"Heaven is yang. Qi rises in the blinding light of the sun. The will of the sword falls from above like the rays of the sun itself, scorching the world."
The Yin Yang Heaven-Earth-Void Sword Art was divided into many sections. The main sword technique had four parts, and there were hundreds of sub-techniques. There were also numerous variations. For this level of Jindan dao technique, mastering one technique would require many years, even for those commonly considered talented. For the ma.s.ses, they might spend their whole lifetime just mastering it.
Its contents were mysterious and were expressed over the course of tens of thousands of words.
Crucially, it required one"s feel for the sword.
Shushan sword cultivators walked a different path from other martial cultivators.
The mortal realm"s martial way was like a microcosm of sword cultivator dao techniques. Sword cultivation relied on the sword even more than the martial way did.
For the martial cultivators of the Shangyuan Dao Sect, they favored even more unusual dao techniques. They manipulated the elements of the world, and even the celestial forces. Their dao techniques raised spectacular effects, and their immortal treasures were even more varied in their types, dazzling one with the sheer spectrum of it.
As for sword cultivators, their most core and important immortal treasure was the sword.
In comparison, it was the martial cultivators of the Shangyuan Dao Sect who were more like the immortals that mortals imagined - while the sword cultivators were more like extremely powerful martial warriors.
In truth, in terms of offensive ability, speed, and fighting power, sword cultivators were indeed slightly stronger, especially since sword cultivation specialized in close combat.
For Wu Yu, he had quite an affinity for sword cultivation.
As a result, he was a good fit for the sword"s power.
Through time and focus, Wu Yu overcame many of the difficult problems.
"If this sword technique succeeds, it can call yang energy into the sword?"
Occasionally, he had to repeat a process over and over again.
He extended his fingers, his hands s.h.i.+fting into swords. They danced through the air, testing out the sword cultivation dao technique"s mysteries.
Nangong Wei occasionally cracked an eye open to look at him. She watched his profound movements that carried an enigmatic energy as his hands traced through the air. The left hand held a hard energy, while his right hand was full of dark, frosty energy.
At present, Wu Yu was simply playing with these two energies. He was interacting with them, and then drawing more from the air around him.
Experience and a.n.a.lysis. Any kind of anxiety or lapse in focus would undo the feeling that he had gleaned.
During battle and cultivation, Wu Yu showed completely different states of mind. This was the manifestation of his natural talent. Even Wu Yu himself did not realize how terrifying his talent truly was when he had embarked on the path of cultivation.
Even Ming Long was puzzled, saying, "You have only cultivated the Invincible Vajra Body and the Great Way of Immortality Art. Logically, the effect on your comprehension of other dao techniques should not be too exaggerated. How are you so talented to work your way through this dao technique so quickly? According to what I know, this dao technique should transcend your maximum mastery potential."
"Who knows?" If even Ming Long found it strange, he was even more clueless. All he knew was that when he visualized the inner ape, there was someone who was guiding him invisibly.
Sword cultivators lived by the sword.
Wu Yu intermittently paused his cultivation to pay another 10 sword cores for another month of cultivation time. He could not abide in the Spiritual Sword Palace for long, because he was fast running out of sword cores.
Diamonds only shone under the hardest of pressures. Perhaps the rumors about Wu Yu had already been discussed through and through, but Wu Yu still resisted the urge to leave.
In this life, one"s desires would change. And Wu Yu was starting to realize that he was a bit of a dao fanatic himself. He was solely focused on becoming immortal.
He looked up in the sky. He wanted to know what was beyond.
Before he knew it, Wu Yu realized that he had made some modest progress on this dao technique. He felt that it was time, and when the Spiritual Sword Palace personnel came to ask if Wu Yu was extending another month, he decided to leave with Nangong Wei.
"You sure can hold out. In these days, your name has been ringing outside the walls. Many from the Clear Sky of Shushan have come in a fit of excitement to see what manner of sword sage you are. But by the rules of Shushan, no one can intrude on your seclusion in the Spiritual Sword Palace. I"m afraid you might have pa.s.sed up on other good opportunities. After all, there are still many who are waiting to accept you as their disciple after the Galaxy Sword Sage gives you up." The Spiritual Sword Palace personnel chuckled.
Wu Yu did not comment. He already knew it.
"However, I can also understand your desire to work hard in order to gain the Galaxy Sword Sage"s recognition. Now everyone is waiting to see how you will change after your seclusion, and if you will be deserving of becoming the disciple of the Galaxy Sword Sage. Wu Yu, how confident are you?" that person probed.
Wu Yu could see that he was admiring, but also a little envious. He probably felt that Wu Yu was not qualified. After all, the Galaxy Sword Sage was highly placed indeed....
"We"ll see. Time will tell," Wu Yu replied before leaving the Spiritual Sword Palace with Nangong Wei.
When he walked out of Spiritual Sword Palace, he found that there were indeed many people waiting outside. A majority of them were ordinary dan disciples who had never seen Wu Yu before. They had waited two months just to see what Wu Yu was made of.
Some were even prepared to challenge Wu Yu in order to win the attention of the Galaxy Sword Sage.
However, Wu Yu left at speed, vanis.h.i.+ng without a trace without giving them a chance.
"Big Brother, you"re too popular now. If I am with you, we will be discovered easily by others. If you want to go to the Mountain of Swords and Immortals, then let"s split up first. I"ll wait for you below," Nangong Wei said as they neared.
He still did not know what was on her mind.
"Alright." This time around, Wu Yu had to return to the Mountain of Swords and Immortals. After all, there were still two months remaining in the external challenges of the Mountain of Swords and Immortals. Because he was one of those who had fought his way in, he could continue to challenge.
Of course, the most important reason was that he felt a good dao technique was only truly mastered in the test of battle. And the purest of pressures came from the closely-watched Mountain of Swords and Immortals. It was without doubt the best training. He still needed the pressure to truly understand the ultimate sword cultivation dao technique that he had spent 400 merits on!
This time, his weaknesses - immortal treasures and dao techniques - had already undergone a fundamental transformation.
After all this time, the Battle of Swords and Immortals saw fewer and fewer challenges. There were at most 20-odd people fighting, and the arena was lukewarm.
But perhaps because news of Wu Yu leaving the Spiritual Sword Palace had spread, when he arrived, he found that many were antic.i.p.ating his arrival. This time, there were definitely many experts around.
They had all come from the Clear Sky of Shushan, and it was said that there were Heaven sword rank disciples in their midst.
They had all come to see what manner of genius the young disciple of the Galaxy Sword Sage was. Geniuses found it hardest to acknowledge other talents. Wu Yu had to be able to at least reach the Galaxy Sword Sage"s level.
And so when Wu Yu arrived on his sword, all eyes were on him!
"He"s here!"
"That"s Wu Yu. He looks unremarkable, and his aura and abilities are a far cry from how Shen Xingyao was back in the day. At this age, Shen Xingyao was already a Huang sword rank disciple, and close to the Xuan sword rank."
"News of this child have spread like wildfire recently, but now that I see him, he indeed looks unremarkable. Could it be that he has a hidden side to him that only Shen Xingyao sees?"
Another young disciple said, "This Wu Yu is worth a rat"s a.s.s. The Galaxy Sword Sage is just toying with him. I hear that the top three of the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals have rejected many Heaven sword rank disciples" expressions of interest to take them in - all for the sake of getting the Galaxy Sword Sage to notice them. They are about Wu Yu"s age, and already on the level of Huang sword rank disciples. No idea where this Wu Yu came from, but he"s not on their level!"
"It"s said that a Huang sword rank disciple brought him back from the eastern extremes, from one of the very minor tributaries to Shushan. That tributary"s sect leader is a mere Jindan first tier!"
"My G.o.d, does such a trashy sect exist? It wouldn"t be an eliminated Shushan disciple, would it!"
"Exactly so!"
In just a short amount of time, Wu Yu"s history had been picked apart.
The Galaxy Sword Sage"s attention was a terrifying tempest to him.
As long as he could face up to the storm, he might attain success in one move.
The whispers. The looks. Wu Yu stood in the center of a vortex that tested his heart and his sword.
Shen Xingyu had appeared suddenly before him. She gave a small smile so beautiful that it was like a hundred flowers blooming. Her fluid warmth and occasional burst of charm was mesmerizing.
"My good younger brother, how long I have waited for you. Have you finally come for your second challenge?" Shen Xingyu said. Many had shut up now, waiting for Wu Yu"s response.
"That"s right." Wu Yu said.
Shen Xingyu was sizing him up. She had noticed some changes about Wu Yu, not in terms of his ability, but his att.i.tude. He faced the doubters and critics with calm, and Shen Xingyu was taken aback. Even she did not know the reason why Shen Xingyao had taken interest in Wu Yu, but now she at least understood some of it.
In a delightful voice, she said, "Since you"re so confident, then I"ll make the call. You can challenge anybody on the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals, not just 1,000 ranks ahead of you." Shen Xingyu"s words caused a stir. After giving Wu Yu such freedom, Wu Yu"s choice had become the focus of everyone"s antic.i.p.ation.
If he chose a few thousand, then he would have no confidence. Although he would be outstanding, he still would not deserve to be connected to the Galaxy Sword Sage.
If he was overly bold and chose the top 10, then he would be a laughing stock. The top 100 were already able to take on Huang sword rank disciples in a straight fight, let alone the top 10.
His choice was a conundrum in every way.
However, Wu Yu already had his answer. He very decisively said, "If that"s the case, then I choose rank 100."
This was a moderate figure. It was not as risky as the top 10, nor as cowardly as a few thousand ahead of him.
And the number 100 was much higher than what many had expected. The crowd was still very shocked - after all, the top 100 could fight on par with Huang sword rank disciples.
Wu Yu chose his own limit, and of course, the limit of many others as well. His choice raised the tension of the atmosphere significantly.
If Wu Yu succeeded in his challenge, many would have no more doubts.