Chapter 141: 96. Eldest Senior Brother is the best! All the beauties of Divine Phoenix Peak are having a wild party! (2/4, 6K/12K)_1
Silence! A deathly, absolute silence!
All the Elders present had forgotten to make a sound; they just watched the stunned Head Disciple of Divine Phoenix Peak before them.
Another awkward silence ensued.
From the high platform, the somewhat hoarse voice of True Monarch Taiwu sounded, "Everyone, please step back. I have something to discuss privately with Lin Xiao."
"We will duly follow the True Monarch's decree!"
The Supreme Elders, as the highest echelon of the Qinglan Sect, understood this more clearly than anyone else. This Taiwu Sword Saint, who had guarded Mount Taicang and suppressed the Sky Yin Blood Demon for nearly eight hundred years by burning his life essence, had reached his end. Next, he would likely pass on some true comprehension of the Sword Dao to this stunning junior, without holding anything back.
In an instant, everyone present, including the other Five Sages, transformed into streaks of Escape Light and rushed down the mountain.
"Child, can you tell me now, where did you get this Qinglan Law Sword? Could it be..." True Monarch Taiwu narrowed his eyes. "Was it obtained by your Master, with his vast Divine Skills, when he broke into the Sword Tomb, and then given to you? Apart from this, I truly cannot imagine who else in the vast Qinglan Sect would have the ability to freely enter the Sword Tomb and obtain this item."
"No, please believe me, True Monarch. My Master has nothing to do with this." Lin Xiao said sincerely, "One day, I blinked, and this Qinglan Law Sword had appeared in my Purple Mansion."
The system was his bottom line. Never mind ordinary people; even if his beautiful Master later became his Dao Companion, he would never tell her! Wait a minute!? Did I get something wrong? Never mind... it doesn't matter anymore.
Lin Xiao looked composed and awaited the other's response.
"Fine. If you're unwilling to say, I won't force you," True Monarch Taiwu shook his head and continued, "Since you willingly presented this item today, how could I still harbor suspicions about your intentions, child? Child, have you ever played chess?"
"No, but I know the rules."
"Good. Then let's play a game."
Before Lin Xiao could respond, True Monarch Taiwu before him flicked his sleeves.
WHOOSH—
In an instant, the stars seemed to shift, and the world transformed. The two of them instantly found themselves in an endless expanse of starry sky!
Wow, his method of materializing a Sword Realm is even slightly superior to Master's!
「The next moment.」
A black and white chessboard appeared before him.
Of course, I know this chessboard is formed from True Monarch Taiwu's Sword Intent. Each chess piece corresponds to a strand of Sword Intent integrated into his very essence, profound and vast! The Sword Dao is independent of Mana cultivation level; it emphasizes the concept of 'comprehension.' It's not uncommon for a Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Stage to overwhelm an Innate Stage cultivator in terms of Sword Dao mastery. Therefore, even if True Monarch Taiwu presented all his lifetime's true comprehension of the Sword Dao before me, how much I could grasp would depend entirely on my own talent and aptitude.
In the original novel, Ye Chen, with the help of that mysterious old man, comprehended nearly half of True Monarch Taiwu's true comprehension of the Sword Dao. From then on, he soared, becoming the foremost young Sword Cultivator in the Eastern Region's Cultivation World!
When Master stabbed me with the Azure Phoenix Sword, it seemed like a Sword Intent Baptism. But in fact, with my current understanding of the Sword Dao, I now realize in hindsight that Sword Intent fundamentally cannot be 'baptized' or directly transferred! That is to say... Master only demonstrated some profound Sword Realms to me; the rest was all comprehended by myself! It seems my aptitude for the Sword Dao is quite remarkable, perhaps even a notch above Zhu Wanning's. Oh well, I'll just relax and do my best.
With this in mind, Lin Xiao felt no further hesitation and sat down cross-legged.
The game began.
With a thought, Lin Xiao made his move.
CLICK.
The moment a black piece landed, Lin Xiao's brow twitched, a flicker of understanding dawning on him. It transformed into a blooming Sword Intention Golden Lotus, entering his divine sea directly!
"Due to the empowerment of the Formless Sword Body, you have comprehended the opponent's ultimate technique, 'Three Suns, One Deathblow'!"
"Your Chess Dao +500. Current level: Chess King."
Good heavens! Why does it feel like my comprehension ability has become even more heaven-defying since I became the Destiny Big Villain?! Is this what the lousy system meant by... an automatic elevation of 'status'? Enduring that useless system and then getting this Destiny Big Villain persona... it truly is suffering followed by sweet relief! Recalling his arduous acting career over the past ten-plus years...
Lin Xiao was filled with a myriad of emotions. He calmed his mind and continued the game with the Sword Saint.
...
DING!
"You have comprehended the opponent's ultimate technique, 'Taiyi Dividing Light Slash'!"
DING!
"You have comprehended the opponent's ultimate technique, 'Mysterious Light Demon-Slaying Sword'!"
DING!
"You have comprehended the opponent's Innate Divine Ability, 'One Sword·Flying Immortal'!"
...
DING!
"You have comprehended the opponent's foundational Sword Dao—the Immense Sword Dao!"
...
As countless true comprehensions of the Sword Dao transformed into blossoming Sword Intention Golden Lotuses, they directly entered his divine sea and bloomed! Lin Xiao could distinctly feel his Sword Dao mastery ascending to an entirely new level!
Just as he was calmly continuing the game, a kind and gentle voice spoke from before him,
"Marvelous, truly marvelous.
"All the Sword Dao insights from my entire long life, you've mastered them all in an instant.
"No, to be precise... you've absorbed and devoured them...
"Your destiny is far too domineering, too terrifying. It's as if everything in the world must make way for you...
"Well, perhaps this is for the best. Only a destiny like yours, akin to that of an Asura Demon King, combined with your Master of extraordinary background, is sufficient to completely suppress the Sky Yin Blood Demon.
"My mission... is also complete."
As the old Sword Saint spoke, his figure grew increasingly distant, as if drifting towards the boundless edge of the universe.
"Child, thank you. You have helped me unravel a knot that has bound my heart for a thousand years." True Monarch Taiwu's voice wafted over from the distance.
"What?" Lin Xiao was startled and looked at the elder in the sky. "Senior, are you referring to... the Sword Intent of Sorrow you infused into the final Dao step?"
"Indeed. It's shameful to admit, but it took me a thousand years, and I still hadn't seen it as clearly as you. Indeed. Love is simply love. Why does it need a reason? What is there to regret? Cultivation is, at its heart, the cultivation of one's true self. If one deliberately severs emotions and affections, one will instead fall into self-imposed limitations, making it difficult to achieve great fruition."
A rueful smile touched the corners of True Monarch Taiwu's lips.
"True Monarch! Back then, at the final step, how did my Master answer you?" Lin Xiao asked, full of curiosity.
"Ah... She looked at me with disdain and uttered two words..." True Monarch Taiwu gave a wry smile.
"Which two words?"
"Idiot."
Lin Xiao: ...
No doubt about it, that's Goddess Xiao for you.
"Child, could you answer an old man's question?" Another question drifted down from above.
"Please ask."
"You have such profound insights into matters of love between men and women... so, is there someone you like?"
"Ah, this..." Dark lines appeared on Lin Xiao's forehead. Hey, hey! You're, like, two thousand years old! Can you not be such a gossip?!
Seeing True Monarch Taiwu's figure receding further and further, Lin Xiao understood in his heart that this venerable senior was about to suffer a "death by plot," bidding a final farewell to the mortal world!
At this moment, my perception of this world has gained different insights! I can keenly sense that all the characters, including the emotions they exude, are real! Therefore, having accepted Taiwu's legacy, the latter can be considered half a Master to me! Thinking this, and being within the sealed Sword Realm, I have no more reservations! Lin Xiao then declared frankly and loudly, "Senior! Of course, I have women I like! And—there's a whole damn lot of them!"
True Monarch Taiwu: !!???
...
After finally receiving True Monarch Taiwu's last words and exhortations, once the True Monarch's presence had completely vanished, Lin Xiao bowed three times respectfully towards the distant sky.
"Senior, rest assured. Even if I hadn't received your legacy, I had already decided on this matter long ago... The Qinglan Sect—I, Lin Xiao, will protect it! And I certainly won't be like that piece of shit Ye Chen, dawdling and grandstanding just for his own sake. Next, I will seize the initiative and crush the conspiracies of Yuanyi and the Eight Great Demon Sects in their infancy, before they can act, ensuring no one from the Qinglan Sect comes to harm! However, as for your request for me to go to the Sword Tomb and forge my Lifebound Immortal Sword by placing Cloud Dream Marsh into the Ziwu Forge Sky Furnace, I cannot promise that for now. Compared to visiting the Sword Tomb, there are many more preparations I need to make to defend against the Demon Sects."
Sigh, actually... I also want to know what kind of Lifebound Immortal Sword I, the Destiny Big Villain, will have. Will it be as cool as those of my three Junior Sisters and Master?
Lin Xiao shook his head and turned. Looking at the impenetrable sword barrier in the distance, he was momentarily stumped.
Damn it! I was so engrossed in our chat just now that I forgot to ask the True Monarch to dispel the Sword Realm for me! No choice then. I'll have to rely on myself. This is a good chance to test my current Sword Dao strength!
Lin Xiao hesitated no longer. The Cloud Dream Marsh in his hand was unsheathed with a resonant hum. Then, gathering all his Sword Intent, he thrust towards the weakest point of the sword barrier!
WHOOSH!
As his sword tip pointed, an immense and boundless torrent of Immense Sword Qi, like a surging ocean or a great river, poured forth, instantly extending for tens of zhang! And... its width and length continued to increase, as if it could devour everything! By the time it reached the sword barrier at the edge of the Sword Realm... it was already a hundred zhang long!
Heavens! A single full-powered strike can condense Sword Qi a hundred zhang long! This damn thing is practically a blade hundreds of meters long! Powerful. Far too powerful. If I were to face Ye Chen from the Five Branches Contest now, I'm afraid a single strike could obliterate that dog of a protagonist as if he were an ant, right?
Just as Lin Xiao was marveling inwardly, CRACK! A heaven-shattering sound echoed!
The sword barrier shattered!
The boundless Immense Sword Qi tore the Sword Realm completely asunder, transforming into a long dragon of Sword Qi that soared straight into the Nine Heavens!
This time, the Destiny Big Villain had finally, earnestly, swung his first sword.
On this day, throughout the entire Qinglan Sect, across the mountain peaks of the Five Branches, countless Disciples and Elders were utterly astounded by the magnificent spectacle of this Sword Qi! This sight was destined to be recorded in the annals of Qinglan!
"Senior Moon Princess, look! My Xiao'er succeeded! He passed the trial and obtained that old fellow's Immense Sword Qi legacy! My disciple truly has the disposition of a Great Emperor!"
Before the Lotus Cave Mansion on Divine Phoenix Peak, a stunningly beautiful, tall figure leaped for joy, like an exuberant young girl.
...
「At the foot of Mount Taicang.」
Three beautiful young women, who had coincidentally hurried over, were also overcome with joy. Forgetting their mutual disagreements, they hugged each other tightly, cheering and celebrating their Eldest Senior Brother's success in obtaining the Sword Saint's legacy. Together, they shouted their Eldest Senior Brother's catchphrase—
"Eldest Senior Brother! Forever a god!"
It was a long, long time before they sensed something amiss...
"Junior Sister/Senior Sister, how did you know that Eldest Senior Brother received True Monarch Taiwu's Immense Sword Qi?"