A single sword split heaven and earth across ninety thousand miles. In its wake, it left a deep sword scar like purgatory itself. The scar cleaved the sky in two; when mortals looked up, it was as though they saw the world torn apart, the sun and moon divided, the stars collapsing—a scene like the end of the world.
The entire world was terrified!
Mortals believed the apocalypse had descended and that a great catastrophe was imminent, leaving them panicked and at a loss.
Cultivators, however, saw the truth. That sword had split the heavens and struck down an ancestor ninety thousand miles away, displaying a force so overwhelming that it inspired fear.
High in the sky, figures at the Ancestor Realm were also speaking at that moment.
"The Dao contained within that sword is simply terrifying. If he does not perish, the Old Land may truly produce a Sword God. Then, we will have a greater say as well, won't we?"
"There may be mistaken names, but never mistaken titles. The Thousand-Year Sword God of the Old Land truly deserves his name!"
"Emperor Wu of Zhou cultivated for a hundred years before he finally formed the foundation of the Ancestor Realm, only for it to be severed once again. It will likely be difficult for him to recover now."
"He needs to recuperate in peace. If he makes any further moves, he truly will not have the slightest hope left. This blow has been far too great for him."
"He reached the Ancestor Realm faster than anyone back then and was hailed as the future hope of the Old Land. Unfortunately, his personality is far too extreme. He would betray even his closest friend without hesitation. Who would dare entrust him with the burden of the Old Land?"
"Hmph, how can such a treacherous, petty man, one who holds grudges over every slight, be worthy of bearing the Old Land's heavy responsibility? What utter nonsense. He has spent the past several centuries since reaching the Ancestor Realm recovering from injuries. Is such a sickly wretch worthy of it?"
Shangqing Palace, Golden Summit Hall.
Now, after the storm, everything was silent.
That sword had emerged from Shangqing Palace and crossed ninety thousand miles. Everyone who had come to attend the Sect Master's inauguration ceremony at Shangqing Palace had witnessed it with their own eyes, and all of them stared in shock.
That sword strike, whether in power or aura, had been deeply engraved in their hearts. They would never forget it for the rest of their lives.
"Shangqing Palace actually has an ancestor hidden within it?" Someone swallowed hard, doing his best to suppress the horror in his heart. He could scarcely believe it.
"No wonder Shangqing Palace isn't afraid of the Luochuan Sect. So this is the trump card they possess."
"This ancestor chose to act at such a special moment today. He must be using our mouths to announce to the world that Shangqing Palace is no longer the Shangqing Palace it once was. They intend to return to the ranks of the first-rate great sects."
"The foundation of a millennium-old sect is truly unimaginable. Neither Li Qingshan nor this ancestor leaked even the slightest hint beforehand. How devious."
After exchanging views, the people from various large and small factions confirmed their suspicions. Shangqing Palace had deliberately arranged for its ancestor to act today, using their mouths to proclaim the news to the world.
These people did not possess the insight of those ancestors, capable of recognizing at a glance the sword energy of the Thousand-Year Sword God of the Old Land. Thus, every one of them became exceedingly enthusiastic toward Li Qingshan, surrounding him and earnestly showering him with praise, leaving Li Qingshan utterly helpless.
Some even suggested that they wished to visit the senior ancestor and hoped Li Qingshan could announce their arrival.
Li Qingshan rolled his eyes furiously. If Shangqing Palace really had a senior ancestor, would they have needed to endure humiliation until now?
With no other choice, Li Qingshan could only explain carefully. Unfortunately, everyone merely assumed he was concealing the truth and refused to believe him.
Outside the Scripture Repository Pavilion.
The waterfall crashed down.
Spray scattered like rain.
Li Jiusheng called softly, "Senior?"
The surroundings were empty. Only the waterfall roared, while all traces of the Thousand-Year Sword God of the Old Land had vanished.
From the moment that sword was struck, the Thousand-Year Sword God of the Old Land had disappeared.
Li Jiusheng knew that this time, he had truly vanished. After delivering that sword strike, he no longer had any regrets.
"I wonder whether that sword killed Emperor Wu of Zhou." Li Changsheng muttered. His realm was too low; he could not see what had happened ninety thousand miles away.
"I still need to cultivate. An Ancestor Realm expert can cross mountains and seas with a single sword, striking down someone ninety thousand miles away whenever he wishes. How dashing." Li Jiusheng sighed. Then he sat beside the waterfall and carefully contemplated the [Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique] the Thousand-Year Sword God of the Old Land had just displayed.
That sword had been executed through his body. Its sword intent, sword momentum, sword essence, and Sword Dao—Li Jiusheng could feel all of them clearly, as though they lay directly before his eyes.
He closed his eyes, and his mind was filled with the sword strike the Thousand-Year Sword God of the Old Land had unleashed through his body.
Li Changsheng carefully contemplated it, sinking deeply into intoxicated absorption. Like a traveler parched for days who found an oasis, he plunged headlong into it and refused to emerge.
He was far too hungry.
For cultivation, for the Sword Dao, for realms, for everything...
Li Jiusheng refused to let go of even the slightest opportunity to improve himself. Although there was much sword dao, sword essence, and sword intent that he could not yet understand, he memorized it first. As for what he could understand, he devoured it with insatiable hunger, studying it frantically. Only after completely mastering it himself would he move on to learn the next thing.
This meditation lasted seven days.
During those seven days beside the waterfall, day and night without pause, Li Jiusheng learned many things. With every breath he took, spiritual energy between heaven and earth was drawn toward him, turning into two Long Swords that entered his body, madly nourishing every inch of skin and transforming every bone.
At that moment, the Innate Sword Body was like a fish in water. It worked with tremendous vigor, absorbing spiritual energy and strengthening itself, while also raising Li Jiusheng's realm in the process.
The newly condensed Innate Golden Core grew ever larger, spinning rapidly as it spread through his body. It had already filled his dantian and continued to expand.
Seven days later, when Li Jiusheng emerged from his immersion, he realized that he had reached the peak of the Innate Realm. His Golden Core was complete and on the verge of shattering, ready for his domain to form.
Once the domain formed, the Grandmaster Realm would arrive.
The greatest advancement from the Innate Realm to the Grandmaster Realm was to polish the Golden Core condensed within the body until it was complete, then shatter it and transform it into one's own domain.
The size of the domain depended on how well the Golden Core had been condensed, how much Dao one had comprehended, the extent of one's potential, and the strength of one's body. It depended on many factors.
"Since my Golden Core is complete, I'll break through to the Grandmaster Realm directly. With the profound Sword Dao left behind by Senior this time, my Grandmaster domain will surely be extraordinary." Li Jiusheng made his decision decisively. Without another word, every inch of his skin exerted force, madly absorbing spiritual energy to hasten the shattering of his core and the formation of his domain.
Li Jiusheng continued to immerse himself in that sword strike of the Thousand-Year Sword God of the Old Land, comprehending it deeply and absorbing it without cease.
He was not merely engaging in dry contemplation; he was also using it to verify and compare his own sword techniques.
Under such verification, his [Grass and Wood Sword Technique] and the newly learned [Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique] progressed at an unbelievable pace, rapidly crossing the level of sword momentum and entering the realm of sword essence.
The foundation of the sword, the inner essence of the sword, the profound accumulation of the sword...
All of it became Li Jiusheng's confidence in breaking through to the Grandmaster Realm.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Drumbeats sounded from within his dantian. The perfected Golden Core was pulsing, producing those sounds.
Li Jiusheng steadied himself and remained unmoved. He allowed it to pulse as it pleased while he continued absorbing spiritual energy, comprehending the Sword Dao, and strengthening himself.
Crack!
As he absorbed ever more spiritual energy and his accumulation deepened, a crack appeared in the Golden Core at midnight. It then collapsed outright, and the energy he had stored exploded from his body with a boom, scattering into heaven and earth.
At that moment, beneath the bright moonlight, the elderly Li Jiusheng sat cross-legged at the cliff's edge, clad in black. Centered on him, the spiritual energy throughout ten miles of wilderness grew violent, while clanging sounds rang out in uneven succession. All the spiritual energy spreading outward transformed into sword intent, gleaming with cold light beneath the moon. Every strand of sword energy could have slain the Li Jiusheng of before.
Across ten miles of wilderness, sword energy surged like a radiant galaxy.
The domain had formed.
A Grandmaster had been born.
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