Chapter 2310: Sword Classics

On Yandang Lake, two figures stood in a standoff across the water, their sword intent clashing sharply and stirring ripples on the surface.

Jian Ji's gaze sharpened intensely as he focused on Qin Sang. His killing intent, now completely restrained, condensed into two beams of sword light, leaving no extraneous thoughts in his mind. In contrast, Qin Sang appeared to be at ease. He glanced towards Dongyang City, sensing several subtle gazes fixed upon him.

Both Qin Sang and Jian Ji had suppressed their cultivation to a certain level; this battle was a pure contest of swordsmanship.

A sword hummed, yet also resembled the chirping of an insect.

A point of green light, about the length of a finger and resembling crystalline jade, suddenly appeared before Jian Ji.

Qin Sang looked on with curiosity, assuming this was the spiritual insect named 'Jian Ji'.

The spiritual insect was entirely emerald green, with a slender body resembling another spiritual insect called the Sword-Horned Locust. Its head and tail were pointed, sharp as a sword tip, and the area near its head was slightly raised, like a sword guard. Its entire form resembled a drawn, sharp sword.

It was unclear if this spiritual insect was a mutated Sword-Horned Locust, but the sword qi it harbored had been refined by Jian Ji for countless years, making it no less potent than a true spiritual sword.

It was Jian Ji's sword!

The spiritual insect 'looked' at Qin Sang, its wings vibrating, creating a buzzing sound like repeated sword hums.

Qin Sang felt an exceptionally powerful sword intent firmly locking onto him, and his expression grew more solemn.

Although this person was a Wu Clan cultivator using a spiritual insect as a sword, he was indeed a true sword cultivator!

"Where is your sword?" Jian Ji, seeing Qin Sang's perpetually unhurried demeanor, questioned him in a deep voice. If Qin Sang continued to be so presumptuous, Jian Ji vowed not to hold back.

The Myriad Jin Ring on Qin Sang's finger shimmered slightly, and a sword beam sprang forth.

The Grey Oriole Sword pointed directly at Jian Ji. Sensing the threat from the spiritual insect, its sword beam pulsed at the tip, eager for battle.

"This is your sword?" Jian Ji frowned slightly, his voice hinting at anger.

While spiritual treasures lacked explicit grade classifications, at their level of cultivation, their strength could be fully discerned by their sentience and might.

The Wandering Cloud Sword carried great karma and could not be easily drawn, so Qin Sang had always kept the Grey Oriole Sword as its alternative.

As a mere backup, it naturally received little attention. Moreover, Qin Sang possessed numerous other abilities, and swordsmanship was not his primary reliance. After elevating the Grey Oriole Sword to the spiritual treasure level, just enough to be serviceable, Qin Sang had not invested much further resources or effort into it, having only refined it two or three times to date.

Among spiritual treasures, the Grey Oriole Sword was considered mediocre.

No wonder Jian Ji was enraged. A late Void Refinement stage sword cultivator should by no means use such a sword; Qin Sang was clearly insulting him.

A clear sword hum resonated!

The Grey Oriole Sword suddenly erupted with intensely brilliant sword light.

Spiritual swords possessed sentience. The Grey Oriole Sword, sensing its opponent's contempt and disparagement, hummed with killing intent, anger, and a hint of... unwillingness!

"Its name is Grey Oriole."

Qin Sang raised his hand and gently stroked the blade. The spiritual sword continued to hum and tremble, as if repeatedly questioning him, its master.

This spiritual sword, which had followed him since the Storm Realm, had always toiled diligently without complaint, usually resting quietly in a corner, awaiting its master's summons. It turned out it was also unwilling to remain solitary and ordinary.

"However, its future name is Taiyin!" Qin Sang declared firmly.

The Grey Oriole Sword suddenly ceased humming, its sword light calm as a clear autumn pond.

At that moment, Jian Ji felt the aura of the person before him change. He realized the opponent was not as weak as he had imagined, and his anger subsided, his expression turning solemn.

The sword beam before him retracted.

The spiritual insect's true form was revealed, transforming into a deep piece of black jade, undergoing a strange metamorphosis. At this moment, no one seeing it would mistake it for a spiritual insect; it was clearly a true spiritual sword!

Immediately after, the spiritual insect's figure began to grow indistinct, until it completely vanished from their sight.

In an instant, the wind on the lake surface subsided.

Qin Sang felt as if he had fallen into a sea of swords, surrounded by thousands of them, each a true spiritual sword. Even the slightest flaw would result in instant penetration by a spiritual sword.

The sword qi nurtured within the spiritual insect was inherently an invisible sword, capable of splitting into countless forms at its master's mere thought!

By the lakeside, Jiu Mie stood with his arms crossed, his eyes gleaming as he witnessed the scene.

In the Frost Valley battle, he had been unable to fully grasp Qin Sang's swordsmanship, much to his regret. This time, he was determined not to miss it for anything, even preemptively using his spiritual eye ability.

He stared intently at Qin Sang, curious to see how he would respond.

Jian Ji seemed to be employing only the most basic swordsmanship—Sword Light Division—but it would be a grave mistake if an opponent truly regarded it as such.

He had clashed with Jian Ji countless times and deeply understood the power of this move.

"Starting directly with this move, it seems this fellow wants a quick resolution..." Jiu Mie rubbed his chin, pondering.

At the center of the lake, following the spiritual insect, Jian Ji's figure also vanished from the lake surface.

Qin Sang sensed twice as much sword qi as before, and this qi had transformed into tangible sword light, turning Yandang Lake into a forest of swords!

The sword light was ubiquitous, seemingly chaotic, yet there was a subtle connection between every two beams.

"Please enlighten me, True One!" Jian Ji's voice enveloped Qin Sang, its origin unknown, brimming with confidence.

He could be considered an anomaly among the Wu Clan. Ever since acquiring this type of spiritual insect, he had developed a strong interest in swordsmanship.

Within the Wu Clan, few would abandon their innate talents to cultivate these so-called 'deviant paths'; at least, there was no sword cultivator in the Dongyang clan.

To learn swordsmanship, he had repeatedly infiltrated the Human Clan.

Fortunately, the Dongyang clan had operated within the Human Clan for many years, helping him to live anonymously and infiltrate a sword sect in Lizhou, where he unexpectedly obtained a sword dao inheritance. It was said that this inheritance originated from the legendary Sword Pavilion, and its former owner had been a member of the Sword Pavilion.

Even though this inheritance was incomplete, it surpassed anything his sect could offer. Thus, he left his sect, returned to his clan, and dedicated himself to arduous cultivation, forging his own unique path in swordsmanship.

The moment these words were spoken, thousands of sword lights responded in unison!

In an instant, it seemed only two swords remained in Qin Sang's vision. These two swords drifted erratically, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, resembling lovebirds or intertwined branches, intimately close.

Jian Ji was indeed a genius, having teamed up with his spiritual insect to unleash a profound combined sword technique, their coordination so masterful it was seamless!

Qin Sang's eyes showed admiration, but Jian Ji did not notice the flicker of unusual color in his gaze.

Upon seeing the swordsmanship Jian Ji employed, Qin Sang felt a sense of familiarity.

He was certain he had never seen this particular swordsmanship before, yet after watching Jian Ji draw his sword, an intuitive insight allowed him to instantly discern several crucial points.

At its root, it originated from the sword light left to him by Senior Tianyue!

Qin Sang had originally believed this sword light was a customized guide left for him by Senior Tianyue.

He had even worried that the Sword Domain he had comprehended from the sword light might reveal his or Senior Tianyue's inheritance if used. Only now did he realize that this was no mere sword light; it was clearly an all-encompassing sword classic!

Previously, Qin Sang had only comprehended the sword light through the lenses of the *Purple Star Sword Scripture* and the Four Symbols Sword Array, seeing only what he wished to see, unknowingly just the tip of the iceberg.

He had been so focused on specific aspects that he missed the grander truth.

To cultivate to such a realm, innate talent was long past being the crucial factor; who could say Qin Sang lacked talent? However, it must be admitted that insight truly existed. Of course, this also related to Qin Sang's severely divided attention.

From beginning to end, he was never a pure sword cultivator.

The Purple Star Child once said that he didn't know how far the Purple Star Sword Venerable had ultimately evolved the sword scripture, and thus wouldn't give Qin Sang excessive guidance, so as not to constrain him. Senior Tianyue had presented him with a vast and profound sword dao, not merely a single inheritance.

Both had achieved the same goal through different paths: allowing Qin Sang to comprehend swordsmanship and sword dao suitable for himself.

To achieve this, remaining stagnant was clearly not an option.

This didn't mean the sword light contained the exact swordsmanship Jian Ji used, but rather that Senior Tianyue had infused similar sword dao true intent into the sword light. This allowed Qin Sang, whether encountering this particular swordsmanship or other techniques derived from it, to see through illusion and grasp the essence.

Qin Sang sighed with emotion. If one thoroughly comprehended this sword light, even the most obtuse person could achieve a qualitative leap through quantitative accumulation, becoming almost unrivaled in the sword dao.

Of course, this was assuming no grand powerful beings emerged.

These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Jian Ji's sword intent had already closed in, poised to pierce Qin Sang's glabella in the next moment.

Jiu Mie showed concern, while Jian Ji was filled with shock and uncertainty.

This was because Qin Sang had remained rooted to the spot, making no move, and his spiritual sword was also still, showing no intention of resistance, as if he knew he was outmatched and calmly accepted death.

Jiu Mie didn't believe Qin Sang would die by Jian Ji's sword, yet he couldn't help but be visibly anxious, as he had no confidence in saving someone from under a sword.

Crisis was imminent.

A faint smile always remained on Qin Sang's face. In his eyes, the ubiquitous sword intent and sword light were mere illusions; there were only two, and they were not as intimately connected or seamless as they appeared.

Suddenly, his gaze shifted, and he finally drew his sword.

There was no Sword Star, no Four Spirits, just a simple beam of sword light, not even aimed at Jian Ji or his spiritual insect.

"Whoosh!"

This sword was elusive and unpredictable, striking at nothingness.

In an instant, all sword intent on the lake surface vanished without a trace, and both Jian Ji and the spiritual insect reappeared.

The spiritual insect stopped less than three inches from Qin Sang's glabella, unable to pierce forward.

Jian Ji reappeared in his original spot, as if he had never moved.

The Grey Oriole Sword hovered in the void between Jian Ji and the spiritual insect.

The sword duel abruptly ceased.

Jian Ji stared blankly at the Grey Oriole Sword, his face filled with disbelief.

The Grey Oriole Sword appeared to have struck nothing, yet it had perfectly severed the connection between him and his spiritual insect, causing their combined sword technique to crumble. This flaw was something even he himself had not detected.

If this had been a battle to the death, he would now be a corpse.

"Have you... seen this swordsmanship before?" Jian Ji's voice was hoarse.

"No," Qin Sang shook his head. *I've merely witnessed a more profound sword dao,* he thought inwardly.

Seeing the two cease fighting, Jiu Mie scratched his head, feeling somewhat bewildered yet also vaguely enlightened. He launched himself towards the center of the lake, saying, "Jian Ji, you..."

"I lost." Jian Ji's face was ashen. Admitting defeat, he turned and walked away.

"Are you abandoning it?" Qin Sang asked, looking at the spiritual insect before him.

The spiritual insect floated silently, seeming to sense its master's mood, its dim glow reflecting a hint of forlornness and confusion.

Jian Ji's body stiffened, and he blurted out, "I will never abandon my sword!"

"Then take it back. Lend it to me on the day we depart," Qin Sang said.

Jian Ji recalled the spiritual insect, and a flicker of spirit returned to his eyes. He bowed deeply to Qin Sang, saying, "Thank you!"

Qin Sang shook his head. He knew he had ultimately benefited from an inheritance, and true sword cultivators were becoming increasingly rare, with Wu Clan sword cultivators even more so. He did not wish to see a sword cultivator lose their sword heart because of him.

"Humm..." The Grey Oriole Sword emitted a joyful hum, as if chiding, "How dare you look down on me!"

***

Ten days later, an invitation was delivered to Iron Wall Mountain.

Jiu Mie led Qin Sang, flying towards Dongyang City.

"This mountain is our clan's sacred mountain. The Great Shaman is awaiting you at the temple on its peak."

As the two entered Dongyang City, Jiu Mie raised a hand, pointing towards the city center.

The void twisted, revealing a hidden colossal peak before them. This mountain soared into the clouds with immense grandeur; even the tallest surrounding peaks could only reach its halfway point.

The mountain was entirely composed of sheer cliffs and jagged rocks, adorned with green vines and cypress trees.

Only at the very summit of the sacred mountain stood a temple.

Outside the city, the Sky-Eyed Butterfly had already detected this mountain, but only upon approaching it could one truly feel its magnificent presence.

The stone temple was heavy and ancient, seemingly forged from an unknown type of stone, its deep blackness appearing to absorb the surrounding light, conveying the profound heritage of the Wu Clan.

Qin Sang felt a subtle, almost imperceptible pressure, and his heart tightened.

He had already learned that normally only the Dongyang clan's shaman resided and cultivated in the temple. This Great Shaman's cultivation was comparable to his own, but if he were to engage in battle here, he likely wouldn't gain any advantage.

"The True One is invited!"

Jiu Mie stopped at the foot of the mountain.

Qin Sang nodded and flew alone towards the peak, arriving at the summit and landing before the temple in an instant.

"Rumble..." The heavy stone doors opened, and a gentle voice emerged from within.

"Daoist Qingfeng, please enter."

Qin Sang stepped into the temple. The first thing he saw was a giant altar, and standing upon it was an elder in white robes.

Behind the altar, an expanse of black mist shrouded something.

Qin Sang faintly discerned a colossal silhouette, seemingly a stone statue, emanating a mysterious aura.

A divine statue! Qin Sang's gaze sharpened.

Both the Wu Clan and the Yi Ren (Strange People) Clan were considered 'Wu' (Shamans), but in their worship of deities and the completeness of their sacrificial traditions, the Yi Ren Clan was far inferior to the Wu Clan.

In the Vermillion Ape Clan, Qin Sang had never seen such temples or divine statues.

The Yi Ren Clan had already abandoned their faith in deities, which was evident from their cultivation realm; they sought to reach the 'Ancestor Realm,' following in the footsteps of their forebears.

Deities had long disappeared. Instead of believing in gods, they chose to believe in the bloodline within them and the inheritance of their ancestors.

Qin Sang was very curious: what sustained the Wu Clan, allowing them to retain their faith in deities for so long after the gods had vanished?

This divine statue seemed to have stood there for billions of years, gazing upon the beings of the earth. The white-robed elder stood before it, seemingly bathed in divine radiance.

Unfortunately, Qin Sang could not clearly discern the statue's form.

Out of respect, he refrained from allowing the Sky-Eyed Butterfly to use its divine ability to peek. He could only suppress his curiosity, bowing and saying, "This humble Daoist, Qingfeng, greets the Great Shaman."

The white-robed elder spoke gently, "My name is Shechen. You may call me by my true name, True One."