The blade of the Treasure Sword, having undergone a special forging process, was jet-black and gleaming. Upon closer inspection, one could discern the intricate patterns etched upon its surface. With a mere flick, the sword aura unfurled like the night sky at its zenith, dotted with several stars—these were the radiant Morninglight Stones.
According to the Sword-Casting Secret Art produced by Xing Tian, the seven invaluable Morninglight Stones had been embedded at critical junctures within the blade, becoming an integral part of the sword's internal structure. This transformed the already superior Sword Embryo, rendering it even more unyielding.
The Morninglight Stones were originally completely sealed within the blade. However, due to the material of the Sword Embryo and the application of the Sword-Casting Secret Art, when Sword Energy was channeled, the blade would enter a semi-translucent state, allowing the brilliance of the Morninglight Stones to be revealed.
Uncle Lu De expressed some regret in this matter: "These Morninglight Stones are not natural formations; they contain some impurities that we just can't fully refine. Otherwise, we would have hidden even these glimmers of starlight, elevating the sword's quality to a higher level. Now, it's all down to your technique."
He pointed at the blade and elaborated, "According to the design, with each dimming starlight, the sword's power is to double from its current foundation. When all starlight is extinguished, the might of a single strike will reach an unimaginable magnitude. However, the impurities within the Morninglight Stones will then have some effect, potentially destabilizing the structure. You must be mindful of this."
Yu Ci heeded the advice and tested the sword. With a thrust that used about seventy to eighty percent of his strength, the blade cleaved through the air, and two of the starlights faded. Indeed, the blade had become semi-translucent. If used in the darkness of night, those with poor vision would likely see only the starlight and not the blade itself, creating a potential to bewilder the enemy.
After the test, Yu Ci felt he had a good grasp of the sword's potential. To wield a superior Sword Weapon, there was no need for bizarre and peculiar techniques; this sword was no exception. It required him to refine the Sword aura to perfection, aligning with the Sword Competing Pavilion's requirement for Sword aura Purification.
However, Yu Ci had other plans in mind, though now was not the time to reveal them. He sheathed the sword and once again expressed his gratitude to Uncle Lu De. At this moment, He Qing offered a smile and inquired:
"Does this sword have a name?"
Yu Ci and Uncle Lu De exchanged glances, realizing they hadn't thought of this detail. Yet neither was particularly concerned with such formalities. After a moment of silent communication, Uncle Lu De gestured for the younger to use his imagination. Yu Ci casually suggested:
"Let's call it the Seven Dipper Star Sword."
It was a name utterly devoid of sincerity! However, Uncle Lu De didn't mind at all and grinned, saying, "Then, Seven Dipper Star Sword it is."
Yu Ci also smiled, but he didn't know what to say next. Even a blind man could sense Uncle Lu De's animosity towards He Qing. They were both elders, and this was not a situation like Yu Zhou or Elder Jie Liang, where there was merely a 'tiff.' Yu Ci knew better than to meddle in their affairs.
He Qing was the first to break the silence, greeting with a call of "Senior Brother Lu," to which Uncle Lu De responded with a cold, scrutinizing gaze before finally speaking:
"How is your progress?"
"The deduction is slow; it is my Cultivation Level that is dragging me down. Fortunately, there are signs of an impending tribulation, which might allow me to break through the Immortal Life Pass. By then, there should be no more hindrances."
Uncle Lu De's expression subtly shifted as he sized up He Qing a few times before letting out a "Heh" of acknowledgment. "Then congratulations are indeed in order."
He Qing simply nodded, her face betraying no hint of joy.
The so-called Immortal Life Pass, also known as the Longevity Tribulation or the Three Great Barriers, consists of the Stasis Stage, the Seven Emotions Pass, and Heaven's Jealousy Pass. The Stasis Stage signifies the limits of one's vitality and lifespan; the Seven Emotions Pass pertains to the Heart Demon; and Heaven's Jealousy Pass represents the tribulations of heaven and earth. These three barriers cyclically assail practitioners, posing the most common yet perilous obstacles on the path of immortality. At the moment when a Cultivator truly breaks free from the shackles of "limitation" to achieve the "limitless" state of eternal life, the Three Great Barriers will converge in a full onslaught, demanding their destruction for one to move beyond.
Given He Qing's character, she would not make such a statement without being at least seventy to eighty percent certain of her success. This meant that the sect's fifth True Immortal was likely to emerge within a short period.
With nothing more to say, Uncle Lu De imparted a few words of advice to Yu Ci before sweeping his sleeves and releasing a fiery glow. Amidst a roaring sound, he departed using the Xuan Yang Fire Escape Technique.
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Earlier, the Power Guardian Saint had silently withdrawn. Now, only Yu Ci and He Qing remained in the void, and the atmosphere seemed to lighten somewhat.
He Qing then said to him, "I noticed when you took action just now that your injury seems to have healed significantly, which is good. However, such a severe injury that affects the muscles and drains vital energy should not be taken lightly. Unless absolutely necessary, refrain from using force to avoid undermining your foundation and living with regret."
Yu Ci acknowledged her advice with nods. He Qing inquired about his recent studies, and upon hearing that he had been focusing on refining magical instruments, she smiled, nodded, and then ascended into the clouds. She had originally come down to investigate the incursion of an Outer Realm Sky Demon into the Star Plucking Tower's domain but now naturally returned to her seclusive cultivation.
Seeing that all was quiet, Yu Ci no longer sought out trouble and returned to the Star Plucking Tower. He had recently acquired the Seven Dipper Star Sword, and while he was indifferent to the name, he placed great importance on the sword itself.
Regaining his composure, the Seven Dipper Star Sword silently unsheathed, emitting a chilling aura.
In the entire world, those who refine sword weapons never speak of using talismans or the like. This is because the orthodox method of consecrating a sword requires nurturing it with one's own essence blood and vital energy, harmonizing it with sword aura, and merging body and sword into one seamless whole, leaving no flaws. Only then can one walk the path of the great Dao. Xing Tian and Qu Thunderbolt-Free's so-called "Purification" follows this principle as well. Given these demands, the adage "With the sword, the wielder lives; without it, they perish" is only natural.
However, Yu Ci also remembered that both Xing Tian and Qu Thunderbolt-Free had made it clear that in this lifetime, he could not hope to achieve significant accomplishments in sword aura "Purification." With their level of cultivation and insight, this was an indisputable truth.
Yu Ci's resolve was tenacious, yet he was not one to stubbornly cling to a single path. Since this road was closed to him, he would naturally explore others.
As his palm brushed over the blade, the sharp edge sliced through skin and flesh, drawing blood that flowed down and sang softly as it traced the sword's surface. Using his blood as a medium, Yu Ci performed the "Blood Sacrifice" technique, which allowed for a temporary communion between the Seven Dipper Star Sword and his aura. According to the broader principle of "Physical Image," the Inner Void of the Heart now had a place for this sword.
With his bleeding hand gripping the hilt, Yu Ci naturally felt a connection as if flesh and sword were one. He assumed a stance as though facing an invisible adversary, standing still for a moment. During this time, he naturally held his breath, and when his mind, eyes, hands, and courage all merged into one, reaching an optimal state, he willed:
"Manifest!"
In the Inner Void of the Heart, Yu Ci stood on a solitary island, and indeed, a shadow appeared before him. It lacked a definite form; this shadow could be anyone, ranging from the unremarkable Yan Daoist and Zheng De, to the likes of Tu Du, Jin Huan, Nan Songzi, and even Yi Xin, Wen Shifei, or top-tier beings such as the Great Brahma Demon King and Qu Thunderbolt-Free.
The shadow was constantly shifting, and Yu Ci's swordplay subtly adjusted in response, his footing changing slowly. But no matter the variation, there was one element that remained constant.
At the island's center, the Life Death Talisman silently revolved.
Indeed, only in the face of an enemy, staking life and death on a razor's edge, does the fundamental True Divine remain steadfast from beginning to end.
This too was a form of Purification.
The "Life Death Talisman" in the Inner Void of the Heart was his mental image, his foundation. All his future divine powers would likely spring from it. In a sense, since all techniques ultimately return to their source, this "origin" could be considered the essence of purity. To interpret it as the basis for "Purification" was by no means improper.
It was as if... the God Slaying Sting had come to life.
Yu Ci did not deny it; he had indeed drawn inspiration from the God Slaying Sting. Consider Mister Hao Dian, a female sword immortal of her generation, who, when conceptualizing the Slaying Gods Sword Intent, found that anything from the Living's Death Qi, Heart Demon's Evil Energy, Demon's Blood Qi, to the Sky Demon's Evil Qi could serve as a vessel. Upon this foundation, when she channeled the Sword aura, no fortitude could withstand its pressure.
Impure? Perhaps even Qu Thunderbolt-Free would not dare claim such a thing.
At this moment, Yu Ci ceased to ponder how to refine and purify the so-called "impurities" within the Sword aura. Instead, he projected his fundamental True Divine into the sword. With this True Divine essence within, no matter the method or means, he felt a unifying spirit that infused his eyes, heart, gall, and Sword aura into one...
Of course, this was the ideal state.
Standing alone on an island, facing the shadow he had conjured for a long while, Yu Ci eventually lost control. His Heart-Mind scattered, and the shadow collapsed first, with the Seven Dipper Star Sword in his hand vanishing abruptly.
That shadow was, in fact, the manifestation of some enemies from his memory within the unique domain of the Inner Void of the Heart, intended to hone the Life Death Talisman True Intent. But this, after all, required divided attention, and the feeling of tearing one's Heart-Mind in two when pouring all one's effort into it was truly life-draining.
"It's better to focus on Refinement first. I'll revisit the idea of 'Sword Reflecting Life and Death' after some time."
Yu Ci shook his head and began to reorder the Inner Void of the Heart. In the mountain forest night scene, fish and dragons swam as usual, and no one could tell that just moments ago, the True Essence of the Heavenly Dragon hidden within had reacted spontaneously, leveraging the momentum of the sword to strike down an Outer Realm Sky Demon in one fell swoop.
The feeling he sought was just like that...
"Who's there?"
His Heart-Mind was suddenly startled. The Inner Void of the Heart responded so, with the silent roaring fish and dragons expanding more than tenfold in size. The only two sharp claws collided, sending tremors sweeping across the entire island.
Amid the muffled groans, a mist rose from the depths of the forest. Instinct urged it to flee, but in the end, it sighed deeply, landed, and with a turn, a figure flashed into existence.
Yu Ci's strike was purely a reflex of his Heart-Mind; he never expected such a development. As he caught sight of the figure, he almost blurted out the name:
"Qu..."
But he quickly came to his senses and called out sharply, "Is it you?"