A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu suddenly recalled something and asked, “Sage Sun, what is the price of cultivating the Demonic Blade?”

Sun Hewu had the habit of old scholars. When explaining a question, he would trace it back to the dawn of time. “Well, before Song Zheng’s rise to prominence, he was like you, with no illustrious background or family support, but he had a benefactor.

“This benefactor was none other than Xu Wugui, the Earthly Preceptor of the Central Daoist Sect. Earthly Preceptor Xu had the grace of mentoring Song Zheng, so in a way, Song Zheng and even Tantai Yun shared the same master as the Holy Xuan.

“Due to this, Song Zheng’s studies carried many traces of Xu Wugui’s lineage. When he created the Demonic Blade, he even referenced some aspects of the Taiyin 13 Swords.”

Qi Xuansu asked again, “I recall that a certain Ancient Immortal who submitted to the Daoist Order was named True Lord Taiyin. The Taiyin 13 Swords also bear the same name. Are the two related?”

“They are related, but this Taiyin 13 Swords is not the same as that Taiyin 13 Swords,” Sun Hewu said, stroking his beard.

Qi Xuansu grew even more confused. “What do you mean by that?”

Sun Hewu explained, “The Taiyin 13 Swords created by True Lord Taiyin was originally a technique of the Godly Immortal lineage, which used divine power. However, Elder Xu, being a prodigious talent, managed to modify this technique for the Earthly Immortal lineage. What we now have in the Daoist Order is actually Elder Xu’s modified version of True Lord Taiyin’s original creation.”

“I see.” Qi Xuansu nodded in understanding. “Then does Demonic Blade also generate inner demons?”

“Not quite,” Sun Hewu replied. “The inner demon of the Taiyin 13 Swords lies in its final technique, the Sword Demon Manifestation, also known as the Inner Demon Manifestation. It is the most powerful yet most perilous move. If one fails to master it, their inner demon will devour them, turning them into a mindless sword slave, a puppet wielded by others.

“When 13 sword slaves are gathered, they can form the Taiyin Sword Formation. Song Zheng abandoned the sword slave component, so you need not worry about being overtaken by an inner demon.

“However, by wielding the blade, you also submit to it. If it were an ordinary sword, it would be manageable. But spiritual objects and treasures possess a will of their own. Their killing intent far exceeds that of common mortals.

“If your willpower is not strong enough, you might lose control. Once you start killing, you may not be able to stop. To put it plainly, it’s easy to become bloodthirsty to the point of forgetting family ties.”

Qi Xuansu pondered for a moment and then asked, “If I were to use a blade imbued with benevolence, would it neutralize this bloodthirsty nature?”

Sun Hewu let out a mocking laugh. “You can train in the Taiyin 13 Swords without invoking the inner demon, but that would mean you can never master the final Sword Demon Manifestation nor the Taiyin Sword Formation. Without it, how would you ever compete with the Cihang Sword Sequence?

“If you fear inner demons so much, why not just study the Cihang Sword Sequence? Likewise, the essence of the Demonic Blade lies in its killing intent and wildness. If you suppress it with external means, then how is Demonic Blade any different from the Dayan Spirit Blade? If you want a controlled blade technique, why not just keep practicing the Dayan Spirit Blade instead?”

Qi Xuansu was rendered speechless and could only admit his mistake sincerely.

Sun Hewu continued, “Demonic Blade is considered less dangerous than the Taiyin 13 Swords because once it loses control, it harms others but not oneself. The blade only swings outward, never inward. This likely has to do with its creator, Song Zheng, who valued himself above all, always putting himself first.

“On the other hand, Elder Xu only cared about results and disregarded morality, he was undeniably a man of immense courage. He fought not only against others but also against himself, willing to seek survival amid a thousand deaths.”

Qi Xuansu mused, “Since the Taiyin 13 Swords can subdue the inner demon, there must also be a way to restrain the bloodthirst of the Demonic Blade.”

Sun Hewu nodded. “Besides relying on one’s own willpower to resist it, external forces can also neutralize it. In this sense, it’s much better than the Taiyin 13 Swords. The inner demon of the Taiyin 13 Swords can be sealed or forcibly removed, but it cannot be dissolved, so it ultimately falls upon oneself.

“The Demonic Blade is different. You can rely on others to help. Aren’t you close to Zhang Yuelu? She happens to practice the Cihang Sword Sequence. If you ever lose control, she can use the Heart Series of the Cihang Sword Sequence to restore your sanity.”

Qi Xuansu, who always believed in self-reliance over seeking help from others, asked, “What if she isn’t around?”

Sun Hewu stroked his chin, appearing thoughtful. “There is another solution—the Ghostly Immortal lineage. Diviners are known for their clarity of mind and steadfast will. When Song Zheng was severely injured by the Li family patriarch in a duel, his body was nearly destroyed. He had no choice but to shift from the Earthly Immortal to the Ghostly Immortal lineage.

“After that, his mastery of the Demonic Blade became even more refined. He could wield it with ease, surpassing his previous self. Although part of this was due to his increased cultivation, the Ghostly Immortal lineage undoubtedly played a crucial role. Unfortunately, Song Zheng is long dead, leaving behind no written records. The exact reason remains a mystery to this day...”

Qi Xuansu’s eyes lit up because he possessed the Ghostly Immortal lineage.

Sun Hewu scratched his head, seemingly frustrated at being unable to decipher Song Zheng’s secrets regarding the Demonic Blade.

He then redirected his irritation toward Qi Xuansu, scolding, “You haven’t even begun learning, yet you’re already thinking about such things? Is this the proper attitude for learning? Is this how you ground yourself in reality? Young man, the worst thing is being overly ambitious. You must settle down, take one step at a time, be practical, and remain diligent...”

Qi Xuansu had no intention of arguing with a highly respected old scholar, especially when he was asking for guidance. He could only nod obediently and agree submissively.

Halfway through his lecture, Sun Hewu realized he had unjustly taken his frustration out on a junior. His face turned slightly red as he waved his hand dismissively. “Go, go, read for yourself. I’ll be in the room next door. If you have any questions, come ask me.”

With that, the old Sage ignored Qi Xuansu’s reaction and strode straight out of the room.

Qi Xuansu turned to face the densely packed words on the wall, first focusing on the original text of the Demonic Blade.

He did not know who had carved these words, but the calligraphy was entirely different from common script. Normally, strokes should flow from top to bottom, left to right. While certain strokes like hooks and bends might vary slightly, they generally followed natural slanted curves rather than straight lines. Yet, on this wall, many strokes extended from bottom to top and right to left, completely contrary to typical calligraphic principles. It was awkward, unorthodox, and extraordinarily peculiar.

At a glance, some strokes looked unmistakably like long blades, and there were hundreds of them.

These blade-like shapes were horizontal and vertical, slashing left and right, forming the most fundamental blade techniques.

To those unfamiliar with wielding blades, these were merely strokes within the characters. Yet to Qi Xuansu, they were clearly long and short blades. Some pointed skyward, some downward, some tilted as if about to fly, and others swept across horizontally.

Qi Xuansu immediately became engrossed, studying blade after blade. At first, he felt nothing unusual, but when he reached the ninth blade, he suddenly sensed a figure emerging from the words, wielding a sword and charging straight at him.

Startled, Qi Xuansu instinctively used his palm to meet the oncoming figure.

To an outsider, it seemed as though Qi Xuansu was merely practicing the Dayan Spirit Blade by himself, with no visible opponent. However, to Qi Xuansu, the danger felt all too real. A razor-sharp blade slashed toward him, as if it could effortlessly pierce through his Guizhen-stage Martial Arts Practitioner’s body.

Objectively speaking, this blade intent was not overwhelmingly fast. It was at most at the Guizhen stage. However, it moved unpredictably, with every strike targeting the weakest points in Qi Xuansu’s defenses. Like a blade slipping through the smallest of gaps, it forcefully peeled away his protective qi shield.

Three words sufficed to describe it—fast, precise, ruthless. There were no unnecessary flourishes and no wasted movements. It was so fast that it left the opponent no time to react; so precise that it struck where the enemy had no choice but to defend; so ruthless that it fought as if life meant nothing, trading injury for injury, willing to harm itself to kill the foe.

It was Qi Xuansu’s first time encountering such a blade technique. He focused completely, shifting his palm through dozens of variations in an instant. However, the figure paid no heed to his maneuvers, ignoring all the feints and distractions, piercing straight through illusions and striking directly at the flaw in Qi Xuansu’s attack.

Under the counterattack, Qi Xuansu felt his momentum wane instantly. His heart pounded in shock. He tried to recover, but it was already too late. He was struck multiple times. Though the attacks had no physical substance, akin to his Ghosthead Machete, they cut across his body, leaving fine red lines that marked shallow wounds.

This reminded Qi Xuansu of his own mystical ability. He reached out, grasped his Ghosthead Machete, and activated the Divine Calculation Technique, once again confronting the figure.

However, Qi Xuansu had only just begun learning the Divine Calculation Technique. Against this figure, it became a hindrance rather than an advantage. The figure lashed out wildly with a dozen seemingly random strikes. Yet every slash landed exactly where Qi Xuansu needed to move, sealing off all his possible routes. He felt completely restricted, unable to execute his techniques properly.

Qi Xuansu had no choice but to abandon his amateur use of the Divine Calculation Technique. He slowed his blade movements. But at that moment, the figure suddenly advanced.

Taken aback, Qi Xuansu solidified his Ghosthead Machete and held it horizontally before him. Yet, the enemy’s killing intent and blade force converged into a barely tangible, yet undeniably sharp move. It pierced straight through his Ghosthead Machete and stabbed his chest.

Qi Xuansu felt his vision darken, and his blood churned violently. He could not help but let out a groan as he stumbled backward.

In the blink of an eye, his vision cleared. The shadowy figure had vanished without a trace.

Sitting up, Qi Xuansu gazed once more at the densely inscribed words on the wall. He could not help but marvel. “What an incredible blade technique!”