I Am Loaded with Passive Skills

Chapter 2824: Chapter 1505: 54 Kills Offer No Solution, Trading One Thought Wisdom for Survival
 

“Ancient Sword Steps?”

Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang furrowed his brows.

It was rare for this to happen: his blind spot in knowledge had been touched!

Even without the Dao Imparting Mirror, Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang still maintained the Divine Secret, receiving real-time battle imagery from the Half Moon Bay Mirror. He watched as he walked, never tiring of learning.

He firmly believed that while talent was important, effort in the Acquired (Stage) was also crucial.

As long as he didn’t give up, one day he would break through to the Innate Sword Intent and achieve the status of a master swordsman.

Maybe even one day—perhaps ten generations later, or twenty—so long as he lived long enough, he might also earn the title “Seven Sword Deities.”

The Heavenly Mechanism Sword Immortal Dao Qiongcang!

He had thought of the title already, which sounded much more interesting than “terrifying Dao Qiongcang,” full of a beautiful contrast.

But at this moment, Li Fuyu’s move, that call from Feng Zhongzui, had him stumped.

Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang tugged on Bazhun’an’s sleeve: “What are ‘Ancient Sword Steps’?”

Though Elder Wuyue, a real Seven Sword Deity, was right beside him, Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang instinctively still asked Bazhun’an all Ancient Sword Technique related questions.

He could ask Elder Wuyue at any time.

Now that they were all gathered together, he had to take the opportunity to drain Bazhun’an of all he knew—it would be a disservice to this encounter otherwise!

Bazhun’an originally had lost interest in watching the battle; he didn’t like the look of Xu Xiaoshou. On hearing the question, he turned his head and glanced at the battle imagery in Hallmaster Dao’s hand, saying with mild surprise:

“Ancient Sword Steps?”

“Is it ‘Fifty-four Sword Steps’ perhaps? One step one sword, another step adds another sword… and so on, totaling one thousand four hundred and eighty-five swords.”

One thousand plus swords?

Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang counted on his fingers and mused, “That many?”

“It’d be decent if she could reach the tenth step,” Elder Wuyue, who had been following the battle closely, couldn’t help joining the discussion. He knew a bit about it: “Fifty-four Sword Steps becomes increasingly difficult with each step. Without special training, an ancient swordsman’s body is too fragile and can’t withstand the backlash.”

“True,” Bazhun’an nodded:

“In ancient times, there was not only swordsmanship, Sword Flow, and Way of the Sword, but also sword techniques, which you can think of as spiritual techniques.”

“But sword techniques have stricter requirements, such as mastery over various Sword Flows and Sword Paths, all of which have clear prerequisites, or else they cannot be performed.”

“The cultivation system of Ancient Sword Technique could still be passed down, but the most superior sword techniques of ancient times, like these Fifty-four Sword Steps, were lost due to their difficulty…”

“Don’t stray off-topic, do you know this Fifty-four Sword Steps?” Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang interrupted, not interested in old stories.

“Elder You seems to know it; I remember he went to the sword tower… right?” Bazhun’an pondered for a moment but couldn’t recall clearly.

“I’m asking you if you know it, not You Tu!” Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang emphasized.

Bazhun’an watched the battle imagery, shook his head, and then nodded, “I didn’t know it before.”

Didn’t know it before?

What about later?

Fine, this is how we talk… Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang rolled his eyes internally, about to speak when Bazhun’an pointed to the screen and said, “The person executing the steps is called Li Fuyu?”

“Right.” Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang nodded and then changed the topic, “Is she very strong?”

Bazhun’an narrowed his eyes and after watching for a while longer, said, “Not weak.”

Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang’s mouth dropped open abruptly but managed to stop himself from speaking, ultimately settling for a silent laugh.

Alright, alright, ‘not weak’…

No wonder you ancient swordsmen understand the art of speaking so well!

But Bazhun’an wasn’t joking; he earnestly stared at the battle imagery, mulling over it before saying:

“I don’t know if it’s because of her insufficient training or if she’s holding back.”

“But Fifty-four Sword Steps in ancient times was used in combination with the Heavenly Abandon to gain strong control; with each step there’d be a splash of blood, and for three hundred years, no one could break it… She should change the sequence…”

Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he turned to Elder Wuyue to ask, “Is he telling the truth?”

“True.”

“No one could break it, what does that mean?” Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang was skeptical.

“Literally,” Elder Wuyue stated, “with each sword drawn it meant certain death, and back then truly no one had a way to break it apart from risking life for life.”

“And now? Three hundred years have passed, there must be a way to break it. How should it be broken?” Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang offhandedly asked.

Bazhun’an’s eyes immediately lit up with amusement. He gave Hallmaster Dao a once-over, deciding whether this person was afraid of death or simply cautious, before speaking:

“I’ve said it.”

“All sword techniques have been lost.”

“Back then, three hundred years later, the technique could be broken, but now the method to break it has been lost, maybe this Ms. Li might know!”

None know it? Well, isn’t that great… Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang quickly refocused on the battle imagery, asking worriedly, “Then our Lord Shou…”

“She doesn’t know the Heavenly Abandon.” Elder Wuyue replied, slightly annoyed.

“But what if…”

“Tch,” Bazhun’an clicked his tongue, unable to stand the incessant chatter and pointed at a small dot on the corner of the battle imagery screen, “His name is Mei Siren.”

“Oh.”

Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang realized that made sense.

If it really came to that, Master Siren wouldn’t let his student die, The sword tower guardian, quite impressive indeed…

Soon, his attention was drawn back to Bazhun’an’s hand, which was missing four fingers, and then it shifted to what was behind his waist.

“I was actually quite disappointed I didn’t get to see that battle of yours in person…” Hallmaster Dao Qiongcang murmured, then quickly raised his head to look at Bazhun’an with a curious flame burning in his eyes:

“May I ask a somewhat offensive question?”

“Shut up.”

“How did he sever your fingers? Was it a straight cut, or reversed, like… peeling that apple…”

“Shut up, means no.”