Legend of the Great Sage
chapter-1040

How many days had passed outside the Pavilion of Heaven and Earth was a mystery. The sun continued to shine.

Everything that happened in the Sword Domain of Heaven and Earth was like a dream. Li Qingshan glanced at his hands. That feeling of being able to control everything was truly enthralling. It was no wonder the Elders of Heaven and Earth would hole up inside.

He took in all three thousand sword moves. The wonders behind their change and the miracles behind their evolution widened his horizons. The standard it was on was no less than the bladesmanship that the Frenzy Flower Blade of Path’s End possessed.

This was probably the strongest sword style this World of the Nine Provinces could come in touch with. Once unleashed, it was enough to overwhelm the world.

Of course, who knew how much more time it would take to truly master the sword moves, but it would definitely be much easier for him than the Elders of Heaven and Earth, as he possessed the full sword manual. There was an intrinsic difference compared to comprehension where they were only feeling their way around.

Though, who exactly left behind the Sword Collection Manual of Heaven and Earth?

Li Qingshan had a vague guess. When he deduced the three thousand sword moves, he could sense a connection to the sword intent within the Three Absolutes Calligraphy. They took completely different forms, but they achieved the same effect.

As a result, he brought the swordsmanship he had learnt from the Three Absolutes Calligraphy into the deduction process, and sure enough, they corresponded with one another. That was why he managed to completely deduce all three thousand sword moves in such a short time.

The Five Absolutes Immortal had sure left a deep mark in the Green province. Li Qingshan glanced backwards. Don’t tell me?

“Congratulations on comprehending the supreme swordsmanship within the Sword Collection Manual of Heaven and Earth, fellow!”

The master of the Sword Collection palace’s gaze was rather mixed as well. As the palace master, he had only comprehended up to the one thousand, seven hundred and fifty first move. Meanwhile, the Light Queen and Ji Xuanri behind him changed in expression, feeling both surprised and annoyed, as well as some disbelief.

“It didn’t seem particularly difficult. Have the three of you been specially waiting for me here?”

Li Qingshan was very confused. No matter what the Sword Collection palace was scheming, five great sword cultivators working together combined with the protective sword formation made even Northmoon dying here a possibility, while the strength he had demonstrated the entire time was limited to a Demon King’s. Did they have to offer up benefits to him again and again like this?

Under the circumstance where their strength formed a drastic difference, what was the point of a scheme? Or were they after even more than that?

“Qingshan, I do have a personal request. Could you record the three thousand sword moves?” Ji Xuanri asked eagerly. The palace master and Light Queen were thinking about this too.

This was the greatest difference between comprehending all of the sword moves and comprehending just a part of the sword moves. It was basically impossible for the latter to pass on these moves, as the process of derivation and evolution was far too complicated in the Sword Domain of Heaven and Earth. Apart from the most basic sword moves, every sword cultivator would have their own experiences and comprehensions when they arrived at the stage of merging them together. None of the paths they took would be completely the same. At most, they could cross-verify with one another.

Only at the very peak could they take in everything as a single view. Only when they understood all the moves could they pass it onto others. That was not possible even if a single move was missing.

“That’s… not a problem. What can I do about the fact that I’m an honoured guest elder of the Sword Collection palace? If it weren’t for the palace master’s generosity, I would have never been able to study this Sword Collection Manual of Heaven and Earth,” Li Qingshan said with great generosity.

The palace master’s eyes lit up, and his lips curled. Not only could a complete Sword Collection Manual of Heaven and Earth allow his cultivation to progress drastically, but it would also bring a qualitative change to the Sword Collection palace’s overall strength too.

“I’ll be troubling you, Qingshan,” said Ji Xuanri.

Then Li Qingshan burst their bubble. “Though, I’m not a sword cultivator after all. So far, I’ve only deduced a rough approximation of the Sword Collection Manual of Heaven and Earth. I have to master it first before I can summarise the profound sword style within. If I have to write out the entire sword style on paper, probably even ten thousand pages won’t be enough. It’s definitely not something I can complete overnight either. If I make any mistakes or miss anything when I’m in a rush, that would be horrible of me.”

Li Qingshan brushed them aside with a serious demeanour. He clearly knew they were hostile towards him, and yet he would still give them a set of supreme sword moves? That was something only an idiot would do. This was perfect for stringing them along too, so the palace master would have some qualms and reconsider whatever scheme he had in mind.

The palace master frowned. He could tell how Li Qingshan was trying to shirk away from this responsibility, which left him very displeased, except Li Qingshan’s excuse made perfect sense. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it. On top of that, since he hoped Li Qingshan would leave behind the Sword Collection Manual of Heaven and Earth, he could not press him too far.

“Then take your time with the comprehension, fellow. Hopefully, you succeed soon. By then, you can become a true great elder of our Sword Collection palace!”

“Bear in mind, I’m a disciple of the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga,” Li Qingshan said.

The status of great elders in the Sword Collection palace was no less than the palace master himself. They even surpassed him slightly, able to determine the overall trajectory of the entire sect. They possessed much more authority than guest elders. The palace master actually wanted an outsider like him to become one?

“You’re just a secular disciple. I’m sure our Sword Collection palace will be much more open-minded than the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga,” said the palace master, hinting at something.

“Alright. I’m sure there’ll be a day like that.” Li Qingshan smiled inside. The three thousand swords moves sure are attractive.

……

In the tall pavilion, the lighting was a little dim. Dust particles floated through the air.

Li Qingshan walked between the tall, heavy bookshelves, rapidly flipping through the books before closing them again, picking up the jade slips one by one before placing them down again.

The Sword Collection pavilion—this was the place where most disciples of the Sword Collection palace studied the sword. It was the foundation of the Sword Collection palace.

Only swordsmasters and elders who had undergone the second heavenly tribulation were allowed to enter the Pavilion of Heaven and Earth. Many disciples of the Sword Collection palace would never set foot inside this place for their entire lives.

After deducing the three thousand swords moves, Li Qingshan really had become slightly tempted to pick up the path of the sword again. The Sword Collection Manual of Heaven and Earth had been temptingly powerful, but the Blade Spirit of Frenzy Flower simply refused to let him refine the Soul Cycling sword.

Li Qingshan could only give up. After all, while the Soul Cycling sword was a renowned sword, it could not compare to the Frenzy Flower Blade of Path’s End yet. The latter was regarded as a renowned blade even in the Asura realm.

But regardless, the Sword Collection Manual of Heaven and Earth had still been worth comprehending, even if it was only to teach it to Xiao An. Meanwhile, he did not spend too much time on the most complete system for sword cultivators in the Sword Collection pavilion either with his deductive abilities.

Li Qingshan passed through another row of bookshelves and suddenly saw a familiar figure standing with his back to the light at the end of the aisle. He was a handsome man, currently smiling at him.

“Chengzan!” Li Qingshan said.

“Qingshan, long time no see! Or should I call you honoured guest elder?” Hua Chengzan walked over. He carried a sword on his back, which made him seem a little more graceful.

“You’ve undergone the second heavenly tribulation too. You really are the greatest genius of the Clear River prefecture.” Li Qingshan patted his shoulders with a smile.

“Stop making fun of me. Compared to you, what kind of genius am I supposed to be? It’s all thanks to the sword on my back that I managed to achieve this cultivation. It can’t compare to your renowned Soul Cycling sword, but it’s also a rare, treasured sword…” Hua Chengzan said slowly, but he never mentioned his sword’s name.

Li Qingshan thought of something. Someone seemed to have asked him that before!