CHAPTER 24: NANTIAN SWORD ART

Lu Chen and his companions followed the narrow path and ventured deeper into the Fire Region. Not a single Flame Demon had appeared since the one Lu Chen vanquished two days ago.

Ever since obtaining the Hunyuan Greatsword, Lu Chen's cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds. With the blade's unparalleled sharpness, he began challenging beasts a full major realm above his own, targeting demonic beasts in the early stages of the Qi Regulation Realm.

That day, Lu Chen wielded the Hunyuan Greatsword and brought down a Flame Beast at the third level of the Qi Regulation Realm. He continued swinging without pause, slicing the creature's body apart with practiced precision.

Nantian Xiu watched silently from behind. The more he observed, the more puzzled he became. With Lu Chen's talent, it made no sense that his family remained unknown.

After a moment, Nantian Xiu asked, "Young man, we've been traveling for days, yet I still don't know your background. What clan are you from? Are your parents doing well?"

"Grandpa Xiu, I'm just a village boy. My family was wiped out long ago... killed by a group of cultivators. As for my grandfather..."

Lu Chen recalled his past in Greenheaven Village. A look of sorrow appeared on his face, and he no longer wished to speak.

"Sigh... I didn't expect such tragedies in your past."

Nantian Xiu expressed his sympathy and quickly changed the subject, "You haven't joined a sect yet, have you? From the way you fight, you clearly possess formidable skills and treasures, but your technique still lacks refinement. Why not come with me? Once I return to my sect, I can introduce you."

Nantian Wan'er added, her voice filled with concern, "He's right. With the protection of a sect, you'll have the strength to avenge your family."

Lu Chen gave a faint smile. "Grandpa Xiu, I've only recently begun cultivating. These techniques... I came across them purely by chance. As for joining a sect, I already have one in mind, and I plan to head to Heavenly Mandate Hall. Still, thank you for your kindness."

Nantian Xiu responded, "In that case, let me teach you a sword art. It'll help you deal with these beasts more effectively."

He picked up a branch from the ground and began demonstrating a sequence of sword movements, which consisted of a flick, a stab, a slash, and a chop.

The branch in his hand moved like a dragon soaring through the air, each stroke stirring the wind with a powerful whoosh.

"Young man, remember this, the sword follows the body, the body follows the heart, and the heart follows the spirit. Where the sword points, death follows."

"Kill!"

With a single stab, the branch pierced clean through a massive tree before him.

Lu Chen opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. His eyes were locked onto the movements, as if under a spell. He couldn't look away.

A sudden roar echoed through the air.

A powerful aura surged from Nantian Xiu. He danced the branch through the air and gradually traced the shape of a dragon's head, fierce roars emanating from it.

Lu Chen watched closely. From the motion of the branch to the flow of his entire body, Nantian Xiu's movements gradually came together to form the image of a colossal dragon.

"Nantian Dragon-Slaying Sword! Go!"

With a single sweep of the branch, a golden dragon surged forward, slamming into the ground. The earth split apart, forming a bottomless chasm.

"Young one, did you see it clearly? From this day on, the Nantian Dragon-Slaying Sword is yours."

Nantian Xiu tossed aside the branch, then lightly tapped Lu Chen's forehead, transferring the sword art's core principles directly into his mind.

Nantian Wan'er asked, "Grandpa, that sword art took you years of hardship to obtain. Why would you pass it on just like that? Didn't you say you'd never teach it to anyone?"

Nantian Xiu replied with a chuckle, "And what of it? From the look in your eyes, whether I pass it on now or later makes no difference, does it?"

"Grandpa, I'm being serious. Don't tease me like that!"

Nantian Xiu laughed heartily at the blush on Wan'er's face, then continued demonstrating the rest of the sword art.

"Nantian Dragon Dominion!"

"Nantian Dragon Ascension!"

Wind Dragon exclaimed in shock, "T-this... is the Dragon-Slaying Sword? The very same art that once shook the heavens ten thousand years ago?"

Lu Chen glanced at him, confused by his reaction. "Is this sword art really that powerful?"

Wind Dragon narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on Nantian Xiu's movements.

"The art itself isn't what makes it terrifying, but the sword intent within... it's unmatched across the world.

"And the one who created this sword art once used his sword intent alone to walk the path of Dao. He carried an entire golden age on his shoulders. This sword art... is more than an art. It's a legacy.

"You should try learning it. The sword art is bold and direct, perfectly suited for your Hunyuan Greatsword."

Lu Chen nodded. He gripped his sword tightly and began mimicking Nantian Xiu's movements.

Slash. Stab. Flick. Slash. Stab. Flick.

Nantian Xiu moved beside him, using the tree branch to guide his movements, step by step.

A faint and indistinct aura gradually began to form around Lu Chen. The Hunyuan Greatsword let out a soft hum. At that moment, Wind Dragon seemed to sense something. His body turned translucent as he attached himself to the sword.

Wind Dragon wrapped around the Hunyuan Greatsword and let out a thunderous roar.

Lu Chen unleashed the dragon-shaped sword qi with a powerful swing. "Nantian Dragon-Slaying Sword! Go!"

The golden dragon surged forward, howling through the skies with a fierce gale. As it swept ahead, two mountain peaks in its path were reduced to dust.

Lu Chen was completely drained after the strike. "Huff... huff... So strong... That one blow was equal to dozens of my Blazing Sun Cleaves The Heaven..."

"Hahaha, not bad, not bad! Young one, your comprehension of swordsmanship is quite remarkable."

Nantian Wan'er looked at the dragon-shaped sword qi and gasped in astonishment, "He... he actually pulled it off... and even faster than my brother did,"

Lu Chen turned and gave a respectful bow to Nantian Xiu. "Grandpa Xiu, these moves clearly aren't just some casual techniques. Thank you for passing them down to me."

He knew full well that this sword art was above the Earth Tier and could serve as a sect's foundational treasure. Yet Nantian Xiu had taught it to him without hesitation. To Lu Chen, this was a profound act of kindness.

Nantian Xiu said with a chuckle. "It's nothing, really. I won't be able to take it with me once I die anyway. I might as well pass it down. As long as you treat Wan'er well in the future, that's all that matters. Don't let her down."

He had already come to terms with the fact that he wouldn't be able to protect Wan'er forever. Quietly, he had made the decision to entrust her future to Lu Chen.

Lu Chen clenched his fists, full of youthful vigor. "Of course! From now on, anyone who dares to bully Wan'er will have to answer to me, Lu Chen!"

Unfortunately, he didn't yet understand the deeper meaning behind Nantian Xiu's words.

"That's good, that's good. Wan'er, you heard him. From now on, someone else will protect you in my place."

Nantian Wan'er lowered her head shyly. "Grandpa... don't say that. You'll watch me grow up. We still want to take care of you together."

"Alright, alright. You'll both take care of me, haha."

"Ah... I mean I'll be the one taking care of you! Grandpa!" Wan'er blurted out before quickly blushing, realizing she had accidentally revealed her true feelings.

Lu Chen laughed. "It's fine! We can both take care of him. Grandpa Xiu saved my life and taught me swordsmanship! He's basically my grandpa too, right?"

Wind Dragon let out a huff of frustration. "He still doesn't get it? What a blockhead..."

"Yes, yes, we're all one family now. It's time we get going. You can continue practicing swordsmanship along the way."

***

Their journey resumed, with Nantian Xiu continuing to guide Lu Chen on the three foundational sword techniques: slash, chop, and stab.

With a treasured sword in hand, a master's personal guidance, and exceptional comprehension, Lu Chen made rapid progress. Within just a few days, he had already grasped the essentials of swordsmanship.

"Slash... chop... stab... slash... chop... stab..."

Every time they encountered a demonic beast, Lu Chen would step forward to hone his technique through real combat.

He followed Nantian Xiu's instructions and relied solely on those three basics in battle. Thanks to Wan'er's innate bloodline suppression over beasts, even those at the fifth level of the Qi Regulation Realm posed no real threat.

Pfft!

Suddenly, Nantian Wan'er coughed up a mouthful of blood. "Grandpa... the cold poison... it's flaring up. I can't hold on..."

Nantian Xiu quickly took out the prepared Fiery Sun Grass and helped Wan'er consume it.

One, two, and three stalks... the amount she took kept increasing, but instead of subsiding, the cold poison within her flared up even more violently. A chilling aura spread from within, coating her skin in a visible frost.

"Grandpa... it hurts. My meridians... they're freezing up..." Wan'er's voice gradually weakened. "Grandpa... I'm in pain..."

Nantian Xiu pressed both palms against Wan'er's lower abdomen, his face etched with urgency as he assessed her condition.[1]

"There's no time. Wan'er took too much Fiery Sun Grass. Her meridians are blocked, and her body can't absorb it. I have to help her circulate and refine the energy myself. You must stand guard and make sure no beasts interrupt me."

He swiftly formed a hand seal. "Spirit Gathering Formation! Activate!"

A glowing array flared into life beneath his feet, spreading outward with him at the center. Still uneasy, he cast another formation barrier around them to ensure stronger protection before channeling spirit qi into Wan'er.

Outside the formation, Lu Chen held his sword at the ready, standing vigil over them. He further cloaked the barrier with a layer of branches from the Green Sovereign Divine Tree for added concealment.

The Spirit Gathering Formation began drawing in all the ambient spirit qi, converging it toward Lu Chen's position.

As Wan'er's suppressive effect over the beasts weakened, the creatures in the distance felt the sudden surge of spirit qi and turned toward them. The first wave came fast. They were thirty to forty beasts that had just stepped into the Qi Regulation Realm.

Lu Chen raised his sword, its blade slicing through the air in a brilliant arc of light. As the beasts charged, he shouted, "Filthy beasts! Trying to strike while we're down? Take my sword instead!"

With his massive blade in hand, Lu Chen charged headfirst into the horde. Each swing, each stab, each cleave landed with precise and deadly intent. His mastery of the newly-learned sword techniques was evident.

In the midst of the chaos, he weaved through the beasts with agile footwork, and every flash of his sword was followed by the fall of a beast's head.

His rapid improvement was not just a matter of talent. He had trained relentlessly with a cultivation puppet inside the medallion, where he could practice for multiple days while only one night passed in the outside world.

"Wind Dragon! Return!"

Lu Chen held the greatsword across his chest as the Wind Dragon spirit surged forth and fused with the blade. A green-blue glow shimmered over the sword, laced with streaks of black, violent energy. The entire blade pulsed with a savage, feral aura.

Ten minutes later, drenched in beast blood, Lu Chen flashed back to the front of the formation. Not a single beast remained standing near the array.

He flicked the blood from his hair, turned his back on the battlefield, and sheathed his greatsword.

"Grandpa Xiu, how's Wan'er?" he asked, while guiding the Green Sovereign Divine Tree to absorb the demon cores from the fallen beasts.

"She still needs more time," Nantian Xiu replied from within the barrier. "Be careful, young man. The Spirit Gathering Formation doesn't just draw in qi, it draws beasts too."

"I understand, Grandpa Xiu. Please hurry. I'm not sure how long I can hold out."

Beastly roars echoed once more from the distance, growing louder with every passing moment.

Hearing the distant howls, Lu Chen sat down cross-legged and began recovering his stamina and spirit qi.

Wind Dragon surveyed the area and said to Lu Chen telepathically, "If only you could find the Yin Ocean Pearl. When yin and yang are united, you'll be able to freely open the channel between the outer world and the Twin-Fish Medallion. Then others could enter or leave this small world without restriction."

Lu Chen's expression turned thoughtful. He finally understood the problem. If the channel could be opened, then in this world, no one of the same cultivation level would be able to stop him from escaping. "Balance between yin and yang... sigh, it's too difficult."

***

By dusk, the skies over the Fire Region had turned an eerie shade of blood-red. The roars of beasts in the distance were growing closer and louder.

"They're coming."

Lu Chen stood up, listening to the cries that heralded the second wave of beasts.

1. Lower abdomen is where the Heavenly Pool is located. ☜