Chapter 42: By the Sword

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 42: By the Sword

That same night, inside the Library Cave of the White Goat Cave, Nangong Caishu closed the two books she had carefully read several times. Then, she took a deep breath and only calmed down after taking a hundred breaths. She closed her eyes.

She looked within herself using her usual cultivation method. Then, her mental power slowly spread outward.

However, unlike in the past, she did not rush to use her mental power to capture the primal energies of the universe around her. She let her mental power remain floating within the quiet library cave.

Her cultivation was limited. Her flowing mental power could only cover the inner cave and could not reach the outer cave.

Compared to the world around her, the area covered by her mental power was like a very small pond.

However, considering the possibility, she did not feel rushed.

She maintained this state and waited calmly and patiently.

As time passed, countless tiny water droplets, tiny dust particles, and even plants and feathers so small they could not be detected appeared in her perception.

These tiny objects silently entered her mental world, falling into the pond of her reach, and disrupting her absolute tranquility.

A breeze blew around the pond.

Many gentle breezes blew across the pond.

These weak breezes seemed alive, most of them instinctively repelled by the pond. Then they passed silently after touching the pond and only creating small ripples.

However, some seemed to be testing the water, seemingly touching the surface of the pond.

Nangong Caishu began to feel shocked.

But she still did not do anything. Like a pond on a rainy night, she calmly accepted all the water flowing towards her.

The gentle breeze could not actually penetrate the pond, but she began to see different colors.

She began to see many colors in the wind like tiny stars.

She could not control her emotions.

She was so excited that her body trembled. She breathed through her mouth open, unable to maintain her internal vision. She opened her eyes, unable to continue cultivating.

She had not succeeded in drawing the primal energies of the universe into her body in one try, but she had already felt a significant change.

She understood its true meaning.

Acceptance and tolerance were far more beneficial than forceful appropriation.

The disciples of the Green Vine Sword School around her were still pensive and engrossed in the books they had chosen. They had not noticed her situation just now.

She returned the notebooks to their original positions respectfully. Then she walked out of the inner cave and then the outer cave until she reached the stone building outside the library cave.

It was still pitch black outside, and the sun was still some time away from rising.

But she sat inside the stone building and waited as she crossed the rope bridge.

She yearned to see Ding Ning again, driven by some unknown emotion.

She sat on a high spot in the White Goat Gorge, waiting for the sun to rise. She looked down at the White Goat Cave and witnessed the entire sect transform. She was the first disciple of the Green Vine Sword School to experience this.

Various voices began to ring out in the silent White Goat Gorge.

Even before the sky brightened, the figures of many White Goat Cave disciples appeared on the streets of White Goat Gorge.

A cultivator's cultivation was based on the body, methods, and techniques.

Methods referred to the cultivation of vital energy.

One who could absorb the primal energies of the universe and cultivate vital energy could only become a pure vessel.

Body, the cultivation of the cultivator's physical body.

A cultivator's body must be strong. To live longer, they need strength, agility, speed, and reaction skills.

Techniques were the techniques of using the body, vital energy, and weapons.

The combined abilities of one's body, methods, and techniques were the true strength of a cultivator.

According to the training habits of cultivators, everything became quiet during the night. The body needed rest, and this was a good opportunity to cultivate vital energy. When the day came, everything became active, the temperature rose, and people’s blood and energies became active. This was the perfect time to train their physical bodies and techniques.

So, under the dim light, some disciples of the White Goat Cave walked along the steep cliff, some breathed on the edge of the cliff and used their breath to strengthen their organs, while others danced in the wind and practiced their sword skills.

This was a prosperous and beautiful scene.

Even Nangong Caishu, who was waiting for Ding Ning, could not help but think of this scene: in Changling and the Qin Dynasty, countless sects had risen like this.

The prosperity of these many sects represented the prosperity of the Qin Dynasty.

However, at this moment, she was unaware that a debate was brewing on a certain mountain path in the White Goat Cave.

 

“Why?” Su Qin stared coldly at a young master from the White Goat Cave. “I have no objection to Zhang Yi entering the White Goat Huts to cultivate. But how is Ding Ning, who has only joined the sect for a day, qualified?”

This young master from the White Goat Cave was displeased with Su Qin's attitude. However, facing Su Qin, who was his disciple but actually had almost the same vital energy cultivation as him, he knew that Su Qin's future was greater than his. He suppressed his displeasure and said as gently as possible, “This is the decision of the sect master. Since sect master has decided this, he must have his reasons, since Ding Ning’s tests outside the gate were astounding.”

This young master felt helpless seeing Su Qin’s expression getting worse after those words. He said in a sincere voice that only the two of them could hear, “I’m just responsible for passing on the message… also, the sect master has already admitted the three of you. You already have permission to use spirit veins for cultivation, so why should you care who the other two chosen ones are? You can only use one spirit vein.”

This young master felt that he was very sensible, and even felt he put himself in a petty-minded position. However, Su Qin's expression grew colder.

“This isn't a matter of how many spirit veins I can use, but a matter of fairness.”

“You also know that using spirit veins for cultivation is the highest reward of the White Goat Cave. If it were so easily granted to a new disciple, then would there be any new disciples in the future who would truly work for the sect?”

His voice was not loud, but it was cold and clear. His voice spread far among the mountain paths and reached the ears of many White Goat Cave disciples who were practicing cultivation.

The young master’s expression gradually changed.

He began to understand why Su Qin had become more of a show-off lately and taken on a stronger position within the sect.

Because the White Goat Cave had merged with the Green Vine Sword School, because the White Goat Cave's previous level of existence was no longer accepted by the empress and the dynasty.

If he could get most of the White Goat Cave’s people to stand behind him, he would likely become the master of the White Goat Cave and ascend to greater heights more easily.

“Your ambition comes too fast and too early,” the young master scolded with a very bad expression.

Su Qin sneered instead. He glanced at the White Goat Cave disciples gathered around him out of the corner of his eye. He lowered his voice. “But I've heard that people need ambition to live. I've also heard that carp need to take advantage of the situation to pass through the dragon gate. I've also heard that people need to become famous as quickly as possible.”

The young master’s expression grew increasingly gloomy. However, when he saw the angry gazes of the people around him, he felt a little panicked and did not know what to do.

“The sect master has made such arrangements because he is qualified.”

At that moment, a cold, emotionless voice sounded from behind the young master.

Everyone's gazes were fixed on Li Daoji, who emerged from the thin mist.

The sword hilt in front of Li Daoji emitted a faint, intimidating red light.

The hundred White Goat Cave disciples gathered nearby hesitated slightly, but their silence held a hint of an explosion that could erupt at any moment.

Su Qin smiled slightly.

He felt that no matter what the outcome, he would gain even more popularity.

“What qualifications?” He looked at the sword hilt in front of Li Daoji indifferently and thought to himself, “Even if you're stronger than me now, I'll surpass you in the near future.”

“Ding Ning is already in Profound Understanding.” Li Daoji's face revealed a rare, cold, disdainful smile.

He looked at Su Qin, whose expression had instantly frozen, and added, “Ding Ning joined the sect yesterday. He reached Profound Understanding yesterday… he reached Profound Understanding in half a day.”

“What!” Cries of disbelief echoed throughout the valley.

Su Qin paled. He did not speak, but the cries helped convey the disbelief he felt.

Everyone, like the disciples of the Green Vine Sword School in the library cave, could not believe this was true.

In their memories, in all of Changling, only one or two people had reached Profound Understanding in half a day after truly starting their cultivation.

The young master also shook as well.

He knew that he would not be the one to resolve this matter after Li Daoji appeared, but he had not expected to receive such news.

A monster who reached Profound Understanding in half a day… if such a monster was not qualified to cultivate with the aid of spirit veins, then who in the White Goat Cave was qualified?

“Is this true?” A young voice sounded.

The one speaking was Shen Bai.

He had been the one who had been most opposed to Ding Ning's arrival at the beginning, but now his shocked gaze held a glimmer of hope.

If this were true… if the White Goat Cave had a monster like this that could grow, then would not the White Goat Cave be as humiliated in the future as it was now?

Li Daoji glanced at him. He did not answer Shen Bai’s question and said in a cold and mocking tone, “There's no point in discussing qualifications now. Yesterday, the headmaster of the Green Vine Sword School, Di Qingmei, said that our White Goat Cave disciples will also attend their sword trial festival. If they win, they will receive the same rewards as the Green Vine Sword School disciples. However, the three spirit springs of the White Goat Cave will also be rewards for the victors.”

“What!” Waves of exclamations echoed through the valley again.

Li Daoji stared coldly at everyone present. “The sect master has already agreed… so if you are angry, if you feel that White Goat Cave has lost something and want to get it back, then go for it with your swords.”

 

Notes:

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

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