One day later, within Dao Emperor Divine Palace.
Om!
A jade disk that was suffused with piercingly cold starlight floated up into appearance. It was the Star Spirit Jade Disk that his Senior Sister Li Yang had given him, and he would be able to arrive at Oracle Mountain by utilizing this treasure.
In merely an instant, an ethereal door that seemed to be condensed from starlight floated up into appearance before him.
Chen Xi took a deep breath and had a calm expression as he took a stride past the door and instantly vanished without a trace.
…
In an expanse of boundless s.p.a.ce, a myriad of stars circulated without end along a fixed path. They existed for eternity, and they emanated an eternal and boundless aura.
In the depths of this universe was a divine mountain that lay across countless constellations. It was bathed beneath vast and boundless dazzling starlight all year round, and it was gorgeous and mysterious.
This was Oracle Mountain!
The location of the most mysterious supreme sect in the three dimensions.
The entirety of Oracle Mountain was like a group of sharp swords that pierced the universe. Countless enormous silver rivers and waterfalls covered it and poured down from the sky. All of them were formed from extremely pure energy of the stars, and they’d transformed into silver rivers that poured down like countless dazzling and resplendent silver dragons.
Om!
An ethereal door suddenly appeared, and then Chen Xi’s tall figure walked out from within it before he witnessed such a scene.
This was the first time he’d arrived at the sect since he’d become a Personal Disciple of Oracle Mountain, and he sighed endlessly with emotion when he witnessed this magnificent scene before his eyes.
The universe and stars seemed to be right within arm’s reach. Every single one of them were like a grain and emanated gentle, radiant, and enchanting brilliance as they illuminated the entire word.
While bathed beneath the cool starlight, Chen Xi walked towards Oracle Mountain. With a single stride, s.p.a.ce had been compressed, and numerous mountains and rivers whistled past before his eyes.
All along the way, he could see ancient pine trees rooted to the ground and immortal plants swaying, and all of it revealed a primeval and primitive aura.
In next to no time, Chen Xi stopped moving as a mountain that seemed like books appeared within his field of vision. The mountain towered straight into the sky, and it seemed to be in the shape of a ruler. Countless books were piled up on it, there were bamboo slips, silk, tortoise sh.e.l.ls, jade slips… There was a dazzling array that was vast like an ocean, and it had simply become a true mountain of books.
The figure of his Fourth Senior Brother, the Old Scholar, floated into appearance within Chen Xi’s mind when he saw this, and he recalled that world shocking sword strike that the Old Scholar had executed to annihilate three G.o.dslaughter Generals, shatter the Heaven Dao Fate Wheel, and destroy the Sovereign G.o.d Eradication Formation!
The Confucianist Sword Decree… Is that a book in the Sword Dao as well? Chen Xi still remembered that his Fourth Senior Brother’s sword strike was called the Confucianist Sword Decree, and it left behind an extremely deep impression in his heart.
As he thought, he flashed over to the mountain of books, and he read through the books as he pleased. He saw numerous books that were overflowing with an ancient aura, beast skin books that were written in the writing of FiendG.o.ds, pieces of silk that were inscribed with golden striations, handwritten scriptures suffused with a Buddhist glow, obscure and strange tortoise sh.e.l.ls that were covered in diagrams…
Even with Chen Xi’s current experience, he was dazed by all of these books, and he exclaimed endlessly with shock. If any one of these books were to fall into the outside world, countless cultivators would probably fight to the death to gain possession of them. Yet now, they were casually piled up into a mountain here, and it caused Chen Xi to be unable to help but have the feeling that it was a reckless waste.
Of course, even though many of these books were rare, they weren’t really beneficial or useful to him now.
He walked forward all along the way until he arrived at the deepest depths of the mountain of books, and he saw a limestone table. On the table was a single yellowing scroll lying there all by itself.
Before he even approached it, a strand of extremely fierce and murderous Sword Insight effused out from the yellowing scroll. It was vast, solemn, terrifying, and seemed to intend to annihilate all the evil in the world.
Confucianist Sword Decree!
With a single glance, Chen Xi noticed to his surprise that three seals written in ancient and bold text were on the yellowing scroll. Every single stroke of these words were like a peerless blade that was branded with a strand of terrifying Sword Insight fluctuations.
If an ordinary person was here in Chen Xi’s place, then that person would probably be annihilated and minced into powder by this wisp of Sword Insight before even being able to approach the scroll!
It was even to the extent that Chen Xi suspected Half-step Immortal Kings would probably be unable to approach this book as well. Because the Sword Insight that filled it was too terrifying. It had already exceeded the scope of a ‘Sword G.o.d,’ and it possessed the imposing aura of an emperor of the sword!
Above the Sword G.o.d Realm was the Sword Emperor Realm!
The word ‘Emperor’ here carried the meaning of control, and it referred to the one and only overlord of the Sword Dao. Once one attained this realm, one’s Sword Dao would have already attained a state that could shock the world and was beyond imagination.
Since the ancient times until now, only the G.o.ds that had existed eternally through the ages had the chance to grasp such a might. There was only a single reason for this: difficulty!
It was unimaginably difficult to attain!
Since the chaos at the absolute beginning of the world was split apart, one could count the existence whom had attained the t.i.tle ‘Sword Emperor’ with their fingers, and they could be said to be as rare as phoenix feathers and Qilin horns.
Moreover, existences that had attained the Sword Emperor Realm were all existences that were at the G.o.drank Realm or above!
What did this mean?
It meant that not a single expert beneath the G.o.drank Realm had attained the Sword Emperor Realm!
This clearly showed how difficult it was to attain such a realm in the Sword Dao, because even if they were existences at the G.o.drank Realm, only a mere small portion of people were able to comprehend and grasp the Sword Emperor Realm.
Actually, it wasn’t just the Sword Dao. For example, the Talisman Dao, Blade Dao, Dao of Archery, and various other Grand Daos like these… It was extremely difficult for one to attain the realm of ‘Emperor’ in them.
For example, up until this point in his path of cultivation, Chen Xi had only seen a single Sword Emperor, and it was the Primeval Sword Exalt in the Eternal Tomb of Kings who had perished countless years ago.
Yet at this moment, when he noticed the Sword Insight being emanated by the Confucianist Sword Decree, Chen Xi instantly determined that his Fourth Senior Brother had probably grasped the might of the Sword Emperor Realm a long time ago!
Otherwise, he would definitely be unable to execute that sword strike on that day and annihilate three G.o.dslaughter Generals, shatter the Heaven Dao Fate Wheel, and destroy the Sovereign G.o.d Eradication Formation with a single sword strike!
I’ve already attained perfection in the Sword G.o.d Realm a few years ago, and I’ve been unable to break through until now. Perhaps I can find a trace of a chance to advance from this Confucianist Sword Decree… Chen Xi pondered deeply before he raised his hand and put the yellowing scroll away as he intended to find an opportunity to have a good luck through it.
After he did all of this, Chen Xi raised his eyes and scanned the surroundings, and then he flicked his sleeve, causing a myriad of strands of immortal radiance to effuse out and envelop the entire mountain of books.
Swis.h.!.+
Book after book flew up and were put away by Chen Xi. In next to no time, the mountain that was covered with a pile of countless books had instantly become barren.
Before his Fourth Senior Brother left, he’d told Chen Xi that there were many of his books still within the sect, and he asked Chen Xi to take good care of them so as to avoid them being destroyed amidst this calamity that had spread through the three dimensions.
Chen Xi would naturally not hold back in such a situation, and he decided to take them all because it was better for them to be in his care than to be casually piled up here.
After he did all of this, Chen Xi didn’t stay here any longer and continued towards the depths of the sect.
Along the way, Chen Xi saw the ‘Bone Mountain’ that his Third Senior Brother, Tie Yunhai, cultivated on. It was a mountain that was covered in piles of the Innate Bones of various different demon beasts, variant beasts, and divine beasts.
He saw the ‘Flower and Leaf Mountain’ that belonged to his Fifth Senior Brother, Li Fuyao. Just as its name implied, that mountain was covered in all sorts of flowers and leaves that were branded with mysterious striations.
He saw the ‘Soundwave Mountain’ that belonged to his Sixth Senior Brother, Cang Tu, whom he hadn’t met until now.
He saw the ‘Cloudlight Mountain’ that belonged to his Seventh Senior Sister, Gu Liangqin.
He saw the ‘Inspiration Mountain’ that belonged to his Eighth Senior Brother, Bai Ran’ning, and various other mountains.
Every single mountain represented a different trace of the Grand Dao that his senior brothers and senior sisters sought, but all of them had reached the same goal by different means and had stepped foot onto the Talisman Dao.
Just like Chen Xi. He roamed the world with a sword in hand, yet he’d similarly stepped foot into the Talisman Dao in the end.
During this entire process, Chen Xi didn’t hold back at all, and he took everything he saw. In a short period of half a day, there were countless books, innate bones of demon beasts, flowers and leaves branded with Dao Striations, strange treasures filled with all sorts of tunes, and various other treasures in his possession.
All of these were left behind by his senior brothers and senior sisters. Now that they’d all headed to the Last Days Domain, and they might be unable to return, Chen Xi naturally wouldn’t allow their work and possessions to be piled up within the sect because that was no different than allowing dust to cover a bright pearl.
…
In the end, Chen Xi arrived at an extremely ordinary little mountain. There was only a lone hut at the top of the mountain, and there was a limestone before the hut.
The limestone was mottled and dim, and it was branded with the marks of time. Besides that, there wasn’t anything special about it.
However, Chen Xi recognized it with a single glance, this limestone was the Star Observatory, the place where the Master of Oracle Mountain, f.u.xi, had cultivated and resided while he comprehended the Grand Dao all those years ago.
This limestone was extremely ordinary indeed, yet because f.u.xi had once comprehended the Dao here, it had become extraordinary.
According to Fifth Senior Brother, the Divine Abyss of Star Refinement is beside the Star Observatory. But where exactly is it? Chen Xi’s gaze moved from the limestone and swept towards the surroundings.
Yet he noticed that there was nothing else conspicuous in the surroundings of this mountain, nor were there any fluctuations of restrictions.
The Divine Abyss of Star Refinement wouldn’t be within this hut, right? After a short while, Chen Xi shot his gaze towards the hut behind the limestone. It was around 30m tall and was made from pinewood. The roof of the hut seemed to not have been cleaned for many years, and it was covered in weeds that swayed endlessly in the wind.
The door to the hut was tightly closed, but there wasn’t any lock on it.
Chen Xi thought for a moment before he walked forward, and then he took a deep breath and stretched out his hand to push the door open.
But right at this moment, a phantom suddenly floated up into appearance from the door. It caused Chen Xi to be shocked, and he swiftly flashed backwards while exercising extreme vigilance.
This phantom had a tall figure and stood with his hands behind his back, and his snow white hair hung loosely on his shoulders and revealed a handsome appearance. Moreover, as his eyes opened and closed it seemed like countless stars were flickering, surging, and seething within them while his eyes revealed the grand scene of the changes in time within the universe and the cycle of life and death of all beings.
In the mere instant that Chen Xi met this phantom’s gaze, he felt his soul tremble, and it felt as if all the secrets he possessed had been noticed by this phantom.
But in next to no time, the eyes of the phantom recovered a calm expression, and it didn’t carry any more fluctuations of emotion. It was like an ancient well that was deep and tranquil, and it caused others to be unable to help but feel calm and peaceful.
Chen Xi couldn’t help but be shocked by this. Never had he expected that merely a gaze would be able to take over his mind, and he was utterly unable to resist it at all. Exactly what sort of terrifying cultivation would be needed to accomplish this?
“Little Junior Brother, you’ve finally come.” Suddenly, a wisp of a smile appeared on that person’s handsome face, and along with this smile, the heavens and the earth seemed to have instantly become peaceful while everything seemed to be so orderly.
Chen Xi was stunned, and he hurriedly bowed. “May I know who Senior Brother is?”
“Wu Xuechan.” The phantom spoke in a warm and calm voice.
However, when these words entered into Chen Xi’s ears, it was no different from a thunderclap, and it shook his heart and mind to the point it shook. Eldest Senior Brother, Wu Xuechan!?