On the lawn in front of the statue, Shi Xiaole was knocked back ti and ti again, a scene that had persisted for more than a month.
Facing nine peak-level Ninth Tier Earth Immortals, even with Shi Xiaole’s strength, he was unable to cope, each ti being defeated within a few moves.
But the month of enduring this abuse was not without results, as Shi Xiaole began to grasp so inkling of understanding.
Once again, the sound of a qin struck.
But this ti, Shi Xiaole took the initiative to strike first.
Clang clang clang...
A series of Sword Qi flew by swiftly, as Shi Xiaole weaved through the boundless and unpredictable waves of sound, now dodging to the side, now swinging his sword.
It could be observed that although the sound waves were chaotic, the places Shi Xiaole’s long sword targeted precisely blocked all the subsequent changes.
This bore so similarity to the anticipatory nature of Yi Sword Skill, but the difficulty was on a completely different level.
Because sound waves change with the flow of the air, they are as unpredictable as the nine Ninth Tier Earth Immortals—no matter how keen one’s environntal senses, it’s extrely difficult to discern the pattern.
Even Shi Xiaole, who knew this was the only way to overco the enemy, could only occasionally enter this state and was unable to maintain it for long.
Indeed, after approximately a dozen breaths, as his swordsmanship beca disordered, Shi Xiaole t with defeat once more.
"Let’s rest for now."
The elder playing the qin stopped.
"The young one is dull and caused the elderly worry."
Shi Xiaole felt sowhat ashad.
Counting the initial month, it had now been two months, and the qin-playing elder had been accompanying him in practice the entire ti, yet he had made only minimal progress, which was embarrassing considering the elder’s efforts.
The qin-playing elder didn’t speak but thought to himself: If you’re considered dull, then there’s no hope for anyone else in this world, young friend, your progress has surpassed my expectations.
In fact, according to the plan, the qin-playing elder should have left half a month ago, but he was astonished at Shi Xiaole’s rate of progress and suddenly beca very eager to see whether Shi Xiaole could reach the level of that person from the past and how long it would take.
Three more months, he thought to himself. Three months, of course, wasn’t enough for Shi Xiaole to overco the challenge he faced, but that was the longest he could wait; any longer, and his presence might be revealed.
Ti passed leisurely, and two months later...
Shi Xiaole was now able to persist for one hundred breaths, and the probability of entering that state had increased to fifty percent, but this was still far from sufficient.
"Though I can temporarily predict the qin’s offensive, I am still in a passive position—if I can’t reverse it, I’ll never defeat it."
If he hadn’t known about that person, Shi Xiaole might have already given up because he truly didn’t see any hope of victory, but since soone had done it, it proved there must be a way.
Flashes of insight’s lightning constantly darted through his mind, every mont a vast amount of information stread through Shi Xiaole’s thoughts, uninterrupted even during rest. It could be said that the ntal exertion of these months was almost equivalent to the accomplishnts of a normal person over a hundred years.
It was only Shi Xiaole who could withstand this; anyone else might have succumbed to ntal breakdown and a collapse of will. But at this stage, Shi Xiaole was nearly driven mad by his own demands, the only thing keeping him going was his pride, which refused to be subdued.
"Where exactly is the problem?"
"What is the thod after all?"
"Is this really sothing humans can achieve?"
In the tumult of constant denial and perseverance, Shi Xiaole couldn’t count how many tis he had been sent flying. He lay on his back in the grass, watching a cluster of white clouds gathering in the sky, as birds circled high above, emitting clear and piercing cries.
"The white clouds will disperse; the birds will land."
Boom!
Suddenly, Shi Xiaole’s expression beca vacant. Yes, these are conclusions everyone could co to, and they are the only conclusions.
Just like the qin music, the ultimate goal is to defeat oneself. If that can’t be changed, then predicting the specific steps seems futile; it actually puts you at an inherent disadvantage.
Picking up his sword, Shi Xiaole charged into the surging waves of sound once more. His attacks lost their rhythm and beca more chaotic than the sound waves themselves—often he would move to another side before the sound wave even struck. After several attempts, an invisible aura began to expand slowly around Shi Xiaole as its center.
One hundred breaths.
Two hundred breaths.
Three hundred breaths.
It wasn’t until five hundred breaths had passed that Shi Xiaole finally succumbed to defeat under the extrely astonished gaze of the qin-playing elder.
"Young friend, how did you do it?"
Although the qin-playing elder had an answer in his heart, he couldn’t help but ask.
"If one lacks the power to change the outco, it might be better to control it from the very start, like the clouds in the sky; don’t give them ti to form, like the birds above; cut off their wings. Of course, these are just so humble thoughts of mine. Don’t laugh at , elder."
The only way Shi Xiaole could think of to break through the qin music was to restrain the opponent from the very beginning and then lay out his strategy slowly. In other words, he had beco the qin music, and the qin music had beco the previous him, constantly at his rcy, always changing with him.
It sounds simple, but to achieve it is as hard as ascending to heaven. Even soone with superhuman ntal fortitude, skills at their peak, and a transcendent sword technique would find it almost impossible to do.
This had already surpassed the realm of ’human capability’ and reached a non-human state. But being unmatched under heaven is not sothing ’humans’ can achieve!
Having found the direction, the path ahead seed easier for Shi Xiaole.
He kept trying, imagining the qin music as nine peak-level martial artists of the sa ranking, continuously deducing, aiming to use extre speed at the start to trap all nine in his aura, making them follow his swordplay and control the rhythm, not allowing them to join forces against him.
From one-tenth proficiency to two-tenths, then to three-tenths, four-tenths... Shi Xiaole’s progress, in the eyes of the old man playing the qin, could only be described as inconceivable. Perhaps only that person from the past could match him.
Swish!
With two days left to the third month, as Shi Xiaole struck with his sword, an invisible aura suddenly enveloped the range of the qin’s lodies. In an instant, it was as if many people were clashing blades, their vital energy bursting violently everywhere.
On the foundation of the previous sword move, Shi Xiaole’s sword intent soared to its limit as he thrust out a second sword strike.
Bang bang bang...
An explosion erupted on the spot, the wild wind made the green grass topple over left and right, and Shi Xiaole was half-kneeling on the ground, his face pale and gasping for breath.
"Congratulations, young friend, you’ve achieved what that person once did,"
The old man playing the qin spoke with his hands leveled, his tone half joyful and half wistful.
He had, after all, underestimated the boundless potential of the chosen one by fate. They are the darlings of heaven and earth and can’t be fathod by ordinary reasoning, let alone extraordinary reasoning. And Shi Xiaole, even among the twelve fated ones, is undoubtedly one of the very best.
Regulating his internal energy, Shi Xiaole stood up and said with heartfelt gratitude, "All that I have accomplished is thanks to your generosity."
If it were up to him, where would he find nine top-notch peers of the sa level who would an no harm to him? Without the old man playing the qin, there would have been no violently rapid progress these past few months.
To a certain extent, the man had helped Shi Xiaole rise to another level, an imnse favor that could not be forgotten.
Shi Xiaole quietly rembered this kindness. Maybe he couldn’t repay it for a long ti, and the other party might not care for his repaynt, but he had his own principles: for the grace of a drop of water, he shall return with a gushing spring.
"Elder, may I have the honor of asking you to na the technique I just used?"
The Sword Qi aura was actually a combination of Shi Xiaole’s combat skills rather than a single move.
Knowing that Shi Xiaole was grateful for his help, the old man playing the qin chuckled, pondered for a mont, and said, "Man in the sword, as if dwelling in the mundane world, unable to see the truth, can only drift along. Let’s call it ’Wandering Dust.’"
"Wandering Dust?"
Shi Xiaole murmured the na several tis, his eyes lighting up: "Thank you for the na, elder!"
The old man playing the qin couldn’t help but laugh heartily. Suddenly, he urged again, "Young friend, are you sure you wouldn’t like to accompany this old man? Know that any attachnts can be undone once you beco strong enough."
The more he interacted with Shi Xiaole, the more the old man appreciated his talent and character and didn’t want him to suffer a great disaster, which would be an imnse loss to the martial world.
"I cannot leave, nor do I wish to."
It was about Shi Xuanzhong and Ling Yujie, and Shi Xiaole had a premonition that Shi Xuanzhong would definitely appear in the battle of the Wuyuan Palace. How could he flee in face of an illusory disaster?
Most importantly, since the old man had written down so many nas, it ant everyone had a chance, and he had to give it his best shot.
The old man playing the qin sighed silently; if it weren’t for the fact that forcibly taking Shi Xiaole away would destroy his Sword Heart, he would have done so without a second thought.
Is it really impossible to defy fate?
"Senior, do you know the origin of this stone statue?"
Knowing that the old man was about to leave, Shi Xiaole hoped to clear the doubts in his heart.
"This is the Bone Tower from a land beyond the heavens. They placed the Void Origin Realm Martial Emperors who fell in battle in this domain into it, making them war spoils, while also providing enlightennt for future generations. Only those with celestial bloodline can discover it."
Shi Xiaole’s body shook.
"Child, there’s much I want to tell you, but... goodbye, I hope we et again."
As his last words fell, the old man playing the qin disappeared from the spot.
It was only after a long ti that Shi Xiaole ca back to his senses, his mind in turmoil as he leaped into the left eye of the stone statue. Inside, the bones were still lustrous, the martial energy dense, but since the essences were similar, the art of life and death had already stopped absorbing.
The stone statue’s right eye was just darkness, as though it was empty.
"War spoils?"
The Void Origin Realm Martial Emperors of this domain, who fought for their holand, were placed here after death, becoming nourishnt for the enemy’s future growth. How tragic!
What pained Shi Xiaole the most was that he was one of the enemy’s descendants.
"My identity cannot bind , nor can my bloodline. I only wish to act according to my heart."
Clenching his fists, Shi Xiaole kept making vows to himself.
...
"Old friend, you’ve finally co out."
Atop a low mountain in the Daxia Dynasty on the East Victory Continent.
The old man playing the qin appeared out of nowhere. Facing him was an old man in tattered clothes with hair both black and white, apparently knowing in advance that the qin player would co, the elder showed a faint smile.
"You old swindler, I’ve t the person you talked about. Does he really stand no chance?"
The elder was taken aback and said, "Fate is unfathomable. I have been honored as the Heavenly Destiny Divine Fortune Teller, yet I can only catch glimpses of destiny. I can only tell you that his path ahead is a river of blood without an end, where enemies abound. Even the fates of all great destinies are aligning to overshadow him. If he can still find a glimr of hope, then I have nothing to say."
Clang!
The old man playing the qin abruptly snapped a string with his wrong hand.
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