Breakthrough

Qin Sang had never had a true master. The one who had guided him the most was Yunyouzi, who was both mentor and friend to him. But after he was teleported to the Canglang Sea, thousands of miles separated them, and they had not seen each other for decades. Especially in the Dao of the Sword, Qin Sang had always fumbled along alone. When had he ever encountered such a conscientious and dedicated teacher? Every time, it captured his weakest points. Thanks to his cultivation method, Qin Sang had comprehended Sword Qi Thunderclap on his own. Yet with no one to guide him, the process had been arduous and protracted, and his progress in grasping sword light differentiation had remained painstakingly slow. However, such a lengthy process was not without its merits; had he not possessed that foundational journey, he would never have advanced so rapidly now. Having finally met an exceptional teacher, his accumulated efforts were at last bearing fruit. Qin Sang charged into the corridor once more, though he had yet to fully recover. Blades were merciless. The swordsmen would not kill him, but injuries were unavoidable, especially in the last few battles, which had left several sword wounds across his body. Swallowing medicinal pills to suppress his wounds, he strode inside without looking back. This was a rare opportunity that could only be chanced upon and never sought. With limited time, he had to comprehend as much as possible before the Hall of Seven Kills closed. Stepping back into the corridor, the familiar azure light descended, and the swordsmen manifested. This time, having gained experience, Qin Sang was in no hurry to defeat them. Instead, casting aside all extraneous thoughts and forgetting everything else, he sought enlightenment in the sword amidst battle. Defeated time and again, he returned to the corridor again and again. More and more wounds accumulated on Qin Sang's body, yet he paid them no heed. Wiping away the blood and swallowing pills, he plunged straight into the corridor, ravenously absorbing everything. His realm in the Dao of the Sword improved by leaps and bounds. By now, his strikes were no longer bound to any rigid sword technique. He could strike at will, unleashing whatever move was most fitting wherever his intent led him. He had barely crossed the threshold into true mastery of the sword. If he were willing to devote himself to quiet study, he would have the chance to create his own sword arts. In the past, he could only treat Sword Qi Thunderclap as a surprise attack, lacking variety. Now, having advanced another tier, whenever his flying sword flew forth, its movements were elusive and unpredictable, leaving opponents scrambling in exhaustion. Yet none of this was what delighted Qin Sang the most. Qin Sang could clearly sense that he was drawing closer and closer to sword light differentiation! ... "Hahaha..." A hearty, uninhibited laugh suddenly rang out through the corridor. Qin Sang stood tall at the corridor entrance, the ebony sword hovering before him. As Qin Sang's thoughts stirred, the ebony sword quivered faintly, separating out a ray of sword light. Immediately following that, an illusory sword shadow slowly emerged! Flickering between presence and absence, this sword shadow was the embryonic form of sword light differentiation! "As long as I don't compare myself to a freak like Senior Qingzhu, my talent isn't bad at all! Even among sword cultivators in the Core Formation stage, those who can comprehend sword light differentiation are surely a rare few..." The corners of Qin Sang's mouth curled up, a smile spreading across his face. He had not expected that after countless battles, a flash of insight would strike his mind, allowing him to comprehend sword light differentiation on the spot. Yet he knew in his heart that while achieving such immense progress was certainly thanks to those swordsmen, it was also inseparable from the Origin Soul Sword-Nurturing Chapter. Though it was only the rudimentary silhouette of a sword shadow, the first step was always the hardest. Qin Sang believed that before long, he would be able to differentiate genuine sword light. Relying on the sword in his hand alone, he might even be able to fight foes above his realm! Legend had it that top-tier sword cultivators could contend against ten thousand foes alone. Qin Sang harbored no such grand ambition; as long as his strength grew, he would be satisfied. Qin Sang retrieved the ebony sword and gazed deep into the corridor with burgeoning confidence. The current him could easily defeat the self that had first charged inside. He would surely be able to advance much farther down the corridor. This time, he did not rush into action. Sitting cross-legged, he circulated his cultivation method, devoting all his efforts to healing and regulating his breathing. Once he had brought his condition to its peak, his gaze hardened slightly, and he entered the corridor once again. The opponents he had previously found difficult to handle were no longer a major trouble. Qin Sang smoothly reached the furthest position he had attained the first time. Defeating the swordsmen with effortless ease, he glanced at the spot where he had previously fallen, and strode forward. Yet before long, Qin Sang ran into trouble. The swordsmen were also growing, their strength becoming increasingly formidable. Eventually, every single battle turned into a grueling clash. Qin Sang's gaze was resolute. Fixating on the corridor's end, he pushed forward step by step, fighting the swordsmen with everything he had. At last... he caught sight of what lay at the end of the corridor. There was no stone door, nor any sacrificial altar; instead, a flight of stone steps led upward. In the dim light, only four steps were visible, polished remarkably smooth. Qin Sang ceased his resistance and was teleported back to the corridor entrance. Staring into the darkness, he sank into deep contemplation. He was very curious about where the stone steps led. Whatever lay within, he would certainly have to explore it. Even if there was no teleportation formation, it would surely be connected to the Origin Soul Sword-Nurturing Chapter. Then he cast a glance at the spot where Senior Qingzhu had left the jade slip. "If the stone steps lead to an ancient teleportation array, could Senior Qingzhu have already returned to the Lesser Cold Domain?" Qin Sang murmured to himself, somewhat uncertain. Without knowledge of Qingzhu's life, everything could only be guessed. If he could uncover Senior Qingzhu's past experiences through Spirit Tortoise Island, it might prove helpful. For now, it was clearly impossible to break through. Even with all his strength, Qin Sang had only made it halfway. Estimating mentally, he calculated that the cultivation of the final guardian swordsmen would likely rival peak late Core Formation stage cultivators, backed by top-tier swordsmanship and immense combat prowess. He would have to face two such peak experts at once. This left Qin Sang in a difficult bind. Knowing the swordsmen's strength, even if he managed to break through to the peak of the late Core Formation stage by his next visit, his odds of victory would still be slim. What was more, he still did not know how to resolve the issue with his ebony sword, meaning his cultivation could stall at any moment. "Wait..." At that moment, Qin Sang suddenly recalled something. Hurriedly taking out a jade slip, it was precisely the one left behind by Senior Qingzhu. Looking at the demonic art, Origin-Seeding Demonic Embryo, a thoughtful expression crossed his face. Could Senior Qingzhu have left behind this secret art alone with some deeper intention in mind? The external incarnation's demonic seed was refined using the sword soul, and the corridor's restriction did not seal the ebony sword. Could it allow the external incarnation inside because of the sword soul? If he could bring along an external incarnation at the peak of the late Core Formation stage, he would have decent odds of winning. At this thought, Qin Sang immediately made up his mind. Regardless of whether there was a chance, it was worth a gamble. Refining an external incarnation carried no drawbacks for him; even if his speculation proved wrong, he would still gain an additional powerful combat asset. He lingered in the corridor a while longer, before finally bowing toward it in gratitude for the guidance of those swordsmen. "A single Sword Path could bring me such immense fortune, allowing me to comprehend sword light differentiation... The ancient cultivators, the Hall of Seven Kills..." Qin Sang stepped outside and looked up at the stone wall, filled with boundless yearning. Looking around, he was momentarily unsure of where to go. His gains from this trip could hardly be called small. Though he had not found the teleportation formation, uncovering the clues left by Senior Qingzhu and discovering this corridor that might lead to a teleportation formation were exhilarating enough. Qin Sang retrieved his jade plaque to check, only to realize he had spent too much time in the corridor comprehending the Dao of the Sword; it was almost time to leave. With so little time remaining, making any discoveries in Heaven Tower would be virtually impossible.