Chapter 506 - 501: Could One Become a Sword Saint?

A thousand years ago, the Li Mountain Sword Ancestor met the Royal Family’s ancestor. After pacifying the chaos in the world, the Li Mountain Sword Ancestor retreated to Li Mountain to pass down the Sword Dao to the world, while the Royal Family’s ancestor established a dynasty.

After them, Li Mountain and the court embarked on different paths, until Ye Qinghuang’s father invited Zuo Canglan to emerge. This caused discord between Wu Tong and his senior brother Zuo Canglan, leading to the future event of the Eternal Sword Saint entering the Imperial City with a sword.

These are the things Li Fan knows.

The death of my sister’s father has always been suspected to be related to the current Emperor Li, but Emperor Li alone couldn’t have managed it. They suspect Emperor Li colluded with demons, but if it weren’t for the hidden presence within the Imperial Palace imparting approval, it would have been impossible.

Then it’s only possible to speculate that Ye Qinghuang’s father’s philosophy didn’t align with that of the court’s member, possibly due to intentions towards Li Mountain, which remains unknown.

But in that calamity, Li Mountain indeed fell into decline, suffering the greatest losses among the top forces in Da Li, without exception.

Hence, one cannot help but speculate that this disaster involving demons might have been intended to target Li Mountain from the start.

"Teacher, there’s one more thing. The demon inside me..." For many years, Li Fan had never asked about this matter, but now, certain things he surely needed to know.

Moreover, the demon within him had already developed self-awareness, capable of fighting on its own.

"Why not ask me directly?" A voice emerged from within, but Li Fan ignored it.

"That calamity decades ago was related to it." Zuo Canglan looked at Li Fan. "Before that chaos, although there was always conflict between human cultivators and the Demon Race, the situation was still under control. Later, after the previous emperor’s death, when demons emerged, chaos ensued. Li Mountain Sword Cultivators ventured out to slay demons. The demon within you is very likely the cause of the upheaval in the Demon World."

Li Fan’s expression was ever-changing as the ’Demon Saint’ looked at him with a smile and said, "The creature inside you, when I sensed it, apart from excitement, there was actually a trace of fear. So, initially taking you to Yun Meng Swamp, what kind of demon was it after all?"

"I don’t know either." Li Fan shook his head, feeling a sense of wistfulness.

"So it turns out, I should have died long ago," Li Fan softly said. Since that demon entered his body, when Li Mountain found him, they ought to have eradicated him.

Yet his teacher didn’t do so, instead bringing him to Li Mountain.

Even when faced with countless cold stares, his teacher still protected him.

His senior sister always stood in front of him, guarding him.

"All things in the world are predetermined. This must be fate. The fate between you and your teacher, and with your senior sister, is also connected with Li Mountain. Because of those events back then, you became who you are today," Shi Dao Ren said with a smile, full of emotion. "Who would have thought that an ordinary boy, due to demons entering his body and stepping into the Cultivation World, would start a legendary life? If one day you truly change the world, this story will become a legend for future generations."

The sword cut across the long sky, heading westward.

Occasionally, demons appeared. The vast and endless Sea Domain has always been a paradise for the Demon Race.

"Where are we heading?" Li Fan asked softly.

"The Penglai Sea Area," Shi Dao Ren replied. "In the depths of the West Sea, there are endless islands. The Penglai Sea Area is a group of islands. There, you might even occasionally see human cultivators, besides the top Demon Race Great Demons."

"If there are human traces, won’t our whereabouts be exposed?" Li Fan asked.

"The Penglai Sea Area is deep in the West Sea. Moreover, the vast West Sea has places like the Penglai Sea Area beyond count. The Penglai Sea Area also has countless islands. I have taken one island there, proclaimed myself as the Island Master, and set up a Great Array. Cultivators who make it there are reclusive ones, some being old monsters you can’t tell how many years have lived, and they rarely contact mainland people," Shi Dao Ren replied, "Besides, if you leave the island, you won’t use your real identity; no one will recognize you."

"Heading to the Penglai Sea Area this time, we won’t return for a short period. Perhaps when we re-enter the world, it will be decades later,"

Li Fan nodded gently. He had already cultivated to the Seven Realms. Facing the threat of the Saint Realm, they certainly couldn’t return inland.

Possibly, he would experience the longest cultivation period since he began cultivating.

Time unknown, the group had already ventured deep into the West Sea.

Looking down at the Sea Domain from high above, islands came into view ahead, seemingly shrouded in fog, with a perceivable presence of life.

"We’ve arrived. Ahead is the Penglai Sea Area. This expanse spans ten thousand miles, filled with countless islands. Most are Uninhabited Islands, with only a few housing people living together, while some specific islands are occupied by top cultivators as their cultivation grounds," Shi Dao Ren said.

"Somewhere people gather?" Li Fan muttered, considering the similarity to the West Emperor Island and Sun and Moon Dual Palace he once visited in the West Sea. However, compared to that side of the West Sea, the South Sea Penglai Immortal Island extended further, fully diving into the Sea Domain, where just the Penglai Sea Area alone stretched ten thousand miles.

And in the Land of the West Sea, many such Sea Domains exist. How vast is the West Sea, indeed?

"This world we are in has existed for who knows how many years. Where there’s land, human footprints are possible. Over countless years, it’s normal for people to have taken root there, even forming secluded groups with quite strong power," Shi Dao Ren said with a smile. "I traversed the West Sea for decades, only glimpsing the tip of the iceberg."

Li Fan nodded, and the group conversed as their flying swords traversed into the clouds and fog, entering the skies over the Penglai Sea Area.

"Follow me."

Shi Dao Ren accelerated and led the way ahead, controlling the sword until they reached an island among the archipelago.

The island is enveloped in strands of Sword Intent. If someone passing by senses this Sword Intent, they would know the island has a master.

"I have named this island Stone Island. The island is isolated from the outside world, and you can cultivate here, or go to other uninhabited islands."

A flying sword weaves into the island, whose length and width span hundreds of miles. From the ground, it seems like a mountain range stretching over hundreds of miles.

The group lands between a canyon, and Li Fan discovers a cultivation cave. He looks at Qi and asks, "Qi, have you been cultivating here all this time?"

"Yes." Qi nods.

Li Fan sighs in his heart. Qi was taken by Shi Dao Ren when he was still young, and he has been cultivating on uninhabited islands for many years. He wonders how Qi has endured such a long passage of time.

"There is an ’Immortal’ wall here, and I will take you there." Shi Dao Ren controls his sword and heads forward, coming to the back near the sea. This area is shrouded by a Sword Array.

Shi Dao Ren moves forward, followed by Li Fan and others. Before they arrive, they feel a wave of Sword Intent rushing toward them.

Lu Yuanyue and the others, whose cultivation is slightly inferior, even pause slightly, gazing ahead. In the coastal region, there is a mountainside, facing away from them, where Sword Intent gushes out. One can even see the Sword Intent transform into an invisible sword stream.

Moments later, a person arrives at the seaside, facing the cliff wall.

On the cliff wall, there are many sword scars and inscriptions.

"Three-foot azure peak, holding the sword to knock on the Heavenly Gate."

"Sharpening the sword for a thousand dynasties, tempering the soul through countless tribulations, can one ask for immortality?"

"Calming the world, sweeping across the universe, opening the Heavenly Gate with one sword, where is the immortal path?"

"Immortality is like a dream, better to return home..."

"Leave this Sword Wall for those destined."

Li Fan looks at the inscriptions on the Sword Wall, seeming to be left from different times, and the heart is in constant change.

He seems to see a supreme Sword Cultivator, cultivating to the peak of Sword Dao, desiring to knock on the Heavenly Gate for immortality, tread the immortal path, but ultimately leaving endless despair, leaving this Sword Wall here.

"Is the so-called immortal path the ascension mentioned?" Gu Qingyang asks.

"From what I know, it should be so. The sword scars left on this mountainside offer different insights to different people. How much you can comprehend depends on fate and fortune."

Shi Dao Ren looks at Zuo Canglan and asks, "You now have one foot in the Saint Realm. Can you discern the cultivation realm of the one who left these inscriptions?"

"Just these inscriptions are infinitely mysterious. Even when my master was alive, his Sword Dao cultivation was only so," Zuo Canglan replies.

"So, at least it’s the Saint Realm, possibly the Transformation Realm, yet still it’s hard to seek immortality."

"Why can’t I see anything?" Huang Xiong mutters from the back.

"First of all, you are not a Sword Cultivator, and it seems that the higher one’s cultivation, the deeper the insight," Xing Feng replies. "If a mortal views it, it’s just a few lines and sword marks."

"Do you want to rest first? After all, you will be cultivating here for many years," Shi Dao Ren says with a smile, but most of the newcomers are Li Mountain Sword Cultivators, reluctant to move even half a step, standing as if rooted.

"Alright, a friend is coming; I’ll go greet them." Shi Dao Ren says, then breaks through the air, leaving Li Fan and others curious about who it might be.

Soon, two Sword Auras break through the air, appearing above the cliff wall.

Li Fan raises his head, seeing a familiar figure, showing a trace of amazement.

The world’s number one sword, Xuanyuan Sword.

Many people are somewhat surprised; Xuanyuan Sword has also arrived.

"Why, is it strange?" Shi Dao Ren smiles and says, "I invited him. Now, the world’s top Sword Cultivators, including two Semi-Saint level ones, are on this island. I want to see how many years it will take to produce a Sword Saint."

The figure of Xuanyuan Sword instantly appears in front of the cliff wall, gazing at those inscriptions.

Back then, he was besieged by several major forces, later found by Shi Dao Ren, who told him one thing: various forces do not want to see a Sword Saint emerge in the Great Li World.

He believed it.

Afterward, Shi Dao Ren invited him here, and he came.

As Shi Dao Ren said, now, the world’s top Sword Cultivators are all on this island.