Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 906: A Tenacious Opponent

Tower Leader Guan fell into deep contemplation at the sight.

How can we possibly investigate every sword cultivator’s background? The Sword Tower lacks an intelligence department like the Dao-Seeking Sect’s Great Mission Hall; we can’t check them all. Besides, such situations had never arisen in any past Sword-Seeking Grand Ceremony.

Strange. A Sword Tower elder sensed something unusual about this year’s ceremony and secretly transmitted an auditory message to Tower Leader Guan. “Tower Leader, this may be an ill omen. Should we make some preparations?”

Tower Leader Guan nodded, agreeing with the elder’s assessment. Matters at this year’s ceremony have exceeded the Sword Tower’s capabilities. “It’s indeed an ill omen. Notify the authorities first and have them send more personnel, lest they lack manpower to make arrests.”

The Sword Tower isn’t one of the Five Great Immortal Sects; we lack enforcement authority.

~~~

Aside from the numerous irreconcilable conflicts among the respective sword cultivators, the first group’s matches had nothing else noteworthy.

Xuan Xuan and Wu’er’s iron top duel attracted many eyeballs. As the two seafolk clashed to their limits, Wu’er activated his hidden bloodline, and an ancestor’s phantom appeared overhead, granting him new strength and giving him the upper hand. Next, Xuan Xuan also activated his hidden bloodline, summoning his ancestor’s phantom, turning the tide, and gaining the advantage.

In the end, Xuan Xuan’s last strike prevailed, securing victory.

With that, the first group’s matches concluded.

Since everyone had fought using sword-intent avatars, even if they killed their opponent, it merely caused their sword intent to collapse and didn’t pose a danger to their lives.

Of course, if they sought revenge in private afterward, that couldn’t be helped.

Compared to the first group, the second group’s matches drew more interest. It featured Mingtai and Lu Yang, two widely acclaimed young Sword Dao rising stars. People had only heard legends, and this would be their first glimpse of them in action.

However, the most conspicuous was Yue Chuan, who brought his sword spirit A’Lan directly onto the arena. As sword spirits were considered part of the sword, this didn’t violate the rules.

Lu Yang didn’t let his sword spirit—the Everlasting Immortal Fairy—make an appearance. If she does, forget the sword cultivators participating this year, even all sword cultivators from past ceremonies combined wouldn’t be enough to take her on.

I, Lu Yang, am upright and aboveboard; I don’t rely on superficial external forces.

Lu Yang’s opponent was a somewhat oddly dressed cultivator, pale-faced and frail-looking, carrying an ice sword engraved with snowflake patterns.

He remembered Mingtai mentioning this person, a cultivator named Xue Shilou who was somewhat famous in the Extreme North. To be noted by Mingtai, he naturally had merits. However, compared to Lu Yang, he ultimately fell far short.

“Poor Xue Shilou, meeting Lu Yang in the first match.”

“Can’t help it; he’s too unlucky.”

“I wonder how much power he could force Lu Yang to display.”

“I hope the fight lasts longer. The more of Lu Yang’s trump cards he reveals, the better for us.”

Despite hearing the murmurs below the platform, Xue Shilou’s gaze remained exceptionally resolved. So what if Lu Yang’s talent is great? I can bridge the gap through effort. My decades of sword practice—tears, sweat, and scars—are countless.

Throughout my journey, how many strong foes have I faced? How many people said I couldn’t win? Yet reality slapped them in the face and proved them all wrong.

On the arena platform, dozens of blows were exchanged in a flash. Living up to his reputation as a Sword Dao genius honed by years in the Extreme North, Xue Shilou’s sword intent style carried a tinge of chill and decisiveness.

It was Lu Yang’s first time fighting with a sword-intent avatar, and he found it quite novel.

Now that I’ve experienced what it feels like to fight a sword-intent avatar, it’s time to get serious.

As Lu Yang’s sword moves changed, Xue Shilou felt mounting pressure, as if Lu Yang wielded not a sword but a giant hammer capable of shaking heaven and earth. Each clash numbed his wrist.

Is this Lu Yang’s true strength? Had he merely been warming up just now?

Cold sweat formed on Xue Shilou’s forehead. Both of us are using sword-intent avatars, which have nothing to do with our cultivation. This also signifies that Lu Yang’s sword intent far surpasses mine.

Lu Yang’s moves were heavy and swift, seemingly piercing Xue Shilou’s moves. Each sword strike was aimed at his weakness, forcing him to passively defend without the chance to counter.

The spectating sword cultivators could also tell that Xue Shilou’s resistance was futile and that his defeat was a matter of time. However, none of them could imagine faring better than Xue Shilou if they were in his place.

“How about you just admit defeat?” Lu Yang suggested sincerely, hoping to finish early and observe other matches before they ended.

“No!” Xue Shilou said firmly. Though he was at a disadvantage, his gaze remained resolute, unshaken by the gulf in their abilities.

Lu Yang was stunned, then realized his attitude was wrong. As a sword cultivator, one should fight to the last moment; how could I suggest surrender? My words were an insult and a slap to Xue Shilou’s face.

He said earnestly, “Apologies. In return, I’ll use my full power to defeat you.”

Sensing Lu Yang’s increasingly heavy and rapid assaults, Xue Shilou sweated profusely, feeling like his blood was boiling.

So the gap between me and a true Sword Dao genius is this vast? Is this as far as I’ll go?

Xue Shilou was momentarily dazed as his memories were pulled back to his childhood.

~~~

Amidst swirling snow, Xue Shilou stood on a wooden stake, holding a broken iron sword. The north wind howled, snowflakes stinging his face.

“Shifu, I can't hold on much longer,” Xue Shilou said through gritted teeth, afraid to open his mouth wide lest snow fly in.

His shifu, hunched and leaning on a cane, seemed utterly oblivious to Xue Shilou’s wavering form.

“Persevere. You must adapt to this kind of environment and withstand the blizzard. One day, you'll understand the meaning of today's training.”

~~~

“Shifu, so you had foreseen this day long ago?” Xue Shilou mumbled. Lu Yang's attacks resembled the fierce snowstorm in the Extreme North.

He slowly reined in his moves, narrowing his defense range and adjusting his posture. He assumed a peculiar stance—stake-standing meditation.[1]

Gradually, he recalled his shifu’s guidance and the memories of his sword practice. Previously unrelated moves now connected, transforming into new moves.

“Stake-Standing Meditation Sword Form!”

This is a sword form that can withstand blizzards—one that even Shifu couldn't complete!

“Slash.”

With a soft mutter from Lu Yang, sword qi turned into a moon and pierced the Stake-Standing Meditation Sword Form, hurling Xue Shilou to the platform’s edge, knocking him unconscious.

“Junior Brother Xue has passed out. This is bad.” A sword cultivator below the platform grew anxious upon seeing Xue Shilou collapse.

“Fellow Daoist, what happens when Xue Shilou loses consciousness?”

That person sighed. “Xue Shilou is my junior brother. Shifu found him as an orphan, and he demonstrated remarkable talent in Sword Dao when he was young, so Shifu regarded him as his successor.

“Just as Shifu thought he had gained a fine disciple, an accident happened. Junior Brother Xue fell unconscious, and another consciousness took over his body, making him cruel and powerful. That was how Shifu’s leg got broken.

“Later, when Junior Brother Xue awoke, he remembered nothing. Shifu and I never mentioned the incident.

“Shifu suspected that before Junior Brother Xue was found, he had encountered some trauma, resulting in his split personality.”

Sure enough, after Xue Shilou passed out, he stood again, his entire aura completely transformed.

“Why did this trash faint again? As I thought, he still has to count on me.” As “Xue Shilou” looked at Lu Yang, his lips curled into a ruthless smile.

“Slash.”

Just like before, with a soft mutter from Lu Yang, Xue Shilou’s alternate personality was knocked unconscious too.

~~~

Within Xue Shilou’s mental world stood two Xue Shilous—one bright and one dark.

“So I was the one who broke Shifu’s leg?” The bright Xue Shilou clutched his head and wept. “No, it was you! You hurt Shifu!”

The dark Xue Shilou sneered. “So what if I did? Isn't it because your bloodline's power was too strong and uncontrollable that I split off as an alternate personality?

“Without me, you would have frozen to death before Shifu found you.”

Seeing the bright Xue Shilou still crying, the dark Xue Shilou was frustrated. “Cry, keep crying—what’s the use? Can crying let you defeat your opponent?!”

“Then what should I do?!” the bright Xue Shilou demanded between sobs.

The dark Xue Shilou showed a complicated smile. “When you comprehended the Stake-Standing Meditation Sword Form, it elevated your cultivation realm. You just lack a little bit of help to fully adapt to your bloodline.”

“A little bit of help?” The bright Xue Shilou was taken aback.

Without any explanation, the dark Xue Shilou hugged the bright Xue Shilou, his form slowly dissipating.

“You still lack our fusion. I hope that after I vanish, you're no longer that crybaby who weeps at the slightest difficulty.”

“Little Dark!” The bright Xue Shilou yelled, desperately grasping for his other self, but he only managed to catch a shimmer of light.

~~~

In the real world, the fallen Xue Shilou slowly rose again, his gaze sorrowful yet unwavering. He raised his sword toward Lu Yang, speaking as if he were one person, yet also as though two selves were speaking in unison.

“Lu Yang, I will defeat you!”

“This aura—he possesses the legendary Snow Emperor Bloodline!” a sword cultivator from the Extreme North exclaimed.

“Why are you not done yet? Slash!” Lu Yang roared in rage, swinging his sword vigorously.

Xue Shilou tumbled off the arena platform.

1. You may refer to this article for more information on the zhanzhuang stance. ☜