World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 578: Heavenly Immortal Lishang

Watching Linyuan sitting by the water and deeply comprehending his Daoist realm, Wang Sheng finally felt somewhat reassured. Temporarily solving the matters concerning Lishang had somewhat eased the heavy feeling that Qinglin's death had brought him.

At the very least, not everyone was without choice, and not everything was without leeway. Hence, Wang Sheng felt that there were still things he himself could do.

Linyuan stayed by the stretch of marshland for half a month. Upon waking, he came to Wang Sheng to offer his thanks.

The heart devil that had trapped him for ten thousand years was simply his belief that he had unintentionally committed an unforgivable sin and that he himself regarded Nuwa as supremely important. This had a direct connection to his relentless exploration of the Primal Era's secrets and his search for all things related to it back then.

When Wang Sheng asked how Linyuan planned to speak with Lishang afterward, Linyuan thought it over carefully before saying, "Regardless of what happened, I still owe her. If she is willing to maintain the status quo in the future, she may naturally return to the Xinghai Sect. The sect master and I will not mention this matter again."

Wang Sheng smiled. "That's actually the best course of action. It also saves Vice Sect Master Lishang from overthinking. She may seem cold at first glance, but she is actually very perceptive."

Linyuan sighed. "Did you have a safe journey?"

Wang Sheng's expression immediately darkened. He quietly closed his eyes, but his aura fluctuated slightly.

"Kachew, what happened?"

Linyuan was confused. Wang Sheng and Lishang appeared to be both fine and had safely arrived at their destination. Moreover, Wang Sheng even seemed to have made further progress in his cultivation.

"The Celestial Wind Sect ambushed us just before we could get to this place."

Linyuan was stunned. "How is that possible? Only the sect master and I knew about your plans. The sect master absolutely wouldn't—"

"Someone used a recording orb to record Lishang and me checking star maps in the scripture repository. They sent it to the Celestial Wind Sect, which in turn deployed two Heavenly Immortals and five war slaves."

Greatly alarmed, Linyuan exclaimed, "What?! Who's the elder that betrayed us?! Kachew, do not scare me. Were you just trying to fool me when you said Lishang is in seclusion for a breakthrough?"

"See for yourself, Senior." Wang Sheng handed over the jade pendant that Lishang had left him. "She truly is unharmed."

Linyuan calmed down and sighed deeply. "The thirteen qi stars all fear Tan Lang's ferocity. How did you manage to escape? How arduous must it have been to be inside the array! I am Lishang's master, yet I have been so useless!"

Wang Sheng answered in a low tone, "Tan Lang is already dead. I don't really want to talk about how he was slain, but I can at least say that the vice sect master and I fought with our lives on the line. In the end, we barely survived. Now, I've sworn to fight the Celestial Wind Sect until only one side remains!"

Linyuan felt the fury that was threatening to erupt from Wang Sheng. Unaware of what had happened, he could only nod slowly at the side.

"I never thought this tribulation would truly fall upon the Celestial Wind Sect. Lishang is the vice sect master of the Xinghai Sect. Attacking her is no different from declaring war on us!"

"We actually have another problem," Wang Sheng said. "I worry that once the Celestial Wind Sect learns of the wolf fiend's death, they will launch a preemptive strike on the Xinghai Sect. Unfortunately, I have no way to contact the sect master."

Linyuan said, "I had a communication talisman with me, but I accidentally lost it on the way here. Stay here and wait for Lishang, Kachew. I'll rush back and warn the sect! I'll also drag that spy into the light and make them understand the consequences of betraying their own sect!"

Wang Sheng nodded in agreement, reminded Linyuan to be careful on the road, and pointed out the location of the secret path for him.

Linyuan hesitated several times, as if wanting to speak. He also kept looking back every few steps as he left.

Confused, Wang Sheng asked, "What is it, Senior?"

Linyuan flushed red. "Well, to be honest, I accidentally lost my storage artifact on the way here, and it's going to be hard to force my way through Guimo..."

Though momentarily speechless, Wang Sheng quickly took out several top-tier Immortal Stones, several hundred regular Immortal Stones, and some alchemical pills. He also gave him a Crane-Spirit Treasure Pouch, one of Earth's local specialties.

Wang Sheng thought for a moment as he watched the elder leave, then shook his head slightly. Now that Linyuan was returning to warn the sect, he didn't have to worry too much anymore.

Wang Sheng actually still had a communication talisman on him, but he couldn't possibly endanger Huai Jing and the others as well. They weren't familiar with the Xinghai Sect yet, and it wasn't even a guarantee that they could meet Yao Xingzi.

Linyuan also decided to return early to avoid the awkwardness of meeting Lishang here. He probably wouldn't be able to face her in this place.

"Seems like Elder Linyuan has had it rough, too."

Wang Sheng shook his head, looked around, and found himself a scenic spot with decent feng shui—ahem, a decent place for secluded cultivation. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

For the next year or so, he cultivated next to the pool. He didn't simply bury himself in comprehending his Daoist realm. Every half a month of meditation, he would seek out and fight ferocious beasts at the Heavenly Immortal Realm for several days. The battles allowed him to quickly adapt to his realm and gain a clearer grasp of his own strength.

The only ones suffering were a few of the beasts that Wang Sheng had taken a liking to. Every so often, he would give them a solid beating, thoroughly stripping them of any dignity befitting the successors of ancient predators.

The beasts were mostly descendants of primordial beings, who had different cultivation paths. Primordial beings weren't all humanoid or highly intelligent, either. Moreover, most of them were born powerful but didn't put much effort into becoming even stronger.

The fiend race referred to plants, beasts, and birds that cultivated enough to gain spirituality. Their cultivation path was very similar to that of the human race since it originated from the same source. Furthermore, they all eventually underwent a transformation that gave them forms close to an Innate Dao Body. Until then, though, they were simply referred to as beasts and birds.

The difference between beasts and fiends lay in the fundamental distinction of their cultivation methods. Some beasts could also transform, but they didn't do it to better align with the Great Dao.

Fighting against these powerful yet unintelligent ferocious beasts was highly beneficial to Wang Sheng. Though it wasn't the same as battling cultivators, they possessed different divine abilities and means of attack, giving him many new insights into the Dao of the Sword.

The Thirty-Six Dragon-Slaying Strikes proved to be far more effective than the Pure Yang Sword Song against them. Hence, Wang Sheng took this opportunity to further perfect his Dragon-Slaying Sword Intent.

Unfortunately, he only got to fight them for a little over a year.

One day, Wang Sheng awoke from comprehension with the Dragon Sword already impatiently letting out bursts of trembling hums. However, just as he thought about which beast to "pat" next, the water behind him suddenly split open to reveal a fissure. He then heard a slightly urgent shout come from it.

"Elder Pi!"

Wang Sheng turned his head and immediately saw Lishang, who was dressed in a long, light-golden skirt. Her black hair, which now had light-green streaks, cascaded down like a waterfall. She had clearly rushed out to search for him without even tidying herself first.

Nevertheless, she was still as beautiful and enchanting as before. Her phoenix eyes and thick brows seemed to have come straight from a painting, while her straight nose and vermilion lips appeared to be heaven-made.

Her serpentine tail showed no sense of incongruity. On the contrary, it added a peculiar sensory impact. With her supple snake waist and rising peaks, her figure far surpasses that of ordinary female immortals.

Currently, Lishang radiated a faint pressure, and her eyes flickered golden from time to time. A sacred and pure aura also surrounded her. To top it all off, her immortal power now seemed as vast as an ocean and still appeared to be growing.

Unfortunately, the aura dissipated instantly when she saw Wang Sheng.

"I thought you had already left!"

Wang Sheng smiled. "Elder Linyuan came looking for you but got tangled up with a ferocious beast. I came out to help him out, but then I could not get back in."

Lishang's delicate eyebrows knit slightly. "Where is he?"

"He was worried that the Celestial Wind Sect would target the Xinghai Sect. Hence, he rushed back to catch the traitor. It's already been a year since he left."

"We've got no time to lose. Let's head back as well." Her expression then darkened slightly. "Give me a moment, Elder Pi. I'd like to take a few treasures with me."

Wang Sheng smiled and nodded. Glancing at the few beasts that had been sparring with him for some time now, he could only sigh inwardly.

This was certainly an excellent place for cultivation, but the situation right now prevented him and Lishang from staying here long. They still had to return to the thirteen qi planets as soon as possible, develop and strengthen the Xinghai Sect, and settle their fight with the Celestial Wind Sect.

Lishang spent half a day in the forbidden land. When she came back out, she had switched to her human form and changed into a long, plain, and elegant silk skirt.

The two set off. However, they had just flown out of the ancestral land when the surrounding cosmos began to fluctuate violently.

Wang Sheng and Lishang turned around at the same time. The semi-transparent sphere, which was over ten meters in diameter, flashed slightly and disappeared into thin air.

Confused, Wang Sheng asked, "Where did it go?"

Softly, Lishang replied, "To prevent cultivators from finding it, the ancestral land changes location within the Eastern Sky Region according to the sixty-four hexagrams. My mother forced it to stop so it could wait for me to come back."

"My condolences."

"There's no need for that. Since she sacrificed herself for me, and her blood flows in my veins, I have to honor her by living a better life in this world. I represent her now."

"That is very insightful," Wang Sheng summoned the Shadowless Shuttle and gestured for her to come in. "Please enter, my 'thigh.'"

Lishang chuckled lightly. "What does that mean?"

Wang Sheng smiled. "It's a saying from my hometown. Right now, I am 'holding onto your thigh,' which roughly means borrowing your prestige and relying on your support."

Lishang simply smiled, but she subconsciously pulled her skirt tighter to cover herself a bit more, rendering Wang Sheng speechless.

It was just a metaphor; he was not really going to hold it.

He turned on the Shadowless Shuttle and piloted it toward Gonglin at its maximum speed. Now that his cultivation realm was higher, they were going sixty to seventy[1] percent faster than before.

Wang Sheng asked, "You gave me thirty percent of your primordial power. Won't that affect your cultivation?"

"It won't. My mother left me a bit of extra. The amount I consumed was enough for me to break through to the Golden Immortal Realm." Lishang raised her left hand, and threads of golden flowing sand seeped through her fair skin. "Past this realm, the effect of primordial power becomes negligible. I will have to find my own path to a breakthrough."

Wang Sheng faintly smiled bitterly. Seriously? You can just fast-track to the Golden Immortal Realm?

"By the way, I've seen all the murals in your ancestral land, except for the ones in the stone palace where you were in seclusion. What did the murals inside it depict?"

Lishang closed her eyes and sighed softly.

Wang Sheng hurriedly added, "I was just a little interested. You don't have to trouble yourself with it, and I'll be sure not to pry further anymore."

"If we ever get the chance to return to my homeland, you can go in and see for yourself." Lishang looked at the boundless starry space outside the Shadowless Shuttle. "Your senior sister should be arriving soon."

In a much gentler tone, Wang Sheng replied, "Mm. Around twenty-six more years to go."

"What should we prepare?"

Wang Sheng smiled. "Nothing. My senior sister doesn't like to stand on ceremony, and we still have to discuss how to take down the Celestial Wind Sect. My heart can't rest easy until they've been eliminated."

Lishang softly reassured, "Mm, don't worry. As long as you and I join forces, destroying the Celestial Wind Sect won't be a problem."

Wang Sheng muttered, "The real problem is the North-River Sword Sect. I wonder if it has made a mortal enemy out of other major sects."

1. ha ha six seven. ☜