World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 575: Advancing Two Realms At Once

As it turned out, sleep was still the best way to restore one's energy. Quiet meditation or daydreaming could never compare.

When Wang Sheng opened his eyes again, three months had already passed.

He detected no danger around him. When he breathed in the scent of grass and trees, he also sensed a very warm and gentle energy. It reminded him of his lazy afternoon naps at his grandmother's house as a child. Back then, until he fell asleep, he'd listen to his mother humming some popular tune while she was cooking in the kitchen.

He stretched lazily, admired the scenery, then stared idly at the clouds on the horizon.

So comfortable...

As a cultivator, though, waking up without first examining his own condition or spreading his spiritual perception to survey his surroundings felt rather "unprofessional."

He immediately turned his focus inward. A moment later, he jumped up in surprise and stared down at his own hands.

How have I broken through?!

Some sudden enlightenment after the great battle? No, it can't be! I didn't grasp anything after the fight. All I learned was that the Sword-Controlling Art's potential is limitless and that Green Lotus Ultimate is truly powerful.

But now, a trace of some strange power seemed to be within his bloodline. It was constantly strengthening his Dao Body, nourishing his Primordial Spirit, and even pushing him steadily toward the next cultivation realm.

This is far too strange... Is this because I shouted at the stars to obey my command? If not, then where did this power come from?

Wang Sheng was still deeply puzzled when he heard a soft dragon's hum. In his mind, he saw an image of Lishang holding a shell and carefully feeding him golden, flowing "sand."

Quickly catching on to the situation, he stood still for a moment, scratching his head. The Dragon Sword's spirit, who had been observing from the side, finally gave him the full answer.

After a brief hesitation, he immediately sat down cross-legged. He glanced at the jade pendant that had been knocked aside when he stood up, grabbed it back with a flick of his hand, and read the message inside. Then, he quietly examined the strange power now flowing in his blood.

It was unlike any immortal power that he had encountered before.

Wang Sheng swiftly concluded that this had to be part of the treasure that Lishang needed to break through to the Heavenly Immortal Realm. Judging by its effects, it was undoubtedly a supreme treasure of Nuwa's descendants!

The effect of this substance was simply astonishing.

Not only did it strengthen him physically, but it also elevated his human traits. His already tough Dao Body was heavily reinforced, his six senses greatly enhanced, and his spiritual perception immensely expanded.

Wang Sheng summoned the Dragon Sword and lightly pressed the blade against his fingertip, allowing him to clearly feel how solid his Dao Body was now. Even with the Dragon Sword, he had to apply deliberate force to actually break the skin.

A drop of blood hovered before him, within which flickered a trace of golden light. As the light pulsed, the blood transformed into wisps of primal qi and flowed back into his fingertip. The wound on the finger had already completely healed, with smooth, scarless skin covering it.

My regeneration speed is incredible!

He looked at his Primordial Spirit and noticed that it had become much more tangible, its details finer and clearer. Streaks of golden light coiled around it, steadily enhancing its very essence.

The strange power granted him way too many benefits. It was even making him concerned.

Would taking a portion of this golden sand affect Lishang's cultivation?

Worrying was pointless now, though. He had already consumed it.

Soon, Wang Sheng sat cross-legged and began stabilizing his cultivation at the realm that he had reached in a daze.

His breakthrough had put his cultivation realm far ahead of his Daoist realm, which was an exceedingly rare fortune. After all, this usually only happened when a low-realm cultivator consumed some supreme spiritual herb or used a godly treasure, essentially boarding the ship first and buying the ticket later. Even so, this was already his second time experiencing it, with the first being at the Earth Qi Immortal Spring.

The golden sand—the primordial power of Nuwa's lineage—wasn't a godly treasure, yet it surpassed one. Lishang's mother had left it behind to help Lishang break through her realm and perfect her bloodline, yet Lishang had given thirty percent of it to Wang Sheng.

Nuwa had also created the human race. Hence, in a sense, their races shared a connection with her lineage. Perhaps that was why the primordial power now prompted Wang Sheng's bloodline power to begin awakening, setting him on a path truly different from other human cultivators.

Humans could awaken, but it had rarely happened since ancient times.

The first humans that Nuwa had created were entrusted with leading the race. They possessed innate and divine abilities that could be passed down to their descendants. However, as humanity multiplied and grew distant from its creator, its bloodline power gradually faded.

The thirty percent of primordial power that Lishang had given Wang Sheng elevated his bloodline power, bringing it close to the legendary state of the first-generation humans. Not only did it immensely help him in his cultivation, but it also held extraordinary significance for his entire future path.

He hadn't fully absorbed the power yet, but since Lishang had already given it to him, all he could do now was seize this destined opportunity with all his might and avoid wasting her goodwill.

Following his guidance, the primordial power began to fuse more rapidly with his bloodline power. Soon, specks of golden light appeared all over him. From the mid-stage of the True Immortal Realm, his aura rose slowly but with a steady, unstoppable force. It surged onward endlessly, showing not the slightest hindrance!

The situation quickly became rather interesting.

Wang Sheng had no idea how he was breaking through in cultivation or how his Dao was evolving. Still, he focused solely on absorbing the primordial power to refine his Primordial Spirit and Dao Body.

Once this wave of improvement ended, he would have to spend long years slowly comprehending his Daoist realm until it caught up to his cultivation realm. Further progress would be nearly impossible if his understanding didn't match his power. Even so, this was several times faster than cultivating little by little.

After only half a month, waves of faint, golden immortal power surged around Wang Sheng. His Primordial Spirit rushed out from the crown of his head. Enveloped in a faint golden radiance, it hovered above him.

Five strands of sword intent revolved around it, and in its hand was the small wooden sword, which he hadn't seen in a long time.

After sitting quietly for a moment, the Primordial Spirit raised one hand and pointed to the sky. Bright spiritual light burst from its eyes as lightning bolts appeared ten meters above the spirit and simultaneously crashed down toward it.

The Primordial Spirit lifted the wooden sword in its small hand lightly, instantly shattering the lightning bolts.

The Primordial Spirit then began to dance with the sword. From the Heavenly Ziwei Sword Intent to the Dragon-Slaying Sword Intent, the five great sword intents flashed one after another. Rays of sword energy swept freely toward the distant sky.

When the sword dance ended, the Primordial Spirit swung its sword at the Dao Body. Though it didn't hurt his Dao Body, Wang Sheng felt as though the attack had cut something intangible and broken the invisible shackles that heaven and earth had been using to bind his Dao Body and Primordial Spirit.

Clusters of Pure Yang Qi appeared out of thin air around the Dao Body. Blooming lotus flowers, shining stars, and endlessly twisting cyan dragons followed it. With a draconic roar, the Primordial Spirit then returned into the Dao Body. The small wooden sword vanished with it.

Wang Sheng opened his eyes but remained seated, letting the strange images around him disappear.

His mouth twitched as he doubted his own life and felt many emotions.

By cutting one's false self, one reaches true understanding. Neither dying nor living—such is a True Immortal.

This was the exact state that cultivators looked for at the True Immortal Realm. Though he hadn't perfected it yet, Wang Sheng had certainly entered the late stage of the True Immortal Realm.

How did I reach it?

Wang Sheng truly had no idea. He would have to learn more about his Dao's changes later.

Once he had absorbed every last drop of Nuwa's primordial power, his immortal power changed once more from milky white to golden, but that was only a superficial transformation. The enhancement of his bloodline power, the strengthening of his Primordial Spirit and Dao Body, and his deeper understanding of the Great Dao were the primordial power's true effects.

Wang Sheng still found it hard to believe that he had truly reached the late stage of the True Immortal Realm.

It was hard to determine just how powerful an immortal was at each stage. One could not simply calculate it based on their amount of immortal power, number of sword arts, or divine abilities. They certainly couldn't define it based on how much weight they could lift, either.

Sparring was the best way to figure out how strong one truly was.

Wang Sheng thought back to his all-out battle with Tan Lang. At the time, he kept losing ground to the giant wolf. He could only rely on his sword arts' profundity to stay in the fight, and even then, he kept accumulating injuries. Now, however, Wang Sheng felt sure that he could face Tan Lang and win without even using Green Lotus Ultimate!

The primordial power didn't completely transform him, but he did receive great benefits from it.

Wang Sheng raised his thumb toward the stone palace where Lishang was resting. He then began to worry if Lishang had enough primordial power for herself. To make matters worse, he had no idea how he could repay her for giving him such an unparalleled gift.

Once I reach a higher cultivation realm, should I help her fulfill her wish by finding a handsome descendant of Goddess Nuwa? No, forget it. In the future, I'll just do my best to help her if she ever gets into trouble. Mm, if all else fails, I can always dress Little Liu in a naga outfit... Just kidding.

Wang Sheng laughed softly and picked up Lishang's jade pendant. With the Dragon Sword on his shoulder, he flew toward the edge of the island.

He didn't explore the area on foot. Since Yaoyun wasn't with him, he wouldn't know what the effects of the spiritual herbs were anyway, much less which ones he could pick. Moreover, he had already received so many benefits from Lishang. It would be wrong to pluck up her plants as well.

Wang Sheng found a waterfall on a different island, washed away the blood and dirt on him, and changed into a gray robe. He then spent some time practicing his sword arts by the lake. Afterward, he summoned Flying Haze and the Flying Clouds, wiped them down, and nourished them thoroughly with immortal power.

This small world didn't have a day-night cycle, but the sky changed colors often. Staying here was very comfortable.

Three years wasn't that long. He would wait until Lishang had come out of seclusion, then have a proper chat with her. For now, he would just train in the sword and comprehend the Dao.

When he took out Qinglin's broken sword, his mood immediately turned heavy. He touched the broken blade with his fingers as he recalled how the Daoist master had smiled as he had disappeared.

Even though only his broken sword would be able to come home, Qinglin faced death without regrets. That was what it meant to be a true sword cultivator.

Men from Earth should be like that!

If their positions were reversed, Wang Sheng feared he couldn't be as unrestrained.

He stood up and put the broken sword in the Qiankun Ring to keep it safe. Afterward, he remembered Lishang mentioning that the Great Dao had abandoned Nuwa's descendants. She had also mentioned that there were many murals here, in her ancestral land.

Curious about Nuwa's location and the reason behind the sorrowful disappearance of her descendants, Wang Sheng looked for the ruins. He believed they were hiding the answers to his questions.

***

Under the moon laurel tree of the Moon Palace, Small Immortal Realm.

Xi Lian, who donned a pink dress, stood in front of a palace and looked at the Small Immortal Realm's clouds. She had just finished months of training and came out for some fresh air.

"Little Lian..."

That tone... that voice...

Xi Lian quickly turned toward the sound, but all she saw was a leaf falling from the moon laurel tree.

It's just a leaf. I'm probably just having auditory illusions.

She stood in a daze, staring at the tips of her embroidered shoes. Her mind drifted to some distant place.

Wang Xiaomiao poked out from the palace, revealing a cloud hairpin clipped to her hair. With a worried expression, she asked, "Big Sister, I have a question about cultivation. Since my master isn't here, can you help me instead?"

"I'm coming," Xi Lian confidently replied. She then laughed. "Right now, I'm the number one immortal in terms of cultivation on Earth. I am proficient in both Buddhist and Daoist arts. What question could possibly stump me?"

Half an hour later, she shouted, "Go! Go find Daoist Master Bu Yan! This question is not in the syllabus! I mainly cultivate in Buddhism anyway! Mm, Amitabha."

Wang Xiaomiao was at a loss for words.