Yinshan Record

Chapter 269 The Nine Laws of Heaven and Man: Unpredictable Truth (Part 1)

After this interlude, the trip of four was effectively extended by one more person.

To be fair, Yan Qi was a good travel companion. This disciple of the Sword Palace from the East Sea was witty, humorous, and knowledgeable.

He then encountered the Prince of Wuling, who was eager to recruit him, and the two sides naturally became very close.

Before long, Yan Qi figured out the approximate identities of Su Che and his group.

Daughter of the Xie family of Chenjun, and daughter-in-law of the Wang family of Langya.

A young master of the Su family of Duling, and a prominent figure in the Imperial Guard in Cizhou.

There's also the mysterious Wu Si, who is suspected to be a member of the Liang royal family.

As Yan Qi's suspicions about Su Che being bait for the Demonic Sect gradually faded, his desire to befriend the people in front of him began to grow.

Su Che was the person I talked to the most along the way.

Although Su Che's current swordsmanship is based on the Taiyu Abi Sword, the Mirage Yuan Sword is the swordsmanship he learned first, so he is quite familiar with it.

Yan Qi is also a grandmaster of the Mirage Yuan Sword.

The exchange between the two seemed to transcend their original identities, unfolding as a discussion about swordsmanship.

At first, Su Che asked Yan Qi questions, but later the two engaged in a deeper discussion, eventually exploring further methods and possibilities together.

According to Yan Qi, there has always been a debate within the Sword Palace regarding the fundamentals of sword cultivation, specifically divided into 'ontology' and 'theory of intent'.

The so-called ontology believes that the essence of the sword cultivator lineage lies in the sword. The sword and the person's foundation are connected and resonate with each other, and the absolute sword intent is unleashed based on this foundation.

From this perspective, the saying "As long as the sword is there, the person is there; if the sword dies, the person dies" is not just an empty phrase, but rather the most natural choice for a considerable number of sword cultivators.

The theory of intention, on the other hand, believes that the cultivation of swordsmen lies in tempering their own spiritual intelligence, and the sword is merely a tool for establishing their intention.

From an ontological perspective, the sword is an indispensable path to enlightenment; from a conceptual perspective, the sword is merely a tool for achieving self-transcendence.

This tool can be a knife, a stick, a large axe, or a longbow.

Yan Qi said that when the conflict between the two sides was at its most intense, someone deliberately chose a pitchfork as the tool to carry the sword intent, just to disgust those opponents who held ontological views.

Given that things had deteriorated to this extent, one can imagine the internal divisions within the Sword Palace at that time.

According to Yan Qi, at that time, the ontology and the doctrine of intention were at loggerheads, and they often drew their swords to argue over the slightest disagreement.

Not only did the East Sea Sword Palace suffer heavy casualties, but the hatred between the two factions also intensified. At that time, some immortal sword cultivators even said that since they could not live together, they should split up.

At that time, sword cultivators had just risen to prominence, and the external environment was unstable. Many forces seized this opportunity to stir up trouble, hoping that the Sword Palace would be split in two and that the disciples would organize a sword-fighting tournament every ten years to see whose sword path was correct.

At that time, there was a Daoist sword immortal named Qingyun who had just returned from traveling in the outer void. Hearing about the matter between the two factions in the Sword Palace, he was very anxious and, without asking about the rights and wrongs of the two factions, directly launched a heavy attack.

He first summoned the sword immortals who were still guarding the Sword Palace to discuss the matter, suppressing the differing opinions within the sect. Then he took drastic measures and expelled all the most extreme sword cultivators from the two factions.

They also made a strong statement: "Our intentions may differ, but the Sword Palace must never be divided."

The Azure Cloud Sword Immortal was originally a first-rate figure in the world, and there was no sword immortal in the Sword Palace at that time who could rival him.

Thus, the debate that had almost split the Sword Palace in two gradually subsided and eventually disappeared.

Of course, the first person we should thank for making this situation possible is the Qingyun Sword Immortal who reorganized the East Sea Sword Palace.

Su Che greatly admired the pragmatic attitude of the Qingyun Sword Immortal.

An idea is an idea, and an organization is an organization. An organization can come together because of an idea, but it must never be torn apart because of an idea.

If the Azure Cloud Sword Immortal had not been stationed at the Sword Palace at that time, perhaps the sword cultivators in the future would have been able to expound more principles of law, but the East Sea Sword Palace would certainly not exist, and it might even have turned the already isolated sword cultivators into each other's greatest enemies.

That being said, if we consider the distinction between "ontology" and "theory of purpose" within the Sword Palace at that time, both Su Che and Yan Qi would be considered to be on the theory of purpose.

Needless to say, Young Master Su, although he also cultivated sword aura, his trump card was his sword cultivation techniques.

However, Young Master Su did not even possess a sword he had risked his life for. If he really had to use a sword, he would simply use the relics of previous generations of sword cultivators to deceive people.

He truly treated the sword as a mere tool.

Yan Qi went even further. According to Yan Qi's account to Su Che, he had a total of seven swords, each condensed using different sword techniques. For example, in addition to Qingfeng, which he used when fighting the tiger demon, there were also six other swords, including Guyue, Yingxing, Rizhi, and Leiyin, each with a different use.

Yan Qi boasted that if he used all seven swords at once, not only would the tiger demon at that time be killed, but even the fourth-rank swordsman who hadn't yet been dealt a severe blow by the Sword Palace would perish instantly.

“My master is also a proponent of the theory of intent. According to my master, you can’t write two sword cultivators in one stroke. Whether it’s the theory of intent or the theory of ontology, the difference is not that big in the eyes of a sword immortal.

"However, when the disciples below cultivate, the difference between the two schools is indeed as vast as heaven and earth. This is precisely the reason why the three thousand great paths lead to the same destination."

Yan Qi had told Su Che that compared to the methods of ontology that can break through all laws with a single sword, the method of intention theory is more like "one sword can create all laws".

On the one hand, there are some differences in the means of dealing with the enemy. On the other hand, the ontological side doesn't care about any supernatural powers or magic. They just slash with a sword. If you can withstand it, you're ruthless. If you can't, then I'm tough.

The school of thought that focuses on the concept of intent often plays with fancy tricks like sword formations, Xuanming sword intent, and Jinglei sword intent. It seems that if they don't come up with something of substance, they can't even use a sword properly.

Of course, although these two companies are different, they are ultimately from the same lineage.

Take the Mirage Yuan Sword for example. According to Yan Qi, it follows the path of the Great True Illusion Sword Intent of Ontology. When cultivated to the end, it becomes the number one killing sword technique in the world.

When it strikes, it's like a cloud obscuring the view, making it difficult to see clearly. But once it lands, it's like a mountain collapsing, leaving you utterly defenseless. This ontological sword style can be used by Yan Qi as well, only now he uses seven swords simultaneously.

Even sword cultivators with an ontological approach can take sword formations to new heights.

If any of Yan Qi's words were truly useful to Su Che, it was that they inspired Su Che to reconsider the issue from the perspective of "I am most likely a sword cultivator."

Since he began cultivating, Su Che has always had two distinct inheritances.

One lineage is the Huangtiandao Xuanmen lineage obtained from Yu Lizi, based on the Zhou Jue Yintian Secret Manual. Later, it also learned some other methods from the Yin Yang Dharma King. However, all of them are within the Xuanmen lineage.

Now, he has even embarked on the path of transforming into the Nine Netherworlds. Regardless of whether he has gone astray or not, this path has been followed in an orderly and systematic manner.

Very stable.

The other one was a sword cultivation inheritance that Su Che had pieced together himself.

Starting with the original Dingtian Jun Sword, and later acquiring the Shenying Yuan Sword from Zhongyuan, although he received some guidance from Feng Buxing, there were no fundamental changes.

In addition, there is the Taiyu Abi Sword, one of the three swords of Taiyu, which he learned from the Ghost Ancestor of Beimang.

Sword cultivation techniques have always been a part of Su Che's training, but this part is generally inconsistent, with his approach being haphazard and overwhelmed by the methods of the Xuanmen sect.

Su Che has a feeling that when he reaches a certain level of cultivation, he may have to choose between the Xuanmen (mystical sect) and sword cultivation.

Otherwise, how come among so many geniuses throughout history, none of them have ever become a "Sword Immortal" or "Earth Sword Immortal"?

However, there is a clear distinction between Earth Immortals and Sword Immortals.

However, Su Che felt that although his family's swordsmanship was not systematic, they should not give up on it.

Having Yan Qi, a disciple of the East Sea Sword Palace, as a mentor is like having a treasure mountain. It's a good opportunity to learn from him, refine our sword techniques, and integrate them with the Xuanmen techniques.

In the end, Su Che chose a path that Yan Qi had already taken, which was a good opportunity to try it out.

The Great True Illusion Sword Intent.

According to Yan Qi, the laws of heaven and earth within this realm are divided into nine categories based on different aspects.

Su Che had heard Yu Lizi explain the differences between these nine methods before.

The so-called Three Laws of Heaven, Three Laws of Man, and Three Laws of Heaven and Man.

The three laws of Heaven are: the Great Void, Movement and Stillness, and Creation.

The three laws governing human beings are: spiritual awareness, morality, and life and death.

The Three Laws of Heaven and Man: Reality and Illusion, Yin and Yang, and Transcendence.

Although there are three thousand great paths, they are all encompassed by the nine laws of heaven and man.

The Three Laws of Heaven explain why Heaven and Earth are what they are.

The Three Laws of Heaven are the foundation of all things, and with our current level of expertise, we certainly lack the ability to grasp them.

The three principles of human practice are fundamental to spiritual cultivation. If one is not careful, one may go astray and destroy one's own foundation.

After much deliberation, Su Che concluded that focusing on the three principles of Heaven and Man was the most practical approach.

The options are Reality/Illusion, Yin and Yang, and Transcendence.

The Yin-Yang method is based on the fundamental principle of the Zhou Jue Yin Tian Secret Manual. If we use this as a foundation for deduction, it will ultimately be based on the Xuanmen (mystical sect).

As for transcendence... Su Che heard Yan Qi say that this law is mainly in the hands of the Demonic Sect, and that they all follow this path.

This one is obviously not an option.

So all that's left is reality and illusion.

So these past few days, Su Che has been arguing with Yan Qi about these two words.

The first is illusion.

Su Che stood with his hands folded in the mountains and forests.

Prince Wuling, Lady Xie, and Zhu'er were all standing opposite, while Yan Qi frowned deeply.

"Young Master Su, we're still on our way, why did we stop all of a sudden?"

Zhu'er asked, frowning.

Madam Xie was cunning and rarely took the lead in any matters; she always had this little maid handle the inquiries.

Zhu'er was originally a straightforward descendant of the ancient times, so she had no interest in such convoluted matters.

So she was always unhappy in such situations.

"I'm going to perform something fun for everyone this time."

(End of this chapter)