Chapter 256: Summon Soul and Drawn Shadow
Translated by: La0o9
Edited by: VindiFan#1
Proofreader: Arya
Gu Qing Shan held the Earth Sword in hand, reading through the Quest description again.
It used words like “the sky is falling” and “the world is about to collapse”, meaning the System has also felt something.
Shen Wu world will undergo an immense change in the near future.
Next is the Sealed capsule, once opened, he’ll have to use whatever is in there otherwise it will disappear.
But it’s not easy to guess what is in there for him to use.
Gu Qing Shan couldn’t help but ask: “System, just what is inside the Sealed capsule?”
[Ting]!
The System responded: [The System doesn’t know exactly what it is either, the situation was too chaotic at the time so the System randomly absorbed a power that you possess, ready to be used during the process of returning to the past. But the trip was so smooth that it wasn’t used at all and is kept sealed until now]
[The Sealed capsule is only there to help keep the power in the same state, not trap it, so you can try and scan to see what exactly is inside]
“Fine…” Gu Qing Shan sighed.
In the past life, at his peak he was already a Sword Saint, so anything he was able to use should be quite strong more or less ——–
Gu Qing Shan held the Sealed capsule in front of himself and started scanning it.
Two blinking lights revealed themselves inside the Sealed capsule.
One of them was circling around the Sealed capsule’s edge, transmitting a vibration to Gu Qing Shan’s hands.
While the other was following behind the first light nonstop.
“Ah, so it’s [Summon Soul Karma Strike], unfortunately, it doesn’t help at all in this world…”
Gu Qing Shan had an expression of nostalgia, surprise, and slight disappointment.
This sword style isn’t known for being very strong, but because it touched a little bit on the Law of the world, it has a special place among all the sword styles of the world.
There are two strikes in this style.
The first strike is called [Summon Soul], using a relic of a deceased, it summons the soul from the Six Paths of Reincarnation to attack an enemy.
The second strike [Karma Strike] is sure to always. .h.i.t, it siphons power from the soul of the dead to increase the overall damage.
Unfortunately, the soul is summoned from the Six Paths of Reincarnation, so it does not have a body and is unable to cause physical damage.
Which means, even if the strike is sure to hit, it can’t really take advantage of that.
In the past life, [Summon Soul Karma Strike] was specifically used to deal with G.o.d’s Chosens that have powerful, unique Skills but a weak body.
However, in the cultivation world and Shen Wu world, all cultivators’ souls and bodies are equally strong, so this sword style won’t have any role to play.
At this point, the Earth Sword in his hand became a slightly heavier, as if asking him why he’s silent.
“If you’ve already unsealed yourself, then I’ll be risking myself a bit more as well” Gu Qing Shan very seriously said, “no one in our Bai Hua sect will have to die, I swear I will change the direction of all this”
The Earth Sword let out a heavy echoing voice: 「 That’s the way it should be; I will fight with you 」
Suddenly, the War G.o.d UI popped up some notifications again.
[The user has successfully broken through to Golden Core realm, maximum Soul Points increased to 100]
[Current Soul Points: 10/100]
[As the user has become stronger by a wide margin, according to user’s memory, all sword styles that won’t lead to the user’s body/soul vessel collapse are as follows”
[Secret Art: Drawn Shadow]
[Detected user to have a deep understanding of sword styles, Soul Points cost for reawakening old sword styles has decreased as low as possible]
[To awaken Secret Art: Drawn Shadow, Soul Points cost: 10]
[Would you like to awaken this Secret Art?]
Seeing this Secret Art, Gu Qing Shan couldn’t help but sigh.
This is a Secret Art that he found in an ancient ruin near the end of the final battle in the past life.
Unfortunately, it was a bit too late, he has only just managed to memorize the entirety of this Secret Art and the final battle had already arrived.
Before this Secret Art could show off its power, it was already the end of the world.
Now that he has returned, his memories have all been sealed, and Secret Art requires Soul Points to awaken due to their power.
Of course, he can just get more Soul Points from killing enemies.
Looking at the Earth Sword in hand, Gu Qing Shan felt an overwhelming confidence.
He’s already very far into the path of regaining what he had lost, and he will only surpa.s.s himself from the past more and more from now on.
“I want to awaken this Secret Art” Gu Qing Shan said.
[User has spent 10 Soul Points, Secret Art: Drawn Shadow has been awakened]
Right now, Gu Qing Shan has four Secret Art in total, in order, they are [Water Flow Severance], [Crescent Slash], [Seven Stars Flowing Dragon], and [Drawn Shadow]
Holding the Earth Sword, Gu Qing Shan walked in front of the rock wall.
He was hesitating a bit and didn’t attack.
「 Don’t worry 」the Earth Sword’s voice came from his mind, 「 I can feel how much force you want to use and control myself enough that you won’t instantly destroy this tunnel 」
“Then that’s great” Gu Qing Shan breathed out in relief.
If every single strike he makes weighs 86,370,000 tons, then no matter how much finesse he has, this rock tunnel will definitely collapse.
Not to mention, he won’t be able to use quite a few non-lethal swordplay from now on.
Luckily the Earth Sword has a spirit, so it can naturally connect with his mind, able to feel and read his intention.
Gu Qing Shan held the Earth Sword and lightly tapped the rock wall.
The wall was broken enough that the damage sword is able to pull itself out.
The damaged sword shook a bit, then started to circle around and around Gu Qing Shan.
“Stop moving, you’ll make me dizzy” Gu Qing Shan frowned and said.
But that only made it circle around him even faster.
“Fine, fine, fine, I’m going” Gu Qing Shan helplessly said.
From Golden Core realm onwards, a cultivator can already fly freely as much as they want.
Which means he can go get the other sword now.
Gu Qing Shan once again made his way back to the lava lake, lightly jumped up and flew over.
He flew to the middle of the lava lake, hovered in the air and lightly tapped the mound of rock under the second sword with the Earth Sword.
Bang!
The sword flew up from the mound of rock and threw itself onto the bank of the lava lake.
A sound of impact, the sword just stayed still on the ground without moving.
The damaged sword hovered, lightly tapping the second sword, as if calling it.
The second sword was heated so much it was glowing red, slowly stood up, hovered around, then saw Gu Qing Shan.
It then nodded lightly with its hilt towards Gu Qing Shan.
“No need to thank me, it’s just something I happened to do” Gu Qing Shan said.
He looked at the Quest UI.
[Quest name: It’s a joy to help others]
[Quest description: Do everything within your power to help the sword and gain its affection]
[Quest objective: Finish the sword’s request]
[Note: The beginning of success, please keep doing your best]
[(Status: Incomplete)]
What? It’s not completed yet?
Didn’t I already rescue the sword?
Gu Qing Shan turned to look, only to see both swords have already started to circle around and around him nonstop.
“Stop doing that… dizzy…”
“Fine, fine, fine, I’ll come with you…”
Gu Qing Shan can only fly again, made his way to the other side of the lava lake, then continued down deeper into the cave.
The air was getting hotter and hotter.
At this point, the air itself was being bent from the heat, making him unable to see clearly what’s in front of him in the cave tunnel.
Gu Qing Shan frowned, then decided to just release his inner sight to look at the road ahead.
He doesn’t know why, but inner sight can only extend up to 10 meters ahead in this area, making it useless for anything besides looking at the road.
This tunnel is ridiculously deep.
Even with Gu Qing Shan’s speed as a Golden Core realm cultivator, it took him over half an hour to get to the end of the tunnel.
It was a really long way to make it here.
The two swords hovered at the end of the tunnel.
On the other side of the entrance to the tunnel, a red-glowing dark mist blocked his vision.
“We’re here? Hah, finally”
Gu Qing Shan breathed out, then walked to the entrance of the tunnel.
When he looked outside, suddenly his expression changed.
“This is—-“
Scorching hot air rose up from below, blowing Gu Qing Shan’s hair and clothes upwards.
Gu Qing Shan’s expression was very serious.
Right outside of this tunnel was a bottomless chasm.
At the bottom of the chasm, boiling lava flowed all over, moving deeper and deeper into the ground.
Gu Qing Shan just stood there looking at the lava for a while.
Suddenly he spoke: “This isn’t right”
It really wasn’t right, the lava seems to be sentient, flowing at a really fast pace, like a river moving downstream.
As soon as it finds a crack, all the lava would rush there, trying to eat through and open it up.
While real lava doesn’t do that.
The ground was being melted by the lava bit by bit, while the lava itself slowly dug deeper and deeper into the ground.
When the two swords saw him get to the cave entrance, they flew straight forward, quickly disappearing into the darkness.
Gu Qing Shan was a bit stunned, but then saw them return, shaking their shafts, as if urging him to go on.
“Alright”
Gu Qing Shan jumped up and began to fly across the chasm
The two swords led the way while Gu Qing Shan flew behind, quickly making their way to the other side.
This is the other side of the chasm.
There was also a tunnel entrance here, seems to be a downward heading winding path.
Gu Qing Shan landed, was about to keep going, but suddenly flew backwards and observed the lava cave carefully.
He flew once around the chasm, then created a light to illuminate the area around.
The cliff face around appeared clearly in his eyes.
A grey mud-like outer layer dripped all the way downwards, forming a smooth, vertical descent full of cracks.
This is a phenomenon that can only be seen after lava has pa.s.sed through and melted the rocks beneath into magma.
A terrifying truth suddenly dawned upon Gu Qing Shan.
——–this lava wasn’t originally here, it dug its way here from above, corroding the floor as it went deeper and deeper.
“All of this, was created by the rain of fire?” Gu Qing Shan asked.
Both swords let out an ‘ong ong’ sound to signify agreement.
“So it really is because of the rain of fire… how could it be…” Gu Qing Shan muttered.
Magma cools down really rapidly, but this lava has flowed from the top layer of the earth all the way down here, melting deep into the ground.
To be able to keep the same temperature after all this time, either it needs to be sentient, or it must be controlled with spirit energy.
But just who could keep controlling such a devastating rain of fire for such a long time?
The rain of fire in the sky hasn’t stop falling at all, if it’s a cultivator that did this, their spirit energy would’ve been depleted long ago.
No single cultivator could do this, not even someone as strong as the three Saints.
While Gu Qing Shan was thinking, the two swords had returned and started flying circles around him.
“Alright, alright, I’ll go”
He held his suspicion down in his mind and followed the swords deeper into the magma tunnel.
The long journey restarted.
This time, the road wasn’t as mild as before, it was a much steeper vertical decline.