Chapter 1273: Heavenly Way Sword Technique

Although the sword is merely a weapon, over the millennia, countless cultivators have immersed themselves in it, giving rise to countless varieties—sword intents, cultivation methods—all different.

For this reason, inheritance is very important.

With so many sword intents and techniques here, and divergences in cultivation philosophy, staying too long and learning too much makes it easy to fall into demonic possession or even be killed.

This is also why the Master Hall divides techniques into layers.

Every master has unique insights into techniques. One or two are fine, but with many, insights multiply, leading to countless cultivation methods, some even contradictory. Without layering, random cultivation would not only hinder human progress but could cause widespread demonic possession.

Thus, masters must be selective in their reading. Without discerning truth from falsehood, the more they read, the more confused and lost they become, and their state of mind grows chaotic.

This place holds many sword intents and techniques. Those who come to cultivate, unable to distinguish true from false, want to try everything. Over time, hidden dangers accumulate, and instead of increasing their strength, they may die here from learning too much.

"Show me around!"

Understanding this, Zhang Xuan said.

"Alright!" The Twilight Cloud Sword quivered twice and led the way.

A distance of over a hundred kilometers was nothing; soon they arrived.

It was a huge cliff face, carved with a large character: "Sword!" The strokes were vigorous and flowing, and before even reaching it, one felt a sense of sword qi breaking through the air, as if it could tear one apart at any moment.

"Such strong sword intent!"

His expression solemn, Zhang Xuan stopped.

This character, regardless of what level of calligraphy it was, from afar seemed like someone holding a long sword, thrusting through the air. No matter how one dodged, it aimed straight at the brow, as if the soul were locked and unable to escape.

"Did Sword Elder leave this?"

Shocked, he couldn't help asking.

"Yes," the Twilight Cloud Sword replied.

"He truly is a grandmaster of the sword!"

Zhang Xuan sighed.

Having cultivated for nearly a year, he had studied many books on the sword and reached a very high realm.

He had always felt that his understanding of the sword, if not at the peak, was certainly not inferior to others. Seeing this character, he realized he still had a long way to go compared to this Sword Elder.

The other had already merged "sword" into his very marrow, even refining himself into a long sword... only then could he casually write a character with such overwhelming aura, making it impossible to evade.

"Those are cultivators who have come to gain insights..."

Pointing forward with its tip, the Twilight Cloud Sword said.

Zhang Xuan looked and saw that beneath the cliff sat countless people, several hundred in number, each staring at the character above, gesturing incessantly, entranced and seemingly mad.

"You're wrong! My move is correct. Look!"

A voice came. A middle-aged man shook his long sword, tracing a rainbow, and thrust forward. It extended hundreds of meters before gently dissipating, tearing the air.

"Is that the upper sword heart of the sword heart realm?"

Zhang Xuan's expression turned solemn.

Sword techniques are divided into two realms: sword intent and sword heart.

Ordinary Mortal Transcendence realm experts can comprehend sword intent; those with higher talent can comprehend sword heart, achieving "ten thousand swords resonate, dragons roar to the sky!"

Sword heart means using the heart as the sword, guided by intent, turning everything into a sword move—the so-called unity of man and sword... Reaching this realm means the sword has spirit, the sword has heart!

It is divided into three stages: lower sword heart, middle sword heart, and upper sword heart!

For Saint realm experts, reaching middle sword heart in sword comprehension makes them top experts. This man, with a single move, displayed upper sword heart comprehension... his understanding of the sword was not inferior to Zhang Xuan's!

So far, Zhang Xuan himself was only at the upper sword heart realm.

"No, this move 'Night Battle in All Directions' emphasizes sword qi surging in all directions. Your sword qi is concentrated, clearly wrong. Watch mine..."

While still astonished, Zhang Xuan saw an old man beside the middle-aged man shake his head, draw his long sword, and flick a sword flower.

In an instant, a rain of swords filled the sky, a cold and fierce aura covering the surroundings, extending dozens of meters. It seemed that anyone entering would be trapped and unable to escape.

"Also upper sword heart?"

Zhang Xuan was surprised again.

One person comprehending upper sword heart was terrifying enough; unexpectedly, this old man had also achieved it, and his understanding of the sword was even superior to the previous one.

"You're both wrong. I think it's like this..."

A third person joined in, also displaying sword techniques. Sword qi was like mist, spreading around.

He too had reached the upper sword heart realm.

Zhang Xuan was dumbfounded. He looked at the others; each exuded faint sword qi, as if they had turned into long swords, their strength astonishing.

"All these hundreds of people... have reached the upper sword heart realm?"

Swallowing his saliva, Zhang Xuan was amazed.

Throughout his journey, he had never seen anyone surpass him in swordsmanship. Now, in an instant, he saw so many. No wonder this was the Sword Pool—truly terrifying!

"They are masters, battle masters, and loose cultivators from various empires and even the alliance, most skilled in swordsmanship. The longest here has been over nine hundred years... With nine hundred years of accumulation, this number isn't too many..."

The Twilight Cloud Sword said.

"Over nine hundred years?"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Though he was talented and had cultivated for a considerable time—almost a year—the actual time spent on swordsmanship was probably less than a day!

Within the eight titled empires, there were countless experts. Over nine hundred years, it was normal to have this many who matched him.

After all, he wasn't a true top genius; compared to his clone, he was far inferior.

"These people never left?"

"This character is enough for them to study for a lifetime. They are obsessed with it and have never left since arriving..." the Twilight Cloud Sword said.

"Alas!"

Zhang Xuan sighed.

He recalled a book from his previous life, where on an island there was a peerless secret manual. Every year on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, people would go, and none ever returned... This scene was somewhat similar.

Though no one restricted them, in pursuit of higher martial arts, they became obsessed, unaware of the passing of time and the fading of youth.

"I think I'm right!"

"I'm the one who's right..."

"You're all wrong... Let's fight if you disagree!"

Clatter!

The three argued for a long time, unable to convince each other, and finally drew their swords, fighting fiercely.

"Actually... they have already fallen into demonic possession."

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

No matter how profound this "Sword" character was, or how brilliant the Sword Elder who left it, these people, unable to extricate themselves and even turning on each other, had lost their minds and selves—this was demonic possession.

Amid his sigh, the three experts had already decided the outcome. Two were severely injured; the sole victor looked somewhat confused, wondering if he had misunderstood, since the other two's techniques were also so powerful.

Zhang Xuan knew that immersed in swordsmanship for so long, they had lost their judgment. In such a state, persuasion was useless. He ignored them and looked up at the large character on the cliff.

This character, though carved with sword qi, contained the carver's intent. The strokes were like silver hooks and iron strokes, their aura terrifying. Each stroke seemed like a different type of sword technique, several fused together, grand and profound, the more one looked, the more unfathomable it became.

"No wonder these people are reluctant to leave..."

After just a short look, Zhang Xuan also felt his mind stirred, unable to resist the urge to cultivate.

He slowly closed his eyes.

It wasn't that his mind was firm enough to resist temptations others couldn't; rather, the sword techniques he comprehended from this character had too many flaws, making them hard to learn.

"What are those?"

Exhaling, he cast aside distracting thoughts and opened his eyes again. He then saw that the surrounding rock walls were also covered with dense inscriptions, countless in number.

"These are sword intents and techniques comprehended by past cultivators. If you find the 'Sword' character on the cliff too profound, these can serve as references."

The Twilight Cloud Sword said.

"Oh."

Zhang Xuan looked over.

Indeed, the walls were filled with the insights of various cultivators, connected in passages, numbering over a thousand.

"It's somewhat similar to the Sealing Saint Platform."

He nodded to himself.

On the Sealing Saint Platform, he had also seen many insights, each claiming to have grasped the true meaning, each a favored son of heaven... but in reality, their understandings were full of flaws, not worth a glance!

He suspected this was similar.

"Flaw!"

Scanning the rock wall, books appeared in his mind.

These insights were also a kind of secret manual; as his eyes passed over them, they were recorded.

"Correct!"

The books appeared in his sea of consciousness. He murmured again, and over a thousand sword technique manuals instantly condensed into one, floating in his mind.

He tapped it lightly, and Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

"It's the Heavenly Way Sword Technique!"

He had only been casually looking, not intending to learn anything, but unexpectedly, gathering the insights of all these people over the years had formed a Heavenly Way technique!

The sword technique flowed through his mind, and he quickly studied it.

He had to admit, the sword path left by Sword Elder was indeed profound. If he cultivated according to it, his understanding of swordsmanship could improve significantly.

Just as he was about to close his eyes and cultivate to further enhance his strength, he suddenly felt the surrounding spiritual energy surge forward like a hurricane.

He quickly looked and saw that the people immersed in cultivation before the cliff had all raised their heads in unison.

"Master..."

Just as he was about to see what was happening, the Twilight Cloud Sword before him began to tremble uncontrollably.

"What's wrong?"

Frowning, Zhang Xuan asked in confusion.

"Master, someone has comprehended the sword path... As a sword spirit, I automatically submit."

"Comprehended the sword path?"

Zhang Xuan was startled. He saw a young man sitting cross-legged before the crowd, sword qi swirling above his head like a peerless sharp sword unsheathed, ready to tear heaven and earth apart.

"Is that Ma Minghai?"

Recognizing the figure, Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was none other than Ma Minghai, the genius from Qianchong Empire who had fought him earlier at the Master Hall!

"What is he doing here?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.