Chapter 1144: Disturbance During Peace
Two days had passed since the first day and on the third day of the memorial brought a refreshing serenity to the Canyon of Sleeping Echoes. The early morning mist rolled over the vast expanse of blades and mingled with the gentle light radiating from the countless spectral lotuses.
Pink and white ethereal flowers continued to sway in a phantom breeze while emitting a soothing energy that washed away the centuries of sorrow trapped within the canyon walls. The sacred ground had transformed into a sanctuary of a strange kind of peace and remembrance .
Feng Tianyi stood a short distance away and guided his straight sword through a slow horizontal sweep. Training here was part of the ceremony process and was a form of honoring the ones before them. Training here also produced twice the effect with half the effort and it was even more true after the place had transformed. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this place a holy paradise for sword cultivation right now.
Tianyi’s movements were different today when compared to just the other day. The rigidness that usually locked his shoulders was gone and his blade moved with a newfound clarity that even he didn’t quite understand. It was a small and a subtle change but one that pushed him forward on his sword path and one that might have taken years to figure out otherwise. At their level, small improvements were hard to come by and every single step was hard earned.
Lin Xue practiced nearby and her footwork was light enough to leave the area she stepped on undisturbed. She then paused her routine and walked over to where Li Yu was sitting. She offered a respectful bow before taking a seat on a smaller stone beside him.
"The atmosphere here is truly wondrous today," Lin Xue spoke while looking out over the glowing garden of swords. "The chaoticness that we used to feel when walking through this canyon has vanished. The residual intent left behind by the ancestors feels clear and direct. I can comprehend their final strikes without being overwhelmed by their lingering pain, sorrow or regrets."
"That is the natural order of things," Li Yu replied softly as he took a sip of his tea. "Sorrow and regret are things that can drag down the soul. Once those things are severed, the true lessons can rise to the surface. You are finally seeing their martial wisdom in its purest form during this time. At least that is my observation of this place."
Zhou Ming joined them a moment later and sheathed his weapon with a smooth motion. He looked incredibly refreshed and his eyes shone with bright understanding.
"I managed to comprehend a defensive stance from a shattered broadsword near the eastern wall," Zhou Ming shared his success with a wide smile. "The warrior who wielded it died protecting a vital pass at the time. The intent used to be clouded with anger over his failure but now it only radiates an unyielding desire to protect. I feel like my own Dao heart has grown stronger just by being around it and somehow witnessing it through my soul."
Li Yu nodded in approval and felt a sense of satisfaction. His passive influence had fundamentally improved their learning experience and had also pushed his understanding of his own body as well. Even the elders and leadership of the sect were enjoying the fruits of this place and there was a buzz in the air.
The Heavenly Sword Sect disciples were opening their minds to new things and finding strength in clarity rather than hardship. The week-long memorial was turning more into a joyous celebration of legacy and life. While this was true before, it was often done in a more solemn way and there was an overhanging sorrow during it.
Sect Master Ling Wuji and Elder Huo Zheng walked down the stone steps from their high pavilion to join the others. The two veteran leaders wore relaxed expressions and their auras were calm. They had spent the last two days honoring their fallen comrades and the purified environment had lifted a weight they didn’t know they had from their weathered shoulders.
"The disciples are making excellent progress," Ling Wuji noted while observing the sea of white robes moving gracefully among the weapons. "They are absorbing the lessons of the past without risking damaging their own foundations at all like before. We owe you a great debt for bringing this miracle to our sacred ground as it has changed into something else altogether."
"It is nothing more than a reaction to the environment and nothing of my own doing." Li Yu smiled and deflected the praise. "I am just enjoying the peace and quiet of this beautiful realm. It is a rare thing to find a place so untouched by the chaos of the outside world."
Huo Zheng laughed and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "From what you’ve told me over the last two days, you deserve a peaceful period. You can have it here, no one would dare to go against the Heavenly Sword Sect."
The veteran commander had barely finished his sentence when the sky above the canyon trembled violently. The azure blue expanse shattered like a fragile pane of glass. A deafening roar echoed through the tranquil valley and sent a shockwave of distorted air crashing down upon the gathered cultivators. The spectral lotuses flickered wildly under the sudden pressure as the gentle breeze turned into a howling gale.
Li Yu narrowed his eyes and set his teacup down on the rock. The peaceful sanctuary of this realm was ruined in a single heartbeat.
A jagged spatial rift tore open high above the canyon walls. It was not a smooth or calculated portal created by skilled array masters. It was a brutal and forced breach that ignored the delicate spatial barriers protecting the Realm of the Whispering Blades. Dark void energy spilled from the jagged edges of the tear and stained the bright sky with ugly streaks of purple and black.
"Who dares to attack our sacred ground!" Huo Zheng roared as his relaxed demeanor vanished instantly. The veteran commander summoned a heavy broadsword into his hands and his aura erupted with fierce killing intent.
Ling Wuji stepped forward and his face turned cold as well. He raised his hand to signal the elders and the other warriors. Hundreds of senior experts abandoned their meditations and rushed toward the center of the canyon while drawing their weapons in unison. The sharp ring of steel echoed across the valley as the Heavenly Sword Sect prepared for battle. Whoever was foolish enough to bother them in this sacred place was only looking for death.
Feng Tianyi and the junior disciples quickly formed a defensive circle near Li Yu. They gripped their hilts tightly and stared up at the dark rift with hostile glares.
A large group of cultivators quickly descended from the jagged tear in the sky. They did not ride elegant flying swords or float down on gentle clouds. They dropped like heavy stones and slammed into the raised plateau near the entrance of the canyon but did not go into it. The impact cracked the sturdy rock and kicked up a thick cloud of dust though.
As the dust settled, the interlopers revealed themselves. They were a stark contrast to the refined swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Sect. These cultivators were heavily muscled and wore thick armor forged from dark iron and beast hides. They carried great axes with wide curved blades that radiated a brutal and crushing intent. A thought instantly came to Li Yu’s mind and that was that these people seemed similar to the Zhan Clan.
They were, however, the Sundered Peak Sect.
They were a rival orthodox faction who shared a deep historical enmity with the Heavenly Sword Sect. Their philosophies clashed on every possible level besides both of their fanatic devolution to their chosen weapon path. While the sword cultivators valued precision and intent, the axe users valued raw physical destruction and overwhelming weight. The two factions had fought countless skirmishes over resources and territory throughout the centuries.
The two sects were relatively equal in footing and that was the main reason the two never engaged in an all out conflict with one another. They had conflicts and liked to make the lives of the other more difficult but always within reason. Some people viewed them as a couple because they fought so much against one another but always knew when to give way as well.
An older man with a thick gray beard and a scarred face stepped to the front of the invading group. He carried a giant double bladed axe resting casually on his shoulder. He exuded an oppressive aura that felt like a mountain and pressed heavily against the sharp sword intent radiating from the Heavenly Sword Sect experts. This was Elder Kuang Shan of the Sundered Peak Sect.
"Ling Wuji," Kuang Shan called out with a booming voice that rattled the loose stones on the canyon walls. "It has been too long. We heard you were holding your little memorial and we decided to drop by."
Ling Wuji hovered slightly above the ground and stared down the rival elder with eyes like frozen daggers.
"You tear through the spatial barriers of our private realm and you speak to me of dropping by?!" Ling Wuji spoke with a voice that carried the cutting edge of a drawn blade. "This is a sacred sanctuary dedicated to our fallen ancestors. Your presence here is an unforgivable insult Kuang Shan. Take your brutes and leave this place immediately before we leave your bodies here to rot."
Kuang Shan let out a harsh laugh that grated against the ears. He slammed the haft of his great axe against the stone plateau and sent a heavy tremor through the ground.
"Do not be so hasty to draw blood," Kuang Shan mocked the Sect Master while waving a thick hand dismissively. "We did not come here to start a war today. The Myriad Realms are changing and the old rivalries must be managed properly. We came to pay our respects to the fallen warriors who died fighting for the orthodox path as we are all technically on the same side. Is that how you treat honored guests who wish to share in your mourning?"
Huo Zheng took a heavy step forward and pointed his broadsword directly at the rival elder. "Guests knock on the front door and wait for an invitation. You smashed through our roof like common thieves. You have no respect for the dead and you have no respect for our traditions. State your true purpose or draw your weapon and let us end this here and now."
Kuang Shan sneered and his eyes swept over the vast canyon below. He noticed the glowing spectral lotuses blooming from the swords and he let out a loud snort of derision.
"Look at this place," Kuang Shan spoke loudly so every disciple could hear his mocking tone. "The Canyon of Sleeping Echoes used to be a place of harsh intent and bitter lessons. It used to test the mettle of a true warrior. Now it looks like a garden for soft maidens. You have flowers blooming from your ancestral weapons. Has the Heavenly Sword Sect finally lost its edge?! Have you traded your martial pride to become little gardeners?!"
The disciples bristled with anger at the insult. Feng Tianyi gripped his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white. Lin Xue glared at the axe wielding brutes and her breathing grew ragged. The beautiful miracle Li Yu had brought to their ancestors was being mocked by ignorant fools who only understood crude violence.
Ling Wuji did not let the insult break his composure as he was used to dealing with these people. He maintained his cold authority and projected his voice across the plateau.
"Our path and our ancestors are none of your concern," Ling Wuji stated firmly. "Your words hold no weight here. You have breached our sovereign territory and you will answer for it. If you do not retreat back through that rift right now, we will force you out and I will take this issue directly to your sect."
Kuang Shan grinned widely as if he had been waiting for that exact response. He turned to the large group of young axe cultivators standing behind him and gestured with his free hand.
"We will leave soon enough," Kuang Shan declared with a sly tone. "But we brought a special offering to honor your fallen and it would be rude to leave without presenting it. We forged a grand monument to celebrate the heavy burden of the martial path that everyone shares. Bring it forward!"
Several burly disciples stepped up to the front of the group. One of them raised his hand and activated his spatial ring. A bright flash of gray light illuminated the plateau as a colossal object materialized in the air above the canyon floor.
It was The World Anchor Stele.
The offering was a towering obelisk standing over fifty feet tall. It was forged from a dense mixture of rare metals and other materials. The surface of the dark metal was etched with aggressive runes that pulsed with a suffocating yellow light. It was not a simple monument or a decorative statue. It was a powerful treasure designed specifically to manipulate the natural laws of gravity and force.
The density of the obelisk was staggering and it was clear from the get go that it was not a simple treasure to make. As it hovered in the air, the surrounding space warped and distorted under its immense weight and power. It radiated a heavy and oppressive aura that clashed violently with the sharp and flowing energy of the sword realm.
"A heavy tribute for heavy hearts!" Kuang Shan roared with laughter.
Chapter 1144: Disturbance During Peace
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The third day of the memorial retreat brought a refreshing serenity to the Canyon of Sleeping Echoes. The early morning mist rolled over the vast expanse of rusted blades and mingled with the gentle light radiating from the countless spectral lotuses. Pink and white ethereal flowers swayed in a phantom breeze while emitting a soothing energy that washed away the centuries of sorrow trapped within the canyon walls. The sacred ground had transformed into a sanctuary of profound peace that reminded Li Yu heavily of the pristine nature found within Dragon Core.
Li Yu sat on a smooth gray rock near the edge of the canyon floor. He held a cup of warm tea in his hands as he watched the junior disciples practice their daily forms. His internal divine sense remained clouded due to the ongoing silent battle between his Human Soul and the Fisherman Soul but his physical senses were sharper than ever. He could feel the gentle heavenly laws radiating from his Creation Lord foundation interacting harmoniously with the purified sword intent floating through the air.
Feng Tianyi stood a short distance away and guided his straight sword through a slow horizontal sweep. His movements were very different today. The rigid tension that usually locked his shoulders was gone and his blade moved with a newfound clarity. He was no longer trying to force his will upon the air. He was allowing his intent to flow alongside the natural energy of the realm to create a seamless dance of steel and wind.
Lin Xue practiced nearby and her footwork was light enough to leave the gravel undisturbed. She paused her routine and walked over to where Li Yu was sitting. She offered a respectful bow before taking a seat on a smaller stone beside him.
"The atmosphere here is truly wondrous today," Lin Xue spoke while looking out over the glowing garden of swords. "The heavy burden we used to feel when walking through this canyon has vanished. The residual intent left behind by the ancestors feels clear and direct. I can comprehend their final strikes without being overwhelmed by their lingering pain and regrets."
"That is the natural order of things," Li Yu replied softly as he took a sip of his tea. "Sorrow and regret are heavy anchors that drag down the soul. Once those anchors are severed the true lessons can rise to the surface. You are finally seeing their martial wisdom in its purest form without the distracting noise of their past suffering."
Zhou Ming joined them a moment later and sheathed his weapon with a smooth motion. He looked refreshed and his eyes shone with bright understanding.
"I managed to comprehend a defensive stance from a shattered broadsword near the eastern wall," Zhou Ming shared his success with a wide smile. "The warrior who wielded it died protecting a vital pass. The intent used to be clouded with anger over his failure but now it only radiates an unyielding desire to protect. I feel like my own Dao heart has grown stronger just by witnessing it and taking that lesson to heart."
Li Yu nodded in approval and felt a deep sense of satisfaction. His passive influence had fundamentally improved their learning experience. The Heavenly Sword Sect disciples were opening their minds to new possibilities and finding strength in clarity rather than hardship. The week long memorial was turning into a joyous celebration of legacy and life.
Sect Master Ling Wuji and Elder Huo Zheng walked down the stone steps from their high pavilion to join the younger generation. The two veteran leaders wore relaxed expressions and their auras were calm. They had spent the last two days honoring their fallen comrades and the purified environment had lifted a great weight from their weathered shoulders.
"The disciples are making excellent progress," Ling Wuji noted while observing the sea of white robes moving gracefully among the rusted weapons. "They are absorbing the profound lessons of the past without damaging their own foundations. We owe you a great debt for bringing this miracle to our sacred ground."
"It is nothing more than a reaction to the environment," Li Yu smiled and deflected the praise. "I am just enjoying the peace and quiet of this beautiful realm. It is a rare thing to find a place so untouched by the chaos of the outside world."
Huo Zheng laughed and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "You deserve a peaceful vacation after everything you have been through. We will ensure the rest of this retreat remains undisturbed so you can rest your mind and enjoy the scenery."
The veteran commander had barely finished his sentence when the sky above the canyon trembled violently.
The azure blue expanse shattered like a fragile pane of glass. A deafening roar echoed through the tranquil valley and sent a shockwave of distorted air crashing down upon the gathered cultivators. The spectral lotuses flickered wildly under the sudden pressure as the gentle breeze turned into a howling gale.
Li Yu narrowed his eyes and set his teacup down on the rock. The peaceful sanctuary was ruined in a single heartbeat.
A jagged spatial rift tore open high above the outer ridge of the canyon. It was not a smooth or calculated portal created by skilled array masters. It was a brutal and forced breach that ignored the delicate spatial barriers protecting the Realm of the Whispering Blades. Dark void energy spilled from the jagged edges of the tear and stained the bright sky with ugly streaks of purple and black.
"Who dares to attack our sacred ground!" Huo Zheng roared as his relaxed demeanor vanished at once. The veteran commander summoned a heavy broadsword into his hands and his aura erupted with fierce killing intent.
Ling Wuji stepped forward and his face turned cold. He raised his hand to signal the elders and the vanguard commanders. Hundreds of senior experts abandoned their meditations and rushed toward the center of the canyon while drawing their weapons in unison. The sharp ring of steel echoed across the valley as the Heavenly Sword Sect prepared for battle.
Feng Tianyi and the junior disciples quickly formed a defensive circle near Li Yu. They gripped their hilts tightly and stared up at the dark rift with hostile glares.
A large group of cultivators descended from the jagged tear in the sky. They did not ride elegant flying swords or float down on gentle clouds. They dropped like heavy stones and landed forcefully on the elevated stone ridges near the entrance of the sacred ground. They positioned themselves safely away from the buried swords but held a commanding view overlooking the valley floor. The impact cracked the sturdy rock beneath their boots and kicked up a thick cloud of dust that rolled over the nearby graves.
As the dust settled the interlopers revealed themselves. They were a stark contrast to the refined swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Sect. These cultivators were heavily muscled and wore thick armor forged from dark iron and beast hides. They carried great axes with wide curved blades that radiated a brutal and crushing intent.
They were the Sundered Peak Sect.
They were a rival orthodox faction who shared a deep historical enmity with the Heavenly Sword Sect. Their philosophies clashed on every possible level. While the sword cultivators valued precision and piercing intent the axe users valued raw physical destruction and overwhelming weight. The two factions had fought countless skirmishes over resources and territory throughout the centuries.
An older man with a thick gray beard and a scarred face stepped to the front of the invading group. He carried a giant double bladed axe resting casually on his shoulder. He exuded an oppressive aura that felt like a falling mountain and pressed heavily against the sharp sword intent radiating from the Heavenly Sword Sect experts. This was Elder Kuang Shan of the Sundered Peak Sect.
"Ling Wuji," Kuang Shan called out with a booming voice that rattled the loose stones on the canyon walls. "It has been too long. We heard you were holding your little memorial and we decided to drop by to see how you were doing."
Ling Wuji hovered slightly above the ground and stared down the rival elder with eyes like frozen daggers.
"You tear through the spatial barriers of our private realm and you speak to me of dropping by?" Ling Wuji spoke with a voice that carried the cutting edge of a drawn blade. "This is a sacred sanctuary dedicated to our fallen ancestors. Your presence here is an unforgivable insult Kuang Shan. Take your brutes and leave this place immediately before we leave your bodies here to rot among the rust."
Kuang Shan let out a harsh laugh that grated against the ears. He slammed the haft of his great axe against the stone plateau and sent a heavy tremor through the outer ridge.
"Do not be so hasty to draw blood," Kuang Shan mocked the Sect Master while waving a thick hand dismissively. "We did not come here to start a war today. The Myriad Realms are changing and the old rivalries must be managed properly. We came to pay our respects to the fallen warriors who died fighting for the orthodox path. Is that how you treat honored guests who wish to share in your mourning and offer their condolences?"
Huo Zheng took a heavy step forward and pointed his broadsword directly at the rival elder. "Guests knock on the front door and wait for an invitation. You smashed through our roof like common thieves in the night. You have no respect for the dead and you have no respect for our traditions. State your true purpose or draw your weapon and let us end this charade."
Kuang Shan sneered and his eyes swept over the vast canyon below. He noticed the glowing spectral lotuses blooming from the rusted swords and he let out a loud snort of derision.
"Look at this place," Kuang Shan spoke loudly so every disciple could hear his mocking tone. "The Canyon of Sleeping Echoes used to be a place of harsh intent and bitter lessons. It used to test the mettle of a true warrior and forge them in the fires of past sorrow. Now it looks like a garden for soft maidens. You have flowers blooming from your ancestral weapons. Has the Heavenly Sword Sect finally lost its edge? Have you traded your martial pride to become simple gardeners?"
The junior disciples bristled with anger at the insult. Feng Tianyi gripped his sword tightly and his breathing grew ragged. Lin Xue glared at the axe wielding brutes and shifted her footing into an aggressive stance. The beautiful miracle Li Yu had brought to their ancestors was being mocked by ignorant fools who only understood crude violence and brute force.
Ling Wuji did not let the insult break his composure. He maintained his cold authority and projected his voice across the plateau.
"Our path and our ancestors are none of your concern," Ling Wuji stated firmly. "Your words hold no weight here. You have breached our sovereign territory and you will answer for it. If you do not retreat back through that rift right now we will force you out with the very blades you mock."
Kuang Shan grinned widely as if he had been waiting for that exact response. He turned to the large group of young axe cultivators standing behind him and gestured with his free hand.
"We will leave soon enough," Kuang Shan declared with a sly tone. "But we brought a special offering to honor your fallen and it would be rude to leave without presenting it. We forged a grand monument to celebrate the heavy burden of the martial path. Bring it forward."
Several burly disciples stepped up to the front of the group. One of them raised his hand and activated a high tier spatial ring. A bright flash of gray light illuminated the outer ridge as a colossal object materialized in the air above them.
It was The World Anchor Stele.
The offering was a towering obelisk standing over fifty feet tall. It was forged from a dense mixture of rare earth metals and deep star iron. The surface of the dark metal was etched with aggressive runes that pulsed with a suffocating yellow light. It was not a simple monument or a decorative statue. It was a powerful treasure designed specifically to manipulate the natural laws of gravity and force.
The sheer density of the obelisk was staggering. As it hovered in the air the surrounding space warped and distorted under its immense weight. It radiated a heavy and oppressive aura that clashed violently with the sharp and flowing energy of the sword realm.
"A heavy tribute for heavy hearts!" Kuang Shan roared with laughter.
He swung his hand downward in a chopping motion and the disciples controlling the treasure released their hold of it. Kuang Shan knew better than to drop it directly into the center of the graves where it would provoke an immediate bloodbath. Instead, he directed the towering pillar to plummet toward the elevated stone ridge just outside the main canyon floor.
The Stele slammed into the solid bedrock near the entrance of the sacred ground. The physical impact was catastrophic for the outer ridge. A deafening boom echoed through the realm and the ground heaved violently like the surface of a stormy ocean. Deep fissures tore through the dirt and shattered the surrounding rocks into jagged shrapnel.
While the physical damage was contained to the outer edges of the canyon, the spiritual disruption was far worse. A visible shockwave of yellow energy erupted from the base of the stele and washed over the vast graveyard of swords below.
The heavy gravity and the crushing axe intent radiating from the treasure aggressively tried to suppress the ambient sword Qi of the realm. The delicate balance that Li Yu had naturally created was torn apart in a matter of seconds with its arrival. The ethereal pink and white lotuses blooming across the valley floor flickered rapidly before shattering into pieces of fading light under the oppressive weight as a violent aura returned. It was as if the swords could tell this place was being disrespected and the time for calm and peace was over.
The soothing energy of the canyon was replaced by a suffocating pressure that made the air feel like thick mud. The unyielding force of the stele pressed down on the blades and forced an unnatural gravity onto the surrounding area. It was a deliberate and calculated insult designed to spoil the memorial and ruin the peaceful sanctuary the sect had been enjoying from a safe distance.
Several of the much weaker disciples stumbled and fell to their knees as the heavy gravity washed over them. They struggled to circulate their Qi under the crushing suppression that it brought but the elders quickly pushed all of that away.
"How do you like our offering?" Kuang Shan taunted from the high plateau. "It adds some much needed weight to your soft garden. Perhaps it will remind your young ones that true power comes from crushing your enemies, not planting flowers in the dirt."
The elders of the Heavenly Sword Sect erupted into a frenzy of shouting as this level of disrespect went too far even for their back and forth with this clan. They drew their weapons and prepared to launch a full scale assault up the canyon walls to slaughter the invaders this time around. The disrespect shown to their sacred ground and their ancestors was a crime that could only be paid for with blood now.
Ling Wuji raised his hand and summoned a colossal sword projection into the sky to halt the immediate charge. He knew Kuang Shan was trying to provoke a chaotic brawl here and doing so would only play into their hands. He needed to handle the situation with calculated precision and see what these people were up to.
Li Yu remained seated on his gray rock near the edge of the defensive circle. He had not drawn a weapon and he had not raised his voice. He simply watched everything that had happened and was now looking at the obelisk radiating its oppressive yellow light across the ruined garden.
Li Yu saw the broken remnants of the spectral lotuses fading into the wind. He felt the heavy and crude force pressing down on his shoulders that felt like absolutely nothing to him. He looked at Lin Xue and Zhou Ming who were struggling to control their anger and his dark eyes grew incredibly cold.
He had come to this realm to honor a debt and to enjoy a peaceful time of remembrance with new friends. That was now over and the Sundered Peak Sect had not just insulted the Heavenly Sword Sect today. They had interrupted his peace and destroyed a beautiful thing that he had created.
Inside his soul space, the Human Soul that once radiated a brilliant light was now surrounded by a thick killing intent that threatened to swallow the entire space up. The Fisherman Soul was once again surprised by this and could not understand what was happening to the Human Soul within Li Yu.
‘This is something different… things are so different now… It doesn’t make sense but strangely it gives me hope…’ The Fisherman thought to himself and while he stared at the massive amount of killing intent coming from the Human Soul. After a brief moment he smiled to himself and looked at the killing intent as if it was the most beautiful thing in the world. ‘Good.’
Li Yu slowly stood up from the rock and brushed the dust from his dark robes. He did not flare his Creation Lord aura and he did not summon his flying swords just yet. He simply adjusted his sleeves and looked up at the laughing axe cultivators on the plateau. The peace was gone and the time for gentle conversation was over. He was ready to go all out against these people that came here to cause trouble.