Chapter 462: Sword Technique Limits

"We will follow from a distance and hide carefully," Grandmaster Yankang said leisurely, watching Qin Mu's large contingent of female followers depart. "We'll wait for the moment Ba Gou and that god make their move. Cult Master Qin will help us resolve all of this."

Xiong Xiyu was filled with emotion. She had sought Qin Mu's help in the Great Ruins, never imagining that the young man who saved her and her daughter would possess such terrifying abilities and stir up such a storm in the Western Earth. She had initially thought he was merely a scion of a prominent family with some ability. However, the more she learned about him, the more she marveled at his extraordinary nature.

The enormous Yun City traversed the vast landscape. Qin Mu and several leaders from Western Earth's prominent families stood atop the city wall, coordinating their respective armies to prevent accidental trampling. As the disciples of Western Earth's great families were not well-trained soldiers, their coordination required considerable effort. Fortunately, He Yiyi, a master of formations, was present. By employing formations to coordinate the family disciples, they gradually became adept. It's worth noting that even in Yankang, individuals with He Yiyi's level of formation mastery were exceptionally rare, often holding positions as first-rank officials.

"Luo Yinyu, Sword Master of the Western Earth, greets Cult Master Qin of the Central Lands."

Qin Mu looked at the long-haired young woman approaching him to offer her respects, revealing a look of surprise. He quickly returned the gesture.

The Western Earth's Three Masters were Poison Master Mu Yingxue, Formation Master He Yiyi, and Sword Master Luo Yinyu. He was well-acquainted with Mu Yingxue and He Yiyi, but this was his first encounter with Sword Master Luo Yinyu.

Sword Master Luo Yinyu differed from other women in the Western Earth. While others preferred to adorn themselves with gold and silver, wearing silver coronets, necklaces of silver and gold rings, and numerous bracelets on their wrists and ankles, she wore none. This Sword Master, however, wore not a single piece of ornamentation. Her attire was equally simple: a plain white robe, remarkably unadorned and devoid of any superfluous colors. Her beautiful hair was styled with equal simplicity, merely tied in the center with a single hair-tie to keep it from disheveling. Her long black hair, like a woman's waist, was set against the white of her clothing, creating a striking contrast in color. Her minimalist attire and appearance were a testament to her nature: like a sword, she tolerated no impurities, viewing any extra adornments as mere clutter. This was a woman seemingly devoid of other pleasures, as if she had already "married" the sword.

Upon seeing her, Qin Mu felt as if a sword was thrusting towards him. As she bowed in greeting, her sword-light was fierce and unparalleled in its sharpness, aiming directly at his Dao heart! Qin Mu bowed in return, yet calmly fended off her sword intent.

Sword Master Luo Yinyu stood up, her gaze curious. "Is Cult Master Qin also a master of swordsmanship?"

Qin Mu replied humbly, "I wouldn't presume to claim that. How many masters of swordsmanship exist in the world? In terms of raw power, countless individuals surpass me. However, when it comes to the depth of swordsmanship attainment, I can likely hold my own."

Sword Master Luo Yinyu grew even more curious. "I have long desired to visit the Central Lands and experience their sword styles," she said. "Since Cult Master Qin is a master of swordsmanship from the Central Lands, could you perhaps tell me who among them surpasses you in swordsmanship?"

Qin Mu pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "In terms of pure swordsmanship, there should be no one who surpasses me. However, some individuals have transcended into the realm of the Dao of the Sword. I wouldn't dare to estimate how many there are who surpass me in the Dao of the Sword, but Grandmaster Yankang is certainly above me. My village chief, who taught me three sword forms, also possesses extraordinary attainment in the Dao of the Sword. As for other masters of the Dao of the Sword, I don't know many, so I cannot comment."

"Swordsmanship... and the Dao of the Sword?"

Luo Yinyu's expression turned to one of disappointment. She murmured, "Has someone truly entered the realm of the Dao of the Sword? I have tirelessly pursued the ultimate limits of swordsmanship for so many years, yearning to enter the Dao of the Sword but always failing. Yet, someone has managed to enter such a profound realm?"

Qin Mu understood her disappointment. Luo Yinyu was currently in a stage of intensive study and inquiry, pursuing the ultimate understanding of swordsmanship. She had most likely reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship itself, yet she had not found the gateway to the Dao of the Sword, unable to truly enter its inner chambers. Qin Mu's revelation that many masters of the Dao of the Sword existed in the Central Lands struck a significant blow to her. Swordsmanship and the Dao of the Sword, though separated by a single character, represent a chasm as vast as the heavens and earth. No matter how perfectly one practices swordsmanship, it remains vulnerable before a master of the Dao of the Sword.

Qin Mu's curiosity was piqued. "I have yet to witness the swordsmanship of your Western Earth," he said. "I wonder if it differs from that of our Central Lands. The Central Lands' swordsmanship originally consisted of fourteen forms. Later, Grandmaster Yankang added three, bringing the total to seventeen. Not long ago, I added one more, making it eighteen basic sword forms. How many forms does Western Earth's swordsmanship have?"

Luo Yinyu was even more surprised. "The Central Lands' swordsmanship already boasts eighteen forms?" she asked. "Our Western Earth's swordsmanship only has fourteen. However, our focus is primarily on sword spirits, emphasizing raw power, which might differ from your swordsmanship."

Qin Mu's interest was immediately sparked. He had been researching sword spirits himself recently, though with limited progress, always sensing a profound depth of knowledge within the subject. It was a rare opportunity to encounter Luo Yinyu, a grandmaster of Western Earth swordsmanship, and he naturally wished to seek her guidance. The two engaged in a detailed discussion, and both found it greatly enriching.

Western Earth's swordsmanship relied on spirits to control swords, with sword spirits capable of vastly increasing a sword's power, almost doubling it. In Qin Mu's estimation, Western Earth's swordsmanship felt somewhat monotonous, far less refined than Yankang's. Even Luo Yinyu, despite being a sword master, possessed swordsmanship attainment that fell a notch below many Central Lands sects. However, the sword spirits allowed her sword moves to achieve a level of power that Central Lands masters could only dream of. When she executed basic swordsmanship, each move and form was governed by strict principles, its might surging dramatically. She displayed a valiant and heroic bearing, making others dare not directly confront her formidable edge.

Luo Yinyu, in turn, recognized the extraordinary nature brought by the Central Lands' reforms. Their swordsmanship was intricate and constantly evolving, particularly after Grandmaster Yankang and Qin Mu pioneered four new basic sword forms. This development introduced even more variations and variables to swordsmanship, opening up countless possibilities!

Luo Yinyu attempted to perform the Winding Sword Form, Entwining Sword Form, Drilling Sword Form, and Qin Mu's eighteenth form. She mused, "This is somewhat peculiar. The first fourteen basic sword forms of the Central Lands are no different from ours in Western Earth. However, these latter four moves, despite being basic swordsmanship, demand progressively more magical power. Cult Master Qin's basic sword form, in particular, nearly exhausts a significant portion of one's vital qi cultivation with a single activation! If a nineteenth form were to be developed, wouldn't it completely drain the cultivation of a swordsmanship divine arts practitioner? By the twentieth form, would anyone even be able to perform it?"

Qin Mu's heart pounded. He felt a profound sense of recognition, and his gaze grew fervent. "You can sense a nineteenth sword form?"

Luo Yinyu replied with delight, "You also sensed the nineteenth sword form?"

They exchanged glances and smiled knowingly.

"After I pioneered the eighteenth sword form, I felt a sense of incompleteness." Qin Mu's mind momentarily drifted, and he confided his thoughts. "At that time, I felt it was highly probable that a nineteenth sword form existed. However, I was engaged in combat with Sister Yiyi then and dared not be distracted, so I didn't delve into the source of that sensation. Nonetheless, the nineteenth sword form must exist. Your ability to sense it confirms that my intuition was correct."

Luo Yinyu nodded. "The nineteenth sword form could very well be the crucial key that allows us to directly enter the Dao of the Sword!" Both were somewhat excited by this realization.

"By the way," Qin Mu inquired, "Yankang is clearly located near the ocean, so why do you refer to it as the Central Lands?"

Luo Yinyu shook her head. "I don't know much about external affairs; most of my time is dedicated to diligently studying the sword."

Fang Caidie, the matriarch of the Fang family standing nearby, chuckled. "Cult Master Qin," she explained, "the name 'Central Lands' has always existed, referring to the Great Ruins and the continent to the east. As for your Yankang's Eastern Sea, that is actually referred to as the Eastern Lands."

As the two of them researched and exchanged ideas on swordsmanship, they attracted many onlookers. Both Qin Mu and Luo Yinyu were grandmasters of swordsmanship, and even individuals whose cultivation realms far surpassed theirs could only look on in admiration.

Qin Mu was even more perplexed. "There's no land in the Eastern Sea," he remarked, "so why is it referred to as the Eastern Lands?"

Fang Caidie, who had never explored the depths of this mystery herself, shook her head. "That, I do not know," she admitted.

"The Eastern Sea was once a landmass, which is why it was called the Eastern Lands." Fu Yunxi, the patriarch of the Fu family, explained, "Our Fu family's Cloud Scrolls contain records concerning the Eastern and Central Lands. They state that these regions were not demarcated according to current geography, but rather based on geographical divisions from a very distant past."

Qin Mu's heart stirred slightly. He suddenly recalled the Qu Mountain Temple, a divine edifice that should have stood atop a majestic mountain but had instead sunken to the bottom of the Eastern Sea, its spire now more than 1,600 zhang below the surface. The base of the mountain, meanwhile, lay even deeper. This indicated that the present-day Eastern Sea was once a continent, the very land known as the Eastern Lands!

However, Fu Yunxi had stated that the Eastern and Central Lands were delineated according to ancient geographical divisions. This "distant past," then, wouldn't be the Kaihuang Era, but rather the more ancient Emperor Era, predating the Kaihuang Era itself!

"The Emperor Era... that must have been the location of the Eastern Lands, mustn't it? The current Eastern Sea. The third move of the Sword Diagram, 'Emperor's Calamity' – this 'Emperor' must be connected to the Emperor Era."

Qin Mu fell into deep thought. The Sword Diagram was a technique pioneered by the village chief, and 'Emperor's Calamity' was its third move. This suggested that the village chief must possess some knowledge of the Emperor Era's history.

"Village Chief, I will definitely go to Fengdu to rescue you!" the young man vowed silently.

Suddenly, He Yiyi called out loudly, "True Heaven Palace is almost upon us! Everyone, prepare for battle!"

Sword Master Luo Yinyu quickly rose and headed towards the Luo family's contingent. Fu Yunxi, Fang Caidie, Mu Yingxue, Liu Ruyin, and the others also promptly returned to their respective family armies.

Qin Mu stood on the city wall, looking forward, his heart trembling. Before him, majestic mountains rose like a dense forest of peaks. Each magnificent peak, towering hundreds or even thousands of zhang high, stood like a silent giant between heaven and earth. These mountains resembled the mountain giant he had encountered in Fangxiu City, but they were even larger and more imposing. Beside these colossal peaks stood 'sword peaks,' mountains shaped like colossal swords! There were also 'bell peaks,' mountains shaped like bells; 'cauldron peaks,' shaped like cauldrons; 'pagoda peaks,' resembling pagodas; and 'tower peaks,' like multi-storied towers. These mountains were shaped like various spirit weapons!

Beyond these, beneath the peaks, mighty rivers surged and meandered with countless bends. Rainbow waterfalls plunged three thousand zhang from the mountaintops, while between the ranges, misty cloud seas swirled amidst clashing thunder. Above the sea of clouds, a cluster of palaces appeared bathed in golden light.

True Heaven Palace of the Western Earth! The Western Earth's holy land was even more formidable than he had had imagined.