Chapter 976: Chapter 53: The Second Golden Body
The seven people stood silently, anxiously waiting without speaking, an hour passed by, Ah Dai still remained the same without any movement, and the atmosphere inside the cave became unusually heavy. Their patience was gradually diminishing. Finally, just as Xi Wen was about to lose his patience, Ah Dai took a long breath, the faint glow emanating from his body suddenly converged, and he slowly opened his eyes.
It was as if two cold stars had suddenly appeared inside the cave, that piercing gaze made all seven people, including Xi Wen, shiver simultaneously.
Ah Dai had finally woken up. The last efforts of the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang had not been in vain, he had successfully compressed and condensed all his power into Ah Dai’s body. A milky-white, crystal-like, three-inch Golden Body floated at Ah Dai’s chest. Aside from this Golden Body, Ah Dai didn’t feel any other changes. The inch-tall Silver Body in his Dantian remained the same, only seemingly more lustrous. As the practice ended, he suddenly felt his mind clear up, as if numerous fleeting segments flashed through, filled with bloodshed and slaughter. He tried hard to recall them, but couldn’t grasp the precise content of those fragments. After several unsuccessful attempts, he had no choice but to give up. Opening his eyes, he was surprised to find all seven masters inside the cave looking at him. He quickly stood up, and floated to the ground, "Masters, why have you all come here?" It was only when he landed that Ah Dai noticed that his simple clothes were all covered in dried blood, stiff and somewhat sticky, adhering uncomfortably to his skin.
Xi Wen could no longer focus on the changes to Ah Dai’s body and asked urgently, "Ah Dai, where is your grandmaster? Where has the old man gone?"
Ah Dai also realized this issue, looked around, and saw no sign of the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, and said despondently, "The grandmaster said he was going to another world, apparently some world where the Sky God resides. I think he has already left." Thinking that he wouldn’t see the Sword Saint for a short while, his heart filled with sadness.
"The Divine Realm? The master said he was going to the Divine Realm, Ah Dai, what else did the master tell you?" Xi Wen, usually composed, couldn’t maintain his composure any longer and grabbed Ah Dai’s shoulders and asked anxiously.
"Senior, please don’t worry. The grandmaster said he’s too old to continue living in this realm and needs to go to another world for a breakthrough..." Ah Dai roughly repeated what the Sword Saint had said before.
Xi Wen and the others exchanged looks, surprised not only that the Sword Saint transferred all his power to Ah Dai but also by the words left by the Sword Saint. Ascending to the Divine Realm, if that was truly the case, then the master hasn’t died!
Lu Wen mused, "Senior brother, since the master said he could ascend to the Divine Realm, it’s very likely. With the master’s cultivation, he’s almost invincible on this continent, probably not much weaker than the Sky God. It seems we should be happy for the master!"
Xi Wen nodded slightly. After all, no corpse of the Sword Saint was found, and the white light that had appeared outside the cave earlier seemed like a sign of ascension, all of which brought hope to everyone. He sighed and said, "Whether the master has entered nirvana or ascended to the Divine Realm, we are no longer able to see him. Brothers, let us send off the master." With that, he knelt first, banging his head on the ground. The other people, including Ah Dai, also knelt down without hesitation, and after a while, eight shallow pits had appeared on the ground.
After a long time, Xi Wen straightened up, his eyes red, his hands joined in prayer at his chest, "Master, go in peace. Rest assured, as long as your disciples are here, we will develop the Tian Gang Sword Sect according to your will. May your spirit find peace in heaven. If you have truly gone to another world, we will always wish you well."
Ah Dai said strangely, "Senior, the grandmaster did indeed go to another world, why are you..." Hearing Xi Wen’s words, he felt something was off.
Xi Wen shook his head slightly and said, "Ah Dai, don’t say anymore, let’s leave this place first." He stood up, pulling up Ah Dai, who was somewhat dazed looking at the sorrowful expressions of his masters, and muttered to the large rock where the Sword Saint used to practice, "Grandmaster, you go to the Divine Realm first. When Ah Dai’s power is sufficient, I will definitely come to find you." Saying this, he flew to the rock where he sat and gathered up the light armor, the Giant Spirit Snake Eyes, and Snake Muscle, along with the Sword of Hades. He then floated over to the still-sleeping Sheng Xie, pulled out the Dragon’s Blood from the collar, and chanted, "With the Dragon’s Blood as a guide, open now, the gateway of space and time." After practicing up to the eighth level in this way, not only had Ah Dai’s True Qi become more robust, but since the main focus was on the practice of spiritual power to better control the Qi, Ah Dai’s spiritual power had also improved significantly. Now controlling the Dragon’s Blood was much easier. A blue halo drifted from the Dragon’s Blood and enveloped Sheng Xie’s body, with a flash of light, Sheng Xie disappeared, and Ah Dai felt that the Dragon’s Blood once again possessed the energy of life.
With heavy hearts, Xi Wen and the others, along with Ah Dai, returned to the Tian Gang Sword Sect. Ah Dai first washed off the bloodstains on his body, then put on the Giant Spirit Snake Armor left by the Sword Saint, a suit of full-body armor excluding the head, hands, and feet, covering all other parts. Once worn, it felt like an extra layer of skin, not only exceptionally flexible and breathable but also felt like it was growing on the body. His body’s movements weren’t hindered at all. He strapped the Sword of Hades’s leather bag outside the light armor before finally putting on his own simple cloth clothes.
