Chapter 1147: One Sword to Silence the Demonic Sound
Chapter 1147: One Sword to Silence the Demonic Sound
This time, because Saint Embryo Li Fan had already received approval, his taking of the Heaven's Wonder proceeded smoothly.
Thus, the Wooden Sword offered no resistance.
The Wooden Sword's profound aura slowly faded.
A profoundly mystical ripple began to emanate from Saint Embryo Li Fan.
In that instant, the Xuanhuang Sword Dao was transferred.
As countless rusting swords in the tomb bent in a silent farewell, Saint Embryo Li Fan slowly departed.
"With the Heaven's Wonder, one can directly reach the Dao Integration realm."
"The sword's foundation, the sword's law, the sword becoming a grotto-heaven... and..."
"The self-transformation of the Xuanhuang Sword Dao."
"Then, by completely fusing the Heaven's Wonder with oneself, it's akin to devouring and mastering the laws of heaven and earth. That is the path to becoming a Dao Integration Immortal Venerable."
"It's certainly far easier than the path of an ordinary New Method cultivator. But the price..."
"It nearly severs all possibility of achieving Longevity by defying the world's principles. It's like the case of Mr. Bai, the Xuanhuang Great Heavenly Venerate, who rebelled against the very laws he commanded. Even a prodigy brilliant enough to succeed in such defiance could never escape the world's backlash."
"The day the Dao is proven is the day of one's demise."
As these thoughts churned in his mind, Saint Embryo Li Fan's cultivation realm steadily climbed.
He had only just reached Foundation Establishment when he departed the sword tomb.
By the time he left Tianyou Prefecture, however, Saint Embryo Li Fan had already ascended to the Golden Core realm.
And when he appeared before the white mist barrier that concealed the Abyss of Roars, he had already crossed the threshold into the Nascent Soul realm.
Without any conscious effort or hindrance, the world's spiritual energy surged toward him, pouring spontaneously into his body.
It became the very steps of his steady ascent.
"So this is the advantage of being recognized by the Heavenly Dao."
"And this is merely from the Dao of the Sword. I can hardly imagine what it would be like to have the favor of the entire Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao. No wonder Mr. Bai could reach Soul Transformation in a single step and attain Longevity in a heartbeat..."
With the Heaven's Wonder, cultivation no longer depended on external resources.
Combined with the world's very momentum actively aiding him, Saint Embryo Li Fan's rate of progress defied all logic.
Waves of Sword Dao radiated from him, forcing back the essence-devouring white mist.
Saint Embryo Li Fan transformed into a streak of sword light, shooting directly toward the Eternal Immortal Fortress.
By the time the faint wails of countless tormented spirits reached his ears, Saint Embryo Li Fan had achieved the same realm as his main body: Soul Transformation.
However, upon breaking through to the Soul Transformation realm, his understanding of his Sword Dao's evolution was still incomplete.
This caused his progress to slow abruptly.
"If I spend this life refining it, my progress will be even faster the next time I begin anew."
"Halt!" a thunderous shout shattered Saint Embryo Li Fan's train of thought.
Simultaneously, a figure appeared, blocking his path.
The figure was clad in shimmering cyan scale armor, wielding a heavy halberd pointed directly at Li Fan.
"Who goes there?! How dare you trespass at the Eternal Immortal Fortress?" the armored cultivator demanded, his tone hostile.
Li Fan's eyes narrowed slightly. He recognized that voice.
In his 114th life, he had been tasked with constructing the Tianxuan Spirit Lock Formation within the white mist outside the Eternal Immortal Fortress.
Later, when a sudden disturbance erupted from the Abyss of Roars, his post, Jiaxu Outpost, lost contact with the fortress.
With supplies dwindling, Li Fan had risked everything, defying his own Dao principles to journey back from the outpost alone and seek aid from the fortress.
Though he met with some trouble on the way, even straying into the Chaos Character Maze Domain...
...he ultimately escaped without harm.
He made it back to the Eternal Immortal Fortress just moments before his lifespan was completely exhausted.
He should have had decades left, but at that final, critical moment, a bellowed challenge—"What miscreant goes there?"—had stopped him in his tracks.
Li Fan was forced to explain himself, wasting precious time.
By the time he finally made it inside the fortress, his life force was spent, like a lamp without oil. He didn't have much time left.
...
Hmph.
Saint Embryo Li Fan gave the man a cool glance, offering no explanation.
Instead, he simply raised a finger like a sword and pointed forward.
In an instant, the white mist, which seemed as ancient as time itself, was rent asunder.
The wails from the Abyss of Roars were drowned out by the clear ring of a sword.
A brilliant white sword light blazed forth, illuminating the world.
The Eternal Immortal Fortress, forged from the severed hand of an ancient Celestial Venerable, and the terrifying abyss, seething with monstrous energy...
...both were laid bare by the light of his sword, with nowhere to hide and every detail exposed.
The immense sword light passed through the figure before him, vaulted over the Eternal Immortal Fortress, and plunged deep into the Abyss of Roars!
The world fell silent.
As if stunned by that world-shaking strike, the wails from the abyss did not resume for a long, long time.
Only when the white mist slowly closed, the gash in its veil sealing over, did the abyss once more vanish from sight.
Only then did the wretched, whispering wails begin to drift out once more, sporadic and hesitant.
But they were a mere shadow of their former intensity.
Perhaps they feared that any louder cry would draw his sword once more.
Shaking off their astonishment, every member of the Azure Profound Army within the Eternal Immortal Fortress fixed their gaze upon Li Fan's location.
All of them were utterly silent.
It was as if even the dense mist could not obscure the figure of the sword immortal standing within.
No one understood the terror of those demonic sounds better than the soldiers of the Azure Profound Army, who stood watch before the abyss day and night.
Yet now, that myriad cacophony had been silenced by a single strike of the sword.
What level of mastery was this?
The soldiers of the Azure Profound Army were mesmerized, their minds reeling and blank.
Saint Embryo Li Fan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing silently forward.
The armored cultivator in the cyan scales before him stood as still as a stone statue.
He had faced the sword strike head-on. And though the light had not harmed him physically, its image was now seared deep into his mind.
From now on, his mind would have room for nothing but the memory of that light.
He was catatonic, completely unresponsive to the world around him.
Conversely, if he could comprehend that single strike, absorb it, and make it his own...
...it would be an immense stroke of fortune for a Nascent Soul cultivator such as him.
Even without the resources to advance his realm, the insight from that strike alone would allow him to slay foes far beyond his level.
For the man Li Fan was today, there was no need to seek retribution for every past offense.
If their paths happened to cross again, a simple lesson would suffice.
The main purpose of Saint Embryo Li Fan's strike was a demonstration of power, intended to draw out Shang Shaojun, the commander of the Azure Profound Army.
After all, only by first demonstrating his power could he properly negotiate what was to come.
As expected, not a single soldier of the Azure Profound Army dared to step forward to greet Li Fan as he hovered in the white mist.
A moment later, the white mist stirred.
A bizarre figure, shimmering and undulating like a reflection on disturbed water, materialized before Li Fan.
"A fine strike, fellow Daoist!"
"I have guarded this Abyss of Roars for many years, and I never imagined the world could produce someone of your caliber!"
Shang Shaojun stared at Li Fan. "Why have you come here, fellow Daoist?"
Li Fan pointed down toward the nearby Abyss of Roars and smiled. "This demonic cacophony is grating. I intend to take my sword into the abyss and silence it for good."
"I wonder, would you be willing to join me, Commander Shang?"
Saint Embryo Li Fan asked, his gaze earnest and his tone utterly sincere.
(End of this chapter)
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