Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 178 - 138: Acquiring the Taoist Sword to Slash the Rosy Clouds

Chapter 178: Chapter 138: Acquiring the Taoist Sword to Slash the Rosy Clouds

After an unknown period of time, the golden light dissipated, and Chi Yu Zi regained consciousness. She sat up, scratched her head, and said with a naive smile, "Most likely that’s it; now the little distance that you and I had narrowed is gone again."

But in fact, it wasn’t. As she said, it was only a small step, an extremely tiny step closer to the undying Taoist Body.

However, Gu Wen was at the Fourth Transition Golden Core in the Red Dust, while she had already taken the first step towards the undying Taoist Body—she won!

Gu Wen felt somewhat speechless but did not truly argue with this young girl.

Perhaps Chi Yu Zi was several times his age, but her emotional age was not necessarily high, at least not possessing an adult’s greasiness and sophistication, nor a strong sense of materialism.

For instance, she could be coaxed into feeding him the pills needed for breakthroughs. If Jun Yan were to replace him, he would probably just say, "Keep it up."

"Come over and help me up; I can hardly stand."

Gu Wen approached and gently helped Chi Yu Zi up, noticing new scars on her abdomen. He could sense an extremely faint Immortal Sword Qi remaining there.

These scars were just the surface, the residual power of the Immortal Sword was still present, albeit minute, but it was still an injury that could not heal.

It was inevitable for cultivators to suffer internal injuries in combat. That’s why, even though the Mahayana Realm theoretically has a lifespan of six thousand years, they generally only live about four thousand. All beings between heaven and earth are constantly being worn down, and injuries are undoubtedly the most severe.

Injuries vary from person to person, Chi Yu Zi’s Nine Revolutions Golden Pill physical body was comparable to a Taoist Soldier, but in front of the Immortal Sword, it was equally indefensible.

The Immortal Sword seemed to mark a predetermined death on everyone it attacked; one strike would be inescapable, and survival meant only that one’s foundation was deep.

And a deep foundation couldn’t defend against it; still, a piece would be cut away until the foundation was exhausted and death followed.

"Can’t these wounds of yours heal?"

"The might of the Immortal Sword isn’t something that can be easily healed. I fear that even if I achieve the undying Taoist Body, these scars can’t be eliminated."

Chi Yu Zi, leaning on Gu Wen’s shoulder, stood up with some difficulty and said, "The True Sword Dao is just a skill to become an Immortal, whereas the Immortal Sword is an object of Immortality."

The residual image of the Immortal Sword is of a higher order than the True Sword Dao. The ultimate goal of the True Sword Dao is to become an Immortal Sword.

Gu Wen understood and asked, "Doesn’t the undying Taoist Body count as Immortality?"

"I don’t know," Chi Yu Zi shook her head slightly, "So far, no one with the undying Taoist Body has become an Immortal."

"Why is there an Immortal Skill if there are no Immortals? If there are no Immortals, how can it be called Immortal?"

Gu Wen was somewhat puzzled; this was obviously a contradiction.

"Could it be that a Demi Immortal counts as an Immortal?"

"It counts."

Chi Yu Zi clarified, "The Dao Realm is known as Venerable, and above the Dao Realm are soul separation and Harmonization. Accomplishing one of these is to be a Demi Immortal, and succeeding in transcending the tribulation makes one an Immortal. The Immortal Skill is just a path that has been opened up, a great way recognized by the universe."

"And no Immortal has yet emerged with the undying Taoist Body, but the Immortal Sword already exists, so I’m not sure if it can counteract the hidden injuries left by the Immortal Sword."

"I remember you said your sister is a Demi Immortal."

"I don’t want to talk about her."

Chi Yu Zi turned her head away, her distaste and rejection undisguised.

Gu Wen did not say more, changing the subject, "Do you need me to destroy your physical body’s divine storehouse with the Immortal Sword for your future cultivation practice?"

"And the Cycle meridians, even every inch of my flesh, until I’ve cultivated into the undying Taoist Body," Chi Yu Zi replied.

Her tone was firm, but her body could not help trembling slightly, instinctively fearing the Immortal Sword.

Gu Wen couldn’t feel the pain of the Immortal Sword piercing the heart; although Chi Yu Zi never let out a scream from beginning to end, the pain that could cause the body to form innate response was not something ordinary people could bear.

And all this was just to stay alive.

"In that case, even if it can treat your serious illness, the scars left by the Immortal Sword could be enough to kill you."

"It’s still better than waiting to die."

Chi Yu Zi smiled nonchalantly, the ’sportswear’ on her body transforming into points of starlight, then gradually stretching back into her original red and white strong suit.

Gu Wen said with some envy, "That vestment robe is really convenient; too bad you can’t buy it in Immortal Land."

"This is the disciple attire of the Sword Control Sect. If you want one, you can join. How about I be your master?"

Before the words of Chi Yu Zi could finish, a force appeared out of thin air and knocked on her forehead. The force was so miraculous that it could penetrate the body and make someone’s head dizzy.

Thus, she no longer dared to joke, although Chi Yu Zi indeed wanted to draw Gu Wen into the sect.

If Gu Wen helps in the future, the chances of her killing her own sister would be greater.

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

The two left the cave and met up with Yu Hua and Jun Yan outside.

Jun Yan looked at Chi Yu Zi being supported with a somewhat peculiar expression, sometimes stroking his chin, sometimes showing a playful look, sometimes widening his eyes, sometimes anxious.....

In an instant, it seemed as if different personalities of Jun Yan were vying to emerge, but without exception, all of them carried some not-so-good speculations.

Jun Yan frowned at Gu Wen, "This is not good for a team, and perhaps I’m overstepping, but I do not hope for romantic involvement during our collaboration."

"Do you find it very annoying?"

Gu Wen was quite surprised; he wasn’t shocked by the other’s speculation, as any observant person could spot the issue.

It was just that because of gender reasons, such speculations were inevitably misleading.

However, this was the first time Jun Yan, whose mental state was in a ’quantum superposition’, showed tendencies of likes and dislikes. Because of being besieged by Ten Thousand Demons, Jun Yan’s personality had always been in a state of chaos.

Apart from needing his own True Sword Dao to suppress the Demon inside, he had never revealed his character.

Gu Wen could vaguely guess the reason; one must become desireless to resist the Ten Thousand Demons.

"Emotions are the greatest variables in my considerations," Jun Yan stated indifferently.

Chi Yu Zi, who was not one for beating around the bush, spoke impatiently, "My cultivation requires the Immortal Sword to destroy my bodily divine treasures. Put away your disgusting soul separations, are you happy now?"

"It seems I’ve worried over nothing."

Jun Yan said no more and returned to his silence.

Witnessing the tension between the two, Gu Wen didn’t know how to ease it, but as long as they didn’t trip each other up during a battle, it was fine.

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

On the twenty-sixth of September, the secret realm was about to close.

Delayed by three days more than expected, all because Gu Wen still wanted to collect more Spiritual Medicines. In this period, Gu Wen had completely gathered all the ten-year batches of Spiritual Medicines.

As if plucking geese bare, he had amassed a total of one hundred and ten jin of Spiritual Medicine, estimated at about one jin per year of Heavenly Marrow.

If cultivated for another one or two years, it could double in value. In Immortal Land, the growth of Spiritual Medicines was tenfold compared to the outside world, and some special secret realms could see a hundredfold increase in speed.

The geniuses who entered here basically treated millennial Spiritual Medicines from the outside world as their meals, cultivating at an extremely fast pace, so much so that Gu Wen’s speed of cultivation with the Fate Diagram could be attributed to talent.

A normal speed outside was ’one’, ’two’ was genius, and ’three’ was an unparalleled genius.

Adding a zero behind these in Immortal Land, Gu Wen’s ’one hundred’ was barely acceptable to him.

On an unnamed riverside of South Water County, Chi Yu Zi’s Sword Box had grass growing on it because it was stuffed with too many of Gu Wen’s precious herbs.

Chi Yu Zi took a Taoist Sword out from it and tossed it to Gu Wen, "This is the weapon you wanted."

"So casual, one wouldn’t know it wasn’t a mere mundane weapon."

Gu Wen reached out to catch it; the sword sheath was white, smelted from remnants of spiritual swords. Pulling out the blade, a crisp sword-ring sounded, with the transparent and bright blade reflecting on his right face.

Hum!

Layers of Sword Qi naturally wrapped around his arm. Gu Wen didn’t need to use Mana; he swung the sword at the water.

Drawing the sword cut the water, and a gap hundred meters long and ten meters deep appeared, only to vanish in less than half a breath.

No need for Mana—as the Sword Spirit itself could exert Sword Qi, and using this in combat meant saving a bit of strength equals to a larger chance of victory.

"Good sword, indeed a good sword."

Gu Wen couldn’t help but praise, then with a thought directed by True Sword Dao, he swung out his sword again.

The sword mark stretched a kilometer, cutting across the river channel.

Most importantly, the consumption of Mana was halved. With a Fourth Transition Golden Core’s Mana and the enhancement of this Taoist Sword, Gu Wen estimated he could freely use True Sword Dao.

The limit could reach a hundred strikes, but it was almost impossible to swing a hundred times of True Sword Dao in one combat.

As for the remnants of the Immortal Sword...

Gu Wen merely let out a faint whiff of aura, and the Taoist Sword Spirit immediately shriveled up as if terrified.

It seemed impossible to achieve a three-in-one unity.

He asked, "What is the name of this sword?"

Chi Yu Zi replied, "Chopping Clouds, or maybe you would like to name it yourself?"

"Let’s stick with Chopping Clouds."

Gu Wen had no intention to rename it, shouldering the Chopping Clouds Sword, which carried a sense of a chivalrous traveler.

At that moment, a Divine Thought projected from afar.

Ao Tang’s voice reached their ears.

"You two revered ancestors, you’ve made it hard for me to find you. Why head to South Water instead of Fire Cloud Cave?"

Yu Hua glanced at Gu Wen, who understood immediately and stepped forward to communicate and explain clearly with Divine Thought, and then asked, "Protector, where are you? Can you meet us here?"

"I’m afraid it’s not very convenient for me. A Demi Immortal came to my door earlier, and with my Daoist practice, I’m unsure if that Demi Immortal has continued to surveil."