Ling Tian Sword God
Chapter 128 - 127: Landscape Swordsmanship_1

Chapter 128: Chapter 127: Landscape Swordsmanship_1

In Ling Chen’s hands, he clutched an ancient secret manual with a yellowing cover, studying it intently.

Emblazoned on the cover were four ancient characters: "Landscape Swordsmanship."

This Landscape Swordsmanship was rumored to be the sword technique practiced by the Sword Hider Elder in his youth. It was on the foundation of this very swordsmanship that the Sword Hider Elder later comprehended the Mountain and Water Sword Intent, excelled in the Martial World, and became a world-renowned Top Sky Apex Strong.

Undoubtedly, this Landscape Swordsmanship was a set of techniques perfectly attuned to the Mountain and Water Sword Intent.

The swordsmanship was rated mid-rank Heaven-tier. This level was perfectly suited to Ling Chen’s current abilities; it was neither too difficult nor too easy.

Practicing this sword technique could also compensate for the current singular nature of Ling Chen’s attacks.

Acquiring this sword technique had not been easy for Ling Chen; he had faced many obstacles. Although the Divine Intent Sect had a rule allowing new True Disciples to choose a Heaven-tier martial art from the Scripture Pavilion for cultivation, Ling Chen had already entered the Scripture Pavilion several times due to special permission from Ling Tianyu. Furthermore, he had previously been a True Disciple, so it was uncertain if he could select another Heaven-tier sword technique.

Later, with Elder Xie Chan’s assistance, this issue was resolved.

Of course, Ling Yin played a significant role in this.

Currently, Ling Yin’s cultivation was advancing by leaps and bounds. After Ling Chen gifted her the Fire Lotus Seed, she had already reached the second realm of a Martial Artist. More importantly, her proficiency in Array Formations and Illusion Techniques was improving so rapidly that even Elder Xie Chan marveled at her progress.

The moment Ling Yin spoke up, Elder Xie Chan agreed to help.

Ling Chen was now completely at ease regarding Ling Yin. Elder Xie Chan, known for his wealth and generosity, was keen on nurturing Ling Yin, so she would undoubtedly progress swiftly. Previously, Elder Xie Chan had given Ling Chen two Solid Reality Pills merely as a token of gratitude; he would surely be even more generous towards Ling Yin.

This young lady will, sooner or later, radiate the brilliance she is destined for.

With that thought, Ling Chen cleared his mind of distractions. He picked up the Heavenly Emperor Heavy Sword and began practicing the first form of the Landscape Swordsmanship: Mountain Mist Overlapping Peaks.

The Landscape Swordsmanship comprised seven forms in total: Mountain Mist Overlapping Peaks, Water and Sky Merged, Flowers in the Mist, Thousands of Mountains and Rivers, The Winding Mountain Path, Dry Wood Meets Spring, and Scenic Landscape.

SLASH!

As the heavy sword swept out, sword qi manifested like layers upon layers of mountain mist, creating an imposing and majestic mountain range.

Landscape Swordsmanship masterfully blended the imposing strength of mountains with the yielding softness of water. One move would be hard, the next soft; this harmony of hardness and softness was its very essence.

Once this essence was grasped, cultivating it became twice as effective with half the effort.

For a time, the entire backyard was filled with Ling Chen’s figure and the shadows of his sword qi. If someone were watching, they would undoubtedly feel the profound Mountain and Water artistic conception within Ling Chen’s Sword Momentum—at times powerful and majestic, at other times incredibly supple—immersing any observer, making them unable to extricate themselves.

Combined with the Mountain and Water Sword Intent, the power of this swordsmanship increased manifold.

"Mountain Mist Overlapping Peaks!"

"Water and Sky Merged!"

"Flowers in the Mist!"

Executing the first three forms of the Landscape Swordsmanship in one breath, sword qi flew throughout the courtyard. Ling Chen sheathed his sword, a satisfied expression on his face. Sword Hider Elder had first learned the swordsmanship and then comprehended the Mountain and Water Sword Intent. Ling Chen, however, had done the reverse: he first comprehended the Sword Intent and was now cultivating the swordsmanship.

Sword Hider Elder had taken the path from easy to difficult, whereas Ling Chen went from difficult to easy. This difference significantly increased his learning speed.

With another half a month of diligent practice, he should be able to master all seven forms.

"Ling Chen, the Great Elder wishes to see you." Just then, a Deacon Disciple arrived at Wuchen Courtyard.

The Great Elder! He was seriously injured after his battle with the Demon Elder, and I wonder how his recovery is progressing. Ling Chen, deeply concerned about the aftermath of the Great Elder’s battle with the Demon Elder, immediately left the inner courtyard and headed towards the Grand Hall where the Great Elder resided.

Upon seeing Ling Chen, a flicker of light passed through the Great Elder’s initially turbid eyes. He chuckled, his voice hoarse, "Ling Chen, you’ve gained much from this trial at Black Wind Ridge! Has your Sword Intent completely congealed?"

Ling Chen bowed slightly to the Great Elder, appearing very polite, and said, "Reporting to the Great Elder, my Sword Intent has indeed fully congealed."

The Great Elder nodded, admiration showing in his eyes. He was extremely satisfied with Ling Chen. He had heard that not only was Ling Chen’s Mental Power formidable, but his Martial Arts talent also far surpassed that of other geniuses. His future achievements might even reach the heights of his father.

The Great Elder said, "From the last Sect calamity, when your meridians were crippled, until now... it seems less than half a year has passed, hasn’t it?"

"Yes!" Ling Chen nodded.

The Great Elder’s gaze turned serious. "In less than half a year, you’ve gone from a state of utter ruin to cultivating to the Third Level of a Martial Artist. Your cultivation level has improved far too quickly!"

Ling Chen understood the Great Elder’s meaning. Advancing too rapidly in cultivation meant an unstable foundation. The path of Martial Arts cultivation is a long one, and an unsteady foundation would be detrimental to his future progress.

The Great Elder had high hopes for Ling Chen and certainly didn’t want him to falter in this regard. He spoke earnestly, "In the initial stages of Martial Arts, Cultivation Resources play a very significant role. An ordinary genius, provided with sufficient Cultivation Resources, can also achieve a very rapid cultivation speed."

"Forty years ago, an exceptionally brilliant individual emerged from Sky Void Palace. He reached the Martial Master Realm at the tender age of fifteen and became a Grand Master by twenty, shocking the entire Martial World. The prominent figures in the Martial World at the time all praised him, believing he could certainly reach the Sky Apex Realm and was a strong contender to become the future top expert in the Martial World."

Ling Chen looked surprised and asked with interest, "And what happened to him?"

"Afterwards?" The Great Elder sighed and shook his head. "Cultivating too quickly led to an unstable foundation. Consequently, his progress in the later stages of cultivation became extremely slow. He never managed to break through to the Sky Apex Realm and, to this day, remains merely a Grand Master."

"Those who were his peers, or even from a younger generation, have already surpassed him. While it’s not to say he has no hope of reaching the Sky Apex Realm, becoming the top expert in the Martial World, or even joining the first tier of experts, is now absolutely impossible for him."

The Great Elder’s gaze fixed on Ling Chen again. "Therefore, you mustn’t always be eager to rely on external forces to advance. First, spend a couple of years stabilizing your cultivation in the Martial Master Realm. Refine the True Qi within your body, enhance its purity. At the same time, you need to temper your physique, expand your Dantian and meridians, and make your body as indestructible as a boulder. Only by laying a solid foundation will you be able to venture further on the path of Martial Arts."

"Understood."

Ling Chen nodded. He wasn’t currently rushing to break through to new realms. Even after consuming three Heavenly Heart Grass stalks, he hadn’t impulsively tried to overcome his bottleneck. Instead, he chose to focus on refining his True Qi, improving its purity, and increasing the True Qi storage capacity of his Dantian. His father, Ling Tianyu, had impressed this same principle upon him many times before. Ling Chen remembered it well and dared not forget.

"Ling Chen, if you can proceed steadily, dedicate yourself to Martial Arts without distractions, then with your talent, you can undoubtedly look down upon your peers in the younger generation, and claiming the top spot on the Heavenly List would not be an empty dream."

The Great Elder held high hopes for Ling Chen.

First on the Heavenly List—that is the throne of the younger generation, a symbol of both genius and power.

Currently, among the disciples of the Divine Intent Sect, the strongest, Nie Wu Xiang, was only ranked third on the Heavenly List.

Theoretically, with Ling Chen’s current growth rate, becoming first on the Heavenly List was highly probable. But who could guarantee that this pace could be maintained? This was precisely the Great Elder’s concern.

"This disciple has learned his lesson."

Ling Chen cupped his fists. The Great Elder had specifically summoned him to discuss these matters, undoubtedly worried about potential problems in his future cultivation and wishing to give him a preventive warning.

"Good. I hope you take this to heart. I called you here today because there’s another matter I wish to discuss with you clearly. Please, sit down."

The Great Elder gestured for Ling Chen to sit opposite him.

"Great Elder, please speak freely if you have something to say."

Ling Chen disliked beating around the bush. Seeing the Great Elder’s solemn expression, he knew this matter, while unrelated to cultivation, was of utmost importance.

"It concerns the great Sect calamity half a year ago," the Great Elder said after a moment’s thought.

"Could it be that the Great Elder knows the inside story?" Ling Chen’s eyes lit up; he was eager to hear the truth about that incident.

"There is no hidden truth. What I mean to say is, there is no deeper story here. Liu Xiling lurked within our Divine Intent Sect for many years, all to coordinate with the Saint Witch Religion’s attack half a year ago. I saw it with my own eyes: her sword pierced Ling Sect Leader’s chest. It was she who personally killed Sect Leader Ling," the Great Elder stated coldly.

"What? That’s impossible!"

Ling Chen was visibly shaken, an expression of disbelief on his face.

"I know you may find this hard to believe, but I saw it with my own eyes. No one is framing her. Otherwise, the Sect would not have issued a kill-on-sight order against her without reason."

The Great Elder spoke solemnly, "Do you know why Ye Nantian repeatedly tries to put you in mortal danger? Your father is one reason, certainly. But there’s an even more critical reason: he believes you will eventually betray the Sect and run to the embrace of your Saintess mother. Therefore, he wants to eliminate you—to nip the threat in the bud—before that can happen."

"We, on the other hand, believe that as Sect Leader Ling’s only son, and as someone we’ve watched grow up, you should be able to distinguish right from wrong, avenge your father’s murder, and firmly uphold the justice in your heart."

"I hope you can clearly determine your own stance. You must not, for the sake of mother-son affection, fall into the Demon Way and bring about your own ruin."

Towards the end, the Great Elder’s tone grew increasingly grave. Clearly, when it came to such fundamental questions of right and wrong, he hoped Ling Chen would make a definitive choice.

"Great Elder, rest assured. If what you say is true, then I will absolutely not spare that woman."

Ling Chen responded with unwavering resolve.

The Great Elder’s words struck Ling Chen with great force. He had always considered the twelve-character prophecy—"The Saintess returns, the Demon Cult rises, the Divine Sect falls, the Supreme perishes"—to be mere Martial World rumors. But now, his conviction wavered. Could it be that his mother was truly such a heartless and unrighteous female demon?