A contest of pure strength, simple and fierce. Such a way of deciding the victor was also the most accurate. There was nothing about technique, carelessness, or weakness to talk about.
The only thing that could be proven was that in terms of absolute strength, Wu Yu was above Xiao Huanshan.
Xiao Huanshan was sprawled on the ground, and everyone was looking at Wu Yu, thoroughly thunderstruck. Actually, given Wu Yu's sixth tier Jindan Dao cultivation level, defeating a ninth tier had already far surpassed the expectations of the Shushan disciples. When he passed four levels to defeat Xiao Huanshan, the ninth on the Leaderboard of Xuan Sword Immortals, that was a completely alien notion.
"This kid's talent - once word of this battle gets out, it will shake the four major sword domains, and even get the tongues of the Shushan Sword Sages wagging!"
"Just in terms of talent alone, he's astonishing. Given his current state, amongst all those of his age throughout the entirety of Shushan, Wu Yu definitely ranks in the top five! And he's just 20 years old, that's not too old."
"Besides Wu Yu, the only others who can accomplish this much are all the progenies of Sword Sages."
Without saying, this battle would definitely elevate Wu Yu's status.
Of course, when the Immortal Ascension Hall's hall master made the announcement, Wu Yu formally attained the status of a Xuan sword rank disciple.
His Disciple Amulet went through a designated change, qualifying Wu Yu to access the Xuan Sword Domain. The Xuan Sword Domain was even higher, and the disciples even stronger. The natural spiritual qi was even denser, and all kinds of resources were also of a higher quality.
And Xiao Huanshan was carried away, his figure limp.
But life was just like that. A rising star could just as easily become someone else's stepping stone. All the glory accumulated in one's life before would just as easily become someone else's reputation.
The more Xiao Huanshan had been exalted, the better it reflected on Wu Yu now.
That was why many Huang sword rank disciples now rushed up to congratulate Wu Yu. They fought to leave a good impression on this up and coming person.
Xiao Huanshan and the others had already left, and even many Xuan Sword Domain disciples had come up to join the chatter. Suddenly in the limelight, Wu Yu himself did not know how to respond.
"Wu Yu, hurry to the Domain Master Palace in the Xuan Sword Domain and arrange for a cave abode for yourself. From now on, you are part of our Xuan Sword Domain."
"How I envy you. I wonder if it is even possible for us to reach the Xuan Sword Domain. After being in the Huang Sword Domain for more than 50 years, it seems like my chances are slim."
"It's said that Wu Yu did not even spend half a year in the Huang Sword Domain. What a godlike pace."
During the Huang sword rank disciples' farewell and the Xuan sword rank disciples' welcome, Wu Yu had walked out the path from behind the Immortal Ascension Hall, out from the Huang Sword Domain and into the Xuan Sword Domain.
His position on the Clear Sky of Shushan had risen yet again.
Looking out, the Xuan Sword Domain was not actually bigger than the Huang Sword Domain. The number of people was much lower, but the palaces and structures were even more majestic and even more intricate. There were more spirit designs, and they were evidently more sophisticated.
All around, he saw grand spirit designs. It was exactly these spirit designs that transformed the mountain of the Clear Sky of Shushan into a battle fortress. It was hard to imagine: who would have the power to actually invade the Shushan Immortal Sect?
Escorted by a crowd of Xuan sword rank disciples, Wu Yu obtained a new spirit design plaque. The Xuan Domain Master Palace arranged for a cave abode for him. Although it was a few hundred in its number rank, the poorest cave abode in Xuan Sword Domain was definitely better than the best in the Huang Sword Domain.
Amongst them, Wu Yu recognized many Xuan sword rank sword cultivators. Some were also palace masters in the Common Sword Domain. Actually, Baili Feihong spent a majority of his time in the Xuan Sword Domain as well.
For example, the palace master of the Green Glass Sword Palace was right beside Wu Yu.
To think that back then, when he had just entered Shushan, these people of palace master level were way above him. In just a few years, they were now Wu Yu's equals. And virtually all the palace masters could not even match up to Wu Yu.
"Everyone, it has been a pleasure meeting all of you. But after that battle, I need to recuperate for a bit I will take my leave first."
Finally, with a cave abode that belonged to him, Wu Yu took his chance to shrug off the friendly Shushan disciples.
Of course, they were satisfied with this much, and did not pester Wu Yu overmuch. For geniuses with such terrifying improvement, they simply needed to not tread on Wu Yu's toes.
For this new cave abode, Wu Yu again decided to call it Heaven's Equal Cave Abode.
Within Heaven's Equal Cave Abode, there were many cultivation resources, and the natural spiritual qi was also much richer than that of the Huang Sword Domain. It was of a much greater help for Wu Yu.
After sealing himself in the cave abode, Wu Yu sat in the lotus position in the training room.
"Wei Er is in seclusion, absorbing her legacy. When she comes out, she will definitely be very powerful. The Galaxy Sword Sage said that she is definitely more excellent than I am. But her status was already much higher than mine, as the daughter of the Mizar Sword Immortal. I have to be even stronger in terms of cultivation level than her. If I am left in the dust, that would be an embarrassment....
"I just don't know what she went through within the Shushan Reincarnation Realm."
And now that she was in seclusion, Wu Yu wanted to continue improving himself rapidly.
"In order to become stronger, firstly, I need to raise my cultivation level. That's refining Jindan. It concerns my comprehension of the dao, and also the Golden Essence Pills I have on hand. To get more Golden Essence Pills and also improve my comprehension of the dao, I can achieve this through refining immortal medicines and fashioning spirit designs. And both of these require a large amount of time and resources, and these resources also require Golden Essence Pills or merits.
"Besides that, in terms of my physique, I don't have the time now to complete my Nanwu Blazing Sun Golden Vajra Body.
"In order to elevate my Great Dao Mystique, I first need to rise in cultivation level, or raise my mystique to the second tier. But I have no prospects on that for now. I can't rush it.
"Finally, what is left is spiritual immortal treasures and dao techniques."
In terms of immortal treasures, Wu Yu was loath to part with the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column. There might not be one that was more suited to him. But the Yin Yang Dao Sword was much weaker in comparison, and Wu Yu had already tossed it out for one of his doppelgangers to use. He realized that he needed a better sword, at least something equal to Chen Fuyou's Crimson Shadow Heart Sword and Xiao Huanshan's Eight Prison Mountain Godsword.
The most common within Shushan was still sword cultivation dao techniques. Other items were not of that high a level.
In terms of sword cultivation dao techniques, Wu Yu found that although the Yin Yang Heaven-Earth-Void Sword Art was not bad, it paled in comparison to many geniuses of the Xuan sword rank. Perhaps he needed to cultivate an even stronger sword cultivation dao technique. Otherwise, his weaknesses would be very readily discovered if he relied on the Nine-Directional World Shatterer alone.
He calculated a little.
"I want two swords and a sword cultivation dao technique. Given my cultivation level now, I need at least 5,000 Golden Essence Pills, perhaps even tens of thousands. Only then can I find immortal treasures and dao techniques that can withstand my limits. Besides that, the other miscellaneous things also require copious amounts of Golden Essence Pills. That is why in the end, it is still Golden Essence Pills that I am short of!"
This was Wu Yu's current slump.
Cultivation resources were very, very important. Before, 10,000 Golden Essence Pills had been used very extravagantly. And now he only had 2,000 Golden Essence Pills left, which was a big headache.
"I won't go to the Palace of Demons, and I won't do missions for now, then I can only go to the Immortal Battleground. There are still quite a few experts within the Xuan Sword Domain."
However, having beaten Xiao Huanshan in a straight fight, he was on the watchlist of many. The number of those who dared to challenge him could be counted on one's fingers, and even fewer amongst them were still watching the Immortal Battleground. Even if he went to the Immortal Battleground, it would simply be a test of luck.
However, Wu Yu could not care too much about this.
"I'll go to the Immortal Battleground first. See if I can pull some more cash."
Before that, he went to the Immortal Treasures Hall in the Xuan Sword Domain.
He was also planning to go to the Dao Arts Hall first. He would set his target first, then go and earn money. As Wu Yu left the Immortal Treasures Hall, he was deeply shaken. He could not even go to the Dao Arts Hall.
Within the Immortal Treasures Hall, the spiritual immortal treasure swords were numerous. Within the Xuan Sword Domain, the most basic of immortal treasures were valued at over 500 merits.
The most basic were at least around 1,000 Golden Essence Pills, and for the better ones, about the level of the Crimson Shadow Heart Sword, they cost 2,000 Golden Essence Pills.
In many aspects of cultivation, one needed to expend Golden Essence Pills. For a Xuan sword rank disciple, the cost of 2,000 Golden Essence Pills was hard to bear.
Wu Yu had browsed through thousands of immortal treasure longswords valued at 1,000 to 2,000 merits. There were many suitable ones that had caught his interest, but he had to hold on because he lacked Golden Essence Pills.
"Two of the common 2,000 merit immortal treasures means 4,000 Golden Essence Pills. And for a sword cultivation dao technique, I estimate at least 3,000. That means I need more than 7,000. I have to use these 2,000 to bring in 7,000."
Having ascertained his objective, Wu Yu prepared to leave.
"Actually, you can look at the supreme immortal treasures," Ming Long suddenly said, giving Wu Yu a fright.
He naturally knew about supreme immortal treasures. According to what he knew, immortal treasures were divided into three tiers: normal immortal treasures, spiritual immortal treasures, and supreme immortal treasures.
Ordinary immortal treasures, like the Onyx & Pearl Dao Sword, had no sentience, only spirit designs.
Spiritual immortal treasures had some dim consciousness, and even emotions.
Supreme immortal treasures were above spiritual immortal treasures. They had developed in intellect to be the rough equivalent of small creatures. And their own spirit designs must also be at a very high level in order to be qualified as supreme immortal treasures.
It was said that the martial cultivators of the Violet Kingdom of the Inner Sea Realm used supreme immortal treasures more often than not. It was not actually set in stone that supreme immortal treasures were stronger than spiritual immortal treasures. Rather, the intellect of supreme immortal treasures was more mature, and they could communicate with their owners and complement them. Therefore, the resulting power was generally stronger.
Moreover, the cost of an immortal treasure did not definitely determine its strength. For example, the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column was not even half the price of the Crimson Shadow Heart Sword, but it was one with Wu Yu's will and mind. Their combination surpassed the Crimson Shadow Heart Sword.
"I probably can't master supreme immortal treasures yet."
If he could already master them at the Jindan Dao Realm, then those like Xiao Huanshan would already be using supreme immortal treasures.
Ming Long said, "You have inherited the legacy of an immortal, and you use Visualizing the Inner Ape a lot. In terms of your mental will, you are much stronger than those at the Violet Kingdom of the Inner Sea Realm. All you lack is Jindan essence, and it doesn't mean that you can't tame a supreme immortal treasure."
"Are you sure?" Wu Yu asked doubtfully.
"Would old mother set you up? Nonsense. Forget supreme immortal treasures, look at Jindan dao techniques. That Heaven Earth Void technique - other 10th tier Jindan dao cultivators might not even be able to cultivate it, but now that your mental will is growing stronger and stronger, and your comprehension is also high, there is a possibility. The logic is the same."