Volume 1, Chapter 202 – Connection

Shi Lan had never before felt her blood and qi surging through her body so freely, almost to the point of boiling.

It was as if her strength had been magnified without limit. Every last trace of power hidden deep within her body had been excavated.

Dense spiritual qi continuously nourished her body without end.

“Crack—”

After several days and nights of frenzied clashes, both the Purple Star Seven-Section Halberd and the long sword in the incarnation’s hand had reached their limits. The halberd blade and the sword edge shattered at the same time, fragments scattering everywhere.

As the sword blade broke, the incarnation drifted back, joined two fingers into a sword seal, and slit open its wrist.

Bright red blood sprayed out, mixing with the spiritual qi in the air and condensing into a blood-colored sword qi.

Like a swimming dragon, the sword qi split the void and instantly closed in on Shi Lan. There was no way to evade it. In nearly the blink of an eye, the razor-sharp sword qi pierced through Shi Lan’s right shoulder.

Pale violet blood splashed through the air. Shi Lan let out a muffled grunt and took a step back. Her body seemed to be stimulated; strands of spiritual qi were frantically drawn to her side, turning into wisps of white mist that enveloped her.

After slashing out that blood-colored sword qi, the incarnation formed another long sword in its hand. The sword qi, which had calmed for only an instant, once again rose into a raging storm.

Shi Lan’s body, already glowing faintly, took on a sheen like colored glaze. The wound in her right shoulder stopped bleeding at once. Her flesh became like precious jade, brilliant and radiant.

The light grew ever more dazzling, seeping inward from the surface of her body. Shi Lan’s flesh, organs, and bones all became crystal clear, like glazed glass, incomparably resplendent.

Shi Lan’s physical body had reached perfection.

Tempered for days by boundless sword qi and nourished by a vast quantity of spiritual qi, the Jade Tempering Art had finally broken through that last thin barrier. It stepped into the ninth level, reaching the peak and condensing a Glazed Jade Body, one that even dharma treasures could scarcely injure.

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A crystalline hand, as if carved from white jade, reached out without dodging and grabbed the long sword slashing toward her.

Bang—

With a dull thud, palm and sword met. The blade sank only three-tenths of an inch into the flesh before becoming stuck, unable to advance another inch.

“Crack—”

Shi Lan gripped the sword with her left hand, then turned her right hand into a blade and struck down with it, instantly snapping the long sword apart!

As the sword blade broke, the incarnation paused very slightly, abandoned the sword, and retreated.

Shi Lan did not halt in the least. She tossed aside the remaining half of the broken blade in her hand, used her body to forcibly withstand the boundless sword qi, and in a single step crossed to the incarnation’s front. Her fair hand suddenly clenched into a fist, blazing with dazzling golden light, and punched out explosively.

That punch carried the utmost peak of Shi Lan’s power. Every tendon and bone in her body trembled, releasing a string of grinding sounds, and a faint ripple appeared in the void.

Before the fist even arrived, the violent gale from it had already blown apart the incarnation’s long hair. Its robes whipped madly in the wind, crackling loudly before being torn to shreds in an instant.

Boom!

With a deafening explosion like a thunderstorm, a figure flew backward several hundred zhang. The clothes on its upper body were completely shattered, revealing a powerfully built physique. At the center of its chest, an almost inch-deep fist mark was clearly visible.

Another figure followed close behind. Pale violet blood and qi roared like a dragon. Both fists gleamed as if coated in gold lacquer, dragging layers of airwaves with them. Accompanied by bursts of Brahma-like chants, they struck out countless fist shadows in succession, like meteors chasing the moon.

The incarnation, which had not even landed yet, was sent flying away once more by the countless fist shadows.

Bang bang bang bang!

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All that could be heard was the muffled sound of fist after fist landing squarely on flesh.

After using several full sets of Vajra Divine Fist, Shi Lan felt utterly exhilarated, as if drinking ice-cold dew in summer or holding a warm stove in winter. Her mood had become unrestrainedly畅快, and she vented every bit of pent-up emotion in her heart.

Wuxu slowly rose to his feet, unable to conceal the satisfaction in his eyes. In Shi Lan, he saw limitless potential.

At such an age, to be able to fight a Sovereign at the same level and even defeat him in battle was terrifying enough to inspire awe.

In his view, Shi Lan already possessed the makings of a Sovereign. So long as she did not die young midway through life, she might perhaps one day have a chance to touch the realm of a Great Emperor. As for those qualified to be called Great Emperors, there had only ever been a handful from ancient times to the present.

Though her temperament was somewhat lacking, missing a trace of ruthless resolve and being overly soft-hearted, none of that was of great consequence. As she grew older in the future, she would come to recognize those shortcomings herself. There was no need for others to point fingers and instruct her further.

What Wuxu valued most was the true intent of Martial Dao that had already begun to sprout within Shi Lan, though perhaps Shi Lan herself had not yet realized it…

“Pat—”

The incarnation finally hit the ground. Covered in blood and nearly reduced to a pile of mangled flesh, it slowly dissipated.

“Hoo…”

Shi Lan’s breathing gradually lightened from heavy to soft. The sword wounds on her body began to heal slowly, more than ten times faster than before.

The Yueji Skirt on her body had many tears in it, but fortunately there was still a layer of soft armor underneath, so it did not completely fall apart.

“So does this mean I’ve passed your trial?”

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Shi Lan looked toward Wuxu and asked.

“Of course it counts.”

Before Wuxu could speak, a clear and bright voice slowly rang out.

The surrounding space shifted for a moment, returning to the original great hall.

A familiar figure sat motionless atop the high platform. One incarnation of Guiyun Sword Sovereign stood not far from Shi Lan, one hand resting on the hilt of a four-foot sheathed longsword, looking at her with a gentle expression.

Wuxu’s expression turned somewhat dazed.

“My inheritor… little girl, I am very pleased to meet you.”

Hearing Guiyun Sword Sovereign’s words, a trace of disbelief flashed through Shi Lan’s eyes. He could see her?

How was that possible? Guiyun Sword Sovereign had died who knew how many years ago. How could his consciousness possibly have been preserved until now?

“Naturally, I cannot see you. Judging by the time I calculated, you should have arrived here several hundred thousand years after my death. This is merely a strand of my divine sense, tasked with safeguarding the inheritance.”

As if knowing exactly what Shi Lan was thinking, Guiyun Sword Sovereign spoke in a calm tone. He slowly walked in front of Shi Lan, his gaze unfocused, and said with a trace of emotion:

“When I calculated that the one to obtain my inheritance would be a woman, I was astonished for quite a long time as well… little girl, you are remarkable.”

“The path of cultivation is like treading through brambles. Because of all manner of difficulties, it is even several parts harder for women to walk than for men. That you were able to defeat my incarnation is enough to prove that you are stronger than the vast majority of people in this world.”

Guiyun Sword Sovereign slowly raised the long sword in his hand and held it horizontally before Shi Lan as he said:

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“However… before I pass on my inheritance, I have a few questions to ask you.”

This strand of Guiyun Sword Sovereign’s divine sense was far more lively than the previous one. Nor did he call himself ‘this Sovereign,’ making him seem very approachable.

“How do you view the connection between this Heaven and Earth and the living beings within it?”

Shi Lan remained silent, waiting for Guiyun to explain. The answer had clearly long since been predetermined.

After the great hall fell silent for a moment, Guiyun Sword Sovereign frowned slightly, then slowly relaxed.

“You do not wish to speak? Or do you not know?”

Shi Lan still did not speak.

“Then I shall speak of my answer.”

“Whether Ancient Gods, humans, demons, devil-kind, or any other living beings, all are nurtured by this天地. After death, they return to heaven. In the final analysis, it comes down to only eight words: ‘Taken from heaven, returned to heaven.’”

From where life comes, there too death goes.

“But once a living being’s cultivation steps into the Emperor level, this balance is broken. At that stage, living beings gain the ability to break away from this Heaven and Earth.”

“In order to retain its own power, heaven and earth will bring down a world-destroying great tribulation, obstructing living beings from ascending to the Emperor level…”