Chapter 173
“I’m willing... to call you the strongest!” Wu Chushu shivered, a bitter smile on his face.
...
“Hundreds of swords soaring in the sky? Thousands of weapons bowing in submission? Hiss...”
“What an extraordinary display! In the next episode of ‘The Overbearing Empress Fell in Love with Me,’ make sure to include this!”
“He’s really handsome.”
“What kind of unfathomable swordsmanship could achieve this?”
...
The onlookers, of course, had no idea.
In fact, everyone present, including Zhong Zhenyue and Huang Donglai, could only see the surface.
The truth...
“It’s that horizontal training technique.”
Ying Bing’s lips, like shattered jade, curled into a wry yet amused smile.
Well...
Actually, Li Xiaoming had merely allowed the renowned swords present to sense his presence, but it wasn’t to the extent of soaring into the heavens.
He had secretly used the Extreme Weapon Body to control the sharp energy of the weapons, which in turn attracted the blades around him.
“This kid is unusual.”
“Did you feel that? The aura of the condensed Xuan Dan?”
On the high platform, Elder Zeng frowned, uncertain.
Li Mo was clearly already in the Observation Realm!
“That’s the Sword Pill.”
A serene voice suddenly rang out in the crowd.
Accompanied by the pleasant sound of jingling bells, someone slowly approached.
---
Chapter 180: Turning Misfortune into Blessing, Character Collapse
On the high platform, the elders reacted differently upon hearing the words “Sword Pill.”
Although none of the elders possessed a Sword Pill, they were not unfamiliar with it.
Sharp enough to cut through iron like mud, yet flexible enough to wrap around one’s fingers.
Once, there was a sage in Sword City, exceptionally gifted but plagued by bad luck. Due to various mishaps, he languished in the Inner Breath Realm for decades, having to restart his cultivation seven times.
Throughout those years, he never ceased to comprehend swordsmanship. During his last observation of the Horizontal Cloud Sword Mark, he transformed his Xuan Dan into a Sword Pill, and then further observed the Horizontal Cloud Sword Mark as divine intent, breaking through the Observation Realm and directly entering the Inner Scene.
That sage was named Wan Wuchang, the previous lord of Horizontal Cloud Sword City and the swordsmanship mentor of the Martial Emperor.
“Elder Wan’s case was a result of accumulation (厚积薄发), but this kid doesn’t seem the same.”
“In this vast world, there’s no shortage of wonders. Elder Wan was astonishingly talented, yet at forty, he was still in the Inner Breath Realm. Isn’t that also unprecedented?”
“Everyone’s talent is different. For him to condense a Sword Pill at such a young age, he must have his own unique insights.”
Elder Zeng sighed:
“To be able to turn so many sword techniques into his own, I see a lot of sweat and effort behind it.”
Several elders nodded in agreement.
They had seen many astonishing swordsmanship prodigies, but they were even more intrigued by Li Xiaoming’s approach.
“That’s his nature, a bit flamboyant.”
“Ha, I wonder who it is, at such an age, hiding their realm and disguising themselves to participate in the new disciple selection of another sword sect.”
“Can a swordsman’s actions be called pretentious?”
“I’m curious, if he were to observe the Horizontal Cloud Sword Mark, what would he comprehend?”
Most of the martial arts in Horizontal Cloud Sword City originated from that sword mark.
That sword mark was incredibly mystical; anyone could gain insights from it.
What each person comprehended would be tailored to themselves, not necessarily sword techniques.
The higher the talent, the better the martial arts they would understand.
The elders were also quite curious.
“By the way, there’s one more thing.”
Elder Zeng cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention back:
“That Li kid had Jinghong deliver a letter to me.”
“It concerns the impending storm from the Xiyu Tower.”
The other elders and attendants immediately grew serious.
The impending storm order represented a command issued directly from the main tower.
The internal management of Xiyu Tower was loose, and this was one of the few ways to mobilize personnel.
“Those rats are profit-driven, but they act quite secretly. Is the information reliable?” one elder asked.
How could Li Mo know so much about Xiyu Tower?
Elder Zeng paused, then nodded:
“It even marked two of Xiyu Tower’s strongholds, including the whereabouts of the Saintess.”
The elders’ expressions turned grave.
This was almost a confirmation.
With the Saintess involved, the scheme must be significant; it couldn’t just be a team-building outing, could it? It was a joke; Xiyu Tower’s biggest characteristic was its profit-driven nature—no rabbit, no hawk.
However, the information they had was still too scant.
Everyone turned their gaze to the side.
The woman’s eyes were a faint gold, her demeanor serene, and her every movement seemed to blend with nature.
If one wasn’t careful, they might even forget her presence.
“Yantian Sect owes Horizontal Cloud Sword City a favor.”
The woman finally withdrew her attention from Li Mo, a flawless jade plate quietly hovering in front of her:
“My first divination after descending the mountain is to resolve this karma.”
With a rustling sound—
The jade pieces on the plate began to slide rapidly.
Looking at the divination symbols on the plate, she first frowned, then her brow relaxed.
Elder Zeng felt like an old doctor facing a difficult diagnosis and couldn’t help but ask:
“How is the outcome?”
After a moment, she softly replied:
“Turning misfortune into blessing.”
...
As dusk approached.
The sword-testing tournament for the day came to a close.
There were still many exciting duels to come, such as Senior Brother Shen Yunfei breaking through in the heat of battle, or Senior Sister Xu Zhiqing taking her sword energy to the next level.
Senior Brother Ouyang... he didn’t even make an appearance.
He had drawn the latest chapter of ‘The Overbearing Empress Fell in Love with Me’ on the spot and rushed to the study to print more copies.
Previously, it was already hard to come by a single volume; now, with the new chapter, it was bound to sell out.
After all, the most memorable moment of the martial arts event was still that scene of ten thousand swords returning to their origin; it was too shocking.
No one had ever wielded a sword with such grandeur.
It would likely become a topic of conversation in the Jianghu of Yunzhou for a long time.
“Li Shaoxia must be on the verge of ascending the Sword Tower now.”
“I’ve heard that the Horizontal Cloud Sword Mark was left by an immortal, incredibly mysterious and profound. The higher the talent, the better the martial arts one comprehends.”
“Hiss... I wonder what astonishing martial arts Li Shaoxia will derive from it?”
“Hehe, Li Shaoxia is the reincarnation of the Sword Saint! It’s not something just anyone can comprehend!”
“Sword Saint? Sword Immortal!”
“I have exclusive insider information that the Horizontal Cloud Sword Mark might very well be a sword casually drawn by Li Shaoxia in his past life! I’m telling you, don’t tell anyone else!”
“Hiss! I’m known for keeping secrets!”
“Buddy, I have exclusive insider information...”
...
As everyone knows.
Those who roam the Jianghu love to boast, showcasing their unique insights.
This led to Li Xiaoming not only gaining fame but also having his stories grow increasingly exaggerated.
In the carriage.
“Li Shidi, I’ve been sparring all day and plan to find a clinic to get some recovery medicine, so I won’t be returning with you all,” Shen Yunfei said, lifting the carriage curtain.
“Take care of yourself, Senior Brother.”
Li Mo smiled, raising the corner of his mouth:
“By the way, how did you know about my ten thousand swords returning to their origin?”
Shen Yunfei: “...”
It was hard to imagine that this was the same person who had just displayed such extraordinary talent.
He chuckled:
“When you’re in front of the Horizontal Cloud Sword Mark, who knows what kind of commotion you’ll create.”
“Once I’m healed, I’ll come find you for a spar.”
After Shen Yunfei finished speaking, he clasped his hands and left.
Comprehending the sword?
Li Mo was taken aback.
Beside him, Ying Bing softly spoke:
“This is also why Horizontal Cloud Sword City remains unyielding.”
“Those who test their swords can ascend the Sword Tower. Once they reach the peak, they can see the sword mark.”
“The martial arts they comprehend can be taken away, but a copy must be left in the Sword City.”
In this way, a genius bears the favor of the Sword City.
They can also leverage the insights of others to comprehend the sword mark.
“The sword mark and sword comprehension...”
Feeling a bit too pleased with himself, Li Xiaoming calmed down and fell into deep thought.
With his swordsmanship talent, what would he comprehend?
Emmmmm
Oh no.
I haven’t been a sword hero for long; my character can’t collapse now, right?
---
Chapter 181: Three Travelers in Two Lifetimes in Yunzhou
“Wow, is that Li Jiansheng’s carriage?!”
“Some say you are the reincarnation of the Sword Immortal. Is that true?”
“Did you really draw the Horizontal Cloud Sword Mark?”
Upon returning to Yunzhou City, the air was filled with fervent cheers.
Even the wide city gates were blocked, unable to let a drop of water through.
The joys and sorrows of people are not interconnected; at this moment, Li Xiaoming only felt their noise was overwhelming.
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