[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-borrowing-the-sword":3,"chapter-borrowing-the-sword-borrowing-the-sword-chapter-100":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Borrowing the Sword",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},2214665,3888,"Chapter 100: Near Total Annihilation","borrowing-the-sword-chapter-100",100,"\u003Cp>Near Total Annihilation\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The tide of the Treasure Cloud Sea is rising again; the children are likely returning!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mere few months is but a snap of the fingers for cultivators. In the past ten months, although over ten thousand cultivators had entered the Hengze Heaven, the Treasure Cloud Ferry was by no means deserted. Cultivators from all over arrived to take the Yiyun Ferry, and even great experts crossed the Fengfu River to wait for their juniors to emerge. Needless to say, these were all great experts from major sects who had deep confidence in their disciples, hence they came in person to ensure that no unexpected mishaps occurred once the Hengze Jade Dew was brought out. For Foundation Establishment cultivators, the struggle ended the moment they brought the Jade Dew out of Hengze Heaven, but for their elders, the real meat of the drama lay in the journey that followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"True Person Lu, it has been a long time. I didn't expect you to be the one to receive your disciples this time.\" In front of the Treasure Cloud Ferry, a lady in embroidered robes smiled and struck up a conversation with Lu Huangning. \"It feels like a millennium since we last parted.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Huangning coughed, a trace of a bitter smile appearing on his face. \"True Person Zhang, you don't remember? Five hundred years ago, when you visited Purple Essence Mountain, we met once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>True Person Zhang let out an \"ah,\" tilted her head to ponder for a long while, and then offered an apologetic smile. \"I am old, and my memory is poor. I truly don't remember. Please forgive me, True Person Lu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone who cultivates the Dao possesses a near-perfect memory. Unless Lu Huangning had deliberately employed some divine ability, there was no reason for True Person Zhang to have forgotten. This was a subtle mockery, implying that Lu Huangning had become so destitute and obscure within his sect that his visit hundreds of years ago wasn't even worth True Person Zhang's notice. The several great cultivators sitting or standing near the Treasure Cloud Ferry were all well aware of this. As various gazes turned toward them, they were all waiting to see Lu Huangning's reaction. Within the field of their imposing auras, a silent struggle had already begun, with each forming their own camp to vie for the initiative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Huangning had an excellent temperament and smiled. \"It is common for noble people to have busy memories, True Person Zhang.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His aura was like a stubborn rock, steadily occupying a corner of the field—neither too large nor too small, exactly the portion that every Nascent Soul cultivator should occupy. True Person Zhang’s aura was overbearing, yet Lu Huangning seemed not to notice, his aura not trembling in the slightest. Just as True Person Zhang was about to press closer, a bearded cultivator with leopard-like eyes and ringed eyes in the distance said in a deep voice, \"Enough. The great tide of the Treasure Cloud Sea is imminent. Lady Zhang, if you stir the spiritual energy and disrupt the tide, I will come looking for you to settle the score.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke with great authority, and True Person Zhang’s delicate body couldn't help but tremble, as if unable to withstand the surge of his aura. Her phoenix eyes contained a murderous intent, and just as she was about to speak, her expression suddenly shifted. In an instant, her figure transformed into petals that fell to the ground, and when she reappeared, she was already at the edge of the sky. The other cultivators also sensed the subtle changes in the spiritual energy within the tide and transformed into rays of light to head there. Lu Huangning smiled at a female cultivator beside him. \"Shaowei, can you feel it? That unique spiritual energy of Hengze Heaven. When you first came here a thousand years ago, I fear you didn't have such a profound realization.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shaowei was very solemn beside Lu Huangning. Hearing his question, she first bowed slightly to show her respect, then said with a serious expression, \"When I came then, it was to protect my Junior Brother. I only felt that within the spiritual energy of Hengze Heaven, there was a unique charm. Today, having luckily achieved a small success in my Jin Dan, I am finally able to capture the primitive and desolate intent within the spiritual energy. I fear this Hengze Heaven was left behind by an ancient great expert who fell here when this universe was first opened. I have a hypothesis—I fear this heaven has an inextricable relationship with Huang Shoushan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Huangning smiled slightly and said warmly, \"You have indeed improved quite a bit. But you are also too cautious; do you think I would eat you? Let us go. Hengze Heaven is about to open, and I wonder if Little Ci and Fengyu have made any friends inside.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached out a hand toward Xu Shaowei. Xu Shaowei’s shoulders trembled slightly, and she only dared to grab Lu Huangning’s sleeve. Lu Huangning shook his head with a smile and a sigh, then carried her along as they transformed into a stream of light. In the blink of an eye, they appeared at the place where the spiritual energy of Hengze Heaven was erupting. They chose a random auspicious cloud to stand upon, looked down at the turbulent sea of spiritual energy below, and asked, \"Do you remember how you came out when you last came?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shaowei said, \"When I went in, I was swept in. When I returned, I stayed on the shore, holding my Junior Brother’s head in my arms. The moment the tide rolled in, I unleashed my magic treasure, killed everyone around me, snatched the Jade Dew, and was swept by the tide into that sea of spiritual energy beneath the clouds. I struggled to swim upward, but because I was carrying the Jade Dew, my body became heavier the more I swam. With no other choice, I had to throw my Junior Brother’s head and the Jade Dew down together, and a cultivator surnamed Ran from the Qinglingmen picked up the bargain. They ultimately obtained the Jade Dew.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking of the events from a thousand years ago, there was a hint of nostalgia in her voice. \"In the blink of an eye, Junior Brother Huang has been dead for a thousand years. My master was heartbroken for several days because of the news of his death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Huangning also sighed. \"In the Great Dao, letting go halfway is the constant. Junior Brother Huang’s grace seems as if it were just before my eyes; to think it has been a thousand years since we stood side by side.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both fell silent. Xu Shaowei unknowingly tightened her grip on Lu Huangning’s sleeve, seemingly sensing someone looking at them. She retracted her hand, frowned, and looked back, but saw only dancing auspicious clouds. Where could anyone be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Huangning asked, \"What is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shaowei shook her head. \"Nothing... but why hasn't anyone come out yet?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her brows furrowed slightly. \"If it were like my time, as soon as the tide rose, people would be swept out. Could it be that some strange change has occurred within Hengze Heaven?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Huangning also revealed a look of concern. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard a sound of tides, and then several auras appeared within the sea beneath the clouds. Although weak, they could be distinguished—they were indeed Foundation Establishment disciples swimming upward. His expression relaxed, and he smiled. \"They are coming. I wonder if they can swim through this final obstacle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If they haven't been assimilated too much, it shouldn't be a problem... Ah!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shaowei couldn't help but cover her mouth and gasp. \"How... how did they all fall back down?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her delicate face was filled with shock and suspicion. \"Could it be those little cultivators who took the precious medicine? But that shouldn't be. The more precious medicine they take, the deeper they integrate, and the heavier their bodies become; the tide cannot easily sweep them. It is not yet the peak of the spiritual tide; it will take two or three hours before they are sent out. Those who can come out now should be those who haven't integrated too much and have higher cultivation levels. How could they...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as she was speaking, another wave surged, but not a single person came out of Hengze Heaven. At this point, everyone knew that something major must have happened inside. The Nascent Soul cultivators couldn't help but withdraw their competing auras. The lady in embroidered robes landed beside Lu Huangning and said gravely, \"Senior Brother Lu, have you sensed anything?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been looking for trouble with Lu Huangning earlier, but now that a change had occurred, she couldn't help but seek his advice first, her tone even becoming very intimate. The bearded cultivator in the distance sneered upon seeing this, but he also asked aloud, \"True Person Lu, you studied under True Person Wang and are most skilled in the art of sensing. Do you have any ominous warnings in your heart?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Huangning shook his head. \"I am untalented... Ah, one has come out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone stimulated their spiritual sense, and sure enough, they sensed an aura emerging from the depths of the cloud sea, struggling to swim upward. The cultivators couldn't help but fix their eyes on that spot, but they couldn't help, only allowing that aura to struggle and swim upward. It stopped several times to circulate its energy, and in a precarious situation, it emerged onto the cloud surface. A female cultivator in blue robes cried out, \"It is a child from our Guiyi Sect!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She raised her long sleeves, swept the white-clad disciple to her side, patted a ray of spiritual light into his body, and asked, \"Good child, has something happened in Hengze Heaven?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little disciple appeared extremely panicked. Seeing his sect elder, he wept and said, \"Grand Martial Aunt, something major has happened. Senior Sister Mu is already dead. They, they all cannot come out...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He struggled to swim onto the cloud head, and having been squeezed by the spiritual pressure from the depths, he was clearly severely injured. As he spoke, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of filthy blood and said intermittently, \"I couldn't enter the Eight City Gates and was severely injured outside. Senior Sister Mu told me to wait outside the city while she went in to take a look, and she never came out again. Later, later they came out and said many things, saying that the sect is an Eternal Dao City...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the words \"Eternal Dao City\" were spoken, the expressions of all the cultivators changed drastically. The blue-robed female cultivator’s face was as heavy as water, and she waved her long sleeves repeatedly, blocking the invisible pressure brought by the gazes of many great experts for the disciple. The disciple was still affected by the spiritual power shock and spat out another mouthful of blood. \"They are fighting a Dao struggle with the Five Elements Yin-Yang Dao Ancestors...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dao struggle!\" Xu Shaowei’s hair stood on end. She couldn't help but lean a few steps closer to Lu Huangning and whispered, \"With the Creation Dao Ancestors?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing closer, she realized that Lu Huangning was repeatedly forming seals in his sleeve with one hand, clearly using a divine ability to contact his sect. Xu Shaowei felt a chill in her heart, knowing that the matter was of great importance. She immediately collected her thoughts, not daring to disturb Lu Huangning further, and thought to herself, \"Hengze Heaven has indeed changed. I just don't know if anyone obtained the Jade Dew this time. If this person could come out, then surely others could too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone had unknowingly gathered around the disciple. The blue-robed female cultivator was also anxious; she patted another ray of spiritual light into the disciple’s body and asked, \"What was the result of the Dao struggle?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There was no result. Originally, the inner and outer cities could not communicate, but suddenly the Dao City turned into sand and disappeared. They all arrived outside the city, and no one sensed the aura of the Jade Dew. I heard that there seemed to be a trace of aura in the depths of the battlefield, but at that time the battle was deadlocked, and no one could obtain it, so the Jade Dew faded away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disciple received the two rays of spiritual light, and his aura finally gradually stabilized. Wiping the blood from his lips, he said, \"The great tide came this morning. We all rushed to the shore, but we didn't see the sea of spiritual energy. Instead, we saw a passage, and at the end of the passage was the Langhuan Zhou Tian. Everyone rushed forward, and then...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>#\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dead!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Truly dead!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside Hengze Heaven, it was already a mess. Thousands of cultivators were gathered in front of a passage, all extremely anxious. Some even had their spiritual energy surging chaotically, their meridians disrupted by this chaotic field of imposing auras, suffering not-insignificant injuries. \"How is this possible? Could this actually be true?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We can't get out? Is this some kind of illusion?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone move aside! Those who have tried once, step to the back! Those with the lowest cultivation, try first!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the crowd, some cultivators were running and shouting, releasing their spiritual pressure to intimidate everyone. \"Everyone knows that when we leave Hengze Heaven, we swim upward in the sea of spiritual energy. The lower the cultivation, the higher the position they appear in the sea. They swim upward, creating a force of buoyancy, so that cultivators appearing in the depths can borrow that force to go up. Otherwise, the spiritual pressure is enough to damage one's Dao foundation! Quick, those with low cultivation, come forward! You—you come!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several cultivators were pushed into the passage without a word, but after struggling a few steps, they all showed expressions of pain and quickly retreated back into Hengze Heaven, shouting, \"I can't do it either!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That place is not the Langhuan Zhou Tian! As we walk forward, we only feel a sense of rejection all over our bodies. If we go further, we feel as if all the spiritual energy has turned into sharp swords. Never mind breathing; even our faces and bodies feel excruciating pain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, everyone opened their clothes, and sure enough, they saw that many places on their bodies were already oozing blood, just like the hundreds of people before them. \"That place ahead is definitely not the Langhuan Zhou Tian!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But the spiritual tide has already risen. Even if this place doesn't lead to the Treasure Cloud Sea, we must find a way out. Otherwise, once time passes, who knows what changes will occur within Hengze Heaven? A thousand years from now, we will certainly not exist, and there will be no possibility of returning to the Zhou Tian!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The passage was extremely wide. A dozen people arguing at the entrance didn't completely block it. People didn't tell them to walk away either. Several people had just endured the pain and rushed out of the passage, but they hadn't been able to swim to the surface; instead, they had fallen into the depths of the sea within everyone's view. Therefore, not many cultivators dared to try to get out now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While these dozen people were talking, a white-clad cultivator tentatively walked forward a few steps. He was initially very guarded, but the further he walked, the more relaxed his expression became. He turned back and shouted, \"I can! I can!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as everyone looked over, a tide came and swept him away. They could vaguely see his figure struggling to swim upward in the sea. The crowd suddenly became chaotic again. Many people rushed into the passage. One or two out of ten could get out, but more people found it difficult to move. The crowd was noisy, and there was no conclusion. Ruan Ci watched coldly from the crowd, pushed Li Pingyan with her hand, and whispered, \"Senior Brother Li, you go first. Be careful; the spiritual pressure might be very strong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Pingyan didn't know if he had realized something from the chaos, but he turned and bowed deeply to Ruan Ci without a word, then flew toward the passage. Ruan Ci pulled Qin Fengyu. \"Yu Niang, wait a moment. See that Youwen, myself, Shen Qi, and Little Su have all left, then you go out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this extremely chaotic field of imposing auras, no aura could be sensed or connected, but Ruan Ci believed in the abilities and comprehension of the three. She stared at Li Pingyan, saw his figure mixed in the crowd, rushing into the passage, his feet not stopping, and soon he was swept away. Her heart also relaxed. She paid attention and saw, not long after, a tall cultivator running over, nodding slightly at her. It was the Senior Brother Xu who had eaten a meal with them when they first entered the city gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Ci understood in her heart and thought, \"So Senior Brother Xu really did die at Youwen’s hands, and it had nothing to do with the Dao City’s punishment. It must be that Youwen caught him off guard and had long since poisoned the wine he drank.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She also nodded slightly to indicate that she understood. Jiang Youwen’s body submerged into the passage and was swept away by the tide just as smoothly. Ruan Ci followed closely behind, squeezed Qin Fengyu’s hand, separated from her, and walked toward the passage. Just as one foot stepped into the passage, she heard someone behind her shouting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I understand!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All fellow Daoists who have participated in the Dao struggle and worked for the Dao City—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"—can never get out again!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Successive exclamations and wails erupted suddenly. Ruan Ci’s heart tightened. She looked back, hoping that Shen, Su, and Qin were all clever enough to hurry in. One must know that 80% of the cultivators present had contributed to the Dao City, and many had personally fought to kill Yin-Yang Dao soldiers. If they knew they could never return to the real world and could only stay in such a virtual number as Hengze Heaven forever, who knew what they would do in their anger and grief? It was hard to guarantee that someone wouldn't kill the cultivators who could get out to vent their anger! Or perhaps, influenced by the extremely chaotic field of imposing auras, they might lose their minds and fight blindly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the front of the passage became a battlefield, Qin Fengyu might be fine, but Shen Xun and Su Jingxing might not be able to get out. And Ruan Ci had already calculated in her heart that the number of cultivators who had already gone out was at most a few dozen. The buoyancy force formed was simply insufficient, and it would probably be difficult to even carry a Foundation Establishment sixth-layer cultivator. Shen Xun and Su Jingxing had to come out too, so that Qin Fengyu could swim up safely. Otherwise, looking at the stiff swimming posture of the first cultivator who swam out, she feared Qin Fengyu would be injured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the secret realm, changes were truly unpredictable. Hengze Heaven opened once every thousand years. Who knew how many generations of cultivators had entered to train? When they went out, there were at least hundreds or thousands of people, and the buoyancy force was very abundant, so there was no need to be so calculating. Yet this time, such a change occurred, and Qin Fengyu, who had the highest cultivation, was in great danger. Ruan Ci looked around and saw the figures of Shen Xun and Su Jingxing flash through the crowd, with Qin Fengyu’s red clothes following closely behind. Her heart just relaxed when a coolness brushed across her face, and a huge force pushed her toward the end of the passage. The next moment, she appeared in the sea of spiritual energy. Pressure attacked from all directions, almost pressing her Dao foundation to tremble immediately. If not for the Donghua Sword jumping lightly on her wrist, emitting a gentle repulsive force to slightly push away the surrounding spiritual energy, Ruan Ci would have spat out blood on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking around again, it was a vast black sea, with no one in sight above or below. Her heart was cold, and she felt that rising was extremely difficult, while sinking was easy and rapid. The weight of all the spiritual energy seawater above her head pressed down: clearly she was only at the fourth layer of Foundation Establishment, how could she have been teleported to such a deep place!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Updated, sorry for the wait, everyone. I'm sending out red packets for this chapter~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today's question: Does everyone know why the cultivators who participated in the Dao City conquest can't go back?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I went to eat iron pot stew at noon because I saw corn porridge on Douyin last night. I suddenly realized that I had never eaten this food before. I used to think it was just mixed grain porridge, but I found out it wasn't! I am full of curiosity and a spirit of trying for this local delicacy I have never tasted before, so I will try it immediately at noon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The book I mentioned I would recommend before is \"Silver Jar Illumination.\" This book has a very literary temperament and good writing, but the plot is a bit slow. I think there are too many memories of things before the rebirth, but it still feels quite comfortable to read, and there aren't too many complaints.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Preparing to watch \"Dungeon Growth Diary.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>. Thanks to the little angels who cast overlord votes or irrigated nutrient solution for me between 2020-09-28 12:09:17 and 2020-09-29 11:49:48~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to the little angel who cast a hand grenade: Hu Jing Meng Xing Yu Lai Zao (1);\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to the little angels who cast landmines: Qi Ran (20); Ci Yue, 20389005, Hu Jing Meng Xing Yu Lai Zao, Ming Ji, Ke Ke Ai Ai, truedfy, Yi Yi Bu Da O, Ye Se Ru Mo, Yu Wan Yao (1);\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to the little angels who irrigated nutrient solution: Lang Li Ge Lang (40); Wan Shui Qian Shan, Jiu Diao Chong Tan, M, Wang Cuizi, Ge Xing (30); Si Er (24); aelccc, Ju Zi Qi Shui, wly, catherine, Lan Ai Wan Qi, Xiao Ke Ai, 20844356, Shi Yi Dou Ya Cai, Zhen Jian Bi Sha kira (10); sidewalker, Zhao Hai, Li He Ping, Zui E Xiao Zhu, Tuan Tuan Yuan Zi (5); Han Xiao De Liu Xing, Chen Xiao Chuang (4); Xiao Bai Yin Qi Ni De Zhu Yi Le (3); Feng Guang (2); Quan Shui Ding Dong, Bao Mu Cao Xi Yang, Cheng Bi, Qing Lou Chu Guan Yi Hong Yuan (1);\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thank you all very much for your support, I will continue to work hard! \u003C\u002Fp>",3859,"2026-06-17T08:48:53.797Z","2026-06-18T03:10:38.119Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","11f1dae1ceebb9695ceb9af67944934f8d436a54fdbd9677e9408eee63c6ef38","borrowing-the-sword-chapter-101","borrowing-the-sword-chapter-99",286,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fborrowing-the-sword-cover.jpg"]