The use of flying swords is essentially just one thing.
Raise the sword, kill people.
With the same flying sword, the faster you kill, the more powerful your Way of the Sword.
How powerful was Chen Xia's Way of the Sword?
The cultivators present couldn't tell, they only knew that when the flying sword rose, its hum was loud, and then three breaths later, they saw the figure of that Nascent Soul level Prodigy Cultivator flying backwards.
And not just to one side, but directly falling to the foot of the mountain.
All the spectating cultivators were stunned, staring blankly at Chen Xia and the flying swords circling around him, unable to understand why this had happened.
Throughout history, there have been many examples of cultivators gaining enlightenment and ascending to great heights in one go.
But they were unwilling to imagine Chen Xia being one such example.
"Did you use some kind of evil sorcery to ambush..." another Nascent Soul level Prodigy Cultivator shouted, pointing at Chen Xia.
Then the flying sword went, not waiting for him to finish speaking, and joined the previous person at the foot of the mountain.
In fact, it wouldn't take their lives, at most they would be severely injured.
Chen Xia didn't have much intention to kill; the more he thought in his mind, the calmer his mentality became.
Others didn't dare to provoke Chen Xia anymore. After looking at him in astonishment a few more times, they hurriedly flew away, not daring to linger.
The remaining Cloud-top Sword Sect cultivators couldn't be happy either. Too embarrassed to look at Chen Xia, they could only look at each other awkwardly.
Their earlier words mocking Chen Xia were still fresh in their minds, and now such a big reversal had occurred...
If they could choose, they truly wouldn't want Chen Xia to become a prodigy.
But Chen Xia didn't care about them. The flying swords suspended around him fell to the ground one after another, embedding themselves in the earth. He walked slowly forward with his hands behind his back, like an old man taking a stroll.
News spread extremely quickly.
The news that Chen Xia had gained enlightenment in one go and become a Petty Sword Immortal instantly spread throughout the entire Cloud-top Sword Sect.
At first, no one was willing to believe it, and the elders found it absurd.
If you said the Big Black Dog in the sect had become a Petty Sword Immortal, it would be more believable than Chen Xia becoming one. At least the Big Black Dog had some Qi Refining cultivation level, while Chen Xia had no cultivation at all. Could he even pick up a flying sword? Yet he dared to boast about becoming a Petty Sword Immortal!
But the sect disciples insisted they had seen it with their own eyes, and said that Chen Xia had effortlessly repelled two Nascent Soul level Prodigy Cultivators who were blocking his way.
The elders of the Cloud-top Sword Sect discussed it and felt that compared to Chen Xia gaining enlightenment and becoming a Petty Sword Immortal, the probability of him being possessed was higher.
But that didn't make sense either. Who the hell would possess a body without cultivation? What difference would that make from possessing an ordinary person?
Moreover, Zhou Jia hadn't reacted at all. If Chen Xia had been possessed, Zhou Jia, with her experience, should have been able to see it immediately.
If Zhou Jia hadn't said anything, then Chen Xia might have really gained enlightenment in one go.
The elders fell silent, really unwilling to believe such a result. To be more certain, they decided to test Chen Xia.
But Chen Xia was truly lazy. Every day he just sat on the cliff of the mountain, looking out. When he got tired of looking, he would walk around the sect with his hands behind his back, walking dogs and playing with cats. In any case, he never cultivated.
The sect elders came to him, hoping he would participate in the sect's grand competition.
Chen Xia, sitting on the edge of the cliff, shook his head directly, "Not interested."
The elder laughed dryly and asked again, "I heard you've gained some insight into the true meaning of the Way of the Sword. You should contribute some effort to the sect."
"I haven't," Chen Xia shook his head again.
"Then why do so many disciples say you've gained enlightenment?" the elder asked, puzzled.
"They saw wrong," Chen Xia replied immediately.
No matter what the elder said, he just shook his head. The elder had no choice, because Chen Xia indeed didn't owe the Cloud-top Sword Sect anything.
Over the hundred years, Chen Xia didn't learn the Cloud-top Sword Sect's cultivation methods, didn't use their magical treasures or pills. The only connection was that he used the sect's terrain.
And this was because the Cloud-top Sword Sect wanted to please Zhou Jia, so they really couldn't demand anything from Chen Xia.
Seeing that Chen Xia was unwilling, he didn't force the issue. Leaving with a "cultivate well," he turned and left.
Chen Xia didn't turn around, always facing the sword-like mountain peak in front of him, observing the faintly clear sky from the peak.
Zhou Jia came not long after, obviously having heard the news of Chen Xia gaining enlightenment in one go. She came to find Chen Xia with a joyful expression, even skipping happily for the last few steps. Her skirt fluttered slightly as her feet landed steadily beside Chen Xia.
"Hey, I heard that the Chen junior brother I brought back has gained enlightenment?" Zhou Jia asked with a slight smile, tilting her head.
"No," Chen Xia still shook his head. For these cultivators, suddenly becoming powerful probably meant gaining enlightenment, but for Chen Xia, gaining enlightenment was something for quasi-saints and above.
"What, you're going to hide it even from senior sister Zhou?" Zhou Jia patted Chen Xia's shoulder, smiling again.
"It's okay, you can just tell senior sister Zhou. Senior sister Zhou's background is very powerful, not afraid of getting entangled in any karma because of you, and if possible, senior sister Zhou can even help you deal with it, paving the way for your future path."
"It's also a way of smoothing out your cultivation path, after all, you were personally brought back by me, haha."
Zhou Jia laughed lightly, the moon mark on her brow faintly glowing, smiling at Chen Xia.
Chen Xia turned to look at her, still shaking his head, "I didn't gain enlightenment, I just found myself."
Found himself?
Zhou Jia frowned slightly, it was the first time she had heard such a statement. She was a bit confused, but seeing that Chen Xia didn't seem to be lying to her, she nodded.
"If you have any trouble, just come find me. Senior sister Zhou has ways."
Chen Xia nodded, not replying further, continuing to gaze at the tall mountain peak before him.
This was one of the few conversations Chen Xia and Zhou Jia had these days.
Zhou Jia seemed to intentionally distance herself from Chen Xia, and hadn't come to find him for many days.
Chen Xia didn't mind, continuing to look at the mountain peak, seeking himself.
The decline of the Cloud-top Sword Sect wasn't reversed by Chen Xia's sudden appearance. On the contrary, it suffered even greater attacks from other sects.
This was a true sect battle. Three elders of the Cloud-top Sword Sect passed away within twenty years, and three-tenths of the disciples left, not daring to stay in the current Cloud-top Sword Sect.
The Taishang Elder personally went to ask Zhou Jia, hoping she could save the Cloud-top Sword Sect for the sake of past friendship.
Zhou Jia nodded slightly in agreement, and the Taishang Elder left excited and delighted.
In the silent room, a black-clad person suddenly appeared, asking Zhou Jia puzzledly.
"Are you really going to get involved in the entanglement of these small sects?"
Zhou Jia leaned lightly against the wall, shaking her head, "It's not really getting involved, but after all, I've stayed here for so many years. Consider it clearing up karma. You can help them a bit when the time comes."
The black-clad person didn't express an opinion, only asking, "When are you returning to the Great Zhou Dynasty? The Emperor is urging again."
Zhou Jia laughed helplessly, quietly looking out the window, saying softly.
"A dynasty that rules over a vast starry region, with cultivation methods, divine abilities, magical treasures... it has everything except human warmth. Everyone is calculating from top to bottom. Father Emperor fears them, they fear Father Emperor. What's the point of going back?"
"Do they really intend for me to inherit the Great Zhou throne?"
The black-clad person bowed respectfully and said, "After all, you are the most talented eldest daughter in the Great Zhou's direct line, and also the most valued by the Emperor. Moreover..."
The black-clad person paused here, glancing at Zhou Jia's expression before continuing.
"Moreover, last time a supreme figure spoke, demanding that the Great Zhou produce a prodigy worthy of notice within three thousand years, or else they would let someone else manage the Great Zhou."
Zhou Jia frowned, "Who is this supreme figure?"
The black-clad person glanced left and right, looking somewhat worried. After making sure no one was around, he used a secret method of spiritual energy transmission to say.
"It's a supreme existence, the Saint Emperor's Capital!"