71: Chapter 71 The Appearance of the Azure Lotus

After the battle at the Life and Death Stage ended, Bai Yunzhou did not return to his Immortal Cave.

He stood at the edge of the plaza, his gaze piercing through layers of clouds and mist, looking toward the distant peak that pointed at the sky like a sword.

"Senior Brother Bai, are you not going back to rest?" Zhou Zhiting followed behind him, her small face still carrying lingering shock.

"To the Sword Monument Forest," Bai Yunzhou withdrew his gaze, "Right now."

Song Xinghe and Deng Mufeng exchanged glances, both seeing worry in each other's eyes.

"Senior Brother Bai," Song Xinghe stepped forward, "You just went through a major battle, and your spiritual power is heavily depleted. Comprehending in the Sword Monument Forest puts an extremely heavy load on the Divine Soul, how about..."

"How about we go right now," Bai Yunzhou interrupted him, "Some opportunities cannot wait."

What he said was the truth.

On the System panel, Li Dongjun's Opportunity showed "Three months later", but when was this "three months" calculated from? Was it today? Or the day Li Dongjun entered the Holy Land? He could not afford to gamble.

Furthermore——

[Host detected completing "First victory on the Life and Death Stage", temporary quest triggered: provoke an ancient sword monument within three days to obtain an extra critical hit reward]

Extra critical hit reward.

These five words were enough to make him disregard everything.

"Let's go."

Bai Yunzhou said no more, riding his sword into the air as a cyan sword light pierced the sky, pointing straight at Enlightening Sword Peak.

Song Xinghe and the other three hurriedly followed.

Enlightening Sword Peak was located at the easternmost side of the seventy-two outer peaks. The entire mountain had a peculiar shape, resembling a giant sword thrust upside down, with steep slopes that were nearly vertical.

The peak was leveled off, forming a platform thousands of feet wide and long.

On the platform, more than three hundred sword monuments were scattered and distributed.

Each of them was ten zhang tall, their monument bodies dark gray and covered with ancient sword patterns on the surface. Some sword patterns were dim and lusterless, while others faintly circulated with brilliance.

It was currently afternoon, and nearly a hundred Disciples were already sitting cross-legged and comprehending in front of the monuments across the platform.

Sword Intents intertwined, and the air was filled with a sharp aura.

Bai Yunzhou and the three of them landed at the entrance of the platform.

A gray-robed Elder sat on the stone platform at the entrance, resting with his eyes closed. His hair was gray, his face withered, and his aura was as calm as an ancient well without ripples, but the moment Bai Yunzhou's Divine Sense swept over, it felt like hitting an invisible wall.

Early Stage Nascent Soul.

Bai Yunzhou's heart tightened slightly, and he respectfully bowed: "Disciple Bai Yunzhou, has come to comprehend the sword monuments."

The Elder slowly opened his eyes.

Those eyes were cloudy and lifeless, but Bai Yunzhou felt an invisible pressure.

"Identity jade token," the Elder's voice was hoarse.

Bai Yunzhou handed over the jade token.

The Elder took it, his finger tapping lightly on the jade token, and a line of numbers appeared on its surface: 4300.

"Three thousand reward for the winner, one thousand base," the Elder raised his eyes to look at Bai Yunzhou, "You are today's winner of the Life and Death Stage?"

"Yes."

"External objects are forbidden on the Life and Death Stage; your victory over Zhao Lie relied on your true strength." The Elder handed the jade token back, "Do you know the rules?"

"I know a little, but I ask the Elder to elaborate."

"First, fifty contribution points are consumed per hour, which needs to be pre-charged, with a minimum starting charge of one hundred points."

"Second, each person is limited to comprehending three sword monuments per day, with a maximum of three hours per monument."

"Third, fighting is prohibited; violators will be permanently banned from entering, and severe cases will have their cultivation crippled."

The Elder paused, his cloudy eyes sweeping over Bai Yunzhou: "The sword monuments have spirits and choose their masters to impart knowledge. To force it is of no benefit and will instead damage your Dao foundation. Remember this."

"Disciple understands."

Bai Yunzhou nodded, handing the jade token back: "First charge two thousand points."

The Elder tapped his finger again, and the numbers on the jade token jumped: 4300 → 2300.

"Forty hours." The Elder tossed the jade token back, "Go."

Bai Yunzhou put away the jade token and turned to walk toward the Monument Forest.

He had only taken a few steps when the Elder's voice came from behind: "Sword Monument Number Seventy-Three has not been provoked by anyone for three hundred years. If you want to challenge it, be prepared to waste your contribution points."

Bai Yunzhou's steps paused, but he did not look back: "Thank you for the reminder, Elder."

He walked into the Monument Forest.

Song Xinghe and the other three closely followed behind.

"Senior Brother Bai," Deng Mufeng said in a low voice, "That person just now is the Monument Guarding Elder Mo Yuan, in the Early Stage of Nascent Soul, who cultivates the 'Extinction Sword Dao'. It is rumored that he once killed a demonic cultivator of the same realm with a single sword, and he has extremely high prestige in the Holy Land's outer sect."

Bai Yunzhou nodded, but his gaze had already swept toward the depths of the Monument Forest.

The System panel quietly unfolded.

The information of more than three hundred sword monuments flashed past like a waterfall:

[Sword Monument Number Three: Flowing Cloud Sword Intent (Earth Rank Low Grade), comprehension success rate 12%]

[Sword Monument Number Twenty-Seven: Raging Fire Sword Art (Earth Rank Medium Grade), comprehension success rate 7%]

[Sword Monument Number One Hundred and Fifty-Four: Frozen Ice Sword Domain (Earth Rank High Grade), comprehension success rate 3%]

...

[Sword Monument Number Seventy-Three: Qinglian Sword Canon Fragment (Heaven Rank Low Grade), comprehension success rate 0.5% (requires resonance with a pure sword heart)]

Golden halo!

In the System's vision, the surface of Sword Monument Number Seventy-Three was shrouded in a faint layer of golden halo, completely different from the white and blue halos of the surrounding sword monuments.

It was this one.

Bai Yunzhou did not hesitate and headed straight for the depths of the Monument Forest.

His actions immediately attracted attention.

"Who is that person? Why is he walking straight into the depths?"

"Looking at the direction... is he going to Number Seventy-Three?"

"Number Seventy-Three? That abandoned monument?"

"Must be a newcomer who doesn't know the rules; he'll retreat in the face of difficulties in a moment."

Amidst the discussions, a figure blocked Bai Yunzhou's path.

This person was dressed in white with a handsome face and a silver-scabbarded longsword hanging at his waist. His aura had already reached Core Formation Perfection. Behind him followed two Disciples, both in the Late Stage of Core Formation.

"Newcomer," the young man in white wore a half-smiling arc on his lips, "Sword Monument Number Seventy-Three is not a place you should go."

Bai Yunzhou raised his eyes: "Why?"

"That monument has stood for three hundred years, and those who provoked it do not exceed three people," the young man in white said indifferently. "The last person to provoke it was 'Sword Monarch Qinglian' a hundred years ago. In the century since, countless geniuses have tried, and all returned empty-handed. A newcomer who has just entered the outer sect like you, why waste contribution points?"

"Who are you?" Bai Yunzhou asked.

"Han Qiu," the young man in white said proudly, "Han Lie of the inner sect Sword Hall is my Elder brother."

Low exclamations came from around.

"Senior Brother Han Qiu! He has already comprehended in the Sword Monument Forest for a year, and it is said he is about to provoke Sword Monument Number Fifteen!"

"His brother Han Lie is a deacon of the inner sect Sword Hall, a Martial King-level Sword Cultivator!"

"This newcomer is going to be in bad luck..."

Bai Yunzhou's expression remained unchanged: "Step aside."

A trace of displeasure flashed in Han Qiu's eyes: "Unappreciative."

He stepped aside and sneered: "Since you insist on going, then I will wait to watch the joke."

Bai Yunzhou ignored him and continued forward.

Song Xinghe and the other three followed, and Deng Mufeng said in a low voice: "Senior Brother Bai, Han Qiu has backing in the inner sect, so it's best not to offend him."

"If I don't offend him, will he let me go?" Bai Yunzhou retorted.

Deng Mufeng was rendered speechless.

Bai Yunzhou walked to the deepest part of the Monument Forest.

This location was remote and the light was dim. Sword Monument Number Seventy-Three stood alone in an open space, its body grayish and covered with a thin layer of ice on the surface, its sword patterns blurry and indistinct.

The open space in front of the monument was piled with fallen leaves, obviously having not been cleaned for a long time.

Next to it stood a small wooden sign engraved with:

"Number Seventy-Three · Nameless Sword Monument"

"Comprehension success rate ＜ 1%"

"Enter with caution"

Bai Yunzhou stopped in front of the monument.

Behind him, Han Qiu and a few curious Disciples followed over, standing far away to watch the excitement. Further away, a woman in a green skirt also quietly approached; it was precisely Lu Qingxue.

"Begin," Han Qiu folded his arms and smiled, "Let me see how long you can last."

Bai Yunzhou sat cross-legged.

His hand touched the monument surface.

Icy cold.

The next second, his Divine Sense surged in like a tidal wave.

Inside the monument world, it was a state of Chaos.

Grayish-white mist filled the air; directions could not be seen, and boundaries could not be perceived. In the mist were countless fragmented pieces of Sword Intent, disorderly and chaotic, like shattered mirror shards.

Is this the interior of Sword Monument Number Seventy-Three?

Bai Yunzhou's Divine Sense wove through the mist.

He could feel that something deep within the mist was attracting him—a pure, ancient existence containing boundless Sword Intent.

But the mist was too thick, and he could not find the direction.

He tried to condense his Sword Intent and stab toward the mist.

Pfft.

The Sword Intent sank into the mist like a clay ox entering the sea, not even stirring up a trace of ripples.

Outside the monument.

Han Qiu laughed aloud: "Look, no reaction at all. Those fifty contribution points might as well have been thrown into the water."

Several surrounding Disciples also shook their heads.

"As expected, it doesn't work."

"Newcomers just don't listen to advice."

"Once he finishes wasting his contribution points, he'll know the pain."

Lu Qingxue watched quietly, a trace of doubt flashing in her beautiful eyes.

What she cultivated was the "Qiushui Sword Dao", and she was sensitive to Sword Intent. At that very instant, she seemed to feel a faint fluctuation coming from inside the monument body, but it quickly disappeared.

Was it an illusion?

Inside the monument.

Bai Yunzhou frowned.

Failing the first attempt did not surprise him. The System had prompted that it required "resonance with a pure sword heart".

What is a pure sword heart?

He pondered for a moment, suddenly thinking of the Art of Refining Spirit.

This Cultivation Technique cultivated the Divine Soul, emphasizing "clarifying the original mind and reflecting the true self". If he could condense his Divine Sense to the extreme, perhaps he could pierce through the fog.

Let's try.

Bai Yunzhou closed his eyes and circulated the Art of Refining Spirit.

In his Sea of Consciousness, his massive Divine Sense began to compress and condense, gradually transforming from an formless tidal wave into a transparent little sword.

The sword body was slender, about three inches long, completely transparent like crystal, with its surface circulating a faint glow of Mental Energy.

Divine Sense transforming into a sword.

This was an ability only attained upon achieving Major Achievement in the Art of Refining Spirit, and Bai Yunzhou had also just broken through not long ago, using it in actual combat for the first time.

Condense!

The transparent little sword took shape, its tip pointing toward the depths of the mist.

Go!

The little sword pierced through the mist. This time, the gray fog did not swallow it up, but instead churned violently!

Chi——

The mist was torn apart by the sword tip, revealing a passage.

At the end of the passage, a speck of cyan light faintly flickered.

Outside the monument.

Hum!

Sword Monument Number Seventy-Three suddenly trembled.

Although the magnitude was very small, everyone present was a Sword Cultivator with keen perception, and they instantly captured it.

"Just now... did the monument move?" A Disciple asked uncertainly.

"I felt it too!"

Han Qiu's smile froze, and he stared fixedly at the monument body.

Crack.

The thin ice on the surface of the monument body cracked open a narrow fissure.

Then came the second, the third...

Ice chips fell in a rustle, revealing the cyan jade-textured monument body underneath.

Although it only exposed a small patch the size of a palm, that warm cyan jade luster was completely different from the gray and drab surrounding stone monuments.

"The ice has melted..." Lu Qingxue murmured softly.

Han Qiu's expression changed.

He had comprehended in the Sword Monument Forest for a year and had never seen Sword Monument Number Seventy-Three undergo such a change!

Could this newcomer...

No, impossible!

Inside the monument.

Bai Yunzhou's Divine Sense little sword sped along the passage.

The further ahead it went, the more intense the cyan light became.

Finally, it rushed out of the mist area.

The scenery before his eyes suddenly opened up.

This was a cyan space, boundless and limitless. In the center of the space hovered a huge cyan lotus flower.

The lotus flower was a hundred zhang in diameter, with a total of nine layers of petals, nine petals per layer, layer upon layer, slowly rotating.

At the heart of the lotus sat a blurry phantom figure.

The phantom was dressed in a green shirt, and its facial features could not be seen clearly, but that Sword Intent of looking down upon the world pressed down like a tangible substance.

Sword Monarch Qinglian!

Bai Yunzhou instantly understood that this phantom was the Sword Intent imprint left behind by Sword Monarch Qinglian who had provoked this monument a hundred years ago.

The phantom slowly raised its head.

Two gazes crossed space and landed on Bai Yunzhou's Divine Sense little sword.

"Latercomer..."

The aged voice reverberated in the space.

"To be able to reach here shows that you already possess a pure sword heart."

"However, it is still not enough."

As the voice fell, the phantom raised its hand and pointed.

Hum!

The cyan lotus burst with brilliant light, and countless strands of Sword Qi shot out from the petals, transforming into a sky-filling rain of swords that assailed Bai Yunzhou's Divine Sense little sword!

Every single strand of Sword Qi contained the pure Green Lotus Sword Intent.

This was a trial.

Bai Yunzhou did not retreat but advanced instead.

The Divine Sense little sword suddenly accelerated, shuttling through the rain of swords.

His Art of Refining Spirit had reached Major Achievement, and his Divine Sense strength was comparable to the Early Stage of Nascent Soul. After condensing into a sword, it was even more incomparably sharp.

Clang clang clang clang——

The sword rain crashed against the little sword, splashing countless sparks of Mental Energy.

Cracks appeared on the surface of the little sword, but its speed did not decrease as it stabbed straight at the phantom at the heart of the lotus!

A distance of a hundred zhang was reached in an instant.

The sword tip pierced into the center of the phantom's brows.

Boom!

The entire cyan space shook violently.

The phantom began to dissipate, transforming into countless points of light that merged into Bai Yunzhou's Divine Sense little sword.

Boundless insights into the Sword Dao surged in like a flood——

Sword moves, Sword Intent, sword domains, sword hearts...

At the same time, the System prompts scrolled frantically:

[Receiving Qinglian Sword Canon Fragment (Earth Rank High Grade)...]

[Detected that the host plundered Li Dongjun's Opportunity, triggering a critical hit judgment...]

[Judgment passed! Critical hit multiplier: 10,000 times!]

[Congratulations on obtaining the complete version of the Qinglian Sword Canon (Heaven Rank Low Grade)!]

A massive amount of information flooded into his mind.

Bai Yunzhou's Divine Sense little sword was instantly stretched, its surface covered with dense cracks, almost shattering.

He gritted his teeth and persisted, absorbing crazily.

Outside the monument.

The anomaly could no longer be concealed.

The ice layer on the surface of Sword Monument Number Seventy-Three completely melted, and large areas of stone peel peeled off, revealing a monument body made entirely of cyan jade.

On the monument surface, nine cyan lotus patterns emerged one by one, each lotus heart containing an ancient seal-script sword character, emitting an ancient and vicissitudinous aura.

Cyan light soared into the sky, illuminating the entire Enlightening Sword Peak platform.

"This is..."

"The monument body is undergoing a transformation?!"

"Sword Monument Number Seventy-Three... is truly an ancient sword monument!"

The surrounding Disciples were dumbfounded.

Han Qiu's face was livid, and the veins on his hand holding the sword bulged.

Lu Qingxue's beautiful eyes widened as she muttered softly: "Qinglian manifests... three hundred years..."

Further away, Elder Mo Yuan slowly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing in his cloudy eyes.

With a single step, his figure vanished.

When he appeared again, he was already above Sword Monument Number Seventy-Three.