Chapter 81. Comprehending the Heaven-Earth Sword, Visitors from the Outer Cosmos? (1)

Not only had Lu Yuan reached the level 99 sword stele, but in mere moments, he had directly comprehended the sword stele's legacy.

It needed to be known that there were still many others who hadn't even started comprehending their chosen stele. They were still in the process of acclimating to the pressure.

But Lu Yuan? He had already succeeded. From the moment he sat down up to this very point, it had barely been a few minutes.

The Ice Fairy, the Northern Emperor, Asura, Zhu Qingyu—every single one of them was struck by astonishment.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Could the difference in comprehension truly be this vast?

Even Young Celestial Master Chunyang and Master Huikong could only shake their heads repeatedly. Especially when they recalled the things they had said earlier... The comparison now felt downright humiliating.

Everything the two of them had achieved—when placed beside Lu Yuan's current performance—was nothing short of dull and dim.

"The inheritance sealed within the level 99 sword stele must be the most powerful of them all," Dean Chen muttered, snapping out of his daze as excitement surged through him.

His initial expectation was that the Academy could acquire a legacy in the level thirties range. But this? This was something no one had dared to imagine!

The legacy hidden within the level 99 sword stele, just how heaven-defying that could be!

The other deans held the same thought. This went far beyond mere surprise; it was a windfall from heaven. Lu Yuan's comprehension was terrifying, yes, but whatever he gained, the Aurora Academy would get a share of it too, no?

Now that Lu Yuan had comprehended the most powerful legacy of all, how could they not be overjoyed?

But just then—

"Everyone..." Dean Zheng's voice cut through the excitement. Watching their elated faces, his heart was already sinking to the pit of his stomach. Guilt and dread clutched at his chest. He knew he couldn't keep it from them any longer.

So, he took a deep breath and steeled his resolve.

"I... I previously gave Mr. Lu my word. Whatever inheritance he manages to comprehend here at Ancient Mount Shu... he does not need to hand over even a single copy to our Academy."

His voice was so soft it was practically a whisper. It was as if he was only willing to let himself hear it. How could he have possibly predicted this outcome... He felt like he was about to burst into tears, too.

And as soon as those words left his lips, everyone froze.

Then, as if struck by lightning, the other four deans turned toward him in unison, eyes wide with disbelief.

"WHAT?!"

The single syllable was shouted out in perfect harmony; the collective roar of the four furious deans echoed across the mountain.

***

At the summit of Sword Mountain, before the ninety-ninth sword stele, Lu Yuan sat cross-legged, his eyes tightly shut.

While the outside world trembled beneath the celestial phenomenon, a completely different scene was unfolding within his mind.

The heavens and earth were a vast canvas of gray—neither pure nor murky, but endless and indistinct.

Beneath the ancient Bodhi Tree sat the golden little figure, an incarnation of the Innate Spirit, the god of wisdom.

Hovering in the air, a sword formed from countless streams of energy stretched across the sky, its full length immeasurable. It pierced through the heavens and spanned the earth.

A ferocious sword intent flowed from this blade. It was overwhelming and boundless, as if it sought to suppress all life beneath the heavens.

It was such a special existence that the moment it appeared, even the fabric of the world began to shudder.

This sword was the legacy sealed within the ninety-ninth sword stele of Ancient Mount Shu.

There was no name.

No written scriptures.

No techniques to memorize.

Only a single sword.

Were it any ordinary person, they would see nothing at all.

But as the golden little figure's aura gently brushed against that colossal sword of energy, the Bodhi Tree began to shimmer with sacred light.

Then, a low chant of the Buddha echoed through the void.

Gradually, everything began to clarify.

"No specific move, no specific method. Only... a singular will?"

As Lu Yuan sank deeper into his comprehension, his understanding took shape.

To master the divine way of the sword, one must first grasp the essence of what a sword was. There was no need to bind oneself to form or technique. So long as one understood the sword, truly understood that will, then every blade of grass, every leaf and pebble, all things between heaven and earth... could become a sword in one's hand.

No wonder it was said the Great Luo Sword Embryo was perfectly suited for this sword art. Wasn't the power of the sword embryo nurtured by drawing in rare divine materials over time until it surpassed all worldly limitations?

Little by little, Lu Yuan's insight deepened.

According to Daoist scripture, "Great Luo" signifies the entirety of heaven and earth. It represented that which was eternal, unshakable, and untouched by the myriad tribulations of the world.

And this sword—this legacy—carried the same meaning. A sword that emerged between heaven and earth, before which all living beings would bow their heads.

Thus, the divine sword art within the ninety-ninth stele bore a simple and straightforward name: Heaven-Earth Sword.

"I get it now," Lu Yuan opened his eyes; rays of divine brilliance surged forth from his gaze.

At the very moment Lu Yuan fully comprehended the Heaven-Earth Sword, the entire Sword Mountain fell silent. The brilliant phenomena that had shaken the heavens just moments before vanished completely.

Everything returned to its original stillness.

Even the sword stele before him now looked no different from any other—ordinary and unassuming.

Lu Yuan, however, simply smiled. Then, with unhurried grace, he rose to his feet.

The legacy of Ancient Mount Shu truly lived up to its legendary name.

That said, a question still lingered on his mind.

Who had left behind these ninety-nine sword steles?

Even if the Awakening happened, such things couldn't possibly manifest from nothing. They must have been forged in some distant time.

Perhaps, once upon a time, there really had been a sect of sword immortals atop this ancient peak. And perhaps, it was they who left behind these inheritances.

However, historical archives bore no record of them.

Like the Tomb of the First Qin Emperor, some truths had long been buried and sealed beneath dust and time. And the path to their origins was lost.

Lu Yuan didn't dwell on the thought; he merely turned away.

The strongest sword legacy of Ancient Mount Shu had already been claimed. There was no more reason to linger. With that, he began his descent.

Each of the remaining ninety-eight sword steles held its own inheritance. But with the mountain only opening once every three years, there simply wasn't time to claim them all.

In his heart, only the top three were truly worth comprehending. The rest... he'd leave for another day. After all, the road ahead was long.

His movements were swift, and with one step, he had traversed a hundred meters. Soon, he arrived beside Young Celestial Master Chunyang and Monk Huikong.

The two of them were momentarily stunned, but soon gathered themselves and offered him a nod of acknowledgment.

They had nothing left to say. His comprehension was something they could only admire wholeheartedly.

Further down stood Zhu Qingyu, the Ice Fairy, and the others. Each one of them now looked at Lu Yuan with a completely different gaze. It was as though they were staring at a monster beyond comprehension.

His strength alone already placed him among the Five Supremes and now they had to see that his comprehension was monstrous as well?

This was just too much to accept. The heavens truly favored some people.

As for the other Awakened, they pretty much mirrored the same thoughts.

There and then, all of them silently acknowledged that among the Five Supremes, the Human Sovereign stood above them all. Even the Winged Celestial God might not compare.

One day, Lu Yuan's name would surely shake the entire world.

Meanwhile, the rest of them could only return to comprehending their chosen steles.

In no time, Lu Yuan descended from Sword Mountain and stepped onto the open plaza below. Immediately, the five deans of Aurora Academy converged around him. Their expressions were complicated with a mixture of awe, disbelief, and faint awkwardness as they quietly studied him from head to toe.

Who could blame them?

What he had accomplished up there was nothing short of myth-making.

Still, as senior figures of Aurora Academy, they quickly reined in their reactions and regained composure.

At the front of the group, Dean Chen took a breath, gave a slight nod, and stepped forward.

"First of all," he said in a calm but respectful voice, "congratulations, Mr. Lu, on successfully comprehending the sword stele's inheritance. Dean Zheng has already informed us of the arrangement—your promise stands. That inheritance does not need to be handed over to Aurora Academy."

He paused, and his next words came with a faint, almost imperceptible wince.

"How you choose to handle it... is entirely up to you. I can assure you that none of us will question it."

Yet his voice couldn't undermine the deepening ache in his chest because that wasn't just any inheritance. It was the most powerful sword art of Ancient Mount Shu.

The others remained silent, but their sideways glares at Dean Zheng spoke volumes.

If looks could kill, Dean Zheng would've dropped dead right then and there. But there was no use crying over spilled milk. What was done was done. A promise made could not be taken back. Not when the name of Aurora Academy was on the line.