Cohabitation with Sword Spirit-Chapter 88 - 74: Unbeatable First Move

After the Demon Emperor’s question, Wang Jiu asked, "As for the subsequent eras, most can roughly correspond to what I know. Apart from the mysterious origins of the Saint Sect, which are difficult to ascertain. Others, such as the Seven Great Noble Families, are descendants of the Jiu Immortal Venerables. The Primordial Inheritance is genuine."

Li Tianya nodded in agreement, saying, "The survival conditions of the Ice Age and Dark Era were too harsh, and only the strongest inheritances and bloodlines could have possibly survived and continued."

"However, there’s a problem here that is hard to comprehend." Wang Jiu said, "I previously read historical materials and found that the inheritances of various major families are somewhat ambiguous. For example, your Li Family’s world-renowned Sword Forging Skill is already fragmented, while the auxiliary Nine Dragon Sword Heart is passed down through generations. Moreover, the founder of the Li Family should be Li Jiulong, who created the Nine Dragon Sword Heart. Successive patriarchs adopted this name, and the ancestor of the Shen Family was Shen Xingyun. But now, historical records mention Li Feiliu and Shen Lifen. Who are these people?"

Li Tianya said, "These two were Great Cultivators during the Dark Era who consolidated family forces and reestablished the noble family brand. They should be considered as the revival leaders who promoted the Primordial Era’s inheritance. As for Li Jiulong and Shen Xingyun you mentioned, I’ve never heard of them."

"Never heard of them? All right, how about Lu Jintong, Zhu Junsen, Zhao Yuming, Shang Lanfei, Feng You, Jing Hong, Rakugo? Have you heard of any of these people?" 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Li Tianya replied earnestly, "Not a single one."

"Strange, the Jiu Immortal Venerables were world-renowned figures back then, even after the decline during the Ice Age and Dark Era, leaving history incomplete... But since the Seven Great Noble Families maintained their core inheritances, how could the Jiu Immortal Venerables be completely forgotten?"

Li Tianya remained silent for a long time, then said, "Regarding this issue, I think there are two possibilities. First, it can be attributed to the decline of the two eras, leading to incomplete inheritances. As to why cultivation technique inheritances remain while historical figures are lost... It’s probably because, during the most difficult times, the ancestors prioritized protecting cultivation technique inheritances over historical figures."

Wang Jiu neither nodded nor shook his head.

Li Tianya continued, "The second possibility... is just rambling nonsense from an old fool like me, whose Primordial Spirit is damaged and who likes to drool and talk nonsense. You may listen to it with skepticism."

"Go ahead."

"It’s very simple. The current history has been altered."

"By whom?"

"I don’t know," said Li Tianya. "Initially, when I tried to piece together the fragments, I felt that there were too many gaps, and many of the losses seemed unnatural... Although nature often works in mysterious ways, I can’t help but suspect whether someone deliberately altered the history of the Primordial Era. However, I can’t think of who it might be. In terms of capability, the only force that could alter the world’s history and deceive all cultivators would be the one that dominated the entire Dark Era and laid the foundation of peace for thousands of years—the Saint Sect. But..."

Li Tianya shook his head earnestly, saying, "With over a hundred years of life experience, the Saint Sect is the last entity I would suspect. I would rather suspect the Li Family itself than question the Saint Sect. Because it is indeed an impeccable and unquestionable leader of the righteous path."

Wang Jiu said, "Someone once told me that the more impeccable a gentleman appears, the more likely they are hiding an unmentionable dark side."

"Perhaps, but judging by my experience and perspective, I see no suspicious aspects of the Saint Sect... When I was young, I was greatly favored by the Sect Leader of the Saint Sect, and I am even less willing to suspect it."

Hearing this, Wang Jiu said, "It’s okay, you may not wish to suspect, but I am willing to. I have never received any favor from the Saint Sect, so I feel no pressure in questioning it. Since the target is now so clear, why not find a time to confront the Saint Sect directly?"

Li Tianya widened his eyes immediately upon hearing this: "You want to go to the Saint Sect? And then confront them about why they are concealing history!?"

"Is there a problem with that? Now that the suspicion points are so clear, there’s no reason not to go visit them," Wang Jiu explained. "After all, there are only two outcomes. First, if the Saint Sect is indeed as pure as you say, then all ends well. With their upright nature, they definitely wouldn’t be displeased by my reasonable doubt. Secondly, if the Saint Sect is like most historical gentlemen, hiding a dark side, then after my confrontation, the truth will naturally be revealed."

Li Tianya said in a deep voice, "But if it is indeed the second possibility, the outcome will be more than just revealing the truth! Although the cultivators of the Saint Sect rarely act, it does not mean they lack practical ability. On the contrary, the combat power of the Saint Sect surpasses any family or sect today!"

Wang Jiu asked, "So what? When you poured hot water into an ant nest as a child, would you care if there was an ant inside bigger than the others?"

Li Tianya said, "I had a strict upbringing as a child and never poured hot water into an ant nest... But I understand your point. You mean that, as a savior of the Primordial Era, the trifling Saint Sect is not a concern, even though you are weakened to an unprecedented state after many battles and slumber, with True Essence strength even less than a Cloud Surge Realm cultivator!?"

Wang Jiu said, "Yes."

"..." Li Tianya was speechless, suddenly at a loss for words.

"That’s why I said I’m not in a hurry to recover my strength. Although I am weak now, since the Demon Race is no longer present, dealing with today’s cultivators should still be manageable..."

However, Wang Jiu couldn’t finish his words before he felt an unprecedented, sharp Sword Qi descending upon him!

——

This sudden attack by the Li Family was not the first time Wang Jiu experienced it.

Back then, Li Fengyun had similarly used a fraction of True Essence to test him, which he resolved with a simple Wind Gathering Array.

Now Wang Jiu’s Sword World had been gradually recovering, and his Qi Blood-providing steed was growing stronger. Compared to two months ago when he sparred with Li Fengyun, his power had increased tenfold.

But at this moment, the sudden True Essence transformed into an intensely murderous Sword Qi, a hundred times stronger than Li Fengyun’s casual probing!

Li Fengyun’s probing was just that—a probing. Although his fraction of True Essence was swift, it lacked murderous intent and posed no threat. But Li Tianya’s sudden strike was like a massive wave, carrying a world-destroying force, smashing down mercilessly.

A Peak Mountain-Overturning Realm master’s all-out attack, if not confined within the small attic, could destroy cities and nations, leaving desolation in its wake. But when concentrated, it became an unstoppable, invincible force.

In a flash, Wang Jiu remained unperturbed, calmly calculating the changes in the battle and his response strategies.

The result was simple and straightforward: such a sudden attack could not be cleverly countered.

The power disparity was too great, and it was a destructive blow with no restraint. With the current reconstruction level of Wang Jiu’s Sword World, he had no ability to directly resist.

If he were in an open area where the Heaven and Earth Spirit Wind flowed freely, and if he had a few Advanced Spirit Gathering Arrays in place, there might be a one-in-ten chance to divert Li Tianya’s murderous Sword Qi. But in this confined space, there was little room to maneuver.

Moreover, Li Tianya’s Sword Qi and Sword Intent were currently only at the ’Inch’ stage, meant for unparalleled speed, like a thousand miles being compressed into an inch. It wasn’t the complete Inch and Mile Sword Intent. Once he went all out, the Sword Qi would oscillate between tangible and intangible, distorting space-time with each passage.

The Sword Qi would then multiply into thousands, penetrating from all directions, even overlaying Sword Qi from multiple points in time to explode in a single moment, amplifying its power. Each collision of Sword Qi could distort the victim’s space-time, either forcibly causing spatial separation or

accelerating or reversing the flow of time, causing the victim to rapidly age or revert to childhood.

Of course, the complete Sword Intent required immense expenditure, and Li Tianya was not in a rush to go all out. He merely used Inch Sword Intent to drive the surrounding Sword Qi, fiercely closing in from all sides.

Wang Jiu’s Illusion Sword Technique was shattered in an instant, his perfect Sword Spirit True Form sliced into fragmented pieces, like a mirage under a storm, twisting away to reveal a sharp, pure white Heavy Sword. It was the Divine Sword remained unscathed through the Immortal Demon wars, Immortal and enduring.

Then, driven by Li Tianya’s Primordial Spirit, the Sword Qi, like surging waves, crashed onto the pure white Sword Body, producing a shrill, grating friction sound that made one’s teeth hurt.

If it were any other Divine Weapon, even an Immortal Treasure, without the protection of Protective Divine Techniques, facing the baptism of a Peak Mountain-Overturning Realm Sword Qi with just the weapon’s body, it would inevitably be damaged, or even shattered on the spot.

However, the pure white long sword remained unscathed, silently spinning in mid-air. At that moment, it was like a leaf boat amidst crashing waves, drifting with the surging Sword Qi, appearing and disappearing, as if it might submerge and vanish at any time...

Yet it stood firmly, unwavering.

As the Sword Body rapidly rotated, from inside out, countless threads of Inch Sword Qi were pushed off their original course by the Divine Sword’s spin, scattering outwards, clashing with the oncoming Sword Qi, neutralizing each other’s destructive power.

The faster the White Sword spun, the more forceful the Sword Qi it scattered became, swiftly showing a trend of reversal!

Li Tianya was shocked, impressed by the incredible might of this Celestial Sword Spirit!

The opponent was indeed extremely weak, with True Essence strength not even matching a cultivator of the Cloud Surge Realm, yet this Immortal Sword Body could withstand the Peak Mountain-Overturning Sword Qi, and even turn it against Li Tianya!