The Transmigrator’s Cultivation

Arc 22: Affairs At Sword Conference | Chapter 406: Luchuan City

The victor stood alone, dressed in white, and after nodding slightly to his opponent, looked toward the edge of the arena and said, “Next.”

Among the dozen or so cultivators, another person stood up, leaped into the air, and replaced the previous loser to engage the man in white.

Once again, sword lights flashed, and after just a few breaths, the challenger was defeated.

Again and again, the white-clad youth fought and won, one match after another.

After all the duels had concluded, the white-robed man sheathed his sword and returned to sit among the others.

Meanwhile, two other cultivators entered the arena to duel, and it was clear that their swordsmanship was evenly matched, making the bout even more exciting than the previous matches.

Some cultivators focused on watching the duel, while others approached the man in white to converse. One of them said, “Daoist Yun, I was defeated by your sword earlier, but I’m unclear on how it happened. Could you offer me some guidance?”

The man in white responded, “Your sword struck the crane’s head.”

The man seemed to ponder this and asked, “The crane’s head—is that a weak point?”

The white-robed man nodded slightly. “When you turned your wrist while wielding the sword, there was a momentary delay.”

Realization dawned on the man. “I see now.”

Hearing this, others nearby chuckled and said, “We didn’t notice that before. Perhaps we should test it out during our next spar with Daoist He.”

The man surnamed He laughed as well. “Now that I know, I’ll make sure to correct it early. There won’t be a next time for such mistakes!”

Everyone laughed together at this.

Afterward, some of them went off to spar, while others continued to consult the man in white about their weaknesses or discuss their own cultivation paths.

Amid the lively discussions, someone suddenly strode in from outside the hall. His aura was powerful, and even from a distance, it captured everyone’s attention, making them turn to look.

It was a tall, handsome young man, standing nine feet tall, broad-shouldered and with an imposing presence. A massive sword nearly as tall as him was strapped to his back, and with each step, a gust of wind seemed to follow, exuding an air of carefree boldness.

Upon seeing him, one of the cultivators chuckled and said, “Daoist Jiwen has arrived!”

The young man clasped his fists and greeted, “Jiwen Jing greets all fellow Daoists.” He then turned to the man in white and said, “Brother Yun.”

The man in white nodded slightly in return. “Brother Jiwen.”

Jiwen Jing was the direct descendant of the founding family of this Sword Debate Conference, a prodigious swordsman whose talent was truly formidable. Though his cultivation level was only at the mid-Nascent Soul stage, he had comprehended the ability to temper his sword soul at just over 400 years old, earning great respect from his family. In sword clans, while cultivation level mattered, swordsmanship prowess was of paramount importance.

Jiwen Jing, as one of the most outstanding young sword cultivators, was representing his family in this Sword Debate Conference, exchanging knowledge with talented sword cultivators from all over.

He was also responsible for managing the 18 sword halls in Luchuan City during the event.

With such profound talent, Jiwen Jing naturally had a sense of pride. Though he did not look down on other swordsmen, his speech and actions carried an unwavering confidence that made him hard to approach. His devotion to the sword was resolute, and his sword heart was indomitable. However… after sitting cross-legged, he glanced at the man in white.

Someone capable of receiving Jiwen Jing’s enthusiastic greeting was clearly no ordinary individual.

It was a coincidence that before the Sword Debate Conference began, Jiwen Jing had been busy arranging the reception of sword cultivators who had comprehended sword intent across various halls. As he hurriedly passed through the streets, he happened to see a young man dressed in white. For some reason, he noticed an overwhelming sharpness in the youth’s presence, one that was hard to forget. However, due to his busy schedule, Jiwen Jing didn’t approach him.

After the Sword Debate Conference commenced, Jiwen Jing, being the host, was preoccupied with connecting with sword cultivators and managing family affairs. During this time, he heard rumors of a sword cultivator who had broken through 18 rounds of challenges and was still pressing forward. His curiosity was piqued.

It’s important to note that this Sword Debate Conference was different from typical duels. The cultivators’ spiritual power was sealed, and they could only rely on their understanding of swordsmanship—technique, form, intent, and essence. This ensured that the competition measured each sword cultivator’s knowledge and comprehension of the sword path, making it entirely fair.

Breaking through 18 rounds… that would require facing hundreds of consecutive victories to achieve.

How could Jiwen Jing resist meeting such a person in person?

Later, Jiwen Jing did indeed go to see this mysterious sword cultivator and immediately recognized him as the same youth in white that had caught his attention earlier. His competitive spirit stirred, and he challenged the young man to a duel.

In their match, the two were evenly matched. Jiwen Jing quickly realized that not only was this man’s cultivation level equal to his own, but his swordsmanship was also on par. What surprised him even more was that the youth was over a hundred years younger than him, sparking a desire to befriend him.

Jiwen Jing subsequently invited the youth to stay at his family’s hall, ensuring he was treated with care. Over the following days, they exchanged sword techniques and eventually became familiar friends.

It was then that Jiwen Jing learned the youth’s name was Yun Lie, a disciple from the Wuling Mountain region of the illustrious Zhoutian Immortal Sect.

Sitting down, Jiwen Jing smiled and said, “I’ve arrived late today; I hope you’ll all forgive me.”

The gathered sword cultivators laughed. “Daoist Jiwen is busy with many affairs; we all understand. No need to be so formal.”

Jiwen Jing’s words were mere courtesy. After the small talk, he asked, “So, what were the results of today’s sparring?”

The cultivators present were all accomplished swordsmen—whether in technique, sword intent, or comprehension—each had something noteworthy. Jiwen Jing, not wanting to neglect them, asked with genuine interest.

One of the sword cultivators shook his head with a wry smile. “I was still defeated by Daoist Yun, though I managed to hold out a bit longer than before.”

Others sighed in admiration. “Daoist Yun’s abilities are truly awe-inspiring.”

Someone else added, “We’ve been waiting for you, Daoist Jiwen, to have a match with Daoist Yun so that we can witness something truly spectacular.”

Jiwen Jing raised an eyebrow. “I’ve had some new insights recently. I’ve been looking forward to sparring with Brother Yun!” He then glanced at Yun Lie.

Yun Lie nodded slightly. His figure blurred and reappeared in the center of the arena.

Jiwen Jing turned into a black shadow, his movements swift as lightning.

Neither used their true energy nor their sword souls. Since they had already dueled with their sword souls before, there wouldn’t be much progress in a short time. However, from observing countless sword cultivators over the past few days and constantly sparring with others, both had gained new insights in their swordsmanship.

Now, the two moved like gentle breezes, so fast that it was difficult for the naked eye to follow.

This duel was far more impressive than the previous ones but also harder to appreciate.

Impressive because of the numerous sword techniques and profound insights that emerged, leaving the spectators in awe. Yet difficult because the moves were executed so swiftly that before anyone could fully comprehend one technique, they had already exchanged seventy to eighty more.

They battled for half an hour before both simultaneously withdrew their swords, standing at opposite sides of the arena.

The sword cultivators watching from outside the arena noticed that the two had switched positions, but their stances, footing, and expressions remained identical to how they had been before the duel began.

Cheers erupted from the crowd.

After that, the group continued their sword discussions. While everyone shared their thoughts, Yun Lie and Jiwen Jing offered most of the insights and guidance.

The atmosphere was harmonious, and everyone benefited greatly.

Jiwen Jing, being a good conversationalist, and Yun Lie, though reserved, got along well with the straightforward nature of the other sword cultivators.

As they were deep in discussion, a streak of green light suddenly descended from the sky outside the hall.

The group noticed it immediately and turned to look.

Someone was sending a message?

The green light descended and flew straight toward Yun Lie.

Yun Lie raised his hand, catching the small green sword. He probed it with his spiritual sense, and his expression subtly shifted. In the next moment, he stood up.

Jiwen Jing and the others were surprised.

“Brother Yun?”

“Daoist Yun?”

Yun Lie simply said, “Someone is seeking me. I will go greet them.” With that, he took a step, and in the blink of an eye, he was already several zhang away.

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As Xu Ziqing entered Luchuan City, he immediately sensed the overwhelming sword aura of the City. The atmosphere was filled with numerous sword-intent realms, and with every step, he could feel a faint sharpness in the air.

The men in the city mostly had a rugged aura about them, while the women exuded a heroic spirit that was striking to behold.

However, due to the strong presence of various sword cultivators, Xu Ziqing couldn’t immediately sense where his shixiong had gone.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Ziqing, as usual, made his way to a teahouse. He sat down on the first floor, drinking tea, while quietly listening to the conversations around him.

Unlike Fengqu City, which had grown quieter regarding the Sword Debate Conference due to its distance, Luchuan City was still abuzz with discussions, as sword cultivators continued to gather, and the conference had not yet concluded.

Before long, Xu Ziqing gathered quite a bit of information without even needing to ask.

The city had more than ten sword halls, all established by the Jiwen family for sword cultivators. Anyone who possessed sword intent was guided to these halls for lodging and hospitality. Living alongside fellow sword cultivators, they often had opportunities to interact and communicate with one another. Since those who had comprehended sword intent were typically strong in swordsmanship, frequent exchanges among them proved beneficial for everyone involved.

When discussing the Sword Debate Conference, it was said that those who dueled would either withdraw upon defeat or continue challenging others upon victory. In each round, the number of participants would vary—two, three, or even four people at a time. Some had won all of their matches over ten rounds, showcasing a wide array of sword techniques, dazzling spectators with their brilliance.

Others mentioned that the competition did not rank participants by their cultivation level but solely by their proficiency in swordsmanship. Even those with lower cultivation but superior sword techniques could earn the respect of those at higher cultivation levels.

In general, the conversations were filled with praise, with hardly any disparagement.

Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but smile slightly as he listened.

This was indeed the perfect place for his shixiong. He was likely thoroughly enjoying himself here.

After sitting for a while, Xu Ziqing left a spirit stone on the table and stood up to leave.

After some thought, he decided not to search each sword hall one by one but instead to send a message to his shixiong.

Given that they were in the same city, the message should have found his shixiong quickly, and there was little chance of it being intercepted.

Having made his decision, Xu Ziqing retrieved a message jade sword from his storage ring and infused it with his shixiong’s aura. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke into it: “Shixiong, I’ve exited seclusion and am now in Luchuan City…” He paused, glancing around before continuing, “…in front of the Xianju Teahouse on South Street.” Having said that, and unsure of what else to add, he sent the jade sword off.

… Whatever happened next, his shixiong would naturally inform him.

As the jade sword flew off into the sky, Xu Ziqing walked over to a verdant tree beside the teahouse. He gently stroked its trunk, his expression calm, and his heart at peace.

Not long after, he suddenly sensed something and turned around.

Sure enough, not far away, a figure in white walked towards him, unhurried and graceful.

As the figure approached, it seemed to bring with it a frosty chill, and all the surrounding noise fell into silence.

Yet, Xu Ziqing’s heart suddenly began to beat faster.

Translator: Lynn

Translations are not 100% correct. Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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