Chapter 763 (1/2)
Chapter 763: Sword Compet.i.tion in the Verdant Canyon (Part 1)
The carriage stopped in front of the Verdant Canyon .
It could not have come, but it did .
It meant the man in the carriage might not come, or his sword might not come—because his sword could kill a person from thousands of kilometers away .
The man in the carriage was Liu Bai .
He was recognized as the strongest man in the cultivation world as well as the Sword Sage . He was so strong that even the Unworldly Sublime Beings from the Unknown Places could not beat him .
Especially when he drew out his sword, a 30 centimeter circle surrounding him was his zone . Even the Abbey Dean of the Zhishou Abbey and Eldest Brother could not enter .
Many people, including the Second Brother, believed that with his talent if he wanted, he could step over the Five States . However, he was never willing to .
Liu Bai's voice floated out of the carriage .
”Do you need a break?”
Looking at the carriage, the Second Brother b.u.t.toned his collar with his slender fingers . ”I don't know if I will be as confident after the break as I am now . ”
Liu Bai replied from inside the carriage, ”Then let's begin . ”
The Second Brother answered, ”If we had fought two days ago, I would have lost for sure . Thank you for waiting until now . ”
Liu Bai responded, ”I appreciate that you didn't kill my disciples . ”
The conversation between them seemed peaceful; it sounded warm and kind devoid of hostility or danger .
There was no vendetta between the Academy and the Sword Garret . Even though Ning Que had blinded Liu Yiqing, it had been a fair duel . It did not enrage Liu Bai .
Thus, the Academy disciples were confused .
Looking at the carriage, the Second Brother asked, ”Why are you here?”
Liu Bai answered him after a long time, ”Even the Headmaster could not beat Haotian . What can I do?”
Upon hearing this, the Second Brother fell silent for a while . ”The teacher was right . There are no omniscient and omnipotent men . He probably wasn't expecting that his leaving would weaken men's confidence . ”
”Moreover, I am still the Adviser of the Divine Hall . ”
Liu Bai spoke from the carriage, ”In the war between the world and the Tang, as a man from Jin, I should do something . And fighting against the Academy is also my wish . ”
”If there is anyone in the world worth my sword, it has to be you and Li Manman . ”
He said this with respect, but the Second Brother could not agree with him . He shook his head . ”I think my Third Sister also needs your advice in cultivation . ”
Hearing this, Liu Bai became silent again .
After a long time, he said in shock, ”Lin Wu is in the Academy!”
The Second Brother continued, ”She is no longer using that name . ”
As the strongest man in the world, he was wise enough to figure out what Jun Mo was talking about . The mysterious Twenty-Three-year Cicada Cultivator was in the Academy .
It was the most shocking news in the cultivation world . Even he was shocked .
”It seems that the Haotian Taoism has underestimated the Academy after all . ”
Liu Bai added, ”If she is in the Academy, that idiot Xiong Chumo is going to fail even worse than I expected . ”
In his mind, the Twenty-Three-year Cicada Cultivator was stronger than the Hierarch of the West-Hill Divine Palace .
As for himself, he was also stronger than him .
”The tide of the world surges forward like a great river . Follow it, and we boom; resist it, and thus comes our doom . Even if Lin Wu is in the Academy, he cannot change anything . ”
He added, ”Your Senior Brother can stall the Abbey Dean for three more days at most . The Buddhism Sect is waiting for him . It doesn't matter if you can beat me or not, after the battle you will be unable to stop the coalition . Once the Verdant Canyon is opened and the coalition goes north, Tang must be subjugated in the end . ”
”You are not a mediocre person, why are you giving me such a boring speech?” The Second Brother said with a straight face . ”If everything is doomed, why have you come here? Why did I come here? Why are you and I standing in front of the Verdant Canyon?”
Liu Bai answered, ”That's what I thought, but after all, the battle is unavoidable . ”
The Second Brother asked, ”When shall we start?”
Liu Bai answered, ”When your sword is repaired . ”
A sudden boom sounded under the tent . A heavy hammer was beating the fiery iron sword . The hot sword sank in the water, sizzling and misting up .
Taking over the fixed iron sword, Second Brother said, ”It's fine . ”
”Very well . ”
A hand opened the blue curtain .
The hand was big with slender and powerful fingers that looked well suited for holding a sword .
Liu Bai walked out of the carriage .
The highly respected Sword Sage was a normal looking middle-aged man with a deeply engraved face .
He had a normal appearance and normal temperament, completely different from his legend . His essence existed in his sword rather than his body .
His sword was in its sheath beside him .
”Once, people wrote down their imaginings of the cultivators in the stories, thinking that everything could be used as a sword and the cultivators could kill with flowers and branches . However, they were all armchair swordmen after all . ”
Looking at the Second Brother's sword, Liu Bai said, ”Neither a flower nor a blade of gra.s.s can be a sword . Sword has to be a sword because it has to be hard, straight and sharp, something that can fly into the sky and kill people from thousands of kilometers away . If a sword can't cut gra.s.s or it can be easily broken, how can it break armor and kill people? A good sword is very important to a swordsman . ”
”Today, I saw two fine swords . Ye Su's wooden sword is made from an exotic tree which is its best choice from the point of view of the material . However, comparing it with your iron sword, it is inferior since a sword must be made of iron . Only the blood on an iron sword can be called blood iron and only by using an iron sword can I fight to my heart's content . ”
Liu Bai turned to the stove and the Sixth Brother . He praised, ”The Academy is indeed a great place; you can refine such a good sword . ”
The Second Brother walked toward the wilderness . ”But it is a weapon nonetheless . ”
”You are a good swordsman . ”
Liu Bai said, ”I've always been wondering who is stronger, you or Ye Su . Now I know you are stronger . Your sword is stronger, and your sword skill is better . ”
The Second Brother stopped him and said, ”But not stronger than you . ”
Liu Bai had heard this kind of praise so many times, no one in the world could comment on his sword . His expression didn't change at all .
Since he had been inspired at the riverside and traveled all over the world, no one dared to question his fame as the best swordsman .
”The Sword Taoism lies in sword and Taoism, but I prefer the sword . ”
Liu Bai said, ”I sword trained in the cave of the Sword Garrett for ten years . I had a fine sword, and the Headmaster borrowed it . Although I felt regret, it was an honor that the Headmaster could use it to slaughter the Dragon . In addition to that sword, I have many more including the one on my waist, which is stronger than yours . ”
”As for sword skill, I don't think I have any talent . I didn't create the sword style . It's from Mr . Ke . ”
The Second Brother said, ”But you carried it forward and developed it into a famous and respectful sword style . ”
Liu Bai was an unforgettable name in both the history of the cultivation world and Sword Taoism . He had been the first Great Sword Master and developed his close combat to an absolute high position .
In the past, swordsmen preferred operating their swords . In their minds, controlling the Qi of Heaven and Earth was the biggest difference between a cultivator and an ordinary man .
When Liu Bai and his sword style became invincible, the swordmen saw a new possibility in sword cultivation . It was revolutionary .
This was why the Second Brother respected him so much .
Liu Bai continued, ”In my early years, I swung back and forth between the two styles until the fight in the East Sea . I realized this switching violated the true meaning of the sword . ”
”In that fight, I hurt Yan Se from a thousand kilometers away . Then he wrote a talisman toward the wild sea, which fell on my face from a great distance . ”
Touching his eyebrows, he smiled bitterly .
”After that fight I chose to hold the sword . The most fundamental difference between the two styles is you either operate a sword with the Qi of Heaven and Earth or you control the Qi with a sword . The advantages and disadvantages may not be obvious, but, if you think carefully, you will believe that holding the sword is the best way . ”
”The Buddhism Sect's copper bowl is not the best, neither are the prayer beads . Neither is the robe nor the talisman . Because all of these natal weapons are not in their proper form . But a sword is . The sword's shape is suitable for controlling the Qi of Heaven and Earth to hurt people . ”
”The sword is straight and sharp . Control the sword or hold the sword; you have to choose and you can't choose both . ”
Liu Bai said, ”You said a lot to Ye Su earlier that I don't understand . I only know sword: it is straight, so it should puncture . It is simple but strong . ”
”Ye Su and I were talking about affairs of the human world, of which you no longer belong,” the Second Brother said . ”If you want to stay, you have to follow rules . ”