Seeking the Flying Sword Path

A red half-moon hung high in the Skywolf world’s sky, its light scattering into a house through its windows.

Inside that house, there was a flask of wine and a scroll of the sword art bamboo slip.

Qin Yun took a swig of wine as he carefully perused the bamboo slip. It was made of extraordinary materials.

A long time ago, when the Three Realms were still in their infancy, there was no such thing as ’paper.’ The earliest Dharmic formulations were recorded on metal, stone, or leather. Some were even recorded on cloth or bamboo slips.

He flipped open the bamboo slip which had words on it as well as sword art figures. They were very detailed and were split into five volumes.

Each word and figure was dripping with a deadly aura.

"What terrifying killing intent." Qin Yun felt a little alarmed. "Chufu probably only shared this with one person, Brother Blackkill, because this sword art is just too terrifying. Those with weaker realms would be affected simply by reading it, turning them insane."

Qin Yun still knew very little about the Heavenly Courts, the overseer of the Three Realms. In name, at least.

He did not fully appreciate Starlord Covetous Wolf’s position.

The seven Big Dipper Starlords was said to be the strongest Starlords under Emperor Polestar 1 . And Starlord Covetous Wolf was the leader of them all. Although his sword art was not considered a particularly powerful divine power, it was a supreme treasure to Sword Dao cultivators.

"Such horrifying killing intent does not match my Sword Dao."

"However, advice from others always helps one to overcome one’s shortcomings. I can learn from the parts that suit me best."

"My Sword Dao is as perfect as the Heavenly Cycle and can encompass everything. It naturally can draw on areas from the Decimation Sword Dao." Qin Yun carefully read as he pondered.

A sword art that could rank within the top ten of the Three Realms definitely had its charms.

One is marked by the company one keeps.

This was the principle.

If one’s willpower was insufficient, one would be heavily influenced by such a sword art. One’s Sword Dao could even change as a result.

Phew— Phew—

The night breeze blew, scattering tree leaves into the courtyard.

Qin Yun spent four hours reading the entire sword art. He felt inspired as though his soul had been cleansed.

"This is a Sword Dao at the Golden Immortal level?" Qin Yun muttered. "Not does it include the Heaven and Earth, it even includes Samsara and Karma..."

His first impression from reading Starlord Covetous Wolf’s sword art was one of shock.

But as he read to the end, Qin Yun felt that the five volumes of the sword art were about Samsara! They contained the mysteries of Samsara and Karma.

"I can sense that a killing blow is hidden in this volume! It can kill enemies through Samsara and Karma." Qin Yun was astounded. "When one cleaves out with this strike, ordinary defensive moves are useless. Even across infinite space, one can kill the enemy by using karmic ties."

"In the beginning there was immense killing intent but eventually there was no killing intent at all. It became decimation that permeated through karma."

Qin Yun realized this because he was very perceptive. Besides, he could use his Eye of Lightning to visualize karma and had some understanding of karma. This allowed him to decipher the terrifying killer blow hidden in the volume.

"Whoosh."

Qin Yun suddenly closed the jade slip.

He walked out the house and into the courtyard. The evening wind was chilly, snapping his mind awake.

"I have to extricate myself from this Decimation Sword Dao," muttered Qin Yun. "I have to extricate myself, for if I fall in, my Sword Dao will be swept away by it."

If his Sword Dao was described as a tiny river stream, then Starlord Covetous Wolf’s horrifying Decimation Sword Dao which was ranked top ten in the Three Realms would be like the boundless ocean!

If his tiny river stream were to be too closely connected to it, it would be swept away by the boundless ocean, mixing into one entity. He would then lose himself. Perhaps his strength would continue progressing but his Sword Dao would shift towards the Decimation Sword Dao. His killing intent would only grow. For instance, Daoist Blackkill’s sword array was fully inclined to the Decimation Sword Dao.

"I have to extricate myself."

"My Misty Rain Sword Dao should be..."

Qin Yun waved his hand as a wisp of misty rain flew out and flew within the courtyard.

"Shoo! Shoo! Shoo!"

The misty rain-like flying sword shuttled within the courtyard. It was one of the courtyards in Yellow-robed Supremacy’s Treasure Elephant Palace. The void was extremely stable and, no matter how Qin Yun cast his sword arts, he failed to affect it in any way.

If the void could be that easily ripped apart, the troops from the Heavenly Courts would have long stormed the area.

...

Qin Yun stood in the courtyard, an obsession building within him. He freely practiced his sword art, fully infusing what he gained from Starlord Covetous Wolf’s sword art jade slip. He even drew further inferences and changed his own sword art accordingly.

"Boom!!!"

While the Misty Rain Sword continued its formative process, its might rose abruptly, slicing at the void. But of course, the void remained extremely stable.

When he saw this surge in might, Qin Yun stopped.

"I’ve found it." Qin Yun felt excited. "I fell into a bottleneck in Dao Seeking Sword Mansion. I have always been vexed about how my Sword Dao insights can be taken to a whole new level."

"Starlord Covetous Wolf’s sword art far exceeds my level but I have benefited tremendously from it."

"In just one night, I have broken through."

"My Dao domain, if released, will be about a hundred and fifty kilometers, I suppose? In terms of realm, I match those at the fourth or fifth firmament of Skyimmortal."

Qin Yun was pumped.

It was not only because his strength had risen. More importantly, the chances of rescuing his daughter were higher now that he was stronger!

After all, he might not have been the match of any Combat General previously! But now, even with the flaw in his Dharmic powers, he could definitely, if only barely, give Combat Generals some trouble as sword immortals were adept at battle.

"Although Starlord Covetous Wolf’s sword art is powerful, it ultimately doesn’t suit me."

"Drawing out the bits that are useful to me is all I can do."

Qin Yun continued practicing his sword art.

...

The next day, Qin Yun took the initiative to meet Chufu and return the bamboo slip personally.

"How do you feel after reading the sword art?" Chufu smiled at Qin Yun.

"It made me realize how crude my sword arts are," said Qin Yun.

"It is Starlord Covetous Wolf after all. His sword arts rank in the top ten of the vast Three Realms." Chufu put away the bamboo slip and said, "I only lent it to you for a night because I was afraid that you would be consumed by it and lose your own Sword Dao. Even if you are temporarily unable to extricate yourself, I believe with time, you can regain yourself as long as you stop reading it."

"As long as you extricate yourself, you can change Starlord Covetous Wolf’s sword art to suit you. It can be greatly beneficial even if you only draw a little from it," said Chufu.

"I see." Qin Yun nodded.

In fact, he had already extricated himself from the influence of the sword art that very night. He had even broken through to a whole new level.

"Brother Chufu, how long does Supremacy’s seclusion typically take?" asked Qin Yun.

"We are only subordinates of Supremacy," said Chufu with a smile. "There is no need for Supremacy to take our opinions into account when he enters seclusion. He will naturally exit once he is done cultivating. He won’t specially exit seclusion just because a new Guardian like you arrived. We do not even dare report the matter."

Qin Yun nodded.

The replacement of one of the hundred and eight Guardians was trivial to Supremacy.

Yellow-robed Supremacy’s cultivation was of the greatest importance.

"Of course, Supremacy’s seclusion typically does not last long," said Chufu. "According to my experience, he will be any time now if it’s a short one. If it’s long, it will be a few decades at most. Don’t be in a hurry. Cultivate here in peace and wait for him patiently. Once Supremacy exits seclusion, he will naturally summon you."

Qin Yun nodded in enlightenment. "It might be a wait of decades. Might I know if I can travel around? I have not traveled the Skywolf continent yet."

"Of course." Chufu smiled with a nod. "Once Supremacy exits seclusion, I will immediately notify you by voice transmission. The Skywolf continent is only so large, you will be able to return quickly. And if Supremacy is willing, he can even teleport you in front of him with a single move."

"I see." Qin Yun nodded.

He had to quickly traverse the Skywolf continent and find his daughter!

During his time at the Treasure Elephant Palace, Qin Yun had determined that his daughter was not in Treasure Elephant Palace.

"By the way, there are descendants of the followers of Supremacy in the Skywolf continent," said Chufu. "Furthermore, this is the place where Supremacy cultivates. So do not meddle with the mortal affairs. Even if you act in rage, don’t be too ruthless. You can inform me first if you wish to take action."

"Alright." Qin Yun nodded.

"Also, Supremacy has taken in a bunch of in-name disciples," explained Chufu. "They are selected based on the demon’s belief of survival of the fittest. The in-name disciples engage in overt and covert fights for the position of inherited-teachings disciple. The entire Skywolf continent is the grounds for their contest. Do not interfere in their strifes. Mostly because Supremacy does not like the fairness of the fights to be affected, but also because it is quite a complicated issue."

"Supremacy has taken in a group of in-name disciples?" Qin Yun’s heart stirred.

According to his guesses, his daughter had likely been taken to the Skywolf world by Yellow-robed Supremacy.

Could she have become an in-name disciple?

"Brother Chufu. I do not know of these in-name disciples nor do I have the means to know who they are," said Qin Yun.

"I’ll give that information to you," said Chufu. "I’ll tell you some of the concealed relationships they have. Being new to the Skywolf continent, you don’t want to end up provoking someone without realizing it."

Qin Yun flipped his hand and held his voice transmission token.

Buzz.

Large amounts of information appeared with many images.

"There are a total of 392 in-name disciples. All the information I know is in there. There are also certain things you need to look out for in the Skywolf continent," said Chufu.

Qin Yun swept his eyes and quickly checked it. In a blink of an eye, he noticed one person among the many in-name disciples!

There were five dragons among the in-name disciples!

And there were only two female dragons. One had cultivated for more than five decades while one had only cultivated for slightly more than ten years.

"Is it her?" Qin Yun’s eyes landed on that dragon girl’s image. Her eyes had a forbearing look but her facial features resembled his and Yi Xiao’s.