"Quick, quick, to the eleventh cave! I heard that Wan Guan Zhu is going to demonstrate the Great Dao Sword Art passed down by the Sword Dao Ancestor...!"
At this moment, all the disciples of the Wudang Sect heard that Wan Yunting was going to demonstrate the Great Dao Sword Art he had comprehended on Sword Cliff. Everyone rushed to the eleventh cave. Indeed, they saw Wan Yunting, Zi Qing, Xian Yun, and others in a large square, with disciples constantly gathering...
Wan Yunting was waiting for all the Wudang Sect disciples to gather before demonstrating the Great Dao Sword Art. To avoid having to explain it to each of them individually, he decided to have them all come. He would demonstrate it a few times for them to see, and how much they could comprehend would depend on their own aptitude.
Zhang Yansong, along with Tan Zhiyuan, Yao Xin, and Xiao Chuanzi, also arrived, as did Zuo Qi and Senior Uncle Wang Zhengyi, and several elderly seniors of the Wudang Sect. The younger disciples respectfully greeted them.
Even Kong Liancheng and several others who were also retired at the Wudang Sect came to join the fun. Although they usually meditated and practiced, and their martial arts mainly focused on cultivating the body and mind, Kong Liancheng had also observed the Sword Cliff left by the Wudang Sect's Sword Dao Ancestor. He knew that the word "sword" on Sword Cliff contained the sword intent inheritance of a generation of Sword Dao Ancestors.
Kong Liancheng did not expect Wan Yunting to be able to comprehend sword intent from it. It seemed that his son, Kong Jingguo, had chosen the right person!
Zi Qing, who was standing with Wan Yunting, saw Kong Liancheng. However, her naturally serene phoenix eyes were calm, and there was not a trace of emotion on her face. She even acted as if she didn't see him, which made Kong Liancheng smile helplessly. He had never been very close to his granddaughter. Since he came to Wudang Sect to retire, Zi Qing had never visited him, except when he went to find her.
In Zi Qing's heart, from the moment her father abandoned her mother, she was no longer a member of the Kong family!
Wan Yunting also noticed the details of this interaction. Although he was curious why Zi Qing, a descendant of the Kong family, was estranged from her grandfather, as an outsider, Wan Yunting couldn't ask too many questions.
"Sect Leader, it's our Sect Leader Master...!"
A disciple excitedly shouted from the crowd. Senior Brother Xian Yun and Second Senior Brother Xiu Qi were startled and quickly moved forward. As the disciples parted, they saw a thin, not-tall elderly man wearing a gray Taoist robe, with his half-white hair tied in a Taoist bun, revealing his rosy old face. He had thick black eyebrows and a half-white beard, and his eyes held a gentle gaze. He smiled amiably, exuding an air of immortal demeanor. This was the Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect, Zhong Yulong!
"Master, when did you come out of seclusion?"
Xian Yun, Xiu Qi, Xu Yuxin, Zi Qing, and other disciples cupped their fists and bowed. They didn't know when their Master had emerged from seclusion, as he had been in seclusion for nearly three months.
"Junior Brother..."
"Senior Brother, you're out of seclusion..."
Zhang Yansong, Zuo Qi, Wang Zhengyi, and other senior and junior brothers also came to greet him. Zhong Yulong cupped his fists and bowed to them. Seeing the two elders, he also respectfully bowed, "Uncle-Master Zhang, Uncle-Master Wang, you are also here."
The elder wearing the thick black cotton Taoist robe smiled and said, "I heard that someone has comprehended the sword intent inheritance of our Wudang Sect's Sword Dao Ancestor, so we came to take a look."
Zhong Yulong nodded and said with a gentle smile, "I had a feeling, so I came out to see."
"Sect Leader Grandfather, he is Wan Yunting, the master of Wuliang Daoist Temple!"
Lan Xin pointed at the approaching Wan Yunting and shouted. Zhong Yulong and the two elders looked over. Wan Yunting, accompanied by Duan Yingying and Ouyang Shen, approached and clasped his fists respectfully, saying, "Junior Wan Yunting greets Sect Leader Zhong."
A flicker of surprise flashed in Zhong Yulong's eyes. He quickly sized up Wan Yunting, then smiled warmly, "Sect Master Wan, there is no need for such formality. It is I who was impolite. You came to our Wudang Sect, and I failed to welcome you. I hope Sect Master Wan will forgive me."
Wan Yunting looked up at the Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect. Although he did not release any aura, he inexplicably made people feel a sense of respect for him. He said, "Where is this coming from, Sect Leader Zhong? It was I who came uninvited and disturbed you."
Zhong Yulong waved his hand and said with a smile, "I wonder how many levels of the Great Dao Sword Art Sect Master Wan has comprehended?"
Wan Yunting was startled. It seemed that Sect Leader Zhong knew that the Great Dao Sword Art had nine levels!
"The Great Dao is formless, the sword has form!" Wan Yunting said with humility.
"No sword in hand, but a sword in the heart. Every blade of grass and every tree is a sword!"
Zhong Yulong squinted his old eyes and muttered. His old eyes opened and he looked at Wan Yunting, smiling, "Sect Master Wan, you have comprehended the ninth level of the Great Dao Sword Art, where all things are swords!"
As soon as he said this, everyone in the Wudang Sect present was shaken. They widened their eyes and looked at Wan Yunting in disbelief, not expecting him to have comprehended the complete inheritance of the Great Dao Sword Art from the Sword Dao Ancestor!
Zhong Yulong continued with a smile, "Sect Master Wan, you have a connection with our Wudang Sect's Sword Dao Ancestor. Being able to inherit his Great Dao Sword Art has also fulfilled one of his wishes."
Wan Yunting showed a respectful demeanor and cupped his fists in a bow to Zhong Yulong, saying, "Sect Leader Zhong's magnanimity is admirable."
Zhong Yulong smiled and waved his hand, saying, "The reason I opened Sword Cliff to allow swordsmen from all over the world to observe was to find someone who could inherit the Great Dao Sword Art of our Wudang Sect's Sword Dao Ancestor!"
"This sword art carries the essence of the martial arts and sword techniques of our Wudang Sect throughout the generations, and it is the supreme sword art. It is a pity that among our many disciples, apart from Zi Qing who was able to comprehend the third level of the Great Dao Sword Art, none of us even had the qualification to comprehend it."
"Now that Sect Master Wan has comprehended the ninth level of the Great Dao Sword Art, it shows that you have extraordinary talent in the way of the sword. Although Sect Master Wan is not a disciple of our Wudang Sect, I still hope that you can use the Great Dao Sword Art to pacify the injustices in the world and not go down the wrong path. Can Sect Master Wan do it?"
Hearing his words, Wan Yunting's respect grew. He cupped his fists in a bow and said seriously, "Sect Leader Zhong, please rest assured, I will definitely not use the Great Dao Sword Art to harm or break the law, and I will uphold the just Dao and eliminate evil!"
Zhong Yulong was reassured by his promise.
After all, Wan Yunting was not a disciple of his Wudang Sect. If he were to commit evil deeds with the Great Dao Sword Art outside, Zhong Yulong would personally kill him.
"Grandfather, you may not know, but Sect Master Wan is a people's anti-drug hero and a righteous person."
Lan Xin did not forget to mention this, which surprised Zhong Yulong, who had always stayed out of worldly affairs. This made him even more at ease.
"Sect Master Wan, quickly show us the Great Dao Sword Art." Chong Ling'er said quickly.
"Alright."
Wan Yunting smiled and nodded, cupped his fists to Zhong Yulong, and then turned to take Lan Xin's sword from Duan Yingying. Everyone also stepped aside to give him space to demonstrate the Great Dao Sword Art.
Senior Brother Xian Yun, Second Senior Brother Xiu Qi, Third Senior Sister Xu Yuxin, and other disciples accompanied their Master, the Sect Leader. Zi Qing's naturally serene phoenix eyes were now slightly widened, showing an expectant look as she stared intently at Wan Yunting, who stood in the center of the arena.
After all, she had comprehended the third level of the Great Dao Sword Art after observing Sword Cliff for half an hour, so Zi Qing was eager to see Wan Yunting demonstrate the Great Dao Sword Art and learn the sword techniques for the later stages of the sword art...
Wan Yunting held the sword in his right hand, closed his eyes, and secretly mobilized the vital energy in his dantian. The powerful vital energy instantly circulated through his entire body's meridians. Immediately, Zhong Yulong, the two elders, Zuo Qi, and Wang Zhengyi sensed Wan Yunting's aura becoming sharp, as if he had transformed into a sharp sword, with his edge exposed, imposing an invisible pressure on everyone.
The next second, Wan Yunting's eyes opened, shooting out two beams of sword light. Then, he raised his sword with his right hand and began to perform the sword, following his footsteps. His movements were as fast as lightning, sometimes slow and unhurried, flowing like water, giving a sense of rhythm and naturalness.
Clang!
As Wan Yunting chanted, "Zhang Fan lifting the oar, no need for the paddle, a small boat, rowing on Xiaoxi, a single boat, the great river like silk, vast waves stretching thousands of miles..."
The long sword in his hand suddenly became extremely sharp, and an invisible vital energy enveloped the blade. As Wan Yunting followed the movements in the sword manual, the long sword emitted a crisp buzzing sound in the air, causing all the disciples of the Wudang Sect around them to widen their eyes and stare at him intently, fearing they would miss even a single sword move or incantation...
Zi Qing silently recited the sword incantations spoken by Wan Yunting, her eyes like a camera, firmly remembering every sword style and movement he made...
"The moon is divided, the stars are faint, the Milky Way is about to turn, the moon is bright and frosted, the Milky Way is full of egrets...!"
Wan Yunting practiced with increasing vigor, as if he were in a state of self-forgetfulness. The sword in his hand moved faster and faster, like a white snake spitting its tongue, whistling through the wind, or like a swimming dragon weaving through his body. Sometimes it was as light as a swallow, leaping up with a point of the sword, as swift as lightning, falling like scattered snow, suddenly rolling up a snowstorm and thrusting, his domineering sword qi like thunder and lightning, shattering a stone table ten meters away.
"What powerful sword qi!"
The elder surnamed Wang beside Zhong Yulong widened his old eyes. From the power of Wan Yunting's sword, it could be seen that this young man's swordsmanship had reached the realm of perfection.
The so-called sword qi was much more formidable than sword energy. Being able to cultivate sword qi indicated that Wan Yunting's swordsmanship had reached a realm that ordinary swordsmen could achieve.
"The Great Dao is formless, there is a sword in the heart, open the heavenly gate!"
Wan Yunting suddenly shouted to the sky, put away his long sword, pointed his left sword finger to the sky, and a powerful sword qi erupted from his feet, stirring up the snow on the ground. He rose into the air, his sword finger pointing an invisible sword stab towards the dark sky, as if he had cleaved open the gate of heaven with a single sword.
Such an astonishing scene left everyone present dumbfounded. Even Zhong Yulong could not help but nod and murmur, "What a magnificent 'cleave the heavenly gate with one sword'!"