Chapter 287: Sword Breaks Shu Land, Five Hundred Li Within All Shu Paths

The terrifying sword strike caused the earth to rip open into a colossal chasm, transforming into an endless abyss. The land on both sides rose and then formed a concave shape, stretching for hundreds of miles to become a mountain range.

The Celestial Realm, hidden in the void, was also torn open. Faintly, one could see immortal palaces and towers, majestic rivers and mountains, everywhere exuding an astonishing Dao charm. Several colossal gods, clad in golden armor, guarding the South Heaven Gate, stood high above them, appearing to have existed since eternity.

"Who from the lower realm has shattered the void again?"

"Huh? It's actually a mortal war. Such a vast mountain range... there's actually such an extraordinary being in the mortal realm! This is a Quasi-Emperor's cultivation! But its power far surpasses that of an ordinary Quasi-Emperor, even approaching that of an ancient Celestial Emperor!"

"But to thus profane the Heavenly Court, it must be punished!"

A colossal god whispered, just as he was about to descend to the mortal realm, when he saw, surrounded by a crowd of martial artists, a cute young girl in a green dress quietly eating candied hawthorns, constantly clapping and cheering.

"It's the Earth Mother..."

"Don't provoke her, or she'll make things difficult for us divine generals of the South Heaven Gate again."

"Anyway, that mortal is formidable. She has no cultivation, but unless the Celestial Emperor descends, no one is her match. If we go down, we'll be instantly killed."

The golden-armored generals, bathed in divine light, choked on their words, suddenly realizing that there seemed to be no one in the mortal realm they could provoke. They silently repaired the void and continued to hide within the South Heaven Gate.

To the astonishment of countless people, amidst swirling clouds, a one-armed maiden of above-average beauty, with a calm expression, sat atop a floating glazed immortal sword in the sky. That sword seemed like a peerless divine artifact. Its blade was as transparent as glazed mirror, and its reflection illuminated the entire land, coating it in a layer of gold and even adorning their clothes with a shimmering aura.

She spoke softly, looking down at the two armies below.

"There should be a barrier between the imperial court and Shu. With one sword strike, I have cut down five hundred li of continuous mountains, making passage difficult. This shall be the Shu Road!"

"The Shu Road is sparsely populated, barren, and difficult to traverse. I, Liu, shall establish an immortal sect on Mount Shu, to widely welcome those with destined connections."

"Sword Immortals cultivate immortality through the sword. Though still mortal, subject to birth, old age, sickness, and death, by cultivating this sword, one can cleave the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers."

"Furthermore, this sect does not accept practitioners of martial arts or Confucianism. Only ordinary mortals who cannot cultivate will be accepted as disciples!"

Her voice instantly resonated across the entire surrounding land. Countless grandmasters, and even the imperial court, were instantly shaken.

"Who is this woman? With one sword, she opened mountains, severed five hundred li, and changed heaven and earth!"

"She cut off Northern Shu and guards the Shu Road?"

"A Sword Immortal? A mortal with no cultivation, subject to birth, old age, sickness, and death, yet she can cleave the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers, and even ascend to the Immortal Realm? Her combat power even far surpasses those of the same rank; in the Quasi-Emperor realm, no one will be her match!"

"Impossible! How can a mere mortal fight an immortal...?"

Countless people were shaken by this. The existence of this Sword Immortal was too incredible, too unfathomable. What's more peculiar is that she possessed no cultivation, making it impossible to sense or pinpoint her presence. Her sword was incredibly powerful, yet it was an inanimate object, emitting no aura when sheathed and not activated. If she launched a surprise attack and suddenly drew her sword, who could stop her? Chills ran down the spines of countless people.

In less than a century recently, it seemed as if something suppressed was continuously erupting and advancing. First, the great Confucian Scholar Hu Renong established ley lines, leading to the birth of the Divine Dao. Now, there's also the Shu Road Sword Immortal. The era... perhaps it has completely changed!

The colossal mountain range severed the two sides, and the conflicts and fighting on both sides could only cease.

Three days later.

The news gradually spread. Ordinary mortals came upon hearing the news, and seeing the suddenly uplifted, vast, rugged mountain range, and hearing these words in the small towns, they wept uncontrollably, tears streaming down their faces.

"It's actually true!"

"We mortals can also possess such immense power!"

Many people lacked cultivation aptitude, their meridians blocked. After all, only a small portion of people could cultivate. They could possess perseverance and determination, but they simply could not embark on the path of cultivation to pursue their dreams and aspirations. In inns and taverns, people's discussions grew louder and more frequent. The sudden appearance of a future legendary Quasi-Emperor in the mortal realm instantly caused the entire martial arts world to seethe, the imperial court was moved, and even the ancient Celestial Emperors in the Heavenly Court began to hear about it. Moreover, the Mount Shu Sword Sect was actually established on Mount Shu!

"We mortals with blocked meridians can also cultivate, following the Sword Immortal lineage. Mortals may not attain immortality, but they can gain world-shaking power."

"I don't think it's possible. How can we mortals with blocked meridians cultivate? I remember Old Li's son from next door; he sought masters everywhere and was swindled out of all his family's fortune."

"But the Mount Shu Sword Sect, they say, only accepts mortals who cannot cultivate."

"It's already been found out! That one-armed maiden Sword Immortal is the one-armed old woman who stopped the carriage back then. She truly gained an immense stroke of good fortune."

"Hahaha! Wouldn't those saintesses from various great sects, each with exceptional aptitude, be furious? To have a mortal old woman get such a windfall? Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!"

"That Bai Xiaosheng, perhaps an ancient primeval being from the Western Era. Those who followed him, one opened the Divine Dao, another became a Sword Immortal... it's where the world's destiny converges, stirring up great changes."

Discussions in the martial arts world grew more frequent, Bai Xiaosheng's reputation grew, and everyone yearned and looked up to him. Even some ordinary mortals could not resist, wanting to ascend the rugged and perilous Mount Shu to its cloud-shrouded peaks, to seek the legendary Sword Immortal's fortune.

"Not cultivating for immortality, but rather cultivating to roam freely with a sword between heaven and earth for one's lifetime—how exhilarating is that?"

On the rugged, sky-reaching, towering Shu Road, many mortals had fervent eyes and resolve in their hearts. The Shu Road suddenly stretched for eight hundred li, transforming into a colossal, continuous mountain range that severed Shu from the imperial court.

From then on, the land of Northern Shu, its ley lines severed and difficult to access, became a barbaric region where great martial artists flourished, the people were fierce, and it remained outside imperial court jurisdiction.

The Great Zhou Dynasty could no longer clear out Shu and could only change its direction. One by one, great Confucian Scholars took action, their righteous qi deterring ghosts and gods, to clear out the man-eating ancient clans of the Cloud Mountains and Great Marsh. However, these ancient clans were few, each immensely powerful, and hidden deep within various mountain ranges, making them difficult to eradicate. The Great Zhou Dynasty then targeted the barbarian sorcerers of the Southern Barbarian lands. But unexpectedly, the barbarians of the Southern Barbarian lands, descendants of the Ancestral Witches, were all tall and strong, and they also emulated Great Zhou by establishing their own court, named the Nanzhao Kingdom, establishing official ranks, and appointing a National Preceptor.

Instantly, power was divided into four factions: the Barbarian Nanzhao Kingdom, the Human Great Zhou Dynasty, the martial artists and knights of the Shu Road, and the ancient demon clans of the Great Marsh. A new era had dawned—an era belonging to martial arts, Confucianism, and also to Sword Immortals.

In June of the 339th year of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Sect Leader of Mount Shu began recruiting disciples. Her voice resonated throughout Shu:

"Humanity's path is faint, the immortal path boundless. The path of specters finds joy, as it is the gateway to life. The immortal path values life, the path of specters values conclusion... bind and chant down demon spirits, cleave souls with the Six Ghost Blades. All heavens are vast, my Dao flourishes daily!"

"The Mount Shu Sect's first grand entrance examination for disciples is open. Those with destiny may come to Mount Shu!"

Within a single day, for a thousand li along the Shu Road, countless mortals, carrying their belongings, embarked upon the Shu Road. However, the path of the Shu Road was truly difficult. Cultivating as a Sword Immortal did not require aptitude, but demanded astonishing perseverance, enduring hardships akin to the pain of a severed arm. Many people couldn't even climb the Shu Road, unable to endure the hardship. Some even exaggerated, saying it was harder than opening the gates of the Immortal Realm. Thus, some said, "The Shu Road is difficult, harder than ascending to the heavens."