Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit-Chapter 211 - 172: 40 Years!

They departed from Pengshan City.

After bidding farewell to Wang Ji and his wife, the journey became slightly somber.

When they passed through a mountainous area——

With a whooshing sound.

A grotesque beast leapt out from the wilderness, shrinking to the size of a regular steed, and galloped toward Chen Jichuan.

"The Red-scaled Beast."

"Are you coming with us too?"

Wang Yan approached and patted the head of the Red-scaled Beast, visibly delighted.

Having just parted from his grandparents, and uncertain when he might return after leaving the West Sea, parting from the familiar stirred some sadness.

Now, seeing the Red-scaled Beast helped dispel some of these emotions.

"Snort!"

The Red-scaled Beast turned its head and sneezed, spewing flames from its mouth and nostrils. Its usual aloof demeanor showed no interest in Wang Yan.

Wang Yan didn’t seem to mind.

He fetched a green-gourd flask from his waist, poured out two Pills, and handed them to the Red-scaled Beast. The beast sniffed them with its nose, then extended its tongue to swallow them in one swift motion.

It remained indifferent to Wang Yan.

But this time, it bent its forelegs slightly.

Wang Yan’s face lit up with joy, and he immediately vaulted onto its back.

Chen Jichuan followed suit, taking a seat.

"Go!"

The Red-scaled Beast’s four hooves danced through the air, carrying the duo straight toward the West Sea!

...

The clouds above resembled white garments, transforming into hounds in the blink of an eye.

Time flew by.

The years passed like flowing water.

In the blink of an eye, forty years had gone by.

...

On this particular day.

Deep within the West Sea, at the Lotus Islands.

Yang Biqing and Zhang Zong, each wielding long spears, maneuvered a small boat past the numerous reefs surrounding the islands, finally docking at the easternmost island known as "Sand Island" to rest.

Yang Biqing, an energetic elder with a spirited demeanor, spoke in a booming voice: "This ’Sand Island’ is largely covered in gravel, making it unsuitable for ordinary residents, which is why you don’t see many people here. However, deeper within the Lotus Islands, millions of citizens reside, with hundreds of thousands of armored warriors. The person we are meeting shortly is the master of this place, the Sword Tower Master, Huangfu Yu."

"Millions of citizens."

"Hundreds of thousands of soldiers."

Hearing this, Zhang Zong couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement: "For the ’Sword Tower’ to possess such strength and still remain isolated at sea, it seems that even sects like the Xingyi Sect or the Sun-shooting Divine Mountain, which dominate entire regions, wouldn’t dare provoke it!"

His journey across the sea had included countless tempests and dangerous twists. Only after navigating numerous reefs and near-misses did they finally arrive here.

He was well aware of the perils of sea routes.

Should an army from Central Earth attempt to invade the Lotus Islands, the winds and waves alone would decimate seventy to eighty percent of its forces. By the time they arrived at these islands, their threat would be negligible.

Given this level of fortification, the Sword Tower had every reason to reign supreme over this sea region.

It’s no wonder even Yang Biqing, a Void Realm grandmaster who achieved his cultivation long ago, acted so cautiously.

"Everyone on the Lotus Islands practices swordsmanship, achieving a level of expertise comparable to the Taixu Sword Sect. Decades ago, I sparred with Huangfu Yu. His cultivation pierced the heavens, and his swordsmanship struck like thunder. One strike alone could cause the heavens to collapse and the earth to shatter — formidable power, no less impressive than my Spring Silkworm Sect’s ’Liyuan Spear.’"

As Yang Biqing mentioned Huangfu Yu, his tone carried evident admiration.

Zhang Zong couldn’t help but grow expectant.

After a brief rest on Sand Island, the two resumed their journey by boat, heading deeper into the islands.

Upon reaching a stronghold of the Sword Tower, they were promptly stopped.

Bang!

Yang Biqing revealed a hint of his cultivation and called out to the general aboard a warship, "Kindly inform your master that Yang Biqing, an old acquaintance from Central Earth, has come to pay his respects!"

Seeing Yang Biqing’s unfathomable cultivation and hearing him address himself as an acquaintance of the Tower Master, the general didn’t dare delay, replying loudly, "Please wait here. I will immediately report this to the Tower Master!"

After speaking.

He ordered a small boat to be lowered, and a group of sailors quickly rowed it away until it disappeared from view.

...

Lianxin Island.

The Sword Tower, restricted grounds.

Twenty-seven stone steles, resembling swords, planted firmly into the ground.

Twelve stele stones aligned in one row, faintly echoing with the sound of thunder.

Another twelve arranged into a second row, with electric currents resembling agile serpents flickering across their surfaces, evoking a sense of dread.

The remaining three steles——

One exuded a sharpness as if it could split a single strand of hair.

One was covered in a layer of frost.

One had clouds that gathered and dispersed.

Chen Jichuan stood among them, sometimes seated in meditation, studying the steles with furrowed brows. Other times, he stood up, sword in hand, practicing techniques imbued with the essence of thunder and lightning.

It was as though the sound of thunder echoed, and flashes of purple lightning illuminated his movements.

His understanding of swordsmanship had far surpassed what it had been forty years earlier.

By rough calculation, Chen Jichuan had begun practicing swordsmanship since the late period of the Da Liang World, which spanned several centuries to the present.

"Reading a text one hundred times reveals its meaning."

"The same principle applies to swordsmanship."

Chen Jichuan tirelessly rehearsed one technique after another, delving into their principles and the implied essence. His training combined intense diligence with profound contemplation. Despite his average talent, his persistent efforts allowed him to achieve notable accomplishments.

His current swordsmanship had reached a commendable level.

However, it wasn’t until he acquired the Sword Ancestor Steles that his swordsmanship advanced by leaps and bounds.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

His sword moved like an extension of his heart.

Each motion flowed smoothly, unimpeded in the slightest. His strikes carried intention and profound meaning, as if confronting raging thunder and flashing lightning — awe-inspiring and terrifying.

Lightning coiled around his blade.

As Chen Jichuan’s swordsmanship grew faster and more fluid, a faint yellow light began to manifest beneath the arcs of electricity. Each swing of his sword left a trail of rainbow-like light in midair, resembling a sunrise breaking through or bursts of thunder.

With a thunderous roar,

it was as though a bolt of lightning had torn through the chaos.

Overcome with joy, Chen Jichuan unconsciously released his sword. Forming a sword seal with his hands, he watched as the long sword, enshrouded in purple lightning and emanating faint yellow light, transformed into a rainbow streak and shot skyward——

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Thunder crashed!

Purple lightning flashed!

The sword soared straight into the heavens, embodying thunder and lightning, disappearing in a brilliant flash. By the time it returned to Chen Jichuan’s hand, a rolling echo of thunder reached down from the skies.

"Refining Sword into Rainbow?!"

"Congratulations, Junior Master, on progressing your swordsmanship to another level!"

Wang Yan, who was also practicing swordsmanship in the restricted grounds, was initially startled by the commotion. He quickly recovered and, overwhelmed with joy, stepped forward to offer his congratulations.

"It’s merely a faint yellow glimmer, just barely touching the threshold."

Chen Jichuan held onto the sword, savoring the profound experience from moments earlier. Though his words were modest, a hint of delight lingered on his face.

For all the years he had studied the sword, it was only today that he truly felt as though he had entered its true domain.

"Sword Skill Reaching God, Sword Qi Generates Evil—this marks the initial understanding of Sword Intent."

"Mastering Sword Control within a hundred steps and Refining Sword into Rainbow signify the formal entry into Sword Intent."

Chen Jichuan recalled the descriptions on the ’Sword Map’ regarding ’Sword Control within a hundred steps and Refining Sword into Rainbow’: "As Sword Intent manifests and rainbow light appears, golden light reigns supreme, followed by white light, then green light, with yellow light being the weakest. When the rainbow light first takes form, even an ordinary iron sword can be controlled from a hundred steps away. With a heart-bonded Flying Sword, one could strike down enemies hundreds or even thousands of miles away!"

Reaching this stage marked the beginning of becoming a true ’Sword Cultivator’!

All Sword Control before this point was merely the manipulation of objects or magic artifacts. Replace the Flying Sword with a gourd, a flute, or even dice or a fire poker, and similar feats could be achieved.

Only after reaching this level of mastery could one truly kill an enemy from "a thousand miles away," glimpsing the allure of a Sword Immortal.

The faint yellow glimmer on Chen Jichuan’s sword, though weak, marked his entry into this realm.

Even so, this was a level that only a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator could attain.

Beyond this.

By further honing his swordsmanship, the yellow light could transform into green, the green into white, and finally culminate in golden light. When a sword strike faintly painted a golden rainbow in the air, the second stage of swordsmanship would be considered perfected.

"Though I’ve only achieved the yellow light for now, Qi Refining Seventh Layer is already within reach!"

Chen Jichuan felt joy blooming in his heart.

Concealing his delight slightly, he looked at the twenty-seven sword steles arranged around him. Unable to suppress his amazement, he exclaimed, "Truly worthy of being the legacy of the Sword Ancestor. Without these original steles for ’Thunder’ and ’Lightning,’ I fear it would have taken me decades longer to achieve this breakthrough."

Forty years at sea.

With Wang Yan, he traversed the West Sea, and through the use of the Circular Light Skill, systematically collected the scattered sword steles across the vast ocean. Despite numerous trials and dangers, countless miles sailing through treacherous waters and exploring numerous islands, fortune eventually favored him. Chen Jichuan finally succeeded in assembling two complete sets of sword steles.

One set known as ’Lightning.’

The other as ’Thunder.’

Additionally, he found three independent steles that were part of incomplete series—these belonged to the Chapters of ’Gold,’ ’Frost,’ and ’Cloud.’

Though not forming a complete system, these lone steles were significantly more valuable and effective than the full replicas housed in the Taixu Sword Sect.

"Truly impressive."

"By studying these two sets of sword steles, my mastery of the Four-Nine Tribulation Sword has progressed rapidly, far faster than before I reached the Void Realm!"

Wang Yan echoed in agreement.

Years ago, she followed Chen Jichuan out to sea.

Of the forty years that had passed, Chen Jichuan had spent only twenty in the Qinling World, but Wang Yan had spent all forty years exploring the ocean.

With Chen Jichuan’s continued guidance,

the aid of numerous Pills,

the inheritance left by Nie Yun and Bu Wushuang’s Primordial Seeds,

as well as insights Chen Jichuan had extracted from the Dao Fruit and the breakthroughs achieved by Qing Songzi and four other Qi Refining Immortal Masters,

Chen Jichuan spared no effort or expense to ensure Wang Yan’s rise to Qi Refinement, trying every method imaginable.

Even someone of mediocre talent would have a high likelihood of reaching Qi Refinement under such circumstances.

And while Wang Yan wasn’t an unparalleled genius like Li Qingshan, she was still above average.

With Pills.

With Primordial Seeds.

With Iron Lotus Seeds.

Combining these advantages, Wang Yan finally broke through to Qi Refinement twenty-two years ago. At eighty-four years old, she had ascended two years earlier than Li Qingshan.

From that day to now,

She had reached the Qi Refining Third Layer, nearing the Late Void Entry stage.

This progress was thanks not only to Chen Jichuan’s unceasing provision of Pills, but also the assistance of the sword steles and Iron Lotus Seeds.

It was a fortunate coincidence.

Wang Yan practiced the Four-Nine Tribulation Sword, specifically the ’Thunder’ and ’Lightning’ Chapters. The two sets of sword steles that Chen Jichuan collected mirrored these Chapters exactly.

After entering the Void Realm, Wang Yan’s studies of these two sets of sword steles had allowed her cultivation to improve rapidly.

Sword steles and Iron Lotus Seeds enhanced her comprehension and breakthroughs.

Pills strengthened her mana.

Continuing forward, her cultivation soared. By the time they returned, she very likely would have surpassed Li Qingshan, who had preceded her in advancement by eighteen years—emerging as the superior!

"Your cultivation and realm are still low, so your initial progress appears swift."

"But the bottleneck between Void Entry and the Void stage is immense. Mastering sword techniques won’t suffice; you’ll also need to condense True Fire, expand your Dantian, and temper your mana. Above all, you must locate and refine the first shackle."

"Each step forward faces tremendous challenges and obstacles."

"Breaking through will not be easy."

Chen Jichuan advised Wang Yan.

He recalled his own journey in the Jade Spring World—progressing from Qi Refining First Layer to Qi Refining Third Layer had taken him a solid hundred years. Yet condensing True Fire and refining the shackles had required an additional sixty years.

This demonstrated just how formidable the bottleneck could be.

Wang Yan listened quietly, fully aware of the challenges lying ahead in her cultivation. Just as she opened her mouth to respond, footsteps echoed from beyond the restricted grounds. Moments later, someone called out loudly from outside, "Reporting to the Master: Outside Sheying Island, someone by the name of ’Yang Biqing’ claims to be a former acquaintance from Central Earth and requests an audience!"

"A former acquaintance from Central Earth?"

"Yang Biqing?"

Hearing this, Wang Yan assumed it was a visitor from the Taixu Sword Sect.

However, the name was unfamiliar to her, so she turned to Chen Jichuan for guidance. She saw her Junior Master deep in thought, before a subtle and intriguing smile spread across his face.

...

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