Chapter 136: The Seven Luminaries Sword Technique

The shattered realm of the grotto world was shrouded in gloom and darkness, filled with dense forests and chilling winds. Within a towering thicket, two hurried figures suddenly pierced the silence, each wielding a magical treasure as they darted through the oppressive miasma, fleeing into the distance.

After several miles, the two figures gradually slowed to a stop. They were none other than Yao Sheng and Dong Kaiyuan, who had become separated from Jiang Min.

Dong Kaiyuan glanced back and declared with certainty, “No one has caught up.”

“That’s a relief,” Yao Sheng exhaled, flipping his palm to reveal a communication jade talisman. Its counterpart had already been given to Jiang Min before entering the secret realm. His tone grew grave: “We were chased by Xiong Tianhai and his group just now. There was no time to contact Ming Ruoshui. I must reach her quickly—we need to regroup immediately.”

He channeled his spiritual energy into the talisman and sent a message: “Fellow Daoist Ming, where are you now? Brother Dong and I are at the mountain gate. If it’s convenient, please come join us as soon as possible. If you encounter trouble, we will come to you at once.”

Having sent the message, Yao Sheng clenched the talisman tightly in his hand.

Dong Kaiyuan frowned, watching him. “I hope she’s alright. Without her, the two of us alone will find it difficult to handle Xiong Tianhai and his three companions, let alone Hu Xiuzhu’s group.”

Yao Sheng replied, “Brother Dong, time waits for no one. If she doesn’t respond within fifteen minutes, we’ll head straight to Guling Lake to find the Taiying Lingxin.”

“But Xiong Tianhai and the others possess several powerful spiritual treasures—”

“We must seize them, no matter what! The Taiying Lingxin concerns the true sovereign’s cultivation path. If this mission fails, you understand the consequences.” Yao Sheng’s voice was resolute. “They have their treasures, but we have the Yin Soul Banner. In this place thick with yin energy, the Yin Soul Banner will give us an advantage.”

Hearing the mention of the Yin Soul Banner, a flicker of hesitation and reluctance appeared in Dong Kaiyuan’s eyes. He gritted his teeth and said unwillingly, “Fine. If we’re truly outmatched, then we’ll have no choice but to awaken that ghostly thing with the blood of our hearts...”

...

Before the ruins of the Hall of Enlightenment, Jiang Min held a shrunken meditation cushion in her left hand while extracting a jade talisman from her right, reading the message within.

“The mountain gate? That should be far from a sect’s stronghold like the Hall of Enlightenment.”

After a moment of consideration, she wasted no time and asked, “Immortal elder, you guided me here—are you leading me to seek something?”

A breath of spiritual light swept from her palm, forming a transparent apparition of an immortal. The figure’s aged face and flowing white hair and eyebrows were faintly discernible. The old immortal floated above the ruins, forming several indistinct hand seals before casting a spell that vanished into the rubble.

Suddenly, the ruins trembled as countless specks of light slowly rose and gathered before the old immortal’s apparition, gradually condensing into a luminous white pearl.

When the pearl was fully formed, the old immortal smiled softly. The apparition merged into the pearl and disappeared. The pearl then flew toward Jiang Min, landing gently in her palm.

“What is this?”

Jiang Min grasped the pearl and squeezed it. It was about the size of her thumb, formed from something distinct from spiritual energy. Cautiously, she extended a sliver of her divine awareness onto it. Instantly, a radiant glow emitted, forming several lines of ancient script before her eyes.

“The Seven Luminaries Sword Technique.”

“Since ancient times, the heavens and earth have interchanged, yin and yang united, dividing into the five elements, giving birth to all things. Above, seven luminaries correspond, their light eternally flowing; below, humanity is shaped, mirroring heaven and earth.”

“I gaze upon the celestial phenomena, comprehending the great way of yin, yang, and the five elements. With the seven luminaries at my back, the sword transforms the yin-yang and five-element seven stars. I create the Seven Luminaries Sword Technique—uniting sword and Dao, responding to the Dao with the sword; yin and yang harmonize, five elements circulate.”

“Now, I pass down this sword art, hoping you walk with righteousness, understand the sword’s essence, soar freely through the nine heavens, grasp stars and moon, shatter the constellations. Though stars may end, the Dao has no shore. Swear to break all laws and illuminate the sword’s soul.”

The Seven Luminaries Sword Technique!

Within the white pearl was a complete sword manual.

After reading the majestic prose, Jiang Min pondered deeply. She extended her divine awareness further to confirm the contents. It included a sword technique capable of elevating one to the Sword Soul realm, as well as the method to forge a corresponding destined treasure.

On seeing the forging method, Jiang Min’s heart jolted despite her prior expectations. “Isn’t this forging method the same as the allegorical poem I found in the ancient sword tomb estate?”

They were nearly identical.

Despite acquiring such a powerful forging method and confirming its efficacy, Jiang Min felt no joy. Instead, a chilling dread swept over her, as if she had plunged into an icy abyss.

She slowly brushed her fingertip over the smooth pearl, her eyes narrowing slightly as she recalled many things:

The cataclysmic thunder sea that destroyed the ancient tomb estate.

The cultivators who perished beneath the thunder sea, their bodies utterly vanished.

The dojo sealed by dense fog within the grotto world.

The dust-covered ruins...

It seemed an immovable colossus loomed high above this world, watching over every corner. Whenever any inheritance related to the Seven Luminaries surfaced, it would ruthlessly destroy it.

Now, with her cultivation so shallow, she was no more than an insignificant speck of dust. If anyone discovered she had obtained this inheritance, she would face endless calamity and a death without burial.

Her eyes flickered with a moment of inner conflict before she decisively placed the pearl into the grotto within her palm and set it upon the offering table.

“This matter will be considered slowly later. For now, I must find Yao Sheng and Dong Kaiyuan.”

Only then did she take out her communication jade talisman and send a message to them: “I’m coming to find you immediately.”

After sending the message, she put away the talisman, threw out the Wind-Thunder Shuttle, leapt aboard, and held the meditation cushion to ward off the sinister winds and restless spirits. Flying above the ancient forest, she observed the mountain range’s trajectory before heading beyond its bounds.

...

When Yao Sheng received Jiang Min’s message, the tension in his face finally eased slightly, relief evident. “She’s still alive. That’s great. We’ll wait here for her and then head to Guling Lake.”

Though Jiang Min was only at the initial Foundation Establishment stage, neither he nor Dong Kaiyuan dared underestimate her.

To have emerged first among so many in the Wicked Battle, surpassing the second place by a large margin, she was no ordinary figure. There were always stronger people beyond the mountains, but with her five spiritual roots and such a young age for Foundation Establishment, she commanded respect.

Although both he and Dong Kaiyuan were among the top in their cultivation realm, facing the first-ranked Wicked Battle champion, Jiang Min, they dared not be arrogant.

However, just as Yao Sheng finished speaking, Dong Kaiyuan’s expression stiffened sharply, and he shouted, “Someone’s coming!”

He immediately formed hand seals, releasing over ten earthen-yellow lights that quickly condensed into sixteen sturdy stone shields, surrounding them on all sides to prevent surprise attacks. Yao Sheng gripped several bright yellow talisman papers, each radiating flowing light in harmony—clearly the same set of Taoist talismans.

A clear, cheerful laugh echoed from the forest: “I said it was only Yao Sheng and the other, now do you believe me?”

Yao Sheng and Dong Kaiyuan exchanged glances.

“It’s Xiong Tianhai!”

They had caught up again.

“Run!”

Yao Sheng and Dong Kaiyuan hastily produced their flying treasures, prepared to flee, but then a sultry female voice rang softly from another direction.

“Watch out for their trickery. After all, that sword cultivator named Ming Ruoshui was the champion of this Wicked Battle!”

Upon hearing the woman’s voice, Yao Sheng and Dong Kaiyuan’s expressions darkened.

Xiong Tianhai and his two companions were disciples of Yan Shuangqing, but the woman’s owner, Hu Xiuzhu, was a disciple of the Purging True Sovereign.

These two factions, originally at odds and bitterly competing for the Taiying Lingxin, had inexplicably united first to deal with Yao Sheng and Dong Kaiyuan.

Their path ahead and behind was blocked.

The two had nowhere to hide as six figures emerged from the ancient forest, encircling them completely.

One of the men, broad-shouldered and imposing with thick eyebrows and fierce eyes, was none other than Xiong Tianhai, Yan Shuangqing’s disciple. Seeing Yao Sheng and Dong Kaiyuan back to back, he sneered, “Oh? The sword enforcer you brought along got left behind?”

He glanced at Hu Xiuzhu without hiding the conspiracy. “Since there are only two of you, why don’t we join forces? Let’s deal with them first, then head to Guling Lake. Whoever claims the Taiying Lingxin afterward can settle it on their own.”

“As long as they die, even if Ming Ruoshui is still alive, she won’t make a splash. If we encounter her, we can extinguish her easily.”