Emperor’s Domination

Comprehension was another one of the nine peaks, a favorite among the students.

Just like its name, this was a place for the students to learn and comprehend the dao. It wasn’t just a training ground. To be exact, it contained the scrolls and manuals of Duality in various forms.

Too many top experts have studied at the academy. Many of them would leave a technique or two after finishing their arts. Some brilliant teachers also chose to leave behind their knowledge too.

Thus, Comprehension was a treasury of sorts. It contained hidden merit laws and techniques from the teachers, Heavenly Sovereigns, and dao lords…

Buildings were sparse here unlike the boulders, towering trees, and hidden walls among the vegetation overgrowth.

The wise sages didn’t care too much and directly imprinted their merit laws onto the various objects on the peak - the boulders, old trees…

Some hid their arts better so that the fateful descendants would have to put in more effort.

That’s why a few students were searching among the grass and stones. Merit laws might actually be hidden there.

All the merit laws found on Comprehension were available for the students regardless of their race and time at the academy.

This particular openness and generosity had a big influence on Eight Desolaces. Alumni would come back after becoming powerful to repay the debt, leaving their new moves behind at Comprehension.

Normally, dao lords and Heavenly Sovereigns wouldn’t want to share their attainments with the rest of the world. This wasn’t the case for the successful alumni from Duality.

This benefited the future generations and created a cycle of sharing and learning. More and more merit laws were accumulated at Comprehension as a result.

Li Qiye and Yang Ling walked up the winding stone path around the peak. It helped them get through the perilous cliffs.

However, this didn’t stop students from crowding on top of the cliffs and trees. They sat in groups and tried to feel the grand dao or derive the arts left behind.

In spite of the overcrowded nature of this place, it was one of the quietest peaks. The students either meditated or spoke with a hushed tone among themselves. This was a stark contrast to Initiate Peak.

The most popular among the techniques included Dhyana Dao Lord’s Buddhist art, Sword Emperor’s legacy, Three Truths Dao Lord’s ultimate power…

Yang Ling brought Li Qiye to another statue. The area in front was filled with layers of students.

“This is a technique left behind by Sword Emperor. Just understanding it will make you a great swordsman.” Yang Ling quietly introduced.

Li Qiye looked up and saw the coarse statue, seemingly carved into a humanoid shape from a single boulder. It was raising a sword.

The face was done carelessly and not recognizable. However, one could feel sword energies emanating even when far away. It felt as if the tip of a sword was touching their chest.

The lines were the minimum to make it resemble a sword wielder. There was nothing else depicted.

If it wasn’t for the rampaging sword energies, people would think that this was a fake to trick others.

Of course, the sword energies that have been around for millions of years showed just how much effort Sword Emperor had put into it.

He was one of the most brilliant dao lords. This technique was highly coveted so a large number of students came each day to learn.

Their eyes were hot while looking at this statue and fantasizing about the sword technique.

In the history of Eight Desolaces, very few dao lords used “emperor” in their titles. The most accepted was Emperor Ye. [1]

After becoming a dao lord, she referred to herself as emperor. She might be the only one who did so among her peers.

Nonetheless, she swept through the realms and even the forbidden zones. Thus, no one had an issue with this title.

As for Sword Emperor, he himself didn’t come up with this. Future descendants gave him this title out of respect. He thought that he wasn’t at that height so he actually chose the title Sword Saint.

He wouldn’t dare to compare himself to Emperor Ye but in terms of just the sword dao, his level could illuminate the myriad ages. Some believed that he was the greatest swordsman in the history of Eight Desolaces.

He studied at Duality Academy during his youth, albeit only for a short period. He left West King afterward and traveled far before finishing his dao. He then created a supreme dao system.

Nevertheless, he still returned to the academy and left a technique named “Sword Point”.

Students, later on, came to learn this technique. Though they couldn’t comprehend his sword dao, they still greatly benefited. This was especially true for the future generations’ sword gods.

The peculiar thing about this statue was that it didn’t matter where one was standing nor the angle relative to it. They would find that the sword was always pointing at their chest.

Nothing they could do would change this; shifting movement and changing stance didn’t matter.

Many were currently trying to do so because they didn’t believe in this phenomenon. Some did it in order to understand the sword dao.

“Why is it always pointing its sword at our chest? It’s not alive, I’ve changed position more than ten times already.” One student said.

“The statue might not be alive but it was still carved by Sword Emperor and has his sword energies within. It’s not the stone sword pointing at your chest but rather, the energy.” A powerful student explained.

“A teacher told me that when this sword is no longer pointing at your chest, that’s when you grasp its profundity.” Another older student smiled and said.

“Has anyone learned it?” An underclassman asked.

“Of course, our academy has produced plenty of top cultivators, a lot of sword heroes and sword gods too. Many of them were guided by this technique.” A knowledgeable student answered: “I heard Mad Blade was also influenced by it.”

“I thought Senior Mad Blade was a saber user. Why would he be affected by a sword technique?” One student became curious.

“All dao have the same source.” The strong student prior responded: “After reaching a certain level, the sword and saber are the same, it’s not strange at all. A genius like Senior Mad Blade can definitely figure it out.”

“Let’s not talk about the seniors, what about our class?” One friend asked.

The group exchanged glances and no one answered. This wasn’t their fault.

They weren’t inadequate; it’s just that the technique was too profound. Anyone in history who managed to understand it eventually became a famous swordsman.

“I think First Sister tried.” One student said.

“Right, Senior Sister Dugu has come here before.” An upperclassman agreed.

They were referring to the genius Dugu Lan.

“So did she figure it out?” This became the next topic.

1. I’m not sure who this is here. Ye means leaf/page/era but I’m thinking that it’s a last name of a female character that we should know