Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 638: Sword-Cleansing Pond

The Unbeatable Nascent Soul bolted at lightning speed. Lu Yang admitted to himself that if it were him, there was no way he could fly that fast.

Nevertheless, no matter how fast the nascent soul was, it couldn’t escape Yun Zhi’s grasp. With a mere gesture of reaching into the air, Yun Zhi caught the Unbeatable Nascent Soul, which had almost fled beyond the sect’s boundaries, and pulled it back.

Even though it was captured, the Unbeatable Nascent Soul didn’t give up. It exhausted every possible method to break free—Shrinking Earth, Draw Underground Prison, Close Horizon From Cliff, Lu-Style Arhat Fist... If its opponent had been a Nascent Soul cultivator, they would have long been beaten to death.

Unfortunately, its opponent was not a Nascent Soul cultivator, so all these efforts were futile. Be it escaping or attacking, despite the Unbeatable Nascent Soul employing the entirety of its arsenal of methods, it was no match for Yun Zhi. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The Unbeatable Nascent Soul brandished its claws and teeth, still dreaming of attacking Yun Zhi, but it was immediately subdued when she flicked its forehead with her finger, leaving it dazed and quiet.

Holding the Unbeatable Nascent Soul by its tiny foot and swinging it gently, Yun Zhi wore a pensive expression. “This level of offensive power is quite remarkable. It’s a decent offensive method.”

She tossed the Unbeatable Nascent Soul back to Lu Yang. “However, this is not the proper path. You still need to hone your skills and strive to defeat your own nascent soul.”

“Yes.”

Having learned the cultivation technique for this phase, Lu Yang settled down to prepare for cultivating the sword array.

The Seven Star Sword Set obtained from the Creation Ancient Domain had been lying around in his identity jade tablet. He had only taken out one sword when acting as Young Creed Leader Lu at the heavenly altar. However, this was not Lu Yang’s original intention. His plan had been to form a sword array with the complete Seven Star Sword Set.

Sword cultivators generally followed two cultivation paths: one was ‘One Sword Breaks All Spells,’ focusing wholeheartedly on tempering a single sword to achieve ‘Person and Sword as One’; the other was sword arrays, which could enable swords to unleash power beyond their original capabilities—a truly wondrous route.

Unfortunately, Lu Yang’s shifu had died early, and neither Yun Zhi nor Jiang Lianyi was adept at sword arrays, so he had no one to guide him.

If Jiang Lianyi had understood swords, she wouldn’t have been deceived by the sword array the Qilin Immortal knelt on.

However, there was good news. After being intimidated by the Everlasting Immortal Fairy, the unyielding Seven Star Swords now obediently submitted to Lu Yang, not daring to show the slightest resistance, saving him the time needed to refine and tame them.

“Little Junior Brother, if you wish to practice swordsmanship, you may try the Sword-Cleansing Pond. Once you’ve gained something from it, I have a sword array here that you can cultivate.” Yun Zhi recalled some spoils of war she had acquired, which would be perfect for Lu Yang.

“Sword-Cleansing Pond?” Lu Yang didn’t know there was such a place within the sect.

“That was where Shifu practiced his sword in his early years. After Shifu achieved major success in the Sword Dao and no longer needed to cleanse his sword, the place was forsaken.”

Many among the Dao-Seeking Sect disciples used swords as weapons, but only Lu Yang could truly be called a sword cultivator. The Sword Spirit Root was rare. Lu Yang was the second cultivator after the Taciturn Daoist Priest to possess one in the Dao-Seeking Sect.

“After descending the mountain, head east for about eight hundred li. That is where the Sword-Cleansing Pond is located.” Yun Zhi pointed out the direction for Lu Yang. “Currently, your control over the Seven Star Sword Set is passive; you haven’t established a connection with them. The Sword-Cleansing Pond can enhance the communication between you and them, allowing you to control them fully. This is the foundation for cultivating sword arrays.

“The Sword-Cleansing Pond can wash away the baleful energy from both the cultivator and the swords, improving their integration and coordination. Not only Shifu, but also Grand-Shifu used to cultivate there frequently.”

“Ah? Is Grand-Shifu a sword cultivator too?” Lu Yang thought of the little fellow guarding Incarceration Peak and found it hard to associate him with sword cultivators.

“No. He went there to wash away his baleful energy toward Shifu, lest he doesn’t hold back and accidentally beat Shifu to death.”

Lu Yang, “...”

Sometimes, Lu Yang felt it was a miracle his shifu had survived this long.

Jiang Lianyi was not interested in the Sword-Cleansing Pond and instead voiced her desire to visit Incarceration Peak. Yun Zhi gladly agreed, offering to take her there.

~~~

Following Yun Zhi’s directions, Lu Yang descended the mountain, passed through the core area of the Dao-Seeking Sect, and arrived at the vast grassland on the periphery.

These grasslands used to be extremely dangerous for Lu Yang. They were home to various demon beasts, and the breeding farm established by the Everlasting Creed Leader and the Everlasting Immortal was situated right at the edge of this grassland.

Now, Lu Yang was a far cry from his former self. These terrifying demon beasts are not worth mentioning. As long as I want to run, they can’t even catch up to me!

On the grassland, Lu Yang flew on his sword and sped along, hovering just over three feet above the ground. Behind him was a horde of demon beasts emitting Nascent Soul auras, occasionally interspersed with a few Divine Transfiguration demon beasts. They howled and caused the earth to tremble, creating a terrifying sight.

“What’s there to fear about Divine Transfiguration demon beasts? There are also Void Refinement and Fusion demon beasts here,” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy kindly reminded him. Lu Yang, you’re getting scared too early. “That said, you don’t need to be too afraid. Those Void Refinement and Fusion demon beasts can’t be bothered to chase you. These demon beasts are likely tamed. They mainly attack disciples who make them feel threatened.” As for whether this is for training purposes or mere mischief, I wouldn’t know.

Finally, at the critical moment, Lu Yang successfully flew out of the grassland’s boundaries. The demon beasts’ pursuit ceased abruptly, and they did not advance a step further.

“Little Junior Brother, are you practicing flying?” To his surprise, Gan Tian was right at the edge of the grassland. Although she was still blindfolded, she could perceive the life-and-death chase scene her little junior brother had just been through by sensing others’ auras and the wind sounds.

“Third Senior Sister, don’t those demon beasts chase you when you pass through the grassland?”

“You didn’t know? As long as you display your identity jade tablet, those demon beasts won’t attack you. Didn’t Big Senior Sister tell you?” Gan Tian waved her own identity jade tablet.

“No.”

“Then she probably thought those demon beasts wouldn’t pose a threat to you.”

“Senior Sister, what are you doing here?” Lu Yang asked.

Gan Tian pointed toward a dark mountain range further away. “That’s Tangting Mountain. I was missing a material for refining a magical treasure, so I went there to dig some up. I was just about to head back. And you? Are you here to participate in the cave domain trial?”

“I’m going to the Sword-Cleansing Pond.”

“Sword-Cleansing Pond... Oh right, you’re a sword cultivator. That place is perfect for you. Do you know the way? Do you want me to take you there?”

“Many thanks, Senior Sister.” Big Senior Sister had only given a general direction; having someone guide me there would be best.

“We’re fellow senior sister and junior brother. There’s no need for thanks.”

With Gan Tian leading the way, Lu Yang soon arrived at the Sword-Cleansing Pond.

The Sword-Cleansing Pond lay in a small valley, nestled between two millennia-old ancient trees. Leaves from these trees floated quietly on the pond’s surface, the scene appearing almost frozen in time. No cultivator had visited the Sword-Cleansing Pond for two hundred years. Now, a trace of life had finally returned to this place.

“This is the Sword-Cleansing Pond.”

Lu Yang scooped the leaves out of the pond, revealing the clear, bottomless water. The water possessed a magical quality, where simply looking at it seemed to cleanse the spirit.

“Good place!” Lu Yang’s eyes shone. Just by looking at the pond, I can imagine how Shifu had cultivated here over a hundred years ago.

“According to Shifu, to use the Sword-Cleansing Pond, one needs to place the sword in the water, washing away the ostentation and adornment to reveal the true, original essence.

Lu Yang took out the Seven Star Sword Set. Once the seven divine swords appeared, they clung affectionately to Lu Yang, startling him into quickly pressing them all down into the pond.

As the swords soaked in the pond, they were indeed no longer restless. Lu Yang could even sense the feelings they transmitted to him—comfort and coolness. If things continued like this, Lu Yang was confident he could truly master the Seven Star Sword Set at the Sword-Cleansing Pond.

He sat cross-legged beside the pond in a proper posture and calmed his mind, attempting to communicate and interact with the swords, empathizing with them.

Three days passed in a flash. Lu Yang sat motionless the entire time, with Gan Tian guarding his cultivation.

She observed the changes in Lu Yang and was secretly amazed by his talent in Sword Dao. She felt as though Lu Yang had disappeared. This is the state of maintaining communication with the swords, entering the realm of Person and Sword as One. To think he has achieved so much in just three days!

Lu Yang had entered an indescribable, profound, and wondrous state. Throughout these three days, he had engaged in a vague and specious communication with the Seven Star Sword Set, effectively enhancing his connection with them.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm and unperturbed like an ancient well.

Success! I’ve completely grasped the Seven Star Sword Set!

Lu Yang raised his right hand and curled two fingers upward. The Sword-Cleansing Pond followed his will and danced in the air, splashing water and scattering the Seven Star Sword Set across the ground.

“Hmm?”

Didn’t I grasp the Seven Star Sword Set? How did it become the Sword-Cleansing Pond?