Ask Wudang Chapter 140

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Above the cliff was a platform, about five zhang square. At the back of the platform, leaning against the mountain wall, was a small stone platform about five feet high, covered with a layer of soil, already overgrown with weeds.

On the mountain wall, two large characters, “Sword Mound,” were carved.

As soon as Ye Qingfeng saw these two characters, he felt a vast sword intent surge towards him. Especially the character “Sword,” the sword intent contained within it was like an boundless ocean, vast and mighty, with an imposing aura that captivated one’s heart.

However, although this sword intent was strong, it still couldn’t trouble Ye Qingfeng.

As this sword intent surged towards him, Ye Qingfeng’s own sword intent also soared into the sky, confronting it as equals. The two stalemated for only three breaths before the sword intent on the stone wall was suppressed, ultimately proving Ye Qingfeng’s sword intent to be superior. It made sense when one thought about it; although Dugu Qiubai was formidable, he was no longer in the world. The sword intent he left behind, without anyone controlling it, how could it contend against Ye Qingfeng’s sword intent?

Just then, Yang Guo and the Divine Condor also ascended to the platform.

Yang Guo looked at the stone wall, his expression first startled, then he read aloud: “Dugu Qiubai, the Sword Demon, having no equal under heaven, buried his swords here. Alas, with all heroes helpless, the long sword is sharp in vain, is it not sorrowful?” After reading this sentence, he continued, “So there are still traces of Senior Dugu here. Since this place is called the Sword Mound, it should be where Senior Dugu buried his swords, but I wonder where he buried them?”

Ye Qingfeng said, “If my guess is correct, it’s on that stone platform.”

At this moment, the Divine Condor had already walked forward. It suddenly flapped its wings, instantly clearing away the soil and weeds on the stone platform, revealing its true appearance. The stone platform was about a zhang wide, with traces of axe and chisel marks, seemingly artificially carved. On it were placed four stone boxes, each about four feet long, with characters carved on their lids.

The master and disciple slowly walked to the stone platform.

The first stone box was inscribed: “Sharp and fierce, nothing can withstand it. Before the age of twenty, used to contend with the heroes of Heshuo.”

The moment he saw this line of text, Ye Qingfeng felt another surge of sword intent. Under the influence of this sword intent, a youthful and impetuous swordsman immediately appeared in his mind. This young swordsman, whose skills were not yet perfected, relied on a sharp precious sword to contend with the heroes of Heshuo, gaining great fame for a time, as if he had reached the pinnacle of his life, truly triumphant.

This sword intent made Ye Qingfeng recall his own fifteen years of age. At that time, his Pure Yang Limitless Art had just reached great completion, and he was also a hot-blooded and impulsive youth, always wanting to overpower others with his martial arts. The Kongtong, Kunlun, Sea Shark Sect, and Giant Whale Gang were all overshadowed by him. He was also triumphant in his youth, his state of mind remarkably similar to the sword intent of Dugu Qiubai.

Ye Qingfeng smiled faintly, his thoughts suddenly shifting, and this sword intent dissipated.

He then looked at the second stone box.

It was inscribed: “Violet Willow Soft Sword, previously used, unluckily injured a righteous person, boundless regret, thus abandoned into a deep valley.”

Another surge of sword intent came. This time, what appeared in Ye Qingfeng’s mind was the image of a young swordsman. This young swordsman, not yet thirty, with a heart full of passion, roamed the jianghu, achieving success and establishing a career. But he was too strong, made a mistake, and accidentally injured a righteous person. After injuring the righteous person, he was filled with unbearable regret, so he abandoned the sword into a deep valley, hoping to learn from it.

The state of mind contained in this sword intent was also remarkably similar to Ye Qingfeng’s before the age of thirty. From twenty to thirty, Ye Qingfeng was also in the stage of establishing his career. When he first entered the jianghu, he overpowered the Kunlun and Kongtong sects on the Heavenly Eagle Sect’s large ship. Afterward, he repelled the heroes at Wudang’s Purple Cloud Palace and even fought against the three great monks of Lin, his reputation spreading throughout the jianghu. And now, recalling that turbulent period, it was already unbearable to look back on. Everything had dissolved into a faint smile.

With a faint smile, he once again shifted his thoughts, and this sword intent also dissipated.

He then looked at the third stone box.

It was inscribed: “Heavy sword without edge, great skill without art. Relied on it to roam the world before the age of forty.”

The sword intent that surged forth this time was ancient and profound, grand and majestic, completely different from the previous two. The image of a calm and profound swordsman appeared in Ye Qingfeng’s mind. At this stage, the swordsman finally understood that so-called (cefc) experts were just that; what did it matter to be invincible under heaven? Therefore, he put away his former wildness and slowly began to focus on his personal cultivation.

Ye Qingfeng had also experienced the state of mind contained in this sword intent. Therefore, he developed Wudang, allied with Emei, controlled the Ming Cult, and strategically planned across the land, finally overthrowing the Mongol Yuan dynasty and ascending to the position of emperor. But when he truly sat on that position, he retreated swiftly, laid out the Great Gan Dynasty’s development plan for the next five hundred years, and then ascended to this world.

At this stage, his martial arts had reached an extremely high level, almost invincible under heaven, but being invincible was not a good thing for him. So he did not seek fame in the jianghu, but instead lived in seclusion in Zhongnan, nurturing disciples and living as an idle person outside the world.

Ye Qingfeng also dismissed this sword intent with a smile, annihilating it with a change of thought.

He then looked at the fourth stone box.

“After the age of forty, unhindered by objects, grass, wood, bamboo, and stone can all be swords. From then on, refined cultivation, gradually approaching the realm of no sword surpassing having a sword.”

This sword intent finally had meaning, no longer bound by form. Grass, wood, bamboo, and stone could all be swords. The image of the swordsman in Ye Qingfeng’s mind also transformed from reaching the peak to returning to simplicity. Despite having reached an extremely high position in the jianghu, he lived in seclusion in a valley because he could not find an opponent. From then on, he befriended the condor, contemplated the sword dao, and finally reached a higher level: no sword in hand, but a sword in heart.

The state of mind contained in this sword intent was Ye Qingfeng’s current state of mind. Based on his true age after transmigrating, Ye Qingfeng was forty-one this year, which perfectly overlapped with Dugu Qiubai’s age. The two not only overlapped in state of mind and age but also in strength. Ye Qingfeng’s current strength was similar to Dugu Qiubai’s strength after the age of forty.

Therefore, this sword intent was extremely difficult to deal with and not so easy to obliterate.

The struggle between the two sword intents was like two swordsmen fighting. This struggle existed in Ye Qingfeng’s mind; only he could see it, and only he could feel it. Other than him, neither the Divine Condor nor Yang Guo noticed anything.

The process of this struggle was indescribable and ineffable. In Ye Qingfeng’s imagination, no matter what martial art he used, it would be instantly broken cleanly by the opponent. The opponent was like an omnipotent martial arts treasure trove, becoming stronger when faced with strength, making one completely unable to resist. However, Ye Qingfeng was not one to give up easily. He had attained the Dao, and his Dao heart was firm. No matter what kind of predicament he encountered, he would not waver in the slightest. Therefore, although the opponent was formidable, he did not fall behind in the slightest.

As this struggle continued, Ye Qingfeng’s entire mind became immersed in it, losing all perception of the outside world.

“Holy crap!”

Yang Guo was about to step forward to open the first stone box when he suddenly noticed that his master was in an unusual state and quickly retreated to the side.

Immediately after, he witnessed a miraculous scene.

He saw white smoke rising from Ye Qingfeng’s head. This white smoke was not ordinary true qi but a mysterious substance that condensed without dispersing. The white smoke continuously condensed on Ye Qingfeng’s head, then formed into leaves, and three flower buds grew out. The flower buds swayed for a moment and then bloomed competitively, becoming more and more brilliant. This miraculous scene was precisely the phenomenon of Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown.

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