NOVEL WEB Chapter 4: Elder Ling
Chapter 4: Elder Ling
You Su had taken up the sword at the age of three and practiced for fifteen years. Although he was blind, his perception of the sword far surpassed that of his peers. The elder immortal may have possessed superior cultivation, but he relied heavily on his overwhelming energy to execute a simple, straightforward sword strike.
Such strikes were something You Su had practiced over a hundred thousand times. Dealing with them came naturally to him – except this time, he was unarmed.
In the blink of an eye, the dazzling light of the sword rushed towards him. But You Su was no fool who would simply surrender. Just as the elder immortal believed that victory was assured, You Su suddenly channeled all his internal energy into his legs and lunged forward with incredible speed.
When faced with an inevitable thrust, the best solution was to take control of the opponent’s weapon!
Using his palm as a substitute for a blade, You Su struck with precision, locking onto the protruding bone of the elder immortal’s right wrist with a sharp snap . The elder held the sword in his right hand and, upon realizing that the thrust had failed, attempted to swing downward. However, he found that You Su’s grip was perfectly placed-his sword couldn’t budge even slightly.
But You Su didn’t stop there. With his left hand clenched into a fist, he unleashed the full force of his strength, aiming a powerful blow at the elder’s elbow.
The Elder Immortal was stunned! He now realized that this blind youth hadn’t been intimidated by his oppressive aura or resigned to defeat. Instead, he was attempting an audacious feat – disarming him barehanded! If You Su managed to bend the elder’s arm, his entire forearm would fall under the boy’s control, making it easy for him to snatch the sword away.
As a mid-stage Water Condensation Realm cultivator, how could he possibly allow himself to be disarmed by a mere youth who had only recently broken through to the Spirit Platform Realm? It would be extremely humiliating! He had underestimated this boy, but swordsmanship wasn’t the elder’s greatest strength.
You Su’s punch landed – but to his dismay, the elder’s arm didn’t bend as expected. His carefully planned strike felt like a futile effort that vanished into nothingness.
The Elder Immortal let out a thunderous roar:
“Retreat!”
A surge of immense power erupted from the Elder’s body. Despite You Su’s preparations and the channeling of his inner energy, it was futile. He was blasted several meters away, losing his only chance at close combat.
This brief success was only due to the elder’s initial underestimation. Moreover, the elder’s swordsmanship was clearly not his forte – he hadn’t even used his sword when dealing with the evil spirit earlier, instead relying on other techniques. It was evident that the Elder excelled in controlling external forces rather than direct combat.
You Su understood that once a Water Condensation Realm cultivator fully unleashed their abilities, any attempt to approach them would be akin to chasing a mirage.
Cultivators all over the world relied on their spiritual channels to absorb the essence of heaven and earth for cultivation. They progressed through stages such as Meridian Opening, Spirit Platform, Water Condensation, and beyond, each step becoming more profound. The essence they cultivated was the foundation of all cultivation methods.
However, the application of this essence bifurcated into two main paths. One path involved the mastery of various mystical arts based on the control of the essence-techniques such as “Earth-Shattering Starfall” or “Summoning the Divine Forest.” The other path focused on improving external tools to increase one’s power, leading to specialized cultivators such as sword masters, alchemists, and talisman users.
These two paths were not mutually exclusive, but individuals often showed greater aptitude for one than the other.
The elder immortal had already converted much of his essence into protective qi, which had significantly weakened the oppressive aura he had initially exuded. You Su, quick to react, stabilized himself after being pushed back to a relatively safe distance. Then he began to channel his energy again.
He had walked this cobblestone road leading back to the sect thousands of times. After his proud and domineering master left, You Su had endured countless ambushes and bullying from fellow young cultivators along this very path. Each time, he chose not to fight back, opting to escape instead. He knew very well that if he retaliated against the younger ones, their elders would inevitably intervene. And those older cultivators were just waiting for an excuse to act. Over time, You Su had become intimately familiar with every inch of this road and was able to devise a retreat route no matter where he stood.
The Elder Immortal hadn’t expected You Su to flee so decisively. One moment he was resisting fiercely, the next he turned and ran. This seamless transition – whether intentional or a stroke of inspiration – proved that the boy was no ordinary opponent.
However, the elder remained composed, his expression calm. With a flick of his fingers, forming the shape of an orchid, his sleeves billowed without wind as he muttered: “The sun rises in the east, black mist rises. Mountains ahead, rivers behind, dragons to the left, tigers to the right.”
“Seal!”
With a single explosive word, You Su suddenly felt as though his legs had turned to stone, impossible to lift. Upon closer inspection, he realized that his entire body had stiffened, unable to move even a fraction-an invisible force bound him tightly, as if shackled by countless iron chains.
You Su immediately tried to break free, envisioning himself cutting through these intangible restraints. After two breaths, the immobilizing force abruptly dissipated, restoring his mobility. Yet, instead of fleeing further, You Su straightened his posture and calmly smoothed out his dark robes. He knew – he would not escape.
Those two brief breaths had been enough for the elder immortal to leisurely close the distance between them.
The elder’s piercing gaze locked onto You Su, his voice tinged with astonishment:
“My binding spell can even immobilize cultivators at the Water Condensation Realm for a moment. Yet you, a novice barely out of the Spirit Platform Realm-and blind no less-broke free in two breaths. Impressive.”
“Esteemed Senior flatters me,” You Su humbly replied. “It was only your mercy that allowed me to break free.”
“Oh? So you realized I was testing you?” The elder’s eyes narrowed further, his surprise deepening.
“If you truly wished to subdue me, you could have dealt with me along with that evil spirit a long time ago. There would have been no need to talk beforehand.”
“Outwardly calm, but inwardly perceptive.” The elder stroked his long beard thoughtfully. “Then why did you run?”
You Su smiled faintly, meeting the elder’s gaze directly. “I knew that in your eyes I was as helpless as a fish on a chopping block. But sitting idly by and waiting for my fate has never been my style.”
The elder immortal gazed into You Su’s unfocused eyes, feeling as though he were staring into an unfathomable abyss. A flicker of admiration crossed his face, but it vanished almost instantly. His expression turned solemn as he said, “It’s a pity that you remain oblivious to the danger closing in on you.”
You Su was no fool. During their brief confrontation, he had already pieced together one crucial realization-his congenital blindness did not render him entirely sightless. Instead, he seemed to be capable of seeing those inexplicable “unclean things”. A suspicion began to form in his mind.
“I do not understand what you mean, Senior.”
“Do you really not understand? Or are you choosing not to?” The elder immortal closed his eyes briefly, shaking his head with an air of regret.
You Su raised his hands in a respectful gesture, his tone earnest. “I humbly ask for your guidance, Senior.”
“I am Elder Ling of the Spiritual Treasure Sect from Eternal Height Divine Mountain. To whom do you owe your teachings?”
“In response, Senior, my name is You Su.”
Elder Ling opened his eyes and looked at the youth, a trace of helplessness flickering in his gaze. Despite their exchange, this unpolished gem of a boy remained guarded, offering only his name and withholding his origins. Could it be that he was determined to remain stubborn, even if it led him down a path of self-destruction?
You Su was also surprised. He hadn’t expected this elder to be a cultivator from one of the Divine Mountains.
Up until now, the only person he had encountered with ties to the Divine Mountains was the old city lord of Chuyun City.
It was worth noting that the old city lord was merely an outer disciple of the Mystic Firmament Sect, the foremost sect in the Divine Mountains. Having reached a dead end in his cultivation and unwilling to relinquish the sect’s resources, he had been dispatched to this remote region to serve as the city ruler.