Chapter 100

“So, what did you understand about the power of faith from our spar?” Heifeng Jiansui once again asked his disciples. And before giving them a chance to reply, he began, “You understood nothing. How can the phantom of a Black Phoenix summoned by a mortal defeat the Dao-principles of a Immortal King? How can a mortal attain the power of an Immortal King? This is the force you face, the power of ‘faith’.”

“This power can cause a leaf to cleave apart blades, form worlds and overturn them, give the mortal the destiny of a God and perhaps even the power of a God! This power is primarily cultivated by Gods, Buddhas and Devils, ignoring the Trinity of Qi, Essence and Spirit, mostly because it far surpasses it. Daoist cultivators of the Evil Path can use it as well, and even though they are limited it is still enough to break the sky and shatter the void. The three of you aren’t fated with the Dao of Heavenly Fate either…” Saying this, Heifeng Jiansui paused.

The silence stretched for a few moments before it was broken.

“”“Master, is there truly no way for us to contend with the power of faith?””” Three voices sounded together, with similar tones of urgency. Looking at the complexion of his three disciples, they seemed worried.

“The three of you are my disciples, disciples of the Quintessence Sword Saint. That’s why, the answer should be clear to you--- Quintessence Sword Intent. As long as you comprehend it, your sword can cut through even the abstruse fate.” Heifeng Jiansui’s tone was casual as ever, but the three words ‘Quintessence Sword Intent’ were earth shaking.

Langyu felt anticipation on hearing that the Sect Master planned on imparting such a mighty power while the twins couldn’t help but turn pale.

“Master, forgive us but despite spending a million years, we failed---“ The voices of the twins seemed filled with resignation, but Heifeng Jiansui’s interjection immediately stopped their apology.

“Yeah, I know. There is no way you would comprehend ‘Quintessence Sword Intent’ just like that. Honestly speaking, the fact that you stubbornly stuck with cultivating my sword art until now is quite admirable.” Heifeng Jiansui’s voice had a hint of admiration.

Hearing their conversation, Langyu was surprised. In the novel ‘Ninelight Sword Sovereign’, Shui Yan was using Quintessence Sword Intent from chapter 1. Chopping arrogant young masters, other sword intents, other swords, entire continents, crazed Buddhists, evil Demon beasts and sinister gods like butter. But Shui Yan had learnt for many years under his Master’s guidance, so it was acceptable.

“Anyway, you need to kill people to comprehend this sword intent. Kill, kill, kill, chop, chop, chop! But since I have two unblooded innocents as my disciple, I will have to refine a special trial for your sakes. Since Langyu is here, we’ll include her in this merry venture as well. Come with me.” Saying this, Heifeng Jiansui called the girls to follow him.

In the surroundings that were shaped like a martial dojo ground, the group of master and disciples came before a bamboo door. Opening it, there was a room with four statues.

One statue was roughly carved with a beastly air, unclothed, eight armed and four headed, horned and winged, with sharp claws on hands and feet.

The next statue was white like jade giving off an aura of benevolence and kindness, fat and well fed, with a white cloth covering it.

The third statue was tall and had the signs of strength and wisdom, strong and stalwart with eyes that seemed to have watched aeons. With a peculiar symbol engraved on the temple, that figure had eyes closed, as if in meditation.

The fourth statue was of a beast, a snake that coiled into itself. Yet this snake had four legs and a strange rune appearing from its back. Even Langyu could recognize this beast; it was a Coiling Dragon!

“You trial begins here. Demon, Buddha, God and Immortal. These statues are four, and like the Four Corners of the Universe, will form a world, a world that is false, an illusion built from desires. Break through it and you will find truth, Quintessence. If you fail… Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it! When you pass this test, you’ll be my true disciples and I’ll bestow the three of you awesome treasures! Good luck, girls!” Cheerily waving to the girls, Heifeng Jiansui walked away.

“Oh, I forgot. Let me give you a hint… hmm… Quintessence is the Grand Dao, the truth that cannot be hidden by falseness.” Saying this, he closed the door behind him, leaving the three to brave their trial.

+++

Langyu and her two martial sisters were nonplussed at their master’s departure. But when four colored lights shone from the statues forming a square and smashing through the room, space and time seemed to puzzle around them and waves of wind, earth, fire and water formed a new heaven and earth around them, they realized their master’s claim of this trial being a ‘False World’ was true.

Seeing this perilous sight, the Langyu felt fear knowing her mortal body and untrained skills would leave her the most defenseless of the group. But since this was a illusion in the end, it would not be capable of killing her. This thought emboldening her, she slowly followed behind her senior sisters.

Silently, the trio walked together. The land was barren until it suddenly wasn’t. Before they know it, they were surrounded by red.

The world that surrounded them was of fire. Rivers of lava flowed around them, and fire rained down from the skies. Flames conglomerated into a lake of fire.

Suddenly blasted by the fiery heat, the trio used their breathing technique to acclimate to the heat. The twins casted some spells upon Langyu’s sweat-ragged figure, allowing her to escape the torment the fire had brought upon her mortal body.

There could be no life that could exist here. Assured of this, the three decided to explore this place for clues to escape the hell of fire.

However surpassing all logic, in the middle of the lake of fire sat a man in meditation. Upon his forehead was a symbol that they had seen before, marking it as one of the four statues, the ‘God’. His eyes closed, his lips chanted soundlessly. An mantra that was not in words, yet surpassed all 5 senses of communication.

The three heard this mantra and trembled, for it was something that opposed the essence that cast their bodies, the path that their master followed and even the world that they hailed from. Yet the sound was soothing, enticing and seducing… Simply hearing it seemed to carry away the heat for the fire and sooth them. So chanting it… it would certainly bring more, right?

Even knowing this was an illusion, they couldn’t help this thought. But still, their knowledge allowed them to clear their minds and observe the problem facing them, the God. Only with knowledge could they hope to defeat this opponent.

Aum. Om. Ohm.

The sound of the chant was ever-changing yet constant, beguiling them to bring lip and tongue together, and chant alongside the God. They restrained themselves and watched. The God had eyes closed and sat meditating, but they couldn’t be confident of killing him even with a sneak attack. They needed to watch on and see through the mystery, spot the weakness.

The surrounding fires seemed to come together and revolve upon the man’s head. There formed a halo around the man’s head, a ring of fire. The halo surrounded the symbol marked on the man’s head, and it shot forth from the man’s forehead as he chanted. And finally, the chant ended and his eyes opened.

The three immediately drew their swords and pointed took up mirroring stances. This was a formation that they had immediately coordinated together, a virtue of the one sword style they shared and whose core they came to comprehend.

The God gently slid his finger down his brows, and the symbol upon them disappeared. With a flick of a finger, it flew towards the trio.

ॐ

There was no sound of Aum but there was the picture of Aum.

The flick of a finger and the symbol that wasn’t even a inch long… Brought forth the might of a falling sun.