213: Time-space Dialogue and the Return of Swordsmanship
Liu Qingtian descended back onto his dao platform, immediately setting up several layers of Restriction before sitting down cross-legged. The transparent sword hole in his chest was still shocking to behold. Li Daoyi's sharp and tyrannical Unbounded Sword Intent was like a living entity, wildly destroying his Meridians and dao foundation, continuously annihilating his vitality and Demonic Essence, preventing the wound from healing, and even eroding his connection with the Great Dao.
A Wound of the Great Dao truly lived up to its name. If an ordinary Cultivator suffered this strike, their dao foundation would likely have long since collapsed, leading to death and the dissipation of their Dao. Only a powerhouse like Liu Qingtian, who had tempered his Physical Body and dao foundation to the extreme peak of the Star Plucking Realm and possessed a top-tier Dao Path like Myriad Phenomena Return to Void, could barely cling to life.
He attempted to circulate the Power of Guixu to wear down the Sword Intent, but found that the Sword Intent was of extremely high quality, exceptionally agile, and carried a resolute will to “sever everything,” making it incredibly difficult to dissolve. At this rate, it would likely take decades of hard work to completely clear it.
“Decades...” A thread of dark golden blood spilled from Liu Qingtian's lips, yet his eyes were unusually calm. “I cannot wait that long.”
Less than fifty years remained until his agreed-upon time with Luo Jiuxuan. He absolutely could not waste time on healing.
Just as he focused his mind on contemplating a countermeasure, a white figure silently penetrated the Restriction he had set up and appeared at the edge of the dao platform. It was No Return.
Liu Qingtian opened his eyes, looked at him, and remained silent.
No Return did not speak immediately either. He quietly examined the wound on Liu Qingtian's chest. A complex light flashed in his strange pupils, which contained Time and Karma. Separated by a hundred thousand years of time and space, it was the first time father and son had faced each other this closely, and the atmosphere was somewhat stagnant.
“Your injury... is very troublesome.” No Return finally spoke first, his voice cool and carrying a composure unbefitting his age. “Li Daoyi's 'Dao Severing Sword Intent' specifically harms the Foundation of the Great Dao, making it difficult to remove with ordinary methods.”
Liu Qingtian said indifferently, “Do you have a method?”
No Return shook his head. “My cultivation is still shallow, so I cannot directly dissolve this level of Sword Intent. However...” He paused, and the River of Time in his left eye accelerated slightly. “I can try to use the Power of Time to temporarily accelerate or reverse the 'time' at your wound, which might create a slight opportunity for you.”
Accelerating time would cause the Sword Intent to naturally dissipate faster within the affected area; reversing time would return the wound to the moment it was just struck, before the Sword Intent had fully spread, buying Liu Qingtian reaction time. These were clever, temporary fixes, not fundamental cures, but they might secure a sliver of hope.
Liu Qingtian glanced at him, sensing the sincerity in his words. After a moment of silence, he nodded. “Agreed.”
No Return said no more. He stepped forward, extended his right hand, and soft Ripples of Time swirled around his index fingertip, gently pointing towards the sword hole in Liu Qingtian's chest.
Just as his fingertip was about to touch the wound, a flash of lightning seemed to streak across Liu Qingtian's mind!
Time! Karma! Sword Intent!
The reason Li Daoyi's Sword Intent was so troublesome lay in its characteristic of “severing”—it severed the continuity of “existence” and the connection of the “Dao.” The Power of Guixu, on the other hand, caused all things to “return to nothingness.” To some extent, both were powers of the same level, merely manifesting in different forms!
“Why must I insist on 'wearing it down'? Why can't I... 'Return it to Ruin'?”
A crazy thought emerged.
The Power of Guixu could annihilate even the Laws of the Great Dao, so why couldn't it annihilate this Sword Intent, which also belonged to the Dao level? The reason it hadn't worked quickly before was that subconsciously, he still viewed the Sword Intent as an “external force” that needed to be countered, trying to fight power with power. But what if he changed his approach and viewed the Sword Intent as an “existence”—an object that needed to be “Returned to Ruin”?
“Existence” is perceived, and what is perceived can be Returned to Ruin!
The key lay in how to make his Intent of Guixu transcend the “severing” characteristic of this Sword Intent!
“I understand...” A terrifying glint suddenly burst forth from Liu Qingtian's eyes. He abruptly raised his hand, stopping No Return's action.
“No need.”
Under No Return's astonished gaze, Liu Qingtian closed his eyes again. But this time, the Guixu Dao Rhyme emanating from him was no longer one of defense or erosion; it was a deeper, more absolute Intent that seemed capable of encompassing and ending everything!
He completely submerged his mind into the rampaging Sword Intent, no longer resisting. Instead, he actively sought to “feel” it, to “understand” its Law structure of “severing everything,” and to comprehend its operational pattern.
At the same time, he elevated his understanding of “Myriad Phenomena Return to Void” to the extreme. Guixu was not just an end; it was also an inclusion! It included all things, and it included this “severing” Sword Intent! Then, using the absolute Will of “Ending,” he incorporated it into the process of Guixu!
At this moment, his Dao Heart seemed to have generated a peculiar resonance with the cold Sword Intent. When the originally violent and rampaging Sword Intent encountered this grander, more fundamental Intent of Guixu, its “severing” characteristic seemed to meet an “Ultimate” that could not be severed, and it began to slow down and become bewildered.
It was like a drop of water trying to sever the ocean, or a flame trying to burn the Void Realm to ash—utterly futile and ridiculous.
“Myriad Phenomena Return to Void encompasses all, ends all... including your... Dao Severing Sword!”
Liu Qingtian roared internally. The nature of the Power of Guixu in his chest abruptly changed. It was no longer a shield confronting the Sword Intent, but transformed into a “stomach” that encompassed and digested the Sword Intent!
Hiss, hiss, hiss—!
Upon contact with this refined Power of Guixu, the incomparably sharp Sword Intent began to melt and disintegrate at an unprecedented speed, like ice and snow dropped into a furnace! The Law structure contained within it was forcibly analyzed and stripped away, ultimately transforming into pure Sword Qi Origin, which was slowly absorbed and assimilated by Liu Qingtian's Guixu dao foundation!
The Wound of the Great Dao began to heal at a visible speed! At the edge of the transparent sword hole, granulation tissue frantically squirmed, new tissue generated, and the rampaging Sword Intent rapidly receded!
No Return stood nearby, watching this unbelievable scene, his strange pupils filled with shock. He had never expected his father's Dao to be so tyrannical and bizarre, able to resolve even such a Great Dao Sword Injury in this manner!
This process lasted for about half a year.
When Liu Qingtian opened his eyes again, the terrifying sword hole in his chest had vanished without a trace. His skin was smooth as before, showing no sign of injury. Furthermore, the aura surrounding him was even more refined and profound. As his eyes opened and closed, images of sword shadows and Guixu seemed to flash alternately. Having digested a portion of Li Daoyi's Sword Intent Origin, his Myriad Manifestations Returning to Ruin Dao seemed to have gained a characteristic of “sharpness” and “resoluteness.”
“A blessing in disguise...” Liu Qingtian felt the more complete and powerful strength within him, and a cold arc curved up at the corner of his mouth. He looked up at the dao platform where Li Daoyi was located, and his Battle Intent surged once more.
He took a step, and his figure instantly appeared before Li Daoyi's dao platform.
Li Daoyi seemed to sense this and opened his pair of silver-white pupils again. Seeing Liu Qingtian completely unscathed and with an aura that had even advanced further, a clear look of surprise appeared on his otherwise placid face for the first time.
“How... did you do that?”
“I have your Sword Intent to thank,” Liu Qingtian said in a calm tone. “Now, it's my turn.”
He spoke no further and attacked directly! It was still the Power of Guixu, but infused with a sliver of the true meaning of Li Daoyi's “severing” Sword Intent, making the Power of Guixu more condensed and penetrating!
This time, the two exchanged no more than ten moves.
Liu Qingtian executed a Finger-Sword attack that merged Guixu and the true meaning of Dao Severing, penetrating Li Daoyi's “Unbounded Sword Prison” and striking his shoulder.
Li Daoyi groaned, and a spray of blood blossomed on his shoulder. The sharp Guixu Sword Intent invaded his body, instantly disrupting his aura. He looked at Liu Qingtian in disbelief, finally shaking his head bitterly.
“I lost.”
He voluntarily withdrew from the dao platform, yielding the position to Liu Qingtian.
Liu Qingtian stood atop this dao platform, which symbolized the highest status in the Upper Region. His gaze swept over the dozen or so top Prodigies surrounding him; none dared to meet his eyes.
With this, he officially stepped into the ranks of the top twenty at Yun Dao Cliff! He had earned the qualification to challenge for the final ten spots and face Luo Jiuxuan directly!
His Path to Ascension, after experiencing severe injury and enlightenment, was able to continue with an even more dominant posture!