Then I Will Ascend Into One
• Chapter 12: Then I will ascend into one
『Thank you Simon_, Favour_Agbaje_9284, Astrid_DL and Sin_Sengo for your power stones~』
PS: Sorry for the late chapter, starting from today I started speedrunning through my summer assignments cuz my school gonna open soon like in 8 days so I also won't be able to do bonus chapters till then. Hope you'll understand.
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A humble figure in plain hemp robes leaned against a half-embeded sword in earth. He turned his head towards Jiang Cixue and simply said, "Hmm."
Feeling guilty, Jiang Cixue said, "I'm sorry, Senior Brother. I've caused you trouble again."
Li Dao replied calmly, "It's alright. I'm your Senior Brother after all ."
In that moment of isolation, Jiang Cixue found comfort in his words. Steeling her gaze, she tightened her grip on the hairpin in her hand and stood close to Li Dao.
The nascent spirit of the Transforming God Elder remained indifferent. "Li Dao? After killing three elders of Dao Xuan Mountain, you still dare to show up here? Might as well stay then."
A profound fluctuation emanated from the elder's Nascent Soul as he spoke softly, "Spiritual Art: Boundless Sea."
The water elemental energy in the surroundings became highly active. A deep blue spiritual seal coalesced in the elder's hand, causing the water elemental energy to reverse and form an image of a vast sea behind him.
Li Dao murmured, "True essence…(or true intent, in most of the novels)"
One should know the true essence of a spiritual art could only be manifested with the power of the heavens and earth upon reaching the Divine Transformation stage.
Li Dao's eyes burned with intensity, but his face showed no fear. Instead, an obscure aura enveloped him, radiating a fervent battle spirit.
"Spiritual Art (will be Spirit Art when next mentioned as this is just too long): Sword Burial Song." Li Dao sprang into action. As his spiritual power flowed, dim spiritual seals emerged around him. At the moment he drew his sword, the seals shattered and reformed into sharp, small swords. The sound resonated like a song played by the swords.
The elder couldn't hide a hint of astonishment in his eyes. "Creating your own spirit art at this age? One more reason to eliminate you!"
The disciples of Dao Xuan Mountain retreated inside their sect's gate. Hearing the elder's words, they were struck dumb. Creating a spirit art was a feat only one in ten thousand could achieve. Even some ancient cultivators, after living for a millennium, might not manage to create one.
Creating a spirit art required not just talent but also a deep understanding of spirit arts and spiritual power.
The disheveled youth before them, barely in his twenties, had accomplished this? Even in Qingzhou and Zhongzhou, such talent was rare. This man had the potential to ascend in the Ranking of Hidden Dragons.
Holding his sword, Li Dao steadied himself in a drawing stance, appearing like a lone figure against the crashing waves of a boundless sea.
"Hmph," the Divine Transformation Elder flicked his sleeve, and a water vortex surged from the sea image forming a giant water dragon. In an instant, the clouds above were dispersed by its force.
Li Dao maintained his stance until the water dragon roared and descended upon him. Then, he moved.
The hiltless sword angled upward, and all the small swords reversed their direction. A matchless sword intent shot skyward.
In that moment, the water dragon collided with the sword tip, and the powerful spiritual fluctuations destroyed everything around them. Jiang Cixue, standing behind Li Dao, shielded her eyes from the flying debris. The young girl buried her head in her senior sister's skirt, trembling in fear.
Yet, the gap between a peak Nascent Soul cultivator and a Divine Transformation cultivator was insurmountable. Like a stream meeting a river, it was bound to be overwhelmed. Cracks appeared in Li Dao's sword, which began to spread all over it under the pressure.
'In the end it wasn't enough huh..', Li Dao murmured.
Above, the Divine Transformation cultivator smirked, confident of his victory.
Li Dao's sword finally broke, and the small swords formed by his spirit art shattered into spiritual light, dispersing in the surrounding.
With a roar, the water dragon surged. Suddenly, Li Dao moved, striking the water dragon with his bare hands.
"Boom!" Spiritual power clashed, and Li Dao forcibly redirected the water dragon's impact, preventing it from hitting his junior sister.
"Senior Brother!" Jiang Cixue called out in worry.
Li Dao was flung back, crashing through a stone wall. Moments later, he stood up unscathed, though his clothes were even more tattered.
The Divne Transformation Elder was surprised. "To withstand an attack from someonein Divine Transformation stage, you're remarkable indeed. But this is as far as you go. I don't have time to waste on the likes of you."
Li Dao responded coolly, "Waste?"
Li Dao picked up his broken sword, brushing off the dust regretfully, and murmured, "This was the first gift from my master. But since you broke it, why not compensate with your sect's mountain gate?"
The Divine Transformation Elder's face darkened. "Ignorant brat."
Li Dao ignored him, tossing the broken sword to Jiang Cixue, he then stood with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering in the wind. "Divine Transformation huh.., is it that impressive?"
Li Dao smiled for the first time that night. "Then I'll just ascend into one"
Immediately, a sense of foreboding gripped the elder.
Sure enough, the clouds reversed, and the sky changed. A dense, ominous cloud of tribulation appeared over Dao Xuan Mountain.
Seeing this, countless figures flew out from the mountain. One Divine Transformation elder cursed, "Which reckless fool is undergoing tribulation in the sacred grounds?"
Then, noticing the immense power of the nine by nine tribulation, he muttered, "A Divine Transformation stage tribulation?"
Before he could think further, a ghostly green light darted towards him.
Furious, the elder shouted, "How dare you!"
Unable to discern the incoming object, he aimed to destroy it with a strike.
Upon contact, the protective spiritual light membrane on the object shattered with a crack.
In the elder's moment of shock, a powerful suction emerged from the now-dented tripod-like object, then expanded rapidly.
The sense of danger made the elder's hair stand on end, and he roared, "Damn it!"
"Boom!" The small tripod exploded. A dark, ink-like substance spread, consuming everything it touched.
Spiritual flowers and fruits withered instantly upon contact, turning into putrid liquid splattering on the ground.
The foremost elder crawled out of the dirt, half his face's flesh obliterated. The toxin from his wounds continued to burn, sizzling.
Before the mountain gate
With a thunderous crash, the ground shook violently, and everyone turned fearfully towards the source: their sacred grounds in Dao Xuan Mountain!
The Divine Transformation stage elder looked warily at Li Dao, who was preparing to undergo the tribulation, and muttered, "This child is a monster, even more so than Si'er."
Just as Jiang Cixue was about to act, a strong hand patted her shoulder.
Startled, she turned and exclaimed, "Xie Yunzhang? What are you doing here?"
The man's hand stiffened, displeased. "Call me Second Senior Brother! Don't be so rude."
Jiang Cixue glared at him, then looked in surprise at the chaotic scene on Dao Xuan Mountain. Could it be…
Noticing Xie Yunzhang sneaking glances around nervously, Jiang Cixue realized he must have done something significant.
He coughed twice. "We need to run, or it'll be too late."
Ignoring him, Jiang Cixue looked worriedly at Li Dao, who was awaiting the tribulation clouds, but Xie Yunzhang pulled her along. "Trust me, run quickly. Don't worry about Li Dao. He has Master's Five-Light Fan."
Hearing this, Jiang Cixue, without hesitation, scooped up her junior sister and fled using her paper crane.
Xie Yunzhang followed closely behind on a blue-green gourd.
Li Dao watched the three of them leave, smiled faintly, and cracked his neck.
"Ready? Let me show you how to transcend the Divine Transformation tribulation." In the next moment, he soared into the sky to meet the terrifying lightning descending upon him.
To be continued...