Firmament Sword

Next to the ancient map lay a diary. It wasn’t old; it looked like something Hu Chengfeng had recorded himself.

After reading the diary, Xu Luo not only learned the origins of Chengfeng Manor but also grew immensely interested in the ancient map.

The location marked on the map was a site of Ancient Ruins.

That era, lost to the mists of time, had once reached an unbelievable peak of glory. It was said to be the age when humanity was closest to the gods!

The most powerful figures of that time could fly through the heavens and burrow into the earth. They possessed Great Divine Techniques, could practically pluck the stars from the sky, and were so strong it was terrifying.

Though no one knew why that glorious age fell into decline, the ruins it left behind contained countless treasures that could benefit future generations for a lifetime.

This was why Ancient Ruins were so sought after. The relics left within varied depending on the era and their original owners. If one could find ruins left behind by an Ancient Great Sect, they would truly strike it rich.

The diary in Hu Chengfeng’s Storage Ring was a compilation of records made by the three Manor Masters of Chengfeng Manor over the years, all detailing their search for that site of Ancient Ruins.

What made Xu Luo’s heart pound the fastest was a particular entry: ”After more than a decade of exploration, we three brothers have finally come to a conclusion. This site was once home to an incredibly glorious and massive Ancient Great Sect!”

”These ruins are simply too difficult to open. With our current strength, we are utterly powerless. Trying to force our way in would mean losing everything, a path to certain death!”

”For years, we’ve been desperately collecting Spirit Stones. To that end, we even became bandits. At first, we felt a bit guilty, but as time went on, it... somehow became a pleasure. Even I got lost in the thrill. I have to keep reminding myself that robbing people... is just a means to collect Spirit Stones. It is not our primary goal!”

”Based on our repeated deductions, opening the ruins of this Ancient Great Sect requires breaking through the Transformation Realm to reach the Divine Power Realm. The Divine Power Realm... ah, what an incredible state to aspire to. From ancient times to the present day, how many have ever managed to cross that threshold?”

”Though we’re all a bit dejected, believing the Divine Power Realm is too difficult to achieve, deep down, we all still long for it. Just think, in a site of Ancient Ruins that requires the Divine Power Realm to open, even a random item from inside would probably be a Spirit-Connected Magical Artifact, wouldn’t it?”

”The Grand Sect Assembly is about to start. My second and third brothers and I have been arguing about whether to target the attendees. They believe that going after a few minor sects with no powerful backing won’t cause much of a stir... The major players are all focused on that other site of ruins; they won’t pay attention to anything else.”

”Today, we spotted an extravagant young man. He spent thousands of Spirit Stones without a second thought on a few pieces of mysterious metal whose origins were unknown. My third brother says he’s the one...”

The diary ended there.

Reading the final entry, Xu Luo couldn’t help but give a wry smile. ’They were right,’ he thought. ’All the major players are focused on those ruins. If Jade Balance Sect Master Xushan hadn’t intervened today, I really would have been in grave danger. Even if I’d managed to get away with the Shaking Light Step, I could run, but I couldn’t hide forever...’

’I have to become strong enough to face powerful enemies with confidence!’

Recalling his battle with the three Manor Masters of Chengfeng Manor, Xu Luo felt he had learned a great deal. He had never faced such powerful opponents before. Xu Luo had to admit, the moment they unleashed Dharma Heaven and Earth, he had been completely stunned.

’I never would have imagined that the true experts of the sects wielded such terrifying power.’

But what surprised Xu Luo even more was that the three awakened Star Souls in his Dantian—Shaking Light, Kaiyang, and Jade Balance—had, at the most critical moment, unleashed their own incomparably powerful Dharma Heaven and Earth, shattering the Dharma Aspects of the three Chengfeng Manor Masters. More than anything else, this was what truly shocked and thrilled him.

”So I... possess such a formidable Dharma Aspect!” Xu Luo muttered to himself. ’If I cultivate to the realm of a Tier Five Sword King,’ he wondered, ’will I be able to unleash this incredibly powerful Three-Star Dharma Aspect at will?’

Xu Luo eagerly anticipated it.

Next, Xu Luo opened the Storage Rings belonging to He Chengfeng and Yuan Chengfeng. They, too, were filled to the brim with Spirit Stones practically radiating Spiritual Qi.

In total, there were over ten thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones and a staggering one hundred fifty thousand mid-grade ones.

It was an immense fortune. Even for Xu Luo, who had grown up in one of the wealthiest families in the mortal world and was accustomed to riches, the sight made his heart race.

This fortune alone could easily support a mid-sized sect.

All the wealth the three Manor Masters of Chengfeng Manor had painstakingly accumulated through their life of banditry had ended up in his hands. He wondered if they would still have walked down that road of no return had they been able to foresee this outcome.

Xu Luo forcibly suppressed the giddy excitement from his sudden windfall, calmed his mind, and began to reflect on the insights gained from the day’s battle.

As Xu Luo began to cultivate the Shadow Shaking Heart Method, scenes from the battle replayed in his mind. This kind of insight was precisely what a Martial Artist needed most.

True training, after all, was a form of enlightenment.

Without him even realizing it, the operational speed of his Shadow Shaking Heart Method quietly accelerated, nearly doubling his rate of absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

Xu Luo didn’t notice the change at first, as his mind was completely immersed in contemplating the insights from the battle.

It wasn’t until he came back to his senses that Xu Luo was astonished to discover that the Shadow Shaking Heart Method, which he’d had since the Seven-Star Soul first entered his body, had... somehow leveled up without him noticing. His cultivation speed was now twice what it used to be!

’Can comprehension actually upgrade the Shadow Shaking Heart Method?’ Xu Luo was astounded. He closed his eyes, turning his Inner Vision to his Dantian to silently perceive the changes brought by his Heart Method.

Wisps of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi converged rapidly through the meridians all over his body. The Shadow Shaking Heart Method then quickly drew this Spiritual Qi into his Dantian, refining it into True Essence Power.

The three awakened Star Souls seemed to breathe, inhaling the True Essence Power and exhaling... Star Power!

This was always the moment Master Mao most looked forward to, because a portion of the Star Power exhaled by the Star Souls would be used to temper Xu Luo’s body.

The process was incredibly slow, subtle and imperceptible. As a result, a great deal of Star Power would seep out through Xu Luo’s skin.

And that was what Master Mao absorbed!

So, Xu Luo suffered no loss by letting Master Mao absorb this Star Power. But for Master Mao, its cultivation speed was more than twice what it would be otherwise.

Master Mao had long grown accustomed to the Star Power Xu Luo’s body released every day. It had been lounging about lazily, but then its eyes shot wide open as it stared at Xu Luo in disbelief. A moment later, an ecstatic light shone from its sapphire-like eyes.

’AAAAAH! The kid’s feeling generous today, releasing so much Star Power! It must be because he’s grateful to Master Mao for saving him, so he’s repaying me like this! This feels AMAZING! AAAAAAH!’

Xu Luo, deep in his cultivation, was naturally unaware of Master Mao’s thoughts. However, if Master Mao knew this wasn’t a reward, but merely a side effect of the Shadow Shaking Heart Method’s upgrade, it would surely have roared and complained that Xu Luo was no gentleman.

...

”Xu Luo is back. He actually came back. He managed to come back alive!” Fang Jing was like an enraged lion, pacing back and forth in his room. His eyes were bloodshot as he growled through gritted teeth, ”Is he really that powerful? We sent so many people, and none of them could touch him? I don’t believe it! Someone must be helping him from the shadows!”

In the room, Fang Jing’s brother, still dressed in black with his face obscured by a wide-brimmed hat, was also filled with disbelief. He muttered, ”This is impossible. That Elder from Dubhe contacted me in secret, wanting to join forces to kill Xu Luo. They sent a large number of their own experts for this operation. With so many people attacking him, even if they couldn’t kill the boy, they should have at least been able to injure him severely. Besides, even if they failed to kill him, it makes no sense that not a single person returned!”

”I’ve sent men to investigate. We should have some news soon.” Fang Jing’s expression was grim as he snarled, ”No matter what, I will not allow the man who killed my son to remain in this world!”

”Don’t worry, I’ll help you get your revenge,” the man in black said in a low voice. ”After all, Ark was my nephew. He can’t have died for nothing.”

”What else can we do? At this point, I’m ready to risk it all! Tonight, I’ll go to that little bastard’s place and take him down with me!” Fang Jing ground his teeth, the hatred in his eyes burning like fire.

”No...” the man in black stopped him. ”That kid is a freak. His power is bizarre. Have you forgotten that even the Old Ancestor fell into his trap?”

Fang Jing gritted his teeth. ”Then what? Am I supposed to just stand by and watch the man who killed my Ark live a happy, carefree life?”

”I once found a Cultivation Technique in some ruins. It’s called... Return to Youth.”

Fang Jing was shocked. ”Such a magical Cultivation Technique actually exists in this world?”

The man in black sighed. ”This Cultivation Technique can only be used once in a lifetime. It can make a dying person ten years younger. It’s considered a Forbidden Skill. I was originally saving it to preserve my life in my old age, but now... it doesn’t matter. That Xu Luo is truly a grave threat. If we don’t eliminate him now, once he’s fully grown, no one will be able to stop him.”