Chapter 29: Vomiting Blood, Observing the Sword

Sword Dynasty

Volume 2

Chapter 29: Vomiting Blood, Observing the Sword

“Dugu Bai?”

Gu Xichun’s already pale face became even paler, his pupils constricting sharply like a deep, dark well.

He was the disciple recognized by the Shadow Mountain Sword Cave as having the fastest cultivation progress in the past few decades. He had achieved Profound Understanding in a month of cultivation, Energy Refinement in three months, and had now reached Vital Energy Realm first-class.

It was precisely because of this unimaginable speed for ordinary cultivators that he stood out in Changling. Compared to the disciples who had witnessed the sword trial festival some time ago, he was like a crane among chickens. Since several months ago, he had been given special permission to comprehend and cultivate within this Shadow Sword Wall.

However, besides those two geniuses: An Baoshi of the Spirit Void Sword Sect and Jing Liuli of the Min Mountain Sword Sect, he knew that there were many other young geniuses in Changling whom he could not rival.

Dugu Bai was one of those few.

Dugu Bai's father, Dugu Liangshen, was the youngest of the thirteen marquises of the Qin Dynasty. The Dugu Family lineage was rather unique. Dugu Liangshen's situation was very similar to that of several generations before him. They were frail and sickly from childhood, often remaining weak and sickly, requiring medicine until around the age of twelve or thirteen. But as their bodies began to mature at the age of fourteen or fifteen, their ailments slowly disappeared, and their cultivation talents quickly emerged.

The Dugu Family members were not only known for their rapid realm breakthroughs, but also possessed an unfathomable understanding and mastery of simple sword forms that others would never have considered.

Even some seemingly ordinary sword moves often possessed immense power in their hands.

When Dugu Liangshen was elevated to the rank of Marquis, the Dugu Family reached the peak of its glory and prosperity. Dugu Bai's opportunities were certainly different from those of all the previous members of the Dugu Family.

If it were anyone else, they might have sought out renowned spirit medicines and physicians to prevent Dugu Bai from being weak and sickly as a child or to hasten his physical maturity.

However, Dugu Liangshen had his own considerations. He did not try any tactics to accelerate his growth. Instead, he sent his most trusted family guards and personal servants to travel extensively with Dugu Bai from childhood. They not only visited famous mountains and rivers, but also visited regions of extreme heat and extreme cold, and visited various battlefields.

According to Dugu Liangshen, this method involved using the primal energy of the universe and the battle energy as medicine, and using the heavens to heal this person.

Regardless of whether his words were supported by cultivation foundation or reasoning, his actions yielded good results.

Although Dugu Bai's environment was clearly worse than that of the previous members of the Dugu Family, his frail and sickly body grew healthier even faster. The extensive knowledge he acquired during his childhood seemed to have given him a better intuition for wielding the sword.

Even more importantly… although his body began to mature around fourteen, just like the other members of the Dugu Family, and at that age he was the same height as an ordinary twelve-year-old, this body that had been strengthened early without relying heavily on medicines gave him extraordinary mental power.

that the movements of people in front of Dugu Bai's eyes appear slightly slower than in the eyes of others.

Even a slight delay would create a huge difference in a battle between cultivators of the same or not too different cultivation realms.

Gu Xichun knew he could not win against Dugu Bai because he had seen Dugu Bai fight before.

In that battle, Dugu Bai had used the simple Long River Slash to defeat a cultivator whose cultivation was slightly higher than his own.

Even now, when Gu Xichun recalled that scene, he still could not understand how Dugu Bai was able to use a single sword move to defeat his opponent's overwhelming sword presence.

That inability to comprehend was what created a huge gap.

Gu Xichun knew this sect uncle, Li Muyan, was thinking on his behalf. The sect uncle who had the most respected status in this sect often gave him guidance and advice. However, he still shook his head gently.

Seeing Gu Xichun shake his head, Li Muyan immediately frowned. He said, “I admire your determination and persistence, but the rule of the Shadow Mountain Sword Cave that requires one to reach realm four second-class cultivation before coming to this Shadow Sword Wall to comprehend it is because the sword essences in this Shadow Sword Wall are too sharp. They are like the direct mental power of previous powerful elders and seniors. Furthermore, many of these sword marks contain the movement patterns of the primal energies of the universe. For example, the seal inscriptions will naturally gather the primal energies of the universe. For a disciple like you who hasn't cultivated enough, if you stay here for too long, your mind and body will be injured by the Shadow Sword Wall.”

“I understand your concerns.” Gu Xichun looked up and said respectfully, “But my interest in cultivation stems from my pride.”

Li Muyan asked in confusion, “What do you mean?”

Gu Xichun spoke softly, sincerely. “I don’t know how you feel as a powerful cultivator, but for me, I enjoy the way people look at me—their gazes of admiration, envy, and even respect. I love this feeling… at least from all those years ago until now, the motivation that supports my perseverance and allows me to endure the loneliness and boredom of cultivation comes from this.”

Li Muyan subconsciously frowned and said, “This kind of feeling is deviant. You should have a long-term view, because we are extraordinary cultivators who surpass ordinary people, and not girls in brothels in Changling. Our strength and cultivation realms shouldn’t be used solely to garner admiring glances like their beauty and clothing.”

“Younger Sect Uncle, I understand what you’re saying.” Gu Xichun said sincerely and respectfully, “A cultivator should have a higher goal and not just aim to appear more glamorous than others in public. However, I've also read in many cultivation manuals that the best cultivation method comes from a sincere heart. The feelings that can best motivate one to cultivate are the best methods.”

Li Muyan stared at Gu Xichun silently, pondering his brother's words, and found this somewhat reasonable.

“I know I can't compare to An Baoshi, Jing Liuli, Dugu Bai, and the others, but I must stand out from the crowd,” Gu Xichun said calmly. “Also, when I went to attend the Green Vine Sword School ceremony, I felt threatened by the young man from the wine shop named Ding Ning of the White Goat Cave. His performance caused me to be greatly humiliated in front of others. The threats and insults caused by the young man from the wine shop were the strongest motivation for me. If I still can't gain any understanding here even and make use of this motivation, then it will be even more impossible for me to gain anything from here before I reach realm four second-class. Besides, my pride won't allow me to lose to a young man who has just started his cultivation. No matter how good his talent is, his starting point is too late compared to mine… Even if I don't lose to him, just the inability to make him respect me, or the inability to belittle him and criticize him freely, will make me feel very bad, and the greatest motivation that supports my cultivation will disappear.”

“So, Younger Sect Uncle, don't stop me.” Gu Xichun prostrated himself on the ground before Li Muyan and pleaded, “If I can gain even the slightest benefit from this, any suffering or torture I experience will be worthless.”

Li Muyan recalled the recent incident involving Ding Ning and Xue Wangxu. He looked at Gu Xichun in front of him in his current state, he sighed softly and said nothing more.

As the footsteps of his sect uncle, who had been caring for him, faded away, Gu Xichun, who had been prostrate on the ground, slowly rose to sit again. He once again faced the Shadow Sword Wall and straightened his posture.

The Shadow Sword Wall was not a relic left by past members of the Shadow Mountain Sword Cave. It originated from the ruins of an unknown ancient cultivation place. The first group of cultivators of the Shadow Mountain Sword Cave had discovered this Shadow Sword Wall and painstakingly moved it to the Shadow Mountain Sword Cave. This was because everyone believed that the cultivators who left behind these sword marks had realms far higher than theirs.

The Shadow Mountain Sword Cave was not considered a first-rate sect in Changling, but the sect where the Shadow Sword Wall was located was definitely one of the top-tier sect.

Ever since the Shadow Mountain Sword Cave acquired this Shadow Sword Wall, direct disciples of every generation would spend countless hours here comprehending it. However, over the centuries, only three people have grasped its true meaning.

One of them was Qu Li. He comprehended the strongest sword manual of the Shadow Mountain Sword Cave, the Flowing Shadow Sword Manual, from here.

The other two had successfully reached realm seven.

One of them, Song Hanshan, comprehended the Cold Mountain Sword Seal from here. The other, Xiao Yanyu, comprehended many essentials about the primal energies of the universe here, and it only took a few nights to break through to realm five and realm six.

Gu Xichun knew that his talent was at least as good as those three people, and he did not want to explode like those three people. If he could acquire some exquisite sword moves, even if it were just a few variations that could speed up the flow of his vital energy and make his sword gather more powerful primal energies of the universe, he would be satisfied.

However, he had been sitting here for over thirty days, supported only by his willpower. In his eyes, these sword marks were still extremely chaotic. No matter what method he used, looking at a single sword mark, looking at a group of marks, or searching for sword marks of different depths to determine their relationships… he failed to comprehend anything.

Li Muyan was right. The Shadow Sword Wall was incredibly traumatic for both mind and body. After kneeling and standing, his head felt heavy as he saw the numerous sword marks, and his hands began to tremble uncontrollably. He felt something was wrong. He wanted to look away from the shadow sword wall. But when he blinked, his vision went dark. He felt a sweet taste in his throat, and then he vomited blood uncontrollably.

“You really are the first person in history to vomit blood just by looking at the sword wall.”

Gu Xichun's thoughts did not immediately focus on his body after he vomited blood. The faces of Xie Changsheng and Ding Ning appeared in his mind. He imagined Ding Ning and Xie Changsheng's mocking expressions as they stood beside him.

Plop!

His breathing became more erratic, and he spat out another mouthful of blood mist. Warm blood landed on the shadow sword wall in front of him. Small droplets of blood slowly flowed down. Some of the beads landed on the deep and broadsword marks, dyeing it with their color.

Gu Xichun's eyes suddenly lit up like stars.

On the Shadow Sword Wall, several very thin but bright red lines appeared.

 

Notes:

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

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