Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 490: Ming Tai’s Origins

“Basic Golden Core category, first round, the winner is the rogue cultivator, Zhuang Xuan,” the gaunt referee announced the conclusion of the first round of matches with an unexpected victor, whose name had been unheard of before this.

Regardless of whether one was a disciple of a major or minor sect, they received their cultivation resources from their respective sects.

On the other hand, rogue cultivators were different. They lacked cultivation resources—wealth, companions, techniques, and land. Without the guidance of elders, even the slightest mishap in their cultivation could lead them astray with irreversible consequences.

Thus, the cultivation realm and quality of a rogue cultivator far paled in comparison to that of cultivators from sects. To defeat numerous sect cultivators and stand out from the city-level and provincial-level competitions to reach the Dao-Seeking Sect, one could only imagine the difficulty of such a feat.

“Note him down. He’s a prime suspect,” Jiang Qun instructed the Luoshui guard.

As he flipped through Zhuang Xuan’s previous battle records, it was evident the man had blazed his way to the finals. In every match, he had ended the fight within five moves. Even in the first match of the finals, he had defeated his opponent in just five moves.

Terrifyingly strong.

“Understood.” The Luoshui guard had already filled most of the page with names.

“Next time we compete, I’ll definitely win!” The defeated cultivator brimmed with vigor, showing no signs of dejection despite his loss to Zhuang Xuan. Instead, he challenged him to a rematch another time.

Zhuang Xuan cast an icy glance at his opponent and softly uttered, “Boring.”

“You!” The defeated cultivator’s expression shifted, finding Zhuang Xuan overly arrogant.

Zhuang Xuan ignored his reaction and leaped off the stage, his eyelids drooping as he let out a bored yawn. If not for the tournament’s generous rewards, I wouldn’t have bothered humoring these children in playing house.

Winning feels meaningless; there’s simply no challenge.

Soon, Zhuang Xuan faced his second opponent, a courteous cultivator with a sword. His demeanor suggested he was a Confucian cultivator who cultivated the Gentleman Sword.

“I am Ming Tai from the Sword Tower. I look forward to your guidance.” Ming Tai grasped his sword with both hands, blade pointing downward, and bowed respectfully with a bashful smile.

Zhuang Xuan remained as disinterested as ever, looking half-asleep.

He didn’t have favorable impressions of polite cultivators. They have no bloodlust and fire in them. Playful sparring might suit them, but once they step onto the battlefield in a true life-or-death struggle, these people are always the first to die.

He had clashed with Confucian cultivators at the Fusion Stage several times before. He believed such cultivators belonged in court to debate about semantics and had no place on the front lines of war.

Suddenly, a flash of azure light sliced through the air.

Zhuang Xuan instinctively jerked his head back, though the light ray’s edge still grazed his neck. A cold breeze brushed past his skin, and a stinging sensation at his neck followed as a thin cut appeared, blood soon seeping out.

“He honed his mastery of the sword to such a degree at his cultivation stage?!” a participant gasped.

Some hadn’t watched Ming Tai’s first match, but witnessing his move now, they realized he was a formidable foe.

“A Basic Golden Core cultivator already possessing such mastery of Sword Dao? He can rival the old Taciturn scoundrel,” an elder of the cultivation world remarked. The Central Continent hasn’t seen a Sword Dao genius comparable to the old Taciturn scoundrel in ages.

”This Zhuang Xuan is also not simple. He hasn’t used his full power yet.” Another elder of the cultivation world nodded. Truly the Battle of the Great Era. The first few categories of matches could already broaden one’s horizons, but now, in the Basic Golden Core category, various prodigies are shining even brighter.

“This will be a clash between tigers and dragons,” a towering cultivator commented, his gaze as cold as glacial ice.

Having lost to Ming Tai in the first round, he had studied Zhuang Xuan’s combat style. If these two meet, it will no doubt ignite fierce sparks.

“What a pity, my Turtle Breathing Technique never got a chance to come into use!”

On the arena stage, a jade pendant slipped from Zhuang Xuan’s neck. The earlier slash from the azure light hadn’t just left a thin wound on his neck; it had also severed the jade pendant’s string.

Zhuang Xuan bent down, carefully retrieving the jade pendant. His voice was now low and raspy, carrying none of its former lethargy.

“Fellow Daoist Zhuang Xuan, are you finally taking this seriously?” Ming Tai’s eyes burned with eagerness as he stared at Zhuang Xuan.

Zhuang Xuan didn’t answer, speaking to himself or perhaps to Ming Tai.

“This jade pendant holds special significance. My shifu left it to me on his deathbed. He told me I was an orphan and that I was clutching it in my hand when he found me. It’s the only clue to my parents. I’ve kept it close all these years, never letting it touch the ground.

“You’re the first to make it fall to the ground.

“Do you know that a dragon has its reverse scale[1]; touch it...and you will die!”

A bestial snarl erupted from Zhuang Xuan’s throat, sending chills down people’s spines. His head snapped up, eyes locking onto Ming Tai with the gaze of a demon beast that had gone insane.

“His momentum...” The Qi-Commanding Sect Leader was slightly astonished. Zhuang Xuan’s current aura almost rivaled that of a Basic Nascent Soul cultivator. And yet, he was only at the Basic Golden Core Stage.

Zhuang Xuan lunged at Ming Tai in a frenzy, his body emanating a frightening black energy. People couldn’t identify the cultivation technique, but one thing was certain—no one wished to become his opponent.

Boom! A blast of sword qi hurled Zhuang Xuan off the stage.

“Whew, that was close. So close.” Ming Tai patted his chest, still shaken.

Once he regained his composure, he approached the stage’s edge, gazing down at the dazed Zhuang Xuan and bowing with his sword. “A strong momentum doesn’t equate to strong cultivation. I have learned much.”

Zhuang Xuan blinked, yet to process what had just happened. Shouldn’t I have been the one to lose control and rip Ming Tai apart? How did I end up losing?

~~~

“How did your Sword Tower recruit such a disciple?” Lu Baqian stared at Elder Sikong in shock.

Others might have missed it, but I, an almighty Transcendent Tribulation cultivator, saw it clearly. That sword strike encompassed the cosmos and the extreme changes of the universe. It looked nothing like what a Golden Core cultivator should have been capable of. Even Nascent Soul cultivators who could perform that slash would be hailed as a genius.

Elder Sikong relished the sight of the ever-boastful Lu Baqian wearing such an expression. It’s even more refreshing than eating ice cubes in summer. “Hehe, I’ve already said so. Ming Tai is the only one in our Sword Tower to have obtained the Supreme Lord’s legacy.”

~~~

“That was a fine sword strike. My Slashing Word Mantra is roughly at this level.” Confined in his mental space, Lu Yang peered through the small window left by the Everlasting Immortal Fairy to observe the battle. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Ming Tai’s moves had truly been unexpected. If not for Ming Tai, I might have forgotten I’m a sword cultivator myself.

“This fellow doesn’t seem human,” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy mused, eyeing Ming Tai briefly before losing interest.

Although she wasn’t interested, Lu Yang was, and he hastily followed up on what she meant.

“He seems like a sword spirit that has developed true spirit sentience and become a living being. Then, someone crafted a physical body for him, inviting him to inhabit it, fusing spirit and flesh to make him truly human.”

Lu Yang mulled over it. He had access to all the tournament participants’ records, which stated Ming Tai had earned the recognition of the Sword Tower’s Supreme Lord and inherited his legacy.

“Could he be the Sword Tower Supreme Lord’s sword spirit?”

If so, everything falls into place.

1. The dragon’s reverse scale or inverted scale is something like a person’s taboo that must never be triggered, else they will fly into a rage. ☜