Free Web NovelChapter 1890: Chapter 1657: Disdain
The group walked together through the mountain, searching for some traces left by the Saint, hoping that the paths left by the Saint could inspire them. Soon, they arrived at a Stone Forest.
In the Stone Forest, there were stone pillars that two people could hug, each about thirty or forty meters high. Quite a few Boundary Generals wandered among these stone pillars, observing the marks left on them, hoping to gain insight into the realm the Saint practiced in her youth.
"Brother Hong, is this really where the Xialing Saint practiced when she was young? I heard this Stone Forest was her sword training ground in her early years," the girl named Su Xue asked softly, following beside Hong Yi.
Hong Yi nodded, "Xialing Saint’s greatest killing technique was swordsmanship. When she was young, Xia Ling Venerable practiced swords here. At that time, she had just entered the Boundary General Level. Every Saint was the top genius of their era. Such insight into their previous cultivation paths would greatly benefit one’s own practice."
Su Xue’s eyes gleamed brightly, nodding eagerly.
Dong Xu said: "But it’s not easy to comprehend the traces of a Saint’s cultivation. Look at all these people here; only a few actually gain insights from the tracks left by the Saint’s youthful practice. Besides, insights vary in depth—Saints were the strongest geniuses of their time, and it’s not easy to comprehend their cultivation traces."
Hong Yi and Ling Tong nodded in agreement, all supporting Dong Xu’s words.
Saints were considered unparalleled geniuses in their era. Across the entire Star Sky Alliance, there were only three Saints. One can imagine that during that period, they were truly brilliant ’stars.’
Three Saints had the ability to pursue the qualifications to become Emperor-level Experts, but unfortunately, for millions of years, aside from the two already fallen, no one else in the universe has achieved the Emperor level.
"Hey, Lin Mo, why are you moving towards the center? The closer you get to the center of the Sword Trace Stone Forest, the stronger the Sword Intent is. Initially, the Xialing Saint practiced at the periphery. As her skills increased, she gradually moved to the center. If you wish for insight, start from the outside," Yu Haichao shouted suddenly.
He saw Lin Mo was fixated on some sword marks on the stone pillar and was walking towards the center of the Stone Forest.
Lin Mo looked back at him briefly, said nothing, and continued forward. He closely examined every sword mark on the stone pillars.
Yu Haichao’s face turned red as he glared fiercely at Lin Mo, feeling ignored.
"This guy! If not for him being Ling Tong’s friend, I’d want to teach him a lesson," Yu Haichao said, clenching his fists angrily.
Hong Yi patted Yu Haichao’s shoulder, knowing his friend’s character—without much malice but generally used to newbies being deferential towards him and somewhat annoyed by Lin Mo’s disregard.
"Haichao, we’re all friends here, don’t get angry. Newbies among the Boundary Generals tend to act this way, and everyone goes through it. He’ll understand it once he gets used to life here," Hong Yi said with a smile.
Hong Yi was the most low-key in the group, yet his strength was publicly acknowledged as the greatest. There was no doubt he could enter the Advanced Realm General Zone during this year’s Boundary General selection.
Within the small circle, he held substantial authority. Hearing this, Yu Haichao took a deep breath and refrained from speaking further. He had to respect him.
Watching Lin Mo’s back, Hong Yi thought of his past self. He was once the top genius in his Star Domain, with a touch of arrogance and self-confidence. But after coming to the Star Sky Alliance, he realized he wasn’t truly a genius.
Like the Sword Trace Stone Forest ahead, he had visited it many times, gleaning some insights to aid his cultivation. Yet, as he approached the center, his comprehension reached a halt.
"Mr. Lin can be somewhat aloof, but he means no harm," Ling Tong said awkwardly.
"Daring enough to scuffle with Duke Yaoyang’s newbie Boundary Generals – who wouldn’t have a bit of quirky temperament?" Dong Xu laughed heartily.
With a few jokes exchanged, the previously tense atmosphere eased significantly.
In the Stone Forest, new arrivals like Lin Mo generally proceeded straight to the inside, only to discover that they couldn’t comprehend the sword marks on the stone pillars, often getting mentally disturbed. Such newbies would then step back and honestly start their comprehension from the Forest’s outermost region.
"People are becoming fewer."
Going further inside the Stone Forest, Lin Mo noticed fewer people, with increasingly stronger cultivation levels. Some Realm Marquises sat cross-legged in front of the stone pillars, while others stood before them, shaking their heads, sighing, and then laughed or cried.
"These sword marks have become increasingly intense, with much denser killing intent," Lin Mo observed the sword marks on the stone pillars as he slowly approached the center of the Stone Forest, frowning as he furrowed his sword-like eyebrows.
Unconsciously, he had already reached the center of the Stone Forest.
At the center, there was nobody present. There wasn’t any barrier in the Stone Forest, allowing even someone like Yingzi to enter if she possessed the necessary strength.
But if one’s strength was insufficient, viewing and comprehending the sword marks on the stone pillars might lead to getting lost within them, possibly disrupting one’s own mental state.
"It’s difficult, truly difficult... The swordsmanship left behind by Xialing Saint during her Boundary General phase is quite exquisite," suddenly, a soft sigh reached Lin Mo’s ear.
Following the sound, Lin Mo saw an old man with a head full of silver hair, clad in black robes, his posture as upright as a sword, standing before a stone pillar, shaking his head in admiration and sighing.
Lin Mo couldn’t sense the man’s strength, presumably above World King Level cultivation.
"These sword marks were left by Xialing Saint during her practice as a Boundary General. After Xialing became a Saint, the traces she had left were permeated with a Saint’s aura. Ignoring that aura, these were indeed finely executed sword techniques," Lin Mo said placidly.
Suddenly, the silver-haired old man turned around, his eyes sharp like a predator’s, fixing straight on Lin Mo, "Boy, what are you saying? Ignoring the Saint’s aura makes them easier to understand?"
"If Xialing Saint hadn’t become a Saint, without the Saint’s aura around the sword marks, they would actually be easy to comprehend – with emotions of fury and joy contained within each sword skill. I suspect when Xialing practiced this set of techniques in her youth, she had emotional sentiments. Although the sword skills are fierce, there’s always a trace of gentle turning, hiding a thread of vitality amidst layers of lethal killing intent," Lin Mo stated.
The silver-haired elder widened his eyes in anger, "Nonsense, Xialing Saint having emotional sentiments? The Sword Intent within these marks being so easily understood? Boy, I reckon you’re just a newly arrived Boundary General daring to boast here?"
