A few days ago

"AHHHHHHHHHHH"

In the distance, a woman dissolves into foam. Her body rotted with a terrible smell, visually, her body starts to break down

A distance away, two men were discussing the Dao, two disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

While the sect was in great peril, one of the disciple was calm after learning the fate of the sect

"The world is extremely unfair to Shao Li because they are jealous."

"No Shao Li, the rest of the sect doesn't like you because of your methods"

"If there are myriads of way to achieve heaven, the poison sword is also someone who walks the path of heaven, why can't any body understand? In the end, all of our goal is the same, you have your understanding of the Sword, I have my understanding of the Poison Sword. With your understanding of the Sword, limitless force come from only the Sword, allowing you to tear the heaven and earth apart, with great understanding, you don't need great treasure or medicine, the most trust worthy treasure you have is your sword. With the greatest understanding of the Sword, everything you have is the sword, a blade of grass is as deadly as a blade of steel, No Sword turns into Sword. A Sword Daoist is never unarmed if they achieve understanding.

While that man is tough on me, I have always admired the sect master. He is someone who has achieved the greatest understanding, true Sword does not hold any form or essence. It's calm and silent. A true master doesn't have a sword. I always admired the sect master, however, I realized very soon that I could not achieve the same achievement he has at the sword.

The Heaven is generous, there are many paths to arrive at the same conclusion. The sword alone seems not to be the path for me, however, I soon arrived at another path. Then I walked down that path until the end."

From hearing this, there was apprehension on the face of the head disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Fu Rong. He does not have understanding of this troublesome junior disciple of his. Shao Li was blessed with understanding, however, his way of thoughts always seem so skewered. Was he perhaps not wrong after all?

"Ah. Did you perhaps achieve true understanding with the Poison Dao?"

Fu Rong asks politely. True Understanding refers to the utmost greatest understanding of a Dao the practitioner is practicing. It is said that at that level of understanding, a Daoist never runs out of resource. Even Nothingness can just be an extension of their Dao. There was nothing that can stop them from exercising their Dao.

Someone who arrives at True Understanding will never be useless. They have seen the truth of the Dao and understand the laws of the Universe. They can start to create their own laws or use the laws of their Dao as they wish.

When Shao Li spoke of the man he admired, the Heavenly Sword Sect's Sect Master has achieved the greatest understanding of the Sword and transcend nothingness. Everything was his blade, even emptiness was his blade. The sect master understands Sword so much that he recognizes the quality of Sword within everything, even in empty air. Only a practicioner's own Dao could perhaps stop the Sect Master appropriating everything as Sword, however at that point, they will have to contend with someone as knowledgeable as the sect master. Rare fews will walk away unscathed.

Shao Li wanted to achieve that great understanding, however he soon realized that the sword Dao was not for him. Perhaps it was ordained, perhaps it was his nature, Shao Li walks the path of the Poison Dao.

If he was such an amazing person who achieves the greatest understanding of his own Dao, he is someone to be respected. Fu Rong does not have any suspicion about Shao Li's cultivation level. Understanding is different from cultivation level. It is said that someone who achieves a great cultivation level does not necessarily have a great understanding of their Dao, and it will be the final hinder to them. On the other hand, someone who has achieved the greatest understanding has probably known how to perfectly achieve the highest cultivation level even if they have to start over.

Shao Li was silent.

"Not quite. The sect master experienced many hardship. From when he was a child, he has to cultivate the Steel Heart Manual to completion. Our sect tradition was that no help was supposed to be given to the inheriting disciple, so he has to fight his way up, only through that many hardship can understanding be achieved. I am still quite green."

Shao Li spent his time mostly as an outcast of the sect, living in poor condition, receiving insults, while fasting and depriving himself of resources until his cultivated body starts to ruin itself. There was many poison that Shao Li takes, and when his body conditions was poor, the poisons run wild, wrecking his body. However, a poison cultivator's body is special, it holds many mystery the world may not know. That is why a poison cultivator may not appear to be a powerful cultivator, however in truth, they are extremely formidable. Tales of poisoned slaves are still in the mind of the people about the Poison Dao capabilities.

Once upon a time, there was a prominent Poison Dao user who captured people indiscriminately, cultivators and non-cultivators alike. His exact actions was unknown, but he cultivated the body of his victims and used the poison to control their mind. Even non-cultivators become an extremely dangerous force.

...it was said that he and his entire force was destroyed over night by an extreme Yang cultivator however. So while the Poison Dao was in the mind of the people, it is still known that extreme force can overcome even the greatest trickery.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Once upon a time, the genius Shao Li was about to achieve a great achievement. However at the most critical point, Shao Li was given a version of the future. He saw the entire heaven and earth on the inside of his wine gout, slowly being dissolved into poison. The essence of all thing was Poison. Shao Li saw the power to move entire universes on a whim, dissolving if he so wishes and creating if he so wishes. Everything was poison.

Shao Li saw himself arriving at the greatest understanding, gaining a power worthy of the station.

And it terrifies him.

"I am still green."

Shao Li sips his wine (poison) that only he could drink.

A true master won't turn back on such opportunities. However, there was still hesitation within Shao Li.

He is not worthy yet even if he could take that step.

At this moment, seeing the greatness of his junior disciple, Fu Rong has a sudden epiphany.

"Shao Li! With your great understanding, you will surely be able to break out of the formation surrounding the Heavenly Sword Sect. If we can get to the Sect Master in time, the Heavenly Sword Sect will surely be saved."

However, Shao Li just shakes his head

"No. I will make a distraction for you, you go."

Fu Rong looks at Shao Li as if he has grown a second head.

"But even with your great understanding, there are so many masters out there, even some from our side, if you fight, it is going to be certain death."

Shao Li's insistence seems extremely arrogance

"You go senior brother. As a great man of the Heavenly Sword Sect, how could I let these matters go? These people attack us without even asking just who exactly are in the Heavenly Sword Sect. They dared to defy our tradition, they have surely ruined our reputation, they took our future sect master from us and seduced away our fellow disciple. How could I let them go unpunished? No, you go and inform the sect master. When he comes back I will inform him of my revenge upon them. I will not let these people who ruined our thousand years reputation go unscathed."

"Are you crazy Shao Li? The mastermind hasn't even shown up yet. You will die."

"Go brother."

Shao Li's position was extremely domineering. Could he achieve something? Even Fu Rong does not know at that moment. However, seeing his junior disciple's just mind, how can Fu Rong denies him.

"I will join you."

Suddenly Fu Rong says.

----------------------------------------

""Those idiots""

At that moment, both Zheng Jie who was watching the scene from faraway without being able to see the perpetrator and another voice at the scene start speaking at one.

""What are they thinking? Do they think they are some kind of big heroes?""

Both persons continue

At that moment, immediately after the fake Lang Li says,

"What are you doing here?"

Shao Li walks into the room. Fu Rong was in another place being a distraction, however, this was the inner most sanctum of the Heavenly Sword Sect, it means that

"So you have killed all of my guards?"

The domineering Shao Li was contemplating the cold, however, his voice did not waver

"It was nothing much. When you first went against the Heavenly Sword Sect, you should have known the consequences."

In truth, Shao Li was not capable of defeating any of the bodyguards even in one on one circumstances. There was a different of two realms between them, and the mastermind possessing Lang Li is even greater. However, before any of the bodyguards was alerted, they were already dead. Mysterious poison manifesting from nothingness assaulted their bodies at once, turning them into purple before rotting them away.

Even with the different in realm, ten masters died instantly without even knowing why is it that they died.

Shao Li has achieved extreme greatness.

"Before you die, I just want to ask you one question. Just who are you?"

The Poison Sword, Shao Li asks with extreme graveness. He knows the inheriting disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Lang Li. And now, he has to kill her to protect the sect. If the Sect Master punishes him, he will take responsibilities, however, this is what he has to do.

"Shao Li, the Poison Sword of the Heavenly Sword Sect. My name... You are not even worthy to know."

Before Shao Li could react, in front of his eyes was a labyrinth.

A door in front of him closes, the shadow of a woman flashes by quickly.

His gaze was drawn to that figure. He reaches out with his hand trying to touch her, forgetting for a moment why he was there, he follows the woman through the door, into the red-hued labyrinth.

In the real world, not even a moment has passed.

Vaguely, Shao Li could hear a voice that he doesn't understand

"A poison practitioner with great understanding but little mental fortitude."

Watching the scene unfold, there was three persons. The mastermind, Zheng Jie who is currently staying at the Free Travel sect and one more person. All three recognizes the potential of Shao Li, however he was just too impetuous and reckless

"Ah damn. That boy has potential, at this rate, that guy is definitely going to force him to practice the Steel Heart Manual after this."

At that moment, inside the Free Travel sect, a voice mutters

"That's it. Shao Li is definitely going to practice the Steel Heart Manual after this even if I have to force him"

That was what the Heavenly Sword Sect's Sect Master, Zheng Jie said