Chapter 121: Entering the Trial Today

Huff...

Breathing out deeply, Wang Sheng looked at the treasured sword in his hand. The blade had already sunk completely into the mountain rock before him, causing spiderweb-like cracks to spread across its surface.

A wave of exhaustion and satisfaction washed over him. Hearing applause from the side, he glanced over.

When did so many people arrive? Why is the sky already growing dark?

He quickly looked at the opposite cliff. However, he didn't see anyone.

Wang Sheng was certain that he had vaguely felt someone secretly guiding him. When he got stuck at the final hurdle, it was that single cry that had pushed him through the final obstacle and allowed him to comprehend the final move of the Reversed Seven-Star Sword Formation.

The Ziwei Sword, nine stars fused into one!

Naturally, Wang Sheng was still far from truly fusing nine stars into one, but he had already opened the door to that realm. The sword intent within him had finally begun to...

He quickly closed his eyes to comprehend. Soon, he saw the two longswords on the spiritual platform inside him.

The Dual-Polarity Sword Intent, around which the yin and yang koi swam, still only had a faintly discernible sword form. Suspended high above his spiritual platform was the other sword intent—its form now a dazzling divine sword that appeared to be surrounded by an endless starry sky.

A fully perfected Seven-Star sword intent!

Gazing at the sword intent, Wang Sheng seemingly got a glimpse at a radiant and glorious Dao of the Sword.

Now, even if he did not comprehend any other sword intent, this one would still be enough to support him in understanding sword momentum, sword control, and the sword heart. It would essentially allow him to pursue an even higher realm of the Dao of the Sword.

Wang Sheng sat for a while, delighted. As his fatigue deepened, he realized that he had spent too much mental effort deducing the sword formation. The most sensible decision now was to find a place to sleep.

Opening his eyes, he slowly stood up and casually pulled his treasured sword free. Several nearby Daoist masters immediately stepped forward. Fei Lianzi was especially excited.

Staring at Wang Sheng, he exclaimed, "You actually perfected your sword intent just like that?!"

"

Mm,

I think it's perfected," Wang Sheng replied with a strained smile. "After sparring with you all yesterday, I had a sudden enlightenment. The Seven-Star Sword Intent is now strong enough for me to pass the trial."

"Great! That's wonderful!"

Fei Lianzi clapped vigorously. The other Daoist masters also looked delighted.

"It's as if our forefathers manifested their divine presence," one of the Daoist masters said emotionally. "A perfected sword intent... Our success is almost certain now."

"No need to rush; keep refining it a little longer," another Daoist master said with a smile. "Now that we've come this far, we no longer have to hurry. With our sword sect's Sword-Controlling Art returning to the world, we will once again stand tall among the cultivation world."

Wang Sheng smiled and listened to the Daoist masters talk about a bright future. Once they were done, he asked softly, "When I was comprehending the sword intent, I heard a shout from across the cliff, which gave me great inspiration. Do you know who that senior was? I would like to thank them in person."

The Daoist masters exchanged glances, and a few smiled in amusement.

Fei Lianzi said in a hushed tone, "That was probably the sect master, who's been hiding from you."

"Hiding from me?" Wang Sheng was taken aback. He had thought that because of the division within the sect, the sect master was just a figurehead. He hadn't expected them to have actual authority.

Fei Lianzi made a gesture of invitation. "Let's not get into this now. You look tired. Go get some rest, and I'll come check on you later tonight."

"If possible, please help me convey my thanks to the grandmaster," Wang Sheng replied.

"Don't worry. The sect master is also acting for the sake of the sect." Fei Lianzi laughed softly.

After escorting Wang Sheng back to his room, the Daoist masters departed while chatting.

Meanwhile, Wang Sheng lay on the bed instead of sitting in meditation. Sleep was the best way to recover depleted mental strength, something that meditation could not replace.

Why is the Shu Sword Sect's sect master hiding from me?

he wondered, puzzled.

Wang Sheng guessed that sect master most likely felt awkward about another sect's disciple having to recover their Sword-Controlling Art. As it turned out, his guess wasn't far from the truth..

Casually picking up the phone that he had tossed aside in the room earlier, his spirit instantly lifted. Over a dozen missed calls, and they were all from his master!

What happened?

Wang Sheng hurriedly sat up and nervously called his master. After a few rings, the call connected, and he heard his master lazily speak through the phone.

—Were you in sword training again?

"

Mm!

"

—I knew it...

Wang Sheng asked nervously, "Master, are you hurt?"

—No, I'm not. I just got back from your mistress's. I'm a bit tired.

From the other end came a yawn, followed by the creaking of a good stretch. Wang Sheng was immediately rendered speechless.

His master had fallen so far.

"Master, why did you call me so many times earlier? Is it something urgent?"

—I was feeling a little impulsive before and wanted to share something I recently discovered, but you didn't pick up, and now that urge has passed.

Qing Yanzi smacked his lips.

—Focus on your cultivation. When you reach the Rebirth Realm and transcend the mortal realm, I'll tell you all about it.

Wang Sheng grew even more puzzled.

Qing Yanzi quickly changed the subject and began asking Wang Sheng about the progress that he had made in deducing the Reversed Seven-Star Sword Formation. Wang Sheng explained in detail, and his master offered a few words of advice. The two then chatted for a few minutes before Wang Sheng finally failed to stifle a yawn. A moment later, a yawn echoed from the other end of the line as well.

—Go get some rest. Don't push yourself too hard with sword practice. When I was your age, I wasn't even half as diligent as you, yet I still managed to reach the forefront of the cultivation world.

—You must remember to balance work and rest. Some things can't be forced; just go with the flow, and you'll become stronger without realizing it. Following your heart may lead to better results.

Wang Sheng agreed several times. After his master ended the call, he lay back and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

It was clear that his master was hiding something from him and had pushed it off to the far-off Rebirth Realm. That likely meant that it was very serious.

Though Wang Sheng hadn't experienced romantic relationships in this life, he had lived a fulfilling life as an ordinary man in his past one.

The kind of weariness his master hinted at and the mental exhaustion that he heard during the call were clearly two very different things.

Could it be related to the Daoist heritage?

He recalled the bronze square box that he had seen a few times before, which held the only true Daoist Canon[1] of their sect. Now that his master had reached the Golden Core Realm, perhaps he had already opened that box.

Could some deadly enemy be threatening their sect?

That didn't seem likely. A thousand years had passed, and their lineage was still intact. If there had been such a foe, his master would've warned him about it long ago.

Wang Sheng couldn't figure it out, but since his master had said as much, all he could do was follow his instructions. He would focus on cultivating. Once matters at the Shu Sword Sect were resolved, he would go into seclusion. Only with enough strength could he one day stand beside his master and senior sister and face whatever lay ahead.

He clenched his fist and swung forward, but he was truly too exhausted to stay awake any longer. His eyes soon closed, and he drifted off to sleep.

While dozing off, his spiritual consciousness remained attuned to the surroundings of the attic. If anyone approached, he would wake immediately. It wasn't intentional—merely a natural survival instinct in unfamiliar territory.

In a hazy daze, it felt as though someone stopped outside his door. Just as Wang Sheng was about to open his eyes, he heard a soft chuckle, followed by retreating footsteps. It was probably Fei Lianzi.

Wang Sheng turned over and fell back into slumber. In the latter half of the night, he dreamed that he was standing atop the Milky Way, wielding a treasured sword woven from starlight. Every movement he made with his blade was filled with joy and freedom.

He ended up sleeping until noon the next day.

Upon waking up, Wang Sheng washed his face, put on his Daoist robe, and picked up his treasured sword. He then hurried toward the great palace of the Shu Sword Sect. They had arranged beforehand to continue the sparring match from the night before, giving him another chance to temper his Seven-Star Sword Intent using the sword intents of the sect's various experts.

Although Wang Sheng felt that his Seven-Star Sword Intent had likely reached its limit for the time being, an agreement was an agreement, and there was no reason to back out of it. However, just as he arrived at the great palace of the Shu Sword Sect, Fei Lianzi stopped him by the door.

"Fei Yu, has your sword intent already reached perfection?"

"I made a breakthrough yesterday. It's perfected now," Wang Sheng answered honestly.

Many people had witnessed his sword practice the day before, and they had sensed the moment his Seven-Star Sword Intent ascended to a new level.

Fei Lianzi smiled and nodded. "Good, good. We were just discussing whether it's time for you to challenge the Seventy-Two Swords. However, we decided to be cautious; everyone agrees that we can't afford to waste this opportunity."

"Can the Seventy-Two Swords be only entered once?" Wang Sheng asked.

"Of course. If it could be entered freely, everyone would have already gone in multiple times to improve their sword cultivation." Fei Lianzi sighed. "For us who are already past our prime, that opportunity no longer exists. Hence, we've only heard stories about what's in the cave from a few disciples who have entered. When the time is right, don't hesitate to tell us what's on your mind. You have a voice in deciding when to make the attempt. We will all respect your decision."

Wang Sheng nodded in response. He then entered the hall with Fei Lianzi.

Today, over thirty Daoist masters and eleven Daoist elders were present. Each was seated on mats or circular chairs according to seniority. The very center of the hall had been left open, with a mat reserved just for Wang Sheng.

The scene felt a bit like a court trial.

One of the Daoist elders beckoned Wang Sheng to sit. After Wang Sheng had done as instructed, the elder began their meeting.

"With the protection of our forefathers, our sword sect has finally welcomed its savior today. Fei Yu, we've been discussing this matter all morning. It's best that you make the decision yourself. Will you enter the trials today? Or would you rather spend another two months stabilizing your realm and trying for another breakthrough before attempting it?"

"Does the Seventy-Two Swords only test one's realm in the Dao of the Sword?" Wang Sheng asked in return.

A Daoist master replied, "Yes. One's cultivation has limited effect inside."

"Then I'll enter the trial today," Wang Sheng replied confidently.

All the Daoist masters and elders immediately sat up. Their eyes shone with anticipation as they focused on the young sword cultivator before them.

1. a large collection of Daoist texts. ☜