Chapter 575: The world divides and unites, what worries do I have

As far as Gao Shulu's vision extended, a torrent of azure sword qi, like the Milky Way cascading downwards, surged from the mountain and rushed towards him. With a serene expression, Gao Shulu clasped his hands behind his back and advanced rather than retreated, continuing his ascent up the stone steps. Just as his left foot touched a step, and his right foot was poised to lift, the vast and abundant Azure Serpent Sword Qi enveloped him. Though Gao Shulu made no discernible movement, the sword qi, like a flood striking a reef, flowed around his sides. Yet, the wisps of hair at his temples violently fluttered, and his suspended right foot, instead of landing as expected, retracted to a step below his left.

Gao Shulu extended his right hand, horizontally intercepting some of the residual Azure Serpent Sword Qi. He then retracted his hand, clenching it in his palm, the sword qi swirling around his fingers. With one hand still behind his back, Gao Shulu lowered his gaze, letting out a slight, surprised exclamation, like an expert beholding something captivating. He extended his other hand, palms facing each other, and with a gentle swipe, formed a three-inch sword qi resembling a sword embryo. Gao Shulu held this miniature flying sword, condensed from the Azure Serpent Sword Qi, at the tip of his index finger, gazing at it gently. This "lingering demon" of four hundred years was so arrogant that he didn't even glance at the person descending the mountain.

At the same time, Xu Fengnian, whose "Two Sleeves Azure Serpents" technique had already made his intentions clear, drew both of his sabers. In his left hand, he held the Spring Thunder Saber inverted, while his right wielded the River Crossing Pawn, striking down directly at Gao Shulu. This was the "Shu-Opening Style," derived from the "Sword Qi Rolling Dragon Wall." Gao Shulu flicked his finger, and the three-inch sword qi he had been using to ponder the essence of the first powerful sword qi dissipated into thin air. He extended his palm, splitting the saber's radiance, and casually pressed down on the incomparably sharp River Crossing Pawn. A faint line of blood appeared on the pads of his five fingers, but before it could blossom, his skin returned to normal. In the blink of an eye, this repeated no less than six times; the River Crossing Pawn still failed to cut off his fingers, not even drawing blood! This was no longer merely a Vajra Physique; it was a perfect fusion of the Vajra and Heavenly Manifestation realms, the two highest stages of the First Rank. Perhaps only the Great Vajra Body of the Buddhist Saint Nagarjuna could compare.

Though the River Crossing Pawn was held in check by Gao Shulu's unmoving fingers, this "Forgetful Heavenly Human," hailed as unprecedented and unmatched, was not entirely motionless. At the very least, his front and back feet sank more than a foot, pressed down by the immense saber qi, eventually cracking the steps beneath him. Gao Shulu's gaze remained fixed on the inverted short saber that was poised but unlaunched. Evidently, in his view, in life-or-death duels between masters, what truly mattered were the hidden, prepared follow-up moves. No matter how brilliant a first move, even at its pinnacle, Gao Shulu had witnessed and dismantled them all, finding them unremarkable. Four hundred years ago, he had annihilated almost all top martial artists, including two Land Sword Immortals; had he not encountered enough profound techniques and superior methods? However, knowing he was Gao Shulu, those who dared to engage him in such close-quarters combat were exceedingly rare in the miasma-ridden jianghu of four hundred years ago.

Unexpectedly, the inverted short saber, after rising only a few inches, was suddenly retracted. Not only that, but the long saber above his head was also pulled out from between Gao Shulu's fingers. Gao Shulu frowned. Could it be that this fellow, who dared to unleash a spiritual manifestation before him, had a promising start but was already out of tricks so quickly? Was he just another of those half-baked martial artists from four hundred years ago, who only knew a few simple moves? If so, what joy could the jianghu of four hundred years later offer that would make him shed his Seal for Opening Mountains and hope for a full-scale battle? Was it truly better to go to Martial Emperor City in the East Sea than come to Beiliang? However, Gao Shulu, too lazy to pursue his advantage, chuckled even as his brow furrowed. At some point, several red ropes, shaped like crimson serpents, had appeared on the back of his hand, growing wildly like weeds after an early spring rain. Moreover, nine perfectly rounded sword embryos, flying swords, buzzed and swirled around him, forming a seemingly insurmountable thunder pool. Of course, to Gao Shulu, these were mere diversions. The true killing blow was hidden within that initial overhead strike; the young man had begun paving the way for it since the azure sword qi first rolled down the mountain.

Xu Fengnian's form swayed backward, his body facing Gao Shulu, as he glided up the mountain in reverse, taking one step per stair, an indescribably elegant and unrestrained display.

The Spring Thunder Saber returned to its sheath. As it was sheathed, distant thunder rumbled "in every inch"!

For the first time, Gao Shulu simultaneously waved both sleeves, instantly patting the air around him five times. It was done with a lightheartedness that seemed more like an elegant scholar casually commenting on the world, rather than a dangerous counter-attack. Moments later, five thunderous booms erupted on Qinglu Mountain, blasting out five large craters that almost ruptured eardrums. After Gao Shulu repelled the "Thunder in Every Inch" technique, the sword array contracted. Gao Shulu was perhaps preoccupied with peeling the crimson serpent ropes from the back of his hand and did not actively block, but rather dodged, no longer arrogantly ignoring the assault. Xu Fengnian stood at a higher vantage point, two fingers pressed together, controlling the flying swords. Initially, only after a sword embryo reached its pinnacle could flying swords move with divine will, unconstrained by fixed techniques or the shackles of swordsmanship. However, this time Xu Fengnian wielded his sword with qi, proceeding unusually methodically and meticulously. Gao Shulu, for his part, showed no hint of disdain, regarding it with the same seriousness he had shown in dispersing the "Thunder in Every Inch." Xu Fengnian felt no pride in this; though the two methods were poles apart in terms of technique, they pursued the exact same outcome. Gu Jiantang's "Thunder in Every Inch" aimed to kill a Land God, and Deng Tai'a's target when pinning with flying swords in the East Sea was precisely Zhao Xuansu, the Spiritual Manifestation Heavenly Human from Longhu Mountain!

Xu Fengnian descended the mountain, and Gao Shulu ascended. After their encounter, Xu Fengnian's "welcoming gifts" were nothing short of astonishing. There was the "Two Sleeves Azure Serpents" from the old man in sheepskin, which "opened Shu" with the "Sword Qi Rolling Dragon Wall"; there was Gu Jiantang's ultimate technique, "Thunder in Every Inch," from the foremost saber-wielder in the world; there were the "red ropes" of Han Shengxuan, the "Human Cat" who had no rival below the Land Gods; and there was even Deng Tai'a's flying sword technique. Xu Fengnian showed Gao Shulu no politeness whatsoever. However, judging by the current situation, the formidable demon Gao Shulu was quite polite. Having dodged the flying swords meant to pin down a Heavenly Human, Gao Shulu did not fly into a rage. Instead, he seemed inappropriately lost in thought, sighing softly, "In my view, all martial arts under heaven are merely a matter of 'spirit' and 'essence.' Most masters inevitably have either strong essence and weak spirit, or strong spirit and weak essence. Especially in the contention between sword qi and sword intent in the way of the sword, a century before I became renowned, Lü Zu already distinguished between the Dao sword and the martial sword."

"For both spirit and essence to flourish is exceedingly rare. Among the masters who shared the jianghu with me back then, speaking purely of swordsmanship, their spirit and essence seem to fall short compared to the two swordsmen whose techniques you secretly learned. The sword qi that descended the mountain earlier possessed a grandeur that surpassed predecessors, and subsequently, the flying swords pinning the vital points of a Heavenly Human truly reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship. May I ask who these two swordsmen are? Are they still alive?"

Xu Fengnian calmly replied, "One is named Li Chungang, with no master or sect; unfortunately, he is already dead. The other is named Deng Tai'a, from the Wu family Sword Mound, whose master was killed by you. He has now gone to sea to seek immortals and has not yet returned."

Gao Shulu smiled faintly, "There is indeed a reason why the way of the sword could uniquely flourish in the martial world. For a thousand years, the world's sword mountains have always seen one peak surpass the next, never falling into the bad habit of extolling the past and belittling the present."

Gao Shulu suddenly turned his head to look beyond the mountain, "Your method of cultivating saber intent is very rare. I've waited this long, is it almost time?"

Xu Fengnian smiled, tapping the hilt of his Spring Thunder Saber. Both the saber and its sheath plunged into the stone steps behind him. Not only that, he also thrust the River Crossing Pawn, which he had been holding, into the steps, leaving only its sheath hanging at his waist. Though Xu Fengnian had nothing to lean on, his aura suddenly soared, looking down from above. "The division into the Four Realms of the First Rank has been used for four hundred years, and most people in the jianghu today are unaware that it actually originated from you, Gao Shulu. I'm very curious how you view the concept of 'pseudo-realms'."

Gao Shulu possessed the magnanimous bearing of a Grandmaster. Even at this moment, facing a life-or-death struggle, he spoke directly, "A pseudo-realm is not pseudo. It is roughly equivalent to the exoteric and esoteric methods of the Buddha. Esoteric Buddhism offers a shortcut to instant enlightenment, but it is not available to everyone. The key lies in who is cultivating."

Gao Shulu paused, then chuckled, "Life in this world is often unsatisfactory. Those who seek freedom often find themselves unfree. What you seek, you invariably fail to attain; the principle couldn't be simpler..."

As he spoke, Gao Shulu, who had only just taken half a step onto the steps after their encounter, instantly surged up the mountain, charging directly at Xu Fengnian. The latter, with a flash of insight, recalled his technique of "catching a sparrow so it cannot fly" from his time riding an ox on Wudang Mountain. Gao Shulu reached out a hand, but Xu Fengnian grasped it with both of his. With a twist of his toes, Gao Shulu was flung off his feet. However, Xu Fengnian also failed to break free from Gao Shulu's pull, and together they left the mountain steps, plummeting outwards. Gao Shulu was slammed down by Xu Fengnian's "Immortal Caressing the Crown" technique, while Xu Fengnian was lifted high by Gao Shulu's palm beneath his chin. The distance between them instantly stretched to over forty zhang. They looked at each other from high and low. Gao Shulu stood mid-air, as elegant as ever, while Xu Fengnian's upward momentum began to wane. With a sweep of his sleeves, the myriad raindrops on Qinglu Mountain, which Gao Shulu had previously pushed back to the Ninth Heaven, now simultaneously plummeted with Xu Fengnian's descent. The raindrops in the sky also varied in height; raindrops along the same vertical line, guided by their qi, caused higher drops to fall faster, resulting in raindrops stringing together, bead by bead, forming swords. If this merely formed a single line of rainwater into a long sword, it would be the Finger-Insight Realm, where one can "tap fingers to comprehend the heavenly secrets." But when tens of thousands of raindrops connected into a curtain-like sword net, that was undoubtedly the magnificent grandeur of the Heavenly Manifestation Realm.

This was not all. Xu Fengnian extended a hand, and the rain curtain was pulled along with it. The sword tips, close to his hand, followed Xu Fengnian's falling figure, all pointing towards Gao Shulu, who stood with hands behind his back, looking up.

When borrowing the power of heaven and earth, the momentum often moves beyond one's own control. This is the fundamental reason why the Land Immortals are ranked above the Heavenly Manifestation Realm.

Stringing beads into a sword is Finger-Insight; turning rain-swords into a curtain is Heavenly Manifestation; but commanding that sword curtain where to point, that is truly the undisputed Land Immortal.

Under Gao Shulu's Heavenly Human-level artistry, Qinglu Mountain had previously lost its gloomy, storm-ridden appearance, allowing it to bask in sole brilliance. Now, a black, oppressive sword curtain covered the sky, and heavy rain devastated the mountain. The scholars of Qinglu Cave Academy, who had previously heard no wind and no single drop of rain striking their eaves, had found it wonderfully mysterious. At this moment, they stopped their book-flipping and whispering, walked out of their rooms together, and saw the sword qi tornado rapidly descending the mountain. They were all horrified, looking at each other, their faces drained of color. Yu Luan Dao hurriedly ran out of the academy and stood by the railing with Hu Kui and Huangpu Ping, looking up at the young prince who was controlling the tornado in the sky. This most prideful young nobleman from Guangling Road was at this moment somewhat dazed, and somewhat full of longing.

Yu Luan Dao murmured, "Living between heaven and earth, one must stand tall to truly know freedom."

Gao Shulu curled his lips, let out a lazy yawn, and finally unleashed his spiritual manifestation.

Gao Shulu's physical body instantly landed. The Gao Shulu who should be called a "Spiritual Manifestation Heavenly Human" ascended above the rain-sword curtain to the Ninth Heaven. The person on the ground pushed a palm upwards, while the person in the sky brought a palm down.

"You, Xu Fengnian, may have thousands of swords that mimic heaven and earth, but I, Gao Shulu, have but one sword."

"Before this sword, what Land God is there? What Earth Immortal's single sword is there?"

This had a similar profound effect to the "Sword that Connects Heaven and Earth as a Single Line" used by Luoyang.

Xu Fengnian, though temporarily at a disadvantage, showed no fear, smiling softly, "Do you truly believe I haven't seen the sights above the nine-storey tower?"

Xu Fengnian snapped his fingers, allowing the myriad raindrops to lose their guidance, seemingly falling chaotically. He then sat cross-legged in the sky, resting his chin on one hand, and closed his eyes. "What if you, Gao Shulu, create your own heaven and earth? I have been waiting for this very move from you!" Xu Fengnian lightly waved a hand, as if clearing a desk, pushing away miscellaneous items. Afterwards, he raised his arm five more times, exactly like his "Carefree Excursion" after his battle with Wang Xianzhi, and softly said, "Mountains, rivers, city towers, plants, sun and moon, all living beings. Retreat."

Between the two Gao Shulus, the celestial phenomena twisted abnormally, and the rain-swords were shattered into smithereens.

However, this chaos, after Xu Fengnian uttered a single sentence, became a prophecy, and the myriad rain-swords re-condensed, "Sword, come."

Of the ten thousand rain-swords, only one remained, and that one sword transformed into a talisman.The talisman's name was "Seal Mountain."

Four hundred years ago, there was a talisman that "opened mountains." Four hundred years later, there was a talisman that "sealed mountains."

This talisman came from Li Chungang's two swords and two wishes, from Deng Tai'a riding a donkey backward to view the land, from Luoyang's rain transformed into swords, from Liu Haoshi's thunder pool, from Han Shengxuan's unparalleled Finger-Insight, from Song Nianqing's Earth Immortal's single sword before his death, from Xuanyuan Jingcheng's calm embrace of death, from Cao Changqing's observation of Tai'an City, from Jiang Ni's controlling a sword straight through eighteen gates, and so on. It came from all the elegance and charm of the outstanding individuals Xu Fengnian had encountered in his life, as well as from his tenth spiritual manifestation, his sitting on Kunlun to gaze at the vast sea, his cultivation of saber intent, the True Martial Emperor he had summoned on Spring God Lake, and from seeing "her" from four hundred years ago during a certain spiritual manifestation, and from "his own" talisman.

Once the talisman was released, Xu Fengnian paid it no further mind. He too unleashed a spiritual manifestation, coming to sit beside Gao Shulu.

This Spiritual Manifestation Heavenly Human showed no sign of irritation. Instead, his expression was serene and content as he leisurely gazed down at heaven and earth. Xu Fengnian softly asked, "Gao Shulu, if you had simply competed with me in martial arts strength, I would surely have lost. Why did you choose to compete on the level of realms?"

Gao Shulu replied indifferently, "What joy is there in a guaranteed victory for me, Gao Shulu? I never suffered a defeat four hundred years ago; what difference would one more victory four hundred years later make?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head.

Gao Shulu calmly said, "When I ascended the mountain, I only wanted to know if the 'forgetful person' of this generation could truly forget sorrow. To be honest, I didn't think much of you before. If you can be considered forgetful, then there would be no one in the world with worries. I chose to fall into cultivation deviation to forget everything. Those who did not know me wondered what I sought. Those who seemed to know me claimed I was troubled, but in reality, they only had a partial understanding. For four hundred years, perhaps only you truly know me."

Xu Fengnian, revealing a heavenly secret, slowly stated, "Four hundred years ago, you, Gao Shulu, were a prince of the Great Feng Dynasty, on the verge of ascending to the throne. But your heart was set on seeking immortality, not on becoming a mortal emperor for a mere hundred years. So you visited Wudang Mountain, the Taoist ancestral ground at the time, to ask a question: What is the meaning of the character 'Immortal'? At that time, Lü Zu's reincarnation had not yet awakened, and no one could give you an answer. You then went to Longhu Mountain, and again, no one could explain it, or rather, they only offered half an answer. It wasn't until later, when that person came into being at the opportune moment, that they helped you find the answer. The character 'Immortal' has two interpretations. Today, the two mountains, Wudang and Longhu, interpret it as 'half a person' and 'half a mountain' respectively. Longhu Mountain, aspiring to immortality, believes one must ascend the mountain, become a mountain dweller, single-mindedly pursue immortality, and ignore worldly affairs below the mountain. Wudang Mountain, however, inherited Lü Zu's will, cultivating on the mountain but attaining enlightenment below the mountain, cultivating oneself while also cultivating others. This aligns more with what you, Gao Shulu, sought. Unfortunately, the Taoist priests on the mountain at that time clearly had this intention but couldn't articulate the principle. Even if they had explained it clearly, it might not have fully satisfied you. In your view, Gao Shulu, being an immortal should not mean forgetting to be human. Once one passes through the Heavenly Gate and joins the ranks of immortals, one is no longer human. If such an immortal wished to descend to the mortal world, they would still have to abide by worldly fate. How could that be called true freedom between heaven and earth? Therefore, what you wanted to be was a unique Heavenly Human on the mortal plane, not a mountain dweller among the Nine Heavens."

Gao Shulu sighed with emotion, "Indeed. The world divides and unites; what worry do I have?"

Xu Fengnian smiled.

Gao Shulu retracted his gaze. "A swordsman has turned back from the sea, returning from seeking immortals, his sword pointing somewhere in the South Sea. That must be the Deng Tai'a you spoke of. Lastly, I want to ask, what do you seek?"

Xu Fengnian clasped his hands inside his sleeves and calmly replied, "Not dwelling on past or future lives, living without regrets in this life is enough."

Gao Shulu expressed a slight regret, "The jianghu four hundred years later is far more interesting. Unfortunately, the spirit that sustained my body and soul for four hundred years is, after all, an arrow at the end of its flight. Four hundred years ago, the Great Feng Dynasty had almost unified the realm, yet its capital was breached by northern barbarians. What do you say?"

Xu Fengnian nodded, "I've been waiting for you to say that."

Xu Fengnian tapped his finger, releasing the Seal Mountain talisman.

The Gao Shulu on the ground leaped up, and his physical body and spiritual form merged with the Gao Shulu in the sky.

Xu Fengnian also returned to his senses after his eleventh spiritual manifestation.

Gao Shulu stood up, glanced back at the world, smiled, and walked towards Xu Fengnian.

Gao Shulu, who four hundred years ago truly embodied an entire jianghu as a single individual, brushed past Xu Fengnian, but did not pass through him. Instead, he simply dissipated.

Worriless he came, worriless he departed.

I know life and death, yet I do not fear death; how then can death intimidate me? I have attained longevity, yet I do not cling to longevity; how then can longevity tempt me?

At this very moment, thunder rolled, purple qi formed clouds, and lightning flashed.

Above Qinglu Mountain, there was an awe-inspiring celestial phenomenon, hinting at the imminent arrival of a great tribulation.

It seemed there were also Heavenly Humans riding celestial dragons, appearing and disappearing within the clouds and mist, emerging from the thunder to act on behalf of heaven.

Xu Fengnian slowly raised his head, a cold sneer playing on his lips.

Behind him, a thousands-of-zhang-long snow-white giant python, formed from condensed destiny qi, coiled itself. It possessed nine claws and opened a mouth large enough to swallow a mountain, roaring towards the sky!

And then, there was nothing.

Because very soon, complete silence descended upon heaven and earth.