chsdbacks 26. To enter the Dao through killing?
26. To enter the Dao through killing?
Qiao Lin returned to Yinglong Guard and once again came to the back mountain where he had fought the innate gods and demons last time.
The moment Master Kui Mu saw Qiao Lin, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. He clicked his tongue in amazement and said, "Qiao Lin, it's only been a few months, but your aura has completely changed. It's incredibly sharp, and your sword energy soars to the sky, like a precious sword that's been drawn but not yet unleashed. Even I can feel a bit of pressure!"
"Master Kui Mu is too kind. My meager skills are hardly worthy of your attention!" Qiao Lin said with a cupped hand. "To tell you the truth, Master, I have come here to challenge Shi Liao. I hope to break through his barrier and achieve Sword Heart Clarity by cultivating my sword skills over this period of time."
Upon hearing Qiao Lin's words, Master Kui Mu frowned, and his gaze towards Qiao Lin suddenly became somewhat unfocused.
Seeing the sudden change in Master Kui Mu's expression, Qiao Lin wondered why he was acting this way, and smiled slightly: "Master, is there something you want to say? Perhaps there's something you're having trouble saying?"
"This, I don't know if I should say it..." Master Kui Mu suddenly looked thoughtful.
Qiao Lin looked at Master Kui Mu and realized that Master Kui Mu really had something to say to him!
"Does this have anything to do with me? Please speak freely."
"We haven't known each other for very long, and I shouldn't be interfering, but seeing that you, Qiao Lin, might be going astray, I really can't help but want to tell you something!"
Upon hearing Master Kui Mu say that he might have gone astray, Qiao Lin was shocked. He straightened his posture, bowed deeply to Master Kui Mu, and solemnly said, "Qiao Lin's cultivation is short, please enlighten me, Master."
"Very well, let's discuss this here. I wonder if you, Qiao Lin, would be willing?"
"I couldn't be happier!"
"please!"
Immediately, Master Kui Mu led Qiao Lin to sit down, and then slowly began to speak: "Although I do not follow the path of the sword, I have previously collaborated with a Nascent Soul Daoist from another branch. That mission went very smoothly, so I had a discussion with him about the Dao."
Upon hearing that Master Kui Mu had once communicated with a Nascent Soul True Person who had entered the path of swordsmanship, Qiao Lin's expression became even more solemn, his eyes fixed on Master Kui Mu with a questioning look in them.
Master Kui Mu continued, "That Taoist told me that the way of the sword is the way of killing, and many cultivators think that the best way to enter the Dao is through killing. Little do they know that if they want to advance further in the future, they will have to kill tens of thousands, hundreds of millions of people...!"
Upon hearing Master Kui Mu's words, Qiao Lin immediately took a deep breath, his eyes filled with horror. Had he unknowingly embarked on the path of cultivation through killing? Slaughtering all living beings?
"Qiao Lin, I have lived for hundreds of years in vain. Judging from your situation just now, you deliberately amplified your previous failure with Shi Liao, turning Shi Liao into your inner demon, in order to slay the inner demon and achieve the Dao. That sword Dao master once introduced this method to me. This method is also the most extreme one in the way of proving the Dao through killing."
Qiao Lin frowned, listening quietly to Master Kui Mu's introduction. The more he listened, the more shocked he became, and his heart was in turmoil.
His swordsmanship inheritance consisted of only a basic sword technique and three incomplete moves. These were merely moves, without any explanation of how to comprehend the Dao. Everything Qiao Lin had was something he had figured out on his own. He felt that by nurturing his inner demons and then slaying them, he could enter the path of the swordsmanship at the fastest speed, so he did just that. Unexpectedly, he went to extremes.
"Qiao Lin, are you perhaps a little anxious to improve your strength?" Master Kui Mu suddenly asked.
Qiao Lin nodded slowly, his expression complicated, but he did not speak about the specifics, nor could he tell the other party that the Genius Battle was about to begin.
In reality, Qiao Lin was a little anxious. The battle of geniuses was just around the corner. If he missed it, he would have to wait another five thousand years. That was a full five thousand years. Could he afford to wait that long?
The teacher was very good to him, and he was very grateful. However, the cultivation at the Hengxing stage had already consumed most of the teacher's life's accumulation. What should he do in the future?
The teacher only dared to teach Jolin how to cultivate secret techniques, but dared not instruct him on how to comprehend the laws, because, as Dorenshugg himself said, "I haven't even received the approval of the laws, how dare I teach you casually?"
The more Doronshugg said he couldn't teach any more, the more anxious Jolin became. He needed resources, secret techniques, and guidance from a teacher.
Perhaps it was this eagerness that made him unconsciously impatient for quick success?
He had some suspicions, but Qiao Lin had cultivated for fifteen years, and it was impossible for him to change his path based on a few words from others.
He silently noted this down, intending to later consult the Yinglong Guard's records to see if he could find anything relevant to his situation. He sighed inwardly, realizing his cultivation time was too short and his knowledge too shallow; he hadn't even read a single cultivation manual.
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Master Kui Mu's face showed a look of sudden realization: "The Dao of the Sword is different from the Daos of Lightning, Heaven and Earth, Time, and Space. Your mood and your desires will directly affect your Dao of the Sword."
"My understanding of swordsmanship is limited to this. After all, I only had one discussion with that master, so I'm afraid I can't help you much more!"
Qiao Lin was suddenly jolted out of his reverie. He quickly stood up and bowed deeply to Master Kui Mu: "Thank you for your guidance, Master. Otherwise, my swordsmanship might have reached a dead end in the future."
"No, no, I'm just repeating what that person told me before. It's nothing!"
"You are too modest. Your words were like a lifesaver. If there is anything I can do to help in the future, I will certainly not refuse!"
When Master Kui Mu heard Qiao Lin's words, his face remained calm, but a hint of joy appeared in his heart.
The greater the risk, the greater the favor one can gain upon success. This is a life-saving grace, no less than saving Qiao Lin's life in the cultivation world.
Qiao Lin's performance satisfied Master Kui Mu. Regardless of whether Qiao Lin would truly repay the favor in the future, it was clear that Qiao Lin had expressed his attitude, which greatly pleased Master Kui Mu. He then continued:
"Qiao Lin, my cultivation is still shallow, and my understanding may be biased. I think if you have the opportunity, you should consult Immortal Mo Zheng. The immortal has a broad perspective and may be able to give you some guidance."
Upon hearing Kui Mu Zhenren's words, Qiao Lin immediately nodded in agreement: "Yes, without guidance in cultivation, one should seek instruction from an immortal."
"Alas, this is the helplessness of those of us from small tribes. Without the guidance of renowned masters, we can only rely on ourselves along the way. Even when we are in dire straits, we can only bear it ourselves." Master Kui Mu seemed to recall something unpleasant, and a sorrowful expression appeared on his face.
Qiao Lin sighed. If he had a master to guide him, how could he have been so confused?
With unspeakable suffering in his heart and the thought that he might be going astray, Qiao Lin's aura changed significantly at this moment. The sword intent in his eyes slowly dissipated, and his gaze became confused.
Feeling his sword intent dissipate and his sharpness vanish, as if the iron sword had rusted and become dull and lifeless, Qiao Lin was even more shocked and quickly composed himself.
With a cold snort, Qiao Lin's eyes sharpened once more. No matter where the path of the sword led, his belief would never change: to become stronger and take control of his own life. Even if he abandoned the sword path, he would still become a powerful figure. What did mere setbacks matter!
As Qiao Lin's will hardened once more, his dissipated sword intent began to gather again, and its sharpness reappeared.
Seeing that Qiao Lin had stabilized his Dao heart so quickly, a burning light flashed in Kui Mu Zhenren's eyes, filled with shock and anticipation, but he did not speak.
"Master Kui Mu, I shall take my leave now!" Although Qiao Lin had steadied his Dao heart, the worry between his brows was as heavy as ink, and his steps were hurried but his mind was in turmoil as he walked towards the deepest part of Yinglong Guard.