Chaotic World Book
Chapter 348 - 341: Without the Sun and Moon, The King Creates It Himself

Chapter 348: Chapter 341: Without the Sun and Moon, The King Creates It Himself

Zhao Changhe felt his heart tighten.

Thinking about his relationship with Sisi, not only had it not reached such a level, but it was almost akin to a break-up. Now, the only contact Sisi had with the Central Earth was through Tang Wanzhuang, and he himself didn’t even know where she was.

Anyway, it was none of his business.

Previously in the capital, he had put together a new set of sword techniques for Tang Wanzhuang to pass on to Sisi. Now, a few months had flashed by. He was also peering into the door of the Secret Treasure, waiting for the actual breakthrough. After that, in theory, he should arrange a set of Secret Treasure Level swordsmanship to pass on... Not just as a promise to Sisi, but he also needed to seek out Secret Treasure Level swordsmanship and saber techniques.

The Blood Evil Saber Technique and the few ultimate moves he synthesized from the Sword Emperor Inheritance had reached their peak at the Mystical Gate level. What they lacked was merely a more refined polish. Zhao Changhe was certain that, below the Secret Realm, there should be very few who could defeat him.

However, Zhao Changhe suspected that he still couldn’t beat Yue Hongling or Chichi from before their breakthroughs.

The reason was that Yue Hongling and Chichi had a profound understanding of his swordsmanship, which had already integrated with their spirit and energy, while he himself had too much on his plate and lacked that level of integration and comprehension. He still treated saber technique purely as a skill.

The combination of Tang Wanzhuang’s martial arts and the Sword Emperor’s martial arts, among others, hadn’t been seamlessly integrated: the traces of their crafting were still evident, not yet transformed into something of his own.

The breakthrough into the Secret Treasure might lie precisely on this level: a deep understanding of one’s martial arts.

Based on Huangfu Qing’s explanation of Secret Treasure Level manifestations, Zhao Changhe could delineate a clear hierarchy in the Blood Evil Saber Technique, from low to high. Starting with the notion of "dispersing gods and Buddhas," the cultivation encouraged the merging of one’s martial spirit with the martial arts path. Leading up step by step, until the Secret Realm was breached, and genuinely integrating the concept of "I am one with heaven and earth," the ensuing "Hell is Like This" would externally manifest the Dharma Image, likely transforming into a blood-thirsty Demon God.

Thus, the value of a systematic martial arts methodology lies here, far beyond a random collection of moves and styles. It’s a guiding staircase of ascension. Having seen countless people from the Heavenly List and Earth List and encountering many sophisticated martial arts, Zhao Changhe still revered the Blood Evil Skill and the Blood Evil Saber Technique as his fundamental cultivation techniques, impossible to discard. The sunk cost was simply too overwhelming to bear.

Which means, to break through the Secret Realm, he would have to put in arduous effort on the Blood Evil Skill and the Blood Evil Saber Technique.

With his thoughts spiraling, it became clear just how much he had on his plate; he couldn’t even figure out which task to prioritize.

His mind scattered with ideas, he slowly flipped through the "Mountain and River Atlas." Most of it read like fantastic legends from the "Classic of Mountains and Seas," but the records from the Ancient Spirit Clan confirmed the reliability of this "Mountain and River Atlas."

It was a treasure indeed.

While many of the mountains and rivers listed were unheard of, it could still be treated as a guide to Ancient secret realms. Some maps were very precisely drawn. If ever he entered such a vast Secret Realm Space, this map would be priceless.

The Ancient Xuanwu had certainly put in much more effort than San Niang... Clearly, one would need to traverse every corner of the world to have such detailed knowledge of each area. It’s wondering what it has to do with the will of Xuanwu, maybe it was stolen?

The fact that Xuanwu kept this atlas in the ring and placed it on an altar showed that, even in an Ancient era when Demon Gods teemed the skies, and one could possibly fly freely, there were few who would traverse and survey every corner of the world. So in Ancient Times, it was valuable information that even Xuanwu held in high regard; its worth is inestimable today.

Right... placed on the altar...

A thought stirred in Zhao Changhe’s heart.

Swords among the stars, books of rivers and lands.

Placed in the void’s circle, set up for sacrifice...

This was most likely not something owned by Xuanwu... it belonged to Emperor Ye! It’s possible that Emperor Ye commissioned Xuanwu to make it.

San Niang mentioned, Emperor Ye harbored an ambition to encompass all the stars in the sky, but he managed to fulfill only the Four Symbols.

Why did Vermilion Bird not know this, but only through asking San Niang was it revealed? Of course, because Xuanwu was responsible for this task, that’s why Vermilion Bird was unaware. San Niang knew a bit, everyone’s inheritance had differences; it wasn’t possible to have all details cleanly exchanged.

San Niang probably didn’t expect to have these in her possession...

It seems that the sword represents Emperor Ye’s unfinished ambition of the "Heavenly Stars and Fights," and the Mountain and River Atlas was created to correspond with and search for the materials needed for sword forging.

There seems to be a distinct possibility that one of the pages of the Heavenly Book should be about the world’s mountains and rivers and their resources. Without that page, Emperor Ye could only crudely create the Mountain and River Atlas himself... with the heaven above and the earth below, capturing a trace of Emperor Ye’s intention.

As Zhao Changhe pondered, he turned to the last page.

On it were written these lines: "The Four Symbols represent the four seasons of heaven, the four directions of earth; they are the foundation of heaven and earth, the way of the Tao. Beyond the Four Symbols, are the myriad of stars not part of heaven? Beyond mountains and rivers, is the dust not part of earth? Beyond kings and nobles, are the foot soldiers not people? The way of Your Majesty is hard to prove, perhaps here lies the mistake."

"The stars of the heavens reflect upon this quiet night. Not for the lack of sun and moon, but the king decides upon it himself."

"Vermilion Bird is tasked with this mountain and river, forging it into a Divine Sword. On the day the sword is complete, it may be called the Star River."

The record should have ended there.

But abruptly there were several more sections added, out of alignment with the previous text, as if supplemented at a different period. One could discern the confusion in the writer’s heart; the strokes were hurried and the style noticeably bleaker:

"Has the Heavenly Dao died? My work is left unfinished... I leave things here waiting for someone fated, irrespective of how many epochs pass, in hopes that someone will come to complete it. My inheritance lies in the underwater tomb below; may those with destiny claim it, those without should not intrude. I leave the True Martial Sword Stone here temporarily to aid in the Washing Marrow and forging of the Supreme Sword Body."

"The method for sword casting follows below..."

Zhao Changhe sighed, having now understood the story.

In fact, Vermilion Bird’s inheritance was a place split into two layers. This one housed the objects offered for Emperor Ye’s sword forging, while the pathway below was originally the entrance to its own underwater tomb.

After the collapse of the epoch, the two spaces, maintained by different treasures, shattered and separated. The tomb’s legacy was probably obtained by San Niang early on, hence why she had Vermilion Bird’s cultivation techniques and knowledge. Meanwhile, the upper layer with the ring and gems ended up in Rocky Mountain, which San Niang had guessed to be nearby. She roamed for years without finding it, becoming a matter of fate for both herself and Yue Hongling.

During the fragmentation of these two parts, a small piece of the gem had broken away and fell into the sea, eventually landing in the hands of the Sea Race. They used it to make the Wang Family’s "ice cream," secretly permeating it with the Sea Race’s essence in an attempt to control the Wang Family. This event became a clue for Zhao Changhe to find this Secret Realm.

This gemstone, contrary to what he had earlier imagined it to be called the Xuanwu Stone, was actually named the True Martial Sword Stone and was meant to assist a person in Washing Marrow and forging into a Supreme Sword Body—the original intent was to pass it on to a swordsmith, making them willing to exert effort to complete the sword once they had the compatible sword body.

Yue Hongling absorbed its Sword Intent for her use, offering the primary aspect to San Niang. Judging by the way San Niang wielded her Snake Whip, it seemed that she wouldn’t pursue the path of the Supreme Sword Body, while Yue Hongling might be closer to it.

However, based on what the Heavenly Book says, it should be called the "Supreme Tao Body." Zhao Changhe wondered whether it was just a different term or if the sword body was merely a stage in the Taoist Body that could still advance. Perhaps Yue Hongling took its Sword Intent and San Niang took its Tao Realm, while he also benefitted from the Washing Marrow effect, greatly improving his meridian issues.

It was as if they had equally divided the value of the stone.

Having received someone’s legacy and taken a part of their treasure, not to mention having viewed the ring and the Mountain and River Map, should he undertake the task of completing the sword?

Zhao Changhe felt a twinge of exasperation, smacking his lips. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to fulfill this last wish, but upon a brief look, the sword forging method seemed too profound... It didn’t seem like many materials were missing, after all, the main body of the sword was already there, and the most complex pre-processes had been done. What remained shouldn’t be too difficult. The main challenge was how a regular person could grasp the concepts of the heavenly stars and the spirit of the mountains and rivers.

Uh... wait... Zhao Changhe suddenly became lost in thought.

"The stars of the heavens reflect upon this quiet night. Not for the lack of sun and moon, but the king decides upon it himself."

That was so close to the meaning of his own Secret Treasure... only the level seemed far off, feeling as if he himself were like the raw material of this sword.

So actually, the matters weren’t many—everything could be sorted into one single matter—seeking his own path as a Grandmaster, breaking through the Secret Treasure Gate.

While he was thus reflecting, there came a knock at the door, and the voice of a Taoist from Yukun Gang spoke, "Mr. Zhao, Yuxu Zhenren has sent a message, requesting your presence at Yuxu Palace."