Chapter 475: Wang Xianzhi Retreats a Thousand Zhang

Wudi City in the East Sea.

Outside the city, a sword hovered for a long time. At first, martial artists were startled by the sight of a flying sword from a thousand li away, but gradually they lost patience and interest. Some bored martial artists found their own entertainment, setting up gambling tables to bet on how many days the sword would remain there. Most of those who placed early bets lost a lot of silver. Inside the city, some claimed the flying sword was a challenge from Deng Tai'a, the Peach Blossom Sword God, who would soon ride a donkey into the city. Others said it was a newly comprehended sword technique from Song Nianqing of the East Yue Sword Pool. Some even swore that the ancestor of the Wu Family Sword Tomb was about to emerge from seclusion to vindicate the Wu family's "Withered Sword." Those who came to watch the excitement were ultimately waiting for a spectacle. But since the sword caused no stir, proving to be all talk and no action, people grew accustomed to its presence outside the city. Only some mischievous children, native to Wudi City, would occasionally climb the outer city wall and shoot slingshots at the sword. During this time, a sword-wielding wandering knight, desperate to gain renown, leaped onto the sword and performed many clumsy sword moves, only to be met with countless eye-rolls. Feeling awkward, he sheepishly jumped down and slunk out of the city. Almost no one noticed an old man with snow-white eyebrows who had entered the city. After arriving, he kept a low profile, only occasionally standing before the wall adorned with weapons from across the land. After watching for a while, he would quietly turn and leave. Each day, a famous sword would disappear from the wall, but there were countless famous swords and sharp weapons on it. For instance, when Song Nianqing challenged Wang Xianzhi by ascending the tower with twelve swords, six were shattered, and the remaining six were, according to Wudi City's old custom for losers, left embedded in the wall. They had remained there for many years, and yet one of them had quietly vanished yesterday.

The one-armed old man, whose snow-white eyebrows reached his knees, came alone to the wall again. He looked at a high-placed, ownerless sword on the wall, smacking his lips as if craving it. While others craved beauty, delicacies, or fine wine, he was distinctly unique. Weapons on the wall were undoubtedly mostly famous swords, almost half the wall, which was not surprising, as the abundance of swords had always been unparalleled in the martial arts world. The old man stretched out two fingers, twirling a wisp of his snow-white long eyebrow. He was just deciding to take that recently admired long sword tonight when he let out a sound of surprise, turning to see an ethereal sword-carrying Daoist gazing back at him.

The long-browed old man asked, "Young Daoist from Longhu Mountain, why do you possess the relic of Patriarch Lu, which should be hanging at Wudang's Great Geng Corner?" The young Daoist, dressed in a simple, plain robe, counter-questioned, "Elder, why did you enter the city, yet your sword remains outside?" The old man laughed, "This old man's last sword strike in this life seeks perfection, so I can challenge the strongest hand of the century. I was almost ready to enter the city, but that fellow named Wang uncharacteristically left the city, leaving this old man waiting. No matter, I'll just wait for him to return. And you are?" The Daoist calmly replied, "This humble Daoist is Qi Xianxia from Longhu Mountain." The old man uttered, "Oh, I've heard of you. The martial world calls you 'Little Patriarch Lu.'"

Qi Xianxia, who had been wandering the martial world since leaving Wudang, asked, "Did City Lord Wang go to stop the Useless Monk from the Western Regions? May I ask, Elder, who you are?" The old man smiled faintly, "What Useless Monk? It's Liu Songtao from Zhulu Mountain. As for my name, it's irrelevant. You just need to know that there is still a sword in this world that might turn Wang Xianzhi into the true 'second best under heaven.'" Qi Xianxia smiled softly and indifferently. The old man released his long eyebrow, "Though you are a Daoist, you are also a swordsman. If this old man loses one day, you shall follow with the next sword. It doesn't matter if it's in ten or twenty years, just don't wait too long, not until Wang Xianzhi ascends." Qi Xianxia bowed slightly, then turned and left.

Liu Haoshi had never been so flustered and disoriented, like a drowned dog. Fifty years of Celestial Phenomenon cultivation vanished in less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn. After confirming that the individual was not pursuing him, he still covered more than ten li in one breath before stopping. Never in his life had he imagined he would become a frightened bird. Advancing in martial arts becomes progressively harder, like ascending to heaven via the Shu Path; "those who walk a hundred li consider ninety li as half." The transition from third-rank to second-rank is a significant hurdle. Most disciples from powerful sects and aristocratic families, despite having secret manuals, renowned masters, and elixirs, are blocked by this threshold. Practicing martial arts is inherently arduous, requiring both innate talent as a foundation and persistent perseverance. After reaching second-rank and becoming a small grandmaster in the general sense, one immediately encounters an even higher threshold, so high that many naturally gifted individuals lacking perseverance retreat in the face of difficulty. Liu Haoshi had seen too many young people with innate advantages who failed to enter and wasted their lives until old age, not to mention the ascent through the four realms of first-rank. Precisely because he knew the difficulty of the path, Liu Haoshi, who was about to reach the summit, was heartbroken by his regression in cultivation. Liu Haoshi, filled with towering hatred, slumped to the ground, his hands plunged into the earth, fingers like hooks, carving furrows in the mud.

Liu Haoshi's turbulent mind slowly calmed. From his sleeve, he took out a small, ancient sandalwood box. He carefully opened it to reveal a tiny elixir. It emitted no fragrance but rather a pungent stench, yet Liu Haoshi solemnly and slowly extended two fingers, attempting to pick up the pill. This unassuming 'Dao Gui Bait' was rumored to be derived from half of a secret immortal medicine formula obtained by the Great Qin Emperor during his sea expedition to visit immortals. Daoist texts contained a secret saying: "If one cannot obtain the Dao Gui Bait, then remain in the mortal realm as an earthly immortal," implying that if one obtains this medicine, one can ascend, making the path of an earthly immortal unnecessary. Liu Haoshi, of course, knew that the pill in the box did not possess such miraculous efficacy, but it could help him stabilize his current realm and seize that slim chance of returning to the Celestial Phenomenon realm. Liu Haoshi suddenly withdrew his fingers, closed the box, stood up, and scanned his surroundings. Still uneasy, he moved in an arc, ensuring no one was within a two-li radius. Only then did he sit cross-legged, swallow the Dao Gui Bait, close his eyes, and focus his mind, gradually entering the state of "corpse dwelling, dragon appearing, profound silence, thunderous sound."

"Hehe."

These two light words suddenly resounded in Liu Haoshi's ears, like a veritable clap of thunder.

Wang Xianzhi was never rushed in anything he did; he was extremely patient. Yet, in a martial world where too many clever individuals sought shortcuts that dazzled and confused, the grounded Wang Xianzhi became an anomaly. After taking charge of Wudi City, his cultivation realm steadily increased. He was neither the youngest second-rank master at the time, nor did he, like Li Chungang, break through a realm within a few years of reaching first-rank, sweeping all before him with unstoppable force. Wang Xianzhi had never made a stunning leap across realms in a single step. Compared to the martial arts prodigies who were then directly challenging the Four Grandmasters, Wang Xianzhi could only be considered a late bloomer. However, after achieving his Vajra physique, within the same realm, Wang Xianzhi gradually became invincible. Moreover, no one had anticipated that this tall young man, who had only been fit to watch from the sidelines back then, would be such a prolonged late bloomer. His feat of breaking the "Wood Ox," reputedly indestructible, with his bare hands truly elevated Wang Xianzhi to the pinnacle of the martial world. From then on, until he was habitually referred to as "Old Monster Wang," Wang Xianzhi never suffered a single defeat. This taciturn old man stood alone atop Wudi City's tower, coldly overlooking the martial world. Deng Tai'a, who rode a donkey backwards and carried a peach branch, ascended proudly, only to descend in defeat. Cao Changqing, who caused the Zhao imperial family sleepless nights, also ascended the tower, only to descend in defeat. Consequently, fewer people sought to defeat this old monster; most were content just to quickly ascend the tower, and if they were lucky enough to meet the old man and gain some martial insights, it would undoubtedly be an unexpected pleasure. Wang Xianzhi did not like such a martial world.

The City Lord of Wudi City, waiting for the young girl's second sword strike, raised an eyebrow, unsure whether it was out of surprise or anger. Her sword strike caused a ripple in Wang Xianzhi's normally unruffled mind.

Sword Opens Heavenly Gate!

The heavens opened, revealing a dazzling spectacle.

One pillar of the Heavenly Gate crashed to the ground. Only when the other pillar was erected would the Heavenly Gate truly open. Jiang Ni, her hands clasped over the hilt of her sword, was pale. She pushed the Great Liang Dragon Sparrow an inch at a time into the earth. To block Wang Xianzhi's path, this woman forcefully opened the Heavenly Gate. Clearly, this gate was opened for Wang Xianzhi, a blatant attempt to take matters into her own hands and see off the invincible City Lord of Wudi City. Blood seeped from the corner of Jiang Ni's mouth, yet she continued to push the long sword into the ground, desperately trying to pull the other celestial pillar down. Few in the world knew the truth: she was once a girl who, when carrying books up a mountain, would ache so much she thought she would die; a timid girl who dared not practice swordsmanship simply because she feared hardship; a girl content with earning a few copper coins by studying. Wielding a sword, restoring a kingdom, opening the Heavenly Gate—she had never thought of such distant things; she never believed she could achieve them. She just wanted to secretly stab him to death one day when he wasn't paying attention. Then her life would be over.

Wang Xianzhi still did not stop her "gate-opening sword strike." "I, Wang Xianzhi, do not wish to pass through the Heavenly Gate. What does it matter if it opens wide?" At this moment, Wang Xianzhi suddenly slid a foot back, assuming a defensive posture. A figure burst through the dazzling light of the Heavenly Gate, striking a punch at Wang Xianzhi. Wang Xianzhi slid back a full three hundred zhang. Just as the second celestial pillar was about to support the heavens and earth, it vanished into thin air, and the Heavenly Gate closed. Jiang Ni didn't even bother to spit out a mouthful of blood, gazing dazedly at that figure. The figure flashed, then darted straight towards Wang Xianzhi. Another simple punch. Though Wang Xianzhi remained on his feet, he was forcefully pushed back seven hundred zhang! Never before had anyone in the world been able to make Wang Xianzhi, who could kill immortals, retreat a thousand zhang.