FVN Chapter 73 Crisis
Chapter 73 Crisis
Is he obsessed with the way of the sword?
When Li Qingyi heard this assessment, she found it somewhat unbelievable.
How could such a person possibly create an organization like Tingyu Pavilion?
Unaware of Li Qingyi's confusion, Xuanmi continued:
"A thousand years ago, that Sword Dao True Monarch traversed the Cangling Domain alone with his sword."
Genmi's voice was melodious and far-reaching:
"He was dressed in white, and wherever he went, the clouds churned and the sword energy soared into the sky."
The founders of various sects and schools had all been challenged to a duel by him. According to the founders, he had never been defeated.
Li Qingyi: "???"
"What kind of wish-fulfillment novel protagonist template is this?"
He admitted that he was a little envious.
Ling'er's interest deepened. "So how did he rise to power?"
Genmi shook his head:
"I don't know... When he appeared in the world, he was already at the Purple Mansion stage. What's even more amazing is that he attained the Golden Core Dao through swordsmanship in just sixty years."
"Sixty years to attain the Golden Elixir?" Ling'er gasped.
"Jiazi Golden Elixir?!" Li Qingyi was filled with questions.
"Is this senior colleague perhaps a fellow traveler who transmigrated with a system?"
He couldn't help but picture the other person hiding deep in the mountains, quietly cultivating until reaching the Purple Mansion realm before emerging to sweep across the world—
The more I think about it, the more it reminds me of my fellow Earthlings.
"If he is so legendary, why are there so few stories about him in the world?"
Li Qingyi asked the key question.
He felt that such a legendary person must have tales circulating among the people.
Suddenly, Li Qingyi realized something and caught the key information in Xuanmi's words:
"The senior just said that he... has never been defeated?"
He realized that some sects must not have been able to afford to play along, and after his death, they joined forces to suppress the news.
Genmi nodded.
Li Qingyi subconsciously turned her head, her gaze passing over Xianmi and landing on the majestic Dao Sect hidden in the drifting clouds and mist. A guess surfaced in her mind:
"That Dao Ancestor, that old man..."
"good."
A strange look flashed across Li Qingyi's face as she silently complained to herself:
"The title of 'Taoist Ancestor' sounds impressive, but it turns out he was someone who got slapped in the face back in the day..."
Xuanmi had no idea what Li Qingyi was thinking.
If they knew, they probably wouldn't be able to resist hanging Li Qingyi up and giving her a good beating.
"Since he had reached the point of being invincible, why did he perish?" Li Qingyi asked, puzzled.
At this point, a complex and inscrutable sadness flashed across Genmi's eyes.
"In order to pursue a higher path."
"A higher path?" Li Qingyi's heart skipped a beat. "Above the Golden Core is the Nascent Soul?"
Genmi added:
"According to the patriarch, on the day he passed away, all the swords in the Cangling Domain fell silent and wailed."
His voice carried a hint of a sigh:
"This true explanation of swordsmanship is his last legacy to the world."
It's a pity that, throughout the thousands of years, not a single person has been able to grasp its essence or obtain its true teachings.
Li Qingyi really wanted to say, "I am not very talented, but I have already succeeded in my cultivation."
However, just to be on the safe side, he decided to play it safe for a little longer.
He was about to press for details about what that higher path meant when Genmi, as if able to read his mind, spoke first:
"This is not something you should be investigating now. You will know when you both reach the Purple Mansion Realm."
"The riddle-maker should be dragged out and executed!" Li Qingyi thought angrily, but dared not show it at all.
Ling'er also seemed a little disappointed and pouted.
Based on Xuanmi's account, Li Qingyi basically ruled out the possibility that the person who saved him on Qingxin Peak was the founder of the True Explanation of Sword Dao.
"Senior, who exactly are the five Sword Dao True Lords in the world today?" He probed from a different angle.
Upon hearing this, Xuanmi's eyes flashed with amusement as he carefully examined Li Qingyi:
"Oh? You're very interested in them?"
Li Qingyi nodded sincerely.
"The Golden Core True Monarch has already created his own karma," Xianmi said meaningfully.
"If you recite their true name here, they will surely respond. If you wish to be watched by such beings, I wouldn't mind telling you."
Li Qingyi: "???"
"This level of prestige is only at the Golden Core stage? Self-generated cause and effect, intuitive understanding? Then wouldn't the powerful beings at the Nascent Soul and Body Integration stages be defying the heavens?"
Is the cultivation world really that high-level?
This was indeed something Li Qingyi hadn't expected.
Xuanmi changed the subject: "However, I can tell you an interesting story."
"I am all ears," Li Qingyi said respectfully.
"About a month ago, the master of Tingyu Pavilion in Youyue Kingdom unleashed a sword strike into the territory of Xuan Kingdom."
Li Qingyi's heart skipped a beat, but her face remained impassive: 'It really was him!'
But Ling'er, who was beside him, could not remain so calm.
She suddenly turned her head to look at Li Qingyi, her beautiful eyes wide with disbelief.
"Brother in green... is he actually the successor of the Listening Rain Pavilion Master?"
Although she had not personally witnessed the events at Qingxin Peak, she knew that without the intervention of an unparalleled expert, Li Qingyi would certainly not have escaped death.
Xuanmi was no ordinary person; he took in Ling'er's intense reaction.
His eyes suddenly sharpened like swords, and his peaceful aura instantly turned icy cold, causing the temperature on the entire white jade platform to drop several degrees.
"Hmm?" His gaze pressed aggressively against Li Qingyi. "Could it be... that the sword strike that day saved you, kid?"
Li Qingyi felt a chill run down her spine to the top of her head, and her scalp tingled slightly.
"Oh no! How could Ling'er let us down at a time like this!"
He tried his best to remain calm on the surface, but his mind was in turmoil.
Admit it? Or deny it?
Ling'er's reaction has already given away too much information.
In front of a True Person of the Purple Mansion, a clumsy lie will only make things worse.
Faced with the pressing Xuanmi, Li Qingyi knew that concealing the truth was not the best course of action.
In a flash, Li Qingyi's mind raced.
There's no point in hiding it anymore; sooner or later, Xuanmi will find out his identity as an assassin from Tingyu Pavilion.
Since that's the case, why not use their strength against them and solidify this identity as the personal disciple of the Pavilion Master?
He immediately composed himself, cupped his hands and bowed, his tone respectful.
"I dare not conceal this from you, senior. I was indeed caught up in the conflict on Qingxin Peak that day. My life was in danger, but I was fortunate enough to survive thanks to my master's sword strike from afar."
He directly brought up the words "my master," since the Pavilion Master of Listening Rain had publicly acknowledged this relationship, so he would use it as a protective charm without hesitation.
The advantages and disadvantages are both obvious, but at least it will make powerful forces like the Dao Sect more hesitant to take action against him.
Surprisingly, Genya didn't immediately turn hostile and expel her as he had in the simulation. Instead, his tone became deep and unfathomable:
"For Youhuang's sake, I'll give you a chance."
His voice was calm, yet carried an invisible pressure: "Are you willing to betray Tingyu Pavilion and join my Dao Sect?"
He paused, then offered an even more tempting deal:
"There's no need to worry about Tingyu Pavilion's retaliation. Our Dao Sect also has a Golden Core True Monarch in charge. With your talent, as long as you nod, becoming a Golden Core True Disciple is not impossible."
Li Qingyi thought to herself, "Are you kidding me? This is such a ridiculously overhyped promise..."
He didn't believe Xianmi's empty promises at all.
His long-term use of simulators has made him wary of any developments that deviate from the "script".
What if the other party is just testing him?
What if he just shows any sign of betrayal, and the other side has enough reason to kill him on the spot?
Joining the Dao Sect is certainly a promising path, but only if he can live to enjoy those benefits.
Between the two, he preferred the one who seemed to have goodwill towards him at the moment, or perhaps ulterior motives, and who had saved his life.
He dared not gamble.
"Thank you for your kindness, senior." Li Qingyi bowed deeply, her tone firm, and she once again used the same acting skills she had used to deceive Youhuang.
"However, a teacher for a day is a father for life. To betray one's master and break one's promise is something this junior... cannot comply with!"
Genmi's face darkened completely, and his aura became as heavy as a mountain.
"Do you know that Tingyu Pavilion once assassinated one of my sect's elders? This is an irreconcilable feud!"
He took a step forward, and an invisible pressure began to emanate, compressing the surrounding space.
"If you are willing to join my Daoist sect and act as an inside agent to help us eliminate the Listening Rain Pavilion... the position of the Daoist sect's Holy Son awaits you!"
This combination of kindness and severity, along with the increasingly clear pressure from the Purple Mansion, made it difficult for Li Qingyi to breathe, and cold sweat gradually seeped out from his back.
Upon hearing this, Li Qingyi felt even more unable to agree.
"This is a huge trap!" Alarm bells rang in his mind. "Are you kidding me! If I actually agree to be a traitor, I probably won't even know how I died!"
He abruptly raised his head, his face revealing a resolute and stern expression, and looked directly into Genya's eyes:
"Senior is too kind! My master saved my life and taught me his skills; his kindness is akin to giving me a second life! If I were to do something so disloyal and unjust, something that would betray my master and my ancestors..."
He took a deep breath and said, word by word:
"Senior, why don't you just kill this junior right here and now!"
He appeared resigned to his fate, but inside he was in a panic.
This is reality, not a simulation. One wrong step and you're in deep trouble.
He was betting that Genya wouldn't actually kill him—
In the last simulation, when he slaughtered the city, Genya killed people so decisively and efficiently. How could he be so full of nonsense now?
Seeing the situation take such a sharp turn for the worse, Ling'er was filled with regret.
If Li Qingyi hadn't lost her composure just now, she wouldn't have been forced into this situation.
But she was of low status and had no voice; in such a standoff, she didn't even have the right to interject.
Li Qingyi and Xuanmi locked eyes, their gazes meeting in the air as if invisible sparks were flying.
He knew that he could not afford to be cowardly at this moment!
suddenly--
A sharp light flashed in Xuanmi's eyes, and the pressure of his Purple Mansion that he had been holding back suddenly erupted like a volcano!
It points directly at Li Qingyi!
Li Qingyi felt an immense pressure, as if the sky were falling, engulfing her entire body, with endless force crushing down from all directions.
His bones cracked and popped, his internal organs were being squeezed violently, his blood and qi surged backward, a sweet taste rose in his throat, and a trickle of blood uncontrollably spilled from the corner of his mouth.
His legs trembled violently, and blood began to appear on his body, as if he would explode and die at any moment.
The white jade ground beneath their feet had sunk, revealing fine cracks.
The excruciating pain assaulted his consciousness, but he gritted his teeth and refused to kneel down. He stubbornly stood upright and stared directly at Genmi.
"Senior! No!"
Seeing the murderous intent on Master Xianmi's face, and his aged hand slapping directly at Li Qingyi, Ling'er cried out in alarm.