Chapter 433: One Morning Attains the Way, the Azure Dragon Rises

This time, Xu Qing unleashed his power of rules, flying within the area he was guarding to search for suitable prisoners. Simultaneously, he took out a jade slip to filter the list. He was looking for cultivators who, at the time of their capture, were at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm. Such prisoners, in this location, were just a step away from facing the Heavenly Tribulation.

Soon, Xu Qing pinpointed four individuals. Using hand seals, he leveraged the power of rules to search, and before long, he found a cultivator from the winged race. This prisoner was hidden in an underground cave, meditating cross-legged.

The next moment, a roar erupted from his dwelling place, the ground collapsed, creating a massive chasm. Amidst the deafening sound, the winged race member’s expression changed. Although he reacted quickly, it was utterly useless against absolute power. A tremendous force descended from the sky, directly seizing his body and forcefully pulling him into mid-air. He was given no chance to refuse or to struggle in the slightest.

Under the given rules, Xu Qing’s cultivation and combat strength here allowed him to completely overpower any prisoner. Thus, in an instant, the winged race Nascent Soul cultivator—who, outside this place, could have dominated and easily crushed Xu Qing with one hand—found himself seized by the neck by Xu Qing.

“Sir.” Despite feeling deeply aggrieved, the winged race cultivator cautiously spoke, a fawning expression appearing on his face.

Xu Qing remained silent, his gaze icy. After a careful inspection, he tossed the winged race member aside, then produced a few pills and flicked them over. These pills contained abundant spiritual energy; they would have been considered excellent outside, but here, they were extremely precious. The winged race prisoner was stunned at the sight, but his eyes revealed hesitation rather than joy. He knew well that such an unusual occurrence surely hid an ulterior motive, so he looked at Xu Qing uneasily.

“Sir, this…”

“Will you eat them yourself, or should I disable you first and then force them down?” Xu Qing asked calmly.

Rage welled up in the winged race prisoner’s heart, but he forcibly suppressed it, knowing the consequences of disobedience. He gritted his teeth, picked up all the pills, and consumed them. However, he shrewdly controlled the speed of their absorption.

Xu Qing frowned and immediately struck with his palm. Amidst a resounding crash, the winged race cultivator let out a horrific scream, his body nearly collapsing. He fell, barely clinging to life. However, only his physical body was weakened. The spiritual energy within him rapidly recovered as the pills integrated. Xu Qing checked, decided it wasn’t enough, then pried open his mouth and dropped in a few more.

The next moment, as these pills melted, a wave of impending breakthrough emanated from the winged race cultivator. He had been at the limit of the Nascent Soul realm when captured, and over the years, he had reached the verge of breakthrough. However, advancing to the Spiritual Treasure realm required the Heavenly Dao, which he clearly lacked, so the breakthrough was destined to fail. Regardless of whether it succeeded or failed, it would still trigger the world’s rules here, forming the Heavenly Tribulation Blade.

This fluctuation immediately horrified the winged race cultivator. He understood Xu Qing’s intention and was about to speak, but it was too late. The sky instantly became turbulent, and tribulation clouds began to spread. The winged race cultivator let out a sharp cry, leaped up abruptly, and sped off into the distance. He continuously attacked himself, attempting to suppress his cultivation and disperse the Heavenly Tribulation.

However, before he could make more than a few attempts, his entire body trembled, his movements ceased, and a wildly exaggerated, fanatical expression appeared on his face, though his eyes betrayed terror. His body seemed controlled; he forcibly turned and knelt before Xu Qing, speaking loudly.

“Mas…ter… I… am… willing… to… die…!”

His incoherent words indicated the Shadow’s unstable control over him. At that moment, the winged race member struggled violently as he spoke, his expression shifting, the fanatical look rapidly dissipating, and his face contorting as if he were about to break free.

Just then, thunder roared across the sky, and the Heavenly Dao-Slaying Blade, composed of countless lightning bolts, abruptly descended toward the winged race member below. The moment it descended, the Shadow withdrew. The winged race member, now restored to normal, had no possibility of dodging. Amidst a horrific scream, he was struck down by the Heavenly Blade.

A resounding crash echoed, reverberating in all directions.

Xu Qing remained seated cross-legged in his original spot, paying no mind to the winged race prisoner who, having his Dao foundation severed, was now barely clinging to life. He looked up at the Heavenly Blade, resuming his meditation. Three hundred breaths of time passed in a flash. As the tribulation clouds slowly dispersed and the Heavenly Blade faded away, a contemplative look appeared in Xu Qing’s eyes.

After a moment, he stood up and walked forward, moving to another area to search for another suitable specimen. In this manner, time flowed, and several days passed. Through Xu Qing’s repeated attempts at comprehension, the day Ning Yan had agreed upon with him finally arrived.

On this day, at dusk, the sky was ablaze with a brilliant orange-red light that seemed to flow like water across the land, casting its glow upon the rooftop plaza of the Sword-Wielding Palace’s record office. There, numerous Sword Wielders were lined up in a long queue. All of them were candidates from various states. Some of them looked anxious, waiting patiently yet painfully. Ning Yan was one of them. He occasionally glanced into the distance, his heart filled with unease and vacillating between hope and fear. He had already been waiting for half a day.

Behind a nearby desk sat a solemn middle-aged Sword Wielder. This person, at the Golden Core cultivation level, had faint lightning flickering in his eyes, clearly indicating his origin from the Primordial Thunder Lineage and possessing impressive power. At that moment, he looked up at the seven or eight candidates who kept glancing into the distance, and spoke nonchalantly.

“Most of the candidate recommendation records are complete; only yours remain.” He then asked, “Have you actually found your referrer from the same state for this session?”

The seven or eight candidates all wore bitter expressions; some offered explanations, while others remained silent. Ning Yan quickly nodded and bowed to the middle-aged Sword Wielder. “Please wait a little longer; my referrer promised to return.”

“Who are you waiting for?” The middle-aged Sword Wielder frowned and slowly asked.

Ning Yan hesitated, not uttering Xu Qing’s name. He wasn’t certain if the person would truly show up; if he spoke the name and they didn’t appear, it would become a laughingstock for him. Furthermore, in this candidate assessment, he had previously been evaluated alongside individuals from other states. The fierce competition for the top candidate position inevitably led to some conflicts.

At that moment, three hot-headed young men, with whom he had previously clashed, were present in the crowd. These three noticed Ning Yan’s anxiety and his failure to name his referrer, and a hint of mockery flickered across their faces. Though not very obvious, Ning Yan still caught it. This expression made Ning Yan feel a pang of discomfort in his heart.

One of them even let out a low chuckle. “First in the candidate assessment, yet no one shows up to recommend you. That truly speaks volumes about your character.” Another chimed in, “You worked so hard to snatch the top candidate spot, but what good is it now?”

Ning Yan fell silent.

The middle-aged Sword Wielder remained expressionless, paying no heed to the remarks of these hot-headed youths. Such individuals were common; after all, personalities varied, some being gloomy, others direct. However, most would undergo a change after becoming Sword Wielders. He then flipped through Ning Yan’s resume. Upon noticing he was from Yinghuang State, he looked up in surprise and scanned Ning Yan. “You’re from the same state as Brother Xu Qing?”

Ning Yan nodded upon hearing this.

One of the three candidates with whom he had a conflict chuckled softly from the side. “If Brother Xu Qing, who shines so brightly, isn’t even willing to recommend a certain individual, it truly indicates that this person indeed has some problems.” The other repeated, “You worked so hard to snatch the top candidate spot, but what good is it now?”

“You’re seeking death!” Ning Yan’s face darkened, and he glared. The other party’s repeated provocations, coupled with his current anxiety, inevitably caused rage to well up in his heart.

“What, are you going to fight us here too?” The three youths looked at Ning Yan with ill intent; they were clearly trying to provoke him.

Ning Yan gritted his teeth, and his eyes began to fill with anger.

As for the middle-aged Sword Wielder at the record office, he observed the scene with a cold gaze. Similar incidents often occurred among newly promoted candidates, as conflicts naturally arose where many people gathered. Thus, he spoke indifferently. “If you have a conflict, go outside, resolve it, and then return.”

Hearing this, the three youths immediately ascended into the air. One of them pointed at Ning Yan. “Didn’t you, as a candidate, steal our thunder? Do you dare to fight again?”

Another youth among the three spoke with a laugh. “That’s incorrect. How could Ning Yan possibly be afraid? He’s simply waiting for his referrer, which is why he can’t fight us. Isn’t that right, Ning Yan? I’ve already thought up your excuse for refusing.”

A cold glint flashed in Ning Yan’s eyes, and he was about to fly out, but just then, a calm voice echoed from afar. “Ning Yan, I was delayed and arrived a bit late.”

As the voice reached them, a whistling sound echoed along with it, and a figure rapidly approached in the distant sky. Bathed in the evening glow, the person’s long hair fluttered, and his white Daoist robe, whiter than snow, coupled with his handsome features, instinctively drew the gaze of all who saw him. It was Xu Qing.

Xu Qing did not easily give his word, but once he agreed, he would certainly fulfill it. Since he had previously agreed to recommend Ning Yan, he would not intentionally delay. He had genuinely been preoccupied with comprehending the Dao-Slaying Blade these past days, which was why he had arrived late today. While he still found Ning Yan somewhat disagreeable, since the captain believed the person to be useful, Xu Qing decided to observe him further.

The moment he arrived, all the candidate disciples at the record office were startled; respect appeared in their eyes, and they all bowed in unison. The three youths who had conflicted with Ning Yan also trembled, quickly lowered their heads, and dared not cause any further trouble. Indeed, Xu Qing’s reputation within the Sword-Wielding Palace was now considerable; he was known as one of this generation’s “monsters.” Furthermore, it was said that several of these “monsters” had very good private relations, forming a tight-knit group, so provoking one was equivalent to provoking all of them. Moreover, with each of them now holding important positions and having established their own influence, no one was willing to offend them.

The middle-aged Sword Wielder at the record office also chuckled heartily and rose to greet him. On that day, when Xu Qing and Kong Xianglong confronted the Yao family in the Sword-Wielding Palace, this person was among the many Sword Wielders who had arrived. He had met Xu Qing once, knew what Xu Qing and his group had done, and held them in great admiration. Ning Yan, even more excited, quickly stepped forward. Xu Qing’s voice was like heavenly music to him, and his figure like a rainbow. The fluctuation of his emotions made him incredibly grateful for Xu Qing’s arrival.

Xu Qing nodded at Ning Yan, then cupped his fists in a gesture of respect toward the welcoming middle-aged Sword Wielder. “Sorry to trouble you, Brother Zhou. I will be Ning Yan’s referrer.”

Upon hearing Xu Qing call out his surname, the Sword Wielder surnamed Zhou’s eyes immediately brightened. He secretly thought, “This person’s ability to gain acceptance from Kong Xianglong and others stems not only from his brilliant talent but also, and more importantly, from his demeanor and way of handling affairs.” It should be known that many Sword Wielders went to the Disciplinary Hall that day. Although everyone eventually met and Wang Chen and others made introductions, time was, after all, fleeting. To remember a surname under such circumstances, that truly was a skill.

He then chuckled heartily and spoke. “Brother Xu Qing’s recommendation proves Ning Yan is upright in character and pure in virtue.” After saying this, he immediately recorded Ning Yan as having passed, then looked at him with a stern gaze. “Ning Yan, I hope that once you become a Sword Wielder, you will be diligent in your duties and not bring shame upon Brother Xu Qing!”

Ning Yan quickly affirmed.

Xu Qing did not linger. After exchanging a few words with the Sword Wielder surnamed Zhou, he bade farewell and departed under the respectful gazes of everyone present. He still needed to return to the Penal Department to continue his comprehension.

As he returned and passed by the ninth floor of the Penal Department, just as Xu Qing appeared on the stairs, he heard the stern voice of the Palace Lord echoing from afar. “Don’t think you’re extraordinary just because others have called you a great Heavenly Chosen. In my eyes, Kong Xianglong, you are merely a newly promoted and very immature Sword Wielder!”

Xu Qing paused, looked over, and noticed Kong Xianglong standing with his head bowed at the transfer point of that floor. The Palace Lord stood opposite him, his expression majestic as he sternly reprimanded. “Even if you appear astonishingly brilliant to others, if you fail to adhere to the Sword Wielder’s rules and repeatedly neglect your duties for personal reasons, you will inevitably cause a major disaster sooner or later. Do you understand this?” The Palace Lord’s expression was majestic, and his voice carried a hint of anger. “The Sword-Wielding Palace is not a place for growing flowers, nor does it require those who disregard rules. If you believe you can rely on cleverness to act recklessly here…”

Xu Qing, observing this scene, understood that Kong Xianglong must have been caught engaging in some personal affair while transferring a prisoner, provoking the Palace Lord’s reprimand. He suspected another period of confinement was inevitable. “Why does the Palace Lord always seem to be fixated on Brother Kong?” Xu Qing felt a slight surprise, but knowing the Palace Lord was currently in a rage, he immediately lowered his head and proceeded towards the tenth floor.

However, before he could even descend the stairs, Kong Xianglong, uncharacteristically, retorted. “I didn’t act recklessly! I completed the mission, and I retrieved the mission items. I merely returned them two days late. Those victims were all critically ill; was I supposed to just abandon them to die?!”

“Presumptuous!” The Palace Lord snorted coldly, his voice thundering in all directions, startling the surrounding jailers. Xu Qing also took a sharp breath and looked back. He saw Kong Xianglong, looking up with a defiant expression, while the Palace Lord’s anger was visibly intensified, a cold light emanating from his eyes. “So you’ve become capable, have you? You’ve learned to talk back. If you continue like this, you might as well get out of the commandery capital and find some small place to bask in your hero’s vanity.”

Kong Xianglong’s body trembled, and after a moment, he lowered his head.

“Do you remember the very first thing I said to you when you were promoted to Sword Wielder?” The Palace Lord asked, looking at Kong Xianglong with a majestic expression.

“As a Sword Wielder, every one of us is a sharp sword of humanity, and must always be prepared to die for humanity,” Kong Xianglong replied loudly.

Xu Qing was familiar with this sentence; when he first met the Palace Lord on the eighty-ninth floor, the Palace Lord had spoken those very same words. At that moment, the Palace Lord’s stern words continued to echo. “I hope you will fall on the human battlefield in the future, not as a victim of some despicable scheme!”

“Given your personality, it’s not difficult to scheme against you. Guards! Take him away and confine him. This time, he’ll be confined for two months, and no one will be allowed to visit him during that period!”

The Palace Lord flicked his sleeve and turned to leave. As he passed Xu Qing, he shot him a glare. “What are you staring at? Have you discovered the secret of Ding-132? Is your comprehension in District C complete? Go quickly!”

“Yes!” Xu Qing quickly lowered his head and departed rapidly. Before leaving, he glanced at Kong Xianglong, only to find the other man looking back at him. Their eyes met, both filled with a sense of helplessness.

Xu Qing withdrew his gaze and swiftly headed toward the ninetieth floor. While lamenting the Palace Lord’s strictness, a thoughtful expression also appeared in his eyes. “The Palace Lord knows I’m trying to comprehend this?” Xu Qing understood that as the Palace Lord, controlling the entire Penal Department, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to know what he was comprehending. However, with so many affairs in the Penal Department, for him to still be aware of Xu Qing’s movements indicated that the Palace Lord was paying close attention to him.

Deep in thought, Xu Qing soon arrived at the ninetieth floor. As soon as he entered, he saw Ghost Hand sitting there, drinking wine, who smiled upon seeing him. “Were you reprimanded by the Palace Lord? I could hear his shouts from up here.”

Xu Qing nodded, feeling somewhat dejected. This reprimand was an unexpected misfortune. “That’s just the Palace Lord’s personality; he’s strict with everyone, and even more so with himself,” Ghost Hand said, tossing a pot of wine to Xu Qing with a smile. “The more he scolds you, the more it shows he truly cares about you.”

Xu Qing remembered his earlier speculation. “The Palace Lord has no disciples, and his children died in battle. So he pays close attention to talented Sword Wielders. It’s the same for you as it is for Kong Xianglong.” Ghost Hand sighed, taking a sip of his wine.

“His children died in battle?” Xu Qing asked, looking at Ghost Hand.

“Yes, newcomers aren’t aware of this, but most of the old-timers know. The Palace Lord had two sons, both astonishingly talented Sword Wielders. One died during a critical mission infiltrating the Saint Lan Clan, committing suicide to avoid capture. The other died as a result of a scheme that exploited his personality.” Ghost Hand sighed, saying no more.

Xu Qing fell silent. He looked up at the eighty-ninth floor above, then, after a moment, bowed to Ghost Hand before walking towards the mural and stepping into the small world.

In East District 13, which he was responsible for, all four standard-compliant prisoners had already had their Dao foundations severed. However, three days prior, Xu Qing had found other jailers in District C and exchanged prisoners from his own area for several suitable ones. At that moment, he sat cross-legged on a volcano, looking up at the sky. As the heavens and earth roared, the Heavenly Blade reappeared.

Xu Qing’s expression was calm. He was no longer as anxious as he had been initially; instead, he was entirely at peace, silently gazing, silently comprehending, and silently imprinting the experience within his mind. Within his mind, blade shadows formed repeatedly. But they collapsed and dispersed, again and again. Despite this, Xu Qing persisted.

Half a month later, through his repeated visits and attempts at comprehension, the number of exchanged alien prisoners dwindled significantly. At this point, Xu Qing stopped using prisoners’ cultivation breakthroughs to summon the Heavenly Tribulation Blade. Instead, he sat cross-legged, continuously recalling and sketching in his mind, and repeatedly raising his right hand to mimic the motions. Within his mind, a relatively stable blade shadow finally appeared, which he carefully nurtured and slowly deepened. This process was tedious, akin to forging a peerless blade.

Gradually, its sharpness emerged. In fact, at this point, Xu Qing knew he could conclude his efforts. However, he realized that the blade he was comprehending, though remarkably powerful, was not the Dao-slaying blade he had envisioned, but rather one that severed both body and soul.

“It’s not what I imagined…” Xu Qing pondered. He decided not to stop, but to continue mimicking and deepening the blade shadow in his sea of consciousness, wanting to see what would happen if he continued his comprehension. However, sometimes, if the method was incorrect, a short forging period might be manageable, but if prolonged, the result would be scrap metal, not a keen blade.

Thus, half a month later, as he continued his repeated visits and sustained comprehension, his mind suddenly trembled, and the blade he had meticulously mimicked within his sea of consciousness ultimately collapsed. Due to the prolonged investment of his efforts, as the blade shadow shattered, Xu Qing’s body trembled violently, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood.

“How could this be…” Xu Qing looked dejected, his heart filled with unwillingness, and he murmured. Whether it was the Grand Cang Blade or the Shadow of Ghost Emperor Mountain, he had never encountered such difficulty. What was more, he had clearly already comprehended and formed it, yet for some unknown reason, it had collapsed again. It was as if that blade could leave a mere outline in his mind, but a deeper imprint was beyond his grasp.

“Is my method wrong?” Xu Qing fell silent, closing his eyes and sitting cross-legged, lost in thought.

After a long time, he gave up trying to comprehend the blade itself. Instead, he recalled the prisoners whose Dao foundations had been severed, specifically the scenes of their foundations collapsing after that blade descended. As the images continuously surfaced in his mind, after a long while, Xu Qing’s body suddenly trembled, and he abruptly opened his eyes.

“My direction is wrong!”

“All my previous comprehensions were based on earlier methods, but those primarily focused on body and soul. For instance, the Grand Cang Blade severs the body, while Ghost Emperor Mountain suppresses the soul. That wasn’t true comprehension; it was merely mimicking. What is required this time is genuine comprehension. Because this Dao-Slaying Blade, formed by rules, is not a Heavenly Tribulation Blade; it is a Heavenly Dao Blade! Looking at it more deeply, it uses laws to sever the spiritual energy within the cultivator’s body. The spiritual energy, the moment this blade descends, is affected as if… it no longer belongs to the cultivator themselves. The key to this blade isn’t to sever, but to cause the cultivator’s own spiritual energy to reject the practitioner, making it spontaneously disintegrate! This blade, or perhaps this Dao, is more akin to… a decree!”

Xu Qing’s breathing quickened, and an intense light shone in his eyes.

“A decree commanding spiritual energy to reject cultivators?”

“How is this done?” An answer instantly arose in his mind. Spiritual energy is fundamental. If it’s considered to be like heterogeneous matter, then whose aura is spiritual energy…?

Xu Qing thought of the four primordial Heavenly Daos outside this small world. Their gazes converged to form the sun and moon, manifesting laws. “Spiritual energy comes from laws, and laws come from the Heavenly Dao?” Xu Qing murmured, a strange light in his eyes.

After prisoners are confined in this small world, they are invaded and assimilated by it, eventually merging with this realm. Therefore, the laws of this small world can dissipate their cultivation. “So, this blade is the Heavenly Dao transforming laws into a decree to strike. Then, what exactly is the Heavenly Dao?”

Xu Qing’s eyes showed contemplation. After a moment, he took a deep breath, stood up, and walked out of this small world. Outside the continent, he paused in the void and looked down at the four massive primordial Heavenly Daos beyond the light barrier. He observed them very carefully and thoroughly, even sitting cross-legged in the void, spreading his perception, and immersing himself completely.

Time flowed. Seven days later, a profound sense of understanding arose in Xu Qing’s heart. “These four Heavenly Daos are not material objects, but rather a form of existence that is neither truly alive nor truly dead. This type of existence possesses no inherent will.” This was what Xu Qing observed, and also the answer he received after consulting Superior Immortal Zixuan during those seven days.

This answer made Xu Qing think of the Wanggu Continent. According to his understanding, powerful individuals who mastered the laws of the Wanggu Continent could also execute this Heavenly Dao Blade within the Wanggu Continent, though achieving this was exceptionally difficult. Because the Heavenly Dao of the small world was controlled by the Sword-Wielding Palace, it could be utilized. However, regarding the Heavenly Dao of the Wanggu Continent, it was likely that no one could control it. Without anyone to control it, the Heavenly Dao had no self-awareness, possessing only instincts formed by its laws.

At this moment, Xu Qing suddenly understood what the Spiritual Treasure realm truly was. He also understood why Ghost Hand had once said that reaching the Spiritual Treasure realm required comprehending the Heavenly Dao and having the Heavenly Dao reside within one’s secret treasure. That was because only the Heavenly Dao could bear laws and, subsequently, command them. Powerful individuals in the Spiritual Treasure realm could already manifest the laws of their own Heavenly Dao, applying them to the Wanggu Continent. Although not for an extended period, they could briefly alter things, achieving their ultimate state. This was similar to the Profound Radiance state of Foundation Establishment.

After comprehending these points, Xu Qing gained a deeper understanding of this Heavenly Dao Blade. He finally understood why he had repeatedly failed before. This was because the blade contained laws, and laws could only be mastered by those in the Spiritual Treasure realm, and even then, mastery relied on the Heavenly Dao within their secret treasure as a carrier. That’s why he had failed; no matter how he mimicked it, he could not succeed. He lacked a vessel to carry the laws!

“So that’s how it is!” Xu Qing finally understood completely.

“A carrier…” He thought of the Poison Ban Pill, the Life Lamp, Emperor-tier cultivation techniques, and Purple Moon… Ultimately, he dismissed them all. In the end, these were all external objects.

Only one thing was truly suitable. That was… Canglong. His Destined Canglong!

“My future Heavenly Dao within my secret treasure!” This was something truly formed by himself!

Xu Qing’s eyes gleamed brightly.