Dustless Sword

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Sword aura soared into the heavens, and the Great Dao rang like metal.

Everyone in Taotie City could see that pillar of sword aura. They were hardly strangers to it. Everyone knew that Master Kunwu had forged yet another legendary sword.

Taotie City had countless offerings of every rank. Without some extraordinary contribution, even an ordinary seventh-realm powerhouse could rise no higher than a second-rank offering. There were only four first-rank offerings.

Xu Kunwu was one of those four, and his position rested entirely on his supreme sword-forging abilities. No one would dare question it.

Because sword forging was important.

The generally accepted view in the immortal cultivation world was that, as far as combat strength was concerned, cultivation came first, magical artifacts second, and divine abilities third.

When two cultivators fought, the one with the higher cultivation realm would usually emerge victorious. Apart from a handful of prodigies or under exceptional circumstances, it was extremely difficult to challenge someone across realms. Even crossing a minor realm was difficult.

If both sides possessed the same cultivation realm, then weapons and magical artifacts became vitally important—important enough to determine the outcome of the battle.

Nothing illustrated this better than the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands.

The Nine Heavens ranked among the Nine Heavens because they possessed the highest-ranked divine artifacts in the Myriad Treasures Register of the Mortal Realm. The Ten Lands were relegated below them because they possessed no divine artifacts.

People were constantly changing, and no matter how powerful one might be, one could only suppress an age. Over the course of several centuries, as generations rose and fell, it was perfectly common for the overall strength of some sects of the Ten Lands to surpass that of some immortal sects of the Nine Heavens. Even so, no sect of the Ten Lands could ever rise to take their place.

Because divine artifacts never changed.

The Ninth Realm was Profound Mystery. Those who reached it were invincible beneath heaven and became human saints the moment they appeared in the world, but such figures were seen only once in a thousand years, so there was no need to elaborate.

Below them, the Eighth Realm—Heavenly Origin—represented the common pinnacle of combat strength among the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands.

An eighth-realm powerhouse who commanded Heavenly Origin had already transcended the ordinary and entered sainthood. Though there might be differences in strength between such figures, it was extremely difficult for either side to defeat the other. Unless both parties were determined to fight to the death without retreat, even a battle that shattered the heavens and earth would rarely result in a killing.

But everything changed once a divine artifact entered the equation.

An eighth-realm Heavenly Origin cultivator wielding a divine artifact could raise their combat strength to an entirely different level—below Profound Mystery, yet above Heavenly Origin. The cultivation world commonly referred to this state as “Eight and a Half Realms,” or the “Heaven-Slaying Realm.”

The name was easy to understand.

If two Heavenly Origin experts clashed and one of them received the support of a divine artifact, that person would possess the power to kill the other. Hence the term “Heaven-Slaying.”

In the present age, when no saints had emerged, “Heaven-Slaying” represented the true pinnacle of combat strength in the mortal world.

The reason the Shu Mountain Sect had once led the righteous path beneath heaven was that its Demon-Subduing Pagoda was the strongest divine artifact in the mortal world. Several Heavenly Origin experts had once joined forces to activate it, and they had actually defeated a demon god of the Profound Mystery Realm. Such a feat was unprecedented throughout history, and naturally, no one had dared stand against them.

The reason the present-day Shu Mountain Sect had declined was not that its disciples had grown weaker. Rather, the sect lacked a supreme “Heaven-Slaying” powerhouse.

Thus, compared to the other immortal sects of the Nine Heavens, the Shu Mountain Sect might not necessarily lose in minor disputes. Yet whenever the most precious resources were contested, it would always find itself at a disadvantage. Its gradual decline was therefore only a matter of time.

Still, with the foundations laid by its ancestors, even in decline the Shu Mountain Sect possessed a vast power capable of crushing the sects of the Ten Lands. That was why it had managed to survive in such an awkward middle ground.

The current structure of the cultivation world could traditionally be called the “Nine Heavens and Ten Lands.” It could also be called the “Eight Heavens and Eleven Lands,” though that name was considerably less pleasing to the ear.

An additional half-realm could be added to one’s existing cultivation. Such was the power of a magical artifact.

That was why a good swordsmith was of immense importance to any faction, and no degree of respect bestowed upon one could be considered excessive.

…

“Father?”

Xu Sui brought Empress Phoenix and Chu Liang into the thatched cottage. The moment they crossed the entrance, they encountered a vast restriction capable of containing mountains and seas. Xu Sui naturally knew how to enter. He pointed with a hand seal, and ripples shimmered through the air.

With a thunderous boom—

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The scene before them shifted. As the three of them crossed the threshold, they appeared beside a river valley. Beneath the cliff face stood a gigantic furnace, from which an enormous pillar of sword aura erupted.

Xu Kunwu was bare-chested, revealing muscles like cast bronze, as he presided over the operation of the immense formation beneath the furnace. Sixteen cultivators of considerable cultivation stood around him, helping him alter the formation. They were all his disciples, and indispensable assistants to a swordsmith.

When the sword aura finished erupting, Xu Kunwu wore a trace of excitement on his face. He raised his hand seal and shouted, “Raise the sword!”

Chu Liang grew slightly nervous and asked in a low voice, “Has it not succeeded yet?”

“It has already succeeded. This is only the finishing work.” Xu Sui was equally excited. “Father is about to add another legendary sword to his collection!”

Boom—

The sound of an explosive burst of energy came from within the furnace. A flying-sword silhouette wrapped in crimson light slowly rose from it.

“Quench the sword!”

Xu Kunwu shouted again, guiding the sword-light with an upraised finger into the rushing river beside them. In an instant, dense mist surged upward.

The sword had emerged from divine fire and immediately plunged into the river. White vapor spread everywhere, and the rolling waves vanished in a flash, nearly cutting off the entire river’s flow. Only after the figures of those above the valley had become almost impossible to see did the hissing finally cease.

A moment later, Xu Kunwu’s tall, imposing figure emerged from the white mist. He had already put on his clothes, and his eyes shone as brilliantly as the furnace flames had moments before.

In his palm, he held a sword.

The sword was more than four feet long and three fingers wide. Its blade was clear and translucent as crystal, almost invisible beneath the sunlight. Only the golden, ripple-like wisps of mist mixed within it made the blade’s position discernible.

“Only now do I understand the depth of your intentions.” Xu Kunwu looked at Empress Phoenix and spoke in a resonant voice. “Although the ancient Cloud-Sky Sword’s primordial Cloud Dao resonance can no longer be reproduced, one can still comprehend a thing or two from it while forging an imitation. Even reproducing the slightest trace is an immense blessing for the mortal world. That is the level of the Dao.”

“This sword borrowed a trace of that Cloud Dao resonance. Not only did it rise by an entire grade, it benefited me greatly as well. My cultivation may even advance.” Xu Kunwu sighed with emotion. “You truly went to great lengths.”

He had already reached the seventh realm, known as Inquiry into the Dao. Even the slightest improvement was extraordinarily precious to him. Coupled with the completion of the sword in his hand, his delight was impossible to conceal.

Empress Phoenix pondered for a moment, then nodded. “That is exactly what I was thinking.”

You absolutely were not thinking that… Chu Liang silently grumbled beside them.

Knowing his master as he did, if she had understood any of this beforehand, she would have been eager to claim credit. There was no way she would have needed someone else to point it out.

Xu Kunwu did not dwell on it. Instead, he handed over the sword and shook his head with a sigh.

“It is a pity that this sword is only an imitation and cannot be entered into the Myriad Treasures Register. Otherwise, by my estimation, it would at least hover just outside the top hundred, and might even have a chance of reaching the bottom of the top hundred. If only I could forge a renowned sword ranked among the top hundred, I could finally lay to rest this great regret of mine.”

Of the three greatest swordsmiths of the age, only the swords forged by Chen Buyan had made it into the top hundred. Xu Kunwu and Baili Tong had been fiercely competing for second place. Whoever forged a top-hundred sword first would be able to bring their dispute to an end.

“Hey, don’t take it so hard.” Empress Phoenix patted him on the shoulder and consoled him. “If this were not an imitation of the ancient Cloud-Sky Sword, even someone with your skill would not have been able to forge a sword of this level. Doesn’t that make you feel a little better?”

Who could possibly feel better after hearing that?!

Chu Liang hurriedly tugged at his master. The man had just forged a sword for them. Could she not show him a little mercy?

Xu Kunwu’s expression did indeed stiffen at those words, and for a moment he did not know how to respond. Chu Liang accepted the sword from him with both hands and smiled.

“Master Kunwu’s Swordsmithing Dao has reached a state of perfection. With this further advancement, I am certain the day when you forge a divine sword by your own strength is not far off.”

“Haha.” Only then did Xu Kunwu smile. He continued, “From now on, this will be your sword. Give it a name.”

Chu Liang shook his head and said solemnly, “Although I will wield this sword, it is destined to be passed down from generation to generation, and I certainly will not be its only master. But you, Master Kunwu, forged it today and will forever remain its sole swordsmith. So I believe you should be the one to name it.”

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Xu Kunwu’s eyes shone brightly as he smiled. “Very well!”

“This sword was forged from Clear Jade Golden Crystal. It is pure and flawless, and no evil can invade it.” He pondered slowly. “Then it shall be called…”

“Dustless!”

…

“Phew.”

Liu Xiaoyu set down her little watering can and gazed at the clusters of golden-patterned flowers swaying in the breeze before her. Pride rose within her heart.

“I really am terribly diligent.”

Ever since Chu Liang and Empress Phoenix had left, the rain had stopped falling on Silver Sword Peak, so she had to water the little flower garden every day.

Before leaving, Brother Chu Liang had told her that he was appointing her acting peak master of Silver Sword Peak, and she had been happy about it for quite some time. Only over the past few days had she realized that she was the only fish on the entire peak. What use was an acting peak master under such circumstances?

The flowers, grass, and trees atop the peak did not obey her commands, either.

In truth, the only authority she possessed was the power to decide whether or not to water the little flower garden.

Before Empress Phoenix left, she had stuffed a thick stack of picture books into Liu Xiaoyu’s hands, saying that she could look through them to pass the time whenever she was bored. The problem was that Liu Xiaoyu was merely an uneducated fish. She did not know how to read, and simply looking at the pictures was not enough for her to understand the story.

Still, life here was peaceful and secure, and she had no worries about food or clothing. It was somewhat better than her days at Brocade Flower River…

Except that sometimes, she missed her sister.

But hadn’t that old grandfather said that her sister would encounter her own opportunity to transform into a dragon? If so, perhaps it was not a bad thing. Still…

A dragon.

Was that the enormous, long worm that had suddenly appeared in the sky a few days ago? If her sister really turned into something like that… Liu Xiaoyu still thought she had looked better before.

After lightly watering everything once, she had completed the day’s work and was ready to finish. She picked a few fruits on her way back; they were the wages Chu Liang had promised her.

She planned to return to her room, lie down on the bed, and wrap herself tightly in her little quilt before taking an afternoon nap. She had developed the habit after being wrapped up like a dumpling several times and suddenly discovering that it was actually quite comfortable.

Thus, whenever she slept these days, she had to bundle herself up in the little quilt and roll around on the bed until she had become a tightly wrapped roll.

But the moment she turned around, the little girl’s pupils suddenly widened.

No other creature had visited Silver Sword Peak in recent days, and she had grown accustomed to being a solitary fish. Yet when she turned around, she saw a terrifying behemoth.

Half of its body was hidden beyond the hillside, and Liu Xiaoyu could not see it clearly. All she could see was an enormous golden head.

It was so very, very large.

“Ah—”