Chapter 637: Sword Cultivator
Even though Orange Moon Star Envoy had already sworn an oath to the gods, claiming she would not reveal Zhang Ruochen's identity to outsiders, Zhang Ruochen was well aware that letting her return to the Black Market still carried enormous risk.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen had his own considerations.
Even in the worst-case scenario, Orange Moon Star Envoy would only spread the news that the Heir of Time and Space, Zhang Ruochen, was not dead. As long as Zhang Ruochen never showed himself, how many people would believe her one-sided account?
At the very least, people would be more inclined to trust Wan Zhaoyi rather than a demoness from the Black Market. After all, Wan Zhaoyi had personally witnessed Zhang Ruochen being killed by the Nine Nether Sword Saint.
Whose words were more credible—Wan Zhaoyi's or Orange Moon Star Envoy's?
Thus, even in the worst-case scenario, Zhang Ruochen would not suffer too great a loss.
On the contrary, Zhang Ruochen could use this opportunity to test Orange Moon Star Envoy's loyalty. If she proved truly loyal, then in the future, when Zhang Ruochen interacted with the Murong Clan, he could be somewhat more at ease.
If she did leak his identity, Zhang Ruochen naturally had ways to deal with her and teach her how to behave.
Orange Moon Star Envoy ultimately left alone. About half a day later, Xiao Hei and the Swallowing Elephant Rabbit returned, carrying a charred corpse.
"Bang!" The Swallowing Elephant Rabbit threw the corpse to the ground.
Although the body was already bloody and mangled, Zhang Ruochen could still make out some contours and recognize that it was indeed the Liangyi Sect disciple, Lin Yue.
Zhang Ruochen searched the corpse and soon found an oval white jade token.
On the front of the token were engraved the words "Liangyi Sect."
On the back were the words "Lin Yue."
It was indeed an inner disciple token of the Liangyi Sect.
Although Xiao Hei had already guessed Zhang Ruochen's purpose, it still wanted to confirm. So it asked, "Zhang Ruochen, why did you have us bring this corpse back? What are you planning to do?"
Zhang Ruochen held the token in his hand, a slight smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "Once my cultivation breaks through to the fourth transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm, you'll naturally understand. Guoguo, take the corpse away and find a good feng shui spot to bury him. Regardless, his death does have something to do with me."
The Swallowing Elephant Rabbit picked up Lin Yue's corpse and immediately rushed off into the distance, dug a large pit, and buried him.
Zhang Ruochen turned to Xiao Hei. "My cultivation has now reached the peak of the third transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm. To break through to the fourth transformation, I must open the first sacred meridian, the 'Yin Qiao Sacred Meridian.' Xiao Hei, in the Cosmic Divine Wood Map, your cultivation isn't sealed, so you should be quite strong, right? Can you act as my guide and help me open the Yin Qiao Sacred Meridian?"
By borrowing the power of the Dragon Pearl, Zhang Ruochen could indeed open the first sacred meridian on his own, but the risk was enormous. A single misstep could cost him his life.
Moreover, to open the first sacred meridian with his own strength, he would need to spend a great deal of time tempering his body, condensing true qi, and consolidating his realm. That would certainly take a long time.
Since he had a strong figure like Xiao Hei by his side, why not make use of him?
Xiao Hei's eyes widened instantly. He took two steps back, looking somewhat embarrassed, and coughed dryly. "Actually... actually... this emperor's cultivation... is indeed still very powerful. But this emperor's power has long been fused with the entire Scroll World. Within the Scroll World, this emperor can mobilize the power of the entire world, but... um... my personal strength hasn't actually reached the Half-Saint level yet."
Zhang Ruochen's forehead sprouted black lines. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"This emperor's current cultivation is on the same level as yours. I can't help you," Xiao Hei said.
The black lines on Zhang Ruochen's forehead became even more pronounced. "So you've been bragging all along. 'The emperor who slays heaven and earth'—what a joke."
"Zhang Ruochen, this emperor warns you, you'd better watch your words. This emperor is indeed extremely powerful within the Scroll World. I can easily mobilize the power of the entire world. With a single thought, I can overturn rivers and seas. With one stomp, I can collapse the sky and shatter the earth. Back in the day, this emperor was truly formidable. If it weren't for that old bald monk Xumi... hey, wait, listen to this emperor finish before you leave!" Xiao Hei shouted.
Zhang Ruochen turned and walked away, ignoring him. He chuckled to himself. "The path of cultivation must still rely on oneself."
Hearing Zhang Ruochen's words, Xiao Hei was so furious he ground his teeth. He rolled on the ground, gnashed his teeth, bit the grass, kicked stones, and let out angry "meow" sounds.
Zhang Ruochen finally understood. It turned out that Xiao Hei was the artifact spirit of the Cosmic Divine Wood Map.
Within a sacred artifact, the artifact spirit indeed had absolute control. But once it left the artifact, its strength depended entirely on the artifact's master.
The stronger the master, the stronger the artifact spirit.
The weaker the master, the weaker the artifact spirit.
Since Xiao Hei was the artifact spirit, he naturally couldn't help Zhang Ruochen open his first sacred meridian. Now, Zhang Ruochen could only accumulate slowly. Once he had built up enough, he could rely on his own strength to break through to the fourth transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm.
"Next, I'm probably going to be in seclusion for a long time."
Zhang Ruochen came to the foot of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, sat cross-legged on the ground, and began circulating his true qi according to the fifth-layer technique of the *Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture*.
With his cultivation at the peak of the third transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm, what Zhang Ruochen needed to do was no longer train but continuously consolidate, making his true qi purer and integrating it into his blood, flesh, bones, and internal organs.
Thus, every day, Zhang Ruochen spent only three hours consolidating his cultivation and refining his true qi.
The rest of the time, he devoted to the Sword Dao, comprehending "Sword One" and practicing the Instant Sword Technique.
Time flew by. Three months passed.
Zhang Ruochen had fully mastered all nine hundred moves of the Instant Sword Technique, reaching a state of perfection. At the same time, his understanding of the Sword Dao had been elevated to a new level.
So, Zhang Ruochen once again took out the *Sword One* that Xuanji Sword Saint had given him, laid it flat on the ground, and continued to study it.
*Sword One* was not a true sword manual. It was merely a collection of insights written by Xuanji Sword Saint.
In short, cultivating the Sword Dao could only be grasped through intuition, not explained in words. It could only be comprehended by oneself.
Without a sword manual, it was like a blank slate. Therefore, the vast majority of sword users in the world could never become true sword cultivators and could never successfully master Sword One.
Compared to other sword users, Zhang Ruochen had a great advantage. His Sword Dao realm had already reached the middle stage of Sword Heart Illumination, and he had also cultivated the profound and unfathomable Time Sword Art.
Thus, it was relatively easier for him to comprehend Sword One.
According to the records in *Sword One*: Sword One refers to "oneself."
Only by truly understanding the significance of the relationship between oneself and the Sword Dao could one step through the threshold of Sword One.
Over the past three months, Zhang Ruochen had not only been practicing the Instant Sword Technique but had also frequently consulted *Sword One*. Sometimes, he felt as if he had grasped something—like one foot had crossed the threshold. But at other times, it seemed as if something was still missing, preventing him from reaching the first level of Sword One.
Now that Zhang Ruochen had successfully mastered the Instant Sword Technique, his sword intent was at its peak. So he immediately began to comprehend Sword One, hoping to seize this opportunity to step through the threshold of becoming a sword cultivator.
Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged beneath the tree, as still as a stone statue, motionless, with all his consciousness focused.
Around him, only the sound of the wind flipping through the pages could be heard, rustling continuously.
Twelve days passed, and finally, some subtle changes occurred. Zhang Ruochen seemed to grasp a thread of the true essence of the Sword Dao again.
"Whoosh."
The wind around him grew increasingly fierce.
Vaguely, one could see the wind transforming into faint sword shadows, flying around Zhang Ruochen.
Those sword shadows could even rush into Zhang Ruochen's body, pass through it, and fly off into the distance. Yet, despite this, Zhang Ruochen was not injured at all. It was as if his body had merged with the sword qi.
"Embrace the origin, guard the one; focus the mind in one place."
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen's body seemed weightless as he rose lightly to his feet. He reached out into the void and grabbed a sword-shaped stream of air.
Using the stream of air as a sword, he began to swing.
"Swish, swish."
The sword moves he executed had no pattern at all. He was completely following his heart's desire—striking and withdrawing at will, sometimes thrusting, sometimes slashing, sometimes lifting, sometimes blocking.
The seemingly chaotic sword moves were nonetheless immensely powerful.
It felt as if anyone who approached him would be killed with a single sword strike.
Sword One had no fixed moves. It was entirely a Sword Dao realm of responding to change with constancy, having long broken free from the constraints of sword techniques, completely not sticking to one pattern.
Two full hours passed. Zhang Ruochen was drenched in sweat, and the true qi in his body was almost completely depleted. Finally, he stopped.
"Hua!"
The sword formed from the stream of air in his palm dissipated.
"I've finally stepped through the threshold of Sword One. I'm now considered a sword cultivator."
A look of joy appeared on Zhang Ruochen's face, and even the beating of his heart quickened.
Sword One was divided into ten levels of mastery.
Only by thoroughly comprehending all ten levels could one be considered to have truly mastered Sword One. In the past thousand years, only thirty-four people in the entire Kunlun Realm had reached the tenth level of perfection in Sword One while in the Fish-Dragon Realm.
Zhang Ruochen had now only reached the first level of Sword One.
To a certain extent, Sword One had transcended sword techniques and reached a realm of "Dao." Therefore, only Half-Saints with a profound understanding of heaven and earth could possibly comprehend Sword One.
Moreover, only a very small number of Half-Saints could step through the threshold of Sword One and become sword cultivators.
Zhang Ruochen, with his cultivation at only the third transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm, had already stepped through the threshold of Sword One and reached the first level. This naturally filled him with joy, proving that he was suited for the Sword Dao and could be called a "sword cultivator."
For sword users, becoming a sword cultivator was a great honor.
For Zhang Ruochen, this was just the beginning.