The Stars Beyond

Chapter 65: The Sword Disgusts Me

Old Chen stood tall and proud, hands casually tucked behind his back, emanating an air of confidence. Overflowing with zeal and fervor, he was determined to rise to the very top and match wits with legends of old. He felt an overwhelming urge to shout triumphantly to the skies. But just as he tilted his head upwards, a cascade of gleaming sword energy rained down like a heavy downpour. The entire realm shimmered with these radiant blades, and they threatened to swallow him whole.

A shiver of dread crept up his spine. What is going on? Has the Inner Landscape always been this treacherous? Freshly arrived, he found himself under siege, with the entire space awash in blinding sword radiance. Summoning all his strength and knowledge, Old Chen deployed every Grandmaster technique he knew, erecting a spiritual shield to fend off the relentless onslaught of luminous beams.

Boom!

He felt like a tiny boat in a turbulent sea, caught amidst monstrous waves that tossed him skyward, and yanked him into the eye of a terrifying whirlpool.

Old Chen was utterly flabbergasted. The Inner Landscape was too perilous for words. Could Wang Xuan's warning about the realm sapping one's vital essence be true?

The pain was unbearable!

He felt as if he was coming apart at the seams. The spiritual domain that once encased him like a misty veil was now being cleaved into thin wisps, spiraling upwards like tendrils of smoke. It was a hellish introduction – being bombarded as soon as he entered. Old Chen was seriously having doubts about this entire endeavor.

The scene was tragically breathtaking. His once vast spiritual realm was now fraying, and smoke seemed to rise from the top of his head. But Old Chen was no ordinary individual. Although in excruciating pain and feeling as though he might explode, he miraculously remained alive amidst the endless sword energies. Gritting his teeth, he summoned the foundational methods of the Early Qin practitioners, showcasing his resolve as a Grandmaster.

He entered this realm to grow stronger. The moment he detected mystery factors, he began absorbing them fervently despite the agony, eager to restore his spiritual realm. It was then that he gazed upwards and spotted her – a celestial maiden, unmistakably a female Sword Immortal. She stood in the void, clothed in moon-white, her sword resting beside her, exuding an unparalleled elegance and sprinkling the surroundings with sacred luminescence.

This young-looking Sword Immortal perfectly fit every detail from the legends. Draped in white, challenging the very heavens alone with nothing but her blade. She exuded an unmatched aura. Given Old Chen's skeptical nature, he had taken Wang Xuan's words with a grain of doubt. Yet now, he was in awe and then filled with deep reverence.

This was a true Sword Immortal. In all his years of practicing the sword, never had he encountered such a figure. Merely witnessing her suspended in the air, unleashing those radiant sword energies had left him utterly captivated. It was profound and beyond comprehension. He was determined to learn from her.

"The path of the Sword Immortal – a single frosty blade spanning fourteen provinces, its energy piercing the heavens, challenging the celestial constellations. In leisure, one can traverse from the Northern Sea in the morning to the Cangwu at dusk. I've yearned for this since my youth," Old Chen mused. But then, reality gave him a brutal wake-up call. He was ruthlessly battered by attacks from the Sword Immortal.

Sword energies rained down as the ethereal fairy showed no such sentimentality. With a mere flick of her hand, beams filled the sky, relentlessly attacking Old Chen. On the outskirts of this Inner Landscape, Wang Xuan witnessed this scene. He dared not enter. As he absorbed the overflowing mystical energy to alleviate his fatigue, he began to mimic the Sword Immortal's techniques.

Over the years, even though he had not acquired the Sword Immortal's teachings, he had been 'schooled' through experience. Now, as he imitated her, he felt enlightened. Seeing Wang Xuan, Old Chen felt a pang of guilt. "Even Little Wang is dedicated to learning the sword. As a Grandmaster, what reason do I have to slack off? I must learn!"

With that determination, he earnestly began to mimic and learn the art of the sword. The female Sword Immortal had already identified him as the current master of the Black Sword due to the weapon's aura emanating from him. Watching him dare to mimic her techniques, she intensified her assault. The sword light transformed into roaring rivers, crashing down incessantly. Old Chen felt on the verge of collapse, almost wailing in despair. Even a Grandmaster was no match against a Sword Immortal.

"Why isn't she attacking Wang Xuan? Could it be that... he’s not here at all?" Old Chen's eyes reddened with the realization that he might have been played by the younger man.

Witnessing Old Chen's plight, Wang Xuan was deeply shaken. However, he ultimately decided to enter the Inner Landscape, recognizing the significance of this unique opportunity, especially for those who tread the path of Old Arts.

"Even if the weight of the heavens bears down on me, even if I'm mired in endless suffering, I must go in!" He gritted his teeth, resolved to push through, determined to practice the Golden Body Technique in this desolate realm.

Then he moved, painstakingly controlling his body to grasp that black longsword once again, only to quickly release it and thrust it into Old Chen's hands. This was the first decisive and swift action he took upon entering the Inner Landscape. In an instant, Old Chen felt as if the black sword was an extension of his own flesh and blood. Is this... a weapon from the legends?!

He was both astonished and touched. Could this weapon be brought into the Inner Landscape? Did it sense my peril and rush in to defend its master? He was on the brink of tears. His understanding of the Inner Landscape was still limited, and he had not taken the time to sense the external environment. He was unaware that it was just a manifestation of the black sword.

With the legendary sword in hand, Old Chen's spirits soared. No pain, no hardship, no agony that tore at his body mattered anymore. He was determined to learn the art of the sword from the female Sword Immortal.

That day, Old Chen endured the darkest pain of his life, the greatest pain he had ever felt. Pierced innumerable times by the dense sword energies, he remained unyielding, fiercely continuing to learn the sword.

Wang Xuan practiced the Golden Body Technique from afar, wincing in empathy just by watching. Eventually, unable to bear the sight any longer, he shouted, "Old Chen, don't forget, your physical body needs to be saved! Quickly activate the core techniques of the Early Qin practitioners!"

Old Chen felt as if his wits were being split apart. Shaking his head forcefully, he tried to clear his mind and quickly became suspicious, feeling as though he'd been duped.

Why wasn't Wang Xuan "disciplined" after entering? Why was he the only one undergoing the "baptism" of sword light? And the more he swung his sword, the worse the beating became?!

Old Chen lay on the ground motionless, trying to figure out what was happening. It seemed like he'd... taken the bait again, and this time the consequences were immense. He recognized his unfamiliarity with the Inner Landscape made him susceptible to deception. He needed to quickly understand the rules of this place.

Sure enough, as he lay flat, discarding the black longsword and ceasing resistance, the frequency of the sword energies striking him visibly decreased. Using the core techniques of the Early Qin practitioners, Old Chen rejuvenated his spirit. As time passed, he could vaguely sense his external physical body, and the injuries to his vital organs seemed to be slowly healing.

"This is..." he was astonished.

At his level of expertise, he naturally understood more, sensing the changes in his physical body. He quickly realized how precious this mysterious substance truly was — an invaluable treasure! So even if he was continuously struck by swords, Old Chen wasn't afraid. As long as he wasn't fatally injured, he'd spare no effort in absorbing this extraordinary treasure from the world to strengthen himself.

He marveled, realizing that this mysterious substance was far superior to any life-extending methods known in modern techniques. If the corporations learned of this, they would undoubtedly go berserk. They would deploy countless super warships, using every means possible to force assistance in accessing the Inner Landscape.

Keeping this secret is crucial, as the implications could be catastrophic.

Old Chen understood the lurking danger and terror. If not managed properly, those well-versed in the Old Arts could be captured and exploited to their fullest extent. Undoubtedly, the powerful elites and major organizations aimed to harness this method for their own gain.

Old Chen recognized that this method wasn't universally applicable. For now, only Wang Xuan seemed to have mastered it. Even he, a Grandmaster, needed Wang Xuan's assistance to gain entry. Outsiders would not understand it that way. Should he speak out, they'd dismiss his words, opting instead to use any means to coerce the information from him.

"Wang Xuan, the secrets of this place... we can't ever disclose them, not even at the cost of our lives," Old Chen uttered, his face etched with worry.

Watching Old Chen's battered state while practicing his Golden Body Technique, Wang Xuan felt a surge of remorse. "Old Chen," he began, "you should've approached it like this..."

Old Chen focused intently on Wang Xuan's words, while internally berating the young man. He was certain Wang Xuan was holding back, withholding essential information from him. But Old Chen was sharp, ready to coax the truth out of him.

Though Wang Xuan felt pity for Old Chen, he suspected the old drama king was putting on an act for sympathy. He halted midway through his sentence and sighed, "Old Chen, you should come clean. How did you get that black sword? Did you inherit its teachings from an Evil Sword Sect?"

"What's going on?!" Old Chen exclaimed, alarmed as the female Sword Immortal set her sights on him once again. This time, it wasn't just the sword energy. There were also ethereal thunderbolts, with enormous bolts of lightning relentlessly striking down.

It did not take long for Old Chen to understand the reason. Visions of the sword sect being destroyed on a rainy night reappeared. He gasped, feeling as if his reputation was in tatters.

"Spill everything from the beginning. Make it clear!" Wang Xuan demanded.

"Wait, I'll tell you. The sword isn't mine. I found it in a desolate mountain range..." Old Chen confessed painfully, revealing the sword's origin.

Wang Xuan disregarded Old Chen's tale, focusing intently on practicing his Golden Body Technique in the background. He aimed to advance to the sixth realm, hoping to become so invincible that perhaps not even regular bullets could penetrate him. It's worth noting that Old Chen was quite the talker. He spoke at length about the black sword's history, explaining how he had found it next to a corpse and that he wasn't a descendant of its lineage. To prove his innocence, he recounted his life story non-stop for two whole days.

Suddenly, with a whoosh, the female Sword Immortal burst out of the Inner Landscape, disappearing without a trace.

"Why did she leave?" Wang Xuan wondered aloud.

"Little Wang, you're going to pay for this!" Old Chen snapped back to reality, ready to settle scores with him.

Wang Xuan quickly replied, "Now's a golden opportunity! If you don't heal yourself now, when will you? She might be back any moment."

Old Chen was seething with resentment, but eventually suppressed his anger and hurriedly used the ancient Qin technique to heal himself. Years later, the female Sword Immortal appeared once again. In the outside world, it might have only been minutes. Upon arriving in the Inner Landscape, she didn't waste time and began attacking Old Chen immediately.

"Why always me?" Old Chen lamented, feeling the injustice of the world and the tragedies of human life.

Soon after, Wang Xuan also felt the wrath of her sword, once again experiencing the formidable power of her endless sword light.

"Old Chen, is there something problematic about the location where you found the black sword? Speak now," Wang Xuan shouted, retreating as he spoke.

"Times have changed, landscapes have shifted. I'll describe to you how the present terrain aligns with the ancient landscape," Old Chen quickly recounted, taking two days to cover the entire history of the region.

And then, the female Sword Immortal left again. She was gone for many years until one day, she returned, forlorn and, without a word, resumed her attack on Old Chen.

"Why?!" Old Chen felt like he was losing his mind. Why was he always the target?

From a distance, Wang Xuan yelled, "Old Chen, you need to put yourself in the shoes of the sage. Understand her perspective. The black sword did end up in your hands. After all these years, the main culprit remains elusive, so naturally, you'll bear some of the karmic burden."

Old Chen stared blankly, bearing the intense pain, feeling absolutely helpless.

For two grueling years, Old Chen endured the relentless onslaught. Then, in a stroke of genius, he started giving the female Sword Immortal a series of history lessons. He began with the Early Qin period, leading to the Han and Tang dynasties, then explained the Old Arts of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era, and culminated in a detailed description of modern marvels, touching upon ancient lands and new stars, and elaborating on the nature of super battleships. He made history come alive with compelling twists and turns, making it an exhilarating journey.

Yet, this historical discourse consumed half a year, during which Old Chen persistently endured her strikes, all while unwaveringly recounting tales from the past. He surmised that the fading history and the unfamiliarity of the current era bewildered the female Sword Immortal, causing her temper to flare and making her seek vengeance on him. Thus, he patiently enlightened her about the present world.

As expected, once she fully grasped the essence of the contemporary era, the female Sword Immortal disappeared and didn't return for a very long time.

"The immortal... her powers are vast," Wang Xuan marveled. "In such a short time since her awakening, she can freely move in and out of this Inner Landscape." By now, his Golden Body Technique was bearing fruit, his form emanating a gentle golden glow.

When the female Sword Immortal returned, she relentlessly attacked Old Chen for a decade within the Inner Landscape. Of course, Wang Xuan didn’t escape her wrath either and received his fair share of punishment.

Yet, both endured, stubbornly refusing to retreat from the realm.

Until one day, having seemingly vented all her frustrations, the female Sword Immortal, without uttering a word, swept both Wang Xuan and Old Chen out of the Inner Landscape using a radiant sword beam, cleanly and decisively ejecting them.

"How are you, Old Chen?" After returning to his physical body, Wang Xuan immediately opened his eyes and checked on Old Chen.

It was clear that Old Chen's condition had improved, but he was far from fully recovered. After all, during their years in the Inner Landscape, he had spent most of the time under relentless attacks from the sword's radiance, and when he wasn't, he was recounting history, leaving him little opportunity to concentrate and absorb the mysterious element.

"I'm not quite there yet," he responded weakly.

Qing Mu was shocked and almost exclaimed.

"Shh!" Wang Xuan stopped him, saying, "Keep your master in this state and don't let anyone know."

With a feeble voice, Old Chen beckoned, "Qing Mu... come here and toss that sword away for me."

"What?" Qing Mu was taken aback. Had his master been possessed? This was clearly not right. The sword was his master's most cherished weapon; why would he want to discard it?

"I'm sick and tired of looking at swords recently. Just the sight of one makes me nauseous," Old Chen said weakly but with a firm conviction. He insisted it be placed out of his sight.

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