Ling Han came to a sudden realization. This stone tablet was indeed here to pa.s.s down the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords.
However, after pa.s.sing the second region, why wasn’t the third row of symbols lighting up?
This was because the stone tablet was teaching him the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords. Thus, wasn’t it natural for him to resist using the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords that he had just learned?
Sure enough, once Ling Han started to use Heaven Destroying Nine Swords, even the attacks from the second row of symbols started to become more gentle. It was like a teacher guiding their disciple.
No matter how fierce this teacher seemed, it was simply being strict with its own disciples.
With this realization, Ling Han turned around, and said to the Empress and Hu Niu, “Resist using the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords that you’ve just learned.”
Both of them were smart people, and they more so held absolute trust in Ling Han. Thus, they immediately did as he said.
However, this was a sword technique that they had only just learned, so how much of its might could they truly unleash? Even though the attacks from the second row were gentler now, Ling Han and the others were still pushed back further and further.
Ling Han was completely unfazed. He simply unleashed the first technique of the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords as he also mulled over it in his mind.
As he retreated, his grasp over the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords also became stronger and stronger.
In fact, there were even times when he would retreat into the distance to enter the Black Tower, where he would ponder under the Reincarnation Tree for a while before coming back out.
The Empress and Hu Niu also did the same.
Seven days later, the three of them pa.s.sed through the second region at almost the exact same time.
Weng, weng, weng!
The third row of symbols lit up, materializing into three sword-wielding people.
Without any nonsense—they couldn’t speak anyway—these three people immediately charged over and attacked.
Sure enough, this was the correct method!
Ling Han laughed heartily as he brandished his Divine Demon Sword, and unleashed the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords.
Clang, clang, clang!
Swords clashed, releasing a crisp clanging sound even though Ling Han was clearly fighting against a projection. This was a clash of the great dao, a clash which could shake both heaven and earth.
This was a ferocious battle.
Like before, Ling Han and the others would fight for a while before stopping for a while. Occasionally, they would also enter the Black Tower to further comprehend the sword techniques. One day in the outside world was equivalent to 100 days of deep thought under the Reincarnation Tree. Coupled with their smarts, their progress was naturally shooting forward in leaps and bounds.
When they reached the fifth region, Yan Xianlu had only just entered the second region.
Meanwhile, Bewitching Maiden Rou was still stuck in her original spot, unable to advance a single inch.
This was the gulf between them.
Ling Han would occasionally glance back to check on her progress, and he couldn’t help but sigh in his mind. Bewitching Maiden Rou had initially been a king tier. After obtaining the help of the Heavenly Dao Jade, she had mended her path of cultivation, and advanced to become an emperor tier. Moreover, she had become a top-notch emperor tier.
Yet, even top-notch emperor tiers surprisingly didn’t have the right to learn the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords!
At most, they could only learn the first technique.
The Celestial King who created this sword technique had definitely been an extremely proud being. In his mind, only monarch tiers had the right to inherit his sword technique. As for other also-rans, he would rather this sword technique be lost than be inherited by them.
Moreover, this was definitely a high-level Celestial King. Seventh Heaven? Eighth Heaven? Ninth Heaven?
Ling Han became increasingly astonished. He had already come across several reincarnations of Celestial Kings. In other words, there was a significant chance that many Celestial Kings would still “die”. This was completely different from his expectation of the Celestial Realm.
In his mind, Celestial Kings should have been eternal and indestructible.
He forcefully suppressed the puzzlement in his mind. Right now, his most important task was to master this sword technique. In any case, his questions would eventually be answered following his advance in cultivation level.
As he pushed forward, the projections summoned by the stone tablet became increasingly powerful. In turn, it also became increasingly difficult to master the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords.
During his third year here, Ling Han suddenly stopped to glance back.
Someone else had come… It was Shu Yarong and the others.
They had finally finished a.n.a.lyzing the paths, and found the correct route to reach this place. However, it was a shame that just a few forks in the path had delayed them by over two years. The gulf between them and Ling Han was far too large.
This was also a direct reflection of the Reincarnation Tree’s incredible usefulness. This was the impressive nature of the Source Powers of heaven and earth.
Upon seeing Ling Han, expressions of anger spread across Shu Yarong’s and the others’ faces.
If they had followed Ling Han, they could have arrived here over two years ago. Would they have needed to waste so much time?
Ling Han only needed to lead the way. Would that bring him any loss? Was there any need for him to be so petty?
They were merely considering this problem from their own point of view. As a result, they started to feel aggrieved and wronged. However, why didn’t they consider this from Ling Han’s point of view? Why did he need to bring them here? Not to mention that they were fighting for treasures in a mystery realm, they would at least need to thank him for pointing out the correct path even in the outside world, right?
Ling Han simply replied with a smile. He had no time for these people.
Anyhow, Shu Yarong and the others naturally noticed the stone tablet as well. They hurriedly walked over to start battling with the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords.
However, it was a shame that only Shu Yarong had obtained the true meaning of the great dao pertaining to the Regulation of Slaughter among them. Thus, how could they possibly hope to learn the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords through simple battle?
Of course, this was unless they possessed heaven-defying talent and apt.i.tude. Otherwise, it was simply impossible for them to learn the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords.
Even so, they were still unwilling to give up. After all, this was a paramount sword technique, so how could they abandon it just like that?
Thus, they continued to persist with their futile struggle.
Ling Han turned his attention back to the battle at hand.
Even though the humanoid projections looked ferocious, they were actually very good teachers. Time and time again, they continued to fully exhibit the complete essence of the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords.
Another year pa.s.sed, and even Bewitching Maiden Rou saw a significant improvement, finally advancing to the second region. However, apart from Shu Yarong, the rest of the newcomers all remained stuck in the first region.
Living up to her name as the second greatest prodigy of the Wide Prosperity Heaven and her status as the reincarnation of a Celestial King, Shu Yarong had already advanced to the third region, rivaling the progress of Yan Xianlu.
At this time, however, Ling Han, the Empress, and Hu Niu had already been battling in the eighth region for a very long time. Once they pa.s.sed this region, they would be able to learn the final technique of the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords.
Boom!
Ling Han was the first to enter the ninth region. As he swung his Divine Demon Sword, a humanoid projection was viciously obliterated from existence. A boundless murderous aura emanated from his body, and with a confident stride, he finally entered the ninth region.
However, the ninth row of symbols didn’t light up.
‘What’s going on?’
Ling Han was slightly surprised. He had clearly arrived here by using the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords, so why was there no reaction from the stone tablet?
He observed the stone tablet carefully, and he finally discovered that the ninth row of symbols was incomplete.
‘It was damaged by someone?’
He glanced over it again, and he immediately shook his head. The stone tablet hadn’t been damaged by anyone. Instead, it was incomplete in the first place.
Perhaps the Celestial King hadn’t been able to create the ninth technique. Or perhaps he had suddenly changed his mind while carving the symbols for the ninth technique.
Without the willpower of a Celestial King, the ninth row of symbols was dull and lifeless. Moreover, it looked like a jumble of meaningless scribbles.
Ling Han had no option but to stop. It was also at this moment that the stone tablet suddenly collapsed with a resounding boom. It was as if it were laying to eternal rest after successfully imparting its inheritance.
All of the sword light and humanoid projections instantly vanished.
“Wh-what did you do?!” a monarch tier from the Wide Prosperity Heaven roared at Ling Han. He was called Ma Lugang, and he was ranked eighth among the prodigies from the Wide Prosperity Heaven.
‘What did I do?’
Ling Han rubbed his nose. This person was clearly blaming him for the collapse of the stone tablet. Although this was likely true, it was not something of his explicit doing. Instead, it was a result of the Celestial King’s decision. Once someone mastered the eighth technique, the stone tablet would automatically crumble.
As such, what did this have to do with him?
Not to mention that he didn’t know about this, even if he did, was there any obligation for him to stop? Did he need to wait for them to learn the Heaven Destroying Nine Swords?
What an absolute joke!
“Don’t blame me for demeaning you, but you trash couldn’t have mastered this sword technique anyway,” Ling Han said in a serious voice.