Chapter 1646: The Book of Answers Observing Sword Canon, The Way Comes from Within, Eighth Immortal

The Divine Relic has shattered!

Not only did Mo Jian of the Wuyu Wangwei Sword tear through the Milky Way and the currents from outside, severing Wangze Holy Emperor's body, but even Cuiyin's impenetrable "seal" was ripped open, creating a breach.

This "seal" actually had no visible form to the naked eye; it didn't manifest as an array, technique, or any other method. Ordinary semi-saints wouldn't even be able to sense its presence. However, when viewed from the perspective of the Heavenly Realm's Core, one could vaguely perceive a faint "haze" covering the exterior of this triangular Heavenly Realm. That hazy power was somewhat like guidance, like a divine oracle, and even more like an invisible, inscrutable "thought"!

"The passage is open..."

Previously, the haze had isolated all external exploration, allowing no trace of life to be found. Now that the breach was open, Xu Xiaoshou was confident that if he could summon the Eye of the Ancestor again, he would definitely be able to connect with Void Island and contact Ba Zun'an. Unfortunately, the Ancestral Spirit was like a dragon crossing a river, unable to suppress a local snake, and suffered severe injuries, so it likely wouldn't awaken anytime soon.

The primary goal of the sword strike was achieved. The additional effect of Cuiyin being struck was also triggered. Double happiness!

However, the spatial coordinates of Void Island in the vast starry sky could not be found because the connection was lost. Yet, in a certain instant, Xu Xiaoshou sensed a fleeting sword intent aura.

An illusion?

That aura was both familiar and strange. Familiar in the sword intent itself, but strange in that it had not been seen before; it was definitely not Ba Zun'an's.

"Xiao Dazui?"

"Looking at this intensity, it doesn't seem like him... And he seems very busy, how could he have time to come... Even if he came, he couldn't help..."

Who else has sword intent?

This question was worth pondering. However, Xu Xiaoshou didn't have much time right now. Rather than chasing a five percent chance of an unexpected surprise, completing the plan step-by-step was more cost-effective!

"Contemplating the Sword Canon..."

When Wangze Holy Emperor was enraged again, Xu Xiaoshou didn't immediately cast the second sword. Instead, he immersed part of his mind into that ancient book.

Once the seal's breach opened, it didn't matter if Void Island couldn't be found. The foundation for the success of the Divine Summoning Ritual from "zero to one" was the most important thing.

"Ba Zun'an?"

In a fantastical ancient book world, Xu Xiaoshou gently called out. In the distant reaches, the shadowy figure of the white-robed swordsman remained blurry and did not respond.

Indeed, gods are not so easily summoned. Because gods are a thing of the past; the current god is useless.

Speaking of which, since the Red Dog incident last time, apart from cultivating sword intent, this was only the second time Xu Xiaoshou had so seriously entered the inner world of "Contemplating the Sword Canon."

He couldn't understand it before. Now, from a high vantage point, he could see at a glance that the inner world of "Contemplating the Sword Canon" was "permanently" maintained by the second world of Illusionary Sword Technique. And the energy used to maintain this world came from the "True Meaning of the Sword Dao" written within "Contemplating the Sword Canon."

—Self-circulating!

"What a Great Eighth Sword Immortal..."

While slightly startled, Xu Xiaoshou saw that the youthful phantom of Ba Zun'an remained motionless, so he immersed his mind in the vast sword dao knowledge recorded in the book.

Still, the same old saying: "Contemplating the Sword Canon" was so profound that he couldn't understand a single bit of it before, so he put it down after getting started with sword intent. Once put down, he was entangled in worldly affairs, repeatedly drawn into major events, and simply couldn't spare the time to read the book. Even if he had time, wasn't sleeping more enjoyable? Anyway, he could still cultivate passively and add points to brute-force techniques. Who would actively want to diligently read a book?

To put it a bit disrespectfully, Xiao Kongdong gave Xu Xiaoshou something he cherished as a treasure, and Xu Xiaoshou, after putting it aside, simply forgot about "Contemplating the Sword Canon"...

Time was limited, so he only had time for a quick glance. Sharpening the spear on the eve of battle, it's better than nothing. With this mindset, he took an extra look, and to his surprise, Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

He was looking at the part of Ghost Sword Technique he wasn't very good at, but "Contemplating the Sword Canon" recorded it in extremely detailed fashion. This included the cultivation of "Lord of Fengdu," the creation of "Fengdu," the training of "Ghost Kings," and more. Furthermore, there was knowledge about how Ghost Sword Technique, including its second realm, could be integrated with other sword techniques or their second realms.

Wasn't this precisely the path he was on now?

Good heavens!

Xu Xiaoshou's mind couldn't help but recall what Ba Zun'an had said with such arrogance when they first met in Tiansang Spirit Palace:

"Your path has already been tread into ruins!"

It turns out, those were all unpleasant truths...

Xu Xiaoshou, somewhat unwilling to give up, quickly located the section on the integration of realms for "Wuyu Wangwei Sword" in the ancient book. Then, he fell silent. If Cuiyin had been fortunate enough to read "Contemplating the Sword Canon," and the examples within, his recent sword strike could have had at least three solutions.

Even a heavenly book can be understood at times. But the feeling is not as good as not understanding it.

It's worth noting that Ba Zun'an was indeed not perfect. Although he hadn't read much, Xu Xiaoshou could tell at a glance that the guy wasn't a good teacher. He understood the sword, but didn't know how to teach. The basic parts of sword dao in "Contemplating the Sword Canon" were fragmented and scattered, and barely covered the fundamentals. As he talked, he would ascend to the height of the first and second realm integration. No wonder it was like a heavenly book before.

"It's not on the same dimension as Sword Mastery and Sword Dao Disc..." Xu Xiaoshou concluded: "It cannot be compared."

If "Sword Mastery" provides the most complete foundational knowledge, helping one lay the most perfect foundation for ancient sword techniques, then the Sword Dao Disc goes a step further, deepening the illusory and ethereal Dao, allowing one to quickly comprehend the first and second realms that ordinary people struggle to grasp their entire lives, and possibly even the third realm.

"Contemplating the Sword Canon" is too personal! But its path is incredibly wild, reaching an extreme!

It primarily interprets the relationships and changes that arise when the nine great sword techniques intertwine and their realms merge, based on Ba Zun'an's own perceptions. Through this, it pushes towards the end of the path, attempting to open that door.

Its starting point is also on the ground, but it only gives one a bamboo pole, saying "climb up," and then profoundly discusses the Dao high above the clouds.

"Ba Zun'an, one Zhang and eight Chi tall" is indeed not an empty boast!

Of course, humans and cheats cannot be compared. The fact that one can even associate them and still not come to a conclusion is already terrifying.

The thinking style of geniuses must also be peculiar. If you wanted Ba Zun'an to perfectly write out the foundation of a Dao, he would probably directly reply that he had finished. If you asked for more details, perhaps the bamboo pole was what he considered the broad road to heaven that everyone could use!

"It wasn't suitable for me before."

"Now, it's a little bit suitable, no, it's a whole lot!"

Like an unexpected surprise, Xu Xiaoshou found that the things written in "Contemplating the Sword Canon," including the examples casually cited, were exactly what he lacked most at present! They were the opposite answers to "Sword Mastery" and "Sword Dao Disc," which only provided the underlying "0" and "1" but no high-level framework!

Xu Xiaoshou didn't have time to research the sword dao; he desperately needed these ready-made answers. And for him, who at this moment wished to use Ba Zun'an's sword to awaken the youthful version of Ba Zun'an, wasn't this a "perfect match"?

He had only intended to glance through it and then finish. Now, Xu Xiaoshou directly split a wisp of his mind and placed it in this ancient book world, simultaneously confronting Cuiyin while also looking at the section on Qingshu Sword Technique.

Yes, he also lacked "life experience" in this area. But experience could be created! If not, applying the memories from various families read by soul reading would also work, or simply using Ba Zun'an's. Even his own bizarre experience of "two lives" was certainly rare and extreme. And did extreme mean that it might be possible to find answers worth contemplating and applying to the sword dao in Ba Zun'an's wild style?

He quickly saw Ba Zun'an's original words in "Contemplating the Sword Canon":

"The Dao has no size, and appearances have no superiority or inferiority."

"Water can be a river, and tears can carry emotion."

These two simple sentences, like a resounding bell, were deafening and sparked endless contemplation. It could be an ocean, a tsunami, a world of ink and wash, or a parasitic attack... But it shouldn't be limited to this; it could also convey emotion through tears, rising to the level of soul and consciousness, rising to the true height of Qingshu Sword Technique...

Waves submerging Void Island! At that time, it was terrifying. Thinking about it now, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but feel that "Arcane Water Ghost is nothing more than this." And these words were written by Ba Zun'an more than thirty years ago!

"All beings are supreme, but all beings are the form of the Sword God."

"Water dripping through stone can also slowly and gently open the door to profound mystery."

When these two sentences were scanned, Xu Xiaoshou almost forgot that an evil god was still standing opposite him in defense. His mind was almost drawn in and absorbed.

Under Ba Zun'an's view, from beginning to end, the forms of all beings were not the strongest; all forms were equal. For example, if Mr. Siren's teacher-student form was successfully cultivated, it could also rival the forms of all beings. This view is now recognized by most ancient sword cultivators, and even spirit refiners. But the problem is, knowing is one thing, but there are almost no practitioners who actually embody it!

Xu Xiaoshou recalled carefully. After Mr. Siren became a saint, his state was clearly a bit off. Subjectively, he should have believed that the teacher-student form had a promising future, but subconsciously, he still stuck to old ways, feeling that this path was impassable. This manifested as him losing the direction of his future path, not knowing if Heart Sword Technique could continue to advance, not knowing if the teacher-student form could lead him to the third realm, and thus falling into confusion and stagnation.

Rao Yaoyao was also like this. She indeed took the purest path, primarily cultivating Qingshu Sword Technique, and before her death, she also cultivated the forms of all beings and the mountains and seas. However, she didn't feel strong, and her end was also her demise!

Why?

Finding the answer in "Contemplating the Sword Canon," Rao Yaoyao went down a blind alley. The forms of all beings and the mountains and seas are indeed the highest expressions of Red Dust Sword and Forgetful Sword. But from the very beginning, aiming for these two goals, even if one cultivates them through forced growth, in essence, one only obtains two outwardly impressive "sword techniques."

Yes, in "Contemplating the Sword Canon," "form" and "proof" are merely listed as sword techniques, just like Liu Fuyu's "Sword Steps Fifty-Four Kills." The essence of Qingshu Sword Technique lies in cultivating emotion, where a "form" and "proof" naturally manifest when emotions run deep, rather than cultivating a "form" and "proof" to signify comprehension of the true meaning of "emotion."

"The Dao is an instrument; use the instrument to control people, don't let it control me."

Xu Xiaoshou felt a chill run down his spine as he read this, and then looked back at the next sentence, "Water dripping through stone can also slowly and gently open the door to profound mystery." He couldn't help but sigh for Elder Gu.

The "Mysterious Gate," in everyone's inherent perception, is something to burst through, like breaking through to the Ten Realms Holy Emperor. Ba Zun'an's mindset was very calm; things would fall into place naturally, and the Mysterious Gate could also be slowly, little by little, pushed open, until divine light permeated the body and one ascended.

"What 'form' does Ba Zun'an cultivate?"

Xu Xiaoshou felt he had no time to keep looking, but at this moment, a sudden question arose in his mind that kept him hanging. He felt that if he didn't find the answer to this question, defeating Cuiyin would be utterly uninteresting.

Yes!

I just want to copy the standard answer! I don't want to take detours, I want to blindly charge through the wild path. Anyway, my path has already been worn out by others, so I might as well give up and lie flat!

Searching for answers with a question in mind. Just a quick glance at "Contemplating the Sword Canon," and Xu Xiaoshou broke out in a cold sweat, realizing that he too had fallen into a blind alley.

"All forms are equal, cultivating over ten, all proficient, but upon awakening, they are merely superficial, only a tip of the iceberg, abandoned."

"A single leaf can fill a river and sea, a single stone can break through the firmament. Those who come later and observe a leaf or a stone to cultivate a form, within the depths of their Dao, there is a door called 'Profound Mystery'."

Leaf-Stone Form? The meaning of these words is that one doesn't need to be concerned with the form itself; even by observing a single leaf or a single stone, those with comprehension can observe until they become a God or an Ancestor. Those destined not to become a God or Ancestor, no matter how strong or numerous the forms they cultivate, it will be of no avail.

"His grandmother..."

People from over thirty years ago had thinking that was more than an era ahead. Why did the four characters "Eighth Sword Immortal" have such influence in the Sword God Heaven of the Eastern Region, overshadowing Sword Tomb and other sword dao forces, overshadowing the seven great figures of that generation's Seven Sword Immortals? The answer also seemed to be found in "Contemplating the Sword Canon."

"Ba Zun'an..."

With intensely complex emotions, he lightly called out again, but the youthful, wild phantom in the ancient book world remained unmoved. Perhaps it heard, but disdained to respond. Perhaps it didn't hear, and answered indifferently.

It no longer mattered much. Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but have this wicked thought again:

It's truly great that the Eighth Sword Immortal perished, or more directly, Ba Zun'an should just die! Such a person, living, is his biggest flaw. The only condition he lacks to become a truly perfect legend—death!

"Only by dying can 'Contemplating the Sword Canon' become a priceless treasure, driving the world mad, and I, possessing the treasure, can sell it at a high price... cough cough!"

"Xu Xiaoshou!"

A transmission from Lingxi Art interrupted Xu Xiaoshou, who had become insatiably hungry after accidentally reopening "Contemplating the Sword Canon." He quickly came back to his senses and heard Dao Qiongcang transmit:

"Always pay attention to Cuiyin's state."

"Arrogance is not absolute. Even a cornered dog will jump over the wall. My suggestion is that if you can withstand it, unleash the second and third swords consecutively."

"If you still have energy, don't be limited to the 'Three Sword Promise.' Unleash as many swords as you can until you slay him, or until he summons him!"

You are so dirty...

Xu Xiaoshou muttered silently, but couldn't help looking at Cuiyin, who was enveloped in demonic energy, so entranced that he felt it wasn't enough to unleash all his techniques and had taken out all his treasures to protect himself.

Dao Qiongcang's thinking was actually perfectly correct. Indeed, Wangze Holy Emperor's physical body was destroyed by him, and the true form's physical body was obliterated by Shen Yi. But if he truly faced death, or if he was truly going to be beaten to the point where he needed to fall into slumber again...

Would Cuiyin still keep his promise? Would the Ancestral God have no trump cards, like a fully charged passive punch or an illusion-shattering finger, suddenly erupting and destroying him?

Xu Xiaoshou checked his trump card inventory and straightened his thoughts:

"Perhaps if I had some time, after finishing 'Contemplating the Sword Canon,' I could also slay him. This guy's state is too bad..."

"But if the final price is 'me,' and I can only beat him into slumber, not truly slay him, not completely obliterate him..."

"It's not worth it!"

Summoning a god to possess him was not for slaying a god. At the very least, he needed to protect himself, or at critical moments, Ba Zun'an, would you help me withstand the backlash?

"Second sword!"

A distant roar, and Cuiyin's soul in the distance was already impatient. The Great Obedient Bell Drum protected him, the Sacred Ancestor Stone Tablet was taken out and placed in front of him, and a greenish stone, which should be a piece of Heavenly Realm Stone, hung above his head. Five landscape screens slowly rotated in front of him, phantom dragons and phoenixes soared behind him, ready to strike, and the Ruins of the Ancestral Technique unfolded beneath his feet, with countless treasures within, ready to be summoned at any time.

Vaguely visible among them was a massive silver shield, quietly sinking, a "shield treasure" that made Xu Xiaoshou's breathing heavy...

"Second sword!"

"Come! Fight!!"

Cuiyin was like an ant on a hot pan, having lost all semblance of an Ancestral God, bearing countless heavy tortoise shells, his three eyes almost bursting open.

Xu Xiaoshou narrowed his eyes, four swords flipping in his hand, his sword fingers again sweeping across the blade.

"Zheng—"

A melodious sword cry, using the Heavenly Realm Core, pierced through the upper and lower triple heavens of the Divine Relic. With the help of sword intent, it silently transcended the shattered currents of time and space, seeping into the starry sky through Cuiyin's seal breach.

"Ba Zun'an..."

At this moment, the inner murmur echoed throughout the Milky Way. Xu Xiaoshou stood with his sword slanted, a swirling sword dao unfurling beneath it.

What made Cuiyin feel inexplicable and Dao Qiongcang even more awestruck was that beneath the Sword Dao Disc, a thick ancient book also appeared.

"Swish, swish..."

Pages of the book turned. Faint fluctuations diffused. Indescribable, formless.

With a "boom," Dao Qiongcang's Grandmaster Sword Intent could no longer be suppressed and burst forth. He couldn't help but want to bow, to worship. Dao Qiongcang gritted his teeth, resisting this humiliating urge, somewhat regretting having embarked on the path of ancient sword cultivation.

"Indeed, 'Contemplating the Sword Canon' is on him!"

Sword Tomb.

At the summit of East Mountain, one of the Seven Forbidden Zones.

Reaching high into the clouds was a green, sword-cone-shaped plant with black spots on its leaves, sharp enough to sever space. Among the sword-cone leaves, which bloomed like lotuses and also like sword halberds, there was a thick, fleshy leaf, shooting straight up into the sky, shaped like a sword blade, its tip piercing into the starry sky.

Wen Ting, in white robes, leaned precariously against the pebbles beneath the agave, appearing as tiny as an ant in comparison.

"Ba Zun'an..."

When the sound, in the form of mental waves, was intercepted, Wen Ting spoke:

"Agave, did you hear that? This is the place."

The agave leaves rippled, and black marks appeared in the void, as if responding. Wen Ting said no more, only holding a Dao principle in one hand and grasping an agave leaf in the other, his nose twitching as if sniffing something.

"At the critical moment, if Ba Zun'an truly can't do it, I will act."

"Agave, you must help me. You know, I'm afraid of death."

Rumble.

The stone door inside the cave rumbled open.

The Storyteller sprang up, patted her skirt, and smiled: "The external incarnation has found someone. Wen Ting said he will act, so you don't need to interfere... You can go back to closed-door cultivation. Xu Xiaoshou will be fine."

Ba Zun'an didn't reply. He walked straight out of the stone door, out of the cave, and, leaning against the wall, came to the outside of the bare stone mountain. He looked up at the sky, narrowed his eyes, and raised a hand to shield his forehead, his cloudy eyes seemingly trying to pierce through something.

"What's wrong?"

The Storyteller cautiously approached, feeling that her brother could directly perceive the essence of the Great Dao, truly impressive.

Ba Zun'an shook his head, narrowed his eyes, and looked for a while longer, mumbling:

"Has the sun not set yet?"

"The light... is a bit dazzling..."