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"Whether you're an ancestor or not depends on how your family decides to handle it. Whether they put you on an altar to worship, or slice you up and preserve you as a specimen—that's all later business."
Sylvester had no intention of meddling in the internal affairs of the Taixu lineage. In the end, he only added, "But I think the second possibility is unlikely."
What a joke! A rising star doesn't appear every generation—why would they kill her right away?
Li Sushang originally had plenty she wanted to complain about, but when she imagined her parents and all the elders lining up to check on her and then reverently placing her on a shrine, her entire body felt uncomfortable.
She'd rather her mother beat her backside raw every day.
Sylvester said, "If I remember correctly, the Ancestor of the Taixu Sword Aura who reached the 'Divine Realm'—the core ability was formless and without boundary. It could penetrate any physical barrier, striking the deepest parts of one's consciousness that cannot be sensed or recognized. And what cannot be recognized cannot be resisted. Once struck, one returns to nothingness from the inside out."
"Mhm, that's right." Hearing Sylvester speak so knowledgeably about the Taixu Sword Deity, Li Sushang immediately straightened her focus.
This concerned whether she could fully control the Divine Realm and even comprehend the sixth realm—this was crucial!
She said, "According to the words left behind by the legendary immortal ancestor: 'The Taixu Sword Deity has no form and needs no form. The sword fills space; the sword is space. Thus, it is everywhere and unfailingly effective.'"
Sylvester nodded. "Exactly. Aside from greatly enhanced sword aura intensity, the Taixu Sword Deity you awakened is an upgraded version of that ability. It has been elevated into one of the rules the entire universe abides by. In simpler terms—conceptualization."
"A concept that guarantees a hit! This ability is no longer a super-strong strike dependent on the swordsman's own level. Instead, it is a conceptual force recognized and supported by the universe itself—utterly unbreakable."
"Conceptual-level…" Li Sushang's eyes flickered. She looked straight into Sylvester's eyes. "Is this an elevation of the entire cultivation method, or is it only effective for me alone?"
The difference between the two was astronomical—the potential gap immeasurable.
If it was the latter, then this conceptual power was something not born with her and only taken away in death. No matter how brilliant, it would shine only for a few hundred years. For the universe, it wouldn't last longer than a fleeting comet.
It might not even be as good as Yanqing's Massacre Ruler. At least that could be passed down.
But if it was the former…
Then the Taixu Sword Aura would undoubtedly become the number-one cultivation method in the universe, without question.
Conceptual power had always been the domain of the Aeons.
Yet now, there was a method allowing anyone the chance to glimpse even a sliver of an Aeon's might.
And her name would be recorded at the beginning of the cultivation manual—forever passed down alongside it.
This wasn't terrifying—this wasterrifying.
Li Sushang felt her vocabulary wasn't remotely enough to describe such a future.
But her lack of eloquence didn't matter. As long as the method was real—not a single thing here could be called a "problem."
Even if only a tiny number of people could ever reach this realm, as long as the probability wasn't zero, someone would inevitably achieve it.
She stared unwaveringly at Sylvester. This matter was too important—even more important than comprehending the Taixu Sword Deity itself.
Feeling the blazing fire in Sushang's eyes, Sylvester chuckled. "Naturally, the entire cultivation method has been elevated."
"As long as they possess extraordinary brilliance, anyone will have the chance to wield what was once power exclusive to non-mortals—with the universe's sanction."
"Taixu Sword Aura will… no—in fact, it already is the strongest cultivation method in the entire universe! It is the pioneer and the only path for mortals to cultivate conceptual power!"
"Tss—"
Upon receiving the confirmation, Li Sushang's pupils could no longer stay still. Her whole body trembled slightly in excitement!
She wasn't only going to be the greatest practitioner of Taixu Sword Aura—she was going to be the pioneer of mortal conceptual cultivation itself!
This happiness came far too suddenly.
And the responsibility was far too enormous!
But… she just couldn't stop smiling.
Overwhelmed with joy, Sushang felt her mind turning hazy, her body weightless, her legs numb—as if she didn't even know whether she was standing on the ground.
Watching her blissed-out, floating expression, Sylvester began to doubt whether he should continue. But adhering to professional service standards, he pressed on:
"And there is also specific enhancement to mental attacks. The Taixu Sword Deity realm is both a physical and a spiritual strike."
He raised one finger. "First, the power has been massively strengthened. You can separate the two forms. Ideally, you can destroy someone's soul with a single sword strike, while leaving their physical body completely unharmed—truly killing without a trace."
He raised a second finger. "Second is the extreme understanding of the soul and extreme control of spiritual sword arts. With these two factors combined, you can perform micro-surgery on a person's soul using swordsmanship alone—without needing memetic powers—allowing you to freely manipulate their mental will."
"And due to this, your soul power has also increased drastically. If you don't control it well and accidentally release it, it may cause disturbances."
Upon hearing this, Guinaifen slapped both palms together in sudden realization. "No wonder! I thought Shangshang suddenly became way prettier and more charming. Turns out my soul was being affected!"
"Correct!"
Sylvester nodded, then continued, "And since the soul is often associated with intelligence, generally speaking, those who comprehend this level of Taixu Sword Intent experience a large increase in intellect. Otherwise, their mind won't match the level of their soul and they won't be able to use the soul sword arts properly."
At this point, he glanced again at Sushang—who had shown zero reaction—and for the first time wondered whether something had gone wrong.
"Mm… of course, Miss Sushang may simply be… atypical."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
Sushang felt there was something off in his tone. After thinking for a long time, she arrived at the conclusion: "Shopkeeper Sylvester, it sounds like you're saying something rude?"
Ah… well.
Sylvester smiled. "Not at all. I'm simply returning to the first point. The Taixu Sword Aura has been elevated to an unprecedented level. But the original cultivation method never reached this realm. Whether you can fully utilize what you obtained, comprehend the sixth realm, and systematize it for future generations—that's an immense responsibility. You don't have to force yourself."
"What do you mean force myself?"
Sushang thought for a moment—yes, as the first person to reach this level, she indeed carried an enormous responsibility to compile and pass on the method.
Confidently, she slapped her chest and grinned. "Hmph! With my intelligence, summarizing the sixth realm—how hard can it be? Totally easy!"
"Hehe. I'll tell Mother about this when I get home. She'll be thrilled!"