Chapter 317: Long Xi Xiang Teaches Disciples

Whooosh～

Above the sheer cliff, the cold wind howled.

Li Yuan's heart gave a sudden lurch; even through the several-hundred-zhang-long iron chain and the swirling clouds and mist, he could feel that sharpness piercing straight to his brow—overbearing and savagely fierce.

This saber intent, he knew it far too well.

At the very first glance, Li Yuan had already recognized it: this saber intent came from the same source as the one in that bronze divine realm.

"This saber…"

Li Yuan looked toward Long Xi Xiang beneath the green pine.

Beneath the old tree, Long Xi Xiang sat cross-legged in stillness, gazing at the fierce, savage saber intent at the far end of the iron chain:

"This is Wan Wan Zhuliu's Demon-Slaying Dragon God Saber intent."

The Demon-Slaying Dragon God Saber intent!

Wan Wan Zhuliu—number one Grand Master on the Divine Ranking, the Town-War Prince who had overawed the world for decades, the pillar of Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing, the foremost martial expert of the age.

Li Yuan's mind gave a 'buzz', and a flood of information leapt forth.

He had heard no telling how many legends about that Town-War Prince; when he had been battered by that saber master within the Bronze Tower divine realm, he had once suspected whether that saber master might be this very man—the unrivaled champion of the Dao of the Saber.

But a guess was only a guess. Hearing Long Xi Xiang say it now, he was still somewhat dazed, his heart in a momentary muddle, all kinds of stray thoughts flying about.

"It really is Wan Wan Zhuliu?!"

Li Yuan suddenly felt his mouth go dry and his tongue parched—here, and naturally in the Bronze Tower divine realm as well.

Then who exactly was the master of that Bronze Tower?

"Yes."

Long Xi Xiang nodded. The old monk, who was normally no stranger to talk, now seemed somewhat taciturn.

"This…"

Li Yuan's heart was somewhat in disarray, but he also understood why the old dragon-head had brought him to this divine realm.

Draw the saber.

"More than forty years ago, I was traveling to the Divine Capital with a close friend. Because of a certain matter, we were caught up in it, and I was struck by one saber from Town-War Prince Wan Wan Zhuliu…"

Without waiting for Li Yuan to ask, Long Xi Xiang had already begun speaking softly, recounting the origin of this saber intent, though he glossed over that 'certain matter' with a light touch.

'That close friend was Wang Wang Wenyuan…'

Li Yuan recalled that letter from Wang Wang Wenyuan, his heart stirred, and he formed some guesses.

In this world, there were not many matters that could make Wan Wan Zhuliu act.

And more than forty years ago, such a great event had indeed occurred in the Imperial Capital: experts of the Star-Plucking Tower assassinated the prince and slew the sovereign, killing the previous Emperor of Daoist Tianyun right within the great hall.

Could the old dragon-head also have taken part in that assassination?

Li Yuan muttered uneasily to himself.

Who exactly was Wang Wang Wenyuan?

A top-tier assassin of the Star-Plucking Tower, who had been traveling to the Divine Capital with him at the time of the assassination of the prince and sovereign, and who had been wounded by Wan Wan Zhuliu's saber intent… it could not be such a coincidence.

He strongly suspected that the old dragon-head had also once joined the Star-Plucking Tower.

"…Wan Wan Zhuliu's Wu Gong is already nearly that of gods and demons. This one saber cannot be driven out or dispelled; in the more than forty years since I suffered this collateral calamity, it has remained lodged here all along."

Long Xi Xiang went on speaking to himself, pausing slightly here:

"Today, the reason your master has invited you here is to pull out this saber."

"This disciple will give it his all!"

Li Yuan gathered his thoughts and, with solemn voice, cupped his fists in salute.

"Much appreciated."

Long Xi Xiang's expression eased slightly, but in his heart he truly did not harbor much hope—it was not that Li Yuan's talent fell short, but that Wan Wan Zhuliu was simply too overwhelmingly powerful.

In those more than forty years, he had battled it day after day, countless thousands upon tens of thousands of times, yet until the divine realm nearly collapsed and shattered, he had never managed to win even a single move or half a move, let alone pull out the saber intent.

"This saber…"

Li Yuan wanted to ask something, but Long Xi Xiang gestured for him to sit. After a moment of contemplation, he explained how to draw the saber.

The explanation was identical to what the master of the Bronze Tower had said; Li Yuan sat quietly and listened.

"Wan Wan Zhuliu wields the killing Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing 'Demon-Slaying Dragon God Saber'; he is universally acknowledged by the jianghu as the foremost man of the present age. This man's talent is so great it has reached an inconceivable degree."

Long Xi Xiang did not urge Li Yuan forward, but instead recounted for him some intelligence about Wan Wan Zhuliu—mainly his temperament, his deeds, and the divine arts that had made him famous throughout the world.

"Demon-Slaying Heavenward Tiangang, Dragon God Saber."

Li Yuan nodded. These two divine arts were enormously renowned; he had heard of them many times in certain ancient texts, and even from storytellers' mouths.

"Wan Wan Zhuliu mastered a host of ultimate learnings and divine arts, the most famous among them being precisely these two you mentioned. They are the divine arts he himself comprehended from the 'Demon-Slaying Dragon God Saber'."

Long Xi Xiang continued his explanation.

His understanding of these two divine arts ran deep. Amidst those tens of thousands of life-and-death struggles, he flattered himself that apart from those old fellows who, like him, had been gravely wounded by Wan Wan Zhuliu and lingered on in broken bodies, there were few who could be more familiar with them than he.

Divine arts comprehended from the Demon-Slaying Dragon God Saber?

Li Yuan's heart stirred slightly as he thought of his own "Rift Sea Mysterious Whale Diagram"; after his channels had reached Great Completion, he already possessed the foundation to comprehend the Mysterious Whale Diagram.

"His Dragon God Saber contains nine forms in all. The moves are few, but their variations seem inexhaustible. Do not think about breaking the moves—no one in this world can overcome his techniques through skill. To defeat him, you must meet force with force!"

Long Xi Xiang explained these two divine arts, and most of it was the hard-won lesson of his own bitter defeats.

"Meet force with force?"

Li Yuan listened with rapt attention, comparing it against his own past experiences of being battered, and found that the old dragon-head's understanding of it was already extremely minute—clearly he had once considered the path of breaking the moves.

"Wan Wan Zhuliu at the Tongmai stage had not yet cultivated the Dragon God Saber to the realm of returning to simplicity, but even so, you absolutely cannot break his moves."

Li Yuan nodded repeatedly. He was very amenable to advice—mainly because he himself had also suffered for it.

"Beyond the Dragon God Saber, there is the Demon-Slaying Heavenward Tiangang. Wan Wan Zhuliu at the Tongmai stage still possessed that body of unbreakable Tiangang, but his true Qi had already been refined to the utmost. Ordinary true Qi before him was like paper—pierced and torn at a touch."

Long Xi Xiang was far more attentive than that Master of the Bronze Tower, imparting his own insights.

"Disciple understands."

After a long while, Li Yuan felt his understanding of Wan Wan Zhuliu had deepened considerably and prepared to try a second time; after his meridians had fully matured, he had not yet attempted to draw his blade.

"No rush."

Long Xi Xiang stopped him: "Although you have ascended to the sixth floor of the Dragon and Tiger Tower and deeply understand the principles of combat and slaughter, you are still not enough to challenge him."

Seeing Li Yuan eager to try, Long Xi Xiang shook his head inwardly. He did not want Li Yuan to challenge him at this moment, fearing it would crush his confidence; these past few days, he had not slept or rested, poring over decades of his own recorded diaries.

He recalled that many years ago, Long Long Xinglie had also been eager to try, and after one battle, had fallen into depression for several years before emerging from the shadow.

"Disciple will try first; it won't cause any trouble."

"No."

Long Xi Xiang flatly refused.

Li Yuan could not prevail against him, so he could only sit down and listen as he continued speaking.

"Wan Wan Zhuliu ascended to the Grand Master realm sixty years ago, yet long before that, he had already embodied hundreds of forms, using them to outline his spirit manifestation that shook the world, the 'Dragon God Manifestation that Subdues Demons'."

"'Dragon God Manifestation that Subdues Demons'?"

Li Yuan recalled the domineering dragon eyes he had glimpsed during a previous slaughter.

"Combining myriad forms into one form is the Easy Form Combination, while possessing both spirit and form constitutes a Spirit Manifestation; this is a method available only after entering the Dao. The prototype of a Spirit Manifestation must be refined within the Bian Shi Shen Jing realm."

Long Xi Xiang spoke with a somewhat force-feeding intent, even mentioning realms that come after entering the Dao ahead of time.

Li Yuan listened with great interest and did not feel it was forcing a seedling to grow; he did not miss this rare opportunity and inquired about the mysteries of the Grand Master realm.

Regarding the various questions about refining organs, refining marrow, and exchanging blood, he had already received answers from that Master of the Bronze Tower.

"When blood and qi are sufficient, strength is born; when strength is sufficient, internal qi is born; when internal qi is sufficient, true qi can be transformed; when qi and spirit combine, life transforms into Gang, allowing interaction with heaven and earth to draw upon the power of heaven and earth..."

Long Xi Xiang tried to speak as simply and clearly as possible:

"The Bian Shi Shen Jing realm comes from visualization; using the mind to touch heaven and earth, imprinting a corner of heaven and earth within the heart—this is the prototype of the Bian Shi Shen Jing realm."

"The Bian Shi Shen Jing realm is the embodiment of a Grand Master's entire cultivation; essence, qi, and spirit are all contained within it, penetrating the mysteries of yin and yang. Once the Bian Shi Shen Jing realm is formed on its own, it undergoes the baptism of 'Earth Fiend' and 'Heaven Gang', transforming from void to reality."

"When the three essences of essence, qi, and spirit unite into one, and then merge meditatively with the qi of heaven and earth, the Easy Form Combination can be transformed into a Spirit Manifestation!"

Boom!

As he spoke, Long Xi Xiang flicked his finger; Li Yuan turned to look at the sound and saw mountains and rivers tremble, the sea of clouds churn, and a green dragon hundreds of meters long appearing and disappearing within it.

Beneath the cliff, the earth shook, as if a primordial giant elephant roared in anger, echoing the green dragon from afar.

"Roar!"

"Grrr!"

Upon the solitary peak, clouds rolled and relaxed.

Li Yuan looked up, feeling that massive creature was like the divine dragon of myths, circling the mountain body; he could even hear the sound of scales scraping against the cliff wall.

"Is this Long Xiang Heliu?"

"Yes."

Long Xi Xiang flicked his finger again, and the shadow of the dragon and elephant instantly vanished.

"Cultivation in the martial way lies in strengthening the body, yet human power has its limits. Even after undergoing three transformations from blood and qi to Easy Form, changing myriad forms and raising one's own limit to an extremely high place, there is still a limit."

Amidst the churning clouds and mist, Long Xi Xiang explained the mysteries of the martial way to his disciple:

"Easy Form is the final, and perhaps the only, realm that can raise one's own limit; whether refining organs or refining marrow and exchanging blood, these are merely various means to push the physique to this limit."

Li Yuan nodded.

His understanding of refining organs and refining marrow was profound, coming mainly from Old Han; what Old Dragon Head said was largely the same as what Old Han said.

"Therefore, between Easy Form and the full maturity of exchanging blood, there are plenty of instances in the Jianghu of fighting across ranks and winning; refining organs and refining marrow are merely means to elevate oneself to the limit of the human body."

Speaking thus, Long Xi Xiang glanced at Li Yuan:

"Human power has limits, while heaven and earth are boundless; thus, shifting from seeking within the body to seeking within heaven and earth is called entering the Dao, and is also called Grand Master."

"Thank you, Master, for clarifying."

Li Yuan bowed deeply.

"You are young and your talent is supreme; do not rush to break through the realm. Cherish the only opportunity to raise the limit of the human body before entering the Dao, but do not be overly obsessed."

Long Xi Xiang said calmly:

"No matter how high the limit, after exchanging blood, one is merely the power of a dragon. Not to mention a flood dragon or a spiritual dragon, even if it were a heavenly dragon, what then? Compared to the heavens, earth, stars, and universe, it is still but sand and soil."

"Disciple understands."

Li Yuan bowed, committing these words entirely to his heart:

"Refining organs, refining marrow and exchanging blood, yin and yang entering the Dao, Earth Fiend, Heaven Gang..."

Muttering to himself, Li Yuan felt the doubts accumulated in his heart swept away; when he straightened up, he looked again toward the other end of the iron chain:

"Then may this disciple go and try?"

"You?"

Long Xi Xiang frowned slightly, feeling he was somewhat impetuous; after thinking for a moment, he waved his hand:

"Do not seek success; treat it merely as tempering your martial arts. Hmm, go ahead."

"Yes!"

Li Yuan took a deep breath; Long Xi Xiang had already flicked his finger, conjuring a heavy hammer.

Li Yuan picked it up, stepped forward to the edge of the cliff; the view here was open, clouds and mist churned, an iron chain stretched out hundreds of meters, and below lay a ten-thousand-foot abyss.

"... This environment is not good."

Li Yuan glanced down; having lived on the ground for two lifetimes, he was truly somewhat afraid of heights.

But in a flash of thought, he suppressed this slight tremor; after all, if he really fell, it would have no effect.

Hoo—

Li Yuan tapped lightly with his feet and landed on the iron chain. His lightness skill was superb; the swaying of the chain had no effect on him at all.

Through the clouds and mist, he strode forward. After several hundred metres, that massive blade grew clearer and clearer in his eyes. Yet before he reached the end, the familiar, divine-light-wreathed Long Long Daozhu had already come walking slowly toward him.

"Crash—"

A sound like tide and waves came rolling in.

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"Sixty blades?!"

Six years ago, Long Long Xinglie, after battling dozens of times, had only managed to receive just over sixty blades.

"This kid!"

Long Xi Xiang instinctively moved closer to the iron chain, then, noticing the hum of the massive blade opposite, came to his senses and retreated several steps, so as not to draw the attention of the Heavenly Gang-level Wan Wan Zhuliu.

"Thrilling!"

On the iron chain, Li Yuan moved with the wind, displaying astonishing lightness skill. A long hammer roamed through the clouds and mist like an azure dragon.

Compared to last time, he had made astonishing progress.

With thirty-six qi channels running through his whole body, every move and stance of his was a fraction faster than before. That fraction alone greatly reduced his pressure.

A full sixty blades—and he hadn't even activated a single one of his controlled weapons, and felt as though he had room to spare.

Clang!

But in the next instant, the exhilaration in his heart had been slashed to nothing by a single blade.

That blade, enough to suppress all five senses, descended once more. Li Yuan raised his hammer to block, yet nearly had his head lopped off by the strike; it was the thunder-dragon formed of true qi that withstood half the blade for him.

"This blade is unsolvable."

Li Yuan retreated explosively, blue-black thunder dragons coiling around his body to empower him and block the omnipresent blade qi.

Boom!

After several more blades, Li Yuan had no choice but to activate six weapons including the Thunder Dragon Heaven-Settling Hammer. Relying on the empowerment of the divine weapons, he charged forward ferociously.

"Roar!"

At a certain instant, atop the lonely peak, Long Xi Xiang heard a ferocious dragon's cry.

Li Yuan's body then exploded into fragments.

"Aaargh!"

The dragon's cry was fierce.

Atop the lonely peak, Long Xi Xiang's aged face was flushed crimson, as though he had drunk a jar of the strongest Immortal-Drunk Wine:

"One hundred blades!"