HSSB919: Number one figure in the dao of the sword in post-Great Calamity times
Hearing the Dragon Spring Emperor’s reply, Gao Qing was instantly dazed, “How could that be?”
“Great Grand Master said that Great Grandmother had already surpassed her in the dao of the sword back then.”
The Dragon Spring Emperor smiled as he said nothing.
Gao Xuebo said slowly, “Your Granduncle was hailed as the ‘Little Sword God’ as he walked the lands of the World beyond Worlds that year. You are aware of that?”
Gao Qing nodded, “Yes, Granddaughter knows.”
Gao Qingbo said, “Since there was a ‘Little Sword God’, there would naturally have been a Sword God too.”
“This…” Gao Qing gradually came to understand things as she asked, “Grandfather, you mean…”
Gao Qingbo said, “You also know that the World beyond Worlds’ Kunlun Mountain was acclaimed for its Nine Luminaries that year. One of them was acclaimed as the number one figure in the dao of the sword for Daoism in post-Great Calamity times.”
Gao Qing was wide-eyed as she stared at him.
Beside them, Long Xueji said calmly, “The Exalted Gold Luminary also had another title, Sword God.”
He looked wistful, “Sadly, I was unable to personally witness his flair, experiencing his sword arts in person.”
The Dragon Spring Emperor smiled, “I can transmit all eldest apprentice-brother’s sword arts to you, but there really is no way of letting you juniors experience his former flair.”
Hearing his words, Long Xueji smiled.
Gao Qing looked curious, “Although I knew that you were born in the World beyond Worlds, Great Grandfather, I never knew that the Exalted Gold Luminary was your senior apprentice-brother.”
The Dragon Spring Emperor smiled mildly, “Few in the World beyond Worlds still know of this too.”
Gao Qing nodded, quickly refocusing on the topic, “Great Grandfather, did Great Grandmother really lose to the Exalted Gold Luminary that year? And, the saying of the number one person in the dao of the sword for Daoism in post-Great Calamity times…”
Her little face appeared slightly conflicted.
The Prime Clear direct lineage did not merely consist of the Immortal Exterminating Four Swords.
However, the descendants of the Prime Clear lineage had always prided themselves over the Immortal Exterminating Four Swords, the highest accomplishment in Daoism’s sword dao.
Ever since ancient times, the Prime Clear lineage had produced countless peak experts of the sword.
After the Great Calamity, generation upon generation of descendants of the Prime Clear lineage had been famed for their sword dao as they traversed the world.
In Gao Qing’s heart, her Great Grandmother, the Profound Sovereign, was the number one figure in the dao of the sword.
This was even despite the existence of a Sovereign of the World beyond Worlds known as the Sword Sovereign.
How her Little Granduncle, Long Xueji, had once traversed the World beyond Worlds with his solitary sword, having been invincible at the same cultivation level, seemed to prove this point as well.
Gao Xuebo now said, “The Exalted Gold Luminary ended up coming to search for father in the Roving Jade Heavens that year. He and mother clashed with their swords. In the end, it was indeed mother who lost.”
His expression was rather complex as well, “This was personally said by mother that year. While mother has never admitted inferiority in her sword arts, she was indeed defeated one versus one facing the sword of the Exalted Gold Luminary that year.”
“Still, there was only ever that one battle between them. Having progressed further in the sword dao all these years, mother has always felt regretful that she cannot clash with this person again.”
Gao Qing pursued her lips, looking unhappy.
Looking at his granddaughter, Gao Xuebo slowly said, “With even mother having been defeated, our Prime Clear lineage was naturally left without face.”
“Fortunately, there was still one person in the Roving Jade Heavens then…”
Gao Qing’s spirits rose as she asked curiously, “Wasn’t Great Grand Master injured that year and still in secluded cultivation? And…oops…”
Speaking of sword arts, the Profound Sovereign had actually already surpassed her master that year. Yet, she had still been defeated by the Exalted Gold Luminary.
“The person eldest brother speaks of is someone else,” Long Xuebo now said, “And that is our little apprentice-aunt, your Great Grandmother’s little apprentice-sister.”
Gao Qing blinked, coming to a sudden realisation as she clapped, “Little Granduncle, might you be speaking of the legendary Zizhi Emperor, my senior apprentice-great grandaunt, Sword Emperor?”
Zizhi Precipice’s Roving Jade Palace.
It had been the dao arena of the founder of the Prime Clear lineage, the Lord of Numinous Treasure, in the past.
With Zizhi as her Emperor title, also being known as the Sword Emperor, this person’s prowess in the dao of the sword could only be imagined.
It was just that few people knew of this title in the current World beyond Worlds. It was also simply a legend in the Roving Jade Heavens, documented only in records as people would seldom recall it.
Gao Xuebo said, “Back then, little apprentice-aunt just happened to be in secluded cultivation. Fortunately, it was not death cultivation. With the Exalted Gold Luminary suppressing the Roving Jade Heavens with his sword, the elder generation were helpless as they could only invite her out of seclusion.”
Gao Qing asked excitedly, “Senior apprentice-great grandaunt definitely defeated the Exalted Gold Luminary, right?”
Gao Xuebo stroked his white beard, laughing bitterly, “That battle eventually ended in a draw, but…”
“In the end, little apprentice-aunt admitted that she had lost by a half-move,” Long Xueji continued for him, “Mother and the other seniors all tacitly admitted this result.”
Gao Qing cried unhappily, “But why?”
Gao Xuebo sighed, “Because my Prime Clear lineage has the Immortal Exterminating Four Swords of the Lord of Numinous Treasure that have been tempered over countless ages by peak experts in the dao of the sword.”
“As for the Exalted Gold Luminary, it was with his own intelligence, perseverance and abilities that he transformed the supreme martial arts of the Jade Clear lineage, self-creating an Illusory Jade Heaven Opening Sword with an ultimate sword art finally appearing this world which can be acclaimed alongside the Immortal Exterminating Four Swords.”
Even while during the era of the Investiture of the Gods, in those times of legend, the Immortal Exterminating Four Swords had once fallen into the hands of the Jade Clear lineage, even though many major sword cultivators had also been produced by the Grand Clear and Jade Clear lineages over the course of history, in terms of accomplishments in the sword dao, the Prime Clear lineage had always been the most powerful in Daoism.
As for the Immortal Exterminating Four Swords, they had always been the most powerful Daoist sword arts throughout all of history.
Till the appearance of one person and another sword art.
The Exalted Gold Luminary and his Illusory Jade Heaven Opening Sword!
The Dragon Spring Emperor had said nothing throughout as he seemed to have drifted off slightly.
His memories had already returned to several thousands of years ago.
That proud figure’s proud laughter, “Xingquan, come, come! I’m going to show you something good today. My self-created sword arts!”
The most powerful figures of the later generations in the dao of the sword for Daoism had expanded in a decisive battle amidst the endless space outside the Roving Jade Heavens.
The purple-clothed youth cleaved out with a sword, opening the heavens and the earth.
The white-clothed girl struck out with a sword, exterminating the heavens and extinguishing the dao.
This peak battle had manifested the greatest brilliance involving a contest of the sword in post-Great Calamity times.
This was the most magnificent sword duel that the Dragon Spring Emperor had ever witnessed in his life. Even thinking about it now, it still brought back endless nostalgia that he could only savour.
That had been the first time, and also the last time.
In the millennia that had passed thereafter, it had never happened again.
He regained his wits, smiling as he looked at the shocked Gao Qing, “It is precisely because of this that the little apprentice-sister of your Great Grandmother admitted to having lost by a half-move, the Sword Emperor losing to the Sword God.”
“It was also precisely this battle that decided the number one figure in Daoism’s dao of the sword in post-Great Calamity times.”
Gao Qing’s mind drifted off at that scene which surpassed even her imagination.
It was a long while later that she looked at her Great Grandfather in a pitiful manner, “Great Grandfather, the Exalted Gold Luminary defeated Great Grandmother and senior apprentice-great grandaunt too. Then, you…”
The Dragon Spring Emperor replied smilingly, “I still stayed behind! Otherwise, how would I have married your Great Grandmother? If I had really left, wouldn’t that mean that there wouldn’t be you, Qing’er, wouldn’t be your Grandfather, wouldn’t be your Little Granduncle and wouldn’t be your Little Uncle?”