The Sword Emperor Transmigrates-Chapter 252

“No,” said Leonard. “ I heard about it from Boreas, the ancient Spirit King with whom we formed a cooperative relationship after the Yggdrasil subjugation."

“Is that so? Well, it makes sense. A Spirit King from the ancient era would have witnessed Deification countless times. Back then, power wasn't cultivated like today, through aura or magic. They forged divinity through means like Nectar and Ambrosia.”

“The divine drink and food that grant immortality, correct?”

“To be more precise, Nectar bestowed eternal youth, and Ambrosia conferred immortality. It is said that consuming both over time could transform mortals into immortals naturally.”

The gods of Olympus used these divine substances to elevate mortals they favored to immortality, often employing them as attendants in their temples or keeping them as pets. These substances were also bestowed upon their descendants, whose diluted divine bloodlines had lost their immortality, thus restoring them to divine status.

“Apparently, it wasn’t such an uncommon occurrence back in those times.”

The same applied to pantheons outside Olympus. The Aesir gods, for example, gained their immortality and prime abilities from the Golden Apples cultivated by the Goddess of Youth, Idun. Meanwhile, the Vedas gods mass-produced Amrita, the elixir of immortality, spreading its benefits widely among their ranks.

“So, in ancient times, achieving the Deification Tier or reaching Class 10 wasn’t the norm, but something extraordinary?”

“Exactly. Humans of that era lived far less freely than now, most of them serving as slaves or subordinates to higher beings. Attaining something like the Deification Tier? If anyone even broke into the Demigod Tier, they were hailed as prodigies of the century.”

From Declan's perspective, this was all self-evident, but to Leonard, still grappling with his past life’s sensibilities, the concept was not only alien but also deeply unsettling.

A world where the absolute nature of the heavens could not even be challenged?

“I understand that the God-Slaying War signaled the approach of the world’s end, but... honestly, mass extinction would be preferable to living under the gods’ dominion like that.”

Declan chuckled coldly, his agreement evident. “Ha. Even those who yearn for the return of gods rarely embrace the societal structure of that time. Even kings and nobles, beneficiaries of rigid hierarchies, found themselves no different from the common folk in the eyes of the gods.”

“Was it the same during the age of dragons that Ancestor Cardenas and the founding emperor overthrew?”

“The dragons were more blatant and more barbaric. Hand absolute power to those who have never wielded it, and they almost always go mad with it. Anyway, I’ll share more about the erased histories another time.”

Steering the conversation back on track, Declan delved further into the topic of Deification. He also offered advice on Leonard’s proposed method for restoring balance to his Deification process, heavily skewed toward fire energy.

“Your theory seems sound overall. Since you confidently claimed you could achieve it, I’ll just not doubt its feasibility. The concept of the five elements you brought up is unfamiliar to me, so if there’s a misalignment, let me know immediately.”

“Understood.”

Leonard’s plan began with counterbalancing the Vermilion Bird’s Deification by invoking the Black Tortoise’s Deification, which was of an opposite element. From there, he would simultaneously awaken the Azure Dragon and White Tiger’s Deifications to establish the equilibrium of the Four Symbols.

Declan’s deep understanding became apparent as he instantly identified core issues that Leonard had not foreseen. Of course, this was expected from a powerful individual closest to the Deification Tier.

“To enclose the four directions as a perimeter, then establish the internal space as a foundation to complete a Deification encompassing all five divinities—correct?”

“Yes.”

“Your understanding of divinity seems overly two-dimensional. Treating it like a diagram drawn on a blank sheet won’t work. The moment the outer boundary is established, it will exert pressure inward. If the internal space is left empty under such conditions, your body could be dragged into the realm of your Mindscape and disintegrated entirely.”

“...?!”

Leonard reevaluated Declan’s point and realized he was right. If the Deification of the Yellow Dragon was not initiated, completing the Four Symbols would catastrophically disrupt the internal and external balance.

“...I didn’t think it through properly.”

“It’s fine. It’s only through trial and error that you can make such deductions. I too have developed theories I couldn’t verify, only for them to fail spectacularly.”

Although Leonard wanted to hear more about Declan’s experiences, the faint trace of emotion on the Archduke of Sword’s face made him hold back. Perhaps the subject was too close to Declan’s heart.

The two continued their discussion, filling in gaps in Leonard’s understanding. For the first time in a long while, Leonard, a Demigod with few peers, felt the joy of learning anew.

“Thank you for your invaluable guidance, family head.”

Declan waved off his gratitude with a casual hand. “Within our Cardenas family, teaching and learning from one another is only natural. I heard you’re planning to take on a disciple yourself?"

“If you’re referring to Heather, yes. She helped me gain enlightenment once and has shown exceptional skill in harmonizing spiritual arts with aura.”

Leonard couldn’t help but feel guilty as he mentioned her. The demanding tasks of training the Golden Dragon knights and fulfilling his missions against the Outer Gods had left him no time for her. Even if the promise was indefinite, it was not a light one. Leonard resolved to seek her out as soon as he left this estate.

“That’s all for today. Oh, one more thing, Commander Leonard. You haven’t forgotten that the audience with Her Majesty is drawing near, have you?”

“I believe there are still three months left.”

“Indeed, the date hasn’t been moved up, so don’t worry. I just wanted to make sure you haven’t forgotten. In any case, if you have any more questions about Deification or need my input, feel free to visit.”

“Understood.”

With that, Leonard bowed slightly and concluded his meeting with Declan, leaving the estate to head toward the Forest of Swords.

* * *

After returning from the Spriggan Frontier, the members of the Order of the Green Dragon had been assigned to other knightly orders. Heather, now essentially unaffiliated since the disbanding of the Green Dragon Order, had been waiting at the Forest of Swords.

Though her talent drew interest, none dared approach her. After all, Leonard, the youngest-ever commander of the Cardenas family, had personally chosen her as his disciple. Only a fool would provoke him by interfering.

At a smaller training ground, Leonard and Heather stood face to face.

“I’m sorry for being so late, Heather.”

Leonard’s unusually apologetic tone seemed unnecessary to Heather, who looked genuinely puzzled. “Late? With everything the commanders go through, isn’t a few months pretty fast?”

Indeed, the murim conducted itself in a completely different way from the Cardenas family.

“Still, neglecting a disciple immediately after accepting them isn’t right. From today onward, I’ll devote myself to teaching you properly.”

“I’m fine, but if that’s how you feel, then okay.”

“The martial art I’m about to teach you is called the Nine Rivers Heavenly Wind Sword Art.”

Heather listened intently as he began to explain the deeper meaning behind the name of the sword art.

The “Nine Rivers” part could certainly refer to nine actual rivers, but the number nine also symbolized high numbers in general. In a metaphorical sense, it referred to the countless tributaries of a river. The Heavenly Wind was a more intricate concept, seemingly derived from the Heavenly Wind Hexagram. To simplify, it encapsulated the idea that all winds under heaven ultimately converged in the sky[1].

In other words, the fundamental idea behind the Nine Rivers Heavenly Wind Sword Art was the unification of elements—water and wind—that had diverged into countless paths.

“This sword art boasts an array of versatile techniques, and none of them are extra. Even if the paths diverge into dozens or hundreds, each movement must still lead toward the same ultimate goal,” Leonard explained, drawing his sword to demonstrate.

Nine Rivers Heavenly Wind Sword Art

First Form

Rain Shower, Wind Comb

The technique started with rapid thrusts and slashes, as fine as raindrops, seamlessly transitioning into a single strike that seemed to cut like the wind, aimed precisely at the opponent's forehead. It embodied its poetic name—bathing in the rain and using the wind as one’s comb.

Leonard's movement was not flashy, nor did it demand excessive aura or physical exertion. Yet the quality of the motion was unmistakably different. Heather's eyes sparkled with admiration as she recognized this.

“Since your contracted spirits are of water and wind, learning swordsmanship inspired by those elements will come naturally to you,” Leonard went on to explain. “If you're confused, try observing how the spirits within you move. They already know the answer, and so do you.”

“Yes, Master!” Heather responded with resolve.

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“You don't need to discard your existing techniques. The swordsmanship of Cardenas is inherently formless. Consider this an enhancement to what you're already proficient in, building upon your strengths.”

As he spoke, Leonard's mind wandered briefly to memories of the past.

The Nine Rivers Heavenly Wind Sword Art had been one of the neglected techniques of the Qingcheng Sect. The sect's signature arts, Seventy-Two Wave Sword Art and Azure Cloud Crimson Mist Swordsmanship, were so celebrated that few even considered learning the others. The former was infamously rigorous in its requirements, while the latter required mastery of both the Azure Cloud Sword Art and the Crimson Mist Sword Art... A near-impossible feat.

Because of this, despite its merits, the two representative sword arts were rarely practiced, contributing to the Qingcheng Sect’s diminished status within the Nine Great Sects. Even possessing formidable martial arts like the Universal Unification Cultivation Method and the Seventy-Two Wave Sword Art amounted to little when no one could truly master them.

Yet the very sword art Leonard was now passing on to Heather was one that could lead to ascension with proper cultivation. In fact, it could lead to even greater achievements depending on the practitioner's aptitude and dedication.

Come to think of it, the founder of the Qingcheng Sect was said to be a descendent of the disciple of the Sword Immortal Lu Dongbin. Perhaps that’s why techniques that didn’t align with the standards of later generations ended up being passed on.

The Immortal Realm in that world was equivalent to the Demigod Tier in this one—a level far beyond ordinary comprehension. For mere mortals, mastering martial arts designed for such beings was almost impossible.

“Master! When I guide the spirits with a circling motion, my aura flow shifts slightly from the main meridians. Is that okay?”

“Let me see... Ah, it's a flow that’s independent of the primary meridians. That’s fine.”

“Understood!”

Heather was absorbing Leonard's teachings with remarkable ease, her progress as swift as rainwater soaking parched earth. As she internalized and adapted the techniques, she unleashed sword energy in a steady cascade, each more refined than the last. The sight might have driven the martial artists of the Qingcheng Sect to despair, questioning their own worth.

Though Heather could not yet be compared to Leonard, she, along with her peers, was undoubtedly exceptional. The four of them—William, Belita, Heather, and Dillon—each possessed monstrous talent. Within a decade, they would surpass the Supreme Ten Venerables. For them, mastering even complex martial arts like the Seventy-Two Wave Sword Art would be relatively quick, and reaching the Ten-Star level would be a matter of time.

When she reached that stage, Leonard would need to adjust his teaching approach yet again.

After that, I'll need to introduce them to methods that delve deeper into their Mindscape to awaken their unique trait. Perhaps I should also start incorporating principles of Feng Shui.

As Leonard silently contemplated future training plans, he couldn’t help but smile faintly. Watching Heather quickly refine her swordsmanship, he felt a sense of peace. The fiery storm of thoughts in his mind, fueled by his obsession with Deification, had calmed into a gentle ember.

It was as if his yearning and desire for martial arts had surpassed even the flames of the Vermillion Bird.

1. The Heavenly Wind hexagram is one of the 64 hexagrams (figures consisting of six stacked lines) in the Book of Changes, one of the oldest Chinese classics. The lower trigram represents wind, while the upper part represents heaven in a symbolic manner—hence the winds converging under the sky. ☜