Chapter 1333: Chapter 1331: Experience in the Mortal World (Part 1)
His gaze shifted, and through the mist, Shi Xiaole looked towards the highest peaks of other mountains where he saw the massive and profound Supreme Saber Way, the domineering and unparalleled Supreme Spear Way, the complex and mysterious Supreme Martial Way, and so on.
Beyond these Supreme Paths, there were clearly many other diverse but immensely strong Supreme Paths, including the Life and Death Path.
"What exactly is that place above? One day, I will climb up there and see for myself."
Withdrawing his gaze, Shi Xiaole sat cross-legged in the sky at a height of one hundred thousand meters, beginning to comprehend the surrounding power of the Supreme Sword Way.
Day after day, the place was silent and still, as if even time had stopped flowing.
In the blink of an eye, three years had passed.
A storm of Sword Qi that could pierce through everything and be hindered by nothing spread out from the center where Shi Xiaole was, forming a stand against the incoming storm of the Supreme Sword Way.
This indicated that Shi Xiaole’s Sword Realm had caught up to that of this place, meaning he could stay here in peace without the need to invoke the Life and Death Path.
Upon introspection, the power of his Heart Sword had increased from the previous 630 strands to an astonishing and unprecedented 650 strands.
To grasp the significance of this, Shi Xuanzhong, who had not yet become a Semi-Broken Level powerhouse, only had 635 strands of Heart Martial power.
At this moment, Shi Xiaole’s strength had already fully surpassed that of Shi Xuanzhong back then, giving him the confidence to defeat the Limitless Sword Sovereign, who was recovering from his injuries.
But this was still far from enough.
Shi Xiaole estimated that there was still over ten thousand meters distance to the straight trunk at the highest point, so he immediately cast aside all distractions and surged upward once more.
Not long after, Shi Xiaole ascended another five thousand meters on top of his original height.
The power of the Supreme Sword Way here was unimaginably terrifying, as if every inch of space was compressed with ten times more sword energy than below, which could annihilate all things upon eruption.
Sssss...
Shi Xiaole’s hair and green robes were slashed to pieces, and his skin was covered with countless fine bloodstains. Within each of those bloodstains, compressed Sword Qi seeped into his body, striking at his soul.
Gathering his primary energy and focusing all of his efforts, Shi Xiaole was barely able to withstand it using his entire cultivation in combination with the Life and Death Path. Then, he began to immerse himself in full-hearted comprehension.
The silent space made one forget the passage of time. The straight trunk standing at the end of the sky would occasionally sway, and its leaves would rustle, creating a sword force storm below, capable of destroying Supreme Lords.
A figure was eroded and then reformed, reformed only to be eroded again, over and over. At its worst, the body was reduced to a few glittering white bones, on the verge of vanishing into smoke.
Year after year.
Who knows how much time had passed.
That figure suddenly merged with the surrounding Sword Qi storm, becoming one with it, merging together. With a casual flick of a finger, the Sword Qi storm was at his command, transforming into myriad long swords.
"The power of the Heart Sword has reached 680 strands, but this must be my limit," Shi Xiaole muttered as he exhaled a long breath, unsure whether to feel joy or resignation.
Every person’s heart power has a limit. According to the current standards of the East Victory world, the heart power of the fifty kings usually ranges between 500 and 530 strands.
The heart power of a Heaven King isn’t much different from that of many kings; what sets them apart is their Martial Realm and other aspects.
Among the major figures, their innate quality rises another notch, with heart power typically between 530 and 550 strands.
As for the highest level of Supreme Lords, many are not different from the major figures. A first-rate Supreme Lord is slightly higher, with heart power usually between 550 and 580 strands.
Top-tier Supreme Lords then range from 580 to 610 strands, which is basically the pinnacle of what humans can achieve.
At this stage, each additional strand of heart power is as difficult as scaling the heavens. Although it doesn’t necessarily result in a tremendous increase in strength, it does reflect a subtle difference.
An increase by ten strands certainly signifies a whole new level.
The heart martial power of 635 strands possessed by Shi Xuanzhong was definitely considered astonishing and extraordinary. Furthermore, having merged with two avatars, his potential limit for heart power might have risen to another level.
But no matter how much it increased, it was almost impossible to reach 680 strands. Therefore, the power of Shi Xiaole’s Heart Sword was enough to shock the ancient and shine through the present, if not exactly unprecedented, it was nearly so.
Retrieving an hourglass from the system space, Shi Xiaole realized that fifty years had passed. Together with the previous three years and the time spent in other worlds, he had been absent for nearly sixty years.
However, Shi Xiaole was not worried about the situation in the East Victory world. Unless that mysterious individual made a move, extending his soul power to the outside world, he found everything calm and tranquil. After a brief rest, Shi Xiaole continued his ascent.
This time he ascended another three thousand meters, leaving only over two thousand meters from the base of the straight trunk. An oppressive and heavy aura, filled with boundless sharpness, came from above, causing Shi Xiaole’s soul to tremble.
He looked up, and the trunk, tens of miles in diameter, obscured the sky like an unfathomable black hole. Sensing a mortal attempting to approach, the black hole suddenly manifested thousands of divine swords.
"Pu!"
A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out, and Shi Xiaole’s face turned pale, forcibly pressed down several hundred meters by the aura. Once he stabilized his form, he appeared somewhat wilted.
The Supreme Sword Way gathered the essence of all sword paths that had ever existed in a world from ancient times to the present. Even just one strand, despite variations in quality, was not something any individual could withstand when they combined into countless threads.
Shi Xiaole had merely touched the Supreme Sword Way accidentally and suffered such consequences. One could hardly imagine what might happen if he truly became an enemy of the Supreme Sword Way, attempting to conquer it. What kind of might would it unleash?
Could there really be a Sword Emperor in this world?
At this moment, even Shi Xiaole’s determination wavered slightly.
You should know that his current strength could easily crush his self from fifty years ago, a Semi-Broken Level powerhouse, truly unmatched in the world, yet unable to bear the aftereffects of the Supreme Sword Way.
"I’m not even two hundred years old; my life is just beginning. If not even I can become a Sword Emperor, who else in the world could?"
Shi Xiaole’s eyes regained their firmness. He had a long road ahead of him and many potentials yet to be discovered. How could he speak of giving up so lightly?
Having returned to his previous height, Shi Xiaole closed his eyes.
Five years.
Ten years.
Twenty years flashed by in the blink of an eye.
However, this time, no matter what, Shi Xiaole couldn’t comprehend the force of the Supreme Sword Way at this level. Even if he forced the essence to coalesce, it would burst apart violently, causing him to sustain severe injuries continuously, nearly blowing his soul body to pieces.
"Is it because my cultivation has improved too rapidly, and my life experiences, my state of mind, still can’t match the corresponding sword force?"
Shi Xiaole pondered thoughtfully.
Looking at the top Supreme Lords of the world, most of them were still at the Void Origin Realm level in their hundreds, yet Shi Xiaole was already standing at the pinnacle, facing no match even in a single move!
The power of the Supreme Sword Way contains the life realizations of countless swordsmen, but the more profound the realization, the more it requires the tempering and experience of life.
No matter how high Shi Xiaole’s talent was, he couldn’t cut corners in this regard.
After sitting idly for several days, Shi Xiaole let out a long sigh, suddenly stood up, and in a flash, left the land of Fate.
If rigorous cultivation couldn’t lead to further progress, then he would immerse himself in life, continuing his cultivation in another form.
...
Without startling anyone, Shi Xiaole returned to Nine Heavens Mountain and appeared at the Jade Water Lake of Divine Sword Villa.
A five or six-year-old boy with a tigerish look was climbing up a willow tree by the tree, inching stealthily toward a small bird on the branch, timing his pounce perfectly.
Having sensed the lurking presence, the little bird quickly flapped its wings and took off, as the boy let out a scream and fell from the tree several meters high, about to suffer a nasty fall. A gentle force caught him, setting him down gently on the ground.
"Aren’t you afraid of getting hurt?"
a voice as comforting as a spring breeze asked.
The boy looked up, feeling that the youth in green looked somewhat familiar, but still stood up, dusted the grass off his clothes, puffed out his chest and said, "What’s this? I’ve fallen from even higher trees, a man should not fear pain!"
"Oh?"
Shi Xiaole said with amusement, "Little guy, what is your name?"
The boy didn’t like being called that way, but there was a strange charisma about the youth in green that he simply couldn’t refuse. He huffed, "Your little master here is Niu Kuangren."
Whoosh!
A figure appeared, pressing down on the boy with a tiger paw, promptly beating him until he cried for his dad and mommy and begged for mercy without end. After swelling the boy’s butt, Niu Zheng finally dropped him and said with jubilation, "Uncle Shi, you’re finally back!"
Nowadays, Niu Zheng had become an Elder of Divine Sword Villa. His strength was secondary, but his dignity was such that few dared to provoke him.
Niu Kuangren couldn’t believe that his father, whom he even dared to defy in front of his grandfather, showed such respect for the youth in green, who appeared even younger and was gentle and handsome, even displaying an unmistakable admiration.
Wait a second!
Uncle Shi?
Niu Kuangren suddenly remembered, while he was sneaking food in Grandma Gui Fuling’s room, he accidentally saw a painting spread out on the desk, wasn’t it the youth in green right in front of him?
Niu Kuangren was quick-witted and seemed to realize something, his face lighting up as he shouted, "You, you are Grand Villa Master Grandfather, hahaha, I have seen Grand Villa Master Grandfather!"
Among his shouts, he scurried off with his little legs to show off to his pals and also to spread the good news to them.
"How have you all been?"
Shi Xiaole asked.
Niu Zheng didn’t have time to deal with his son, hastily replying, "Everything’s well in the mountains, but many people miss Uncle Shi."
Niu Kuangren’s voice was loud, and soon enough, figure after figure appeared at Jade Water Lake.
Shi Xiaole saw not only the Three Eccentrics and the four Protectors of Divine Sect, but also older generations like Niu Dali and his wife. He also saw peers such as Mu Qianji and Hua Yiyun, and younger generations like Shi Wuyou, Zhang Mengyun, Niu Zheng, and Gui Donglai.
In the distance, there were also tiny figures standing on tiptoes and peeking over; they must be the next generation of Nine Heavens Mountain.
"Brother!"
A small figure threw herself into Shi Xiaole’s arms, it was none other than Beigong Shiling, who never seemed to grow up. Nearby, Hong’er was making faces, teasing Beigong Shiling for not being shy.
The crowd couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.
"Great Villa Master, how many days do you plan to stay this time?"
Just then, the Witch Queen, enshrouded in black, asked with a giggling voice full of seductive charm, but her eyes betrayed an imperceptible anger.
Everyone had varied expressions. Everyone said that Shi Xiaole was the leader of Nine Heavens Mountain, but in truth, this leader rarely stayed on Nine Heavens Mountain, mostly in name only.
"This time I will stay for quite a long time, at least several decades,"
said Shi Xiaole.
Everyone was stunned and then burst into laughter. Among the crowd, several stunningly beautiful women’s eyes shimmered even more brilliantly, becoming increasingly captivating.
