Chapter 17: Have You Ever Heard of Earthly Sword Immortals?

"Senior Brother Lu, if I recall correctly, your spiritual root is of the sword attribute?" Tao Yaoye cast a sidelong glance at the simple, unadorned treasure sword hanging from Lu Yang's waist, and then at the thick calluses formed in the web of his thumb from long-term swordplay; such a profound transformation in a mere year was sufficient proof of just how bitterly hard Lu Yang had practiced.

Lu Yang nodded, speaking with assumed modesty, "I barely qualify as a sword cultivator."

Cultivators were divided into various disciplines based on their particular strengths—such as elixir cultivators, talisman cultivators, formation cultivators, body cultivators, and sword cultivators—and among these, the sword cultivators possessed the most fearsome offensive power; in a battle between those of equal realms, no one ever wished to cross blades with a sword cultivator.

The most renowned doctrine of the sword cultivator was that a single strike could shatter ten thousand laws: no matter how heaven-defying your daoist magic might be, I shall cleave it apart with a single blow.

Correspondingly opposed to them were the daoist magic cultivators, whose philosophy held that no matter how heaven-shattering your sword technique might be, I can shatter your single sword with ten thousand laws.

Beyond the singular principle of shattering ten thousand laws, the sword cultivator's repertoire boasted legendary techniques such as the Sword Opening the Heavenly Gate and the flying sword, all of which were illustriously famous.

Robes as white as snow, treading upon a flying sword, riding the wind and breaking the waves—what an incredibly dashing and unrestrained bearing that was.

What did one seek in cultivating immortality? First was to be powerful, and second was to look splendid; it just so happened that the sword cultivator perfectly satisfied both criteria, and there was no telling how many cultivators yearned to join their ranks, only to be barred for lack of innate talent in the Dao of the sword.

"So, Senior Brother Lu, what do you intend to do once you learn to master the flying sword?"

Tao Yaoye had never before heard of a sword cultivator who was afraid of heights.

While others cultivated immortality to soar through the skies and burrow through the earth in blissful freedom, this Senior Brother Lu's cultivation seemed less about soaring and entirely about burrowing deep into the earth to find his own version of blissful freedom.

Lu Yang spoke with absolute solemnity, "A sword immortal does not merely equate to flying through the skies. Has Junior Sister Tao never heard of a Terrestrial Sword Immortal?"

Tao Yaoye stared blankly for a moment, but seeing Lu Yang looking so deadly serious, and finding the term 'Terrestrial Sword Immortal' sounding vaguely familiar, she nodded along.

"Who says immortals must always look down from on high? Immortals are, after all, still bound to the character for 'man'; the immortal resides in heaven, man dwells upon the earth, and the immortal roams between heaven and earth, grasping the stars and moon above and plunging into the nine abysses below, utterly unconstrained."

"The very term 'Terrestrial Sword Immortal' proves that a sword immortal does not belong solely to the heavens, but may also walk the mortal earth, sending a sword flying forth to take the head of a demon from thousands of miles away!"

"My ultimate goal is to become an existence just like a Terrestrial Sword Immortal!"

Tao Yaoye was just about to nod along with the grand atmosphere, but fortunately, her long-accumulated composure caught up with her, allowing her to realize the flaw in his words: "No, wait a minute. I have only ever heard of a Terrestrial Deity. Where on earth did this term 'Terrestrial Sword Immortal' come from?"

Lu Yang gazed silently at Tao Yaoye for three seconds, as though a primordial secret were brewing deep within his chest, before he spoke unhurriedly.

"I made it up."

"..."

His honesty was so absolute that it left Tao Yaoye entirely speechless.

Tao Yaoye did not press the topic any further; in just three short days of companionship, the image of this Senior Brother Lu had already shattered beyond recognition in her mind.

During the first trial, she had witnessed with her own eyes Lu Yang being tested to possess a sword spiritual root; back then, Lu Yang had seemed to her like an unbending, heaven-splitting sword—laconic, yet utterly invincible.

When the second trial ended and she heard Lu Yang recount his unique method of passing, she believed that a sword cultivator with such flexible thinking would surely achieve even greater heights in the future.

During the third trial, she had been so exhausted on the Mountain of Questioning One's Heart that she could barely keep her eyes open, believing that no one could possibly ascend to the fiftieth step, yet it was then she saw Lu Yang scale that very step to pass the trial. Lu Yang's success had given her immense confidence, lending her the fortitude to continue climbing the mountain and successfully pass.

A year later, she met this Senior Brother Lu, who was terrified of heights and exceedingly talkative.

She finally understood that distance truly lends enchantment.

"Judging by the time, it should be about active hours to disembark from the ship."

Lu Yang unrolled a large map, which was rendered in exquisite detail; the Ask the Dao Sect, the Imperial Capital of the Great Xia Dynasty, famous mountains and great rivers, important cities, and blessed grotto-heavens were all marked upon it.

This was but one-eighth of the map of the Central Continent.

There was also a tiny red dot upon the map, moving with extreme sluggishness; if one did not pay close attention, one might assume the red dot was entirely stationary.

The little red dot marked the current position of the two.

This was no ordinary map, but a magical treasure essential for travel.

Fine as the map was, the locality of Taiping Village was simply too small to be marked upon it; even displaying Quhe County was already a rare feat.

This flying vessel had departed from the Ask the Dao Sect bound for the Imperial Capital of the Great Xia Dynasty, a journey of countless tens of thousands of miles; let alone Taiping Village, even Quhe County was but an insignificant speck across such a distance, barely managing to retain a name on the parchment.

The flying vessel would never anchor at a minor place like Quhe County; if it stopped everywhere, its speed would be drastically reduced, and its efficiency would offer little advantage over a horse-drawn carriage.

The vessel would only halt at a few major transportation nodes, such as the Ask the Dao Sect, Qingyun City, Tongtian Valley, Fulong Mountain, and the Imperial Capital.

Lu Yang had heard from the Eldest Senior Sister that if one wished to disembark from the flying vessel, one simply had to leap straight down.

Hearing that had made Lu Yang's eyelids twitch violently.

The flying vessel was remarkably similar to the airplanes of his past life—exceedingly fast and prioritizing efficiency—with the primary difference being that passengers in his past life had to submissively wait for the aircraft to land before disembarking, whereas passengers in the cultivation world jumped whenever they pleased.

It was a system that emphasized absolute freedom and openness.

This was Lu Yang's first time jumping ship, and his heart was hammering with excitement.

This excitement manifested visually as his legs trembling uncontrollably.

After all, this was an altitude of ten thousand meters.

"Senior Brother Lu, do you know how to disembark?"

"Naturally." Lu Yang puffed out his chest, a touch of pride in his bearing.

From a height of ten thousand meters, if one did not employ a clever technique and plummeted straight down, even a cultivator in the late stage of Foundation Establishment would be smashed into a meat paste.

Lu Yang had once asked the Eldest Senior Sister exactly how one was supposed to disembark, but she had refused to answer, saying only that he should not consult books or question others, but must figure it out himself to cultivate a good habit of independent thinking.

And so, Lu Yang had successfully devised a method to disembark and had made full preparations for it.

Those preparing to leave the vessel were not limited to Lu Yang's party; there were also seven or eight strangers.

Lu Yang and Tao Yaoye stood alongside the seven or eight strangers at the edge of the deck, forming a single line.

The seven or eight strangers produced standard-issue paper umbrellas.

Tao Yaoye brought out a meticulously refined red paper umbrella.

Lu Yang pulled out a parachute.

"Huh?"

Lu Yang felt as though he did not quite fit in with the crowd; why was the item everyone else produced entirely different from his own?

Just as Lu Yang was wondering what they intended to do, an impatient middle-aged man in black raiment clutched his umbrella and leapt out from the flying vessel.

The black-clothed man's body plummeted like a cannonball, his velocity increasing exponentially.

Unhurriedly, he channeled spiritual energy into the paper umbrella; the light spiritual energy spun out like threads of silk, resembling a nimble green snake slithering up from the handle to entwine the ribs of the umbrella.

As though suddenly endowed with life, the paper umbrella awakened from hibernation and unfurled its form; the black-clothed man's descent gradually slowed until, drifting gently, he touched down safely upon the earth.

The black-clothed man released his grip, and the paper umbrella folded shut, transforming into a streak of flowing light that darted through the sea of clouds to return to the vessel.

The paper umbrella did not belong to the man in black; it was merely a tool lent by the flying vessel to its patrons.

The seven or eight strangers, along with Tao Yaoye, turned their heads in unison to stare at Lu Yang, a profound bewilderment mirroring even in Tao Yaoye's eyes.

They held umbrellas in their hands to prepare for the jump; what on earth was he doing with a pack strapped to his back?

On the surface, Lu Yang remained unblushing and composed, returning their bewildered stares with a brilliant smile, acting as though the one out of step were anyone but himself.

In reality, his mind was in utter turmoil, overwhelmed by an absolute loss for words.

All his countless grievances ultimately condensed into a single silent cry—Eldest Senior Sister, you have utterly ruined me!