From the viewing platform above the Infinite Sword Domain, most of those participating in or observing the Dao-Seeking Sword Ruins were sword cultivators.
As a series of sword cries exploded from below, an even stranger scene suddenly unfolded:
The swords carried by the sword cultivators present, regardless of their rank, all floated into the air uncontrollably. After trembling for a moment, they flew in unison toward the Infinite Sword Domain.
“What’s going on?!”
“Has the seal deep within the Sword Domain weakened?”
“My sword… Why won’t it obey me?”
“Mine either!”
“Damn it, I just bought that high-grade sword!”
“No… That was something I borrowed from my senior brother to save face!”
“All these swords are flying toward the same place…”
“It’s True Disciple Li!”
…
Under the incomparably astonished gazes of the crowd, hundreds of swords floated in orderly formation around Li Moran, as if paying homage to a sacred sovereign.
Most of the cultivators who had come to the Infinite Sword Sect for this grand occasion were prominent figures in the cultivation world. Naturally, the swords they carried were no ordinary weapons.
High-grade treasures were extraordinary in both appearance and bearing. Countless dazzling rays of light bloomed throughout the grounds of the Infinite Sword Domain, competing to shine.
From the depths of the Infinite Sword Domain came wave after wave of violent sword cries.
If not for the seal, perhaps all the supreme sword embryos accumulated by the Infinite Sword Sect over tens of thousands of years would have surged out to pay homage as well.
The crowd froze for a moment before erupting into another uproar.
“A celestial phenomenon! True Disciple Li is about to comprehend the Dao!”
“Gasp… There are swords everywhere outside! They seem to belong to the disciples of the Infinite Sword Sect!”
“She’s comprehending the Sword Dao on the Infinite Sword Sect’s own territory, and even making every sword in the sect bow in submission…”
“How is the Infinite Sword Sect supposed to recruit disciples after this?”
“Shh… Keep your voice down…”
“I don’t care about any of that. I just want to know whether my sword is coming back… I can’t afford to compensate for it…”
“Fellow Daoist, was the sword that got taken your high-grade sword, supreme-grade sword, or immortal-grade sword?”
…
Aside from the few cultivators who had spent their entire fortunes—or even taken out loans—to purchase their treasures, most of the sword cultivators wore expressions of excitement and anticipation.
To cause such an astonishing phenomenon, there was no doubt that Li Moran was about to experience an extraordinary epiphany!
For cultivators, witnessing Li Moran’s comprehension in person was itself an opportunity.
It was not impossible that they might gain some insights from it as well.
Of course, besides those who were heartbroken over having their swords taken away, there was another group whose expressions were equally grim.
“Elder Chen, could this be…”
An Infinite Sword Sect steward whispered into Chen Yuan’s ear, his face filled with worry.
“Impossible! That is something belonging to the sect…”
Chen Yuan shook his head grimly. A hint of concern appeared in his eyes as he looked toward the depths of the Infinite Sword Domain.
Only after the elders of the Infinite Sword Sect desperately poured spiritual energy into the formation, strengthening the seal until the sword cries and unrest behind it gradually faded, did Chen Yuan finally let out a sigh of relief.
The next moment—
A dark figure suddenly passed through the thick barrier, seemingly ignoring the seal altogether.
An uproar immediately swept through the crowd.
“Look! Something came out of the seal!”
“Did a divine weapon from the Sword Ruins get drawn out by True Disciple Li?”
“Pah! What divine weapon? It’s clearly just a battered black sword!”
“This sword is so shabby… It looks like something outer-sect disciples would use for practice.”
“Haha, after making such a huge commotion, all she managed to draw out was this thing?”
“Looks like the Infinite Sword Sect has managed to save face after all!”
…
As everyone knew, the area deep within the Infinite Sword Domain that had been cut off by the seal was known as the Infinite Sword Ruins.
Hundreds of years ago, when the Infinite Sword Sect was still at the height of its prosperity, this was where it held the Dao-Seeking Sword Ruins.
Back then, the Founding Sect Master had fought the twelve demon kings of the demonic path there. He transformed everything he had comprehended throughout his life into a single sword strike, turning both his enemies and the world itself into ruins and greatly weakening the demonic forces.
That sword strike had been far too powerful. The Founding Sect Master’s countless insights into the Sword Dao had remained entangled within the ancient sword intent of the Sword Ruins, lingering for thousands of years without dispersing.
Afterward, this place became the sacred ground of the Infinite Sword Sect.
Countless treasures and foundations of the sect were hidden within the Sword Ruins.
When Li Moran had caused such an astonishing disturbance, everyone had assumed that she would draw out the sect’s ultimate guardian treasure from the sacred ground.
No one had expected it to be nothing more than an ordinary-looking black sword, one with a chipped edge at that.
The watching cultivators wore expressions that were more or less amused.
But Chen Yuan and the Infinite Sword Sect steward were filled with shock.
“Elder Chen, that is…”
“No… Impossible…”
Rare panic appeared in Chen Yuan’s voice.
Outsiders did not know, but as core members of the Infinite Sword Sect, they naturally understood…
That was the weapon the Founding Sect Master had used to slay the demonic path!
As the black sword slowly floated before Li Moran, she—who had been immersed in the illusion realm moments ago—suddenly opened her eyes and emerged from it.
Hundreds of flamboyant swords hovered around her, yet Li Moran looked only at this ordinary black sword.
A moment later, she extended her hand. The instant her fingertips touched the black sword, it shattered into countless particles that flowed into her silver sword.
The next moment, a black hole neither large nor small appeared beneath her feet.
The countless immortal artifacts and treasures of varying ranks around her instantly dimmed, losing all their radiance and falling like ordinary weapons.
Even the surrounding light and spiritual energy warped ever so slightly.
The cultivators present were instantly stunned by the sight.
They did not know what this black sword was.
But no one was unfamiliar with what they were witnessing.
The descent of a black hole, with all things returning to nothingness.
This was precisely the strongest sword intent of the Founding Sect Master of the Infinite Sword Sect in ancient times!
“The Void-Returning Sword Intent… It’s the Void-Returning Sword Intent!”
“My heavens! True Disciple Li has pulled out the lifeblood of the Infinite Sword Sect…”
“I just want to know whether my sword can be restored… My poor baby!”
…
Listening to the discussions around him, Lu Ze looked somewhat bewildered.
He had considered the possibility that Li Moran would comprehend the Dao in Sekiro. After all, if she could comprehend the Sword Dao just by playing Palworld, it would have been strange if she failed to comprehend anything from Sekiro.
That was why he had confidently made the bet with Chen Yuan—Li Moran was his trump card.
But he had never imagined that Li Moran could be this absurdly powerful!
Wasn’t this the same as digging up someone’s ancestral grave?
Of course, when it came to something like this, Lu Ze could only say:
“Good digging.”
The Infinite Sword Sect could not use this incident to make things difficult for Li Moran, either.
After all, the original purpose of holding the Dao-Seeking Sword Ruins was to invite sword cultivators from across the world to comprehend the Sword Dao here. What they comprehended was entirely up to their own ability.
“Elder Chen, what do you think? Didn’t I say this illusion realm could help everyone advance their Sword Dao?”
Lu Ze cheerfully looked toward Chen Yuan in the distance.
By now, the latter’s expression was already hideous beyond words—far worse than after being solo-killed by Gyoubu Oniwa eighty-eight times.
After all, the Boundless Sword Sect could not openly make things difficult for Li Moran. But in private, Chen Yuan—the one who had strongly advocated holding the Dao-Seeking Sword Ruins—had become the indirect culprit.
“Hmph… True Disciple Li possesses extraordinary talent. It was merely her time to break through. What does that have to do with your illusion realm?”
Chen Yuan retorted with an unhappy expression.
“Oh? Senior Sister Li is so talented, yet she didn’t gain even the slightest enlightenment in that lousy illusion realm of yours… Who made such a garbage illusion realm? Bury it and be done with it.”
Lu Ze replied with a grin, leaving Chen Yuan utterly speechless.
“…”
Chen Yuan opened and closed his mouth, but in the end, he could not utter another word.
Clearly, when it came to advancing in the sword path, he had lost again.
And this time, he had lost completely.
At present, he could no longer spare any energy to argue with Lu Ze. Instead, he had to minimize his losses as much as possible.
The sect’s losses were already set in stone. He had to preserve the Three Tribulations Sword Art.
And within his wager with Lu Ze, his only remaining chance of victory was…
Clearing the game within five days!
Having made up his mind, he turned around without a word. He did not even bother to leave behind a threat before returning to the front of his illusion tower and sinking his divine sense into the world of Sekiro.
“Excellent, excellent. That’s more like it! Send me plenty more demonic points!”
Lu Ze nodded in satisfaction.
Given Chen Yuan’s skill, clearing Sekiro within five days was highly unlikely. The later bosses were each more nightmarish than the last.
If the man suddenly achieved enlightenment, Lu Ze would not mind secretly increasing the difficulty a little for the sake of the system’s reward—perhaps by throwing in a remnant of the Heavenly Dao and having them play Mortal Kombat for real.
Of course, given Chen Yuan’s talent, that possibility was practically nonexistent.
Just as Lu Ze was happily calculating how many demonic points he would earn over the next few days, he suddenly sensed a faint, almost imperceptible gaze coming from behind him.
Lu Ze turned around and happened to meet Li Moran’s eyes, which held a hint of amusement.
“Thank you.”
Li Moran closed her eyes and gave a slight nod.
[The host has won over the righteous cultivator Li Moran through his strength, earning her admiration. You will randomly obtain one of her abilities.]
[Reward obtained: Return-to-Ruins Sword Intent]
[Would you like to learn it?]
“Yes! Yes!”
Unlike those two useless deadbeats, Zhou Yue and Zhong Yi, the treasures Li Moran sent him were all first-rate. Lu Ze chose to learn it without the slightest hesitation.
As a profound sword intent surged into his divine sense, the corners of Lu Ze’s mouth curled upward.
“Senior Sister…”
“This time, I’ll have to reward you properly!”
nce】【Lighthearted Comedy】【Ultimate Gentleman's Novel】【Viewer Discretion Advised for Under 16】 The mightiest human hero, Sharen Morian, is resurrected after a thousand years by his wife—the Demon King. This is not your typical hero-vs-demon-king tale.
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
