it was. "Beat it! You're ruining my fun!" he said coldly.
"Please don't leave!" Save me!" the young maiden cried out. She pulled on her clothes, covering her snow white body as she looked at the youth in white pleadingly.
"Alright. Don't worry." Yun Xiao nodded. He calmly walked toward Ye Guao, surrounded by swirling leaves, each bearing the mark of a sword's cut.
Ye Guao laughed so hard he doubled over, "You, a mongrel without even the power of the Dragon Spring, dare bark at me?" He had already reached the Dragon Spring Realm, his cultivation path official, the golden power within him churning like a storm.
"He's not even in the Dragon Spring Realm?" the girl despaired, looking at Yun Xiao.
"So be it! I'll teach you just how cruel the path of an Immortal can be! Prepare to pay with your own blood!" Ye Guao grinned. Clang! In his right hand, a golden Sword Soul stretched out from his palm. The moment the Sword Soul was released, the surrounding air surged with the energy of a thousand swords. A rare Meteor grade Gold Star Sword Soul!
On this Gold Star Sword Soul, there was a dense layer of golden energy surrounding the blade. This was the Sword Soul's protective aura layer, which increased the hardness of the Sword Soul.
Ye Guao's Sword Soul had a layer of Sword Aura! With the power of the Dragon Spring Realm, he was undoubtedly a bonafide Sword Cultivator. This was a realm Yun Xiao had never reached.
"Weakling, have you ever witnessed the Sword Transformation of a Sword Soul?" Ye Guao sneered. As he chuckled, the three-inch Gold Star Sword Soul, powered by his magic power, suddenly became shrouded in a cloud of mist and began to stretch!
The three-inch Sword Soul transformed into a three-foot golden longsword. This was the Sword Soul Transformation! After attaining a Dragon Spring and harnessing the magic power within, a Sword Soul could manifest in three forms.
Flying Sword - The smallest, it could fly thousands of miles to kill from a distance.
Palm Sword - Three feet in length and held in the hand for close combat.
Sovereign Sword - The largest, it could be ridden and fly, transcending the heavens and earth.
At this moment, Ye Guao had transformed his Sword Soul into the Palm Sword form, ready for battle.
Yun Xiao's three-inch blue Sword Soul couldn't transform and was only a tenth of the length of the Gold Star Sword Soul. How could they be compared?
"Want to play the hero saving the damsel in distress? Fine! I'll lop off your lips, cut off your tongue, and give you a VIP seat to the greatest show!" Ye Guao licked his lips, looking back at the girl with a sinister expression.
Whoosh! Suddenly, Yun Xiao blurred into motion and charged forward. In the hand of his white silhouette, a three-inch blue blade shot out with murderous intent!
"You dare to make the first move?!" Ye Guao cried out. Enraged, he tried to block with his sword! Gold and blue, one large and one small, the two Sword Souls met in the midst of the swirling maple leaves, their tips colliding.
Ding! A piercing noise erupted.
"Ah!" Ye Guao's expression contorted in agony. He screamed, stumbling and collapsing to the ground, his right hand bursting open, blood spraying out! Clearly, his once indestructible Gold Star Sword Soul now bore several blue cracks. Streams of blue mist flowed into the cracks, causing the Gold Star Sword Soul to emit fracturing sounds.
Sputter! Overwhelmed by the shock, Ye Guao coughed up blood onto his Sword Soul. Astonishingly, the blue cracks absorbed the blood.
"My Sword Soul... it's shattered!" He couldn’t believe what had transpired. It felt surreal, like a dream. But the searing pain that coursed through his bones, the vessel of his Sword Soul, convinced him otherwise. It was no dream.
A Sword Cultivator's essence resided within his being, and his soul, in his blade. Without this harmony, how could one cast a sword from afar to slay a man?
The cracks Ye Guao now bore weren’t limited to his Sword Soul. They had permeated his very soul. A fragmented soul would render a man feeble and lost. There was an age-old adage. When the Sword Soul shatters, man stands at death's door.
“It can’t be...” Ye Guao murmured in disbelief. Raising his head, he saw a youth in white, gripping an unassuming three-inch azure blade, gazing at him with an unreadable expression.
“Ye Guao,” Yun Xiao began, a smirk playing on his lips, "it seems your Sword Soul isn’t as formidable as you thought."
"Y-you..." Ye Guao, upon seeing the fractured state of his once mighty golden blade, felt as though his very soul was being ripped apart.
"H-he's so strong..." the young girl looked at Yun Xiao in utter shock.
Yun Xiao’s voice dripped with chilling resolve as he continued, “In our path, once a Sword Soul is drawn, it’s a fight to the death. either you triumph, or you perish. Regrettably for you, today was my victory.”
Sword Cultivators! Among all cultivators in the world, they were the most fierce. True daredevils! While others battled with mere weapons, these swordsmen wagered their very lives.
The cold weight of Yun Xiao's words twisted Ye Guao's visage with pain. "You dare harm my Sword Soul? Know this! My brother is Ye Guying, the crowned Swordking of the Azure Spirit Sword Sect! The sect’s prodigy and its future leader!"
"Ye Guying? I know him," Yun Xiao remarked, the faintest smirk forming. Gripping Ye Guao's hair, he yanked him up, causing the injured man to cry out in pain, blood staining the ground.
Ye Guao stammered, "You know him and still you dare lay a hand on me?"
"The very one I intend to slaughter is his younger brother!" Yun Xiao smirked. An instant later, he swung his blade. A muffled sound resonated as Heaven Burial, with a precision that even Yun Xiao hadn't fully anticipated, sliced clean through Ye Guao's neck.
With an expression of utter disbelief, Ye Guao's head detached, leaving his lifeless body collapsing to the ground, blood painting the ground. His head remained in Yun Xiao's firm grasp.
"My brother is the Swordking of Azure Spirit..." As the abyss of death encroached upon him, terror washed over Ye Guao like a tidal wave. His once-promising journey as a cultivator had met a grim end. He died with his eyes wide open, unable to find peace.
"Ah, you killed him...!" the young girl cried out, her face paling in fright like a startled deer.
"The food thief died! It's baby's time to move!" Red Moon cried out excitedly, his gaze fixed on the young maiden the whole time.
Yun Xiao didn't bat an eyelid, pushing the little creature back into his robe. He approached the girl and softly asked, "Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine..." the girl replied, still trembling as she gazed at Ye Guao's corpse. "Why did you kill him?"
"It was either us or him. If I didn't kill him there, he'd have made sure we'd meet with even more miserable ends once we entered the Azure Spirit Sword Sect," Yun Xiao said.
"But he's the little brother of the Swordking!" the young girl said, a conflicted look on her face.
"Well... if you don't say anything, and I don't say anything, who would find out?" Yun Xiao said calmly.
"I see... Okay!" the girl nodded, pursing her lips.
"Also, I just saved you. Don't I at least deserve a thanks?" Yun Xiao asked with a soft smile.
"Ah!" Realization dawned on the girl. She squeezed out a small smile and said, "Thank you!"
"I'll take care of the corpse first." Yun Xiao said.
"A-alright!" the girl nodded.
Yun Xiao grabbed Ye Guao's corpse and dragged it deeper into the forest. Before long, he disappeared from the girl's sight.
Afterwards, the girl's face twisted with scorn. "You're the one who killed him. Not me! Why should I keep your secret and get myself involved too!" She gritted her teeth, enduring the pain from her wounds. Then, she headed for the entrance of the Heavenly Path. "If I don't report this soon, I'll be seen as an accomplice too...
"Save me! Save me! Someone killed the Swordking's little brother!" the young girl cried as she neared the entrance.
"What are you shouting for?" A cold voice rang out behind her.
The girl was shocked at the appearance of the white-robed youth. "Y-you followed me...?"
"Did you think I wouldn't? If I'd let you go like an idiot, I'd be dead meat for sure." Yun Xiao coldly looked at her. "I saved you. Yet, you decide to sell me out because you're afraid of getting implicated too?"
"P-please! Give me one more chance! I promise I'll keep my mouth shut!" the girl begged, dropping to her knees.
"The world isn't so forgiving. You've already had your chance," Yun Xiao said apathetically. Whoosh! He slashed her throat with a decisive strike. Blood sprayed the air as the girl collapsed lifelessly on the forest floor, her eyes wide open.
"I hope in your next life, you choose to act more wisely," Yun Xiao said. He turned around and slipped back into the forest.
"Milk! My milk! Creator, you killed my milk! I'll get you for this!" Red Moon's voice trailed off.
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A long while later, Yun Xiao tossed Ye Guao's head into a nearby tree. He grabbed the corpse by the legs and dragged it along behind him.
"Right!" Blue Star said, glancing at Ye Guao's remains. "Earlier, during your duel, I noticed your Sword Soul seemed to... devour his."
"That's right." Yun Xiao confirmed, nodding.
Blue Star, fixing a piercing gaze on Ye Guao's corpse, mused, "The Sword Soul's in the bones. Give it a try."
"Alright." Yun Xiao summoned Heaven Burial into his palm. With a swift motion, the azure blade pierced Ye Guao's palm.
Suddenly, a fading golden Sword Soul appeared, being absorbed by the Heaven Burial Sword Soul. At the blade's core, the bud-shaped blue lotus quivered slightly. Within moments, the once radiant golden Sword Soul disintegrated into a misty fog, being fully consumed by Yun Xiao's blade.
"Good Lord!" Yun Xiao exclaimed, eyes wide in shock. His Sword Soul had just eaten another's. In an instant, the Gold Star Sword Soul was no more. The gold had completely vanished.
Yun Xiao felt an enhancement in the Heaven Burial Sword Soul. Its aura of death seemed more concentrated. And on its surface, a faint blue sword gleam appeared.
"A Sword Aura?" Yun Xiao murmured, awestruck.
Other Sword Souls required the refinement of demonic bones to possibly birth a Sword Aura, often demanding centuries-old demons. Yet Yun Xiao's blade could simply seize another's aura.
Who really stood at the top of this food chain?
"Only a Sword Soul birthed from the Heaven Burial Coffin and the Dao Source of the Divine Pillar could achieve this!" Blue Star said, his eyes shimmering with excitement.
"Dao what now?" Yun Xiao inquired, puzzled.
"The Divine Pillar is the Dao Source of the Dao Realm," Blue Star explained. "Put simply, this boundless world you inhabit, known as a Dao Realm, sprung forth from this source."
"Are you suggesting that the Divine Pillar is essentially the embryo of an expansive world?" Yun Xiao said.
"Exactly," Blue Star affirmed with a nod. "Besides this Dao Realm you've established, there remain ten Dao Sources in the vast chaos. Kunlun Purgatory and the Divine Pillar are but two of those ten."
Yun Xiao's eyes widened, genuine surprise coloring his features. "Ten Dao Sources? That's quite a number. Why then did the Divine Pillar merge with the Heaven Burial Coffin to form my Sword Soul?"
Blue Star sighed with a hint of regret, "That was a mystery you were deciphering in your past life. Sadly, just as you gathered all ten Primordial Coffins, placing them within Red Moon and me, you slumbered due to the toll of creation."
Yun Xiao mused aloud, "The ten Primordial Coffins... They must be the coffins within that ancient bronze coffin." He felt a shiver down his spine as a thought struck him, "So, every Primordial Coffin and every Dao Source could potentially merge and be harnessed by me?"
Blue Star simply nodded, leaving Yun Xiao awestruck. He muttered to himself, "No wonder my Sword Soul lacks the might of the Divine Pillar. It's still an embryo, needing to mature. One day, it might possess the power of an entire world. With all the coffins in hand, I only lack nine Dao Sources. And if the Divine Pillar gave rise to the Sword Soul, I wonder what wonders the Dao Source could yield. More Sword Souls, or something even more unimaginable?"
Blue Star's eyes sparkled with anticipation, "With just one Heaven Burial Sword Soul, acting as the embryo of the world, you could potentially rival the entire Dao Realm."
Yun Xiao, his heart racing with excitement, exclaimed, "Astounding!"
"After a Seed of Creation dies, their inherent gifts swiftly dissipate. Quickly seize his Golden Dantian, and you'll be able to amass a Dragon Spring, harness magical power, and incorporate it into your Sword Soul. You'll then officially become a Sword Cultivator," Blue Star reminded.
This was the first step! Yun Xiao recalled his understanding of the stages before reaching the Dragon Spring realm. This all encapsulated within the Mortal Martial Realm.
The Mortal Martial Realm was segmented into five distinct stages: Spirit Sensing, Flesh Forging, Blood Ignition, Bone Refining, and finally, Origin Opening. Yun Xiao had previously reached the pinnacle of Origin Opening before his demise.
Origin Opening referred to opening the Dantian, marking the birth of their life essence, which served as the foundation for cultivation.
Once the Dantian was open, and if one possessed the right techniques, they could then absorb the spiritual energy around them, transforming their vital essence into magical power—a process often referred to as Dantian birthing the Dragon Spring.
The Dragon Spring was essentially a spring shaped like a dragon, created from an inexhaustible source of magical energy. Each Cultivator's Dragon Spring was unique, dictated by their individual paths and techniques. Some had the Azure Dragon, others a Blazing Dragon... With the dragon residing within their Dantian, their Immortal Path truly began.
In essence, the Dragon Spring Realm marked the beginning to the path of cultivation. Once one entered the Dragon Spring Realm, they became akin to a submerged dragon, ever hopeful of soaring to the heavens.
In the three months before he arrived at the Azure Spirit Sword Sect, Yun Xiao had broken through all five stages of the Mortal Martial Realm with his newfound body, returning to Origin Opening.
Armed with his new body and Sword Soul, it was this potent combination that had given him the edge over Ye Guao.
"Until now, with Red Moon and me dormant, you lacked the method to congregate a Dragon Spring. That's why you couldn't truly become a cultivator," Blue Star continued, snapping Yun Xiao out of his reverie.
Now, the path to the Dragon Spring lay tantalizingly at his feet.
A while into their trek, Blue Star exclaimed, "Stop, this is a good spot!"
Yun Xiao looked around as Blue Star squeezed out from his embrace, looking both comical and endearing. The valley they stood in was deep and surrounded by a dense forest, a world untouched by civilization.
"What now?" Yun Xiao asked.
"Watch and learn," Blue Star replied with a chilling grin. No sooner had the words left its mouth than the small black creature leaped out.
BOOM! A shocking scene unfolded. Upon landing, a fog-like aura erupted from its black fur. The creature began to expand rapidly, and with a humming noise, it transformed into a massive bronze coffin.
The coffin stood eight feet tall and spanned several yards in length. From a distance, it might be mistaken for a square-shaped cabin.
KLANG! With the sound of metal grinding, the coffin's lid began to open on its own.
"Enter. It's safer within the coffin," a pair of deep blue eyes manifested on the lid, fixing their gaze on Yun Xiao.
Just as those words were spoken, another pair of blood-red eyes appeared on the body of the coffin below. They opened to reveal a gaping maw and boisterously said, "Creator, come in quick! There's no poop in baby's belly!"
The two truly were a unique piece of work!
"You don't need to tell me that!" Yun Xiao cried out, clearly flabbergasted. Without further hesitation, he stepped inside the coffin. As soon as he did, the lid with Blue Star's essence slammed shut with a resounding clang.
Inside the coffin was an eerie silence, a foreboding atmosphere enveloping him. Catching a glimpse out of the corner of his eye, Yun Xiao noticed the other nine small bronze coffins. They had similarly shrunk in size and were now placed in a corner.
"What are you waiting for? Start integrating the Seed of Creation," the haunting eyes of Blue Star reappeared on the lid.
"How do I go about it?" Yun Xiao questioned, setting Ye Guao aside.
"How would I know? Do I look like the Creator Immortal to you?" Blue Star retorted with a smirk.
"..." Yun Xiao rolled his eyes.
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