Chapter 1030
A former master, now just a roadside stall!
With the guidance of Dao Ancestor Qingyi, who had cultivated on the Ancient Road to the Divine Realm for ten thousand years and had some knowledge of certain areas of the Divine Tomb, Fang Qing's exploration efficiency was once again enhanced.
Qingyi Daozu, without holding back, led Fang Qing to several treasure planes that she had previously discovered but could not explore due to insufficient strength or excessive danger.
Some of these planes are filled with extreme icy divine power, which aligns with her Daoist practices.
Some contain ancient elixirs and cultivation techniques, while others are hatcheries for mythical beasts from the divine realm.
With his absolute strength, Fang Qing easily broke through the restrictions and dangers that Qingyi Daozu could not overcome.
The two worked together seamlessly, one responsible for breaking through enemy lines and the other for identifying, guiding, and categorizing information.
Although Fang Qing absorbed most of the core essence, the remaining scraps and some things that were not very useful to Fang Qing but were compatible with Qing Yi's Daoist methods also brought Qing Yi Daoist a great deal of benefits, and her strength subtly improved, which made her more determined to cooperate with Fang Qing.
Along the way, Fang Qing also learned more about the Ancient Road to the Divine Realm and other scattered information from Dao Ancestor Qingyi. He also gained a deeper understanding of the structure and possible origin of this divine tomb.
The two continued deeper, passing through a chaotic flow of time and space, where the scene before them changed once again.
This is a strange space, filled with an intense, almost impenetrable golden cloud.
These clouds are not ordinary metal elemental energy, but contain an extreme sharpness, destructiveness, and terrifying will to sever everything. It is as if the divinity and divine power of a supreme deity who specializes in metal-based swordsmanship has transformed into this golden sea of clouds filled with destructive sword intent after his fall.
"This is... the legendary primordial divine power cloud left behind after the fall of the Golden Sword God-King of the Divine Realm!"
Qingyi Daozu's eyes were solemn. "This kind of divine power is extremely sharp and domineering, and it is extremely harmful to the human body. If an ordinary cultivator inhales even a trace of it, he may be torn apart from the inside by the invisible sword energy! But for those who specialize in the sword path, this place is an unparalleled holy land for cultivation!"
"It can refine one's aura and sword intent to an absolutely perfect and pure state! It can greatly enhance attack power, cut through all obstacles, and even allow one to generate destructive sword energy from nothingness, concentrating all power into a single point! There must be a huge treasure left behind by the Golden Sword God Lord here—his sword dao inheritance!"
Fang Qing's gaze swept across the golden sea of clouds, and sure enough, he saw countless golden sword spirits formed from pure golden sword energy swimming and floating deep within the sea of clouds.
These sword spirits possessed incredibly powerful auras, each boasting dozens of combat strength points. Even ordinary Great Emperors from the outside world would be in danger of perishing if they were caught in this sea of sword spirits.
Just as Fang Qing and Dao Ancestor Qingyi stepped onto the edge of this golden sea of clouds—
"call out!"
A golden sword light, sharp to the extreme and fast as lightning, seemingly capable of cleaving through the Milky Way, surged forth like thunder from the heavens and instantly reached Fang Qing.
Just before making contact, the sword light suddenly exploded, transforming into countless tiny, yet dazzlingly brilliant, points of sword energy.
In an instant, the scene before Fang Qing and Dao Ancestor Qingyi completely changed.
They seemed to be in the vast expanse of space, with the phantoms of ancient planets and star fields appearing and rotating around them.
It was an ultimate visual and mental illusion, containing an incredibly real stellar pressure and gravitational field, as if countless giant planets were about to crush them completely.
"This is the Star River Illusion, a unique technique of the Star River Sword Sect!"
Qingyi Daozu's expression changed, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Be careful! The Star River Sword Sect is an extremely powerful sect specializing in sword cultivation on the Ancient Path to Divinity!"
Clearly, she recognized the origin of this attack method.
Fang Qing remained unmoved, not even bothering to glance at the overwhelming sword energy and stardust that contained the illusion of the power of the Milky Way.
He simply pointed his fingers together like a sword and made a light slash in the void ahead.
The hazy, chaotic sword energy shot out. It looked unremarkable, but the moment it touched the illusory starry sky, it produced a series of crisp cracking sounds.
That illusory galaxy composed of countless sword energies and stardust was utterly vulnerable; all the illusions, the pressure of the stars, and the gravitational field collapsed and disintegrated in an instant.
Those dazzling sword-like stars lost their luster, turning into ordinary metal elemental energy and dissipating into nothingness.
From the depths of the golden clouds, a roar filled with shock, anger, and disbelief suddenly resounded. Immediately afterward, a slightly disheveled figure flew out from the clouds, his aura rapidly weakening and becoming chaotic, clearly having been injured by Fang Qing's sword.
He dared not linger. With a flicker, he merged into the deeper golden sea of clouds, his aura vanishing as if he had never existed.
Only a voice, filled with resentment and threat, as shrill and cruel as the howl of a wild beast, carried from afar.
"The inheritance of the Golden Sword Divine Lord can only be obtained by members of our Star River Sword Sect! Anyone who trespasses will be killed without mercy! Kid, you just wait!"
Upon hearing this threat, Fang Qing merely smiled faintly, a hint of disdain on his face. "Golden Sword Divine Lord? Sword Dao inheritance? Interesting."
His intelligent spirit had already sensed that deep within this golden sea of clouds lay an extremely powerful and pure divine fluctuation of swordsmanship.
Although it wasn't the "ancient godhood" he most desired, the sword legacy and divine essence left behind by this "Golden Sword God" were probably far more powerful in terms of energy level and value than the "flame souls" he had encountered before.
In his perception, its energy index was even as high as three hundred or more.
This is absolutely a tremendous stroke of luck, a treasure that any sword cultivator, or any cultivator who wants to improve their offensive power, would dream of.
Without hesitation, Fang Qing, along with Dao Ancestor Qingyi, continued flying towards the core area of the golden sea of clouds.
Along the way, the wandering golden sword spirits seemed to sense the suffocatingly terrifying aura emanating from him, and they all avoided him, not daring to step forward to stop him.
Soon, they arrived at the deepest part of the sea of clouds.
This place turned out to be a huge, ancient stone chamber made entirely of some kind of golden divine crystal. The door of the chamber was wide open, and inside, golden light shone brightly, and the sound of swords echoed.
Meanwhile, from the gaps that had been breached in other directions of the stone chamber, quite a few figures had already rushed in.
These people were all experts, with powerful auras, piercing eyes, and sword intent of varying strengths surrounding them.
Their combat strength is generally above the tens, far exceeding that of ordinary emperors in the outside world.
Moreover, their clothing varied, clearly indicating that they came from different sects or factions.
This indicates that many powerful individuals along the Ancient Road to the Divine Realm have been drawn to this divine tomb and have found their way here!
None of the people present were weak; they were all supreme masters with energy indices reaching the tens.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense and delicate. Everyone was wary of each other, and their eyes kept glancing at the most dazzling golden light source in the center of the stone chamber.
There, one could vaguely see the phantom of an old man sitting cross-legged, wearing golden armor!
Just as Fang Qing was scanning these suddenly appearing experts one by one, his gaze fell on a young man.
He was a boy who looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old, with a hint of childishness still on his face and delicate skin.
His attire was simple, the only eye-catching thing being the seemingly ordinary silver bracelet wrapped around his wrist.
But with Fang Qing's keen eyesight, he could tell at a glance that the bracelet was actually formed from a divine sword that was extremely sharp and contained terrifying sword intent.
What's even more surprising is that this young man's cultivation level is only at the ninth level of the Mythical Realm—the "Hongshen Realm".
In this great era, even those at the Hongshen Realm within the Guardian Alliance cannot become ordinary "Elder Kings," let alone "Heavenly Generals" or "Guardian Dharma Kings," which are at a higher level than Elder Kings.
Placed in this divine tomb, it stands out even more from the surrounding experts who possess dozens of combat strength points.
However, this young man at the Hongshen Realm possesses a terrifying energy index of 101 points, which means that his actual combat power far exceeds his realm and can even crush most experts at the Vacuum Realm.
This is a manifestation of exceptional talent and profound knowledge!
Seemingly sensing Fang Qing's probing and scrutinizing gaze, the boy suddenly raised his head and looked at Fang Qing as well.
The moment their eyes met, Fang Qing's heart stirred slightly.
In the depths of the boy's eyes, there were endless scenes of the birth and death of the sword. The traces of the sword in every move, the strands of sword intent refined to the extreme, and the void world composed of sword energy constantly evolved, shattered, and were reborn in his pupils.
He seemed to have been born for the sword; his life, his will, everything he had was dedicated to pursuing the ultimate way of the sword.
This is a pure being born for the sword and destined to perish for the sword.
The Dao Ancestor Qingyi, who was standing to the side, also noticed the young man. Her expression became even more solemn, and she transmitted her voice to Fang Qing, saying, "This is the young sect master of the Star River Sword Sect. According to legend, when his mother was cultivating on the Ancient Path to Divinity, she traveled through the void in her spirit and dreamed that the entire universe was filled with sharp divine swords. After that, she became pregnant and gave birth to him!"
"This person's swordsmanship talent is unparalleled throughout history! He has been accompanied by the sword since birth, and has nothing else but the sword! No external object, emotion, or temptation can shake his absolute will to the sword! He is determined to obtain the swordsmanship inheritance of the Golden Sword God!"
She pointed to several men and women with equally powerful auras, dressed in uniform sword robes, beside the boy: "Those people next to him are elite elders and protectors of the Star River Sword Sect. They came here specifically to protect him and cheer him on."
After listening, Fang Qing's gaze lingered on the young man for a moment, and he nodded slightly: "His talent is indeed quite good, and his character is also pure enough."
That's all.
In his eyes, no matter how talented the other party was, they were only good, far from being a threat.
Just as the atmosphere inside the stone chamber was tense and all parties were on guard against each other,
"Everyone..."
An aged, deep voice, filled with boundless sword intent and majesty, suddenly rang out from the golden old man's phantom in the center of the stone chamber, instantly drowning out all the noise.
As the voice rang out, the old man's phantom suddenly opened its eyes.
In an instant, two golden sword lights shot out from his eyes, as if they could pierce through all illusions.
An immense aura, filled with supreme sword pressure, erupted from him like a mountain range and a tsunami, instantly shocking the entire scene.
The ever-flowing, eroding golden light outside the stone chamber solidified completely at this moment, ceasing to flow, as if transforming into a solid golden barrier that completely sealed off the entire stone chamber.
The golden old man's phantom, which was a wisp of divine soul left behind after the fall of the Golden Sword God, slowly stood up. His gaze swept over everyone present as if it were a tangible object, and his voice was like the clang of metal.
"I am the Golden Sword God! After my fall, I left behind this wisp of my divine soul, which comprehended the supreme truths of the sword! Now, I am here seeking a successor! Your arrival here at this time is a matter of fate!"
"Those who wish to inherit my legacy, please step forward! I will demonstrate the secrets of my swordsmanship. If you can comprehend and decipher these secrets within the allotted time, you will receive my complete inheritance, as well as... all of my remaining power!"
His words immediately caused an uproar.
The divine lord's inheritance, the complete infusion of power—what an immense temptation this is!
However, the next words from the Golden Sword God's soul sent a chill down everyone's spine: "But those who cannot receive my inheritance... then I'm sorry. I have sealed this space! Unless you submit to the new successor, you will all die!"
dead!
This single word is filled with chilling killing intent and an unquestionable resolve.
Clearly, the Golden Sword God's soul was not joking.
If you don't inherit the legacy, you will die.
This was a brutally honest selection process.
Instantly, the atmosphere inside the stone chamber became even more tense and oppressive. Many people's expressions changed, and hesitation, fear, or even more intense greed flashed in their eyes.
After listening to the words of the Golden Sword God, Fang Qing's eyes flashed with an almost imperceptible amusement and shrewdness.
A test? A selection? A struggle for succession?
What does this have to do with him?
At this moment, the Golden Sword God's soul began to move. He extended a finger and pointed it in the air.
"Buzz!"
Golden ripples suddenly spread across the central space of the stone chamber, and then a huge "Sword Dao Diagram" composed of countless golden sword energy images slowly unfolded in the void.
This diagram is incredibly complex and profound, with no written explanations, only countless crisscrossing and ever-flowing golden sword energy trajectories.
These trajectories seem to contain the highest truth of swordsmanship, each one constantly changing and interpreting different sword moves, sword intents, and even the rules of the sword.
Furthermore, an invisible, fundamental sword pressure emanated from the diagram, causing all the cultivators present to feel a sense of shock and oppression from the depths of their souls.
"This is the culmination of my life's swordsmanship essence—the Golden Extreme Breaking Illusion Sword Diagram!"
The voice of the Golden Sword God Lord resounded, "There are 3,600 basic sword energy trajectories in the diagram, each of which can generate endless variations! You have the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. During this time, whoever can first comprehend at least one complete sword dao profound meaning from it and completely copy it on the diagram with their own sword intent will be the inheritor!"
"Now, begin!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the enormous "Golden Extreme Breaking Illusion Sword Diagram" began to slowly rotate and change, revealing more hidden trajectories and mysteries.
At the same time, a stick of incense, emitting a faint fragrance and burning with golden flames, was lit next to the diagram, and the countdown began.
In an instant, everyone moved.
The young sect leader of the Star River Sword Sect was the first to rush to the front of the diagram. The scene of sword creation and destruction in his eyes became even more intense. He seemed to transform into a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, and devoted himself to comprehending the diagram.
The elders of the Star River Sword Sect around him quickly dispersed, forming a protective formation to guard against interference from others.
The experts from other factions were not to be outdone. They found what they considered to be the best observation positions, released their powerful divine senses, and frantically deduced the trajectory of the sword energy in the diagram, trying to find patterns and ways to break it.
Instantly, the entire stone chamber was filled with the surging power of sword intent, and the atmosphere became extremely tense.
However, the Golden Extreme Breaking Illusion Sword Diagram was far too profound and complex.
There are 3,600 basic trajectories, each of which is constantly changing, and there are countless combinations and derivatives between them. Even a master swordsman would feel dazzled and dizzy looking at this diagram, and would not know where to start in a short time, let alone comprehend the complete mystery and copy it within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Just then, Fang Qing, who had been standing quietly in place, moved.
He slowly raised his right hand and gently tapped it!
A beam of light instantly entered the core of the giant sword image—that one point of dazzling "golden sword heart light".
The ever-rotating, ever-changing, and dazzling Golden Extreme Breaking Illusion Sword Diagram suddenly stopped, all the sword energy trajectories and countless changing phantoms were paused at this moment.
Immediately afterwards, a soft, hazy halo suddenly spread out from the golden light of the sword at the core of the diagram.
Wherever the halo passed, the complex and profound sword energy trajectories continuously merged and fused, eventually transforming into just nine simple, yet fundamental sword marks containing the supreme truth of swordsmanship.
These nine sword marks represent "sharpness", "speed", "armor penetration", "continuous", "unpredictable", "heavy blow", "defense", "illusion" and the most core "breaking through illusion and returning to truth".
These nine sword marks are the true origin and core of the Golden Extreme Breaking Illusion Sword Diagram. The previous three thousand six hundred dazzling trajectories were merely a concrete manifestation of countless possibilities derived from these nine basic sword marks.
Fang Qing's chaotic sword intent light directly grasped the sword heart, which was equivalent to mastering the general outline of the entire sword diagram. Naturally, he was able to restore it to its most original and simplest state in an instant.
The appearance of these nine basic sword marks shocked everyone in the stone chamber!
Even the illusory soul of that Golden Sword God Lord suddenly emitted an unbelievable golden divine light from its eyes.
"This...how is this possible?!"
An elder of the Star River Sword Sect exclaimed in shock, "They actually cracked the core secrets of the sword diagram and restored it to the nine most basic sword marks!"
"He didn't even try to understand those complex changes! How...how did he do that?!"
The other expert was also horrified.
"Everything should belong to me. I think you can all build a great alliance with me as the center."
Fang Qing spoke. (End of Chapter)