Above the Great Dao-Chapter 1356 - 634: Candao Cliff, Teacher’s Sword (Part 2)

Chen Shi held the incense, bowed towards the main hall, and inserted the incense into the incense burner.

He gazed at the Teacher's statue in the hall, deeply admiring the decisions made by this ancient sage.

The hunched elderly man said, "At that time, all the Holy Lands in the Earth Immortal Realm were owned. The Teacher had no place to stand and could only reside in the desolate Penglai West. Few followed the Teacher in ascension, most stayed at the Ancestral Court. I am Jiao Jinhua, one of those who ascended with the Teacher, though I am not his disciple but a disciple of Daoist Tongtian. Later, all of the Teacher's disciples called me Brother."

Chen Shi withdrew his gaze; the Teacher was the reincarnation of Daoist Tongtian, and this Master Jiao is a disciple of Daoist Tongtian, holding a high position.

Master Jiao said, "When the Teacher arrived here, he looked around happily, and said that this place was an extraordinary Holy Land, possibly one of the best in the Earth Immortal Realm. As long as the Outer Dao was dispelled, the Holy Land could be restored. The Three Pure Ones abandoned this Holy Land, and he restored it, without them having any face to reclaim it. Back then, he searched all over Penglai West for ways to eliminate the Outer Dao."

Chen Shi couldn't help but ask, "Did the Teacher find it?"

Master Jiao shook his head and said, "I don't know either. However, it seemed the Teacher discovered something, feeling very joyful, and said he hoped to surpass the Three Pure Ones. He mentioned that back at the Ancestral Court, during the battle of the Destruction of Shang, he was defeated by the Three Pure Ones. That defeat was the first. Later, he reincarnated as the Teacher, winning with the Daoist tradition, but Daoist Taiqing turned into Laozi, openly contending with him, yet secretly opening up the Earth Immortal Realm, causing him to indulge in the Daoist tradition struggle and neglect the Earth Immortal Realm. By the time he awoke, there was no place for him in the Earth Immortal Realm. That was the second defeat. But this third round, he must surely beat the Three Pure Ones."

Chen Shi's eyes lit up, clapping his hands, "For the Teacher to say such a thing, he must have found a way to resolve the Outer Dao!"

"That remains unknown, the Teacher vanished soon after."

Master Jiao leaned on his cane and walked outward, "The Teacher left, the Three Pure Ones also disappeared and have yet to return. The Golden Turtle Island is now left with just me and a few disciples. Over the years, Golden Turtle Island has barely survived, but our reputation is quite poor. The disciples of the Three Pure Ones are widespread, holding high status and power, and our lineage suffers bullying."

His face full of wrinkles showed no emotional change, neither joy nor sorrow, saying, "If you wish to reconsider, it's still time to leave. We on Golden Turtle Island are reasonable people and won't force anyone to stay."

Chen Shi thought for a moment, then smiled, "If it were any other sect, I'd definitely turn away since having the Three Pure Ones set their sights on us isn't a good thing. But from a young age, I have studied the Teacher's classics diligently, and I consider myself a disciple of the Teacher. Retreating due to disagreements with the Three Pure Ones would be a disservice to my lifelong studies, wouldn't it?"

Master Jiao nodded gently, "Very well. Follow me."

He exited Biyou Palace, guiding Chen Shi toward a cliffside. Before long, they reached a canyon.

Chen Shi looked around, seeing the cliffs standing parallel, as though carved with knives and axes.

"This place is called the Candao Cliff."

Master Jiao said, "At the end of Candao Cliff lies the Teacher's Washing Brush Pond, beside where he pondered Heaven and Earth. Once there, one can comprehend the Teacher's Daoist Skill, and even sitting for a while advances one's Daoist Practice greatly. However, since the Teacher left, no one has reached there. But even being not far from the Enlightenment Land grants extraordinary insight. Many from Golden Turtle Island have realized the Teacher's legacy from within this Candao Cliff."

Chen Shi looked into the deep Candao Cliff, eager to try.

Master Jiao said, "On both sides of the Candao Cliff, the walls are engraved with the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture painted by the Teacher."

Chen Shi felt a slight shock, looking towards the cliffs on both sides, and indeed saw crisscrossing sword marks on the cliff face.

"Anyone entering triggers the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture left by the Teacher. The stronger the cultivation, the mightier the Scripture's power. Only a few in the world can withstand the Teacher's Divine Skills, so charging through this place leads to nothing but annihilation."

Master Jiao continued, "Only by also activating the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture, using sword scripture against sword scripture, can one advance. Your Senior Sister Jing Mei walked forty-two steps and realized the Three Xiaos' Saint Method. Brother Qiao Gu walked forty-eight steps and understood the Golden Spirit Doumu Mysterious Technique. Brother Jiang Guo walked the furthest with fifty-one steps, grasping an Immortal Slaying Sword Qi."

Chen Shi incredulously stated, "Brother Jiang walked the furthest?"

Master Jiao nodded, "Although he only understood one Immortal Slaying Sword Qi, it was not inferior to the others, perhaps even stronger. But to enter Candao Cliff, mastering one hundred and eight sword qi is a must. Without it, one cannot advance far into Candao Cliff."

Chen Shi listened, feeling great gratitude towards his Senior Sister Jing Mei.

Without Jing Mei's guidance, he wouldn't have mastered one hundred and eight sword qi in such a short period.

Master Jiao said, "Chen Shi, you may enter now. As for what you can comprehend, it depends on your own insight."

Chen Shi cleared his thoughts, purified his spirit, and under a shower of rosy clouds from the Purple Gold Crown, the Sword Nurturing Gourd emerged from the Dao Ruins Dao Realm. The gourd's mouth pointed downward, and out flew one hundred and eight Xuanhuang Sword Qi, precisely.

He entered Candao Cliff. Immediately, the sword marks on either side of the cliffs lit up, and Chen Shi suddenly felt a blur as if a grand master commanded one hundred and eight sword qi, launching the first move of the Mixed Yuan Sword Scripture towards him!

Chen Shi, without hesitation, countered with Earth Qi Cold Greeting, and instantly, Heaven and Earth Inverted within Candao Cliff, Earth Qi burst forth, spawning life and death in cycles.

The sword shadows collided heavily, so dense that Master Jiao, outside, could only see countless sword lights swirling inside.

When Chen Shi successfully blocked this move, the sword qi on the cliff walls dispersed.

Chen Shi intended to move forward, but as soon as he lifted his foot, a piece of his sleeve unexpectedly fell off.

"Huh?"

He murmured softly, grabbing the severed piece of sleeve with a slightly serious expression.

"In my mind, with the imprint of the Heavenly Mechanism Strategy and having consumed the Fuluo Village Spirit Pill, I've already comprehended Earth Qi Cold Greeting thoroughly, so no flaws should exist."

He carefully recollected the scene of his clash with the sword shadows on the cliff, frowning slightly.

Identical, completely identical!

"Where, exactly, did I go wrong, causing a piece of my sleeve to be cut off?"

Thinking long and hard, he couldn't pinpoint where his flaw lay, so he set the matter aside for now and continued forward.

Among the scattered sword marks on the cliff wall, suddenly Wind Marquis Cen Ci erupted, and the Dao Image of the world's mortality surged towards him.

Chen Shi, without hesitation, also unleashed Wind Marquis Cen Ci, confronting the sword moves on the cliff walls.

He observed closely, noting his techniques mirrored the sword moves on the wall exactly, and his understanding of the move's inherent principles matched perfectly as well!

His form moved like the wind. Even commanding one hundred and eight sword qi simultaneously, he remained perfectly composed, displaying the scenes of all things under various winds: spring wind, cold wind, warm wind, fierce wind, and killing wind, showing life and death ramifications!

The sword moves extinguished one by one, and Candao Cliff returned to tranquility.

Chen Shi prepared to step forward, but then the red globe on top of his Purple Gold Crown unexpectedly fell off and dangled on the ground.

Chen Shi raised his eyebrows, picked up the red globe, tossed it into the Dao realm, and continued advancing.

"In what aspect am I not as good as the sword moves on the cliff walls?"

Outside Candao Cliff, Master Jiao quietly watched him continue to delve deeper, triggering sword moves on the walls with identical moves, countering the attacks.

"Master Jiao..." Senior Sister Jing Mei limped over.

Master Jiao raised his hand, indicating for her not to speak.

Brother Jiang Guo, Qiao Gu, and others also gathered by Candao Cliff, observing Chen Shi.

Within Candao Cliff, facing the Lili Cyan Flame move safely, Chen Shi noticed a sword mark had mysteriously appeared on his chest without him realizing, almost piercing his heart.

Upon encountering the fourth move, The Sky is Dead, a red blood mark appeared on his neck, tinged with red but not bleeding.

Chen Shi furrowed his eyebrows, feeling increasingly uneasy.

His strikes mirrored the wall's moves perfectly, yet somehow, inexplicable flaws kept appearing!

"Where does the problem lie?"