The ferryman looked at the sword in his hand and said:
"That's right, this sword is the Saint's personal sword, of course it wouldn't be a problem to slay a young dragon, as for you …"
"You dared to stab the dragon in its mouth, that's not bad at all"
Gu Qing Shan clasped her fist: "Did we pass?"
The ferryman replied: "As long as we kill the dragon, we pass. What list do you two want to try for? You can tell me now"
Leng Tian Xing thought for a bit, then said: "This humble one wants to try for the ancient artifact list"
The ferryman clapped his hand, saying: "Great, it really is fate, you can disembark now"
"Disembark?"
Leng Tian Xing looked around, aside from the small boat, there was only water everywhere.
The ferryman crouched down, picked up a floating willow branch from the water and gave it to Leng Tian Xing.
"This place is an underwater ruin left behind from the Age of Old"
"100,000 years ago, during the Age of Old, a Mountain God and a Water God fought here, both of them died here"
"This willow branch can protect you, go down and find a few authentic Age artifacts"
Hearing the ferryman say that, Leng Tian Xing took the willow branch and infused it with spirit energy.
The willow branch unfurled, causing a giant hand to reach out from the water, lightly caught Leng Tian Xing and slowly retracted.
"It's your turn" the ferryman looked at Gu Qing Shan, "what list do you want to try for?"
Gu Qing Shan clasped her fist and bowed, answering: "This humble one wants to try for the Sword list"
"The Sword list … since you were able to unleash that strike just now, I don't need to test you anymore, I can directly send you there"
The ferryman put one hand on Gu Qing Shan's shoulder, while the other quickly formed a hand seal.
The two of them disappeared from the small boat.
…
Bai Hua Palace.
The ferryman and Gu Qing Shan appeared.
Gu Qing Shan looked around at the familiar scenery and sighed.
In this timeline, I've never been to Bai Hua sect's territory.
— — -in the past life, I joined [Worlds Apocalypse Online – Demon King list] much later than others and arrived at the cultivation world.
My starting point was too low, I couldn't even get the most basic sword techniques, my cultivation was too low, I had no chance to try for the list at Bai Hua sect.
He suddenly went silent.
— — Demon King Sequence!
In this timeline, when would the Demon King Sequence descend?
Just as he was thinking, he saw a woman dressed in palace attire appear from behind the huge green jade screen.
The palace maid came over with a long scroll and bowed to the boatman.
"Is this the person who is going to take the Sword Rankings today?" The palace maid asked.
"Yes," the boatman replied.
"Only one today?" the palace maid continued to ask.
"Those people's sword intent isn't righteous. They won't be able to do anything if they are allowed to enter the palace. They will only pollute the spiritual energy here," the boatman said.
"Alright, I've brought the person here. Do as you see fit." After the boatman finished speaking, he disappeared.
The palace maid seemed to be used to this scene. She turned to Gu Qing Shan and asked, "Are you here to take the Sword List?"
"That's right" Gu Qing Shan regained her senses and bowed.
The palace maid lit a stick of incense and handed the scroll in her hand to Gu Qing Shan. "Go in. If you can pass the test within the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, you will be qualified to enter the Sword List."
Gu Qing Shan silently received the scroll and infused her spirit energy into it.
Clap.
The scroll fell to the ground, but Gu Qing Shan was already nowhere to be seen.
The palace maid picked up the scroll, put it on a red wooden table and muttered: "I want to see what's so special about the Sword Master chosen by the Earth sword itself"
Inside the scroll.
A scholar was standing in front of Gu Qing Shan.
The scholar politely clasped his hands towards Gu Qing Shan and said: "This swordsmanship of mine was passed down from my family, normal cultivators wouldn't even be able to parry it, but I feel like there are still a few flaws, please take a look and help me find out what's wrong"
Gu Qing Shan relaxed a bit and casually took out the Earth sword.
「 How is it? On this journey, are the things that happened to you before still the same? 」 the Earth sword silently asked.
"A lot of things have changed before, but I still met this scholar here" Gu Qing Shan replied.
「 Is that so? Do you want to hide your strength? After all, your attainments in swordsmanship are too high, if you go too far and cause too many things to change, wouldn't there be new problems? 」 the Earth sword asked.
"What are you worried about?" Gu Qing Shan asked in return.
「 I'm worried that you won't be able to join Bai Hua sect — — - remember, if you want to find the Heaven sword, only Ling Er has the warp formation of Barren Cloud Heavenly Palace 」 the Earth sword replied.
"… That's true, I have to join Bai Hua sect" Gu Qing Shan agreed.
He thought for a bit.
— — -should I hide my strength and let everything repeat itself?
No …
The current situation is different.
I hold the Earth sword, and I'm even given the title of 'Child of Three Worlds', which is completely different from the previous timeline.
At any given time, Xie Dao Ling's eyes will always be the highest.
If I still silently follow the old rules, causing Shifu to look down on me and not be able to join Bai Hua sect — —
Wouldn't that make me laugh my head off?
Gu Qing Shan made up her mind and clasped her fist in return: "Please"
"Don't worry, I'll suppress my spirit energy to qi training stage 7, that'll make it easier for you to attack" the scholar replied.
"Thank you" Gu Qing Shan replied.
The scholar smiled and took out a sword.
As soon as he drew the sword, his presence changed.
A frenzied roar came from the scholar's mouth.
"Kill kill kill kill kill! There is nothing in this world that cannot be killed! "
The sword abruptly moved. The scholar's figure was drowned in the rain of sword qi as he leapt towards Gu Qing Shan.
Gu Qing Shan held the Earth sword and lightly pushed it forward.
Kih!
The scholar took a few steps back and looked at his hand in surprise.
— — his sword was knocked away.
Gu Qing Shan replied: "It's too messy"
"What's too messy?" the scholar asked.
"Your sword techniques are too messy, it's best if you practice basic sword styles again, don't think too much" Gu Qing Shan told him.
The scholar froze.
Gu Qing Shan casually replied: "The most important aspect of swordsmanship is to be able to break through the enemy's defense and kill them in one strike, not 'there is nothing in this world that cannot be killed' — — - that's all nonsense"
The scholar picked up his sword, unconvinced: "I'd like to try again"
"Come" Gu Qing Shan said.
The scholar's figure moved. Both he and his sword turned into a blurry blur of sword images that couldn't be seen clearly at all.
Gu Qing Shan shook her head and thrust her sword forward.
Kih!
A sword was knocked away.
The scholar stood where he was, looking rather perplexed.
"Your sword is like your thoughts, too many and too messy, but a single thought is enough" Gu Qing Shan told him.
"What?"
"Kill the enemy"
"… That simple?"
Gu Qing Shan didn't say anything and gestured for him to lower his head.
The scholar slowly looked down, only to see a sword mark on his chest.
"So that's why, I've always pursued speed and complexity, seems like I've gone the wrong way"
His figure slowly faded away and disappeared.
Outside the painting, the maid couldn't help but nod.
"A pure heart, simple sword will, I'm now a bit convinced that he's a child of three lives …"
She glanced at the incense stick and saw that it had only burned a bit.
Inside the painting, the scholar nodded as his figure slowly faded away.
Gu Qing Shan waited for a few moments.
Another cultivator appeared in front of Gu Qing Shan.
It was a monk.
He held a sword in his hand with a confused expression.
"My question, is to ask the sword heart" the monk blankly stared at the sword in his hand and said.
"Ask" Gu Qing Shan replied.
"Using the sword to kill living beings, even if living beings enter the cycle of reincarnation, they wouldn't be able to dispel their delusions and obsessions, instead becoming the cause of Karma in the future"
"If that's the case, why not kill living beings, why not use the sword?"
"Benefactor, how does a person who uses the sword deal with themselves?" the monk asked.
This question again!
Gu Qing Shan smiled.
If this question is answered too deeply, it'll destroy the Dao heart.
The two of them stood there and discussed Dao in a friendly manner, which was actually more dangerous than killing their way through a horde of demons.
If they're shaken by the question, their Dao heart will also be broken.
If a cultivator's Dao heart is broken, their cultivation will become stagnant, unable to advance any further.
The monk paused, then showed a prideful expression: "For several dozen years, I've collected the sword wills of the world and came up with two answers"
"Please go ahead" Gu Qing Shan simply replied.
The monk waved his hand dismissively: "These are the sayings that sword cultivators have been advocating for the past ten thousand years. The first is, no matter what they do, I will cut them down with a single strike, until a new heaven and earth is created, teaching all living beings to listen to my will"
"The second is, cultivation is like rowing a boat against the current, the same goes for swordsmanship, whoever blocks my way of the sword will be my mortal enemy, even if it's the heavens, I will cut them down for you to see"
The monk bowed and said: "These two sayings are the true meaning of sword cultivation, benefactor, what do you say? Please explain, benefactor "
Gu Qing Shan smiled and said: "First of all, the sayings that people have been advocating for the past ten thousand years are only sayings; secondly, the so-called true meaning of sword cultivation — — -"
He slowly walked towards the monk.
"The sword in my hand is the Saint's personal sword, touch it and you will die, monk, be careful"
As the sword was drawn, sword qi turned into threads that instantly wrapped around the monk.
The monk's expression changed and shouted: "I'm discussing Dao with you, why did you attack?"
As soon as he blocked a few times, the sword qi suddenly condensed into a crescent moon.
— — -this is a Secret Art!
The monk's hands and feet became flustered, unable to stop it with all his might.
In a split second, the moonlight turned into a thin mist, no matter how fast the monk swung his sword, he couldn't stop it at all.
The monk suddenly froze.
At some unknown point, the sword was already pressed against his neck.
Gu Qing Shan looked at him and asked: "Monk, right now my sword only needs to move a bit to cut off your head, as for what you said, what use is it against my sword?"
The monk's expression was complicated as he spoke: "But your reasoning isn't right"
"You can talk whatever you want, I'm only responsible for killing you — — - you're already dead, I'm sure you won't try to reason with me again" Gu Qing Shan replied.
"If you can't reason with me, benefactor, even if you kill me, you still won't be able to explain what the heart of the sword is" the monk replied.
"I've already told you" Gu Qing Shan replied.
"What is it?"
"The sword is the reason"
The monk was stunned, then continued: "Living beings of the world — — -"
"Killing living beings is your business, don't blame your sword"
"Then teaching living beings — — -"
"You're only a sword wielder, can you teach people to have children or teach people to marry? I've never had this kind of self-confidence before "
"Then the one who obstructs my path of the sword — — -"
"Kill whoever you want, don't try to find some heart of the sword as an excuse, how hypocritical"
The monk couldn't say anything else.
Outside the painting, the maid suddenly pursed her lips.
"This young girl from the Earth sword selection has quite an unusual bearing, seems like she really is a potential sword cultivator"
She took out a misty Communication Talisman.
"That 'hypocritical' is a good one. Old bald donkey, since you're using words to block me, I'm going to block you back, let's see how you're going to respond"
Saying so, the maid infused spirit energy into her hand. The Communication Talisman turned into a streak of flame and flew towards the sky.
The maid's eyes wandered a bit, muttering to herself: "This brat seems to have killed his way out of a horde of demons, but as for the specifics, we'll have to wait until he successfully reaches the ranking"
She casually formed a hand seal, causing Gu Qing Shan to jump out from the painting.
"You passed just like that?" Gu Qing Shan asked.
The maid replied: "I passed"
"Very well, that monk still wants to use the sword to talk, I'm afraid that if I keep talking, I'll kill him in one strike, that wouldn't look too good" Gu Qing Shan naturally said.
The maid's mood instantly improved and smiled: "That's right, there's no need to preach so much on the path of cultivation, it's actually better to kill him in one strike — — - originally, I had prepared a few tests, but now I've decided to let you try the Sword ranking"
Gu Qing Shan joyfully said: "Thank you!"
The Earth sword suddenly scoffed in his mind and said: 「 And here I was worried that you wouldn't be able to enter Bai Hua Palace again — — - tch, I was worrying for nothing 」
"What's the matter?" Gu Qing Shan was surprised.
「 You two master and disciple pair, each with a temper worse than the other, you really are birds of a feather, how could you not be together 」 the Earth sword replied.
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