Chapter 34 : Invisible Dual Blades (2)
After returning to the peak, seeing Nan Huai Renâs curious expression while he looked at the blades, Li Qi Ye threw them to Nan Huai Ren.
âIf you want to look at them, then you can hold and look at them as much as you want.â
Nan Huai Ren felt bashful after being caught by Li Qi Ye. He didnât know why Li Qi Ye wanted these blades, but he couldnât just ask right away either.
Holding the blades, Nan Huai Ren stopped being so courteous, and he meticulously observed them; however, he couldnât see anything extraordinary from them.
The two blades in his hands seemed to be just mortal weapons made from regular steel, and the rust on them was proof that they couldnât withstand the test of time.
âWhy did senior choose these blades?â
Nan Huai Ren believed that Li Qi Ye had already decided to go for these blades when he first entered the Weapon Armory.
Li Qi Ye smiled and answered:
âIf you, or anyone in the sect, could see through their mysteriousness, then they wouldnât have been in the Weapon Armory for so long.â
âWhat kind of treasure is this?â
Nan Huai Ren politely inquired. He truly could not see the magical properties.
âTheyâre not treasures.â
Li Qi Ye answered:
âTheyâre only two normal dual blades made out of steel. In fact, the material these are made out of are worth less than the two silver coins over there.â
âBut whyâ¦â
Li Qi Yeâs answer confused Nan Huai Ren. If they were truly like Li Qi Ye described, then why did he pick them?
Li Qi Ye interrupted his question:
âHowever, they can cut through the weapons of Royal Nobles and Enlightened Beings as if they were cutting through tofu.â
âHow is that possible?!â
Nan Huai Renâs heart shook when he heard this. Royal Nobles were extremely strong, let alone Enlightened Beings. Since thirty thousand years ago, there hasnât been a single disciple who was capable of reaching the Enlightened Being stage in the sect.
Li Qi Ye liked to see Nan Huai Renâs surprised expressions, and he slowly proclaimed:
âYou are smart, and you can clearly understand the current situation. I will not mistreat you. Emperor merit laws or Saint level treasures; if you want them, you will have them. If you do a good job and contribute greatly, I will even let you cultivate merit laws that are far more formidable than Emperor laws.â
Li Qi Yeâs words were like steel rods beating on the drum that was Nan Huai Renâs heart. His master, or even Elder Sun, wouldnât be able to make such a promise because there werenât that many known Emperor laws in the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect.
âThank you brother.â
Nan Huai Ren gathered his wits and bowed toward Li Qi Ye, and Li Qi Ye naturally accepted his gesture.
***
After Nan Huai Ren left, Li Qi Ye held the blades in his hand; he caressed the edges. He sighed and started to remember his past.
So what if one could become an unbeatable Immortal Emperor? Little boy Min Ren was groomed by him, so he was able to accept the Heavenâs Will. His whole life, peerless in all the Nine Worlds, and he successfully cultivated the Solar Immortal Physique as well. However, in the end, he was still slowly erased by the river of time.
Li Qi Ye removed the rust from the blades, bringing them back to their original form. The two blades had a normal appearance, but they now exuded an ancient aura.
Using his hand to lightly touch the edges, Li Qi Ye felt a cold energy emanate from the blades. Everyone was correct in their judgment; these blades were indeed just mortal blades. However, they were the blades that were once used by Min Ren, personally, when he was a little boy.
Based on the materials, these blades were trash; however, they used to be the main weapons of an Immortal Emperor. Even after he started cultivating, he was not willing to part with these blades; he always had them with him. Even after his ascension, they were still by his side.
Every time he reminisced, he would take out the blades and caress them as if he wanted to share his feelings with the bladesâ soul.
Even though Min Ren never forged the blades, they were blessed with an Immortal Emperorâs touch and groomed by an Immortal Emperorâs blood energy; thus, even if they were made of mortal steel, they were still exceptional. How powerful was an Immortal Emperor? This was the person that carried the Heavenâs Will and reigned over the universe and the Nine Worlds.
The true value of the blades was not in its material or sharpness, but the Immortal consciousness and thoughts hidden within the blades.
An Immortal Emperorâs consciousness was extremely frightening. Even though the two blades were not comparable to a Life Treasure or True Treasure, they were indefinitely stronger than a treasure from a Royal Noble or an Enlightened Being, many times over. One strand of offensive consciousness from an Immortal Emperor could cut through anything.
Li Qi Ye slowly tried to connect with the leftover Immortal consciousness hidden in the blades.
Of course, within a short amount of time, he couldnât easily communicate with this Immortal consciousness; this required patience and careful procedure. Li Qi Ye wasnât in a rush; he slowly felt the consciousness in the bladesâ body.
In this world, no one was more familiar with Min Ren than Li Qi Ye. Thus, there was no one more familiar with this Immortal consciousness that belongs to Min Ren than Li Qi Ye.
In the two following days, Li Qi Ye was still cultivating his Kun Pengâs Six Variants and Revolving Crescent Sun Merit Law, and he spent the rest of his time trying to communicate with the dual blades.
Even though he was the Prime Disciple of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, no one, except Protector Mo and Nan Huai Ren, had ever questioned his cultivation.
Li Qi Ye was like a translucent shadow living in the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect. Even the Elders didnât want to know his situation, let alone other people. To them, having Li Qi Ye was fine, but they would have no problem being without him.
This made Nan Huai Ren the most familiar guest at Li Qi Yeâs peak. Whenever he had time, he would come to check up on Li Qi Ye. He took care of his daily necessities; this ranged from mortal tools to a dimensional pouch.
Protector Mo also tried to teach Li Qi Ye cultivation tips; however, Li Qi Ye seemed to know and understand his intent, so he eventually removed that thought from his head.
Three months had passed. During one of Li Qi Yeâs cultivation session, and he felt a force rampaging through his body. Within a second, his Fate Palace released and absorbed multiple circular auras, and his eyes shot out a luminous flash.
Right after, his Fate Palace underwent a momentous change. The Spring of Life to the East was suddenly flooded with the Water of Life. It traveled to all of the corners and caves, slowly creating a small spring.
To the west, a bright fire burned the sky. The Cauldron of Lifeâs flame was ignited, and the Soul Fire within it was lit aflame; it was as if it was capable of melting any existence in the world.
The south did not want to lose to the others. The Tree of Life radiated many circular golden auras, and its leaves started to spring to life. Countless Life Energy surrounded the Tree of Life; it was as if it was a sleeping dragon being woken up from a long slumber. It let out a loud roar filled with infinite power.
Lastly, to the north, there were also loud commotions. The Pillar of Life exerted a heavy presence; it was as if it was ready to connect the heaven to the earth. The mysterious Dao symbols on its body started to move around like they had their own consciousness.
The Second Awakening! The second level of Palace Foundation was the Second Awakening stage. It took him three months to complete the first level.
At the same time, all of the symbols and Dao truths from the Kun Pengâs Six Variants happily came to life. Sometimes it was Kun Peng playing with Li Qi Yeâs True Fate by flying to and going inside it. At other times, it became a Kun, and it swam in the surrounding water, jumped up and down, and caused huge tsunamis.
Li Qi Yeâs heart was filled with excitement. He took a deep breath; finally! He did not waste his time!! To go ten thousand miles, one starts with a half step. This was a great beginning!
If other cultivators had to spend three months to get to the second stage, they wouldnât be as excited; they would have even thought that he was trash.
After his True Fate went back into its slumber, Li Qi Ye left his excitement behind. He started to cultivate to a higher level. The slow had to start early, and the talentless had to be diligent. Throughout his life, he had seen many cultivators with average aptitudes become extremely strong masters; they were undefeated their whole lives, and they did this by being hard workers. He had also seen many geniuses fall into deep despair, without a chance to lift their heads.
A cultivatorâs talents and physique arenât enough; one also needs a strong Dao willpower, and a will strong enough to follow the road to the end. One day, he would be the last one smiling, and he would be the one to stand at the highest peak, looking down on humanity.