Chapter 14
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Chapter 14: The Earth Demon Sword
In the realm of the wicked, actions are dictated by whims, defying the bounds of ordinary judgment. Fengyun Wuji now understood this all too well. It seemed illogical that You Wuxie, instead of ending his life, would adopt him as a disciple. Yet, here they were. Regardless of Fengyun Wuji’s consent, within the confines of Youming Peak, escape was an impossibility for the time being. The malevolent beings lurking among the encircling peaks swept their consciousness over his domain with an air of arrogance, their intentions dripping with malice.
“You will find the Ice and Fire Finger Technique that I have mastered within this volume. Study it well. Should you encounter any difficulties, seek my guidance.” From a chilly kiln atop the mountain, You Wuxie produced a tome, casually tossed it towards Fengyun Wuji, then with indifference, turned to sit cross-legged at the entrance of the kiln, absorbing the dense innate cold energy that permeated the surrounding landscape.
Unfazed, Fengyun Wuji recognized that what he truly lacked was not knowledge of techniques, but the time to refine his skills. The Mind Sword Body Technique and the Nine Turns of Life and Death Profound Technique he possessed were more than adequate for his needs. With nothing to do atop the mountain, the only sight to behold was the spectacular display of ice-bound peaks, towering like enormous icicles, a natural wonder of the world.
The Nine Turns of Life and Death Profound Technique was a secret of the highest order, each turn magnifying one’s power tenfold. By the time one reached the ninth turn, the adept would wield strength so formidable it could slay celestial beings and vanquish demons. However, the pinnacle of this art, whose origins were shrouded in mystery, had only been achieved up to the sixth turn. Yet, even at the sixth turn, its might allowed its practitioners to roam freely through the ancient world, with only a handful of supreme beings claiming superiority.
Seated serenely at the peak, Fengyun Wuji’s long hair cascading over his shoulders, his eyes lightly shut, he pondered the second turn of the Nine Turns of Life and Death Profound Technique. Though he had yet to achieve it, he felt an imminent breakthrough, hindered only by an enigmatic opportunity he could not yet fathom.
After an indeterminate period of cultivation, Fengyun Wuji, upon reopening his eyes, sensed a notable increase in his vital energy. The Youming Peak was a treasure trove of innate cold energy, ideal for cultivating cold-attribute powers, yet it was not unsuitable for other forms of energy refinement.
Glancing up, You Wuxie remained in his meditative stance, hands locked in a gesture of concentration, his brows frosted over, and the ice beneath him merged with his own inner cold, transforming him into what appeared to be a lifelike ice sculpture.
From the looks of You Wuxie’s deep meditation, it would be a long while before he emerged from his reverie. Between his knees rested a frozen secret manual, its ancient characters ‘Xuanming Formula’ strikingly conspicuous.
“Should I seize the Xuanming Formula now? Zhao Wuji would undoubtedly need it,” Fengyun Wuji’s thoughts raced, but he ultimately abandoned the idea. The vicinity of Youming Peak was likely riddled with hidden evildoers, and escaping this area was uncertain. Even if he managed to flee, it would likely be much later, so the matter of the Xuanming Formula was not pressing.
With no further progress to be made in the Nine Turns Mystery Technique, Fengyun Wuji set it aside and turned his attention to the Mind Sword Body Technique. This technique, strictly speaking, was not an internal formula but rather a skill in martial arts application, a unique method of mental cultivation.
The first level of the Mind Sword Body Technique comprised three stages: the Refutation of the Sword, the Control of the Sword, and the Mastery of the Sword. Fengyun Wuji, leveraging his profound foundation from before his ascension, had surpassed each. However, the cultivation of the Nine Turns of Life and Death Profound Technique was peculiar, demanding the dissipation of one’s power at the first level. This meant that the decades of strength Fengyun Wuji had amassed prior to his ascension had been reduced to naught, leaving him with only the modest power of three years.
As is well known, any technique requires substantial power to execute, and the ability of three years of power to support sword flight was nothing short of miraculous.
The second level of the Mind Sword Body Technique included the Earth Demon Sword, the Heavenly Demon Sword, and the Taoist Sword. Judging by their names, Fengyun Wuji could not discern the characteristics of this level of the Mind Sword Body Technique. The technique was peculiar; only upon breaking through one realm would the detailed heart method of the next realm spontaneously manifest in the heart.
Ancient and abstruse characters flowed through Fengyun Wuji’s mind. Even with his high comprehension, grasping this text was challenging. Within his mind, Fengyun Wuji continuously pondered and rehearsed these characters. After an unknown amount of time, a sense of enlightenment gradually emerged. The second level of the Mind Sword Body Technique was a peculiar sword form that transcended traditional swordsmanship. As he began to wield the preliminary sword method of the Earth Demon Sword, Fengyun Wuji felt as if he had grasped a formidable power, with a mighty sword emerging from the ground beneath him under his command. It was a strength he had never before experienced.
The ice beneath him cracked, sending out a crisp sound as a network of fractures radiated from Fengyun Wuji, extending and interlacing with one another. From the fissures, countless tiny ice fragments burst forth.
Under the control of an invisible force, these fragments levitated, swirling around Fengyun Wuji, gradually dispersing into a mist that formed a vortex, spinning rapidly.
After dozens of rotations, the vortex shrank in size before exploding violently, covering an area of several meters. Strangely, the ice fragments began to coalesce into a vast sword in the void, with the tip exposed and the hilt, including the pommel, hidden beneath the ground where Fengyun Wuji sat in meditation.
The intense sword energy on the mountaintop generated a powerful gale, and this dense and peculiar sword energy finally awoke You Wuxie.
“What dense sword energy!” You Wuxie exclaimed upon sensing the sword energy. Upon seeing the state of the mountaintop, his expression changed repeatedly, his gaze flickering with a hint of murderous intent, yet he was filled with indecision.
This was an impressive breakthrough for a newly ascended individual during a single meditation session. With You Wuxie’s divine consciousness, he naturally discerned the power of this illusory sword and sensed that its true might had not been unleashed.
You Wuxie was torn with indecision when he suddenly heard a muffled groan. Looking up, he saw Fengyun Wuji’s face pale, a thread of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, a victim of insufficient power to support the sword intent, suffering a backlash.
You Wuxie swiftly moved to Fengyun Wuji’s side and, with a palm strike, infused him with a surge of cold attribute true qi to help him withstand the sword energy.
A brilliant gleam flashed in Fengyun Wuji’s eyes as he made a grasping motion and swung down with a mighty force. The sound of a violent impact echoed as the colossal ice-encrusted sword erupted from the ground, lunging towards You Wuxie who stood before Fengyun Wuji.
“How dare you, you wretched beast!” You Wuxie screeched, striking out at Fengyun Wuji, but the overwhelming sword energy had already struck his chest.
With a pained groan, You Wuxie was sent flying like a broken kite from the peak, colliding heavily with a taller ice peak behind him, his figure deeply embedded within it…
“Earth Demon Sword!…” Fengyun Wuji softly uttered these three words.