In the ten-thousand-meter-deep trench, the white-haired old man surnamed Gao collapsed like a puppet made of blue sand, evenly disintegrating into tiny droplet-like Gu insects. The vortex Dharma form behind him followed suit, though the transformed Gu insects appeared almost illusory, lacking substantial realism.
Both types of Gu insects exhaled sword aura and breathed sharpness, starting to tremble slightly. Their colors gradually faded until they became almost transparent.
With a buzz, they scattered and vanished, as if merging into the void itself.
He Qi still kept his hands behind his back, making no move. Yet he clearly understood that the old man had mastered the essence of the Formless Sword Gu, transforming his body into countless minuscule sword gu. These sword gu existed between reality and illusion, capable of merging into the boundless primordial energy “ocean” that filled heaven and earth, becoming mere “droplets” within this vast expanse.
Before transcending heaven and earth, all martial cultivators needed to inhale and exhale primordial energy. Upon reaching the realm of unity between heaven and man, they could directly sense the primordial energy ocean, immersing their entire being within it. Every pore absorbed its nourishment, granting immense power for recovery and maintaining the vitality of both body and spirit, each movement brimming with formidable might.
At this moment, the Invisible Sword Gu had truly transformed into “droplets” of the primordial energy ocean, capable of infiltrating the body through the pores during respiration. With the nine natural orifices and every pore serving as natural channels, once inside the body, the Sword Gu solidified, unleashing torrents of sword qi that ravaged the weakest points without resistance. They were the ultimate counter to defensive martial arts and the perfect technique for assassination!
What made them terrifying was their ubiquity—nearly indistinguishable from the normal droplets of the primordial energy ocean. If one closed their pores and ceased absorbing primordial energy, relying solely on physical strength, even the mightiest masters would quickly exhaust their power, weaken, and be defeated “normally.”
Mysterious as gu insects, they were aptly named Sword Gu!
The Sword Gu lineage had long studied the secret of blue blood, aspiring to merge into the primordial energy ocean as seamlessly as blue-blooded beings dissolve into water, attaining true “formlessness.”
After all these years, the old man surnamed Gao seemed to have finally attained this state!
He Qi did not seal the “pathways” connecting his body to heaven and earth, continuing to absorb primordial energy. Delighted, the old man carefully maneuvered his sword gu from all directions, riding the “primordial tide” into He Qi’s body. Even though He Qi’s dharma form and physical form had fused, with every part of his body embodying profound principles and no distinction between inside and outside, there were still weak and strong points. If handled skillfully, unleashing ten thousand sword qi from within could gravely wound He Qi.
Most importantly, he had suppressed his cultivation to just half a Dharmakaya step. Thus, victory would fulfill his long-held wish.
The tide surged, with the Sword Gu concealed within, silently seeping through He Qi’s pores. The old man was poised to strike.
At that moment, he suddenly realized—he could no longer sense He Qi!
The heavens and earth remained, the undulating primordial energy ocean still filled every space, the battle elsewhere in the trench still raged, and the sea continued its slow refill. Everything seemed unchanged except for one thing: He Qi was gone—completely gone!
His aura, traces, movements, and appearance—all vanished in an instant. It was as if the body the old man had taken had dissolved into the void, or was merely an illusion!
Suddenly, a hidden yet confident voice rang in his ear: “Uncle Gao, this is the true ‘formlessness’!”
As the words faded, tiny sword qi erupted from every corner of the nearby void, striking the Sword Gu with pinpoint accuracy. It was as if a pure, crystalline flower of sword qi blossomed mid-trench, illuminating the surrounding darkness!
The sound of shattering echoed continuously as the sword gu broke apart. Sword energy surged violently, sweeping across the area and transforming into brilliant, dazzling floral lights, with each petal gracefully unfurling.
When the light subsided, the surrounding primordial energy ocean had been completely dispelled. He Qi reappeared, still with hands clasped behind him, calm and unruffled, never doubting his victory.
“How could this happen…”
“You haven’t transformed into blue blood—how could you reach such a level…”
The old man’s voice, filled with pain and weakness, reverberated.
A deep-blue Gu insect, no larger than a droplet of water, hovered before He Qi, its body riddled with cracks—on the brink of disintegration.
He Qi smiled: “There are thirty thousand great Dao paths, all leading to the same destination. You have your demonic ways, and we have our celestial paths.”
“Impossible! Even if you have attained the Dharma Body, you shouldn’t have reached such a state of ‘formlessness’! Wait—was this the outcome of your study of the Buddha’s Palm?”
Buddhism was most adept at the concept of formlessness!
He Qi chuckled. “I could already do this before I mastered the Buddha Palm. It was just less refined. There were gaps between transformations of formlessness that others could exploit. Uncle Gao, you lost. Why make excuses?”
“Yes… no matter what, you’ve managed to manifest sword energy to such a formless level. I… I endured so much suffering, yet still couldn’t reach it…” The old man’s voice grew hoarse, thick with sorrow and despair.
“Actually, you weren’t far off. Without prior knowledge of the Sword Gu’s mysteries, how many masters at your level could even stand a chance against you?” He Qi’s expression turned solemn.
He spoke not only to the old man but to the broader truth. The Donghai Sword Estate had risen to its current height through generations of exploration, refinement, and expansion of its martial techniques by its various branches, as well as the countless failed attempts of its talented descendants.
Unlike sects blessed with complete ancient transmissions, the estate had only possessed a fragmented “Unnamed Sword Sutra.” Several close friends, each with their own insights, had pursued different paths that, though divergent, were mutually enlightening. In the early generations, even the two Dharmakāya cultivators were severely flawed, paying with their lifespans every time they fought. By the time He Qi emerged, he had become a fully realized Dharmakāya.
His grandfather and father, who died young despite their greatness, had sacrificed themselves to perfect the martial arts.
Without the torment and hardship endured by the old man surnamed Gao, there would be no Donghai Sword Estate today!
Though the old man had strayed down a dark path, the spirit of martial exploration he represented was something He Qi deeply admired.
Of course, the more admirable that spirit was, the more dangerous a foe he became!
The old man let out a faint chuckle, somewhat comforted: “In that case, if I must lose, then so be it. What good does resentment or hatred serve now? The Sword Gu Talisman is with Qianyuan. He erred in his transformation, and fully activating it consumes his lifespan. Though he took the Dongji Immortality Pill, how long can a single lifespan truly last? That’s why I passed the talisman to him—to spare him from constantly fighting at full strength. If you can obtain it from him, promise me you’ll bring honor to the Sword Estate…”
His voice faded. The deep blue Gu insect cracked and turned to dust.
“Brother Qianyuan…” He Qi murmured.
Suddenly, he lifted his head toward the towering azure spire. As the high priest performed a series of arcane gestures before it, the tower began to emit a deep blue glow, as if drawing in a distant yet powerful presence. To the mind’s eye, the sky turned azure, the sound of rushing water filled the air, and the universe shimmered with waterlight.
“The so-called Ancestral God…” He Qi showed no panic, no tension. Confident and unshaken, he surveyed the battlefield, already forming his plan.
Above, the patriarch of the Wang family, crowned by the Luo Shu diagram, engaged in a fierce battle with a blue-blooded master at the pinnacle of the Outer Scenery Realm.
The radiance of the Luo Shu descended, manipulating yin and yang, the Five Elements, concealing the power of water and the very breath of life. Around the patriarch, the air grew deathly still. The blue-blooded master, usually skilled in controlling water and nurturing life, found his abilities rendered ineffective and was compelled into direct combat, his palm strikes forming waves heavier than mountains.
At the same time, he devoured the primordial energy ocean like a flood drowning men, making it hard for cultivators to breathe. His palm techniques reached their peak, suffocating the enemy.
Yet, despite the advantage, he found himself in peril. Each strike, each flick of the opponent’s finger, struck the very pivot of his movements, shattering his palm force and turning the tide against him. Every time he tried to change tactics, the enemy was always one step ahead.
In that moment, he felt utterly exposed, as if every thought, every plan, every move was laid bare, with no secrets left.
Sensing the approaching presence, the patriarch’s Luo Shu diagram spun. Black and white dots emerged, manifesting myriad phenomena, forming a world of its own.
The light descended as golden hexagrams, spreading across the void, revealing the mysteries of the Dao, swiftly connecting into a whole. Life and death inverted, heaven and earth reversed, binding the blue-blooded master tightly.
A simple, unadorned sword strike pierced through, shattering the enemy into a sapphire-blue stone.
Meanwhile, Old Master Ruan, alongside Elder Ruan San, Huang Taichong, and other elders of the Ruan Clan, engaged five grandmaster-level blue-blooded beings in battle. With his hands tucked in his sleeves, he played the zither, unleashing the twelve divine melodies of Langhuan—Phoenix Singing in the Ninth Heaven, Dragon Roaring through the Mists, and Bell Shaking the Three Realms—continuously restraining the five masters, creating golden opportunities for the remaining three. Ruan San and the others cast aside their usual restraint, employing aggressive melodies that burned mountains and boiled seas, tearing at primordial spirits. Though outnumbered, they overpowered the blue-blooded beings, forcing them to rely on treasures to narrowly escape death.
Even so, they seemed unable to last much longer—either perishing or fleeing.
Thus, when they sensed the arrival of the ancestral deity, they felt a flicker of hope.
At that moment, Old Master Ruan’s expression shifted. He pulled his hands from his sleeves and slammed them onto the scorched ancient zither.
Zeng!
His white hair fluttered as he appeared to age rapidly before their very eyes. The melody swelled violently, piercing straight into the souls of the five blue-blooded beings. Their bodies convulsed uncontrollably, their liquid transformation completely inhibited. Every limb and joint contorted in unnatural, grotesque angles—as if their very movements were being puppeteered by an unseen force!
The Heaven-Shaking, Earth-Shifting Melody!
Seizing the chance, Huang Taichong and others unleashed their ultimate techniques.
Suddenly, a sword light flashed, darting swiftly among the five blue-blooded beings.
Crack after crack rang out. They fell swiftly—He Qi had intervened, clearing the battlefield first!
…
Inside Langya City, Meng Qi listened to Ruan Yaoguang’s explanation and suddenly understood. The main force had already gone to the ocean depths—the city was merely a distraction. That explained their strange behavior earlier.
“The battle should have begun by now. No need to hide anymore. We must activate the formation to prevent other enemies from exploiting the situation,” Ruan Yaoguang said, glancing at the sky.
In a courtyard, the nine-fingered blue-blooded man’s expression darkened. Suddenly, he said, “Leave!”
In their natural form, they were indistinguishable from ordinary humans, which was why they were dispatched for reconnaissance. Now that they were aware of the changes in the ocean depths, they dared not stay any longer. One Grandmaster, two Peak Masters, and three ordinary External Scenery cultivators—what could they possibly accomplish in Langya?
Even if the sea disturbance was caused by the Ruan Clan, there would still be at least one Grandmaster left, along with the previously seen monk Jiedu. They stood no chance of turning the tide. It was wiser to flee the city now and preserve their hope!
—It would take two or three days to return to the ocean depths. By then, it would be too late!
…
As the high priest saw his subordinates collapsing, his mind raced. Suddenly, his hands pressed downward.
The presence of the ancestral deity merged into the spire, causing it to radiate a brilliant blue light and tremble violently.
Suddenly, the decorative wings on the tower unfolded, and jets of energy erupted from below. The entire structure became illusory.
Boom! The tower shot upward!
He was trying to flee—fleeing beyond the Azure Void!
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