World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 12: Dao and Immortality Cultivation

Everything seemed hazy, blurry, and surreal.

Wang Sheng felt as if he were drunk and something was wrong with his entire body. While the aura within him surged and brimmed to capacity, leaving his meridians faintly swollen, his eyelids grew so heavy that he couldn't open his eyes.

He had already woken up naturally from his meditative state earlier. However, upon discovering that his master and senior sister were still meditating, he felt a sense of awkwardness. Since the First Breath of Heaven and Earth continued to pour down from the skies, he couldn't help but meditate and circulate his qi again.

Now, he thought he had been too greedy and was suffering the consequences. What he was doing was extravagant, bordering on absurd. In his previous life, no one had ever mentioned the possibility of becoming overloaded with internal qi.

Wang Sheng inhaled deeply. His limbs felt as though they were wrapped in layers upon layers of thick cotton, making him sluggish and clumsy.

If not for the kind hand reaching out to steady him just in time, he might have struggled to even stand.

"Senior Sister..."

"Shh." His senior sister pointed behind him.

Qing Yanzi was still meditating, cultivating under the moonlight. Faint streaks of cyan-blue radiance occasionally rippled across him.

Wang Sheng stared at his master for a while. Observing the aura surrounding him, he couldn't help but feel amazed.

Has Master achieved Spirit Convergence just like that?

The glow enveloping him, the slight bulge at the center of his forehead, and the wisps of qi exuding from his aura—all these were unmistakable signs that he had broken through to the Spirit Convergence Realm.

The foundation of cultivation consisted of three realms—the Breath Condensation Realm, the Spirit Convergence Realm, and the Seed Formation Realm.

Upon condensing the first thread of true essence, one would be considered at the Breath Condensation Realm, officially marking the beginning of their journey as a Dao cultivator.

Once their spiritual consciousness had been formed and embryonic breathing[1] had begun, the cultivator would then transcend human limitations, no longer needing food or emotional ties. Only then could they consider themselves a true cultivator.

Even though the First Breath of Heaven and Earth was remarkable, it ultimately only refined some of the primal qi. Cultivating with it for a day was equivalent to one or two months of regular cultivation at most. Though certainly rare, it was impossible to break through a realm using it alone.

The only explanation was that Qing Yanzi, with decades of prior cultivation, had already achieved profound states in both the mindset and realm of the Dao. The night merely served as the catalyst for his breakthrough into the Spirit Convergence Realm.

Moreover, his aura continued to accumulate and grow stronger at a truly impressive rate.

Wang Sheng naturally felt nothing but joy for his master. He also felt fortunate for his unexpected luck half a year prior.

He pointed toward the courtyard gate and made a sword gesture to his senior sister.

Mu Wanxuan blinked. Although she was unable to understand why her junior brother wanted to practice swordsmanship in the middle of the night, she still gave him a gesture of encouragement out of habit.

Wang Sheng wanted to utilize the Seven-Star Sword Formation to expend some of his overflowing true essence. He was worried that leaving it unchecked would cause complications.

Moving a short distance beyond the courtyard gate, Wang Sheng closed his eyes and concentrated for a while. The wooden sword in his hand shook lightly, and its blade started cracking with fine fissures.

As expected, an ordinary wooden sword couldn't withstand the reinforcement of true essence.

Assuming a stance and positioning his sword to match the Big Dipper, he did a sequence of the Seven-Star Sword Formation. To his surprise, the profundity behind his movements differed greatly from what they had been half a day earlier!

His movements were smoother, and his sword swings were faster. At one point, he inadvertently left behind faint phantasms that dissipated in the blink of an eye.

After a round of sword practice, the true essence within him seemed to have diminished slightly. However, upon closer inspection, Wang Sheng realized that his true essence had become significantly more condensed.

Joy filled his expression.

The reduction in his true essence wasn't due to consumption—it had simply become more refined!

In his past life, he had never encountered such Daoist arts. He didn't expect the Seven-Star Sword Formation to have such an effect either.

Wang Sheng sat cross-legged, calmed his mind, and circulated his qi. Taking advantage of the lingering remnants of the First Breath of Heaven and Earth, he quickly filled his meridians with true essence again and resumed practicing his sword techniques.

He repeated the cycle and immersed himself in the process, unaware that dawn was already approaching. As the once gentle night breeze faded gradually, he belatedly glanced upward. The enormous full moon sinking toward the western sky had returned to its usual size at some point.

This crazy night had finally come to an end.

Fatigued, Wang Sheng yawned. He could feel the true essence surging within him, its abundance akin to a mighty river. He couldn't help but chuckle softly.

One night of cultivation had yielded results that surpassed several years of painstaking effort in his past life. These results were attributed to the benefits of the First Breath of Heaven and Earth, the complete inheritance of the Dao, his master's initial assistance in clearing his meridians, and the unexpected effects of the Seven-Star Sword Formation.

Wang Sheng was astonished to find himself nearing a breakthrough to the Spirit Convergence Realm.

However, he didn't rush forward recklessly. Being fully aware of how far behind he was compared to his master and senior sister, he resolved to spend more time perfecting the foundations of the three cultivation realms. A solid foundation would make his cultivation smoother and easier in the future.

Had this been half a year ago, with the mindset he had when he had just regressed, he would have likely stayed up all night and obsessively striven to break through and grow stronger as quickly as possible.

But now, with his master and senior sister supporting him, Wang Sheng began to consider long-term growth instead of focusing solely on immediate gains. After all, they were not the only ones who benefited from the First Breath of Heaven and Earth.

On a planet as vast as Earth, many other practitioners undoubtedly upheld the Dao inheritance. The First Breath of Heaven and Earth lasted for most of the night, granting opportunities to many. More importantly, after the momentous event, primal qi gradually returned to Earth.

This was the dawn of a new era.

A path paved with celestial radiance stretched before Wang Sheng's feet. However, to traverse it unimpeded, he would have to protect himself with his sword. He couldn't solely rely on his master and senior sister; his own strength was paramount.

As the morning sun illuminated the southeastern peaks, Wang Sheng held his wooden sword and stood up, gazing out at the misty landscape of the Wudang Mountains. He exuded chivalry as the Dao brimmed within him.

***

Qing Yanzi meditated for three days straight. When he finally awoke, his aura rippled outward like a gentle stream, stirring faint whirlwinds around him.

Wang Sheng was sitting by the courtyard gate, his head tilted back. Wrapped snugly in a quilt, he snored softly. For the past three days, he had practiced his swordsmanship near the gate and slept there at night just in case someone visited unexpectedly and attempted to disturb his master's cultivation.

Thanks to the primal qi coursing through his body and protecting him from the cold, he wasn't affected by the biting night winds.

Qing Yanzi's eyes revealed a trace of satisfaction. He walked silently to the gate, gently patted Wang Sheng on the shoulder, and warmly said, "Little Sheng, go back inside and get some proper rest."

"Master... you're awake?" Wang Sheng muttered groggily.

Qing Yanzi nodded with a smile. "Go and sleep. Once you're well-rested, I have something important to tell you and your senior sister."

Wang Sheng yawned and rubbed his eyes. He could already guess what his master wanted to talk about: an introduction to cultivation.

Seeing the unconcealed joy in his master's expression, Wang Sheng didn't say anything else. He clutched his quilt and headed back to the main room obediently.

Inside, his senior sister was sound asleep under a thick blanket. Wang Sheng had given his bedding to her the day before. With primal qi flowing constantly through his body, he no longer feared the cold and had no reason to laze on the heated brick bed. Still, he felt a little reluctant to give it up.

Moments later, Qing Yanzi walked into the room and glanced at his sleeping eldest disciple. He nodded with satisfaction. It was obvious to him that Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan had embarked on the journey of cultivation. Their progress was roughly on par at the moment, though for different reasons.

Mu Wanxuan maintained her usual routine. She meditated briefly each day, practiced some basic hand movements, and then spent her time daydreaming, reading, or sleeping. She barely paid attention to the changes in her body.

Wang Sheng, on the other hand, had been diligently focusing on cultivation over the past few days, managing to barely keep up with his senior sister's progress. However, Qing Yanzi estimated that once they woke up and listened to his lecture, Mu Wanxuan would likely surpass Wang Sheng again.

The primal qi within Wang Sheng flowed constantly. Hence, after three or four hours of sleep, he woke up feeling refreshed. Before heading out, he deliberately put on his Daoist robe to look more presentable.

In the courtyard, Mu Wanxuan practiced fist techniques while Qing Yanzi stood on the courtyard wall, gazing into the distance.

When Wang Sheng came out, Qing Yanzi called, "You two, come with me."

"Mm?" Mu Wanxuan paused, made a small finishing gesture, and withdrew her aura. She glanced at Wang Sheng and giggled.

For some reason, he thought his senior sister looked fairer and more radiant than before. Upon closer inspection, her complexion did seem more delicate and luminous.

No wonder so many people were obsessed with cultivation. Those who feared death sought longevity, while the vain longed for eternal youth. The benefits of cultivation were undeniably enticing. However, cultivation required hard work and the alignment of various factors: techniques, wealth, companions, and location. It wasn't as simple as wishing for it.

The three entered Qing Yanzi's small room. Compared to how it was during the New Year, the room was spotless. It had clearly been cleaned and organized.

On the bed was the rusty iron box from when Wang Sheng had first become a disciple as well as the Daoist scripture he had memorized thoroughly.

Qing Yanzi gestured for the two to sit by the bed while he took a seat on a wooden stool. His bright eyes observed them intently.

"Ahem! The world of the Dao is about to change. You two are fortunate to be here at such a pivotal moment. In this new era, the Daoist legacies that have endured on this land for a thousand years will rise to glory once more."

Blinking, Mu Wanxuan nodded as if she completely understood.

Qing Yanzi chuckled. "Little Xuan, do you understand what I'm saying?"

Mu Wanxuan immediately shook her head and nudged Wang Sheng secretly.

Wang Sheng quickly asked, "Master, are you referring to the changes we've experienced these past few days?"

"Yes." Qing Yanzi sighed lightly, his gaze carrying a trace of melancholy mixed with a hint of relief. "As Daoist priests, we should adapt to the changing times."

Wang Sheng couldn't help but chuckle at his master's rigorousness.

"A thousand years ago, cultivation was possible anywhere on Earth. Reclusive cultivators hid in the sacred mountains, avoiding the mundane world. They could fly on clouds, move mountains, fill seas, and connect themselves to the heavens. Moreover, they could wield swords, cast talismans, and summon spirits. Those cultivators possessed numerous skills and excelled in all kinds of Daoist arts. Having mastered advanced techniques, they were revered as individuals of immense divine power."

Qing Yanzi paused, then excitedly added, "Now, that glorious era is returning!"

1. A meditative state in which external breathing stops and the cultivator transitions into greater harmony with their spiritual qi, which they then use to sustain life. ☜