Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 111 - 95: The Little Nun Snatches the Taoist_2

Chapter 111: Chapter 95: The Little Nun Snatches the Taoist_2

Although the power had not increased much, it was no longer the feeble "crackling ice" of before.

He estimated that if previously it took ten collisions to break, now it would take twenty, and with further tempering, it might reach the strength of a top-grade mundane weapon.

The most important thing was that now, when Gu Wen introspected his Fate Diagram, the Heavenly Marrow required for the Fifth level of the Yuqing Sword Skill had been reduced to thirty years of Heavenly Marrow, a total reduction of ten years.

It was as if he had merely opened his mouth and put on a front to obtain ten years of Heavenly Marrow, and he had also improved his own strength in the Sword Dao, spending only about two hours in total.

And with all the Heavenly Marrow he could currently obtain in the short term, it should be enough for him to form his Sword Dao Dharma.

With this, even if he could defeat Xiao Yunyi, but if the Jade Sword Buddha also intended to climb Ten Thousand Sword Path, could he compete with the opponent?

Gu Wen couldn’t help but doubt; he didn’t believe that his Sword Dao Dharma could surpass the Jade Sword Buddha.

He asked, "Senior, can my Sword Intent be considered top?"

"It can be considered top, Benefactor. You are intelligent and possess Buddha Root..."

The Jade Sword Buddha was slapped on the head again and changed her statement, "But compared to Xiao Yunyi, you are still far behind, not to mention most of the cultivators of Broken Sword Mountain have their strength concentrated in their swords; if he uses a Taoist Soldier, you might not be his match."

"And the trial of Ten Thousand Sword Path counts anything related to the sword; if the opponent uses a Taoist Soldier and you are empty-handed, how could you compete? Besides, this monk will also climb the mountain."

Gu Wen looked puzzled; he felt the Jade Sword Buddha’s words were contradictory and her tone seemed like flattery. According to her nature, she shouldn’t have spoken so detailedly.

Was Yu Hua using her to tell me not to obsess over climbing Heavenly Spring Mountain?

He suddenly understood but chose not to expose it, saying, "Junior understands; I don’t seek to win completely, only to do my best."

This anomaly of Heavenly Spring Mountain, if it were only Xiao Yunyi, he might still stand a chance. Yet against this Buddha Sword, he had absolutely no way, for he was inferior both in foundation and in levels of swordsmanship.

But how could he retract a boast he had already made? He had to at least form his Sword Dao Dharma.

"Mm."

The Jade Sword Buddha fell silent, her eyes shining with a golden light like glaze.

Gu Wen guessed that she might be distracted again and turned to exchange words with the other two surviving cultivators to learn about their background.

All three were cultivators from small sects, sent to Immortal Land due to decent talent but held back by the low ceiling of their cultivation techniques. Thus, they hoped to receive the inheritance of a great Demon Path power to advance further in their cultivation.

They knew there were certainly traps, but all harbored the hope of becoming a chosen one among geniuses. Their eyes had already more than once admired the Jade Sword Buddha with an adoring and envious gaze.

This was why the inheritance of Immortal Land had stood the test of time; fundamentally, it was a willing gamble. But it was also unfair, for the great power was also an ’old genius’, arguably as talented and supported by a rich foundation.

But what did unfairness matter? Cultivation emphasized the combination of Dharma, wealth, companions, and location; to succeed, they had to stake their lives.

Much like how entrepreneurship varies for ordinary people compared to second-generation wealthy, each aspect is unfair, and the consequences of failure are immensely different. Some enjoy the greatest benefits and bear the least consequences—a long-standing norm.

Although Gu Wen’s background wasn’t extremely privileged, his circumstances were better than most.

"Thank you for your help, fellow Daoists. We won’t bother you anymore."

Xiang Caiyuan, carrying the other person, left. Before departing, they turned to thank the Jade Sword Buddha but received not even a nod from this Buddhist Sect descendant, leaving their departure all the more disheartened.

Although Gu Wen knew the Jade Sword Buddha was simply spacing out, if it were Yu Hua speaking to her, would she still be distracted? Couldn’t Yu Hua slap her awake?

Gu Wen collected his thoughts and took out a black pearl containing the Demon Path great power’s inheritance, saying, "Senior, do you want this item?"

The Jade Sword Buddha did not answer; he took it for himself.

It might not be needed, but selling it for Heavenly Marrow was also an option.

After a while, as the Jade Sword Buddha was still distracted, her head was suddenly slapped again. She came back to her senses and said, "This monk will send you back."

Gu Wen didn’t ask for permission before grabbing the other person and soaring up into the air, moving between treetops and fields.

During their flight, Gu Wen suddenly felt a chill down his spine, as if countless eyes were staring at him. Jade Sword Buddha also halted in midair, gazing in the opposite direction of Luodu for a long moment before withdrawing his gaze.

"Benefactor, it seems there is a disaster of blood light. Perhaps hiding from the world might allow one to avoid it."

Gu Wen guessed the source of the blood-light disaster and responded with a carefree laugh, "In life, disasters are everywhere. Ducking means one cut, looking up also results in another cut. Better to strike out with one punch than to face a hundred punches later."

He could handle matters smoothly, but that didn’t mean he was as timid as a mouse.

As the great man said, better to strike out with one punch than to face a hundred punches later. The real issue was never about how to avoid trouble, but whether he had the capability to solve the troubles.

"Fellow Daoist, you are extremely wise."

Jade Sword Buddha did not say much more, and after a few more leaps, they were back in the city where the gate guards had grown accustomed to the sight of these exalted beings flying in and out.

-----------------

Gu Wen returned to the inn, plunged into his room, and began to meditate. One by one, pills entered his stomach, steadily increasing his Heavenly Marrow.

Ten years of Heavenly Marrow, twenty years, thirty years, forty years, fifty years.

As he exhausted all the pills, although he still had Jiu Zhenjun’s Spiritual Wine, wine tends to be intoxicating when consumed in excess and harder to assimilate than pills.

Gu Wen simply drank the Heavenly Spirit Wine, allowing his amount of Heavenly Marrow to reach sixty years.

Meanwhile, his Dao foundation was also steadily improving, but Gu Wen chose to channel the medicinal power into his Heart Sword. The spiritual objects of the Immortal Land could accelerate the cultivation of any magic skill; since it could refine the Dao foundation, naturally, it was also applicable to Sword Intent.

Using the Flame Dharma as a reference, his sword clashed against the spear energy, shattering after twenty times but slowly increased to thirty, then forty, and fifty times.

True Sword Skill lies in resilience. Any matter, when infinitely magnified, is uneven, but only the unbreakable can defeat anything.

[Yuqing Sword Skill Fifth Level Frost]

This refining took three days and three nights.

Thirty years of Heavenly Marrow cultivated into the Fifth Level of Yuqing Sword Intent; the upcoming Sixth Level would require eighty years of Heavenly Marrow. Yet he only had thirty years left, and while his cultivation could theoretically reach the realm of dharma form,

In magical combat, he could compare to Xiao Yunyi—perhaps a 40-60 edge in swordmanship—but he still fell short of Jade Sword Buddha, the nun.

Gu Wen opened his eyes, emerging from the meditative state.

Morning sunlight washed over him as he looked up to the towering green hills and listened to the bustling city.

Luodu was peaceful as ever, and he felt at ease, a feeling that had been long absent.

A ray of Buddha light illuminated the entire city. With the Dharma eye, one could see a Buddha and a Demon each dominating half of the sky, both exerting their full power.

"Master Jade Sword Buddha, we have no grudges, why must it be so?"

"Amitabha Buddha, removing demons requires no reason, please return to the west, Benefactor."

Boom

The earth trembled slightly; another peaceful day in Luodu.

Not long after the conflict ended, Hee Huan and Crane Qing came to visit Gu Wen, bringing one good news and one bad news.

The bad news was that due to the changes at Heavenly Spring Mountain, nearly half of the practitioners had gathered there. It was confirmed that the successors of the Buddha Demon Sects were in Luodu, and the Demon Sect successor’s incarnation had just been killed by Jade Sword Buddha.

The good news was that the Ten Thousand Sword Path of Heavenly Spring Mountain had opened and Broken Sword Mountain declared that this time the Sword Pond for refining treasures was open to unlimited participants, provided one possesses the Sword Dao Dharma.