Chapter 5540: Watching Ants Fight

The couple was among the greatest dao lords in history. Their brilliance in cultivation was only surpassed by their love for each other.

Darkfrost was a poor scholar from Dao Institution while Snowcloud was a princess from Flame Valley. Their love was met with heavy resistance from her side.

They decided to elope and had the fortune to come across Darkflame Sword Dao - one of the nine.

He picked Dark Sword Dao while she chose Flame Sword Dao. The two cultivated together and became dao lords at the same time - a rare occurrence that could be described as miraculous.

Their journey continued all the way to the immortal continent. They chose to pass away peacefully without any attempt at life prolongation or hibernation. She was the first and he followed. Their sword dao and supreme dao fruits melted into the land; they then became deities known as the Deity of Blades.

Born not on the same day but had the fortune to pass away on the same day - truly a tale for the ages. What else could one ask for in life but having the perfect companion?

Their descendants lived in the city and were known as the Guardian Clan, enjoying the protection of their renowned ancestors.

In all of Momentous Frontier, if one somehow found themselves in a position of danger, they just needed to pray sincerely and a sword dao would protect them.

Thus, the inhabitants of the region considered the Deity of Blades to be the guardian deity.

Among the many shrines in the city were those dedicated to the guardian deity. They enjoyed a constant stream of worshippers.

“It’s a nice place.” Niu Fen couldn’t help but praise: “They were apex dao lords indeed, there are traces of their sword dao everywhere still.”

“They have the most worshippers here.” Qin Baifeng commented. This didn’t come as a surprise to anyone given that the great city was the final resting place of the pair and their everpresent sword dao.

“Prosperous indeed.” Li Qiye could tell that mortals had a high quality of life in this paradise.

“The Guardian Clan has done a commendable job at administration. They are the descendants of the blade deities.” Baifeng commented.

“I heard that Daoflame Dual Lord had established a rule where their descendants aren’t allowed to cultivate.” Niu Fen said.

“Their descendants have not let them down by obeying the ancestral rule and remaining as mortals. Their policies over trading only improved the city’s economy.” Baifeng said. Although Daoflame Dual Lords were virtually unbeatable during their era, they forbade their descendants to cultivate.

Li Qiye smiled after hearing this, looked up at something, and continued forward. The others followed right behind him.

They came to a shrine clearly meant for the Deity of Blades. It boasted a magnificent and imposing appearance due to having many visitors.

However, Li Qiye approached an old tree in front of it where a middle-aged man was resting. He appeared to be in his thirties or forties, dressed in luxurious clothing.

Judging by his appearance, he most likely hailed from a wealthy family - the most affluent type. Both the materials and craftsmanship were awfully expensive in the mortal world.

From this, he should have been quite dignified, if not imposing. At the very least, he should have an air of pampered refinement. This was not the case since he lay on the ground like a child. His expensive robe was stained with mud and grass.

His hair was a mess. Even if someone were to help him tidy up, it would become disheveled in the next second. Worst of all, he had snots running down his nose, looking like a fool occupied with watching something.

Li Qiye crouched down next to him and saw that he was watching a group of ants brawling over a cricket’s leg.

He was immersed in the fight and didn’t notice Li Qiye sitting next to him. Qin Baifeng and the others came over as well.

The group didn’t find this particularly strange. After all, some cultivators learned the dao through watching ants fighting or a snake versus a crane. However, they didn’t need to do so given their current dao attainments. On the other hand, Li Qiye himself was watching - this changed the circumstances drastically.

After a while, one group emerged victoriously after a hard-fought battle.

“Was that brilliant?” Li Qiye asked with a smile.

“Yes, General Tiger performed valiantly, not just with its raw strength but also tenacity. The courageous emerged victoriously.” The man nodded, still not fully recovered from the exciting brawl just now. He gestured excitedly as if he had personally participated in the battle.

Any spectator would think that there was something wrong with his head. Li Qiye, on the other hand, entertained him: “Well, do you think there is anything General Tiger can do better?”

“Too reckless and aggressive, blindly charging forward and risking injuries. If it encounters someone slightly stronger who can block a few attacks, its courage and spirit will wane, resulting in inevitable defeat.” The man answered.

“That is true. If enemies can last just a bit longer, General Tiger would certainly taste defeat.” Li Qiye nodded in agreement.

“This is where resilience and perseverance come into play.” The man was in high spirits while discussing this matter: “The outcome won't be obvious.”

“Where do they come from?” Li Qiye asked.

“From absolute conviction, not yielding when facing insurmountable adversity while holding onto hope.” The man scratched his head before answering.

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“Mmm, this concept is known as the dao heart.” Li Qiye nodded again.

“The dao heart…” The man murmured these words. His eyes lit up and he clapped: “I like it, dao heart, that’s it, we’ll call it the dao heart!”

He then picked up a branch and waved it around: “Well, does a sword have a dao heart as well?”

The casual swing employed zero strength and dao profundity. It moved as naturally and unpredictably as the antlers of an antelope, not possessing any technique or form yet clearly in harmony with the sword dao.