Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 248 - 172: Three Swords Subdue the Horde of Monsters

Chapter 248: Chapter 172: Three Swords Subdue the Horde of Monsters

Outside the heavens, Two Realms City.

A magical battle had just ended, leaving cracks in the void, the space torn countless times.

The Sanqing Taoist Sect arrived with thirty-four Venerables, each manifesting dharma forms thousands of feet tall, as if deities descended, standing stoically outside the Immortal Land.

Following them, six generations of Sword Masters from Broken Sword Mountain brought one million spiritual swords, creating six immense Sword Mountain dharma forms, covering the vast sky with a sword array.

Such foundations caused all forces to shudder in fear. Typically, for a sect to have one Venerable was considered above average, while a Demi Immortal could sustain a Major Sect for ten thousand years. Yet, both the Sanqing Taoist Sect and Broken Sword Mountain were undoubtedly leaders in their respective fields, their combined heritage nearly equating to half the Human Race’s great powers.

Especially notable was the Sanqing Taoist Sect with its thirty-four Venerable strong beings, following the human ethos of a genius born every hundred years, a True Monarch every thousand, and a Venerable every three thousand.

This meant that every generation of the Sanqing Taoist Sect produced at least three exceptional geniuses who were ensured growth and invincibility to maintain these numbers.

However, another extremely mystical rule of the cultivation world was that a third of all sect prodigies would face losses—either dying, encountering cultivation issues, or hitting barriers.

Some speculated it related to Qi Fortune, that a sect’s fortune couldn’t support so many talents, resulting in jealousy from the heavens. Others believed that an inherent heavenly decree dictated that those who could ascend the Dao must endure numerous tribulations; those who survived became great powers, and those who didn’t perished.

Yun Miao and Huayang sat amidst the clouds, facing a scruffy, bald old man who seemed to turn the clouds dark wherever he sat, in stark contrast to the serene and jade-like Daoist figures of the pair.

The current Sword Master of Broken Sword Mountain, Xuan Wufeng, also known as the Beggar Sword Master, often mingled within the mortal realms, appearing as a beggar.

He and Huayang, along with Yun Miao, belonged to the same generation, having grown up three thousand years ago in the era of prosperity created by Qingcang Immortal for the Human Race, known as the Golden Generation.

This generation included the current Lord Emperor, who nearly all possessed the strength of a Demi Immortal, the top elites of their time.

Should they break through their life expectancy limits in the future, they could roam the Void, seeking chances to become Immortal, or hibernate in the Immortal Land. Although the spiritual energy was depleted in the Void, it still harbored countless mystical treasures; in fact, the materials for the former Sword Master’s blades came from the Void.

The Immortal Land gathered the natural essence, where all things could transcend the mundane or ascend to immortality; regardless of one’s realm, their lifespan would reduce by a percentage within.

Both were greatly depleting to one’s lifespan, especially the Immortal Land, where staying for a year drained more of their lifespan than a hundred years outside.

Huayang and Xuan Wufeng played a game of chess, Yun Miao reclining nearby to watch.

Xuan Wufeng posed a question as he moved a piece, "Just how many strong beings has your Sanqing Taoist Sect hidden?"

Previously, with about ten Venerables, they felt the distance between Broken Sword Mountain and the Sanqing Taoist Sect wasn’t large, even vaguely surpassing it. After all, they were the merger of three former Daoist powerhouses, failing to surpass them by threefold would have been a disgrace.

But now, with the sudden appearance of thirty-four Venerables, the number was more than triple, even quadruple.

Huayang shook his head in response, "The Daoist Sect has stood for a hundred thousand years, we too do not know how many masters there are."

A millennium per generation does not mean that the previous generation only lived a thousand years. After completing the inheritance of the Dao and cultivating a new generation of strong beings, many great powers chose to retreat for secluded cultivation. Thus, was also a part of the Major Sect’s foundation; you could never quite know how many strong beings the opposition had in hiding.

Today you might destroy someone’s Dao inheritance, but tomorrow a Demi Immortal may return from the Void.

This was also why, back then, Qingcang Master had annihilated most of the Immortal Sects, unified the Human Race’s thousands of sects, and yet after his death, these vanished sects sprouted like bamboo shoots after the rain within just a thousand years.

Because within the Void, there were still Demi Immortals alive, possibly even their founding masters hadn’t perished.

"If we really talk about relations, which Human Race sect doesn’t have some connection with us?" Yun Miao casually cleaned his nail, his tone shifting, "But what use is that? Titles are the most useless things, what’s meant to come will still come."

In the distance, a massive Devil Cloud spread across the sky, with numerous colossal beastly shadows flickering in and out of sight.

At the forefront stood a stunningly beautiful woman with nine tails unfurled behind her, white hair cascading down in mottled silver radiance, the corners of her mouth curled in an ambiguous smile.

Behind her, the contemporary Qingqiu Devil Emperor stooped like a servant, not daring any superfluous movements.

A clone of the Qingqiu Fox Fairy, who had saved Qingqiu’s Grotto Heaven from Qingcang Master’s hands in the past. This had caused him severe injuries, so much so that he didn’t intervene during the rebellion in Qingqiu.

Now, with the appearance of the Immortality Pill, he had the extra strength to make an appearance, the lingering trauma Qingcang Master had left on them was visible.

From the Immortal Land, a sliver of sword hum rose, and Xuan Wufeng’s ears twitched. He said, "Who do you think will take the lead in this battle? Our Human Race’s top young candidates are all present, while the enemy has brought out two millennium-old antiques."

Huayang responded, "Based purely on strength, for now, Chan Xi takes the lead. If she can hold off Ao Heng, she can claim the primary merit."

"She is only one of her manifestations, not even up to my Sword Sect’s disciple."

Xuan Wufeng was somewhat disgruntled, having been overshadowed by these two in the past and now even their disciples surpassing his.

Right now, candidates for Sword Immortal were shallow in cultivation, and their Daoist child had issues in his cultivation. Wouldn’t this give them, Broken Sword Mountain, a chance to shine?

Yun Miao honestly expressed, "I actually think that little girl from the Sword Control Sect isn’t bad, she might perform brilliantly this time."

"Shall we make a wager?" Xuan Wufeng suggested, "If you lose, agree to let your Red Dust belong to Broken Sword Mountain. He can still be a disciple of the Three Pure Ones, but must also become a generation’s Sword Master of my Broken Sword Mountain. If you win, I’ll stake the entirety of Broken Sword Mountain."