Chapter 69: The Secrets Behind the Golden Gate

After Gu Qingyi and the others made their way past a series of powerful barriers, they passed by many wondrous and rare sights.

Not far ahead, a sudden surge of dazzling golden light exploded, its majestic aura spreading in all directions. In that instant, a massive golden gate slowly materialized.

Gu Qingyi abruptly sensed the golden greatsword within his body quivering uncontrollably, like something behind that golden gate was calling out to it.

It felt as if the sword would burst out of his body at any moment, racing straight for the gate.

A moment later, ancient, flowing script began to appear on the surface of the golden gate.

To enter this gate is to face death a hundred times with only a slim chance at survival.

Only those chosen by fate may pass through these doors.

As for the secrets within, they must be uncovered by your own hand.

Everything you learn here is forbidden from being spread. This is no idle warning—remember well.

While everyone stared in shock,

a loud clang echoed as the golden gate before them creaked open, billowing out thick waves of smoke.

Taken off-guard, choking on the sudden haze, everyone waited for the clouds to clear. What came into view was a boundless black void. The sight was so tempting that they all felt compelled to try their luck.

Each person reached out, but the moment their hands touched the gate, it felt as though an invisible wall blocked them. No matter how much effort they put in, they couldn’t get even halfway through.

If you tried to force your way, the barrier would just fling you back.

Staring at the golden gate that held so many secrets, none of them wanted to give up. One by one, they stepped forward, hoping to discover if they were the one destined to enter.

Time passed—a stick of incense burned down.

“So, it’s not me after all.” One after another, people returned empty-handed, shaking their heads and sighing in disappointment as they melded back into the crowd.

Soon, everyone there—dozens in total—had given it a shot, yet all were blocked by the same invisible wall.

If anyone tried brute force, they were immediately bounced out.

Watching everyone else fail, Gu Qingyi realized he was the only one left who hadn’t tried. Dozens of expectant eyes turned his way.

“Looks like I’m the last one. Well, may as well give it a go,” Gu Qingyi said, keeping his tone light. He slowly reached out toward the gate, and the moment his hand made contact with the barrier—

a powerful suction force yanked him in. The world spun wildly, and before he knew it, everything faded to black.

He had no idea how much time had passed.

Inside the golden gate, the air was thick with celestial energy.

Gu Qingyi slowly opened his eyes. Staring at him was a stone statue shaped like a person, and the shock nearly made him jump clean off the ground.

“Boy, I’ve waited ten thousand years for you! I thought I’d never see this day,” the statue said with a slow smile as Gu Qingyi woke. “When I revealed this secret realm, I hoped to gamble on a bit of luck—and it worked. You and I, it seems, share a rare fate indeed!”

Gu Qingyi stared in disbelief. The statue was actually talking. Shaking off his dizziness, he blurted out, “Senior, why have you been waiting for me? Didn’t the warning say only death awaited within?”

“That’s only for everyone else. You’re different. Maybe you don’t know it, but you are the savior destined to unite the upper and lower realms.” The statue paused, then burst out laughing.

“Huh? The savior?” Gu Qingyi was completely lost.

“You’re from the Gu family—the one from the upper realm. The golden sword within you is proof enough. That blade is called Skydome Sword, king among swords.” The statue gave a long, resigned sigh, seeing how baffled Gu Qingyi looked, and continued, “The Gu family is a top-ranked clan on the Sword Qi Continent, one of the most powerful on the whole continent.”

“Five thousand years ago, catastrophe struck. The Sword Qi Continent split in two.” The statue regarded Gu Qingyi with gravity. “From then on, there was the Lower Sword Qi Continent and the Upper Sword Qi Continent, and since the split, the upper continent has been unstable.”

“Now, the lower continent is only a tiny fragment of the upper’s true power, yet neither can exist alone.” The statue took two slow steps, turning its back to Gu Qingyi. “The people here have had all memories of the upper realm wiped clean by the laws of heaven.”

“You probably don’t know this. Only one Sword God can rise between the two realms. Once one appears…” The statue sidled up to Gu Qingyi and lowered its voice solemnly, “The rest, no matter how hard they try, can only ever reach the Demi-God Realm. The reason for this is a secret best left unspoken—break this rule, and the laws of heaven will strike you down!”

“Ten thousand years ago the lower realm produced a Sword God, but he wasn’t the chosen one, and died before his time. So the dream of uniting the continents died with him.” The statue’s tone was wistful. “Twenty years ago, an ancient prophecy foretold a newborn boy would arise in the Gu family of the upper realm—none other than the reincarnation of the Sword God himself.”

“Carrying a divine destiny, he is bound to walk the path of the Sword God, shattering the shackles heaven set, merging the two continents, and restoring order once more!” The statue’s excitement mounted. “He bears a golden sword inside him, and you… you were born just over a decade ago with exactly such a sword. Everything points to you being the Sword God’s reincarnation.”

“But there are those who don’t want peace restored. Chaos serves their interests.” The statue moved close again. “So, hostile outsiders hiding in distant voids moved the instant you were born, sending killers to wipe you out at the earliest chance.”

“They tried to smother hope before it could even draw breath!” the statue snorted. “At first, the Gu family was more than a match, but”

“the enemies kept coming and only got stronger. Your father, Gu Ran, in a desperate bid to keep you safe, tore open a rift in time and space to send you and your mother and sibling to the lower realm. After that, he vanished without a trace.”

“As for me, I was left here as the final key.” The statue seemed taller all of a sudden, as if bearing the hopes of everyone. “My task was to wait patiently right here for fate’s chosen. That’s why, today, you and I finally meet.”

“Senior, do you truly think I can reunite the two continents?” Gu Qingyi asked, completely overwhelmed by it all. He stood dazed for a long time before finally recovering and pressing, “How can I break the shackles of heaven?”

“What am I supposed to do? My current cultivation is nowhere near enough,” Gu Qingyi muttered with a helpless smile.

The statue answered unhurriedly, “After reaching the ninth level of Sword Saint, the Divine Road will appear. If you can set foot on that path and pass the test, you’ll achieve the Sword God Realm!”

“Once you become Sword God, draw on the power of the golden greatsword within you to lure out the will of heaven in this world, then sever it for good!” The statue pointed to Gu Qingyi’s chest, sounding bold and passionate. “Without the shackles of heaven, the Sword Qi Continent will slowly return to its true form, the two halves merging as one.”

“By the way, you’ve started comprehending the Skydome Sword Sutra, haven’t you? How far have you gotten? Are you able to grasp its meaning?” The statue looked at Gu Qingyi, clearly curious. “In the end, you’ll need the Skydome Sword Technique—its final move, the Divine Sword Technique, is the key to success!”

[Divine Sword Technique]: First slash shatters the stars, second moves the heavens, third rends the sky itself.

……

“Ah… what?” Gu Qingyi was left reeling—the information was just too overwhelming. His mind went blank for a while.

“I’m not that smart, Senior. Just recently I finally mastered the Ten Thousand Vaults Sword Technique. As for the next two, I haven’t made any headway!” Gu Qingyi admitted, scratching his head, clearly embarrassed.

The statue nodded in approval, “You’ve done well. Here, take this—it’ll help you advance faster in the Skydome Sword Sutra and boost your cultivation overall.” With that, the statue handed Gu Qingyi a pitch-black stone.

Gu Qingyi eyed the jet-black rock in his hand, confused. “Senior, how do I unlock the secrets inside this thing?”

“Those secrets, you’ll have to dig out yourself. There are some things I simply can’t tell you.” The statue shook its head. “Time’s up. I have to send you back now.”

“Remember this, boy: once you become Sword God, come back here and find me.” The statue gave Gu Qingyi a look full of meaning. “After you leave, focus on your training—don’t waste a second.”

“I can sense it… disaster is coming,” the statue said, its expression grave.

“Wait, what disaster?!” Gu Qingyi blurted out in confusion, but before he could ask anything else, the statue had already sent him away.