Ascended Realm and Sword Saint

It has been a year since the gacha rewards Wang Li gained. Wang Li has completely mastered the programming, hacking techniques and technology of Earth, theoretically. Now he is trying to crack and understand the Void Engine reward he got but it will take a long time. Unfortunately, due to the lack of materials needed in the cultivation world, none of the technologies provided by Void Engine can be made.

In the Omniverse Chat Guild two more members joined. One was invited by Wang Li with the Id High Priest Luo Hao. namely the 2nd Campione Luo Hao. She was difficult to talk to with how arrogant she was. Of course all I had to do was show her the future for her to be slightly more tame.

However since she was the 10th member, the guild upgraded and now everyone could continuously upgrade their techniques or bloodlines using guild points. There was also a virtual coliseum where guild members can fight against each other and die indefinitely. Of course there was a Pain Perception option to set the percent of pain one should feel in the coliseum. Other then that, there is also a Skill board where members can place any skill they want on the Skill Board for other members to cultivate it from the start.

The other member that joined the guild was Nakiri Erina. Wang Li immediately made a deal and got her cooking skills before giving them to Qin Xiao Luo. Ever since then not eating Qin Xiao Luo's cooking was taboo.

After staying in Peak Late Stage Rejuvenation Realm for one year, Wang Li finally decided to breakthrough. After informing the white goose once again, he immediately went to a secluded area. He used 200 guild points to instantly comprehend 'Green Dragon Ascension Script' for his breakthrough.

An hour later.

Wang Li stood in the desolate area devoid of life. He looked up at the sky. Black clouds that contained arcing lightning and heavy wind were gathering above. A few lines of glowing text appeared in front of his eyes.

[Your Ascension is about to begin]

[Detected user to hold mastery over the Bow, Sword, and mutated Elemental Lightning, please carefully select your primary path]

"I choose the sword" Wang Li spoke without hesitation.

'Primary?'

[The sword is the path with the strongest sense of monopoly. When selecting the path of the sword, you will have to discard all other paths. However with a 99% discount you can 'open' your soul and thus walk on all paths by paying 20000 points.]

[Would you like to pay for an 'open' soul?]

"Yes" Wang Li once again spoke without hesitation.

'Again... why does this system treat me so well?'

[Guild Master has an 'open' soul and has chosen the sword as the primary and main Dao.]

During their Ascension, a cultivator will not awaken a new Thaumaturgy, instead they awaken to their own Dao, their own path. Once a path has been chosen, the Law of Heaven and Earth will become a witness to this, helping the cultivator manifest their Dao. Like others, when a sword cultivator reaches Ascended realm late stage, they will gain the ability to attempt breaking through to Sainted realm.

But being a Sword Saint is very different, it has almost nothing to do with their cultivation. If the sword cultivator's swordsmanship isn't up to standard, even if they manage to reach Sainted realm, they won't necessarily become a Sword Saint. Wang Li's swordsmanship had already surpassed the standard of Sword Saint.

[Your Ascension has come, you will have to pass it to receive the blessing of the world, from then on you will be able to find your own path by walking on any and all Daos.]

'Is it just me or has this System started talking alot today?'

Suddenly thunder was crackling within the thick clouds This was dignity of the heavens, able to dwarf anything and everything. The Tribulation during Ascension is at least twice as powerful as the Rejuvenation realm Tribulation. But Wang Li wasn't the least bit worried. Wang Li is already strong enough to confront a Late Stage Ascended Realm Martial Cultivator with pure physique.

The most difficult thing about this Tribulation is how long it takes. The Tribulation will always take one whole day without rest, testing the cultivator's mental capacity and stamina. Being hit constantly by lightning in an inescapable space for such a long time is a type of torture in and of itself. That being the case, Wang Li took out a small pouch and opened it to reveal a couple of Bluetooth earbuds.

He secured them onto his ears.

{Some Rock 'n' Roll, Master?} The SkyNet loli asked.

"No, give me a song with a relaxing vibe." Wang Li replied.

{Understood, Master.}

Wang Li had already started making a few convenient technologies for himself. He intends to give some to Bai Hua Fairy and Qin Xiao Luo later. He also intends to commercialize it in the future to get some merit for the future. Of course all this is left for the SkyNet loli to solve. The music started playing.

A refreshing female voice started to sing slowly, her voice felt at peace in nature.

"Who's this?"

{Master, someone from Tony Starks world.}

Wang Li had taken some song albums from the rest of the guild members. After being reminded of the wonders of technology, Wang Li swore to spread technology all around the world and make as much technology as possible. He felt a new passion for science. It was this passion that drove him to learn everything about technology.

While they were talking, the first lightning strike had already come down. Wang Li swung his sword at the Tribulation lightning that came. The lightning was broken and scattered.

"Quite a good song" Wang Li commented.

{It's the main song of the album} SkyNet loli answered.

"Really?"

The arcs of lightning in the sky were getting thicker and thicker, striking down one after another. Wang Li turned up the volume in his earbuds, swinging his swords to create blinding sword phantoms that destroyed the striking lightning. This battle has gone on for about half a day. The Tribulation lightning hadn't stopped.

It's already at the moment when the Tribulation is most intense. Wang Li gritted his teeth and used a Secret Art.

'Drawn Shadow'

An endlessly blooming flower of black sword shadows appeared, making short work of the approaching lightning. After some time, the blooming black sword shadows had already dissipated as the lightning came striking down once again. Wang Li swung his sword to disperse the Tribulation lightning.

There was no more rain in the sky, but the thick Tribulation clouds were still silently gathering, increasing in power. There was no rain, no wind, only a devastating lightning storm that didn't stop.

Time slowly passed.

The long day was finally over. When Wang Li started his Ascension, it was daytime. And when he finished, it was daytime again. The Tribulation clouds started dispersing.

Wang Li closed his eyes to feel the overflowing power inside himself. After a while, he opened his eyes again.

[Detected Guild Master to have successfully broken through to Ascended realm]

[Guild Master Privilege has been unlocked]

[An additional way of gaining Guild Points has been unlocked. For every living being you help, you will gain one Guild Point.]

'Fuck that's nice. I could horde a shit ton of points so the technique upgrade system will be easier to use.'

Wang Li immediately took out the Sword Manipulation scripture.

[To learn Sword Manipulation, required Guild Points is 500, would you like to learn it?]

Sword Manipulation is the foundation of being a Sword Saint, the most basic of all techniques, it is mandatory to be able to use this technique if one is to walk further on the path of the Sword Saint.

Wang Li answered: "Awaken"

[User has spent 500 Soul Points, Sword Manipulation learned]

After awakening Sword Manipulation, Wang Li had become much stronger. Then he suddenly made a hand seal.

'Sword Manipulation'

The Earth Sword and Fenlie Qi turned into a streak of light, dancing back and forth in the sky.

Wang Li changed his hand seal.

10 shining sword phantoms suddenly appeared from the Earth Sword's shaft, jetting through the sky like falling stars and disappeared in a bright flash. The sword phantoms stabbed into the desert floor, creating 10 craters. The strikes were so deep that the sand around tried to flow down to cover them up, but couldn't manage to do so in a short time.

This is a Secret Art, Silver Star, which can only be invoked through Sword Manipulation. This was something Wang Li studied in detail but due to the fact Sword Manipulation can only be learned at Ascended Realm he could not use this technique. At this point, Wang Li now has a grasped on a total of 7 Secret Arts, in order, they are Water Flow Severance, Crescent Slash, Drawn Shadow, Swallow Return, Torrent, Silver Star and Silent Draw.

Wang Li changed his hand seal again. The Earth Sword and Fenlie Qi flew back into his hands. Wang Li stood holding his swords, looking at the deep craters with an excited look on his face.

'So I have finally managed to take the first step into the realm of Sword Saint.'

But invoking sword strikes with hand seals is nothing but the very first basic. As a Sword Saint, one thought is all it takes to summon a thousand swords. In the cultivation world, despite how many Ascended realm late stage sword cultivators there were, many couldn't advance to become a Sword Saint.

There used to be a Sainted realm sword cultivator, but even he wasn't considered a Sword Saint. This isn't a matter of cultivation. Only when a person's swordsmanship reached a high enough point, their understanding and control of the sword taking that final leap to the next level, will they truly evolve into a Sword Saint.

To become a Sword Saint, talent, foundation, comprehension, opportunity and effort, all of these are required.

In the entire cultivation world, there were over billions of cultivators, but none of them were Sword Saints. But Sword Saints very rarely use their true power in Ascended Realm because what follows the overwhelming strength of their swordsmanship is the immense energy cost.

One person once estimated that in order to fight as a Sword Saint for one full minute, they'd need the total spirit energy reserve of a Sainted realm cultivator. Because of that, the power of a Sword Saint in Ascended Realm is usually only seen for a split second, a single burst like a fireworks explosion.

Following that, they would be too drained to fight, clearly, they had overwhelmingly powerful sword techniques, but no spirit energy to support the Sword Saints' abilities over the drawn-out battles that they're most accustomed to. This feeling of powerlessness and frustration could drive anyone mad.

In Gu Qing Shan's past life, this was called the Sword Saints' sorrow. However Wang Li didn't mind this since he knows that Saint Realm and Sword Saint is merely the beginning. He still has a long path ahead of him and Wang Li was looking forward to it.

As a sword saint, although he doesn't necessarily have to be surrounded by countless swords, but there should be a minimum of two. One sword for attacking, one for defending and Wang Li already has two excellent swords so he already qualifies the first requirement.

Wang Li immediately returned to the shadow hall and made 1000 Shadow clones to not only practice his Sword Saint swordsmanship but also continued to comprehend the Void Engine alongside the SkyNet loli.

Now that he is in Ascended level and beginning of Sword Saint, he will prepare to go to the Campione world next and hope to kill a few 'Fallen gods'.