Chapter 70: The Sword Formation Reaches Perfection, Sword Tianze [Sixth Update, Please Vote for the Monthly Ticket]

“Then, Senior Brother, please go ahead,” Fang Wang said quickly, stepping aside. Lu Yuanjun smiled and nodded, and the two brushed past each other as they walked in opposite directions. As Fang Wang leapt up, transforming into a streak of white light towards the Third Branch, his expression turned cold, and all traces of a smile vanished from his face. Lu Yuanjun, approaching the gates of the Prime Abyss Hall, also lost his cheerful demeanor; his face was shrouded in gloom. Whatever thoughts were swirling in their hearts, only they themselves knew.

The main city of the sect still buzzed with excitement. Although Fang Wang’s contest with the thirteen prodigies was brief, the stir it caused would be felt for a long time. Fang Wang moved swiftly and soon arrived at the Third Branch, landing before his own cave-dwelling. Little Zi poked her head out from his embrace and asked, “Young Master, do you bear enmity with that man?”

As he took out his disciple’s token to open the mountain gate, Fang Wang replied, “Indeed, I do.”

With the gate opening, he stepped into his abode. Little Zi slipped out of his arms, closing the gate behind them before catching up to Fang Wang. “Young Master, if you find it difficult to deal with him, let me do it. If I bite him just once, he’ll beg for death rather than endure the pain,” she offered.

“It’s unnecessary. Killing him is not hard, but his connections are complicated. We’ll wait a few more years. Perhaps he’s already suffering now,” Fang Wang answered.

His perception was keen; it was clear that during their encounter, Lu Yuanjun was highly anxious, merely pretending to be calm. Perhaps Lu Yuanjun was still praying that the truth would never come to light.

Fang Wang sat down on the white jade bed and took out the jade slip containing the Celestial Thunder Sword Array, hesitating for a moment. Should he begin studying it now? It might take him two hundred years to master. Yet, if he didn’t learn it now, when would he?

Having just made a grand display, Fang Wang knew that from now on, few would dare to trouble him. But those who did would surely be at least fifth level in the Profound Heart Realm or above.

Never mind! I’ll learn it!

Gritting his teeth, Fang Wang resolved to show no mercy to himself and began probing the jade slip with his spiritual sense.

Seeing him enter cultivation, Little Zi refrained from disturbing him and walked over to the pool, gazing at her reflection in the water, daydreaming that it was the head of a dragon.

After about half an hour, Fang Wang’s eyes suddenly grew unfocused as his consciousness entered the Celestial Palace.

Standing within the great hall of the Celestial Palace, Fang Wang steadied his mind. As he perused the Celestial Thunder Sword Array, he realized that it was even more profound and unfathomable than the Shocking Swan Divine Sword Art. This meant his cultivation would take a long time.

“Let’s begin. I want to see just how powerful the sword array that swept through the Great Qi cultivation world truly is!” Fang Wang muttered to himself, bolstering his resolve.

With a thought, swords materialized around him out of thin air. The Celestial Thunder Sword Array required swords to form the formation; to reach perfection, seventy-two formation swords were needed. The higher the grade of the swords, the stronger the power.

He had thought that, having already mastered the Shocking Swan Divine Sword Art and Divine Nourishing Sword Qi, cultivating the Celestial Thunder Sword Array would not be too arduous. Unexpectedly, even entry proved nearly overwhelming.

It took him forty full years to barely grasp the basics. This sword array required not only the refinement of spiritual sense but also an understanding of thunder-attributed spiritual energy—its depth was indescribable.

Condensing the intent of the formation with celestial thunder, he would manifest the Domain of the Nine Heavens Swords, suppressing and destroying all formidable foes!

Once he had entered the basics, Fang Wang no longer found the cultivation tedious; his interest in the Celestial Thunder Sword Array grew immensely. He felt that its might rivaled that of the Nine-Dragon Divine Transformation, though, to be precise, they were very different arts. The Nine-Dragon Divine Transformation was suited for destruction and breaking through encirclements, while the Celestial Thunder Sword Array was ideal for mass slaughter. Celestial thunder was especially effective against certain demonic creatures, evil spirits, and even certain cultivation methods.

Time flowed endlessly within the Celestial Palace.

When Fang Wang finally achieved perfection in the Celestial Thunder Sword Array and looked back, he realized that he had spent a total of three hundred and forty-two years.

If seventy-two people cultivated the Celestial Thunder Sword Array together, the effect would be doubled. But the requirements for thunder affinity and sword comprehension were so high that not even the Supreme Abyss Sect could assemble seventy-two qualified individuals.

Returning to himself, Fang Wang’s eyes regained their clarity; he was still holding the jade slip.

He tossed the jade slip into his storage pouch, stood up, and called out, “Little Zi, prepare to go down the mountain!”

Little Zi, who had been cultivating, opened her serpent eyes in surprise and asked, “So soon? Young Master, you just fought a great battle. Don’t you need to rest? And the Celestial Thunder Sword Array—aren’t you going to study it further?”

“Are you coming or not? If not, I’m leaving!” Fang Wang strapped on two storage pouches from the table, grabbed the Azure Sovereign Sword, and headed for the gate.

Little Zi hurried after him, afraid of being left behind. “Young Master, why are you suddenly going down the mountain?”

“I feel stifled.”

“Stifled? Why? Do you need me to help you relieve it?”

“What do you know? And how could you help me—should I hit you to vent?”

“Ah? Well, if it pleases you, Young Master…”

…

In the Prime Abyss Hall, Guang Qiuxian sat on a meditation cushion, his face extremely grim. Yang Yuanzi stood to one side, his expression furious.

“Foolish! Utterly foolish! I told you long ago not to indulge him. Look at him—just like his father, his heart is nothing like a human’s!” Yang Yuanzi scolded, grinding his teeth and struggling to restrain his anger.

Guang Qiuxian glared back. “I indulged him? When he was seven, I listened to you and had Chen Anshi take him to travel the world. He didn’t return until he was twenty. Do you have any idea how much he suffered in those years? Perhaps it was that hardship that twisted his heart!”

Yang Yuanzi said harshly, “I don’t care! Fang Wang is my disciple and the hope of the Supreme Abyss Sect. No matter what, I will not allow Lu Yuanjun to threaten him. Since Lu Yuanjun was at fault, he must be punished. We must make amends to Fang Wang. I suggest making him the chief disciple of the Supreme Abyss Sect! He’s more than qualified!”

Guang Qiuxian frowned deeply and sighed. “Lu Yuanjun will, of course, be punished, otherwise we would be letting down the innocent souls who died unjustly. But can this really be kept secret for a lifetime? Should we talk to Fang Wang in advance to help him process it?”

“How could you resolve a vendetta of annihilated clans?”

“Then what do you propose? In a hundred years, Fang Wang will inevitably become the strongest cultivator in the Great Qi. By then, can we still control him?”

“Why should we control him? My disciple is open-hearted and kind, never bullying the weak. As for his grudge against Lu Yuanjun, the best solution is to make Lu Yuanjun disappear—send him away!”

Yang Yuanzi spoke with an uncompromising tone. After a pause, he continued earnestly, “Senior Brother, we mustn’t spoil him any further. We owe a debt to his mother, but that was to her—a son like him should be content just to live.”

Guang Qiuxian fell silent.

At that moment, a disciple’s voice sounded from outside the hall. “Reporting to the Sect Master: Fang Wang is no longer in his abode. I have investigated and found that his disciple’s token has left the Supreme Abyss Sect. He must have gone down the mountain.”

At these words, both Guang Qiuxian and Yang Yuanzi’s expressions changed instantly.

“Very well, you may return to your cultivation,” Guang Qiuxian replied. The disciple departed immediately.

The Prime Abyss Hall had special wards that prevented eavesdropping, so they weren’t worried their conversation would be overheard.

Guang Qiuxian’s expression turned odd. “It’s been only two hours since he obtained the Celestial Thunder Sword Array, and the other sect’s geniuses haven’t even left yet. And now he’s gone down the mountain. Is he absconding with the supreme art?”

Yang Yuanzi shot him a glare. “What, do you suspect he’s a spy for the demonic path? Would you really use the Celestial Origin Treasure Spirit as an agent? If he were a spy, why not climb to the position of vice sect master, or even take your place? Would he flee just for a technique he might not even master? Besides, the Fang family has more than just him in the Supreme Abyss Sect. Sometimes I wonder why our master chose you as sect leader!”

“I was only joking—why so agitated? And must you insult me?” Guang Qiuxian retorted angrily.

Yang Yuanzi snorted. “Summon Lu Yuanjun. I will interrogate him myself!”

Guang Qiuxian hesitated, then nodded in agreement.

…

Amidst the endless sea of clouds, a majestic black eagle dove down. The horizon was aglow with dusk, crimson clouds painting the sky, while the mountains and rivers below gradually darkened, presenting a poignant beauty.

“Young Master, can’t you go any faster?” Little Zi, sprawled atop the eagle’s head, asked curiously.

The black eagle immediately descended, landing by a great river amidst the mountains. The instant its talons touched the earth, it transformed into human form—white-robed, bamboo hat on his head, sword in hand, the very image of a wandering swordsman, weary from his journeys.

Fang Wang set Little Zi down, who tumbled onto the ground. Then, Fang Wang seated himself by the river to meditate.

Little Zi quickly slithered to his side, acting coquettishly. “Young Master, where exactly are we going? We’ve been traveling for half a month now. You keep flying everywhere—I’m afraid you’ll lose control and go mad.”

While absorbing spiritual energy, Fang Wang replied, “Soon. At most, another two hundred miles.”

He had been down the mountain for half a month. To relieve the stifling frustration from spending three hundred and forty-two years in the Celestial Palace, he had roamed the land of Great Qi as a black eagle, passing through dozens of cities and occasionally rescuing villagers from bandits.

Now, he was less than two hundred miles from the place Zhou Xue had recommended for spirit refinement.

Seeing that he was in no mood to talk, Little Zi gave up and fell silent.

Fang Wang closed his eyes, resting his mind.

The sun slowly set.

As darkness approached, a sound pierced the sky, startling Little Zi, who looked up.

A middle-aged man in blue brocade robes approached, treading upon a sword. He was tall and robust, with a great sword on his back, a handsome face, and a mustache that added to his masculine charm.

He landed five paces from Fang Wang, by the riverbank, and smiled. “Young man, are you also heading to Sword Heaven Marsh?”

Fang Wang opened his eyes and glanced at him, countering, “You are as well?”

He hadn’t heard of any “Sword Heaven Marsh,” but the man’s cultivation was not low, and since he’d landed nearby, it was likely their destinations coincided.

“Of course. The Sword Sage has finally appeared—I can’t miss this. Rumor has it he’s waiting at Sword Heaven Marsh for a predestined individual. I have a feeling I might be that person.” The man smiled, his tone light and rakish, resembling a wanderer.

He continued, “By the way, have you heard? The Sword Sage’s only disciple, Song Jinyuan, was defeated by the Supreme Abyss Sect’s top prodigy, Fang Wang. They say Song Jinyuan has since abandoned the sword. Tsk tsk, I wonder what the Sword Sage will think of that.”

“Still, Fang Wang truly is incredible—a Celestial Origin Treasure Spirit, my word! To see legends become reality… Young man, which sect are you from? Why not join the Supreme Abyss Sect? They’re destined for greatness. My daughter is in the Supreme Abyss Sect—she’s very close to Fang Wang.”