Chapter 63: Female Sword Immortal

Chapter 63: Female Sword Immortal

The sight was mesmerizing. A female sword immortal stood in mid-air, her clothes fluttering. In this serene place, she seemed ethereal and otherworldly, a transcendent being untouched by worldly matters.

"Old Chen, come out and see the celestial being! I told you I'd bring you all the gods and deities, the great demons from all generations. Now, a banished fairy is right in front of us. Wake up!" Wang Xuan called out. For some reason, he felt uneasy, thus he beckoned Old Chen, hoping that he would appear.

However, there was silence behind him. Old Chen did not respond.

"Old Chen, are you pretending to be unconscious? Don't be shy, come out and walk with me."

Throughout this, Qing Mu continued his ritualistic dance, oblivious to everything. He only noticed that Wang Xuan had become silent. Wang Xuan realized that as he channeled the techniques of the Early Qin practitioners, he had unknowingly stepped into the Inner Landscape, isolated from the material world.

He was certain that he had not willingly stepped into this place. How did I end up here?

The surroundings were eerily quiet, the Inner Landscape was dark, and a thick fog seemed to be expanding around him. Was I brought in by this mist? He was on high alert because this situation felt different from previous encounters. An aura of unease pervaded the environment, and he felt a sudden surge of anxiety. In the dim surroundings, a light rain seemed to pour down from the high skies, making it the only luminous area.

Wang Xuan looked up at the female sword immortal. Even though she was far away, within this Inner Landscape, everything was perceived through one's spirit. He could clearly see her face.

The female sword immortal appeared to be no older than twenty. Her actual age was unknown, but her external appearance was astonishingly youthful, pure, and radiant. Wang Xuan remained silent, observing her intently. She was undeniably beautiful, but what stood out the most was her ethereal demeanor, as if she was not from this world. Incredibly mesmerizing, she could capture anyone's attention instantly.

Wang Xuan stood still, lost in thought.

He felt that his sense of awe was deeply rooted in the modern fascination with ancient myths and legends. For generations, the idea of sword-bearing immortals had captivated the human spirit. Hence, seeing one firsthand was nothing short of surreal. But his reverie was shattered by a sudden flash of sword energy from above. This radiant beam cut through his admiration, making it clear that the sword immortal was not there for pleasantries.

She lunged at him with clear intent to harm, radiating a coldness that felt like it could pierce through his very soul. Danger, he realized, was palpable.

Reacting quickly, Wang Xuan sidestepped, dodging the lethal attack. It took him by surprise. How did I even manage to evade such an overpowering strike?

"Right," he thought, "the remnants of past spiritual energy were activated by my presence. What I see isn't the real her but just an echo of her past grandeur. It can't hurt me."

Each time Wang Xuan entered this realm, his senses would sharpen. It allowed him to find clarity, distancing himself from any potential danger. He understood that the sword immortal, though formidable, was not her true past self and did not possess the same immense power.

If she could truly influence the present, she would not have waited for future generations to activate the mysterious catalyst, only to emerge from the remnants of her own remains. The residual spiritual energy she possessed was nothing to be feared.

However, Wang Xuan soon paid the price for his overconfidence. A rain of sword energy descended, with dozens of beams covering the entire area. The majority of her attacks landed on him. Intense pain surged through Wang Xuan's body. It was almost unbearable, as if he had been thrust up into the heavens. The sword energies relentlessly struck him one after another.

Thankfully, they were just residual spiritual energies, peculiar in nature and incapable of completely destroying him. The only effect they could achieve as to cause immense pain. A chilling thought crossed his mind: Is the sword immortal just beginning to exert her influence on the real world? It was a terrifying notion.

"My body is invincible; all external illusions cannot harm me," he roared. If the residual spiritual energies could tear him apart, then things would truly be dire. He firmly believed that energies from beings long gone could not possibly have real power over him.

He channeled his Golden Body Technique, and a faint golden glow emanated from him. Suddenly, like a thrown spear, his body plummeted from mid-air, landing with both feet firmly anchored to the ground.

In this realm, a strong will can change everything and effectively counter the attacks of residual spiritual energy. Indeed, as Wang Xuan became increasingly resolute in his beliefs, continuously using the Golden Body Technique to protect himself and strengthen his spirit, he felt a subtle shift in the entire world around him.

However, while their sword techniques were strong, they were still far from the true prowess of a Sword Immortal.

The scene shifted, and suddenly, on a day with torrential rain, a man in black, wielding an exceptionally long black sword, arrived. He entered the mountain range, challenging the Sword Sect all by himself.

Boom!

Bright lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the dancing sword energies. The man in black, wielding a 1.5-meter long black sword, wreaked havoc within the Sword Sect. He moved through the sect, unstoppable and unopposed. On this stormy night, accompanied by thunder, heavy rain, and the glow of swords, he single-handedly massacred everyone in the Sword Sect. Leaving behind a blood-soaked sword, he turned his back and walked away.

The next day, after the rain had stopped, a young girl of about thirteen or fourteen years old returned to find the scene of carnage. Although the scene was blurry and no sound could be heard, her heart-wrenching pain was palpable as she knelt down amidst the corpses, crying inconsolably.

Wang Xuan immediately realized the situation. He was being wrongfully accused. A long time ago, the owner of the black sword had massacred a sword sect, and now, the karmic retribution was unfairly falling upon him, a modern-day man.

He felt deeply wronged. "What does this have to do with me?" he thought. "They should be seeking vengeance on the man in black or maybe they should get Old Chen instead!"

The scene continued to change. The young girl rapidly matured. She practiced swordsmanship obsessively, reaching perfection and transcending the ordinary. She became increasingly powerful, yet despite her travels all over the world, she could never locate the man in black to exact her revenge.

Many years later, after reaching the pinnacle of her swordsmanship and being on the brink of Ascension, she stood tall on the peak of a mountain where a secluded Taoist temple was located.

Boom!

Terrifying bolts of lightning raged from the sky, illuminating a night when the moon was full. The incessant flashes obscured the gleaming moon, rendering it invisible.

In the final scene, the female sword immortal soared towards the heavens only to shatter into pieces, vanquished by the thunderbolts. Her flesh and bones turned into a radiant shower of light amidst the lightning, emanating the brilliance of Ascension. This tragic end evokes deep emotions. Even a swordswoman of such formidable power met her end during the process of Ascension.

Ultimately, the only remnant of her that endured the thunder's wrath was the right hand she had wielded her sword with for years. A fragment of her bone survived the onslaught and fell from the skies, landing near the small Taoist temple. This fragment was her sole mark left in this world.

Although the female sword immortal had tormented Wang Xuan for five years, in this moment, he felt a wave of sympathy. He no longer harbored resentment towards her, believing she likely mistook him for a descendant of the man in black.

"Such a mighty female sword immortal, in the end, didn’t truly ascend to immortality but merely underwent Ascension, dissipating between the heavens and the earth," Wang Xuan lamented, feeling an ineffable sense of loss.

Then his thoughts drifted to the female practitioner, the ghost monk, and the ancient Buddha statue outside An City – none of them truly ascended to immortality either.

"Or perhaps, such a state is indeed considered as having achieved immortality?" He had pondered this question before, but he was reluctant to delve into it any further.

Because what he was currently embroiled in seemed to be a trap set by ancient beings, it sent shivers down his spine.

Boom!

Endless beams of sword energy erupted, illuminating the surrounding area with peaks that appeared to pierce the sky. Bathed in the luminous glow of the moon, the female sword immortal stood atop the highest mountain, preparing to strike at Wang Xuan with greater vigor than ever before.

Even within this Inner Landscape, Wang Xuan felt his heart race, gripped by an overwhelming sense of dread.

"Wait!" he shouted loudly, "It has nothing to do with me. If you wish to investigate the events of the past, let me bring someone into this realm for you. Just wait a moment, and I'll guide him into this world!"