"Boom!"
The two long blades collided, shaking the earth and mountains. Purple and black energy filled the air. Long Chen and Luo Zichuan's blades clashed, and a violent shockwave centered on the two of them, surging in all directions.
In the Luo clan, countless powerful figures looked toward the direction of the Sharpening Knife Ladder. However, the path was shrouded in mist, so the situation on the mountain was obscured, but the sound of metal clashing could be heard.
More than ten days had passed, and the sound of metal clashing continuously echoed. Qin Feng, Bai Xiaole, Xu Zixiong, and the others had no idea what had happened, while the Luo family disciples all looked bewildered.
Today, the roar rang out again, its astonishing force soaring straight into the clouds. Black and purple energies intertwined, like two giant dragons breaking out of the mist. The violent energy made the stars tremble across the heavens.
In the endless mist, people could vaguely see two figures, but couldn't make out what was happening inside.
In the mist, Long Chen and Luo Zichuan clashed their long blades. Their eyes were sharp as blades as they stared at each other, their gazes meeting like two invisible blades slashing each other. Space kept twisting and collapsing—a clash of spiritual power.
"Progress is fast, but ultimately foolish. You don't understand the workings of heaven and earth at all. You have brute strength but don't know how to use it.
Those who cultivate themselves must understand the mutual generation of existence and non-existence, the mutual fulfillment of difficulty and ease, the interplay of length and shortness, and the fullness of high and low.
If not clear, like a phoenix without wings, a dragon without claws, heaven without sun, moon, stars, or earth without rivers, lakes, and seas, vitality cannot circulate, exhausted and perishing.
The way of Heaven is to take away the excess and make up for the deficiency. If you know your own shortcomings but refuse to borrow support from the Heavenly Dao, it is utterly foolish and beyond remedy. Luo Zichuan looked at Long Chen, his eyes filled with cold indifference. Suddenly, purple energy surged from the Ziwei long blade in his hand. With a loud bang, Long Chen felt a tremendous force surge, let out a muffled groan, and staggered back six or seven steps.
With every step Long Chen retreated, a footprint was left on the ground. This stone mountain was unmatched, even surpassing a treasure artifact. Despite his fierce battles, he could not harm it in the slightest.
But at this moment, Long Chen felt as if his whole body was being crushed by the terrifying power of the Heavenly Dao, feeling as if his bones were about to break. When he steadied himself, his blood surged violently, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of heart-blood.
"What a huge joke. If I want to borrow money, will the Heavenly Dao lend me? Even if you don't lend it, I can still defeat you. Long Chen roared angrily.
Previously, Luo Zichuan had only fought him fiercely with the most basic blade techniques. Now, he was beginning to use the power of the Heavenly Dao. As for Long Chen, being rejected by the Heavenly Dao, he simply couldn't borrow it. It wasn't that he didn't want to borrow it, but that the other simply wouldn't lend it.
On the Tianwu Continent, Long Chen could also use the Qiankun Borrowing Technique to forcibly extract the power of heaven and earth for his own use. Whether he didn't lend or not, he had to give it.
But in the Immortal Realm, things are different. The laws here are intact, and he can no longer suppress the Heavenly Dao—he can't borrow even a hair.
Targeted by the Heavenly Dao, Long Chen refused to yield. So, after entering the Immortal Realm, Long Chen's hostility toward the Heavenly Dao never lessened. How could he submit to it and borrow its strength?
Luo Zichuan said coldly, "The Great Dao is formless, giving birth to heaven and earth. The Great Dao is heartless, moving the sun and moon. The Great Dao is nameless, nurturing all things."
All things in heaven and earth follow their own laws; how could the Heavenly Dao be directed solely at you? That is because you blind your eyes like a leaf, unable to see the mountains.
The true Heavenly Dao is heartless, formless, and nameless; it is merely the enforcer of the order of heaven and earth. If you think it is targeting you, you are just being self-indulgent.
Just like in the world of life, you can't gain everyone's approval. If someone targets you, do you have to be hostile to the entire human race?
Spring rain is like oil; farmers rejoice in its moisture, travelers dislike its mud; The autumn moon is like a mirror; the beauty delights in admiring it, while thieves and bandits resent its brilliance. The vastness of heaven and earth is especially regrettable, let alone humans. Hearing
Luo Zichuan's words, Long Chen's heart raced wildly, especially the last sentence, which sounded like the evening drum and morning bell—thought-provoking and piercing to the soul.
The last sentence roughly means: when spring rain falls, farmers rejoice because it nourishes the crops, but passersby curse, complaining that after the rain, the roads become muddy and inconvenient to travel.
The autumn moon is bright and beautiful like a mirror, and people love it. Under the moonlight, they compose poetry and couplets, gather with friends for drinks, and children play happily under the moonlight.
But thieves dislike it very much because its light can reveal their ugly behavior, making it easier to detect and inconvenient for theft.
Even an omnipotent being like heaven and earth cannot satisfy everyone, let alone a person. How could they possibly be recognized by everyone?
"You harbor hostility in your heart, clouding your six senses, six senses, and six senses, yet you are unaware that the Heavenly Dao nourishes all things—how could it be left to you alone?
Your foolishness is only due to excessive arrogance. The last nine steps of the Knife-Sharpening Ladder were designed to wear down one's pride.
Let go of pride, hold reverence and gratitude toward the Heavenly Dao, and naturally feel its favor toward you.
Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it; it can harness the way of heaven and contend to cross over waves stretching ten thousand miles.
Opposing the Heavenly Dao and refusing to accept its support will inevitably drown in endless turbulent currents sooner or later.
The Heavenly Dao does not target anyone, nor does it deliberately favor anyone; fate is controlled only by oneself and has nothing to do with the Heavenly Dao. Luo Zichuan looked at Long Chen and said.
Is this true? Long Chen was instantly confused. Ever since he entered the cultivation world, he had been targeted by the heavenly tribulation. His tribulation was different from everyone else's; every time it wanted his life, it was completely different from others' tribulations.
If these words had come from someone else, Long Chen would have just scoffed, but hearing them from Luo Zichuan sent a shockwave through his heart.
"Think carefully—when you recover, what kind of power seeps into your body to help you recover?" Luo Zichuan spoke again.
Disbelief appeared in Long Chen's eyes. When Luo Zichuan reminded him, he suddenly thought of something.
To fight Luo Zichuan fairly, Luo Zichuan suppressed his cultivation, so he didn't use the power of the stars. He didn't even immediately use the chaotic space to recover from his injuries.
While recovering, Long Chen thought it was a chaotic space, awakening some kind of power, which was helping him recover.
But after Luo Zichuan's reminder, Long Chen finally understood that it wasn't the power of the Chaos Pearl, but the power of the Heavenly Dao helping him recover. The power of the Heavenly Dao actually helped him—Long Chen could hardly believe it.
"Buzz"
Long Chen raised his long blade and slowly closed his eyes. At that moment, the blade was an extension of his body, allowing him to feel the world with all his heart and soul.
At that moment, the world was silent, with no sound. Closing his eyes, he could see more—he could see the frequency of the long blade trembling in Luo Zichuan's hand, and see that during the trembling, there were eight optimal attack angles.
He could even see the path of the purple energy flowing within the long blade. At that moment, Long Chen felt as if the world was under his control.
At this moment, he was not seeing the world with his own eyes, but observing it from the perspective of the Heavenly Dao. The clarity of the feeling was unbelievable.
At this moment, Long Chen finally understood how vast the gap between him and Luo Zichuan had been before. He had been like a blind man before, but now he had finally seen the light. That thrill was beyond words.
"Buzz!"
Suddenly, a purple light shot straight toward Long Chen's face, like a bolt of purple lightning—fast and fierce. Luo Zichuan launched an attack without warning, unleashing a deadly move.