Chapter 2536: Reflecting on the Supremacy of Divinity (1)
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Phantom Beast.”
Xi’s movements were simple.
With a mere twist of his clasped palms, they folded neatly against his chest.
As if a Spiritual Cultivator unraveling a bounded domain, his aura seamlessly melded with the surrounding realm.
When the faint gleam of the azure sword flickered in his eyes, he almost seemed to transform into a translucent phantom.
Within a few miles, ethereal spirits were conjured.
They were unconscious apparitions drifting aimlessly, fragmented beast souls, or the lingering regrets and resentments of the deceased…
Under the veil of night, the snow-capped mountains became incredibly eerie.
It was as if the realm of the living had connected with the realm of the dead; mortal souls venturing here risked being petrified by fear.
Countless spirits answered the call of the Phantom Sword, now an extension of Xi’s will.
They served as both ears and eyes.
“Retrace.”
Xi commanded softly.
Within the Phantom Beast, spirits coalesced and morphed into fleeting illusions, painting scenes of the past.
Swiftly, the images unfurled, revealing the moments witnessed by the spirits of the dead, transitioning from day to night.
Xi watched in silence.
Dao Qiongcang waited patiently.
Throughout the scenes, there was no sign of human presence the entire day, only the desolate snow continued its descent.
The sole moment of activity was when a wildcat ventured here in search of prey, only to leave without incident.
“No one has been here…”
Xi’s heart sank after viewing everything.
He was immensely confident in the Phantom Sword Technique, and his first thought was, “Could Hallmaster Dao have made a mistake?”
“Is this Spirits Controlling, one of the Eighteen Sword Forms of Phantom Sword Technique?” Dao Qiongcang inquired, appearing to be more concerned with something other than the findings.
“Yes,” Xi responded and brought the focus back to the matter at hand, “Hallmaster Dao, I couldn’t find the target.”
“Is the Phantom Beast a domain-like sword skill exclusive to ghost swordsmen, similar to the bounded domain of Spiritual Cultivators?” Dao Qiongcang pressed further.
“Uh,” Xi subconsciously uttered, feeling a bit like a goose, before hastily replying, “Yes.”
“When you reach the level of a demi-saint, is it akin to the holy realm of Spiritual Cultivators?”
“Yes.”
“A clever concept, somewhat similar to the Green River Sword Boardline, but with less offensive capability, more of a reconnaissance-oriented sword skill?”
“Yes and no.” Xi shook his head earnestly, but before he could elaborate, he was cut off.
Because Hallmaster Dao had turned into an inquisitive child, denying him the chance to speak. “Even if it has offensive capabilities, it pales in comparison to the Green River Sword Boardline, right? After all, the Mo Sword Technique is known for its offensive prowess.”
“It depends on who you’re comparing it to,” Xi a.s.serted, refusing to doubt his proficiency in the Ancient Sword Technique.
“What about comparing it to Gou Wuyue?”
Xi instantly fell silent, only muttering after a long pause, “Sword Saint Wuyue…”
“Sword Deity.”
“Sword Deity?” Xi was taken aback. “Elder Wuyue hasn’t been sanctified?”
The news of Sword Deity Gou Wuyue’s sanctification had spread far and wide on Saint Mountain in recent times.
But Xi hadn’t received any definitive confirmation, despite being the Chief of the Transformation Division.
Yet, amidst the flurry of rumors, he had a.s.sumed it to be true.
However, unlike outsiders, Xi knew that with the change in leaders.h.i.+p of the white-clothed people, the information from the previous regime had been completely sealed off.
The rumors were all unreliable.
On the other hand, Hallmaster Dao undoubtedly possessed firsthand intelligence, for he was the one who had sealed off the information!
Hallmaster Dao countered, “What do you understand by ‘saint’? Is it a realm or a unit of measurement for combat strength?”
Xi found himself torn between the two interpretations.
Dao Qiongcang continued, “If it’s a realm, then The Divine is merely a higher void, as his spiritual cultivation only reaches the level of virtual images.”
“Logically, any demi-saint could easily defeat The Divine. But is that truly the case?”
Hallmaster Dao’s words provided Xi with an answer.
A saint wasn’t a realm; it was a unit of measurement for combat strength.
Hallmaster Dao further elucidated, “If ‘saint’ is a unit of measurement for combat strength, then what’s the significance of being a demi-saint?”
“All Spiritual Cultivators who reach the peak of the higher void level can fight beyond their rank, regardless of whether they are a demi-saint or not.”
“Isn’t the t.i.tle of demi-saint just an illusion?”
Xi was stunned.
He felt like a wavering reed, swaying in the wind.
“Please enlighten me, Hallmaster Dao,” Xi said earnestly, his hands respectfully clasped.
Hallmaster Dao, bearing the secrets of the divine, spoke cryptically, “The world knows no constants; it varies from person to person. For those who defy convention, reasoning becomes elusive.”
Xi pondered deeply.
His thoughts quickly diverged as he realized something, prompting an exclamation of astonishment. “So, Moonless Sword Deity is quasi The Divine, though unsanctified, but has already achieved a breakthrough to the level of a demi-saint in terms of combat strength?”
“Quasi…” Hallmaster Dao chuckled. “Young man, your choice of words is intriguing.”
“Uh…” Xi uttered once again.
Hallmaster Dao continued solemnly, “The Ten High n.o.bles, the Seven Sword Deities.”
“Among the prodigies of the previous generation, Gou Wuyue was the only one to secure a position on both lists single-handedly.”
“Not only am I inferior to him, but so too are The Divine and Bazhun’an. So why would he need to be compared to mere mortals?”
Xi was shaken by his words.
Upon further thought, it seemed to be true.
But what astonished him wasn’t this realization but rather Hallmaster Dao’s high evaluation of Moonless Sword Deity Wuyue.
If that were the case, why did the Holy Divine Palace treat him like this?
Xi dared not delve further into that line of thought, expressing his apologies, “Junior has spoken out of turn, forgive my impudence.”
He swiftly changed the subject, knowing how to probe for information:
“However, Hallmaster Dao, the Eighth Sword Deity, and The Divine, all follow a new path.”
“If the path of Moonless Sword Deity only revolves around the Mo Sword Technique and fails to innovate, in my opinion, he wouldn’t receive such high praise from Hallmaster Dao.”
Hallmaster Dao chuckled, “Your cleverness would make your teacher proud if applied to the Phantom Sword Technique.”