Gateway of Immortality

After the sword qi vanished, a faint glow briefly shimmered over the cliff face. It was so subtle it could easily be missed if one wasn't paying close attention.

Before this glow had appeared, the cliff had shown no trace of abnormalities, no indication of barriers or spiritual arrays at all.

But when Qin Sang switched to the Cold Gold Sword and unleashed an ordinary strand of sword qi, just as it was about to strike, it was halted by a strange force. The sword qi scattered rapidly, and the final, fading wisp of qi drifted lightly onto the cliff, still unable to leave even a scratch.

This time, however, no glow emerged from the rock.

As Granny Jing had said, only sword qi infused with the unique killing intent from thePrimordial Spirit Sword Nourishmentcould awaken the sword seal here and open this place.

Without further hesitation, Qin Sang urged the ebony sword to slash again.

As one strand of sword qi after another was swallowed by the cliff, the glow on the stone became more pronounced.

Then, just as another sword qi faded into the rock, Qin Sang suddenly felt the ground beneath him tremble slightly. This time, the glow on the cliff did not disappear.

A faint light now enveloped the entire cliff face, and within it, a doorway began to take form, dark and indistinct beyond its threshold.

Qin Sang narrowed his eyes and flashed to the doorway.

At this point, the Yan Luo Banner of Ten Directions was of no use. Qin Sang instead concentrated on circulating the ebony sword, keeping it orbiting around him as protection.

Beyond the doorway lay a grand ancient hall, easily over ten zhang tall. Its depths were shrouded in darkness, with no end in sight.

This was already near the summit of the mountain. Given how narrow the peak was, it should have been impossible for a hall of this scale to exist here. Clearly, it had been constructed using some secret art.

What stood out the most, however, were the countless swords thrust into the floor of the hall.

These were not spiritual swords. They were stone swords, carved from rock. Their shapes varied dramatically. Some were broad and massive, heavy as mountains; others were thin as a cicada's wing. No two were alike.

They were embedded in the ground, leaving half their blades exposed. Together, they filled nearly the entire hall.

At the heart of these stone swords was a single narrow path, wide enough for only one person to pass. It stretched in a straight line toward the depths of the hall.

This was a path of swords!

Standing before the entrance, Qin Sang wore a grave expression. Though the swords appeared mundane, mere stone rather than spiritual artifacts, he could clearly sense the hall was saturated with chaotic sword will.

That sword will felt intimately familiar, identical in origin to that of thePrimordial Spirit Sword Nourishment.

The killing symbol on the ebony sword began to tremble, as if elated to have encountered its kin.

Qin Sang fixed his gaze toward the center of the hall.

That space was pitch black, entirely obscured. Not even his spiritual consciousness could peer inside. Any attempt to do so was immediately shredded by the omnipresent sword will.

What is this place?

Some kind of path of trials?

Doubt stirred in Qin Sang's heart. He knew that some sword sects maintained similar trial grounds, where elders had left behind the origin of their sword will to guide later generations in comprehending the Sword Dao and refining their techniques.

Shaohua Mountain had such a place too, the Sword Tower. Qin Sang had visited it twice, but due to the peculiar nature of thePrimordial Spirit Sword Nourishment, the benefits for him had been negligible. Eventually, he stopped going altogether.

Yet the sword will here was distinctly different from that in the Sword Tower. Every strand was laced with terrifying killing intent, worthy of its roots in thePrimordial Spirit Sword Nourishment.

For those who had embraced the Dao of Slaughter and practiced this art with full conviction, walking this path would surely lead to profound insights.

But as for Qin Sang, he had chosen this cultivation art for its speed and powerful abilities. With the Jade Buddha's protection, he had treated the art as a tool, never immersing himself in the slaughter it represented.

Will I be able to comprehend anything from the path of swords?

After a brief hesitation, Qin Sang activated the ebony sword, surrounding himself with protective sword qi, and stepped into the hall.

The light instantly dimmed.

All the stone swords trembled, and a chorus of sword cries echoed through the hall.

Even the ebony sword was affected. Its sword qi vibrated violently, humming incessantly.

But when it responded in kind, the chaotic sword will drifting through the air seemed to settle.

Yet the stone sword nearest Qin Sang only trembled more intensely. Then, with a sudden flash of sword light, a strand of sword will shot forth and arrived before him in the blink of an eye.

Qin Sang hadn't expected that such an ordinary-looking stone sword could actually unleash sword will. And it was a powerful sword will at that, potent enough to make his heart skip a beat.

Fortunately, he had been prepared. The ebony sword flashed to the front and met the oncoming sword will head-on. Its sword qi surged, clashing fiercely against it.

Bang!

At the moment of impact, the ebony sword suddenly dimmed as its sword qi was shattered.

Yet a remnant of that sword will still remained. It slipped past the ebony sword and slashed toward Qin Sang.

His expression shifted slightly. Even with his full strength, he had been unable to match it. The power of this sword will was nearly equal to an attack from a Golden Core cultivator.

He hastily formed a sword incantation, ready to command his sword to defend. But just as he moved, he paused, as if sensing something. Surprisingly, he gave up on summoning the ebony sword back and chose instead to face the attack with his own strength.

The threadlike sword will drifted gently to Qin Sang's forehead.

He stood fully prepared.

But unexpectedly, the sword will did not leave a wound on him. Instead, it passed straight into his primordial spirit space, where it was effortlessly dispersed by the golden light of the Jade Buddha.

As I thought!Qin Sang murmured inwardly, excitement welling in his chest. He had vaguely guessed this earlier.

This place, too, followed convention. It resembled the Sword Tower of Shaohua Mountain.

Though the strike had seemed menacing, it was in truth a fragment of true Sword Dao insight sealed within the stone sword, not a real strand of sword qi. It only targeted the primordial spirit and was likely intended to deter disciples lacking the necessary cultivation.

If this truly was a trial ground, it would probably take a Core Formation disciple to pass through it with ease.

With his current cultivation, had it not been for the Jade Buddha's protection, he would have had to proceed with great caution, fending off each sword one by one. Even if everything went smoothly, it remained uncertain whether he could reach the depths of the ancient hall before Ziwei Palace closed.

He remembered Granny Jing once mentioning that only by breaking through to the Core Formation Realm after cultivating thePrimordial Spirit Sword Nourishmentwould one have a solid chance of finding Qingzhu's relics. It was no empty claim.

Thankfully, these were only sword wills that invaded the soul, and the Jade Buddha could easily shield him.

For him, this path of swords was a clear road.

Even so, Qin Sang did not recklessly charge ahead relying on the Jade Buddha.

At the instant the ebony sword had clashed with the sword will, he had caught a glimpse of a bloody scene. He hadn't had time to study it, startled as he was by the sword will's power.

Now that he thought about it, such visions were likely remnants left behind by the sages. The sword wills contained their understanding of the cultivation art, the Sword Dao, and the Dao of Slaughter. If he could observe more of them, there was bound to be something to gain.

His own comprehension of the art was far less profound than Qingzhu's, who had been wholly devoted to it and advanced step by step. Qin Sang might not grasp anything immediately.

But if he could commit those images to memory, he could study them slowly in the future. It would surely benefit his cultivation later on, especially in comprehending the killing symbol.

It might even allow him to engrave the symbol faster.

There was no danger involved. Why not take the opportunity?

He had entered the hall smoothly without any delays, and he still had ample time reserved.

Qin Sang acted the moment the thought arose. He continued to drive the ebony sword forward and strode ahead with large, steady steps.