The World Without Him

In the end, Zhou Heng became Fan Yuan's disciple and began to learn about the cultivation path for Cultivator.

Breathing in and out, drawing qi into the body, and tempering the meridians.

Starting all over again is tedious and boring.

Normally.

However, he started frequently going to Qin Wangchuan's place.

It wasn't arranged by Jiang Zhuo; he went on his own.

Operating the bellows, moving iron, assisting others—he did all sorts of work.

Without saying a word, without looking up, silently finish the job and leave.

The purpose was to observe Qin Wangchuan.

The more Zhou Heng looked at this person, the more suspicious he felt.

Despite having never practiced physical training or breathing techniques, he was able to easily defeat himself.

Even though he had never left this town, he could command the utmost respect from Cultivator from other places, who would even address him as "Master."

And that Jujube Tree, the White Deer beneath it, and the faint, ethereal glow in the night.

All of this was like a fog shrouding his eyes.

They just won't separate.

He wanted to ask.

But after those words last time, it seemed like there was something separating the two of them.

Unable to ask, I could only watch.

The longer I looked at it, the more my doubts grew, not only didn't disappear.

The comfortable days passed by in a blur.

Qin Wangchuan's reputation gradually spread throughout the town.

It's not because his cooking skills are particularly good.

He's still far from being as skilled as those veteran blacksmiths who've been doing it for decades.

There were simply no other blacksmiths in town.

Besides acquaintances, people started coming to him to get things done.

Kitchen knife, hoe, Iron Pot, door knocker.

It has everything.

Of course, there are only so many people in a small town.

Orders aren't always coming in; there's a busy period followed by a quiet one.

When he had free time, Qin Wangchuan would begin forging swords.

That day.

He sat in the courtyard, staring at the sword embryo he had just forged in his hand, his expression momentarily dazed.

The iron-gray blank was rough and uneven, and the shape of a sword was not yet visible.

What kind of sword should I forge?

This question naturally came to mind.

What followed was an unwavering answer.

"Ten Directions Profound Sword"

Qin Wangchuan looked at the iron lump in his hand, as if he could see the shadow of that sword through it.

"Shifang..." he repeated softly, his brows furrowing slightly. "I originally thought the name came from the fact that the Immortal Court era was called 'Ten Directions Era'."

"But now that I think about it, it's clearly not right."

"The Qin Clan is merely one of the Ten Directions; there's no need to claim the title of one of the Ten Directions."

"Moreover, as my sword, it doesn't bear any trace of my own."

He paused here.

"And there are more wonderful methods to follow."

Qin Wangchuan vaguely felt that he had touched something, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

He closed his eyes, gathering those fragmented thoughts together and slowly sorting them out.

"Think about it more carefully... there are definitely traces."

Why should I choose this name for my future self?

"And, what kind of sword do I want to forge?"

Countless details flashed through my mind.

Ten directions, Ten Heads, ten Imperial Clan.

Wonderful Dharma, related to Dharma...

He suddenly opened his eyes and uttered two completely unrelated words.

"Heaven-Opening!"

The thought exploded, like a lightning bolt cleaving through the thick fog.

"That's right! It's the Heaven-Opening!"

"Ten Directions, Ten Methods—I previously mastered one of them, the Chu Clan's Heaven-Opening!"

Qin Wangchuan suddenly stood up, staring at the sword embryo in his hand, his eyes shining even brighter.

"When I first obtained the sword, it wasn't because it was broken that I needed to devour other weapons."

"But that's how it was designed from the very beginning!"

"The Mystic Law Sword can absorb all techniques and weapons!"

"And the ten directions ahead--"

He took a deep breath.

"It refers to the ten imperial laws!"

Understanding this, Qin Wangchuan was both excited and surprised.

"In other words, my future self accomplished it."

"To integrate the strongest techniques of the Ten Great Imperial Clans into one's own body, and transcend them."

"This is— the Ten Directions Profound Immortal Venerable."

The moment the words left her lips, Qin Zhaoer's heart skipped a beat in the neighboring courtyard.

She put down what she was holding, walked into the courtyard, and looked up.

A fierce storm was brewing in the sky.

Just a moment ago it was a bright, sunny day, with the sun shining brightly in the sky. Now, dark clouds are surging in from all directions, churning and rolling, as if something is about to burst out from the clouds.

"It was sunny just a moment ago, how quickly things can change!"

Wen's father stood in the courtyard, looked up at the sky, and sighed.

Qin Zhaoer did not respond.

She turned to look at the neighboring yard.

"No, the Spiritual Qi here is extremely scarce, why did you make such a commotion???"

The future is connected to the past, and the past anchors the future.

Whether that cracked Iron Sword obtained from the system is truly the Ten Directions Profound Sword is anyone's guess.

But from this moment on...

The Ten Directions Profound Sword will inevitably be born.

He fused and refined ten imperial techniques, and absorbed all kinds of laws and weapons.

When this sword is drawn, it proclaims to heaven and earth.

It is both a sword and a unique art, not conforming to any other art.

Its sword possesses a spirit, and naturally generates the Heaven and Earth Law.

Its name is:

The Heaven and Earth Law: "The Ten Directions Profound Sword"

The first artifact to possess the Heaven and Earth Law since the Heaven-Opening.

At the same time.

He was also the first being to attain the Heavenly Emperor status through the physical body of a vessel.

Although a direction has been found, it is ultimately impossible to use the Mortal Iron here to forge the supreme magic sword.

Therefore, Qin Wangchuan spent the rest of his days forging iron, reading, and Draw Talismans.

And he began to teach himself formations.

Life went on uneventfully, except for one thing.

The White Deer can talk.

The Ten Directions Immortal Court, the Forget Form Mountain.

This is the Three-Clan Borderlands.

Originally, this wasn't his name; Chu Wujiu thought this one sounded better, so he changed it.

It became a secret base.

Only...

"Didn't they come?"

Li Xuan arrived just in time and went inside to take a look.

Only Chu Wujiu sat at the large table, with a wine pot in front of him, half of which was already gone.

Chu Wujiu did not reply.

No need to reply; the answer is written on the empty chair.

Li Xuan didn't ask any more questions. He sat down, took a cup, and poured himself some tea.

Before the tea could even be brought to his lips, Chu Wujiu swept the cup away and handed him a bowl of wine.

Li Xuan glanced at him, took the drink, and tilted his head back to drink it.

"Only you would be willing to come."

Chu Wujiu glanced at the empty seats around him, his tone ambiguous, whether it was self-deprecation or something else.

"Don't you think we're a pretty interesting bunch?"

"We only got together because of him in the first place, but now that he's in seclusion, we can't even sit together anymore."

Li Xuan didn't respond.

Chu Wujiu poured another bowl of wine, picked it up but didn't drink it, just stared at the swaying liquid in the bowl.

"I was just thinking, what would we be like now if Qin Wangchuan weren't here?"

Li Xuan thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I can't figure it out."

"But don't overthink it. They're not coming because they want to get stronger so they can beat him again."

"I know."

Chu Wujiu interrupted him, his voice lower than before.

"Me too."