Heaven-Scattering Seven Swords?
Ren Qiushui had always been proud of his cultivation technique, believing it to be among the best, rivaling any martial arts method throughout history. Yet, hearing the mysterious man in front of him casually mention the “Heaven-Scattering Seven Swords” still stirred his heart.
“Buddha emerges from Tathagata; Dao originates from Heaven-Scattering.” These eight words were commonly circulated. Though there were exaggerations, such as the Amitabha Buddha sect’s Reward Body cultivation method and the Dream Enlightenment method having no relation to Tathagata, or Daoism having the Three Pure Ones—Yuanshi, Daode, and Lingbao’s inheritances—it still vividly illustrated the status of Tathagata Divine Palms and Heaven-Scattering Seven Swords.
At least so far, only the Buddha and Dao Patriarch were universally acknowledged as having truly transcended and attained Dao fruition. Even though their deeds had become obscure and they hadn’t appeared in ages, making people reluctant to believe in their existence, no other great figures even had rumors of complete transcendence. This comparison highlighted the disparity.
In the current era, Buddhism flourished with frequent mentions of Tathagata Divine Palms, while Heaven-Scattering Seven Swords had long been lost, its traces unseen for countless millennia. Yet, many Daoist and other martial arts techniques still bore subtle connections to Heaven-Scattering. For example, the “Boundless Sword of Eight Directions” from the Heaven and Earth Sword Sect was long rumored to have originated from Heaven-Scattering. Of course, these remained mere rumors, with no direct or indirect evidence ever surfacing.
Had the man in the blue robe not immediately identified the origin and name of her sword technique, making her feel mysteriously unfathomable, she would have dismissed his claim of “cultivating Heaven-Scattering Seven Swords” as a casual joke, unworthy of attention.
Ren Qiushui clenched and then relaxed his right hand, his gaze flickering a few times before a faint smile surfaced as he raised his index finger.
“Heaven-Scattering Seven Swords, huh?” she murmured, her slender finger suddenly slashing out.
Forming a sword from emptiness, the atmosphere became ethereal and distant. Meng Qi instantly felt the surroundings peeling away layer by layer. Above, below, left, right, front, and back all turned into void, leaving only himself within the Eight Trigrams and Six Directions, facing pressure from all directions. If he couldn’t break free from this confinement, he would eventually collapse into a pile of mud.
The table by the window seemed to have separated from the rest of the world. Around it, revelry continued unabated, with wine drinkers coming and going, yet no one noticed anything unusual. It was as if the elegant, cross-dressed beauty and the slightly weathered man in the blue robe sitting opposite each other were merely a beautifully composed painting with profound meaning, set against the backdrop of the wide river.
Ren Qiushui’s single slash fully displayed the essence of the Supreme Immortal Sword, leaving no room for escape. Yet, she saw the man in the blue robe similarly raise his index finger and gently slash outward as well.
Sword light suddenly flared, splitting into two, then four, then eight, instantly filling the void. Moreover, each beam of sword light was equal in strength to the original, without any difference in power.
They seemed to exist in different times and spaces, unable to directly overlap, causing the sword light’s power to surge thousands to tens of thousands of times. Yet, it appeared omnipresent, capable of spreading throughout the universe.
Each of these sword beams was like a dazzling lightning bolt, bending and twisting with astonishing control, swiftly striking the same spot one after another, like a tidal wave surging forth.
Boom!
Faced with thousands upon thousands of sword beams, that “void” couldn’t recover in time nor wait for rescue, collapsing under the relentless bombardment.
The confinement shattered, the void vanished, and the great river flowed on, its waters tinged red by the setting sun. Ren Qiushui’s index finger remained frozen in front of her for a long while before she finally withdrew it, her gaze burning with intensity as she sighed, “Indeed, this is a peerless sword technique I’ve never before encountered.”
The terror and mystery of this sword stroke could only be truly understood by someone who had experienced it firsthand, rivaling even her own Supreme Immortal Sword. It was likely indeed one of the Heaven-Scattering Seven Swords.
In truth, by this point, whether it was Heaven-Scattering or not had become irrelevant.
“The Supreme Immortal Sword is truly worthy of its reputation,” Meng Qi said, raising his teacup in a toast.
Ren Qiushui picked up her teacup and took a sip, her gaze distant as if still savoring the previous sword stroke. She sighed, “Your sword technique is undoubtedly among the strongest of this era, and your cultivation level seems nearly equal to mine. Yet why have there been no stories of your exploits before now?”
Instinctively, she asked about Meng Qi’s background.
After their brief sword duel with fingers, Ren Qiushui realized that even if he wasn’t a Celestial Immortal, he was very close.
Meng Qi smiled and shook his head. “Miss Ren, whatever background you have, I have the same.”
It was normal for someone to obtain the Supreme Immortal Sword lineage, diligently cultivate to the Dharma Body stage, and gain fame throughout the world. However, Ren Qiushui had already been a Dharma Body when she became known to the world. Cultivating to the Dharma Body stage and breaking through the mortal shackles required sufficient trials and experiences to succeed. Yet, there had never been any such stories about Ren Qiushui. Therefore, Meng Qi suspected she was the disciple of some great figure who had entered the mortal world for certain purposes, and he had disguised himself as such a person as well.
Upon hearing Meng Qi’s response, Ren Qiushui raised her eyebrows slightly, nodded thoughtfully, and said, “No wonder you could recognize the origin of my sword technique.”
Meng Qi was genuinely eager to pursue this line of questioning. The Sword Manual of the Heaven-Piercing Patriarch, also known as the Four Gates Sword Sutra of Lingbao Tianzun, aside from the Immortal Traces, was only fully preserved and passed down by the Verdant Moon Sword Sect. Consequently, he had long been curious about the origins of the Supreme Immortal Sword Manual, hoping to uncover clues about Lingbao Tianzun’s whereabouts and solve the ancient mystery.
However, at present, his relationship with Ren Qiushui was too superficial for such profound inquiries. Asking abruptly might lead to serious complications. Thus, he smoothly shifted the topic with a smile and asked, “Miss Ren, you are neither someone who studies the Heart School nor have you reached the level to challenge the Benevolent Sage Emperor. May I ask why you’ve come to Luo City?”
And why had you chosen to stay?
Ren Qiushui’s eyes sparkled, and she suddenly smiled. “I don’t mind telling you. After all, I’m not afraid of the information leaking out.”
“What matter could this be?” Seeing Ren Qiushui’s demeanor, Meng Qi immediately became interested.
Ren Qiushui toyed with her teacup, smiling sweetly. “Have you heard of ‘Supreme Demon God’ Wu Daoming?”
“Does this matter relate to him?” Meng Qi indicated his familiarity with the name of the Supreme Demon God by asking a counter-question.
What stage had this fifth-generation inheritor of the Demon Emperor Claw currently reached?
Ren Qiushui smiled. “Wu Daoming initially studied under the Benevolent Sage Emperor and later listened to lectures from the Sage of the Mind. However, his thoughts gradually became more radical, leading him down the path of heresy, and he eventually gained recognition from the Demon Emperor Claw.”
When she mentioned the Demon Emperor Claw, her expression instinctively turned serious and solemn.
“The Demon Emperor Claw is a world-shaking divine weapon. Every time it appears in the world, it stirs up storms of blood and brings boundless slaughter. After Wu Daoming became its inheritor, he cultivated the Demon Emperor Nine Transmutations technique, destroyed his physical body, and remolded his vital passageway. Since then, every ten years, he undergoes a transformation, returning to infancy, growing anew over the course of forty-nine days, with his power increasing accordingly. Each transformation propels him forward in leaps and bounds. However, during these forty-nine days, his power wanes significantly, making him extremely vulnerable,” Ren Qiushui explained, even though she knew Meng Qi was familiar with Wu Daoming.
How clever Meng Qi was—he immediately understood. “So the Supreme Demon God is once again undergoing a transformation into infancy?”
“Precisely. If he successfully completes this transformation this time, he will ascend to the rank of a Celestial Immortal, and no one in the world will be able to stop him. He will soon unleash a demonic catastrophe,” Ren Qiushui said. “Fortunately, his integration of the demonic sects has left hidden dangers. A left-pathway demon betrayed him, revealing his hiding place to the Benevolent Sage Emperor. After a fierce battle, three of Wu Daoming’s Four Supreme Demon Generals were killed, leaving only one to escape with the child-like Wu Daoming. It’s highly likely they’ve taken refuge in Luo City. He has only eighteen days left to complete his transformation. If we can’t stop him, things will become very troublesome.”
“No wonder the Sage of the Mind suddenly came to Luo City to give lectures,” Meng Qi nodded slightly, finally understanding that he truly was a trouble magnet, having stumbled into such a situation right after arriving.
But it seemed quite interesting!
Seeing the hidden concern in Ren Qiushui’s expression, Meng Qi’s heart stirred, and he asked, “Miss Ren, you seem very worried about the Supreme Demon God? Perhaps his destruction of the current world isn’t even comparable to others, such as the Overlord?”
Ren Qiushui opened her mouth as if to laugh, but then forced herself to suppress it. After calming her emotions, she said, “The Overlord is indeed a rare genius of a thousand years. He acts on whims, is domineering in style, and holds grudges fiercely, earning many enemies. Some of his thoughts are also quite extreme. However, most of this is simply due to the fact that a tall tree invites the wind, and high-standing people invite criticism. He’s not really a heretic or evil. Moreover, although his cultivation level surpasses that of the Supreme Demon God and is roughly equal to the Sage of the Mind, the Demon Emperor Claw is a relic from the ancient Demon Emperor, the legendary weapon of a demon monarch from the Mythical Age. How could his Absolute Blade compare? If not restrained, it will eventually bring great calamity.”
Clang!
A sudden blade resonance rang in Meng Qi’s ears, as a proud sword expressed its displeasure.
Is the Overlord’s Absolute Blade still with me? Meng Qi was momentarily stunned before suddenly understanding.
The Overlord’s Absolute Blade was indeed unique across past and future, yet it could also exist everywhere across time and space. Being with the Overlord didn’t prevent it from “accompanying” Meng Qi. If he truly wished to use it, he could completely “draw the blade.” However, if it drew the Overlord’s attention, causing changes in the timeline, the world’s convergence and correction forces would affect the Absolute Blade, making it return to the river of time prematurely. Moreover, Meng Qi himself would suffer from this counter-effect, possibly being thrown back to the future without protection, which would be extremely perilous.
The past, present, and future of a Transcendent exist as one continuous line, reviewing the past and occupying the future, connecting them into a single thread. The Overlord’s Absolute Blade at this moment was equivalent to its past and future selves, observing the passage of time and all changes from a superior perspective. Thus, it completely recognized Meng Qi, choosing the path with the least resistance against the world’s correction forces.
If Meng Qi wanted to change history, he would have to bear the corresponding forces of convergence. The smaller the changes, the smaller the forces. In other words, as long as he didn’t interfere with major historical shifts, he could temporarily resist these forces.
Meng Qi’s mood relaxed a bit more. Ren Qiushui’s words also indicated that the Overlord had not yet proven his legendary status and had not yet become the enemy of all under heaven.
Now, Luo City was likely teeming with powerful figures—how intriguing indeed.
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