Sīkōng Jìngxiāo, the chief disciple of the Sword Pavilion, inherited his master’s teachings from Wú Xīn Jiànzhǔ Tú Ānlǐ, who ranks first among the five great sword masters.
Naturally, he is the leading figure among the contemporary disciples of the Sword Pavilion, and it is also very likely that one day in the future, he will become the lord of the Sword Pavilion.
Now, he stands horizontally in front of the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé, having just emerged from it.
Of course, not just anyone can enter the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé. The sword marks on the stone door are themselves a lock.
If you cannot cleave it open, there is no need to enter this place.
And he, Sīkōng Jìngxiāo, certainly has the qualification to become another lock. He also has enough reason to be vigilant about Jiāng Wàng’s visit.
Jiāng Wàng glanced at this person but did not say much. He only raised his hand with the sword token and walked directly forward:
“I have come to seek guidance on the sword.”
Sīkōng Jìngxiāo remained silent and quietly used the hand with which he blocked Jiāng Wàng to push open the stone door of the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé.
Jiāng Wàng nodded to express his thanks and had already stepped through the door.
Unlike the magnificent and luxurious place he had imagined, the inside of the Sword Box is actually very simple. Or rather, only this simple part is open to those who seek guidance on the sword—
A clearly visible, ten-step square flat ground, surrounded by darkness on all sides, without a single point of light. Above is a streak of the starlit river, looking very distant. Its shape is vague, also resembling a sword.
It is as if a piece of ground tile was cut out from who knows where and flatly embedded in the dark night.
Besides this, there is nothing at all.
Now, Jiāng Wàng stands just at the southeast corner of this flat ground. He clearly perceives that the surrounding darkness cannot be crossed.
That is to say, the scope of the next activity is limited only to this ten-step square flat ground.
For a respected True Person, this is really too cramped!
A casual dodge or movement will hit the edge, and a casual sword strike cannot even spread out sword energy.
But before Jiāng Wàng could complain, the next moment, at the northwest corner of this flat ground, the guardian of the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé appeared.
He was exactly opposite to Jiāng Wàng’s position, as if a sword light drew a connecting line between them.
That is a person with a full beard and a messy head of hair that has not been trimmed for who knows how many years. It is fundamentally impossible to see the face clearly… a messy person. He seems like a wild man who ran out of some deep mountain and old forest, casually draped with a piece of clothing.
His eyes, however, are very clean and very bright.
Bright pupils peered out from that pile of messy hair and beard, like a white deer leaping out from a secluded mountain’s deep ravine.
This metaphor is perhaps a bit strange, especially when placed on the body of an old man. But this is Jiāng Wàng’s real feeling at this moment. He encountered a very pure person.
“Are you ready?” The old man, who should be Wàn Xiàng Jiànzhǔ, spoke.
It seems there is no segment for small talk, he is also too direct.
Involving battle, Jiāng Wàng is also very serious, so he hurriedly said:
“Wàn Xiàng Jiànzhǔ, can this field be expanded a bit? It’s too cramped now, perhaps we cannot unfold.”
Wàn Xiàng Jiànzhǔ said:
“Sword, the weapon of life and death. Fight in an instant, contend in a square inch. Within ten steps, the world can kill!”
He was both stating the Dao and giving Jiāng Wàng time to prepare. Then, he raised his hand to the sky and plucked down a star. The starlight flowed, transforming into a three-foot-long sword.
The instant the long sword was formed, his momentum suddenly changed.
The moment the sword light suddenly rose, he had already engaged in combat with Jiāng Wàng!
These are contemporary True Persons whose every move can overturn the heavens and earth, yet within this ten-step square field, in a space where a casual dodge or movement will hit the edge, they unfolded a killing in a square inch!
Contend for a millimeter, a centimeter, contend for the instant of life and death.
Distance makes time more urgent, both sides fighting almost instinctively with sword techniques.
The sword light shines as one place, only sword light is seen, not people!
In a moment, the swords separated.
Wàn Xiàng Jiànzhǔ’s sword stopped exactly at Jiāng Wàng’s throat. And his bright pupil light fell on the sword token Jiāng Wàng intentionally hung on his chest.
He withdrew his sword, letting it transform back into a star. There was a kind of inexplicable melancholy in his eyes:
“Besides that person, no True Person can approach within ten steps of me without dying. You are still not, far from it.”
Jiāng Wàng’s sword was still in mid-air, still a distance away from Wàn Xiàng Jiànzhǔ’s heart.
This distance is already a natural chasm.
Longxiǎng Si was still in its sheath. Jiāng Wàng cupped his hands and said:
“Senior’s sword technique makes me look up to the high mountains. I am indeed still not.”
Wàn Xiàng Jiànzhǔ had no habit of small talk, turned his body and walked into the darkness:
“But you are still very young. Go ahead.”
According to the challenge rules of the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé, the defeated person needs to leave behind a sword canon. However, there are no strict requirements on what level of sword canon must be left. But usually, challengers will leave their strongest one.
The vast and boundless powerful sword canons inside the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé came into being exactly in this way.
Jiāng Wàng thought for a moment and left behind a sword canon that had profound meaning to him—
As he walked out, he said to himself in his heart: Nothing to be embarrassed about. When Sī Yǔ’ān orders you, is it embarrassing?
Thinking this way, when he walked out of the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé, he was already holding his head high and chest out, very justified and bold.
Sīkōng Jìngxiāo was still outside the door, probably waiting for a result.
Seeing Jiāng Wàng come out with empty hands, he involuntarily let out a breath.
However, he did not say some provocative words of thanking Jiāng Wàng for adding bricks and tiles to the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé. He, Sīkōng Jìngxiāo, had not yet fallen to the level of using others’ strength to inflate himself.
He only performed a bow, representing the Sword Pavilion in seeing him off.
But Jiāng Wàng pressed his hand that was performing the send-off, preventing him from continuing.
Sīkōng Jìngxiāo: ?
“Brother Sīkōng,” Jiāng Wàng said: “One thing, don’t bother the two masters, help me arrange a residence. I want to stay here for a few days.”
Sīkōng Jìngxiāo’s mind was in chaos.
Who am I? Where am I? Who is he? Are we very familiar?
Jiāng Wàng picked up the sword token and shook it in front of him, helping him come back to his senses.
Since it was the Pavilion Lord’s command, Sīkōng Jìngxiāo could only obey. He turned sideways and very politely said:
“Please follow me.”
The chief disciple of the Sword Pavilion personally escorted Jiāng Wàng to the guest quarters and still very politely said:
“The environment is simple, True Person Jiāng, please don’t mind.”
“It’s fine.” Jiāng Wàng looked at this luxurious room with dense spiritual energy and waved his hand: “I am a person who can endure hardships.”
Sīkōng Jìngxiāo: …
He turned around and closed the door.
He decided to close his door for a few days.
He would not come to receive this kind of treatment anymore.
The next day, the sky was just bright.
Jiāng Wàng, who had spent the entire night reviewing sword techniques, opened his eyes, and sword light filled the room!
Then, in an instant, all sharpness retracted.
He got out of bed and pushed the door open.
The morning sun rose in the cloud layer, and red clouds reflected in the air.
Tiānmù Peak is strangely dangerous and precipitous, with vast clouds and mist stretching for ten thousand li. Amidst the golden light, it is beautiful beyond words.
With such wonderful scenery, Jiāng Wàng did not look sideways. He walked with big strides on the mountain path, directly heading towards the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé, as skillfully as if walking in his own backyard.
Occasionally encountered cultivators of the Sword Pavilion on the road, all inexplicably looking at him.
He smiled and nodded in greeting, instead, like a general who came to inspect!
Just like this, he walked all the way to the front of the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé. There was still someone guarding the door, quite vigilant towards him. He still raised the sword token, and it was still that one sentence: “I have come to seek guidance on the sword.”
He still easily stepped into the Sword Box.
Still in that ten-step square flat ground.
It was still Wàn Xiàng Jiànzhǔ.
This sword maniac, whose heart was originally only on the sword, was also stunned for a moment.
Throughout history, there have been countless people who challenged the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé.
There were also not few people who were defeated but did not die and came again.
But it was the first time for someone who lost on the first day and came again immediately on the second day!
So quickly did he have the confidence to win back?
“Master Sword Wàn Xiàng,” Jiāng Wàng slowly pulled out Longxiǎng Si: “I have come to ask for instruction.”
Another day, Jiāng Wàng came to the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé again. “Please guide me!”
Another day, Jiāng Wàng came to the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé again. “Please!”
Another day, Jiāng Wàng came to the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé again. “Please!”
After repeatedly doing this for thirteen days, Wàn Xiàng Jiànzhǔ finally cut off the sword token Jiāng Wàng hung on his neck with one sword.
“You are not fresh anymore. The sword techniques you hand over are also not high level.” Wàn Xiàng Jiànzhǔ said so: “Come again and I will kill you.”
When he said this sentence and made this decision, no one’s token was useful.
Jiāng Wàng thus knew that the time for such an absolute world expert’s free sparring had ended.
Oh, cannot say free. These days, he had gathered quite a few sword techniques, seven or eight in all.
Truly sincerely performed a bow towards Wàn Xiàng Jiànzhǔ’s retreating figure, Jiāng Wàng turned around and left with big strides.
He casually and carefully pinched together that piece of sword token. He could still make do with it next time.
After all, it was the Sword Pavilion Master’s hand token!
This time leaving the Qiánkūn Jiàn Hé, he no longer returned to the guest quarters, but directly flew up into the high sky, suddenly a sword far away.
On the top of Tiānmù Peak, above the green stone.
Sī Yǔ’ān leisurely opened his eyes. At that instant, the vast universe became sword light, and again all retracted into his pupil light.
Níng Shuāngróng was just waiting in front, wearing cloth shoes and green silk clothes, standing gracefully in the wind.
“Did Jiāng Wàng come?” Sī Yǔ’ān casually asked.
“Jiāng Wàng just left,” Níng Shuāngróng said.
Sī Yǔ’ān was just stunned for a moment. Did I only wander in divine consciousness for such a short while? That’s not right, it’s clearly been several days. Could it be that I mistakenly entered some absolute place in the universe, leading to temporal confusion without being aware?
The autumn sounds of September were already gradually withering.
True Person Jiāng returned to Xīngyuè Yuán.
Have to say, True Person Shàngguān of Rén Xīn Táng’s medical skills are indeed outstanding.
Dòu Zhào already had a full beard and tail, his energy and blood were high spirited, even surpassing before.
Zhū Wēiwò also jumped around lively—holding the Exhaustion Gun chasing Jiāng Wàng all over Xīngyuè Yuán.
“Let me wait a few days, a few days again a few days! From summer waited until autumn, autumn is almost over!”
Jiāng Wàng while running, while turning his head said: “Senior brother you explained very well, what I said at that time was also this sky. One summer, one autumn, isn’t it a few days, is it not wrong?”
Like Dòu Zhào, this kind of absolute world heavenly pride, once entering the Cave True realm, the world is vastly different. Also like Jiāng Wàng, entering a period of rapid growth in strength. Unlike before in the Divine Arrival realm, already at the limit of the Divine Arrival realm, advancing even a hair was very difficult.
Now he was full of fighting spirit, just about to show off his skills greatly, cannot see these people here not thinking about progress, frolicking relaxed: “Don’t talk nonsense, pack up and follow me. We will sweep away the Calamity Water, exactly today!”
Clearly it was Jiāng Wàng and Zhū Wēiwò who formed the Calamity Water bureau, he joined halfway, already viewing himself as the leading big brother.
True Person Jiāng instead was very willing to let him be the vanguard, then defaulted to his command, only first returned to the wine house, sat down and said: “I have come to write a letter to invite a friend.”
Zhū Wēiwò’s gun was not yet put away, just looked over.
True Person Jiāng hurriedly explained: “No need to wait long, the friend I invite will meet us directly at the Calamity Water.”
“Who are you inviting?” Dòu Zhào of course wanted to care about his powerful team that would sweep away the Calamity Water: “Don’t bring dead weights, we are not going for an outing!”
Jiāng Wàng wrote the invitation letter in three two strokes. On the envelope, he wrote ‘For Jì Lì to open personally’, and conveniently showed these four words to Dòu Zhào.
Dòu Zhào said: “Even more not for a blind date!”
Jiāng Wàng still gave the letter to Lián Yùchán. This girl had almost become the messenger of the White Jade Capital, besides serving dishes, she had developed a new duty. Of course, her wages had not increased.
“The contemporary true transmission first of the Moon Drum Academy, does that count as a dead weight?” Jiāng Wàng asked Dòu Zhào.
“If you are distracted then it counts, if not then it doesn’t.” Dòu Zhào after all knew Jì Lì: “She more or less has some ability.”
Jiāng Wàng said: “What am I distracted about? Jì Lì and I agreed early on to explore the Calamity Water together. She is extremely knowledgeable and broad-minded, a very good helper. I did not think Hall Dòu Zhào was actually such a narrow-minded person!”
Dòu Zhào thought until his head broke and still didn’t understand how these two ‘agreed early on to explore the Calamity Water together’.
Didn’t you just meet at the Dragon Palace banquet?
You two weren’t even familiar at that time!
Recalling the Dragon Palace banquet at that time, someone surnamed Jiāng didn’t sit for long before leaving. The women by his side at that time were still the Young Pavilion Mistress of Líng Xiāo Gé and Huáng Shèlǐ of Jìng Country.
There was no opportunity to chat with Jì Lì either.
How come now it’s like the tone of old friends?
But he was too lazy to think more, turned his body and walked towards the outside, only throwing one sentence: “You better not be too distracted, at that time you will be left far behind by me, regret will be too late!”
Jiāng Wàng listened inexplicably, and said to Zhū Wēiwò: “Does he have a disease?”
Zhū Wēiwò’s face was expressionless, and he also walked towards the outside.
But as he walked to the door, he still turned his head and said: “I think Yè Qīngyú is quite good. Life sometimes doesn’t need to be earth-shaking, junior brother should cherish the person in front of him.”
Jiāng Wàng looked at the remaining people: “Who knows what disease they have?”
Shopkeeper Bái now openly looked at the account book, heard the sound and lifted his head, seeming still immersed in accounts: “Ah?”
Chǔ Yáo ran over in a puff of smoke, eagerly hugging a pot of tea: “Master, the Tiān Xuě Wù you like, bring it to drink when you rest. Disciple is not by your side to serve, you must take good care of your body.”
Jiāng Wàng suspiciously took over this pot of tea. Of course, he did not know how romantic and unrestrained he was in the mouth of his obedient disciple, leaving affection everywhere.
But feeling the filial piety of his disciple, and also having some homework carefully arranged for him, he then left the White Jade Capital and chased after Dòu Zhào and Zhū Wēiwò.
The three people traveled without rest and quickly arrived at Wèn Jiàn Xiá. After all, they wanted to give the major sects of the world some face, so they flew low in the gorge valley.
“Wait a bit,” Jiāng Wàng said: “I’ll call one more person!”
Dòu Zhào was quite impatient: “Exactly how many people do you want to call?”
Jiāng Wàng appeased him and said: “The last one.”
Dòu Zhào looked up at the plank road of the Heavenly Gate and couldn’t help but say: “If you really want to find help, you don’t need to come to this kind of broken—”
Jiāng Wàng hurriedly covered his mouth, and righteously said: “I completely disagree with your viewpoint personally. Every word you said is your own idea, I absolutely did not guide or influence you. I stand on the opposite side of you, the Sword Pavilion is a very great sect in my heart!”
Dòu Zhào fanned open his hand: “Are you afraid Sī Yǔ’ān will hear? Thinking too much! Where is there a True Monarch so bored?”
Jiāng Wàng, with a kind of good spirit of saving one if possible, advised: “I also didn’t say Pavilion Master Sī will specially monitor us ah… What if he accidentally hears?”
“Hear what?” Dòu Zhào was fearless: “Can he still beat me because of this little thing? If he is really so petty, he also doesn’t need to derive the Dao, go back and farm!”
True Person Jiāng, with a kind of sad mentality that everyone is drunk and I am alone sober, shrugged his shoulders: “Anyway, my position has already been expressed, the rest is up to you.”
Anyway, you can take a beating, and anyway, your family can afford to invite a Medical Dao True Person.
Dòu Zhào snorted but ultimately did not continue his big talk.
Although he was not afraid of the Sword Pavilion, if he was really taught a lesson here, it would take a long time to regain face, and he would inevitably be mocked by Zhōng Lì Yàn.
The next moment, a watery sword energy hung in the long sky.
Níng Shuāngróng, who received the message, stepped out of the void. At her waist, a simple Qiū Shuǐ Jiàn hung. Her body was without decorations.
Yet, she did not come completely empty-handed.
By her side, there was still a Zhuó Qīngrú.
“Hearing that you gentlemen are going to the Calamity Water to experience, I wonder if you would mind bringing Qīngrú along?” The Legalist true transmission smiled and asked.
“Our team happens to need a Legalist expert!” Jiāng Wàng first agreed, then hurriedly urged Dòu Zhào, to avoid him saying something inappropriate again: “Everyone is here, hurry up and go!”