Chapter 889: Like Splitting Bamboo

Chapter 889: An Irresistible Force

Ye Wuming spat in disdain.

"As if you haven't used it before..." Uh, no.

This rascal had spoken without the slightest modicum of respect since they first met. Ever since that tiny speck of desire had been exposed, he had simply let himself go entirely, daring to utter all kinds of chaotic, teasing nonsense. Did he want to use the Heavenly Book, or did he want to use her? He truly thought she wouldn't dare to thrash him.

Teasing aside, if he truly used the Heavenly Book as a magic treasure, it would indeed be a fine idea to counter the Heavenly Dao. Take the Dragon Sparrow or the Starry River for instance; whether a master wielded them or they manifested their own power yielded vastly different results.

But the premise was that the wielder's level must be sufficient, at least no weaker than her, Ye Wuming. Only by reaching a realm nigh to the Other Shore, stepping outside the Heavenly Book to control it, could one achieve a relatively ideal effect. Furthermore, he first needed a fairly practiced familiarity with the act of wielding magic treasures. When the time came, with someone holding the Heavenly Book while she, Ye Wuming, leapt out to battle, it would be equivalent to an extra combat force.

Ye Wuming had brought Zhao Changhe here not just to let the "father and daughter" experience an otherworldly playground; the most critical point was actually this, rather than truly intending to linger in a new map for long.

She wanted Zhao Changhe to familiarize himself with a combat template closer to the Heavenly Dao. After all, when the time came, the Heavenly Dao might pull out many strange and bizarre magic treasures, and without advance preparation, they would suffer greatly. Meanwhile, they themselves could amass treasures suited to their own use to offset this disadvantage.

Zhao Changhe was clearly a perfectly flawless collaborator, catching the subtle tune and understanding the elegant intent. He just hadn't expected that this rascal's first instinct for a magic treasure would be to head straight for the Heavenly Book, rather than planning to find something else here...

Ye Wuming fell silent for a moment before finally replying, "Bringing you here was originally to let you find some magic treasures suited to yourself to assist in combat. These things require spiritual power, which differs somewhat from our template. Without adapting to it, you might not know how to use it if it falls into your hands on short notice."

These words still did not state whether the Heavenly Book could be used. Zhao Changhe glanced at her, smiled faintly, and said nothing.

Over there, Ling Yueyu had already begun fighting the guardian of the second floor.

This floor utilized talismans.

This was likewise something seen within the Heavenly Book world but greatly diluted. Zhao Changhe had only ever witnessed it when Taoist Guichen sealed the spiritual pouch. Preparing talismans in advance allowed one to unleash various combat effects on the spot, such as sealing, amplification, and the five-elements arts. It was an extremely useful means when one's level was not too high, and even at higher levels, it could frequently be used to save time and effort.

When alchemy, talisman-making, and magic treasures—all three—were greatly diluted, the concept of the Immortal Dao ceased to exist within the Heavenly Book world, which originally belonged to immortal treasures. It spoke only of the Martial Dao, communicating only with gods and demons.

Zhao Changhe sighed, "This Heavenly Dao is a rather low-grade sort of character, even within the Immortal Dao."

Ye Wuming nodded in agreement.

Fearing that the creatures of the Heavenly Book would leap out of their cage, It not only severed the Primordial Spirit and manipulated the world, but also suppressed multiple methods, dreading that others would surpass It. Unfortunately, exhausting all Its schemes was but a futile effort; heroes would naturally rise, discerning the truth and breaking through illusions, pointing in fury at the firmament.

Uh, there's no problem calling myself a hero, right... Ye Wuming stole a glance at Zhao Changhe. He clearly did not know that the dead blind woman was secretly boasting in her heart, as he was focused entirely on watching the child's battle.

Ling Yueyu's opponent was a tall, thin Taoist priest. Chanting incantations under his breath, he wielded a peach-wood sword with flowery flamboyance, his left hand desperately flinging talismans outward.

Consequently, the scene was magnificent to behold. Fireballs, thunder, and frost—everything was present, with various slow, binding, and paralyzing techniques taking effect in turn. Poor Ling Yueyu, a young girl who rolled through the rivers and lakes with sabers and swords, when had she ever encountered such a battle? Before long, her face was covered in grime, and to this moment she hadn't even touched the hem of her opponent's clothes, constantly restricted to long-range combat. Her long-range hidden weapons and sword qi were blocked by the opponent's talismans like ice mirrors and ice walls, rendering them basically useless.

Zhao Changhe watched abstractedly, also absorbing nourishment.

As Ye Wuming had said, at their current level, many things did not necessarily require actual combat to be comprehended; one could absorb them crystal-clearly just by spectating.

Ling Yueyu was clearly unable to break through for the time being, and had originally intended to stall until the opponent ran out of talismans. As a result, after stalling for half a stick of incense, she had made a mess of herself while the opponent's talismans seemed endless. Unable to take it any longer, she intended to call upon the Dragon Sparrow for help.

Suddenly, her father's voice transmission reached her ears: "There is a brief process between a talisman being thrown and it forming a technique. Though the opponent's transition is very good, there is still a sliver of a flaw to be seized. Aside from the power of the talisman itself, this is the greatest weakness of this system. Observe carefully, find the right moment to strike, and achieve a one-hit kill with the Sunset Divine Sword."

Ling Yueyu's eyes narrowed slightly, her expression becoming solemn and stern.

The Taoist flicked his wrist and threw a new talisman.

In that instant, sword light erupted before his eyes, a vast sunset glow covering the entire space.

A sense of defeat, as if reaching the end of the road, welled up in the Taoist's heart. Just as he startled to the realization that this state was wrong, the young girl's long sword was already resting against his neck.

The Taoist exhaled, "Entering the Dao through martial arts, a sword to break all laws. Impressive. Please go upstairs."

Ling Yueyu felt a bit sheepish. The path was indeed those eight words her father had spoken, but right now, breaking the situation still relied on her father's experience and eyesight... At least for now, her own ability had not reached the level of a sword breaking all laws.

But it would soon!

The young girl swallowed a pill, regulated her breathing for a moment, and ascended to the third floor, full of vitality once more.

The third floor also held a Taoist, who sacrificed a small bronze bell.

The bronze bell expanded rapidly, intending to cover Ling Yueyu beneath it. Without a word, Ling Yueyu slapped her back. The Dragon Sparrow leapt up, and with a resounding *clang*, sent the bronze bell flying far away.

The Taoist: "?"

Ling Yueyu spoke with righteous confidence: "It's not as if my magic treasure isn't sharp either!"

The Dragon Sparrow: "Who is your magic treasure..."

Feeling the tsundere blade instantly grow seven or eight times heavier in her hand, Ling Yueyu hurriedly placated it, "Alright, alright, you are my baby."

The Dragon Sparrow: "...Get lost."

Regardless of whether the Dragon Sparrow admitted to being the brat's magic treasure, relying on Ling Yueyu's own strength, she could only walk this far. This bell had clearly opened a gap in power; her sword could not resolve it.

The contemporary protagonist who had looked down upon the Ranking of Mortal Heroes at the gates of the capital couldn't even pass three floors of guardians upon entering an otherworldly realm... Ling Yueyu was not discouraged. Hugging the Dragon Sparrow, she went *thump-thump-thump* straight for the fourth floor.

She had come for insight and experience, not to win. That was why her mother had called it a playground...

Her mother had said that the boss behind this place, the Heavenly Sword Venerable, possessed a level only slightly weaker than her father's, probably around the half-step Imperial Three realm. The "heroes" such a top-tier powerhouse wished to meet were obviously those above the Imperial Realm. Heaven knew what expression he would wear if he saw that the person breaking through was a small fry of the First Layer of the Secret Treasury...

Ling Yueyu felt a bit amused thinking about it. Upon reaching the fourth floor, she simply sheathed her sword, raising the Dragon Sparrow, which was almost as tall as she was, to hack downward directly over the opponent's head.

The guardian of the fourth floor looked utterly dazed, and Zhao Changhe was equally dazed.

The posture was indeed one that could scatter gods and Buddhas, but no matter how one looked at it, one couldn't see that kind of furious and terrifying aura. Only cuteness remained.

With a soft *pfft*, the Dragon Sparrow seemed to slice into the atmosphere. Looking closely, the opponent was situated within a formation; the power of the Dragon Sparrow was absorbed by the formation, like hacking into cotton.

Thunder had already gathered in the opponent's palm—the Palm Thunder.

There were no longer any flaws requiring the activation of talismans. Formation plus technique, all kinds of instantaneous releases.

Ling Yueyu shifted her steps with a *whoosh*, treading upon a corner of the formation, cutting off the crucial channel for the flow of energy.

As the Starry River, even without activating the power of the Starry River, her innate talent for reacting to the flow of energy within a space was unparalleled in the world. A thing like a formation was approximately equivalent to nothing in Ling Yueyu's eyes. The Dragon Sparrow swept across in a horizontal slash, shattering the thunder and dispersing the qi shield. The guardian let out a muffled groan and flew backward in retreat, "I concede!"

Shouldering her great blade, Ling Yueyu ran *thump-thump-thump* toward the fifth floor.

"She's having a blast." Zhao Changhe followed behind with his hands behind his back, evaluating to the child's mother, "Fighting the higher floors is actually easier than the lower ones... and it's not just because of the Dragon Sparrow."

Ye Wuming had been watching the child fight with a kindly expression, smiling merrily. Only now did she respond, "She just wasn't used to this kind of combat at first. Once she gets used to it, it's just like that... In short, as long as she's happy."

Before her voice could fade, with a soft *pfft* at the entrance of the fifth floor, Ling Yueyu turned into a little rabbit, her eyes blinking. The Dragon Sparrow rested upon her head, nearly flattening the little rabbit.

A large hand reached out to grab, intending to hoist the little rabbit up.

The little rabbit leapt up, suddenly changing back into a human. A long sword was abruptly in hand, nearly severing the grabbing hand directly.

The opponent hastily withdrew his hand, utterly shocked, "How did you break free so quickly?"

Ling Yueyu was furious, "It's because you fought without declaring war! Otherwise, it might not even have taken effect on me!"

Zhao Changhe followed behind and nodded. Indeed, Yueyu's divine soul was nothing to play with. As long as she was prepared, such a technique truly might not take effect. Fortunately, Hongling's sword qi was still ambushed within her sea of consciousness, specifically to guard against these chaotic things; even if she fell for a trick, it could be broken in an instant.

The little girl had plenty of cheats.

Ling Yueyu felt she had been ambushed and was very angry, chasing the guardian to hack at him with her great blade. The guardian didn't know whether to laugh or cry, retreating rapidly, "I concede. This was no ambush; rather, this type of technique requires advance preparation. It is generally used for team combat assistance, so in single combat, it is naturally prepared ahead of time. I thought the young lady knew."

Ling Yueyu sheathed her blade, "Then you have nothing else besides this move? Conceding just like that?"

"We are here to witness the abilities of various heroes in dealing with our different methods, not necessarily to fight to the bitter end... For the young lady to break my ultimate technique in an instant is already enough to prove your strength. You may ascend the tower."

Ling Yueyu scratched her head, suddenly feeling as though the existence of this Hall of Heroes was practically displayed specifically for her and her father.

Zhao Changhe also turned his head to glance at Ye Wuming. Ye Wuming was still watching the kid with a merry smile. Zhao Changhe sighed, secretly thinking that if this wasn't something the dead blind woman had orchestrated herself, it could only prove that it was specially sought out for their current situation. Finding such a perfectly adaptive place might have taken quite a few years. There was also a certain probability that the so-called Heavenly Sword Venerable had been hoodwinked into creating this Hall of Heroes by Ye Wuming.

She did not teach directly, but she had always been guiding, ever since Zhao Changhe entered the world.

It was just that there truly weren't many people who could stomach her kind of guidance... and even fewer who could stomach it without minding. This kind of mutual rushing toward each other was not easy to find; at least Xia Longyuan and Zhao Changhe both minded.

She could clearly have been a grandfatherly figure who commanded gratitude, yet she insisted on turning herself into an enemy.

"Clang!" From the sixth floor came the clash of blades, and Zhao Changhe happened to reach the stairway. He looked up to see a white-robed swordsman ahead, locked in a lively exchange of flying swords with Ling Ruoyu.

A sword cultivator...

Longque slipped from Ling Ruoyu's hand, transforming into a large flying blade, gleefully hacking away at the opponent's flying sword. Then Ling Ruoyu circled around, sword in hand, aiming for a backside thrust.

Zhao Changhe covered his face—how could you let Longque not say something about you...

The opponent was equally exasperated, pinching a sword seal with his fingers. The flying sword suddenly split into two, diving toward Ling Ruoyu. Her eyes sharpened, and she slapped her waist, sending the dark, gleaming Star River Sword soaring into the sky.

"Clang!" Another deafening crash shook the floor. The energy-absorbing formations scattered throughout the building could barely withstand the force of the clash.

The guard spat a mouthful of blood, his heart aghast: "What kind of power is this!"

Before the words faded, the Star River Sword had already halted at his throat.

Breakthrough.

This was the arena where Ling Ruoyu truly excelled... But the unsheathing of the Star River Sword meant she had abandoned the trial of a secret-depths-level novice and formally activated the power of the Star River. That sword was the embodiment of the strongest weapon in the Book of Heaven's world—capable of trapping the Heavenly Dao of a realm and freely traversing the void between dimensions.

The seventh floor.

Ling Ruoyu looked up at the terrifying golden light descending from midair, sensing the immense might it contained. She knew the earlier floors tested different skills, but the last three were pure clashes of raw strength. Power was power—if you had it, you could break through; if not, you couldn't.

Before wielding the Star River, she couldn't. After wielding the Star River...

The guard on the seventh floor watched helplessly as the girl's lively eyes grew deep, shifting from sparkling stars to a tranquil night.

A single thrust of the sword, no wind or thunder stirred.

Yet it felt as if the entire firmament descended, pressing down upon the world.

The dazzling radiance of his own magical artifact vanished like a mud ox sinking into the sea, utterly shattered by that sword stroke without even a ripple.

Zhao Changhe stroked his chin, observing this purely power-based artifact, and shook his head: "Not very useful."

Ye Wuming nodded, offering no comment.

The eighth floor.

A cloth sack opened wide, unleashing a violent suction across the space. Ling Ruoyu had barely stepped in when she and her sword were nearly sucked inside.

The girl looked up—it wasn't simple suction. The mouth of the sack loomed dark and deep, like a cosmic black hole devouring everything.

"Clang!" The Star River Sword sang, cutting through the void.

As if a barrier between dimensions, severing the mortal world, severing time and space.

The Star River suppressed the heavens, Longque swept across.

The guard recoiled in horror, his chest already slashed open by the excited Longque.

Zhao Changhe watched absently, then commented: "This kind of restrictive artifact is more meaningful, but its power is insufficient."

Ye Wuming nodded.

In the end, artifacts came in only a few types, never exceeding the framework one could understand—and how many could one see in a mere Hero Pavilion?

Ling Ruoyu panted softly as she stepped onto the final floor.

In the center stood an old man in a white robe, hands behind his back, a hint of arrogance in his expression: "What origin does this black sword have?"

Ling Ruoyu smiled faintly: "Could you be the Heavenly Sword Venerable? The Hero Pavilion isn't finished yet—it's not your turn to appear, is it?"

The old man said: "Indeed, it is I... Seeing a divine sword stirs my heart, and I could not contain my impatience. Let the guests laugh at me."

Ling Ruoyu said: "Let me finish the ninth floor, please..."

The Heavenly Sword Venerable chuckled: "Then let me be the ninth floor, how about that?"

Ling Ruoyu stepped back, standing behind her parents: "You're cheating."

The Heavenly Sword Venerable said: "People come to challenge the Hero Pavilion precisely to see me. Since I've already come out, what meaning is there in your completing the ninth floor? Why be so stubborn..."

Ling Ruoyu said: "It's my father who wants to see you, not me. I came to clear the floors! I don't care—I want the ninth floor."

The Heavenly Sword Venerable's gaze fell on Zhao Changhe and his wife, his eyes even more astonished: "So you're a family bringing your child for a trial? Even a child can break through my nine Hero Pavilion floors—what background do you esteemed couple have?"

Zhao Changhe said calmly: "Nothing much. The child still relies on external aids."

"What distinguishes humans from beasts is the ability to use tools. Relying on external aids is nothing wrong. You are too modest," said the Heavenly Sword Venerable. "Besides, I can see that this external aid of yours is extraordinary. This child's cultivation was not high originally, but once she wielded this sword, even her own cultivation changed... Such a wondrous object, I have never heard of in my life."

Zhao Changhe said calmly: "So what does the Venerable mean? Do you want this sword?"

The Heavenly Sword Venerable said: "If I said I did, what would you do?"

Zhao Changhe said: "Those who seek immortality and the Dao should know that some things cannot be obtained without destiny. Giving rise to delusions only brings disaster. Since we dare to let our child carry a divine artifact through the bustling streets, what we desire can only remain a thought."

The Heavenly Sword Venerable fell silent. The man before him was imposing, but that was bearable. Yet somehow, the silent woman beside him felt far more terrifying—a single glance at her sent chills down one's spine. He was one of the top figures in this realm, and the only thing in the world that could give him such a feeling was the elusive Heavenly Dao...

Was this the Heavenly Dao incarnated as Hongjun?

The man was right. To casually hand a divine artifact to a child to play with—that kind of confidence alone was no ordinary thing.

He truly could not fathom the origins of this family and dared not act rashly. Slowly, he said: "You are very confident. Just now, your daughter said she was merely on a trial, and that it was you who wished to see me... May I ask what business you have with me?"

Zhao Changhe said earnestly: "Let my daughter finish the ninth floor first. The child is almost in tears from frustration."

The Heavenly Sword Venerable was both amused and exasperated: "The reason there's no need to fight the ninth floor is that this divine sword is too powerful. Your daughter can already challenge me directly—why fight the guard? If you feel it's a loss to skip a floor, I'll spar a few moves with your daughter. After that, can we have a proper discussion about the divine sword?"