The Half-Open Door

The Heaven Tower. The Sword Path. Completely lost in the flow of combat, Qin Sang fought one against two, his sword wheel gleaming against the blue-brick walls. The swordsmen within the Sword Path were all peak sword masters, and also exceptional instructors who easily exposed every flaw and weakness in Qin Sang's swordsmanship. Qin Sang brandished his sword to his heart's content, immersing himself in the insights of the sword path. He could feel his technique improving by leaps and bounds; within the realm of sword light differentiation, he had not yet reached the limit. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that he had remained unable to comprehend sword momentum, finding no way past the threshold. Now, as he clashed with the swordsmen, he observed and learned from them. Fresh ideas sprang into his mind one after another, and he immediately put them to the test through his sword wheel. After countless attempts... At times, the sword wheel surged with power, easily forcing both swordsmen back. At other times, Qin Sang hit a bottleneck. Trying various approaches caused the sword wheel to flicker erratically or even collapse, but fortunately, his external incarnation remained at his side, stepping in just in time to rescue him. Stumbling though he was, Qin Sang pressed forward without pause. *Clang!* A sharp ring of clashing metal echoed. A swordsman's blade was snapped in two by the sword wheel. *Swish!* The point of Qin Sang's sword came to rest directly at the swordsman's throat. The swordsman cupped his hands in defeat and melted back into the stone wall. Gripping the ebony sword, Qin Sang felt as if awakening from a dream. Only then did he realize they had arrived near the very end. Only the final two guardian swordsmen remained before he would conquer the Sword Path. Shaking his head, Qin Sang let out a long breath. He felt he had gained immensely, his swordsmanship advancing another tier. Once he returned and meditated on it further, he might truly be able to touch the threshold of sword momentum. "You just need to pin one down for me," Qin Sang instructed his incarnation. Without a magic treasure in hand, the incarnation could not defeat a swordsman who also possessed peak Core Formation stage cultivation and superb sword technique. It could only stall one opponent to buy time, allowing Qin Sang to defeat them one by one. Swallowing several medicinal pills, Qin Sang brought his condition back to its peak. Exchanging a glance with his incarnation, he stepped shoulder to shoulder with it into the final stretch of the Sword Path. The next instant. Two figures emerged from the stone walls, swords cradled in their arms, gazing at Qin Sang without an ounce of emotion. The moment they appeared, Qin Sang felt a sudden surge of pressure, his expression turning solemn. These two swordsmen were remarkably strong. *Whoosh!* Moving from absolute stillness to sudden fury, the ebony sword transformed in the blink of an eye into a sword wheel, whirling lethally toward one of the swordsmen. At the same time, the external incarnation lunged forward, condensing true essence into armor and a great seal that slammed toward the other swordsman. Battle erupted instantly. The two swordsmen attempted to pincer Qin Sang, but the incarnation intercepted one of them, leaving Qin Sang to face only a single foe. After a few exchanges, the incarnation fell into a disadvantage and was forced onto the defensive, barely managing to keep itself unharmed for the time being. Qin Sang glanced over twice, then focused with confidence on his own opponent. His sword wheel shone bright as a full moon. The swordsman was not to be outdone; with a quiver of his blade, his sword light differentiated, sword Qi gathering and scattering at will, surging across the corridor like a rushing river. Qin Sang's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight. The opponent was formidable, his swordsmanship already pushed to the absolute peak possible in this realm, bordering on the threshold of sword momentum. Yet far from feeling alarmed, Qin Sang felt a thrill of delight. This was the perfect opportunity to temper his understanding and reap even greater gains. *Boom!* The sword wheel slammed into the river of sword Qi, churning up massive shockwaves. As the fallout struck the walls, the blue bricks flashed with light, neutralizing the impact. Qin Sang deliberately led his opponent away, creating distance from the other fight to avoid hindering his incarnation. *Rumble...* Sword Qi swept through the air. The ebony sword rose and plunged within the torrential river. Steering the blade with all his might, Qin Sang felt the strain. In a pure contest of swordsmanship, he was undeniably at a disadvantage. As before, he held on with everything he had, ravenously observing every move and posture of his opponent. The corridor was exceptionally sturdy; even such a fierce clash failed to leave the slightest mark on its stones. Before long, Qin Sang and his opponent had somehow traded positions. After trading hundreds upon thousands of blows, signs of defeat appeared on Qin Sang's side, and he was driven into a corner. The sword wheel was suppressed until it was as feeble as a candle flame, leaving the ebony sword with almost no room to maneuver. Yet Qin Sang showed no hint of panic, remaining entirely absorbed in the fight. *Bang!* The ebony sword was repelled. Qin Sang's eyes shifted, as though snapping awake. The Phoenix Wings on his back suddenly flared with azure light, and with a single flicker, he vanished from where he stood. *Clang!* The blade pierced through Qin Sang's afterimage and struck the wall. The swordsman was a flawless sword cultivator. His expression did not waver after missing his mark; retrieving his sword, he accurately pinpointed Qin Sang's true body, united with his blade, and gave relentless chase. This scene repeated itself many times. Whenever Qin Sang was on the verge of being overwhelmed, he relied on his movement technique to slip away, his comprehension of the sword path deepening with every exchange. "I've learned just about all of their sword techniques..." Qin Sang exhaled slowly, a faint smile touching his lips. In a deep voice, he said, "My thanks to the senior who created the Sword Path for guiding this junior's cultivation!" Before the words had even faded, Qin Sang's aura shifted drastically. He finally unleashed his full power, transforming his physical body into a sword wheel. In an instant, his entire being seemed to become a sharp blade, slashing down ferociously at his opponent. The swordsman hastily brought his blade across to parry, only to be struck by a colossal force that drove him dozens of feet back in an instant. At the same time, tri-colored light flared around Qin Sang. Abandoning his current opponent, he flickered out of sight and reappeared directly above the other swordsman, descending like a wheel of blades from the heavens. In that exact moment, the external incarnation, which had remained on the defensive, exploded into action. Its true essence surged wildly like a flood dragon, crashing toward the swordsman's chest. That swordsman was extraordinary as well; facing a pincer attack, he did not panic in the least. Retreating swiftly, he guided his blade around, attempting to take on both of them at once. Yet before Qin Sang, his reaction was still a fraction of a beat too slow. Before his sword technique could even take form, the sword wheel struck. Following a deafening roar, the blade was knocked flying, and the swordsman was shoved back by the tremendous force. The incarnation was already upon him! *Boom!* The swordsman scrambled to block a palm strike from the incarnation, thrown into complete disarray. Meanwhile, Qin Sang swung the ebony sword behind him, intercepting the hidden thrust from his previous opponent. After tangling with him for a few moments, he repeated the tactic. The two swordsmen shifted their techniques continuously, yet against Qin Sang's top-tier movement art, they were utterly helpless, and Qin Sang dismantled them one by one. With his chest caved in, the swordsman looked down, cupped his hands, and dissolved into azure light that sank back into the stone wall. Breaking the deadlock had taken only an instant. With the tides turned, Qin Sang and his incarnation teamed up against the remaining swordsman, defeating him in short order. "Finally through!" A look of delight surfaced on Qin Sang's face. He knew that while the swordsmen possessed superb technique, they were ultimately unliving constructs that did not scheme. Yet this battle had not been as easy as it looked. Checking within with his inner vision, he found his true essence heavily depleted. He quickly took out several spirit pills, swallowed them, and sat cross-legged to regulate his breath. Covered in sword wounds, the incarnation also took pills to heal. Not knowing what dangers might lie beyond the Sword Path, Qin Sang intended to recover his strength before proceeding. Before long, Qin Sang and his incarnation rose to their feet. With the incarnation leading and Qin Sang following, they stepped onto the stone stairs. The stairs ascended straight upward into the darkness, exceptionally smooth from the passage of countless feet. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly appeared on Qin Sang's shoulder, peering toward the top of the stairs. There, it discovered a door—and it was standing half-open.