Naked Sword Art

Chapter 503: New World - Land of the Immortals

Li Lian hesitated. "I... can’t imagine a world beyond our thirteen provinces."

Li Xianyu’s lips curved faintly. "Then your world is very small."

Li Qin’s posture stiffened.

"Let me show you just how small."

Li Xianyu tapped the floor of the carriage lightly with her walking staff.

The world rippled.

Like a drop of water disturbing a still lake, reality warped. In an instant, the carriage remained—but Li Lian felt as though she were standing far above the clouds, gazing down upon the Thirteen Provinces from an impossible height.

"This country," Li Xianyu continued, her eyes still closed, "is nothing more than a remote fragment—broken off from a far greater whole. The sects you know, the battles you fight, even the Chaos Sect you now fear... they are insignificant on the true stage."

Li Lian’s eyes widened.

None of the Matriarch’s illusions had ever felt like this. There was no sense of escape—no sense that it was fake.

As the world slowly rotated beneath them, a vast landmass emerged to the east.

"That is—" Li Lian gasped.

The sheer scale of it dwarfed the thirteen provinces until they seemed no larger than dust.

"That," Li Xianyu said, "is the Central Continent. The origin of cultivators. The heart of this world."

"It’s... enormous."

Soon, 4 more massive continents came into view.

Li Xianyu went on to explain the five great continents and the powers that ruled them, beginning with the Northern Continent of Yuhuang, the closest to their homeland.

"And that one?" Li Lian asked, pointing to the immense landmass beneath everything else.

"That is the Sixth Continent," Li Xianyu replied. "Often called the New World... or the Land of Immortals. Very little is known about it."

’How can that be...’ Li Lian thought, stunned. ’It’s larger than the other five combined.’

Li Xianyu continued, speaking of realms beyond the Heavenly Origin Realm, of higher classes of spirit attributes, bloodlines, special bodies, daoist constructs, and curses—along with their origins. Many of these revelations were new even to Li Qin.

"I’m aware that you possess the [ Heavenly Flame ] spirit attribute," Li Xianyu said at last. "Among Heavenly-grade spirit attributes, yours ranks near the pinnacle. It is said that Heavenly Flames burn brighter and hotter than any other flame in the world—surpassing even other flame-based attributes."

"Is it truly that strong?" Li Lian asked quietly.

"Mn. With your talent, you could be accepted into the Heavenly Flame Sect in the Yuhuang Continent. A fourth-tier sect," Li Xianyu said calmly. "Your cultivation would soar there—especially since you are nearing a breakthrough into the 2nd Stage of Dragon Perception."

Li Lian’s heart skipped.

"...How did Ancestor know?"

"There is very little you can hide from me," Li Xianyu replied, closing her eyes once more. "Regardless, as far as I know, there has never been a case within the thirteen provinces of someone unlocking Dragon Perception before reaching the Heavenly Realm. Your talent is truly frighteningly exceptional."

Li Lian felt a surge of gratitude for her spirit attribute.

’Xiao Fang would probably die of jealousy if he knew,’ she thought, amused.

Yet more than that—she felt grateful she had met him at all.

"Ancestor," Li Lian asked, "doesn’t that mean I possess the strongest spirit attribute in the world?"

Li Xianyu paused.

"I suppose you could think that," she said. "But there is one type that surpasses even yours."

Li Lian’s breath caught. "What is it?"

"They are called True Immortal spirit attributes," Li Xianyu explained. "While Heavenly attributes may reach the Heavenly Dragon Realm after unlocking seven stages of Dragon Perception... it is believed that the True Immortal attributes could ascend to the Immortal Realm once all nine stages are unlocked."

Li Lian’s expression stiffened.

’[ True Immortal Lightning Tribulation ]...’

The name of Xiao Fang’s spirit attribute echoed in her mind.

Not wanting her thoughts about Xiao Fang to be known, Li Lian tried to change the subject.

"Ancestor," Li Lian asked carefully, "with your strength... why remain in a country as small as ours?"

Before Li Xianyu could answer, Li Qin spoke quietly.

"I was once told," Li Qin said, "that when a cultivator above the Heavenly Realm reaches a bottleneck, the only way forward... is to return to the place they were born—or the sect where their path began."

Li Xianyu opened her eyes and smiled.

"That is true," Li Xianyu said calmly. "Especially for those attempting their first breakthrough into the Heavenly Realm—or even the Immortal Realm

She paused, her gaze distant.

"But that is not why I am here."

Li Qin and Li Lian both listened carefully to Li Xianyu’s next words.

"Truthfully, I am not alive. I am merely a remnant soul."

"A remnant soul?"

Li Xianyu’s expression became nostalgic.

"Many centuries ago," Li Xianyu said quietly, "I stood only a single step from the Immortal Realm. So I returned here, since it was the sect where I began my path, and attempted that breakthrough more times than I care to count... Unfortunately I failed every single time."

She paused, the weight of centuries settling into her voice.

"I died of old age thousands of years ago, but my soul remained here all this time. In the past, I still harbored hope—that I might someday cross that threshold as a soul fragment, rebuild my body, and return as an immortal. But after centuries passed, even that hope slowly faded."

She opened her eyes and looked at them both.

"I remain now to watch over future generations—to see whether any will rise high enough to walk the paths I could not."

Her gaze rested on Li Lian.

"In all that time, I have never encountered a disciple as exceptional as you."

Then she turned to Li Qin.

"And you as well. To have mastered the [ Illusory Body ] technique at your age has happened only once before in our sect’s history."

Li Lian quickly turned to look at Li Qin in surprise, "You mastered the [ Illusory Body ] technique?"

Li Qin sighed, "I suppose the cat’s out of the bag now. Yes, I mastered it recently. But I’d appreciate it if you can keep that between us."

"You want to keep it a secret?" Li Lian asked, confused.

There had only been a few notable members in the Black Paradise sect’s history to have ever learned the famed [ Illusory Body ] technique. If more people knew about what she did, she would be praised endlessly even by the Matriarch herself.

But Li Xianyu’s words cut through that thought with her next words.

"You should listen to her, Lian. The only other person I mentioned to have mastered that technique at Li Qin’s age was slain by someone from the Heavenly Fate sect. That was... many, many years ago. I assume you must’ve heard about that too, Li Qin."

Li Qin nodded, "To be in power for as long as they have, I don’t believe the Heavenly Fate sect can be trusted."

The Ancestor didn’t reply, but Li Qin could tell that she silently agreed.