The Transmigrator’s Cultivation

Arc 23: Sword Pagoda | Chapter 418: Sword Spirit Wall

When this question was asked, the handsome young man smiled and said, “Then we’ll need to use the Crossing Abyss Divine Vessel.”

Xu Ziqing was taken aback. “Crossing Abyss… Divine Vessel?”

Under the young man’s earnest hospitality, Yun Lie eventually spent a thousand top-grade spirit stones to purchase a small Crossing Abyss Divine Vessel.

Following this, the handsome young man enthusiastically led the group to the edge of the Abyssal Sea.

From a distance, the Abyssal Sea seemed endless, but when scanned with divine consciousness, one could find a thin line stretching high into the sky in the far distance. It was said to be the famous Sword Pagoda located in the central area, which was a sacred place for sword cultivation. Any sword cultivator coming from the lower realms always treated this place like a pilgrimage, no matter the means employed, they would strive to reach it.

In the Abyssal Sea, the waves rolled and the tides billowed like smoke.

With a flick of his hand, the handsome young man summoned an object the size of a palm, which landed on the shallow water’s edge.

The object grew in size as it caught the wind, transforming into a small boat that barely accommodated seven or eight people at most.

As the five of them stepped on board, they already felt a bit cramped.

The handsome young man laughed and said, “This boat can be adjusted in size using the Sword God Token, but it can only be used once; once it reaches the shore, it will be destroyed.”

Upon hearing this warning, Xu Ziqing smiled back and replied, “Thank you for the reminder, young man.”

Then, Yun Lie summoned the Sword God Token and pointed; the small boat sped away like an arrow, gliding toward the central area.

The Crossing Abyss Divine Vessel moved extremely fast, with the splashes on either side merging into a line. However, upon closer inspection, they seemed to hear sharp howls echoing, subtle yet extremely unsettling.

The group was mentally prepared and not afraid.

If they looked down from the boat, they could see shadowy figures beneath, and the sounds of howling came from there.

Earlier, the young man had mentioned that beneath the Abyssal Sea, countless Yin spirits gathered; those who had reached the end of their mortal lifespans became part of them.

If cultivators attempted to cross the sea on their own, they could easily be bewitched by the Yin spirits, possibly falling into the Abyssal Sea and being torn apart by countless Yin spirits, having their physical bodies destroyed and their true spirits turned into Yin spirits, unable to escape ever again. However, if they used the Crossing Abyss Divine Vessel to cross, they would naturally not need to worry… as long as the vessel did not capsize, no harm would come to them.

Having cultivated to this point, the group was cautious everywhere; the Nine Void realm was truly too peculiar, and they felt a significant amount of reverence.

Thus, when the young man spoke, they followed his advice.

After all, if anything went wrong, wouldn’t it be their own recklessness?

Indeed, the Crossing Abyss Divine Vessel moved incredibly fast within the Abyssal Sea, covering a great distance in just a few breaths.

The sword cultivators remained silent, only looking ahead, their expressions unreadable.

No matter how detailed Xu Ziqing’s thoughts were, he only knew that his shixiong seemed quite expectant… which made him smile and feel a sense of anticipation.

In the span of just one incense stick’s worth of time, the Crossing Abyss Divine Vessel had surprisingly crossed the Abyssal Sea, which was truly impressive.

Once Yun Lie collected the Sword God Token, he noticed that the vessel’s keel had started to crack, as if the waters of the Abyssal Sea were about to pour in… He immediately said in a low voice, “The boat is damaged; we must get to shore quickly.”

Xu Ziqing reacted swiftly, leaping onto the shore alongside him.

The others had keen insights as well; Tu Jin coldly snorted, appearing like a swirl of blood light, smashing beside Xu Ziqing. At the same time, Yin Xiu and Xun Liang also soared like giant birds and landed on the shore.

Almost in the next moment, the Crossing Abyss Divine Vessel emitted a loud “crack” before immediately shattering into pieces, sinking into the Abyssal Sea.

That was truly… perilous!

Xu Ziqing let out a sigh of relief and turned to the group, saying, “Let’s head to the Sword Pagoda.”

Once on the shore and looking ahead, they could indeed see a tall tower reaching into the clouds, soaring high into the sky.

It seemed not far off.

The expressions of the other sword cultivators shifted, and even Yun Lie looked in that direction.

Then, with a slight tremor, all of them transformed into colorful streaks of light, heading toward the location of the Sword Pagoda.

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In the central region of the Sword Pagoda, the core area is quite vast, and the entire place is known as the Central Sword Domain.

When they arrived here, many mortals were still coming and going, interacting with the cultivators like what they had previously observed.

As soon as the group settled, they sensed a powerful aura surrounding them from all directions, making them feel as if they were drowning, enveloped in a unique state of being.

It felt like pressure, like an exploration, and perhaps a form of examination…

They could perceive that in every location they had passed through before, there was a similar aura, though the specifics felt different and varied in intensity.

However, this sensation was much stronger than any they had encountered earlier.

It seemed this was the divine aura of great beings within the Central Sword Domain! With that in mind, it was best for them to remain still.

This aura lingered on Yun Lie for a while before retreating like the tide, evidently having confirmed their identities.

They understood that it must have detected the presence of the Sword God Token.

Xu Ziqing sighed inwardly, realizing why it was said that the Sword God Token was essential for coming to this Nine Void Realm. Not to mention activating the teleportation array, even if they could arrive by other means, without the Sword God Token, they would find it nearly impossible to advance in the Nine Void Realm.

As they made their way toward the Sword Pagoda, Xu Ziqing noticed that most of the cultivators passing by were not sword cultivators.

Much like the qi refinement and foundation-building cultivators he had seen in Huan County, these cultivators had relatively low cultivation levels; not only did they carry spiritual energy, but they also emanated a kind of divine light, mixed with the spiritual energy, which was quite strange.

Xu Ziqing speculated that these individuals were likely locals with spiritual roots or perhaps had acquired a manual or two from sword cultivators to practice on their own. However, without a renowned master to guide them, and lacking resources compared to the lower realms, they could only progress to such a level. As for that divine light… it didn’t manifest on mortals, but since powerful divine beings were protecting them, traces must remain, possibly revealing themselves through cultivation.

After these speculations, he didn’t dwell on them further.

By this time, they had already arrived at the front of the Sword Pagoda.

The Sword Pagoda was extremely tall and large, resembling a precious cone as it shot straight up, piercing the clouds.

This tower had a total of ninety-nine levels, tapering as it rose, with clearly defined angles, exuding a magnificent presence.

There were guards at the entrance of the first level, standing with a solemn demeanor, their aura extremely sharp.

It was evident that their strength was formidable.

Surrounding the Sword Pagoda, four smooth, mirror-like walls reflected bright light, allowing passersby to see their own shadows with remarkable clarity.

Before these four walls sat many cultivators in a cross-legged position, each radiating a strong aura and emanating a formidable sword intent.

Even from a considerable distance, one could sense a vague and mysterious feeling.

Xu Ziqing could see that these sword cultivators were deeply focused, seemingly entirely absorbed in the wall, as if they were in a trance, immersed in a certain state of mind.

Moreover, at intervals, several individuals would suddenly awaken as if from a dream, only to calm themselves again and fall back into a state of absorption.

They appeared blissfully enchanted, as if unaware of their surroundings.

The other sword cultivators had also noticed that the cultivators in front of the wall were engaging in a kind of comprehension, seemingly fully focused and diligently practicing.

As they glanced at the Sword Pagoda again, they saw that the corner of the twenty-fifth level was radiating light. Suddenly, with a flash, it moved up to the twenty-sixth level, then came to a stop once more. After more than half an hour, the light moved up again, reaching the corner of the twenty-seventh level.

This vaguely made them realize that someone must be challenging the tower.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Yun Lie stepped in front of Xu Ziqing, while the other three, not being well-acquainted, separated to seek out information.

Xu Ziqing said, “Shixiong, please wait a moment. I’ll go ask and return soon.”

Yun Lie responded with an acknowledgment and continued to gaze in the direction of the Sword Pagoda.

Xu Ziqing soon found a young man who was sweeping the area. Although he was a mortal, he greeted Xu Ziqing with a bright smile upon being approached.

The young man said, “Is this your first time here, immortal?”

Xu Ziqing nodded. “Yes, are there any rules here?”

The young man smiled and replied, “There are indeed some rules; please allow me to explain.” He then went on to elaborate in detail.

The Sword Pagoda consists of ninety-nine levels, with every eleven levels corresponding to a sword soul level. The higher one goes, the better the sword soul is refined. If one can reach the top level, then the sword soul will be completely refined.

The light radiating from each corner of the levels actually indicates that a cultivator has successfully passed through that level, allowing those outside the tower to see and understand, which encourages diligence.

However, only one person can enter the Sword Pagoda at a time. If one fails to pass a level, they will be expelled from the tower. Each entry requires a fee of one hundred high-grade spirit stones. There are additional detailed rules: if one passes more than three levels on a second attempt compared to the first, they do not have to pay spirit stones; if they pass just one or two levels more, they still pay one hundred; if they regress, they must pay an additional fifty spirit stones for each level they retreat. Even if one is temporarily short on funds, they must settle any debts before entering the tower again, or they cannot continue challenging it.

Under such rules, sword cultivators are cautious with each attempt at the tower, opting to refine their skills instead of rushing in.

Moreover, because many people cannot enter the tower together, they cannot waste time waiting, hence the presence of the large wall.

Before them sat many sword cultivators facing what is called the “Sword Spirit Wall.” It is said that any practitioner who sits opposite this wall can comprehend many beneficial principles for themselves. Therefore, when someone is challenging the tower, other sword cultivators often engage in serious contemplation in front of the Sword Shadow Wall, so as not to waste time waiting.

After hearing all this, Xu Ziqing finally understood.

It turned out that the Sword Pagoda was designed to refine sword souls through challenges, but he wondered what kind of obstacles one would face inside the tower. Being no sword cultivator himself, he could not enter to explore.

However, since it was divided into ninety-nine levels, it was much better than his shixiong exploring alone… with every eleven levels corresponding to a specific aspect, it gave them something to plan around.

Having clarified his questions, Xu Ziqing immediately explained everything to his elder brother.

At this time, the other three sword cultivators returned, seeming to have gathered information as well. Their gazes towards the Sword Pagoda were filled with intensity.

Xu Ziqing smiled and looked towards the Sword Shadow Wall. He had practiced sword techniques before, and although he couldn’t enter the Sword Pagoda, he could still observe this wall and see if he could glean anything useful… perhaps it would be of some benefit.

Translator: Lynn

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

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