What exactly is Celestial Phenomenon?
What exactly is Celestial Phenomenon?
Above the mountain peak, the gathering crowd continued to swell, their eyes fixed on the young man gracefully treading the path toward the grass hut.
The first time Qin Wentian ventured here, he unraveled a total of 14 sword strikes, setting a new record for the grass hut. After a considerable time had elapsed, he was about to embark on this challenge once more.
"The 15th sword strike and beyond are said to be indecipherable for those below the Celestial Phenomenon level. Will Qin Wentian succeed?" many silently pondered. As Qin Wentian had already mastered the initial 14 sword strikes, he would naturally begin with the 15th. The question on everyone's minds was whether he could deliver yet another surprise by comprehending a strike considered inscrutable to those beneath the Celestial Phenomenon level.
Among the spectators was Ye Lingshuang, who had experienced a complete change in her attitude since Qin Wentian's first attempt at comprehending the sword strikes. Initially, she had disliked him, finding him excessively flirtatious, even teaching his mischievous Little Rascal to follow suit. Tensions escalated when Little Rascal "assaulted" her delicate chest area. However, her feelings had transformed, and now she was filled with anticipation.
"Senior sister Lou." A beautiful woman landed on an ancient peak opposite the grass hut. It was none other than Lou Bingyu, her calm and cool gaze focused on the unfolding scene.
"Bingyu." Ji Feixue appeared beside her, the timing of his arrival unknown. Lou Bingyu's demeanor toward him had undergone a dramatic shift since their return from the Immortal Martial Realm. Gone was the sense of rivalry and subtle admiration. She now faced Ji Feixue with tranquility, having undergone an internal transformation.
"Feixue, you must strive harder. After her seclusion, junior sister Lou has already broken through to the eighth level of Heavenly Dipper," Lin Shuai commented, his smile directed at both of them. His words caught Ji Feixue's attention, and he studied Lou Bingyu intently. Lou Bingyu's ability to comprehend the runic patterns inscribed in the inner space of the Immortal Martial Realm's ranking monument was a testament to her excellence.
Li Hanyou also arrived, her gaze revealing a blend of emotions when she glanced at Qin Wentian. She had once looked down on him, but now he didn't even spare her a glance. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that Qin Wentian had never directly acknowledged her presence. In the Immortal Martial Realm, after the painful slap she had delivered, she had been seething with anger and cursing him in her heart. Yet, she witnessed Qin Wentian's journey to the very top, and the complex emotions it stirred within her were known only to her.
Aside from the Battle Sword Sect's disciples on the mountain peaks, a few other Celestial Phenomenon Ascendants of the sect hid in the shadows, redirecting their perception to this location.
Qin Wentian's return to the grass hut created a tremendous stir throughout the Battle Sword Sect.
This level of excitement was something that even figures like Lou Bingyu and Ji Feixue had never managed to generate. In the last century, the only person who had accomplished this feat was Qin Wentian.
Perceiving the sword was a form of comprehension, an understanding. Since he had already grasped their essence previously, his second attempt to traverse this path seemed effortless. He began directly with the 15th sword strike.
Once again, he found himself immersed in the scene from that distant past. A towering mountain wall, adorned with enigmatic images, stretched out before Qin Wentian. This time, the images depicted ferocious, primordial beasts, ancient demons that blotted out the sky and laid waste to the land, causing utter chaos. But now, a single sword strike cut through the chaos, reducing it all to nothingness.
"The earlier 14 sword strikes contained the essence of various Mandates. But even though this image appears to be a fusion of Mandates, I can't sense anything. Could it be that my previous analysis was correct? Is this sword strike a fusion on a much deeper level?" Qin Wentian pondered to himself. If it truly was a deeper fusion, deciphering which Mandates had blended together would be an incredibly daunting task. It was quite possible he would leave this place disheartened, unable to grasp the essence of this sword strike.
However, a peculiar notion suddenly flashed in Qin Wentian's mind. This particular sword strike seemed unusually pure, almost as if it was derived from a single Mandate. It didn't have the typical feel of a Mandate fusion.
Of course, it could also be the manifestation of a new Mandate that emerged after a profound fusion process. With his current level of strength, he had no means to perceive this possibility.
Closing his eyes, Qin Wentian attempted to etch the image into his mind, repeatedly dissecting the essence of the 15th sword strike.
"If one hasn't reached the Celestial Phenomenon level, comprehending the 15th sword strike is an impossible task," Qin Wentian muttered.
Celestial Phenomenon? What exactly did that entail?
The Celestial Phenomenon Realm marked a profound understanding of one's Mandate, surpassing the Perfection Boundary of the second level insights. It was often referred to as the true intent of Mandates.
'True,' in the sense of comprehending the fundamental truths behind one's various Mandates.
Take, for instance, the Mandate of Force. Qin Wentian had achieved the first level of insight, representing strength, and the second level of insight, embodied by vibrational void shockwaves. But did this mean there were only two insights to be gleaned from the Mandate of Force?
Certainly not. There were still third and fourth insights, such as gravity, an omnipresent force. Only those who truly grasped the Mandate of Force could progress beyond this stage to comprehend the true intent of Mandates.
However, reaching this stage was an exceedingly challenging feat. Countless individuals remained stuck here, unable to break through to the Celestial Phenomenon Realm.
But this was just one condition for breaking through to Celestial Phenomenon. In addition to comprehending the true intent of Mandates, one had to reintegrate their astral novas into their astral souls, allowing their astral souls to undergo evolution and transform into celestial constellations. Only after understanding the true intent of Mandates could they embark on the next step—comprehending their own constellations.
The night sky was a tapestry of constellations, each holding its own secrets and powers, weaving a complex and intricate celestial fabric. Among those who had reached a certain level of mastery, having an exceptional and extraordinary constellation was like possessing a trump card that could effortlessly vanquish ten, or even twenty, opponents with ordinary constellations. Some were so mighty that they could obliterate their foes in an instant.
Yet, despite the countless individuals stuck at this threshold, yearning to break through to the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, only a fortunate few would make the leap. And when they did, they would revel in unparalleled satisfaction and joy. However, their elation often turned to despair when they realized the insurmountable gaps in power among peers at the same level.
The deeper Qin Wentian delved into his understanding, the more he grasped the staggering disparities in strength among those of equal standing. In the past, without his transformation into an ancient primordial great roc and the mastery of the demon sword, the Celestial Phenomenon Ascendants of the Pill Emperor Hall could have effortlessly crushed him with a single finger. Their hubris in underestimating him and believing they could eliminate him at any time ultimately led to their downfall, as Qin Wentian annihilated their Pill Emperor Hall with a single stroke of his sword.
"Could there be a possibility that this sword strike contains the true intent of a specific Mandate?" Qin Wentian pondered as he contemplated the concept of the Celestial Phenomenon. The prevailing wisdom was that only those who had reached the Celestial Phenomenon Realm could decipher the 15th sword strike. In essence, if this strike indeed harbored the true intent of a Mandate, then it would be a monumental challenge for a Heavenly Dipper Sovereign to unravel its essence.
With this new perspective in mind, Qin Wentian abandoned the idea that it was a fusion of various Mandates. He closed his eyes, allowing the sword strike to replay incessantly before him. After tens of thousands of repetitions, Qin Wentian's sea of consciousness finally perceived something different, something he had overlooked before. New insights flooded his mind, granting him a clearer understanding.
Time flowed by unnoticed, and Qin Wentian marveled at the tremendous level of perception required to tread the path to the grass hut. Those who reached this point were undoubtedly among the most exceptional individuals of their generation.
A day passed, and the onlookers on the mountain peaks remained numerous, their eyes fixed on Qin Wentian in hopes of witnessing a miracle. Yet, he remained motionless.
Was the 15th sword strike truly insurmountable?
Could it be that without attaining the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, one could never decipher its mysteries? Was this unbreakable rule truly absolute?
Within the hearts of many, a collective sigh echoed, a somber acknowledgment that the much-anticipated miracle might remain elusive.
Meanwhile, Qin Wentian remained fully immersed in his inner world. The image of that sword strike continued to play out, growing increasingly vivid with each repetition. He could now discern the underlying energy that fueled the destructive force of the sword. The incredible speed, the slicing power, the all-encompassing energy—it all pointed unmistakably to the Mandate of Wind.
It wasn't merely the will of the Mandate of Wind; it was the true intent of Wind itself. Within that sword strike, Qin Wentian could sense the manifold facets of Wind—Wind Speed, Wind Laceration, Ephemeral Wind, and the ever-pervasive Wind itself.
"Understood," Qin Wentian declared, his eyes opening as he placed his palms onto the mountain rampart before him. His consciousness merged with the stone surface, and in an instant, a brilliant sword radiance pierced the heavens, its humming filling the air. Sword qi enveloped the vicinity of the grass hut.
The 15th sword strike had been comprehended.
"He achieved this in just one day. Quite remarkable," Lin Shuai marveled, a smile on his face. His junior brother had truly surprised him. While the path to the Celestial Phenomenon Realm might seem like an insurmountable chasm to others, for Qin Wentian, it was merely a matter of time. It appeared that he was on the verge of bridging that gap.
The comprehension of this sword strike suggested that he would soon grasp the true intent of his Mandates.
"Wentian is truly exceptional," Ye Lingshuang exclaimed, her eyes brimming with joy. Her foster brother might well surpass her own father in greatness. If only he were her biological sibling, her father would have no worries about a worthy successor.
Among the members of the Battle Sword Sect, waves of astonishment rippled through the eyes of Lou Bingyu and Ji Feixue. However, this was only the beginning.
The second image appeared nearly identical to the first, as if they were mirror reflections. Qin Wentian spent a total of twelve hours comprehending it.
This time, the energy contained within the sword strike resonated with the essence of space. While similar to the Mandate of Wind, it unleashed even greater devastation upon impact.
Qin Wentian continued his rapid progress. He dedicated eight hours to the 17th sword strike, six hours to the 18th, four hours to the 19th, and two hours to the 20th. Astonishingly, he conquered the 21st sword strike in just one hour.
Over the course of two days, Qin Wentian accomplished the incredible feat of comprehending an additional seven sword strikes, progressing from the 15th all the way to the 21st.
As the spectators gazed upon this remarkable display from their vantage points on the mountain peaks, a stunned silence pervaded the scene. They watched in awe as Qin Wentian's figure drew nearer to the grass hut, now standing on the brink of the 22nd sword strike. This was a realm that the vast majority of onlookers could only dream of reaching—a place reserved for those who had transcended the Celestial Phenomenon Realm. Yet, here was Qin Wentian, defying all expectations.
The question hung in the air, unspoken yet palpable: Just how challenging would it be to grasp the essence of the 22nd sword strike?
No one possessed the answer, but the collective focus of the entire Battle Sword Sect was now fixed on the young man walking the path of the grass hut. He had not only shattered records but had also ignited the fervent curiosity of all those who witnessed this extraordinary journey.