Chu Yang was taken aback by the young swordsman in a Daoist robe in front of him. He looked around uncertainly and asked, "Are you talking to me?"
"Who else?" The young man frowned, pointing at the wooden sword on Chu Yang's back. "Do you use this kind of sword?"
Chu Yang's face remained expressionless as he responded calmly, "I am not a sword cultivator."
After speaking, Chu Yang continued walking, not bothering with the group's intentions.
"You!" The young swordsman was infuriated, not expecting this beggar-like figure to disregard him so completely.
Just as he was about to teach Chu Yang a lesson, a commanding voice interrupted.
"Why are you all dawdling instead of practicing your swordsmanship?"
As the voice fell, an elder with a kind appearance and an immortal aura approached slowly.
Seeing the elder, the seven or eight young disciples immediately deflated like punctured balloons, lowering their heads and resuming their practice.
After reprimanding the playful disciples, the elder's gaze quickly fell on Chu Yang.
As a sword cultivator at the threshold of supreme mastery, his discerning eye was extraordinarily sharp.
In an instant, he recognized the extraordinary nature of this disheveled youth. Within him was an invincible Sword Heart and a rare Dao Sword Embryo.
He could even sense a blazing sword intent suppressed deep within Chu Yang, unable to be released.
This made the elder's eyes narrow with interest.
Chu Yang's potential in the Sword Dao was the greatest he had seen in his centuries-long life.
He had never encountered anyone more suited to sword cultivation than Chu Yang.
No, this wasn't just a genius; it was a peerless prodigy!
"Young friend, wait!" the elder hurriedly called out to Chu Yang.
"Young friend, you are an unparalleled talent in the Sword Dao. Would you be willing to become my disciple and train in the Sword Dao with me?"
Hearing this, Chu Yang halted, his expression one of immense shock.
His once clouded and confused eyes suddenly lit up with a fiery gleam, as intense as flames.
"Sword Dao?"
"Is it possible for me to cultivate again?"
Chu Yang's voice trembled with urgency, his eyes filled with both hope and fear.
He was afraid that this might just be an illusion…
Seeing Chu Yang's reaction, the elder smiled gently. "In the conventional cultivation system, with your shattered Dao Palace and broken foundation, it would indeed be impossible to cultivate again."
"But sword cultivation is different, and the Sword Dao differs from ordinary Daoist methods."
"The most crucial aspect of sword cultivation is having an invincible Sword Heart. You not only possess such a Sword Heart but also have a Dao Sword Embryo, making you a natural-born genius for sword training. With a bit of guidance and someone to lead you, your cultivation speed would be terrifying."
"Your future achievements would be limitless, rivalling those so-called chosen ones of the world!"
"The destruction of your Dao Palace and loss of your foundation might seem like a catastrophic disaster to others, but to you, it is a fortunate encounter."
"Breaking down to rebuild is a profound concept. By cutting off other paths of cultivation, you can fully immerse yourself in the Sword Dao. Once you achieve mastery, you can wield the power of having a sword without holding one!"
The elder's face was filled with excitement. He had not expected to stumble upon such a rare sword prodigy.
Chu Yang's eyes sparkled with bright light as he anxiously looked at the elder before him, his voice trembling with excitement. "You're willing to teach me swordsmanship?"
For a moment, the usually stoic Chu Yang, who had faced death without flinching, was visibly agitated.
The elder nodded immediately, saying, "You are an unparalleled genius in the Sword Dao, and as a sword cultivator myself, I am naturally willing to teach you. Helping you become the greatest sword cultivator in the world would be worth any sacrifice!"
Chu Yang felt a deep, indescribable excitement. "I, Chu Yang, do not like to owe anyone. If you are willing to teach me, I will surely repay your kindness in the future!"
Hearing this, the elder's face lit up with joy. He nodded, "Very well. A student who knows gratitude is the best kind. A pure heart for the Sword Dao, free from any karmic debts, is what makes a true sword cultivator!"
"From now on, you will be my only personal disciple, and I will teach you everything I have learned."
The surrounding young sword cultivators were all shocked.
The sect master wanted to take this beggar as his disciple, and not just any disciple, but his personal disciple. This was something they couldn't accept.
"Master, we refuse to accept this. This guy's Sword Dao talent might not even be higher than ours!" the young swordsman from earlier protested.
However, both the elder and Chu Yang ignored him, leaving the young swordsman fuming with anger.
...
Outside the Heavenly Emperor's Realm.
The cultivators were utterly shocked.
"What? The Emperor actually had a master?"
Everyone's expressions turned grim.
The army they had organized to fight against the heavens consisted of the most powerful beings on the Myriad Spirits Continent, and they had thoroughly investigated the Emperor's past.
But they had found no trace of Chu Yang having a teacher! If the Emperor's master was still alive and a hidden powerhouse, it could impact their plan to defeat the Emperor. "Why didn't the Emperor ever mention this past to people like Chu Emperor or Nie Emperor, who are very close to him? Even they didn't know the Emperor had a master!"
Some cultivators were puzzled and voiced their doubts.
At this moment, the Son of Destiny, Ye Fan, pondered for a while, seemingly finding an answer. He said, "I believe the Emperor must have committed some heinous act, such as betraying his master, and therefore kept this past hidden from everyone."
"Remember, Nie Emperor once said that the Emperor's invincible Sword Heart was destroyed."
"Now it seems he must have done something unforgivable, leading his master to destroy his Sword Heart and expel him from the sect."
Hearing this, everyone suddenly understood.
Many mysteries appeared to be unraveled at this moment.
From the beginning, when the Emperor's memories started to unfold, they noticed that young Emperor possessed an extraordinarily strong Sword Dao talent.
Before he began formal cultivation, he relied on this Sword Dao talent to survive.
And it was this extraordinary Sword Dao talent that allowed young Chu Emperor to live through tough times.
Yet, this Sword Dao prodigy, who eventually became a great Emperor, chose not to use a sword. This had always seemed odd.
They never understood what caused this.
Now it seemed likely that the Emperor had committed some atrocious act, betraying his master, leading to his Sword Heart being destroyed by his master, rendering him unable to practice swordsmanship.
In the cultivation world, a master is revered as one's own father. Betraying one's master is an unforgivable sin.
Thus, the Emperor would go to great lengths to conceal this past, ensuring that none of his close associates knew about it.