Chapter 96: Re-Enlightenment of Flowing Water

  Li Ran walked into his own cave and closed the stone gate tightly. He sat down in front of the stone table, frowning.

  His biggest worry is still his father. From past life experience, Li Ran knew that at the age of 16, he heard the bad news of his father's death. Now there are more than two years left until that time, but after rebirth, who knows if everything will still follow the development of his previous life? What if something unexpected happens in between...

  Li Ran didn't dare imagine it anymore, everything was waiting for me, only by speeding up all plans would be better.

  He took out the heavy phosphorus from his bosom, looked at this spiritual metal, and his eyes slowly lit up. Selling it to Cang Zhen Pavilion would be 2000 points, and with those points, he could exchange for many good things among the countless rare treasures in Cang Zhen Pavilion.

  Thinking of Cang Zhen Pavilion, Li Ran's heart was burning with excitement. As a Golden Sword disciple, he could exchange for an 80% discount there, which means that these 2000 points could be used as 2500 points, and the extra 500 points that came out of thin air could buy even more good things.

  Is this phosphene sold to Zhenzhen Pavilion or let Xiajian absorb it for evolution?

  Li Ran's knife was stuck in a dilemma.

  Increasing combat effectiveness requires spiritual medicine, demon pellets, and heavenly treasures, all of which require points. One can cultivate their divine consciousness and input it into a spiritual device to achieve stronger attacks. Even the most ordinary spiritual devices are expensive, and the Treasure Pavilion also has spirit symbols, inner armor, and immortal calabazas born from the essence of heaven and earth, as well as countless jade pupil tubes...

  Li Ruo thought to this point, his heart became more and more eager, holding the phosphorus crystal he slowly stood up, selling the phosphorus crystal would make those things easily obtainable, however after thinking about it again, he suddenly sat down and shook his head vigorously.

  "No, I won't exchange it. Although Phosphorescent Pearl can be exchanged for many treasures, I still choose to let Xiao Jian absorb and evolve it."

  The thought was so firm that Li Ruo put the phosphene back on the stone table and slowly took out a small sword from the beast skin bag at his waist.

  "Treasures are good, but they're just external means to increase my strength. However, the small sword is different. Every small evolution of the small sword allows me to have a deeper grasp of the sword realm and a clearer understanding of the way of heaven and earth. That's an advancement in the essence of life."

  "Every time you raise your boundary, you are already standing at a higher angle to look at cultivation and combat. Only the improvement of one's own boundary is the most fundamental."

  Having understood this point, Li Ran's knife no longer hesitated, using a small sword to cut the phosphene with an astonishing density into fine strips, and then slowly absorbing and swallowing the essence.

  Witnessing a rare and precious Spiritual Gold being drained of its essence by the small sword, Li Ruo was still in shock. The small sword had absorbed all the essence energy of the phosphorus, and the light on its body seemed to shine brighter. Li Ruo didn't know whether he should be delighted or heartbroken.

  More than 2,000 points, just gone like that.

  With a small sword in hand, he entered a state of meditation. With a humming sound, his primordial spirit flew into the sword body like stars. In the vast and desolate sky, the bright-colored cloud grew a little bigger. His primordial spirit flew into the cloud, familiar with the road, standing in the same old place. A faint golden secret pattern pierced through his primordial spirit with a whooshing sound, shaking it away.

  Li Ran felt an unprecedented comfort throughout his body in that instant.

  He hastily focused his attention on the mysterious pattern, and the small sword absorbed a phosphorescent stone, but it was still fourfold waves, the fifth wave pattern that grew out was only half the size.

  Li Ran nodded secretly, the smaller sword evolved more and more, requiring more energy later on. It seems that if he wants to let the small sword fully evolve into five heavy waves, he still needs a piece of spiritual gold as big as phosphorus. He felt a slight regret in his heart, such a large piece of spiritual gold didn't even allow him to reach five parts of the sword intent, it seems he still needs to think of another way to accumulate points.

  The mysterious pattern shuttled back and forth, engraving a deeper level of sword intent in the yuan Shen. After a long time, the mysterious pattern passed through the yuan Shen without any feeling. The yuan Shen flew back swiftly and disappeared into Li Ran's knife brow heart.

  Li Ran's eyes suddenly opened, and he stretched out his hand to make a light slash in the air. Suddenly, he felt the spiritual energy of heaven and earth surging like waves, and the momentum of heaven and earth was even clearer.

  With a gentle stroke again, it suddenly condensed into a sword finger and swiftly stabbed forward, making a hissing sound. One finger pierced the mountain wall beside him, creating a hole more than ten inches deep.

  Li Ran's heart was filled with great joy, although he hadn't grasped the Five Elements Sword Intention, his own strength had still increased greatly. The precious Phosphorus Essence had allowed the small sword to evolve to such an extent, how could it be in vain?

  A fish leaped up from the stone bed, took out a pellet of washing marrows and threw it into an empty gourd, poured in spiritual spring water, shook it hard, turned the spiritual pellets into a full gourd of thick liquid, carried it on his back, held a long sword and went out of the cave, and searched for the waterfall again.

  The thunderous sound of water is deafening.

  Li Ran's eyes narrowed, focusing his mind on the rushing water. He felt as if swords were dancing before him. Without hesitation, he leapt into the water, his long sword unfolding like a whirlwind.

  Li Ran practiced sword in the water, not to practice his sword power, nor to imitate the shape of the water flow, but to gain insight into the momentum of heaven and earth from the water's momentum. The countless water momentum in his eyes were all sword momentum, as the sword momentum swung, the sword intent in his chest poured out like a strong energy, and the sound of breaking wind was all around his ears.

  The Small Sword Secret Pattern evolved once again, and this time Li Ran felt that the sword energy dancing in his eyes was three times more abundant than before, indicating that he had taken a step further in his understanding of the heavens' will.

  The long sword slanted and slashed, following the momentum of the rushing water, suddenly flipping its wrist to roll up a wave that surged upwards in reverse, bursting into a deafening roar as the boiling waves shot up into the sky.

  Chong Xi's sword was incredibly powerful, and Li Ran's knife was both shocked and delighted.

  After practicing swordplay in the water for a long time, Li Rando felt short of breath and jumped back to the nail pillar to catch his breath. He took out the gourd behind him and drank a big mouthful. The elixir equivalent to 800 points was gone in just one big mouthful, which was worth tens of points. Cultivation was indeed expensive, but Li Rando didn't have time to worry about that. Sitting in the mist, he refined the energy of the elixir and continued to wield his sword, jumping into the waterfall once again.

  Slanting and stabbing, Li Ran's sword in his palm became more agile, the force stronger, one sword out, instantly cutting a long slit in the water curtain-like waterfall, as if cutting a piece of cloth into two pieces with one sword.

  At first, in Li Ruo's eyes, the vast expanse of water vapor was only a few dozen sword energies. As his swordsmanship deepened, the water vapor in front of him gradually transformed into nearly a hundred sword energies, then two hundred, three hundred, and even more.

  Every sword energy is a running law of the heaven and earth's momentum.

  Li Ruo finally came to a great realization at this time, the true sword path is not about practicing sword moves to be precise and proficient, but to make every sword move deeply merge with the momentum of heaven and earth.

  It wasn't until then that Li Ruo truly grasped the true essence of the sword.

  One sword out, all sorts of spiritual movements, each sword contains deep mystery. In an instant, ten thousand swords come out together, the huge waterfall is like a profound and powerful warrior, ten thousand streams surge, and Li's knife fights to a stalemate. The water splashes, with a loud whoosh, the entire surface of the water rises up and overflows all the pillars, surging forward to a farther place.

  For a whole month of cultivation, Li Ran's heart was undistracted and his swordsmanship grew at a visibly rapid pace.

  On this day, Qin Fengchuan, who had rushed back to the mountain early, hastily ran to the Xuanhuo Cave and shouted at the door with all his might. His face was covered in sweat as he panted heavily and yelled: "Which senior brother is on duty inside? Open the door for me, I have something urgent to tell Burning Knife..."

  The stone door creaked open, and a bright light shone from inside. Tu Shun poked out half of his head, grinning at Qin Fengchuan as he shook his head and said: "It's you again, that little scamp! I'm so fed up with people like you from the Xian Tang performing such antics. You think you're above others just because you have nothing better to do? Our Xuan Huo Cave has produced a Golden Sword disciple, but it only makes you envious and jealous, unable to do anything about it. Sigh... if I didn't consider our friendship with Reng Jian, you wouldn't be allowed in here so easily."

  Qin Feng shook his head and smiled bitterly, squeezing through the stone gate. He let out a sigh: "Tú Shùn Master Brother, I know you're fed up with us Tian Xuan disciples' arrogant attitude, but relying on Burning Blade to intimidate us every day... Ah, Burning Blade, Burning Blade..."

  "What's wrong with him?"

  Tu Shun's loud voice startled him, and his eyes widened in surprise. Ma Kong, who was in the inner chamber, also rushed over upon hearing the noise. Qin Fengchuan hastily paid his respects: "Greetings, Master Ma."

  Ma Kong nodded slightly.

  Qin Feng turned around and looked at Tu Shun, shaking his head: "Brother Tu Shun, where's Burning Knife? I have an urgent matter to see him about."

  Tu Shun hastily said: "Ran Jian is not in the cave, he went out to find a place to practice, quickly say, what did you just say about Ran Jian?"

  Li Ruo Dao was not there, Qin Feng Chuan was stunned for a moment, then shook his head again: "Senior brother, our Performing Immortal Hall received the news just now. Just now, Shan Zhi senior brother broke into the Phantom Spirit Cave and achieved the astonishing record of killing 299 spirit beasts on the fourth floor of the Phantom Spirit Cave, surpassing Li Ruo Dao in one move. He even surpassed Miao Fei Yu senior brother who was ranked 79th on the Golden Sword List. Shan Zhi senior brother has returned to the Golden Sword List and is now ranked 79th, while Miao Fei Yu senior brother is 80th. Li Ruo Dao... he fell off the Golden Sword List."

  "Is this true?"

  Ma Kong suddenly appeared from behind and grabbed Qin Fengchuan's arm with one hand, his face changing color.

  Qin Feng nodded slowly and sighed, "Absolutely true, as soon as I heard the news, I rushed over to inform Rong Jian, letting him prepare himself mentally. I'm afraid it won't be long before Fang Ziyan Shixiong comes to retrieve the Golden Sword emblem, I fear Rong Jian will suffer a blow..."

  Ma Kong and Tu Shun stared at each other, both feeling uncomfortable in their hearts.

  That day finally arrived, Yamato endured humiliation and bitter training, and indeed made tremendous progress, increasing the number of spirits he could cut from 70 to nearly 300, what a magnitude of leap in strength. Although they had long been mentally prepared, their hearts still felt sour.

  Tu Shun pouted and muttered to himself, "I was going to ask Rong Yan for help buying things at Cang Zhen Pavilion with a 20% discount, but now it's all over. That privilege is gone too, and I don't have the face to mock the disciples of Yan Xian Tang anymore..."

  Ma Kong let out a long sigh, turned his head to Tu Shun and said: "Go find Jian Huo back, tell him this news ahead of time, so he can also be mentally prepared, or else when Fang Shi Xiong comes later, he won't be able to find anyone."

  Tú Shùn nodded in agreement and was about to step out of the cave, when Qín Fēng Chuān caught up from behind: "Tú Shùn shī xiōng, I'm going too. We can cover more ground if we split up."