World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 387: Visiting the Shu Sword Sect

From the Gutian Pass of Shu, verdant peaks converged into the towering height of Mount Dajian. Wang Sheng and his two companions climbed step by step along the winding mountain path while admiring Shu's endless ridges, which resembled countless sword edges piercing the sky.

Wang Sheng, who walked at the front, was in a blue Daoist robe and had tied his hair with two blue ribbons. Spiritless was on his back, its sheath strapped across his shoulders. His attire reflected his standing in the cultivation world.

Beside him, Wang Xiaomiao clung to Mu Wanxuan's arm, deliberately slowing their pace. Before setting out, Wang Sheng had secretly used voice transmission to tell Xiaomiao the true reason for the journey: he wanted to take his senior sister out for a change of scenery.

Xiaomiao agreed wholeheartedly. She tried to use this chance to bargain for a lighter load of daily studies and homework, but Wang Sheng mercilessly rejected her.

Xi Lian stayed behind since she had no interest in going out. Meanwhile, believing that nothing could happen to Wang Sheng's group, the Special Investigation Unit stayed out of sight.

The Hua Republic's situation had stabilized. The Daoist heritages coexisted peacefully. Although there were a few occasional cases of rogue cultivators committing crimes, Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan could travel freely and without worry. After all, they were both near the top of the Heavenly Rankings.

"Why are we suddenly visiting the Shu Sword Sect, Brother?" Xiaomiao asked softly.

"Didn't you say you wanted to learn the Sword-Controlling Art?" Wang Sheng smiled. "That art is one of their most guarded secrets. I only managed to learn it back then thanks to a fated opportunity. If you want to practice it, you have to first obtain the Shu Sword Sect's permission."

Xiaomiao blinked. "A fated opportunity?"

All she had ever heard since childhood was the story about Wang Sheng's heroic leap that saved countless lives.

Wang Sheng was just about to tell Xiaomiao about it when Mu Wanxuan pulled out her phone and typed on the virtual screen a vivid and dramatic story. She even added a few memes—creating a true blend of words and pictures.

Her retelling deliberately emphasized how difficult the Seventy-Two Swords had been, how many sword prodigies had tried and failed to clear it, and how Wang Sheng had cut his way to victory in one attempt.

Xiaomiao did not show much awe, but curiosity filled her eyes. "How did you do it, Brother?"

"Luck played a huge part." Wang Sheng chuckled."But I also have my master's guidance to thank for. His teachings allowed me to temporarily outpace the other sword cultivators of my generation. The Seventy-Two Swords had a peculiar restriction: only the young were allowed to attempt it, and each person had only one chance. Honestly, I only completed it because of how much I wanted to master the Sword-Controlling Art."

As he spoke, Wang Sheng raised his left hand to his chest. Multicolored radiance gathered and turned into Flying Haze, which he then handed toward Xiaomiao.

"The formation spirit who presided over the Seventy-Two Swords gifted me this celestial-grade sword. With its help, I defeated many powerful enemies and slew countless fiends and devils, escaping danger time and again. I'm also bringing you to pay respects to him."

Xiaomiao reached out and poked Flying Haze. In response, the sword unleashed a series of cries, seemingly rejecting her. The celestial sword had long recognized its master. Not even Wang Sheng's younger sister was permitted to touch it.

With playful curiosity, Mu Wanxuan also extended a slender finger and lightly tapped the sword's blade. Flying Haze trembled, ringing with a crisp note of delight.

Wang Sheng did not have to explain. The sword itself had already expressed joy and intimacy. Since Wang Sheng cultivated alongside his senior sister day and night, Flying Haze had long grown familiar with her aura. It was certainly not just blinded enough by beauty to betray loyalty!

Xiaomiao immediately turned away and sulked. Frowning slightly, Mu Wanxuan quickly put her arm around Xiaomiao's shoulders to comfort her.

Soon, Xiaomiao shook off the gloom of having a sword "look down on her." She laughed and played with Mu Wanxuan again, running back and forth along the mountain path.

As they neared the Shu Sword Sect's mountain gate, Wang Sheng smiled. "Xiaomiao, look at the peaks rolling ahead. Can you think of a fitting verse of poetry?"

Xiaomiao rolled her eyes. "Brother, if you already thought of one, just say it. Why do you always drag me in as your prelude?"

Wang Sheng's expression turned stern. "I just want to see whether you've kept up with your academic studies. How about this? I say the first line, you follow with the second."

"No way. That's too old-fashioned." Xiaomiao pursed her lips. "Brother, let me test you instead! You must complete my half-line of poetry. The meaning has to be different from the original, but it has to match perfectly in form! How about it? Dare to take on the challenge?"

Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan exchanged a glance. She smiled, making her autumn eyes bend into crescent moons, and he gladly accepted the challenge. The word "fear" had long since been erased from his dictionary.

Xiaomiao cleared her throat and declared, "Listen carefully. 'If only the Flying General still guarded Dragon City!'"

Wang Sheng calmly replied, "From then on, the emperor would never attend court again."

Xiaomiao snapped her fingers. "'This feeling may become a memory!'"

Wang Sheng answered without hesitation, "At the time, I only thought it ordinary."

"You!" Xiaomiao's bright eyes widened. "How do you even know these?"

"These are tricks from twenty or thirty years ago. Our parents played with them when they were young." Wang Sheng snorted. "The ancient culture of the Hua Republic is vast and profound. There are countless such versatile verses."

Mu Wanxuan, who stood to the side, was completely lost. Before she could type on her screen to ask why the poems they recited were different from the ones she memorized, the siblings had already launched into a duel of words.

"A spring night is worth a thousand gold pieces!"

"Yet it cannot compare to Wang Lun's affection for me."

"Laughing proudly, I step out the door!"

"No one knows I came for the lychees."

"Before victory in battle, the general dies!"

"Never allow the Hu horse to cross Mount Yin."

"Parents hear their daughter return!"

"She hangs herself upon the southeast branch."

"The old man stirs again with youthful pride!"

"A pear blossom tree crushes the crabapple below."

"Pfft!" Dumbstruck, Xiaomiao almost spat blood. Her bangs fell on her forehead as she stopped in her tracks.

Wang Sheng raised his hand and patted Xiaomiao's head. With heartfelt seriousness, he said, "Study diligently; don't rush into cultivation. Since you're still young, we can't lessen your academic studies yet. Keep reading more books."

Xiaomiao immediately turned and threw herself into Mu Wanxuan's arms, sobbing quietly. She patted her back with sympathy.

At that moment, several strands of spiritual perception swept over. Wang Sheng coughed lightly. "The Shu Sword Sect elders are coming. Stop fooling around and mind your behavior."

"Oh!" Xiaomiao instantly behaved properly. Holding Mu Wanxuan's hand, she obediently followed behind her brother.

Before long, laughter rang out from the sky. From afar, a familiar round-faced Daoist master shouted, "Flying Donkey—bah! Fei Yu, Fei Yu! You've finally come! Hurry and give our disciples some guidance in the sword!"

Wang Sheng chuckled softly and waited for the elders to land. Fei Lianzi's skin appeared quite rosy. Moreover, he looked plump and harmonious, making it clear that he had been living the most comfortable cultivation life in recent years.

Wang Sheng bowed formally. "Greetings, Daoist Master Fei Lianzi."

However, Fei Lianzi immediately pulled him by the arm, winked, and gestured at him. He then transmitted, "So, are you here to hand out wedding invitations? When is it? How many tables? Do you need the Shu Sword Sect to help host it?

"You're considered one of our elders, you know, and you and Fairy Bu Yu are top experts of the younger generation. Considering you're the cultivation world's future role model, we have to carefully handle this marriage."

Wang Sheng lifted a hand to his forehead. Although he knew Fei Lianzi was deliberately teasing him, he still found it hard to handle. "I'm here because my younger sister has long admired the Sword-Controlling Art and wishes to study it here."

"Oh?" Fei Lianzi finally looked at Xiaomiao.

The young girl immediately straightened her back and lifted her chin, showing a spirited and proper demeanor. Although she could not compete with Mu Wanxuan or Xi Lian in terms of beauty, she was determined not to bring shame to her brother when it came to bearing and presence.

Fei Lianzi laughed. "We trust you. If you wanted to teach your own sister, you could've just told us. Why go to the trouble of coming in person?"

Recalling an old incident, Wang Sheng smiled. "Well, I also wanted to taste the spiritual spring tea of Mount Dajian again and bring Xiaomiao here to broaden her horizons."

"Hahaha! Come on, then! This way!" Fei Lianzi urged warmly. "Fairy Bu Yu, no need to be so formal. Being here is the same as being in your own home! Our sect will always have a room for Fei Yu. Once you two get married, we will renovate it into a villa as your wedding house!"

With a wave of Fei Lianzi's hand, several elders descended as well. They followed behind as if to prevent the group from running away halfway.

Wang Sheng chatted enthusiastically with Fei Lianzi about the sect's changes over the years. Meanwhile, Xiaomiao curiously looked around. The closer they got to the Shu Sword Sect's mountain gate, the more she saw marvelous sights that the sect had set up. The most striking were the enormous stone swords suspended in the air, each bound by thick chains.

When they approached the gate, Wang Sheng saw again the scene from when he first arrived at the Shu Sword Sect. Over ten rows of young disciples stood in perfect formation before them.

As Wang Sheng's group walked over, the hundred-odd sword cultivators shouted. They formed sword fingers with their left hands and raised them to the sky, making the flying swords on their backs fly from their sheaths. In perfect unison, they cleaved vertically, sliced horizontally in midair, and then crisply demonstrated several variations of the Shu Sword Sect's grand sword-control formation.

Wang Sheng nodded repeatedly as he watched. Secretly observing his senior sister's expression, he noticed that she, too, showed traces of deep thought. Xiaomiao's eyes, on the other hand, sparkled with little hearts. The strength of the Shu Sword Sect's senior disciples had already utterly captivated her.

Once the sword formation performance ended, many expectant gazes fell on Wang Sheng. To the young cultivators' disappointment, though, he didn't perform any sword techniques or demonstrate sword control. He simply did something rather mundane—he clapped his hands.

Wang Sheng had always regarded himself as part of the younger generation; he didn't dare act too arrogantly. However, many sword cultivators already regarded him as being on the same level as the Celestial Master, who represented Talismanic Arts, and the Medicine God Valley Master, who represented alchemy.

"To practice the sword, one must follow the way of Fei Yu" was a saying that had been circulating among sword cultivators for a long time now.

"Fei Yu, why don't you give them a bit of guidance? Our disciples are all watching," Fei Lianzi said. "As their elder, you should at least show them something now that you've returned to your sect."

"Guidance..." Wang Sheng looked slightly troubled.

He naturally couldn't show his sword control before the Shu Sword Sect since it could be seen as showing off in front of the masters. Unfortunately, he couldn't perform the regular and reverse formations of the Heavenly Ziwei Sword Art either. The young disciples before him had relatively low cultivation and were not yet considered core disciples of the sect.

After thinking for a moment, Wang Sheng removed Spiritless from his back and handed it to Wang Xiaomiao. With his right hand, he gripped the air as though holding a qi sword, and threads of lightning gathered on its blade. With a faint sweep of heavenly might from the Great Dao, he unleashed his Heavenly Tribulation Sword Intent!

The oppressive force made many of the disciples hold their breath. Wang Sheng was clearly granting them a rare benefit. Even this small taste of pressure was enough to leave a deep impression on them and allow them to test it against their own Dao of the Sword.

Wang Sheng then took half a step forward. With an air of casual ease, he demonstrated a set of the Shu Sword Sect's basic sword techniques.

Upon witnessing the first move, some disciples were puzzled. They wondered why he was showing them sword techniques that they had already learned. By the third move, though, the Shu Sword Sect elders had grown solemn and started carefully observing him.

After more than ten moves, several perceptive young sword cultivators had discovered the principles of the Dao of the Sword hidden within each motion. Feeling as though they had stumbled upon a priceless treasure, they couldn't even dare blink.