After the Primordial World returned to peace, many cultivators who had hidden away for fear of being caught in battles between factions or seized by major powers as cannon fodder came out of hiding. The world, which had seemed rather desolate, quickly regained some of its bustle.
After this great calamity, all cultivators valued strength more than ever. The status of Golden Immortals rose rapidly, and factions of all sizes began offering generous terms to recruit them.
This indirectly drove cultivators to do whatever it took to grow stronger. Strength meant the foundation for survival, status, and easier access to resources that could help one advance further... These were nearly universal beliefs.
Thus, although the Primordial World had generally settled down, local disputes over spiritual treasures and the seizure of blessed lands continued one after another.
For three hundred years after leaving the battlefield, Li Yi traveled barefoot across countless mountains and rivers, taking in the wonders of the vast world. He had gazed down at surging rivers and looked up at myriad towering peaks.
He covered thirty thousand li a day, braving the elements as he traveled. Treacherous forbidden lands and a kaleidoscope of sights all passed before his eyes.
When he had first left the battlefield, Li Yi's killing intent had filled the land, making him seem like a fearsome fiend. But after three hundred years of listening to the grand harmonies of Heaven and Earth, watching mountains and flowing water, observing the stars' transformations, and contemplating the principles of Heaven and Earth, he seemed to have entered a state of unity with the natural world. His killing intent had completely subsided.
For three hundred years, he had drawn close to nature at every moment and comprehended the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. Without realizing it, his six Sword Art forms had merged into one, simplifying the complex while combining offense and defense.
This form took "Lotus Born Heaven and Earth" and "Sword Rules the World" as its framework, with "Immeasurable Sword Light," "All Things Unique," "Ten Directions Annihilation," and "Instantaneous Samsara" as its branches. Once used, it not only combined all six forms, but could also fluidly shift into any one of them midway, depending on the situation. Li Yi called it "Green Lotus One World." In truth, the form had already become a state of mind, so Li Yi could break through to Golden Immortal at any time if he wished.
For now, however, Li Yi had no desire to do so. He wanted to draw the Power of Slaughter into himself, transform all his Magic Power into a single force of slaughter, then fuse it with "Green Lotus One World" to create a Slaughter Sword Dao.
As his swordsmanship grew ever more refined, Li Yi's soul and divine consciousness had also completely transformed into willpower over those three hundred years of arduous cultivation. In the space within Li Yi's mind, his silvery willpower would occasionally turn into tiny swords that danced through the air.
One day, Li Yi arrived near Shouyang Mountain. He planned to cultivate nearby for a while and take a look at this future sacred land of humanity.
"Hey, you there, Daoist! I planted this tree, and I opened this mountain. If you want to pass, leave some road money!" The Leopard Spirit, Hua Bao, gripped a crude, pitted iron rod, looking terribly nervous. "G-give, give me your Magic Treasure, and I-I-I'll let you go!" As he spoke, he pointed at the Green Lotus Ancient Sword behind Li Yi.
Who knew how nervous the Leopard Spirit was at that moment? This was his first robbery. Hua Bao was notorious in the area for being timid; whenever he encountered another cultivator, he would dive straight into his cave.
But when he saw all the other demons carrying weapons, he couldn't stand it anymore and finally worked up the courage to rob someone. Still, he didn't dare target cultivators who were brimming with killing intent, radiated authority, or clearly looked like rare and exotic beasts that had taken human form.
At first glance, Li Yi seemed unremarkable, with disheveled hair and bare feet. He looked even worse off than Hua Bao. But the fellow had a sword on his back.
The Leopard Spirit was green with envy. How is this fair? He looks even worse off than me, yet he has an Ancient Sword! Hua Bao grumbled indignantly. To make sure he wasn't mistaken, he took another look. Li Yi really didn't look like an expert, so Hua Bao finally dared to leap out.
Since this was his first robbery, the Leopard Spirit was especially nervous. He could barely get his words out, stammering all the way through.
Li Yi was speechless. He was trembling so badly that anyone who didn't know what was going on would think Li Yi was robbing the Leopard Spirit.
Still, the Leopard Spirit was rather amusing. Li Yi happened to be planning to cultivate here for a while, and having a servant around would be convenient. With that thought, he sent a sword qi toward a nearby hill.
"Rumble!" The entire hill was reduced to dust, and the sword qi carved a deep trench into the ground.
Hua Bao was utterly dumbfounded. So the person he'd tried to rob wasn't some weak cultivator, but a god of slaughter! Hua Bao wished he could slap himself twice. Why am I such an idiot?
When he saw Li Yi glance at him with an amused smile, the Leopard Spirit hurriedly kowtowed, afraid for his life.
"Mercy, my lord! Please spare me, my lord..."
That voice was too much for Li Yi to bear. "Take me to your cave." He glared at the Leopard Spirit as he spoke.
Hua Bao didn't dare object. "Y-yes, my lord. This way."
Li Yi spent the next 150 years cultivating at the Leopard Spirit's place. Aside from occasionally touring Shouyang Mountain, he spent his time constantly comprehending the Power of Slaughter.
Ten years ago, he had finally drawn the Power of Slaughter into his body, transforming all his Magic Power into it. His Sword Art's power had increased many times over. However, fusing the Power of Slaughter with "Green Lotus One World" wasn't going smoothly. Either it was distributed unevenly or the output was too great. It seemed he would have to wait for the right opportunity.
Those 150 years had been both painful and joyful for the Leopard Spirit. The painful part was that he couldn't live in his cave and had to sleep outside his own door, while also being summoned from time to time. The joyful part was that Li Yi occasionally gave him pointers, helping him advance from an incomplete transformation to the mid-stage of the Heavenly Immortal realm in just 150 years.
Now, watching Li Yi's departing figure, Hua Bao felt reluctant to see him go. He secretly vowed that one day, he too would become a mighty cultivator.
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