Chapter 462: The Limit of Sword Techniques
“We’ll just follow from afar, staying properly hidden.”
Yankang National Teacher watched as Qin Mu’s army of women departed into the distance, speaking leisurely: “We wait for that moment when Father Ba Gou and that deity make their move. Chief Qin, he will help us settle all of this.”
Xiong Xiyu’s heart was filled with a myriad of emotions. Back then in the Great Ruins, when she had begged Qin Mu for help, she never imagined that the big boy who saved her and her daughter would possess such terrifying abilities, stirring up such a massive storm in the Western Lands.
She had initially thought this youth was merely a scion of some noble clan with some capability, but the more she learned about him, the more she marveled at his extraordinary nature.
The enormous Jun City raced across the vast land. Qin Mu stood on the city wall with several leaders of the Western Lands noble clans, coordinating the armies of the various families to prevent any trampling incidents.
After all, the disciples of the Western Lands noble clans were not well-trained troops, requiring considerable effort to organize.
Fortunately, with He Yi Yi, a formation master, present, using formations to coordinate the clan disciples gradually became smooth. It was worth noting that even in Yankang, there were only a handful of people with He Yi Yi’s level of formation mastery, and those few were often high-ranking officials of Yankang.
“Western Lands Sword Master Luo Yin Yu, pays respects to Central Lands Chief Qin.”
Qin Mu looked at the long-haired girl approaching to greet him, showing surprise as he hurriedly returned the courtesy.
The Three Masters of the Western Lands were Poison Master Mu Ying Xue, Formation Master He Yi Yi, and Sword Master Luo Yin Yu. He was very familiar with Mu Ying Xue and He Yi Yi, but this was his first time meeting Sword Master Luo Yin Yu.
Sword Master Luo Yin Yu was different from other women of the Western Lands. Other girls liked to wear gold and silver, adorning their heads with silver crowns, hanging silver and gold rings around their necks, and wearing many bracelets on their wrists and ankles.
But this Sword Master had no ornaments on her at all.
Her clothing was also extremely simple—an ordinary white robe, very plain and elegant, without any other superfluous colors.
Her hair was styled simply, tied in the middle with a single hair tie to keep it from becoming messy.
Her black hair, like a woman’s waist, was set off by the white clothing, creating a strong contrast.
The reason her attire and adornments were so simple was that she, like a sword, could tolerate no impurities. Any other ornaments or decorations were clutter to her.
This was a woman with no other pleasures, one who had likely married the sword.
When Qin Mu saw her, he felt as if a sword were thrusting toward him. When she bowed in greeting, the sword light was fierce, sharp and unmatched, aimed directly at his Dao heart!
Qin Mu bowed in return, calmly blocking her sword intent.
Sword Master Luo Yin Yu straightened up, her gaze curious: “Chief Qin is also a master of sword techniques?”
Qin Mu humbly replied: “I wouldn’t dare claim that. There are so many sword technique masters in the world. In terms of strength, countless surpass me. But if we’re talking about sword technique mastery, I might rank among them.”
Sword Master Luo Yin Yu grew even more curious, saying: “I’ve long wanted to visit the Central Lands to see the sword techniques there. Since Chief Qin is a sword technique master from the Central Lands, could you introduce those who surpass you in sword techniques?”
Qin Mu thought for a moment, then shook his head: “There should be no one who surpasses me in pure sword techniques. However, there are those who have entered the realm of the Sword Dao. I wouldn’t dare say how many surpass me in the Sword Dao, but the Yankang National Teacher is certainly above me. There’s also my village chief, who taught me three sword techniques and has extraordinary mastery in the Sword Dao. As for other Sword Dao experts, I don’t know many, so I wouldn’t dare say.”
“Sword techniques and Sword Dao?”
Luo Yin Yu showed a look of disappointment, murmuring: “Someone has truly entered the realm of the Sword Dao? I’ve spent so many years tirelessly pursuing the ultimate realm of sword techniques, trying to enter the Sword Dao but never succeeding, and yet someone has been able to enter that wondrous realm?”
Qin Mu understood her disappointment. Luo Yin Yu was currently in the stage of investigating things to attain knowledge, pursuing the ultimate understanding of sword techniques. She had likely reached the pinnacle of sword techniques, but she hadn’t found the door to the Sword Dao and couldn’t enter its hall.
Qin Mu’s mention that the Central Lands had many Sword Dao experts was a heavy blow to her.
Sword techniques and the Sword Dao, though only one word apart, were as different as clouds and mud.
No matter how well one practiced sword techniques, they were still vulnerable before a Sword Dao expert.
Qin Mu’s curiosity was piqued, and he said: “I haven’t seen the sword techniques of your Western Lands yet. I wonder if they differ from ours in the Central Lands. The Central Lands originally had fourteen forms of basic sword techniques. Later, the Yankang National Teacher added three, making it seventeen. Not long ago, I added another form, making it eighteen basic sword techniques. How many forms do the Western Lands have?”
Luo Yin Yu was even more surprised: “The Central Lands already have eighteen forms? Our Western Lands only have fourteen forms, but our techniques focus on sword spirits, emphasizing power, so they may differ from yours.”
Qin Mu became very interested. He had also been studying sword spirits recently, but with little progress. He felt there was profound knowledge in it, and since he had encountered Luo Yin Yu, a master of Western Lands sword techniques, he naturally wanted to learn from her.
The two discussed in detail, both gaining much.
The Western Lands’ sword techniques used the spirit to control the sword. The sword spirit could greatly increase the sword’s power, nearly doubling it. In Qin Mu’s view, the Western Lands’ sword techniques were somewhat dry, far less exquisite than Yankang’s sword techniques. Even Luo Yin Yu, a sword technique master, was slightly inferior in skill to many Central Lands sects.
However, the sword spirit elevated her sword moves to a level that Central Lands experts could only dream of. When she performed basic sword techniques, each move and form was strict and orderly, with explosive power, displaying a heroic grace that made it hard to face her edge.
Luo Yin Yu also saw the extraordinary nature brought by the Central Lands’ reforms. The Central Lands’ sword techniques were cunning and varied, especially with the addition of the four basic sword techniques by the Yankang National Teacher and Qin Mu, which introduced more changes and possibilities!
Luo Yin Yu tried executing the Winding Sword Form, Entangling Sword Form, Drilling Sword Form, and the eighteenth form created by Qin Mu, pondering: “This is strange. The first fourteen basic sword forms of the Central Lands are no different from ours in the Western Lands. But the last four moves, though also basic techniques, require more and more magical power as they progress. Especially Chief Qin’s basic sword form—activating it once consumes nearly half of one’s Yuan Qi cultivation! If a nineteenth form were to be created, wouldn’t it drain all the cultivation of a sword technique practitioner? By the twentieth form, no one would be able to execute it?”
Qin Mu’s heart shook, feeling a sense of kinship. His gaze became eager: “You can also sense the Nineteenth Sword Form?”
Luo Yin Yu said joyfully: “You’ve sensed the Nineteenth Sword Form too?”
The two looked at each other and smiled knowingly.
“After I created the Eighteenth Sword Form, I felt it wasn’t complete.”
Qin Mu’s mind wandered as he poured out his thoughts: “At that time, I felt there was likely a Nineteenth Sword Form, but I was in the middle of fighting Sister Yi Yi and couldn’t afford to be distracted, so I didn’t delve into the source of that feeling. But the Nineteenth Sword Form must exist. Since you also sensed it, it means my feeling wasn’t wrong.”
Luo Yin Yu nodded: “The Nineteenth Sword Form might be the key to directly entering the Sword Dao!”
Both were excited.
“By the way, Yankang is close to the sea, so why do you call it the Central Lands?” Qin Mu asked.
Luo Yin Yu shook her head: “I don’t know much about external matters. I spend most of my time in quiet contemplation of the sword.”
Fang Cai Die, the clan leader of the Fang family, laughed beside them: “Chief Qin, the name Central Lands has always existed, referring to the Great Ruins and the continent to the east. Your Yankang’s Eastern Sea is called the Eastern Lands.”
The two continued studying sword techniques, exchanging ideas, attracting many onlookers. Both Qin Mu and Luo Yin Yu were grandmasters of sword techniques, and even those with far higher cultivation could only admire.
Qin Mu was even more puzzled: “The Eastern Sea has no land, so why is it called the Eastern Lands?”
Fang Cai Die had never explored this mystery either and shook her head: “I wouldn’t know.”
“The Eastern Sea was once land, so it’s called the Eastern Lands.”
Fu Yun Xi, the clan leader of the Fu family, said: “Our Fu family’s Cloud Books record some matters about the Eastern Lands and Central Lands. It says that the division of Central Lands and Eastern Lands isn’t based on current geography, but on geography from a very long time ago.”
Qin Mu’s heart stirred, suddenly remembering the Qu Mountain Divine Temple. This temple, originally standing atop a towering mountain, had sunk to the bottom of the Eastern Sea, sixteen hundred zhang below the surface.
The mountain’s base was even farther from the surface.
This indicated that the current Eastern Sea was once a continent, a place called the Eastern Lands!
But Fu Yun Xi said the Eastern Lands and Central Lands were divided based on ancient geography. That “very long time ago” shouldn’t be the Kai Huang Era, but the Shang Huang Era, which was even earlier!
“The Shang Huang Era should correspond to where the Eastern Lands were, which is now the Eastern Sea. The third move of the Sword Diagram, Shang Huang Tribulation Stirring, this ‘Shang Huang’ should be related to the Shang Huang Era.”
Qin Mu sank into thought. The Sword Diagram was a technique created by the village chief, and Shang Huang Tribulation Stirring was its third move. This meant the village chief should understand part of the Shang Huang Era’s history.
“Village Chief, I will definitely go to Feng Du to rescue you!” the youth silently resolved.
Suddenly, He Yi Yi called out loudly: “The True Heaven Palace is almost here! Everyone, be on guard!”
Sword Master Luo Yin Yu quickly stood up and headed toward the Luo family. Fu Yun Xi, Fang Cai Die, Mu Ying Xue, Liu Ru Yin, and others also returned to their respective family armies.
Qin Mu stood on the city wall, looking ahead. His heart trembled as he saw a forest of mountains standing before him, each magnificent peak like a silent giant hundreds or thousands of zhang tall, standing between heaven and earth.
These mountains resembled the mountain giant he had seen in Fang Xiu City, but they were even larger and more imposing. Beside these mountains were sword peaks, peaks shaped like swords!
There were also bell peaks, peaks shaped like bells.
Cauldron peaks, shaped like cauldrons.
Pagoda peaks, shaped like pagodas.
Tower peaks, shaped like multi-storied towers.
Those peaks took the forms of various spirit weapons!
Beyond these, at the foot of the mountains were great rivers, surging and winding with countless bends. Waterfalls cascaded from the peaks, plunging three thousand zhang. Amid the mountain ranges, clouds and mist drifted, with thunder and lightning flashing.
Above the sea of clouds, a complex of palaces bathed in golden light.
The Western Lands’ True Heaven Palace!
The sacred land of the Western Lands was even more formidable than he had imagined!