Rise of the Sword Lord

Chapter 3

[PRISON WORLD TOWER]

Kai stood before the mysterious black tower, overwhelmed by a sense of shock and disbelief.

"Where am I?"

He looked around and found nothing but darkness.

"There is only one way to find out," he mumbled, pushing the door to the tower open.

He was scared deep down but still curious. Stepping inside, Kai’s mouth dropped open at the sight that met him. The entire wall surrounding him was adorned with runes made of purple and gold.

"Where is this place?"

Some of the runes were even writhing, strange...

Suddenly, Kai's attention was captured by a skeleton with a long sword beside it. The sight almost made him startle, but Kai composed himself.

He noticed a write-up with ink or blood on the floor in front of the skeleton. He read the message aloud to himself:

I am Li Wei, the Sword Lord. I started training in swordsmanship at the age of 12, reached a high level of mastery in the Tao of the Sword by 17, and became unmatched in the world by 21.

At 27, I achieved the ultimate level of the Tao of the Sword but was then trapped in this tower for 1,200 years. Unable to escape in my lifetime, I leave behind my legacy in the hope that my successors will carry it forward. You must protect the world.

After reading the inscription, Kai noticed a fist-sized jade stone resting below it.

"The Heritage Stone!"

He recognized the jade stone immediately, acknowledging the power it carried. As a Cultivator, Kai knew the rarity and significance of such a legacy left by the Sword Lord, who had now faced his demise and was nothing more than a skeleton.

Kai immediately realized something. He looked up at the skeleton again.

"This person was a sword cultivator," he murmured to himself.

A sword cultivator is someone who dedicates their life to mastering the art of sword fighting, learning various techniques and philosophies to become an expert swordsman.

On the other hand, Qi cultivators focus on harnessing and manipulating Qi, the life force or energy that flows through all living things. They train to enhance their internal energy, which can be used for healing, enhancing physical abilities, and even performing supernatural feats.

"Unlike Qi cultivators, it is rare to find a sword cultivator. In the entire Razar Continent, there are many Warriors both in history and present, but Sword Cultivators are very rare," he said in shock.

He kept staring at the jade stone and the sword as he murmured, "it was said that becoming a Sword Cultivator required special Spiritual Roots. Does this mean that the Sword Lord used to have these spiritual roots while he was alive?" Kai asked himself, bewildered.

Kai stood in awe before the mysterious skeleton, now revealed to be that of the legendary Sword Lord. Eager to approach the sword, he found himself frozen in place, as if blocked by an invisible barrier.

"I can't get through. Something is stopping me from reaching the sword," Kai whispered in shock.

Each time he tried to take a step towards the sword, he would be pushed back by a force he couldn't see. Suddenly, a strange voice, belonging to a woman, startled him.

"You must be a newcomer," she said.

Startled, Kai took a few cautious steps backward, scanning the surroundings for the source of the voice, but he found no one. Doubting his senses, he muttered, "I must have heard wrong, there's clearly no one here."

But the voice came again, asking Kai a question, "Who dominates the Tao of Heaven in this world?" it asked, and Kai trembled in shock.

Confused, Kai replied, "What is the Tao of Heaven?"

“Tao embodies the natural flow and balance of the universe, it helps people like you to align with its principles for spiritual growth and mastery. It can be described as the universal rules and balance that keep everything in order, much like the laws of nature,” she replied to Kai’s question in detail.

After a brief pause, the voice continued, "You are too weak. The reason you can't approach the sword is not because something holds you back. There is no barrier, the only thing holding you back is your weakness."

"Who are you?" Kai asked her, although he still could not see her.

Kai's curiosity had been piqued since the moment he heard the voice of the unseen woman. "Are you an Oracle?" he asked directly, hoping for a straightforward answer. However, the mysterious woman seemed to dance around his question, evading a clear confirmation.

"I know why you've been chosen by the Prison World Tower," she intoned.

Kai's interest was now fully piqued. "Chosen? What do you mean?" he probed further.

"You possess a Taoist body and dual Spiritual Roots," she explained calmly. "That's a rare combination, one that makes you stand out among cultivators," she added.

Kai couldn't hide his skepticism. "But if that's true, why haven't I progressed further in my cultivation?"

The woman's response was measured. "Your potential lies in sword cultivation, but something has hindered you," she revealed.

"What more do I need?" Kai inquired eagerly, his heart beating really quickly.

The woman's voice lowered as she observed Kai's energy. "Your Elixir Field is broken," she stated matter-of-factly. "It's acting as a barrier to your advancement as a sword cultivator."

A wave of disappointment washed over Kai at this revelation. He remembered his Elixir Field being damaged. Just as he stood there wondering what to do next, the woman spoke.

"There is a way," she began, causing Kai to raise his head. "There is a way you can cultivate the Tao of the Sword even with your broken Elixir Field," she said. Kai was stunned. Filled with hope that there was a way he could achieve this even with his broken Elixir Field, he realized it sounded too good to be free.

"Why would you help me? And what do you ask for in return?"

The woman's voice echoed, "You're smart. There is indeed something you'll do in return for my guidance on how to cultivate the sword without your Elixir Field."

Kai replied, "Tell me what I must do. I'm ready to pay the price."

"Each floor of the tower harbors dangerous entities, ranging from mortal beings and spirits to demons and even fragments of the Tao of Heaven's soul," she began, and Kai's brows drew together.

As Kai tried to absorb this overwhelming information, the woman pressed on, explaining, "The tower once served as a bastion to contain these powerful beings, but now it requires reinforcement." She paused, allowing the weight of her words to sink into Kai.

Kai's brows furrowed in confusion, prompting him to speak up. "But why does the tower need strengthening?"

After a moment of silence, the woman explained carefully, "The tower suffered a severe blow in the past, causing its nine foundational rules to be scattered across the world." Her voice conveyed the urgency of the situation. "The seals on each floor have weakened, posing a threat to the balance."

"The tower has twelve floors," she added. "People, spirits, demons, and even manifestations of the Tao of Heaven's essence reside within these floors."

Kai's mind raced with questions, but before he could voice them, the woman continued speaking.

"The tower once had the power to subdue these entities, but now, what holds them is breaking. Your task, Kai Wang, is to locate the nine Rules of the Tao between Heaven and Earth to fortify the tower."

Perplexed and overwhelmed, Kai asked the inevitable question, "What if I choose to release these beasts, demons, and other beings?"

The woman's response was chillingly straightforward.

"There are two possible outcomes," she stated. "They may kill you, seizing control of the tower. Or, if you possess the strength, you could subjugate them and make them your servants."

A shiver ran down Kai's spine as he contemplated the risks.

"But with your current abilities and the state of your broken Elixir Field," she paused, "you will definitely be killed by them," the woman concluded, and Kai's heart sank in dread.