Seeking the Flying Sword Path

Green Touring Palace. In a chamber of a small compound.

An incense stick had been lit as its fragrance permeated the room. Qin Yun sat cross-legged on a mat while he looked at the yellow-skinned calabash in his hand.

"Seven Connate Lightning Fruits and the treasures inside this calabash. The karma I owe the Chaos Lightning Beast sure is huge," said Qin Yun to himself. He had sensed that inside the calabash, there was a boulder with lightning circulating around it. There were three Dao talismans floating beside it. "However, the karma only needs to be repaid at the pinnacle Golden Immortal realm. It’s still early."

Following that, he put away the calabash and closed his eyes to begin his cultivation.

Green Touring Palace’s environment was naturally more suited for cultivation than anywhere in Lightning Beast Manor. It took him five days to fully organize all his insights gained from the three thousand years of cultivation.

"I only have one chance to enter the Myriad Dharma Pool. So I have to focus on gaining insights into the Sword Dao. My Sword Dao is fundamental to everything." Having decided on his plan, Qin Yun got up and left the chamber.

Soon, he came in front of a silent hall. At the hall’s entrance was a black lion sculpture.

Qin Yun looked at the hall in front of him. The Myriad Dharma Pool was inside! The dream of every Green Touring Palace disciple was to enter the Myriad Dharma Pool for cultivation; unfortunately, every disciple only had one opportunity.

"I hope I can attain a Golden Immortal Dao fruit." Qin Yun looked at the hall and thought to himself. Then, he turned to look at the black lion sculpture and said reverently, "Senior, I wish to enter the Myriad Dharma Pool."

The black lion sculpture opened its eyes and looked at Qin Yun. "Essence Soul sword immortal? At the moment, you are the only Essence Soul in the entire Green Touring Palace. Why, even you plan on entering the Myriad Dharma Pool? You should know the rules first. You only get one opportunity to enter the Myriad Dharma Pool. Although you defeated Bear Mountain in the past, I still believe your Sword Dao requires more accumulation."

Qin Yun realized that the black lion sculpture did not know what he had done in the Lightning Beast Manor.

The battle in the Lightning world...

The Lightning world was layered with array formations. Although the Heavenly Courts monitored the Three Realms, there were still many places its gaze couldn’t penetrate, such as the cave abodes of mighty figures. It was no different with the Lightning world. Therefore, only a handful of people knew of that battle.

Ancestral Master Zhang, Fairy Mu, Senior Brother Sa Xu were not people who would publicize such matters. The leader of the Heavenly Courts’s Fire department, Luo Xuan, who had the highest standing, probably disdained discussing matters related to half-step Golden Immortals.

However, Demon King Ravenhorn, as well as Daoist Xiahou, who had a grudge with him, did not spread the news?

"Of course, I’m only giving you advice. It’s your decision on whether you enter or not," said the black lion sculpture.

"Senior, please open it." Qin Yun did not hesitate.

"Fine," said the sculpture as the hall behind him began to stir with runes as it opened a gateway to another space. "Go on in."

The Myriad Dharma Pool was extremely important.

Even inside Green Touring Palace, Heavenly Lord of Numinous Treasure had set up powerful restraints on it.

Qin Yun bowed and walked into the hall. The moment he made contact with the runes, he naturally tunneled through and vanished.

...

He walked out of the fluctuating runes.

Qin Yun saw a pool which spanned about thirty feet. At the bottom of the pool was a thin layer of rainbow-colored numinous liquid. There was a circular lotus leaf floating in the middle of the pool.

"Sou!"

Qin Yun took one step and gently landed on the lotus leaf before sitting cross-legged.

The rainbow-colored numinous liquid suffused Spirit Qi that emanated to the top of the pond. Just breathing naturally was enough to absorb the rainbow-colored Spirit Qi into his body. The Essence Soul in him immediately absorbed the Spirit Qi ravenously.

"This—" Qin Yun felt his Essence Soul transforming.

Even his perceptivity had changed, attaining an even higher stage.

Usually, regardless of where he cultivated, Qin Yun’s perceptivity had been a constant. Even if he felt more at ease in his homeworld, was experiencing the fast passage of time in Lightning Beast Manor, or in the excellent environment in Green Touring Palace. The rainbow-colored Spirit Qi in the Myriad Dharma Pool very obviously enhanced his perceptivity.

"I actually didn’t figure this out in the past."

"Wouldn’t this sword move just need a small change to succeed?"

"I need to fuse all my insights into a potpourri before forming a Great Dao out of it. Now, what I need to do is to create sword arts. I should create more powerful ones until they form a Great Dao." Qin Yun treasured every second inside the Myriad Dharma Pool as he began creating one sword move after another. After creating one, he would dissect it. Either he continued perfecting it or gave up on it.

Time passed.

Qin Yun was completely immersed.

The Myriad Dharma Pool targeted the fundamentals of one’s soul. It was extremely miraculous and could indeed enhance one’s perceptivity. It was even beneficial to the Heavenly Lord of Numinous Treasure. However, he had shared it with every disciple. Each disciple could only cultivate for three years in the Myriad Dharma Pool.

Those with low perceptivity would still be limited even if their perceptivity was raised. Therefore, many Green Touring Palace disciples were trapped at the sixth firmament Skyimmortal realm.

In fact, as long as one was very close to attaining a Golden Immortal Dao fruit, and was just a short step away after arduous cultivation for years, cultivation in the Myriad Dharma Pool would raise their perceptivity to a brand new level, making it possible for them to succeed in one shot. But if the gap was overly large, even the Myriad Dharma Pool was useless.

******

Qin Yun had been cultivating for about half a month in the Myriad Dharma Pool when something happened.

"What? Qin Yun has a Connate Numinous treasure sword?" A lanky man dressed in armor looked at a bearded elder with lit eyes. "Xiahou, are you sure?"

"Brother Cang, rest assured. Qin Yun is an Essence Soul sword immortal. No matter how robust his foundations are, his Dharmic powers are still very weak. But he is able to control a flying sword with his Dharmic powers to produce strength that matches a half-step Golden Immortal. His Sword Dao is nothing worth mentioning. It’s still far from attaining a Golden Immortal Dao fruit. Then, there’s only one possibility—his flying sword itself is very powerful. Perhaps, it’s no ordinary Connate Numinous treasure, but a pinnacle Connate Numinous treasure or an Intrinsic Connate Numinous treasure!" said Xiahou immediately.

"This is a Connate Numinous treasure, and one of the flying sword variety. It’s definitely good at killing enemies. Even mighty figures would want to snatch it."

"Yes." The lanky man nodded and narrowed his eyes. "However, you mentioned that he has gained phenomenal success in two great divine powers?"

"Yes. That’s the troublesome part." Xiahou nodded.

"Heavenly Cycle Stellar Robes is best at protecting one’s body. Although I can match mighty figures, even I can’t crack it," said the lanky man. "The Heavenly Cycle Stellar Realm is a domain-type divine power. It’s also quite troublesome. Even if I joined forces with a friend, I wouldn’t be able to crack the turtle shell that is the Heavenly Cycle Stellar Robes."

"Is there nothing you can do?" pressed Xiahou.

The lanky man shook his head. "You don’t understand how formidable the Heavenly Cycle Stellar Robes are. This great divine power, if perfected, cannot be cracked unless it’s struck by an existence at the level of the Dao Ancestors. Even at the phenomenal success stage... only strikes by pinnacle Golden Immortals can crack it. Besides, divine powers do not expend Dharmic powers. They expend stellar forces. He will be able to continue using it as long as he needs."

"However, there might be other means we can attempt," said the lanky man. "For example, moves that mesmerize the mind. I just have no idea how his Dao heart and Sword Dao are."

"Sword immortals all have Intrinsic Flying Swords to protect their Essence Souls. Is it even possible to mesmerize their minds?" asked Xiahou.

"He has only cultivated for a short period of time. It can be attempted," pondered the lanky man. "However, I do not know any mesmerizing moves. I’d need to prepare for it."

"Moves that target the Essence Soul are all very dangerous. Brother Cang, you must not kill him," said Xiahou immediately. "Just snatching his treasures is one thing, but if he were killed, Green Touring Palace would definitely investigate thoroughly. If they figure out that I’m behind this, I will be in big trouble for causing the death of a fellow disciple. All I want is that lightning sword array."

"Don’t worry. Now that every faction is allied to deal with the fiends, how can we easily kill a half-step Golden Immortal of the Green Touring Palace?" The lanky man shook his head. "By the way, help me take note of Qin Yun’s whereabouts. After accomplishing the matter, the lightning sword array is naturally yours."

"Alright." Xiahou nodded immediately.

"Remember, keep the Connate Numinous treasure flying sword a secret," said the lanky man.

"Don’t worry. I know." Xiahou nodded.

Be it his thirst for the lightning sword array, or the humiliation of being robbed clean of his treasures, he was bent on making Qin Yun suffer! Of course, his other important treasure, the Seven Sonorous Lightning God Robe, was in the hands of Sa Xu. Helpless against Sa Xu, Xiahou could only temporarily tolerate the situation.

...

Although Xiahou promised to keep note of Qin Yun’s whereabouts, Qin Yun was in seclusion inside Myriad Dharma Pool all this while.

Very few people knew of the battle in the Lightning world. Fairy Mu was very aloof, and Senior Brother Sa Xu was always a loner. There was no need to mention Ancestral Master Zhang. Xiahou kept the secret to the best of his abilities and made Ravenhorn keep it a secret as well. "Ravenhorn, this is the greatest insult in my entire life. You are not to spread it." Ravenhorn had already felt that Xiahou’s outcome was tragic, so he naturally agreed to not spread the news.

Therefore...

This news only gradually spread two years later after Fairy Mu had a chat with a good friend. It was only three years after the battle in the Lightning world that it spread to Fiend Supremacy Tenebrous Cloud.

...

After Qin Yun cultivated in the Myriad Dharma Pool for a year.

Tenebrous Fiend world.

"Hahah, I have finally broken through to the seventh firmament Skyfiend realm." In a dark cave abode, Empyrean Lord Kuifu was extremely excited. "My realm has finally reached the late-stage Skyfiend realm."

"If I’m lucky, I will be able to cultivate my intrinsic divine power to perfection, giving me half-step Ancestral Fiend strength," thought Kuifu.

Previously, he had relied on his intrinsic divine power to fight people above his level. It gave him strength that matched that of ordinary ninth firmament Skyfiends.

Now, with his realm going from the mid-stages to the late-stages...

Now that he had attained his realm, there was a sliver of chance that he could have a breakthrough in his divine power. Divine powers were hard to master! One’s realm only represented the basics. Although the divine power he cultivated in was far inferior to Qin Yun’s great divine powers, attaining perfection in it was still extremely difficult. However, the divine power suited Kuifu best. It also filled him with anticipation.

"If I were to attain half-step Ancestral Fiend strength, the Great Chang world’s Daoist Divine Firmament and Qin Yun would amount to nothing! As long as I’m sufficiently prepared, I will be able to occupy the Great Chang world in one swift stroke." Kuifu reeled in excitement. "Only I know the secret of the Great Chang world. It will take quite some time before that Qin Yun and Daoist Divine Firmament reach the strength of half-step Golden Immortals."

"I have time."

"The Great Chang world will ultimately be mine." Kuifu’s eyes were filled with desire.