Chapter 689: You’re Unqualified
Without mentioning the inner sanctum of the Pure Yang Sword Palace, just outside it, there were several vestiges that one could comprehend from on the mountain.
A Seven Kills Stone Pillar that was suspected to be the work of the Pure Yang Sword Palace owner contained an intensely powerful Sword Intent.
Established Seven Kills Stone Pillar, announcing my will! Awaiting the future, collapse of Heavenly Dao, the non-existence of the universe, me as the world, control over life and death, destroying the cycle of reincarnation, obtaining the souls of everything, casting my sword, spilling my immortal blood, obliterating evil demons! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!
The stone pillar emanated a staggering amount of killing aura that prevented people from looking at it straight. There were fifty-six words and every single word had a deep concept within it. If any insight could be gained from it, it would be a stunning opportunity.
Lin Xintong was also a sword user, so the moment she saw the Seven Kills Stone Pillar, she could not move her eyes from it.
However, it was unfortunate that her Heart of the Sword and her cultivation level prevented her from looking straight at Seven Kills Stone Pillar for long. The Sword Intent in the stone pillar nearly caused her slashing injuries.
After about thirty seconds of looking, Lin Xintong felt as if her eyes were being stabbed by needles that resulted in excruciating pain.
In front of Seven Kills Stone Pillar, there was a black stone statue. The statue was carved in the form of a tall and large middle-aged man. As for who the sculpture was supposed to be, Yi Yun did not know. He felt that it had to be the Pure Yang Sword Palace owner, but years ago, the Pure Yang Sword Palace owner that he saw in the dream-like state was somewhat different from this person.
"Let's enter first. There's no hurry to trying to comprehend it."
With Yi Yun saying that, Lin Xintong nodded. She followed Yi Yun to step in front of the Pure Yang Sword Palace. The simple entrance had signs of it having experiencing a long passage of time, yet, it still contained powerful sentiments that was quite alarming.
Yi Yun and Lin Xintong stood in front of the door, and with a flash, they were sucked in directly.
There was no test of their comprehension towards Sword Dao to enter the Pure Yang Sword Palace's first door. Back then, Yi Yun had easily entered, and he found the pure Yang broken sword in the hall behind the door.
This sword had accompanied Yi Yun all the way to now, helping him to fight off his enemies numerous times.
"Senior Sword Spirit? Senior Sword Spirit?" Yi Yun called out in the large hall.
More than ten years ago, Yi Yun had entered the Pure Yang Sword Palace, awakening the Sword Spirit that guarded the large hall. Back then, the Sword Spirit was extremely weak. It only exchanged a few words with Yi Yun before returning to its slumber. It had also said that once it entered its slumber, it would not know when it would wake up again.
The hall remained empty, with no response from the Sword Spirit.
Yi Yun called out a few more times before sighing softly. The Sword Palace's Sword Spirit was probably too weak. He also did not want to disturb the Sword Spirit's slumber, so he stopped in front of the second large door in the hall.
It was this large door that sealed off Yi Yun's path into the inner sanctums of the Pure Yang Sword Palace.
As for what was inside the Pure Yang Sword Palace's inner sanctums, Yi Yun had no idea.
In fact, the first time he came to the Pure Yang Sword Palace, other than receiving the broken sword, as well as gaining some Sword Intent from the sword scar outside Pure Yang Sword Palace, he had not received any other opportunities.
Furthermore, the Pure Yang Sword Palace owner was the strongest expert in Yi Yun's current knowledge of the world, a power far exceeding his comprehension in scope. The immortal cave left behind by him must have treasures that went beyond his imagination.
Yi Yun stood in front of that mysterious ancient door that seemed to seal another world behind it.
He did not know how to open the door, but according to what the Sword Spirit said, a test of his insights into Sword Intent that was necessary to enter the inner sanctums of the Pure Yang Sword Palace.
However, how was his degree of Sword Intent comprehension going be measured? It couldn't be him brandishing his sword to slash at the door, right?
The Sword Spirit was already deep in slumber. Without anyone to ask, he could only search by himself.
"Xintong, go outside the Sword Palace, and try to study the Seven Kills Stone Pillar and the sword scar. I'll be here to search for a way to enter the inner sanctums of the sword palace."
When it came to the "Great Empress Heart Sutra", Lin Xintong's attainment was naturally higher than Yi Yun.
When it came to pure Yang and pure Yin laws, their insights were most likely about equal.
But when it came to Sword Dao, Yi Yun was superior to Lin Xintong. Lin Xintong came from the Lin family, and throughout her growing years, the heritage and outlook she received was restricted. She did not come into contact with any profound Sword Dao, while Yi Yun had the Pure Yang Sword Palace, so it was completely different.
If he could not figure out a way to enter the inner sanctums of the Pure Yang Sword Palace, then keeping Lin Xintong here would be pointless since she would also not be able to figure anything out.
He might as well let Lin Xintong stay outside the Pure Yang Sword Palace to comprehend the Seven Kills Stone Pillar and the sword scar. It was more beneficial for her.
"Alright."
Lin Xintong exited the Pure Yang Sword Palace, leaving Yi Yun alone in the large hall.
Yi Yun was momentarily at a loss. He did not know where to begin. He silently circled the hall once, eventually stopping at the door leading to the second level. He stood there motionlessly for a very long time.
As he looked at the door, he slowly got engrossed with it.
The door was made of an unknown material. It appeared to be like metal or stone, but it wasn't both either. And the door's surface was not smooth. It had a slight texture to it, like water streaks.
As Yi Yun grew more and more focused, the water streaks turned more and more obvious. Slowly, it spread in all directions, swallowing Yi Yun.
With a bright flash, Yi Yun felt his surroundings suddenly change. As he looked around him, he realized that he was no longer in the Pure Yang Sword Palace's hall. He had came to a vast world of whiteness.
The world was blank, resembling flickering lights. And in the lights, there was a white figure. As Yi Yun focused his eyes, the white figure looked like a white dragon!
White dragon?
Yi Yun was slightly stunned. Before he could clearly see the white dragon's looks, it had shrunk into a ball. As the light focused together, the white dragon transformed into a white-dressed youth.
The white-dressed youth held a white sword of light. His build was very similar to Yi Yun, and he had handsome features. However, on careful look, it did not seem possible to see what he looked like clearly.
"You are… "
Yi Yun held his breath. He could sense a killing aura from the sword-wielding youth.
Without a word, the white-dressed youth suddenly attacked.
With the white sword of light in hand, he slashed out. The sword beam from this strike was like a river that led to the heavens, completely filling the sky before it poured down at Yi Yun!
Yi Yun was alarmed. He was already on the alert before this, so he instantly made his move!
He slashed out with the pure Yang broken sword. Behind Yi Yun, his Golden Crow Aspect Totem screeched.
If the white-dressed youth's sword was like a river of stars falling from the sky, then Yi Yun's sword was a Golden Crow charging into the sky, burning the heavens!
Boom!
The two sword beams clashed, resulting in a tumultuous tremble, shaking the universe. The youth's sword beam was too powerful, so despite Yi Yun's Golden Crow charging through the river of stars by hundreds of thousands of feet, it could not reach the end. The limitless sword beam extinguished all of Yi Yun's sword Qi!
Yi Yun was awed as he forcefully gathered energy, slashing his sword horizontally, producing his second strike!
"Chi La!"
The sword beam was like a waterfall, splitting the sword Qi river apart!
The powerful sword Qi produced by the youth surged down like river water on either side of Yi Yun, hitting the ground.
As the ground trembled, it hit Yi Yun's protective Yuan Qi. The intense energy caused Yi Yun's protective Yuan Qi to crack slightly.
However, just as Yi Yun's protective Yuan Qi was about to shatter, his sword Qi was also exhausted, finally coming to a stop.
Yi Yun exhaled. He looked at the youth who was still standing straight with sword in hand. His blade was tilted diagonally to the ground as if he had not moved.
What a powerful strike!
Yi Yun's heart quivered. He could tell that the amount of energy contained in the youth's strike was not that much, and it was even weaker than his.
What he was truly strong at was in his Sword Intent. The strike he produced had an undying aura. No matter how much energy was in the slash that he produced, it would be gradually dissipated.
The white-dressed youth looked at Yi Yun and suddenly said, "Go back, you are unqualified."
His voice was cold and arrogant, with a tone of unwavering doubt.
When Yi Yun heard this, his heart sank. Unqualified?
Without a doubt, the white-dressed youth's strike was a test. As the Sword Spirit said, only one who had sufficient comprehension of Sword Dao would one be able to enter the inner sanctums of the Pure Yang Sword Palace, or else they would be turned away at the door.
More than ten years ago, Yi Yun had been turned away at a door. And more than ten years later, Yi Yun had gained insight into various Sword Dao laws, and his cultivation realm had greatly increased. But at his first return to the Pure Yang Sword Palace, the answer of the first stage was… unqualified!
Yi Yun puffed with a sigh. It was impossible to say that he was not depressed, but he was not discouraged. Ever since he came to this world, he had started in the poor and backward Cloud Wilderness. He too had nothing back then, without any strength to do a thing.
But slowly, he took step after step, walking out of the Cloud Wilderness, achieving what he had today.
He said to the white-dressed youth, "I will come again. My insights into Sword Dao may be insufficient at present, but there will be a day when I will have the qualifications to step here."
The youth gave Yi Yun a cold look and said without a trace of emotion, "You have no special affinity with swords. Hard work is only futile. You might not know that your age has already surpassed the requirement. Go back. You won't be able to pass the test, nor are you suitable!"
The youth was completely unreasonable. His coldness was itself a form of arrogance.
And he indeed had the qualifications to be arrogant.
Yi Yun frowned. This youth had predicted his future achievements, so how could he be convinced?
His future martial path was to be decided by himself. However, at this very moment, he was indeed no match for the youth. He had no other options since he said that he was unqualified.
He took a deep breath and he was about to exit this world, but at this moment, a weak and old voice echoed.
"Wait a moment, let him stay… "
"Oh?"
The youth frowned and looked at the void not far away.
There, water streaks appeared out of thin air, slowly coagulating, forming the vestige of an elder.
The elder was dressed in gray, looking like he was approaching death as he seemed extremely weak. He looked at the white-dressed youth and said once again, "Let him stay."
Yi Yun was very familiar with this voice. He knew that this gray-dressed elder was the Pure Yang Sword Palace Sword Spirit that he had encountered in the Pure Yang Sword Palace more than ten years ago.