Thursday, March 26, 2026

Chapter 28: Lifesource Realm

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 28: Lifesource Realm

Boom.

Zhong Xiu was thrown helplessly against the wall, the light purple sword flying upwards and piercing a ceiling beam.

His face was covered in tiny beads of blood. His blue lips trembled slightly. Looking at the countless wounds blooming on his left arm, his eyes filled with helplessness and despair.

It was the helplessness and despair of being unable to fight against a powerful cultivator.

At the same time, Tang Que was also thrown backward. His blue sword had been bent and twisted by the terrifying force, and it fell to the ground like a bent iron rod.

The storm suddenly subsided.

Zhang Nan, completely drenched, was like a fish out of water. His mouth opened as if he wanted to speak but could not make a sound.

Tang Mengchen’s hands were still raised. Through the holes in his sleeves, two blue square boxes were clearly visible. At this moment, his eyes were focused on the top of the horn-shaped sword. His eyes were filled with helplessness and despair.

Everyone froze where they stood.

Some wielded blood-stained swords, others were covered in blood, yet everyone stopped because of this blow.

This single blow, a sword slash from top to bottom, sent the enemies retreating and shattered the waves.

Footsteps sounded in the corridor, leading to this room.

Like a building being torn down, countless holes appeared in the doors, windows, and walls of this room.

Seeing the cold figures crowding outside the holes, and the layers of cold light flashing on the roof outside the window, Zhang Nan almost screamed, “How is this possible! You clearly said you don't want to have anything to do with important people? How could you have cultivators from White Goat Cave? How could you invite cultivators like this!”

Zhang Nan's shout represented the thoughts of most of the people in the room.

The horn-like tip of the sword slowly disappeared. The entire sword slowly and miraculously melted into the white-haired old man's hand as if being drawn back into his body.

This represents the cultivation level, Lifesource Realm!

Realm one was Profound Understanding; realm two was Energy Refinement; realm three was Energy Vital; realm four was Energy Fusing; realm five was Spirit Thought; realm six was Lifesource; realm seven was Mountain Moving; realm eight was  Heaven Opening; and realm nine, Immortal.

When one cultivated to realm five, the Spirit Thought Realm, the vital energy and the primal energies of the universe would cause the cultivator’s body to transform. The cultivator’s mental power would grow significantly stronger. At this level, a cultivator could use mental power to infuse vital energy into unique instruments such as flying swords and seals.

Flying swords and seals could be activated with just a thought.

This meant that realm five possessed completely different speed and power compared to realm four. One would possess a multitude of unimaginable and diverse tactics.

When one reached realm six, the Lifesource Realm, it was even more terrifying than realm five. Vital energy could be divided into yin yang and the five elements. Cultivators could choose suitable treasures and create their own lifebound items.

For Zhang Nan and the others, although they knew that there were many cultivators above realm six in Changling, they had never seen one due to their social class. They had never witnessed the power of lifebound items.

They could often encounter realm five cultivators if they wanted to. But they would not be able to see realm six cultivators if they wanted to.

The difference between these two realms was comparable to the difference between those with power and ordinary people. It was the dividing line between serpents and prawns.

This was why Zhang Nan could not understand and fell into despair.

Were not cultivators who could reach realm six either high-ranking officials in the court or elders and leaders of cultivation sects?

How could such a person, who would attract the attention of both prime ministers in the court, personally fight for Wang Taixu!

How was this possible!

No one paid attention to his shouts.

The old man in white, who had determined victory today by revealing his cultivation realm, seemed deaf to Zhang Nan's sobs.

Wang Taixu ignored Zhang Nan’s sobs.

He turned and stared emotionlessly at the three people behind him, whose faces had already drained of blood.

These three were good friends who had fought by his side. However, just now, they had teamed up with others to kill him.

The three had injured two other people in their surprise attack.

At this moment, one person's snow-white sword was still dripping with blood.

“Why?”

Wang Taixu's gaze fell on the blood-stained sword in the other person's hand.

“Li Xueqing, I bought you from slave traders. I was the one who found this Snowflake Sword for you. Why do you want to kill me? Tell me why, tell me the real reason.”

Seeing the young cultivator remain silent, Wang Taixu continued, calmly and solemnly, “Even if it's to satisfy my curiosity, if you tell me the real reason, I promise to treat your family well. I can even tell them that you died protecting me.”

Hearing Wang Taixu's words, the young cultivator holding the white sword smiled sadly and said, “A girl I was close to from another tower is in their hands. That's why I betrayed Big Brother.”

Then he knelt down facing Wang Taixu.

With a soft sound, the sword in his hand reversed as he knelt. The tip of the sword pierced his back, and blood instantly covered his entire back.

“Thank you.”

A bearded middle-aged man sighed. He first raised his folded hands towards Wang Taixu and said, “Thank you.” Then he said, “I wanted to kill you because I did some things to the other brothers in the gang. A few years ago, Liu San's wife… I made a big mistake while drunk. I don't know how they found out, and I made an even bigger mistake in my confused state of mind.”

After saying this, the bearded middle-aged man pierced his heart meridian with his hand. His entire hand sank into his chest, and he fell to the ground with a look of guilt.

Another pale-faced man, about Wang Taixu's age, looked at the blood-stained ground and sighed softly. He said, “I felt I would be a better leader of the Two Level Tower, and I didn't trust you to lead. Now, I know I underestimated you.”

After saying this, he bowed deeply to Wang Taixu. The long sword in his hand stabbed into his own body.

The streets had their own rules.

Knowing they would not escape, Tang Que and Tang Mengchen exchanged glances and then swung their swords towards their own necks.

This was an even worse way to die. Blood, still warm, sprayed into the air.

Blood even splashed half of Zhang Nan's body.

“You don't have to die,” Wang Taixu said, staring at him.

Zhang Nan's fatty flesh trembled. He stared at Wang Taixu in disbelief, afraid that Wang Taixu was only deliberately giving him hope before ruthlessly crushing it so that he would suffer even more before death.

“Enough people have died today. I don’t want my brothers out there to have to fight with your hidden subordinates.”

Wang Taixu looked a little tired. He closed his eyes and was silent for a moment. Then he said, “But since Zhong Xiu has attacked me, he must die… If Thunder Rain Hall can’t run its business in the south of the city without him, the Two Level Tower will protect it. We’ll only take two-tenths of your business. From now on, we’re in the same boat. I hope you’ll remember what I said today and my attitude.”

Hearing that, Zhang Nan finally stopped trembling. His eyes finally showed life.

However, Zhong Xiu, who was lying in the corner like a butterfly with broken wings, let out a scream filled with resentment. His back hit the wall behind him hard and was thrown backward, surrounded by pieces of wood.

Wang Taixu's eyebrows did not even move.

He did not even look at Zhong Xiu.

In the night, a scream rang through the air, followed by the sound of metal piercing flesh, and then hitting the ground.

He waved his hand at Zhang Nan, who was lying on the ground, and said in a low voice. “Now, you can go out and tell all your men that you're still alive. Go with them and remember what you have to do next.”

“I only know that it was a certain important figure in the military; I don't know anything else.” Zhang Nan fled out the door screaming.

He had originally wanted to acquire some of the Two Level Tower’s business factions, but instead, he lost two-tenths of his business. He lost a powerful cultivation guardian. Fatty Zhang, a prominent figure on the streets who could make the streets tremble with just a stomp of his foot, felt so weak he nearly rolled down the stairs.

What terrified him was the blow from the white-haired old man's lifebond sword.

 

“Thank you, Mister Du.”

Wang Taixu, who would have a higher status on the streets of Changling in the future, bowed deeply to the seated white-haired old man.

“This person you chose is good. Perhaps I would have allowed him to join my sect if this were normal times.” the white-haired man replied calmly. After glancing at Ding Ning, he stood up and left.

 

“I'm still alive.”

Wang Taixu watched the old man leave. Then he looked at Ding Ning seriously and said with emotion, “So from today on, you are a disciple of the White Goat Cave.”

Ding Ning shook his head, as if saying to himself, “It's that simple?”

Was it that simple?

If the White Goat Cave had not coincidentally angered the empress’ family and been forced to immediately join the Green Vine Sword School soon, if this Mister Du had not received His Majesty’s grace and been allowed to retire, if cultivators did not desire to live more comfortably for the rest of their lives, if it were not for not having to care about what the people in the court thought… how could one of the strongest people in the White Goat Cave come and help him resolve this problem?

This was a complicated matter with a great price.

Wang Taixu did not know what Ding Ning was thinking. The blood-stained floor was making him tired. He smiled tiredly and did not explain. In his heart, he thought, sometimes, life is really tiring.

Notes:

This novel is not my work... I just translated it from a Chinese web novel written by Wu Zui

Previously

Next

No comments:

Post a Comment

Chapter 37: Flying Swords in the Fish Market

Sword Dynasty Volume 2 Chapter 37: Flying Swords in the Fish Market Ding Ning continued walking forward calmly. He had arrived at the ...