In Sword King Mountain, the news of Lin Jian's demise and Lo Tang's ascension as the new Sword King left every cultivator in shock. The suddenness of it all left them unsure of how to react.
On the other hand, the mortal inhabitants seemed largely indifferent. To them, the emperor's position was earned through power, a struggle among cultivators, and they had little involvement in it. Moreover, since the overwhelming majority of decisions made by these rulers exclusively affected cultivators, the swift shift in power didn't overly concern them.
Inside the Thunder Emporium's workshop in Sword City, Bralok Thunderheart tirelessly forged a new set of tools for his future apprentice. He was confident he would receive news about the apprentice's arrival in another month or two. The news of the crown changing hands following the previous King's sudden death had initially left him unfazed.
However, the recent news brought his hammer to a sudden halt mid-air as a surge of heat coursed through his body. He couldn't believe it. Tyler Reed, the very individual he had sworn to take on as an apprentice in the art of forging, was allegedly responsible for the murder of three Sea Formation cultivators and ten Qi Transformation cultivators in an ambush, sparing only the lone Qi Gathering Shin Seok.
Bralok had assumed Tyler was strong, witnessing his adept handling of Caelum's Edge and even using its formidable lightning and thunder laws to refine his pathways, breaking into the Qi Transformation stage right before his eyes. It had been an unprecedented sight in Bralok's lifetime.
But successfully slaying thirteen cultivators, including two Sea Formation practitioners from the Inner Sword Sect, and emerging unscathed during the early stages of Qi Transformation was a level of power that surpassed mere strength—it was sheer, overwhelming, monstrous might that no one under the Aperture Strengthening stage should be able to accomplish.
When he heard this news, he wasn't sure what to think, and from what Bralok understood about the man, he didn't seem like the murderous for no reason type. Otherwise, would the young master of the Lo family visit him on numerous occasions? The man had even asked about Tyler's breakthrough when he delivered the sword a few weeks back.
The second part of the news was that Tyler was to be hunted by all available disciples of the Sword Sect at the Sea Formation and Qi Transformation stages. With this came another shocking news: the successor to the Lo Family had been imprisoned right after his father ascended to the throne.
This part, in particular, made multiple cultivation families, merchant groups, and craftsmen guilds suspect something was wrong. They didn't know what or why, but it all seemed... Fishy. It was even to the point that the elder in charge of the Thunderpeak branch of Veridian Peaks, an Aperture Strengthening old monster, ordered everyone within the territory to immediately depart towards the York Empire.
Before departing from the mountain, Bralok discreetly left a series of puzzle tokens to three individuals. The first recipient was the new shop owner in Edge City, the second was an aspiring merchant who had agreed to run the Thunderpeak Emporium in Sword City in their absence, and the third was an information broker working for the family at the ports in Edge City.
These tokens held a message for Tyler, should he ever return to the capital. He had to go to the York Empire if he wanted to find him.
As the hunt for the renegade cultivator commenced and numerous teams of cultivators set out on their mission, several factions aligned with Lin Jian chose to sever their ties with the Veridian Peaks and also departed from the region.
Meanwhile, high above the clouds in Profound City, two core disciples were being escorted onto a treasure ship, accompanied by the rest of their squad. One of the core disciples, Lazar Flame, inquired, "Senior brother, is it true? Did this Tyler character really annihilate an entire squad from our sect? He didn't appear so formidable just last month..."
The Sea Formation core disciple contemplated this question as the treasure ship slowly departed from the mountain, heading southward. The other 10 members of his squad eagerly awaited his response, hungry for any information about the renegade cultivator.
Two lengthy minutes elapsed before the Sea Formation core disciple responded. "Whether it truly occurred or not is of no concern to us. Our sole objective is to track him down. The Sect Master has tasked us with capturing this Qi Transformation cultivator, and as his disciples, it is our duty to comply. To address your underlying query, though, I have doubts that someone who has only recently broken through to the Qi Transformation stage, like you, could take on even a single Sea Formation cultivator, no offense. Let alone an outer sect disciple."
At this juncture, Lazar proceeded to recount the events of the trial and how Tyler had even subdued his own bloodline in the face of the shockwaves produced by his attacks and how he had found it odd to not see the man at the Eternal Palace since the man had outperformed him on every test during the trial.
Another disciple talk about how his father had purchased information about the man's test results during the trials. He went on to explain in detail what had happened. To be precise, the man had beaten the 9th level of the combat simulation. He had used the Mountain Ascension Trial to cultivate before ascending to the top effortlessly, and how he had taken down the late Lo Xin in a single move.
When pieced together with the testimony of the elder who had assessed Tyler's profound understanding of the laws, all these revelations painted a picture that perplexed the senior disciple. His brow creased in deep contemplation. It was an enigma, a riddle wrapped in mystery.
Whispers began to weave through the gathered disciples, each murmurs a blend of awe and speculation. The air was thick with theories - some spoke of hidden agendas, others of secret pacts with high elders within the sect. The senior disciple, his mind a tempest of thoughts, knew there was more to Tyler's story than what meets the eye. It was as if an invisible hand guided the fates, entwining Tyler's destiny to clash directly with the sect.
Ultimately, the senior disciple dismissed the concerns with a succinct statement. "We should reach Nethermist in a day, at most. Rest and focus on your cultivation—all of you." Subsequently, all the Inner and Outer Sect's disciples within the squad retired to their respective chambers.
Alone with the Senior Disciple, Lazar confided his fears. "I know you're formidable, senior brother, but I can't help feeling apprehensive. Even when facing Master Trane, my bloodline wasn't suppressed like when Tyler attacked the Sword Intent. It was as if my draconic blood sensed something superior to it for the first time."
Uncaring and unafraid, he replied. "Regardless of the man's strength, with his meager cultivation, he can never escape the Sword Sect within Veridian Peaks. Even if he were in the Sea Formation stage, he'd struggle to make it out alive. You're still new to the sect and don't understand the depths of our power."
Like them, discussions about Tyler's results in the Sect's Admissions resounded throughout the cultivators traveling towards the Nethermist's Panther domain, and many were confused.
Days drifted by as camps sprang up all around the mist. Flying ships loomed high above the area, their magical anchors securing them by attaching themselves to clouds.
Cultivators maintained a constant vigil, patrolling every inch of the space encircling the mist. They remained uncertain whether they were investing their time wisely, but their Sect Master had asserted that Tyler was within this enigmatic mist.
He cautioned against rash action, warning them that venturing into the mist and provoking a Soul Shattering beast in its domain was akin to inviting one's own demise, something even he wouldn’t do.
Amidst the camps, concealed from all sight, dwelled a solitary cultivator whose strength greatly exceeded the norm set for this gathering. However, after a conversation with Maximus, she had been granted unrestricted freedom to act as she saw fit. Her path was one of nonviolence, and she surpassed even the new Sword King, rendering him powerless to influence her actions.
Madame Elaine, the Keepers of the Red Dust representative within Veridian Peaks, meticulously observed everything within her divine sense. She even ventured into the mist to declare her presence and reassure Big Cat that she had no intention of intervening or aiding any side in the impending conflict.
Madame Elaine was excited to witness the capabilities of this cultivator who had earned the Sword King's favor and piqued the legendary Maximus Freeman's interest. She wondered what feats and qualities had warranted such attention from these formidable figures.
***
Within the mist, Daredevil had spent the past few days tempering his skin and fur, which had also seen him consuming nearly all of the raw herbs and meats that Tyler had possessed to recover.
The small panther found himself pleasantly surprised by his progress, especially when he compared it to his benefactor's struggles after exiting the pool. Unbeknownst to him, his cultivation method made it considerably easier for him to attune to the laws of Water compared to Tyler.
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Moreover, during his time in the pool, Daredevil had not encountered a trace of Slaughter True Essence hidden deep within Tyler's fortified skin like he had. This was, after all, the reason why Tyler had almost died a few days ago, not the tempering of his kidneys.
Daredevil's perception of his benefactor's strength remained skewed as it didn't know this information. Although he had been terrified when he witnessed his benefactor's Qi distort reality, summoning powerful winds and creating a significant disturbance in the ever-present mist due to its overwhelming quantity during cultivation, he still possessed only a limited understanding of Tyler's power.
Given the information provided by the Panther duo, Tyler found himself still determining his next course of action. They had informed him they were encircled on all sides, with Sea Formation cultivators stationed every hundred meters along the mist's perimeter, and he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do.
With limited options, while his companion recuperated, Tyler dedicated himself to mastering the Mistwalker's Stride technique. While Daredevil consumed every raw material available in his inner world for a week, Tyler diligently trained.
Given his current surroundings, it was the ideal training ground. Progress was relatively slow initially, but after four days, he achieved some degree of success, enabling him to momentarily step into the air without relying on his previous flying technique.
By the fifth day, he managed to step directly onto the surrounding mist and maintain his footing. This newfound skill prompted a discussion with Big Cat about the true nature of the mist, how it consisted of a fusion of Air True Essence and Water True Essence, forming a superior concept encompassing two fundamental laws. It was akin to how Ancestor Fang had evolved his space and time laws from simpler components.
Tyler realized that he had known of this concept of higher combined laws but had never truly comprehended its significance until now. It was reminiscent of the saying that reading a thousand books about climbing a mountain couldn't replace the experience of actually climbing one.
With a small amount of Water True Essence flowing through his body and his growing comprehension of the winds, delving into the laws of the mist felt like a logical extension of his current journey. By exploring the discerning stage of the Mistwalker's Stride, he hoped to deepen his understanding of both concepts.
Two days later, just as Daredevil had fully recovered, Tyler achieved a significant milestone. He managed to take more than a dozen steps while walking on air. This wasn't flying but traversing the mist by infusing some water Qi into the air, creating an almost imperceptible cloud of mist beneath his feet.
With each step, Tyler expended a minimal amount of Qi, which paled compared to the energy required for flying. Furthermore, manipulating the winds at his feet and infusing them with water granted him a notable boost in speed. Even using it directly on the ground would substantially enhance his running speed.
After some experimentation, he also found that if he used a bit more Qi to manipulate the winds to simulate flying, his speed in midair increased drastically. This technique could definitely become his primary mode of transportation in the near future as it would require a fraction of the energy to maintain.
"Hey, little guy, you're all big and strong now. Are you ready to go out and break out of here and explore the whole wide world?" Asked Tyler to Daredevil as the latter was done feasting.
The panther cub seemed to grasp Tyler's words with increasing clarity, even though it couldn't communicate with the human yet. It felt its understanding of speech growing as it cultivated, leading it to believe that it might achieve the ability to communicate once it progressed to the next stage of cultivation.
Big Cat chimed in, suggesting, "Why don't you show little Daredevil here the Mistwalker technique?"
Tyler, taken aback, inquired, "Can he understand it? Or better yet, can he even read?"
With a chuckle, the Humanoid Panther responded with another question, "Have you ever found it odd that everyone here speaks the same language?"
Tyler had never really contemplated the matter, assuming that some system fuckery was at play, allowing everyone to understand each other. However, when directly confronted with the question, he realized how stupid that was.
If everyone spoke the same language, how could he read their written words when he did not have the so-called system? Has everyone simply been speaking English all along?
Observing Tyler's confusion, Big Cat offered further clarification. "We beasts are born with less intelligence but compensate for it with physical prowess." He paused, recalling a few examples. "While a human infant can't fend for itself until it reaches the age of 10 or 12, our cubs, only a few months old, can hunt and survive independently in the wild. However, humans acquire speech skills at a very young age. We typically don't gain that ability until late Qi Transformation or early Sea Formation."
Tyler's confusion deepened. "But how does any of that explain why we all seem to speak the same language?" He grew increasingly frustrated with his stupidity, and even Daredevil regarded him with a tilted head and questioning eyes.
Big Cat chuckled before offering a straightforward explanation. "The answer is quite simple. It's an innate characteristic of our respective races and the plane we find ourselves in. As my benefactor once explained, when the Architect merged this realm into his plane, he instilled an inherent comprehension of the Laws of Language in every being here."
Still trying to understand, Tyler asked. "First, the Architect? Second, how does that make any sense whatsoever?"
This time, Maximus responded, his ever-watchful eyes over Tyler these days as he sought any inkling of what made individuals like Tyler so extraordinary. He couldn't help but reflect on how much stronger he might have become if he had possessed divine sense from the beginning of his cultivation journey.
His voice resonated in the breeze, audible only to Tyler. "You haven't experienced the Tutorial, and the historical records are shit, so you wouldn't know this. The Architect is the omnipotent entity responsible for what we understand as the Shattering. He's essentially a god here, just as you are in your inner world, and I in mine. Although I'm fairly certain he could invade both worlds and wield his power as he pleases. I’m not too sure how that works yet."
Tyler's thoughts were momentarily jolted by this revelation. The Shattering had been caused by a single individual? They had assimilated an entire universe as though it were nothing? How vast was their universe, and how formidable was this cultivator—or was it truly a cultivator, or perhaps a God? A multitude of questions swirled in Tyler's mind.
Maximus's voice persisted, taking over from Big Cat; this time, it was intended for everyone to hear. "Consider language in this way. Every action, thought, and object possesses an inherent meaning, correct? Similar to what Plato proposed in his Theory of Forms if you know what that is. While we believed that this perfect concept of a thing could never be fully conveyed, the Architect's abilities brought it to life."
With another passing breeze, Maximus added, "It's a horrible analogy that barely scratches the surface of the true underlying concepts at play here, but for now, it's the closest approximation you can understand. In essence, because the idea exists and is perfected through the Architect's Dao, everyone, including you, shares the same concepts of what things are and communicates through them. English, Japanese, French, Italian, and Beast Speech—all within the Architect's plane—are the same. It is an integral part of his Dao. You'll understand what I mean if you explore other planes or hidden realms."
Tyler's mind remained confused, and he struggled to comprehend what Maximus had said. He wasn't afraid to admit his lack of understanding, and honestly, he was starting to grow impatient with the Ascendant. "I might be fucking retarded, 'cause I still don't get it."
The winds stopped, the trees surrounding them stopped their magical dance, and silence filled the air. Dick. Tyler thought. He retrieved the book from his inner world and offered it to the cub, who had recently experienced a growing intelligence.
Over the next few days, Daredevil delved into the book with intense concentration, practicing at every opportunity and making astonishingly rapid progress despite lacking Divine Sense. Tyler's own progress had been deemed exceptional, akin to a genius's, but Daredevil's was on an entirely different level.
While Daredevil immersed himself in learning, Tyler devoted his time to studying the Sword Arts and honing his skills with a random Tier 2 sword gathering dust in his inner world.
Progress in this area was significantly faster compared to mastering the movement technique. The Sword Arts primarily utilized water as a fundamental law for executing its movements, and with Tyler's recent advancements, it felt remarkably straightforward and easy.
Through this week and a half of cultivation and studying, Tyler had walked near the edges of the Mist Domain and scouted every single point of the encirclement, and he had to give it to the Sword Sect and Lo Tang... They hadn't pulled any punches regarding the number of cultivators and their strength.
From what he counted through his divine sense, there were 350 Qi Transformation cultivators and 30 Sea Formation cultivators, and their formation was airtight.
They'd have to break through, and it would be a struggle. There was, however, another option that Tyler really wanted to avoid.
350 Qi Transformation Cultivators. He had yet to try a fully powered-up Ten Direction Sword since breaking through... This could cause enough chaos that the Sea Formation cultivators would break formation, and an opportunity for escape would appear.
However, he'd have to kill so many people to test this theory. So many people that, realistically, had nothing to do with any of this other than obeying the orders of someone much stronger than them.
He shared his two plans, voicing them out loud, knowing Maximus was probably listening. Growing oddly accustomed to someone almost always paying attention to him. He got nothing in return.
Really helpful.
After careful consideration, Tyler made a resolute decision. For Daredevil's safety, he had to minimize any potential danger the little cub might face. He would not lose someone else close to him.
Therefore, he had to create an opportunity for their escape.
With this plan, Tyler pinpointed a specific section of the encirclement that would allow for a rapid retreat to the Twelve Ghost Ridge if necessary.
Saying farewell to the panther duo, and with the golden retriever-sized panther cub following closely behind, Tyler arrived at the domain's boundary. "Daredevil, wait for me here."
And with that, Tyler sprinted away.