Chapter 54
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Chapter 54: The Genesis of the Sword Domain
“And you are…?” Fengyun Wuji gazed at the valiant and resolute face before him with a hint of bewilderment, feeling a sense of familiarity yet unable to recall where he had seen it before.
“Master, have you forgotten me? I have never forgotten you. Master, I am Chi Shang.” Chi Shang bowed deeply, his eyes glistening with moisture, brimming with a mixture of joy and surprise.
“Chi Shang? … So it is you!” A look of realization crossed Fengyun Wuji’s face as he finally remembered that before his ascension, he had no disciples. If there was one who could be considered a disciple, it was only Chi Shang. Time had flown swiftly, and over four hundred years had slipped by, causing some of his earlier memories to become hazy.
Looking at his disciple before him, Fengyun Wuji was filled with a myriad of emotions: “Time passes so swiftly! I didn’t expect that you have already ascended.”
Seeing that Fengyun Wuji did not deny his identity as a disciple, Chi Shang was overjoyed. He looked up and said, “Master, although you have not left a legacy on the mainland, the entire mainland is virtually under your tutelage. I reached the pinnacle of the ‘Dharma Heart Sutra’ three hundred years ago and finally ascended here… I just didn’t expect that this place is not the celestial realm.”
“Yes. I too was quite shocked at first. I didn’t expect that the celestial realm spoken of in legends was actually a fabrication, and the situation for humans here is dire… You must be the only one to have ascended in the past four hundred years, right?” Fengyun Wuji remarked with a touch of melancholy.
“Master… Actually, besides me, others have ascended in the past three hundred years.”
“Oh? Where are they?”
Chi Shang turned his head and called out, “Come over here quickly, all of you. This is our Master.”
As soon as Chi Shang’s words fell, thousands of swordsmen dressed in long blue robes arrived with a flourish, resembling a flock of geese descending into the sands. Fengyun Wuji was taken aback, having anticipated only a handful of recent ascenders, perhaps a few dozen at most, but to his surprise, such a multitude had appeared.
The aura and majesty of a Sword Emperor are incomparable to ordinary sword cultivators. Even in his tattered garments, Fengyun Wuji’s grandeur was palpable, as if donning imperial robes could not surpass his dignified presence.
“Pay homage to the Sword God!” As the throng of swordsmen approached within a hundred meters of Fengyun Wuji, they involuntarily knelt, creating a vast, dark expanse that was nothing short of spectacular. This even drew the attention of individuals from the surrounding domains.
The authority wielded by one who has attained the Sword Emperor realm is extraordinarily powerful over all sword practitioners. At first encounter, with no knowledge of each other’s strength, it is unheard of to take someone’s word on trust alone. Yet, these thousands fully believed that this person was the legendary master known as ‘Sword God’ from centuries ago on the mainland. In the presence of this master, they all sensed an inexplicable connection, akin to subjects before their sovereign. Even those with malevolent intentions could only submit, incapable of harboring any thoughts of defiance. With their swords under the master’s influence, these swordsmen were as good as disarmed, a testament to the might of the Sword Emperor’s dominion.
Fengyun Wuji, witnessing the assembly of swordsmen, felt a long-dormant aspiration stir within him.
“Rise, all of you!” Fengyun Wuji’s voice carried authority, befitting a master of his stature, with the Sword Emperor’s realm enhancing his demeanor: “You have all come from the same realm as me, to this ancient world. Though your time here has been brief, it has been significant… I am aware that before your ascension, you practiced the ‘Dharma Heart Sutra’ passed down by me, but now, you have all been retrained in martial arts at the sanctuary, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” the crowd nodded in unison, still reluctant to rise, for within a certain radius, all swordsmen felt a natural submission to a master of the Sword Emperor’s realm.
“In this ancient world, it is well known that it is the dominion of blade cultivators. As a sword cultivator, I cannot allow blade cultivators to hold sway alone. Thus, I have decided to establish the ‘Sword Domain,’ to gather all sword practitioners and amplify the prestige of our sword path. You are all free beings, and if you wish, you may join me. What do you say?”
Murmurs of surprise rippled through the crowd, as none had anticipated such a proposal.
“Master, I am willing to join the Sword Domain!” Chi Shang declared, his enthusiasm palpable. In the realm where Fengyun Wuji resided, Chi Shang’s prestige was nearly on par with his own, especially considering his more recent ascension and extensive connections across various factions. With Chi Shang at the forefront, numerous others chimed in, “We are willing to join the前辈’s Sword Domain.”
“No, it is not my domain, but the domain of all sword cultivators. My ambition is to create a force capable of rivaling the Blade Domain, to protect us and, more importantly, to achieve a goal that requires the power of the Sword Domain…” Fengyun Wuji gazed into the distant sky, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes revealing deep contemplation.
“We are willing to follow the Sword God!” Hundreds of swordsmen, captivated by Fengyun Wuji’s demeanor, declared loudly.
“We are willing to follow the Sword God!” Others echoed, kowtowing in agreement. These were individuals who had witnessed the might of the Blade Domain’s warriors. As the saying goes, one cannot fight against many, and they had longed for the strength that comes from unity.
As one person took the lead, the undecided naturally followed: “We are willing to follow.”
Swordsmen knelt one after another, bowing their once-proud heads deeply. In the presence of the Sword Emperor, all swordsmen were humble and respectful.
Differences arise wherever there are people. Not everyone responded positively. Some had turned to other paths, while others had their own plans. A few spoke in hushed tones, “We have other intentions. May we ask the senior to allow us to leave?” They were filled with trepidation.
Fengyun Wuji had anticipated this, and upon closer inspection, only a dozen or so individuals had such reservations. Generously, he said, “You are free to go. I will not force you to stay.”
“Thank you, senior.” These dozen individuals retreated cautiously, only daring to turn and leave after they had put some distance between themselves and the gathering.
Fengyun Wuji surveyed the surroundings, pondering for a long while. Amid the watchful eyes of the crowd, he finally declared, “This place has been the site of a great battle, the landscape leveled, making it an ideal location for our Sword Domain… I have decided, from this day forth, the Sword Domain shall be officially established here!”
His words resonated powerfully, reaching the ears of thousands of meters away, startling free swordsmen who then hurriedly dispersed. Fengyun Wuji, with a knowing smile and a nod, was confident that the news of the establishment of the Sword Domain would soon spread far and wide.
“Now that we are determined to establish the Sword Domain, we cannot lack a place to call our own. Today, let us begin by raising the first beam of the Sword Domain’s palace.” With that, Fengyun Wuji swept his sleeves, and dozens of fallen giant trees, driven by a formidable sword intent, soared into the sky. They then plummeted down with the force of ten thousand jun, embedding themselves deep into the earth. With a crack, the ancient trees shed their bark, revealing smooth, upright trunks that stood firmly in the ground…