Li Changtian's Moment of Enlightenment

"I offer the sword at my waist, that I may strike down Loulan!"

Chen Ning danced with his sword, his manner no longer gentle as before.

Instead, it was edged with sharpness.

All because he was reciting his poetry.

Who dared call themselves a Sword Immortal before him?

Li Bai had taken to swordsmanship at fifteen. Someone had counted, and he had written of swords in over a hundred poems.

In the Tang dynasty, the Sword Saint Pei Min was acknowledged as the foremost swordsman, with Li Bai second.

This was a cultivation world, so there was surely no shortage of Sword Dao experts.

But in terms of realm, stature, and talent, no one could match him.

"I strike my sword and sing a bitter song; my robes trail through a king's gates, yet nothing goes as I wish!"

As Chen Ning recited and danced, tears streamed down his face.

"After drinking, we vie in splendor; three cups down, we brandish treasured blades. We kill men as though cutting grass, and roam together with Ju Meng!"

"With thunderous cries, we fight a hundred battles, and the Xiongnu all flee. Returning, we give free rein to drunken spirits, unwilling to bow to Xiao or Cao!"

Tired from dancing, Chen Ning simply sat on the ground and gazed at the moon with a sigh:

"A hero's anger stirs a mighty wind; where can I find a heaven-reaching sword, to cross the sea and slay the great whale..."

Chen Ning was drunk, and many of the poems he recited were incomplete, a line from here and another from there...

Gradually, he fell asleep with his head on his sword.

But Li Changtian, sitting nearby, was deeply shaken.

The poems Chen Ning had just recited echoed in his ears from time to time.

Although there had been no order to Chen Ning's sword dance, and he had even looked like someone who had never practiced the sword,

Those lines of poetry, that heroic passion, that spirit...

And you said he wasn't a Sword Immortal?

Indeed!

"I, Li Changtian, am unworthy of the title of Sword Immortal..."

As Li Changtian sighed, he suddenly sensed that he seemed to have gained some insight into his understanding of the Sword Dao.

He was overjoyed.

He hurriedly closed his eyes, seeking that glimmer of enlightenment.

For a sword cultivator at his level, further progress in the Sword Dao was no longer something he could achieve with superior sword moves and a top-grade Cultivation Method.

What he needed was an opportunity and a moment of enlightenment.

And Li Changtian had waited many years for this glimmer of enlightenment.

So long that he had often thought his Sword Dao had already reached its peak...

Not until he met Chen Ning today...

Did he suddenly realize that he was no more than a frog at the bottom of a well.

Only Chen Ning was worthy of the title of Sword Immortal.

Today, he had learned his lesson.

Seeing this, Wine Maniac dared not disturb him. As he drank, he stared in shock at Chen Ning, who had passed out drunk.

"Hahaha! He's bound to become somebody someday..."

Early the next morning.

When Chen Ning opened his eyes, he saw that the courtyard was a mess again.

"What happened?"

Fortunately, a sound-recording Spirit Stone had been left on the stone table this time.

"Young friend Chen Ning, after receiving your guidance last night, I gained a little insight and made another breakthrough in the Sword Dao. But I carelessly damaged your brewing equipment again, so I've taken Elder Xuan to buy materials..."

After listening, Chen Ning shook his head and smiled. Just how bad was this guy?

He had just swung his sword around like a fucking idiot, and that had given him a moment of enlightenment?

Chen Ning guessed that Brother Li really might be the son of some wealthy family who had only recently begun learning swordsmanship.

At the thought, he felt a little ashamed. The man was just starting out; he hoped he hadn't taught him the wrong things.

Just then, a sweet, lively voice came from outside the gate. "Sect Master Brother, it's time to go to the Azure Cloud Platform."

Chen Ning walked out of the courtyard and saw that Su Ling'er had already brought a white horse and was waiting at the gate.

The Azure Cloud Platform.

Chen Ning knew a little about it from his memories.

It was an ancient ceremony of the Dragon-Seeking Sect.

After taking office, every sect master would go to the Azure Cloud Platform to make offerings to the Dragon-Seeking Sect's ancestors.

They prayed for the ancestors' protection.

It was also called the Azure Cloud Rite.

Each generation's sect master also had to make vows about how they would lead the sect to prosperity and strength.

Chen Ning didn't mind. It was just a formality to go through, so there shouldn't be any danger, and it probably wouldn't take long.

After mounting the horse, Chen Ning noticed that the loli Su Ling'er seemed to have something on her mind.

She was leading the horse, but she had taken several wrong turns.

"Ling'er, if you keep navigating like this, we're going to be late."

Chen Ning spoke with a smile.

Su Ling'er immediately felt both embarrassed and annoyed. She was annoyed that she had been so absentminded.

Ever since she had thought that Chen Ning might have stood against the Heavenly Lightning Tribulation for her because he liked her, she blushed whenever she saw him, and scenes of his gentle words and handsome smile kept popping into her head.

The girl's heart was awakening to love, and she was at just the age to let her thoughts wander to love stories.

But now she had even led them the wrong way. She couldn't help reproaching herself as she said:

"Don't worry, Sect Master Brother. Ling'er won't let you be late."

The girl finally put those bashful thoughts aside for the moment.

She focused on the road.

Half an hour later, when the two arrived at the Azure Cloud Platform, a crowd had already gathered below it.

Only the sect master and the elders were qualified to ascend the Azure Cloud Platform.

At that moment, the Dragon-Seeking Sect's nine elders were already in position on the platform, quietly waiting for Chen Ning to ascend.

At once, gazes from every direction fell on Chen Ning.

Since he had only recently taken office, a large number of people still didn't recognize him.

More than anything, they were curious about him.

"Look, that's our new sect master."

"You know, he really is just like the rumors said. Isn't he awfully young?"

"He's not just young. I heard he hasn't even started cultivating. He's a mortal. I don't know why the old sect master passed the position to him."

"Exactly. I could do it too."

Quiet murmurs rose from the crowd below the platform.

Those who could attend the ceremony today were all members of the sect's core; disciples in name and ordinary disciples weren't even qualified to attend.

Chen Ning felt no particular pressure. He followed the stairs, climbing them one step at a time.

Please. He dealt with an undercover demoness and the Thief God's granddaughter every day. Compared with that, a few disciples talking about him were minor witches in the presence of greater ones.

The nine elders stood in a row.

Chen Ning walked in front of the nine and, once he had stopped, the robed elder in charge of the Azure Cloud Rite handed him a piece of jade.

Chen Ning took it. On the way here, Su Ling'er had already told him how to use it.

He only had to inject Primordial Qi into it, and he could begin his speech.

The general idea was basically that he was excited to become sect master and would lead everyone to greater heights, and so on.

Eighth Elder Lin Xiaotian glanced over from behind him.

He was waiting to see Chen Ning make a fool of himself.

As far as he knew, Chen Ning had no cultivation, so naturally he couldn't activate the jade.

If he couldn't even get past this hurdle, Lin Xiaotian wouldn't have to go to such lengths to force him from power.

Chen Ning, however, turned the jade over in his hand a couple of times and injected Primordial Qi into it.

The jade lit up at once.

It caused a stir among the crowd below.

"Didn't they say he had no cultivation? How can he activate the jade?"

"What a fuss over nothing. Maybe he used some treasured Law Artifact. He could have prepared it beforehand and used the Essence Power it contains to activate the jade."

"Yes, that must be it."

On the Azure Cloud Platform, Chen Ning held the jade in his hand and was just about to speak.

Suddenly, an icy voice rang out:

"Chen Ning, you brat, how do you have the face to occupy the sect master's seat?"