Zhao Chun's most pressing matter was to find a Spiritual Object and form her Spiritual Foundation. Master Tusheng's reward had allowed many Peak Qi Refining disciples to avoid the arduous search outside, yet Zhao Chun was not so lucky. Neither the Sunsky Jade nor the Earthfire Ganoderma were in the Sect Treasury.
There were other Metal and Fire attribute Spiritual Objects, but they were inferior to these two. Zhao Chun was unwilling to settle for a lesser grade, so she could only go find one herself. The cave in the Eastern Region was far away, and she still needed to make ample preparations.
For instance, the book "Hundred Solutions to Swordsmanship," which the Sect Master had permitted her to view, needed to be studied and practiced before her departure. As such, she would have to remain in the sect for a period of time. Inside the Scripture Pavilion of the Upper Strict Hall, several jade slips were suspended in mid-air.
The "Hundred Solutions to Swordsmanship" that she and Jiang Yun needed was among them. On the surrounding tables were numerous books, all of which contained the insights of predecessors after they had viewed the jade slips. Spells above Mid Yellow Grade, whose profound techniques were sensed by the Heavenly Dao, needed to be inscribed into jade slips for preservation.
The "Hundred Solutions to Swordsmanship" was passed down by a Founding Elder and was extremely precious. Disciples were not allowed to copy it, only to view it within the Scripture Pavilion. If they had any insights, they could write them down themselves or practice in the grounds outside the Scripture Pavilion.
Jiang Yun took down the jade slip and focused his mind to inspect it, while Zhao Chun sat beside him and waited. It was not an idle wait. The notes of the predecessors on the tables should also be very useful to her, so it was a good time to take a look.
The accumulation of over a thousand years was incredibly profound. Someone had compiled the insights of predecessors into a volume, resulting in the "Comprehensive Commentary on the Hundred Solutions to Swordsmanship" in Zhao Chun's hands. Beside this book, there was a small booklet, which from its appearance seemed to be from more recent years.
She first flipped through this small booklet. It was densely filled with writing. There was the frustration of being unable to enter a realm for a long time, as well as difficult points in cultivation after entering a realm.
Beside the difficulties, there were later added solutions. Observing the handwriting, she knew it must have been written by a single person. After reading through it, Zhao Chun could tell that this person's mind was exceptionally resilient.
They seemed to scoff at the theory of talent, yet because of this, they also held much anguish in their heart. The further she read, the less of this anguish there was. A kind of wild arrogance that looked down on all heroes suddenly emerged in the book.
Right to the end, there was still the magnanimous spirit of "If the heavens try to trap me, I have ten thousand methods to break through them." Flipping to the end, the signature was the three wildly dancing characters for Qiu Jianying. Zhao Chun thought that in this sect, probably only she could have written such a book.
However, for someone as powerful as Elder Qiu to have also had times of anguish and frustration due to her talent being inferior to others was indeed very rare. After finishing this book, she then went to flip through the "Comprehensive Commentary on the Hundred Solutions to Swordsmanship." The more she read, the greater her anticipation became.
In the book, many fellow sword cultivators were full of praise for the Founding Elder who wrote this book—Master Duanyi—lauding him as a peerless genius of the Way of the Sword. They had benefited greatly from it and were extremely grateful. Zhao Chun also discovered several seniors who had also cultivated the "Cloud-Sundering Thunder Sword Style."
Their insights on each move were also recorded within. She committed them all to memory, murmuring under her breath. If she were not still in the Scripture Pavilion, she would have immediately performed a set of techniques!
An unknown number of hours passed before Jiang Yun finally returned to his senses from meditation. He was extremely excited. After handing the jade slip to Zhao Chun, he wanted to go out and practice his sword, but he was stopped by Zhao Chun, who suggested he first observe the insights of their predecessors.
He was extremely conflicted, but finally let out a long sigh, sat down on the floor, and began to read the "Comprehensive Commentary." Jiang Yun was obsessed with the sword. For him to have such a reaction, the "Hundred Solutions to Swordsmanship" must be extremely profound.
Zhao Chun sat cross-legged on the floor, placed the jade slip against her glabella, and began to inspect it with a calm mind. Master Duanyi truly lived up to his reputation as an innate sword wielder. His cultivation in the Way of the Sword was at the Perfection of the Sword Intent Realm, with mastery over all Five Realms!
He was the most powerful among the Founding Elders, even stronger than Ancestor Weiye. Not just in the Southern Region, but across the entire Drifting Clouds World, he was deservedly number one in combat strength!
In search of a realm beyond the Five Realms of the Sword Dao, he ultimately, along with the other elders, was guided to the upper realm. This book contained the entirety of his insights on sword cultivation. He even created a move called the Intercepting Form within the book, all of which was left for later generations.
If there was ever an opportunity to meet again, they could recognize him by this move. Master Duanyi was a figure from two thousand years ago. Zhao Chun did not know if any cultivator could live for so long.
If this senior was truly still alive, he must have already become a heaven-piercing Mighty Figure, comparable to an Immortal. Putting aside these flights of fancy, as a Fifth Realm sword cultivator, Master Duanyi's insights were like a pair of great hands that swept away the fog before Zhao Chun.
In an instant, the few difficulties she had while cultivating the sword all found their answers. Not only regarding the Sword Radiance Realm, but even the fundamentals from the beginning of sword practice, such as how to hold, wield, and swing the sword, were mentioned.
Previously, it had not seemed like much, but now, upon looking, she immediately felt that her own swordsmanship was crude and embarrassing, and that she needed to reorganize it from the very beginning. After the Sword Radiance Realm came Sword Qi, Sword Aura, and Sword Intent. Zhao Chun committed the crucial points to memory.
Swordsmanship emphasized practice. Only upon reaching the subsequent realms could she completely receive Master Duanyi's guidance. The most important part of this book was still that Intercepting Form.
This move could be described as the fusion of all of Master Duanyi's insights from the beginning of his sword cultivation to the completion of the book. Ten thousand sword techniques became one, forming this single move. Its name was the Intercepting Form.
When executed, there was no starting motion; when completed, there was no ending motion. It was like a stroke of divine inspiration, with no trace of its coming or going to be found. To win by surprise was the true meaning of this move!
No starting motion required the cultivator to mobilize their energy in an instant, concentrating it all on this one sword strike. No ending motion required that in the instant after executing the move, all the energy must be retracted, as if one had never attacked at all, with a calm aura.
Only by achieving the ultimate level of control over True Qi and True Essence could one do this. It was incredibly difficult! Zhao Chun committed it to memory.
Her viewing of this book ended here. Opening her eyes, she saw that Jiang Yun had already left the Scripture Pavilion. She was the only one left sitting cross-legged in the pavilion.
Zhao Chun picked up her sword, stood up, and strode outside. The thing she had to do was to completely overhaul her own swordsmanship, from the basics to the Sword Radiance Realm! Relentlessly, through wind and rain, nearly half a year passed...
"In a good mood today?"
Jiang Yun had just finished a set of sword forms and was sitting cross-legged on the ground reading a book. Seeing Zhao Chun approach with a light and quick step, he asked. Only now had Zhao Chun finished integrating all the moves and insights from her sword cultivation.
Her Sword Radiance Realm had progressed from initial entry to a state of solidity. Seeing him ask, she smiled faintly and replied, "There have been many happy occasions, it's a time to be happy." Besides matters of the Way of the Sword, the only other thing she cared about were the people in the Daylily Garden.
First, Lian Jing had broken through to the Late Qi Refining Stage, solidifying her position as an Outer Sect Disciple. Hu Wanzhi had also made progress. Even Zhou Pianran had successfully guided qi into her body.
It was clear that the three of them had benefited greatly from being nurtured by her destiny. What surprised Zhao Chun the most was Cui Lan'e. She and Deacon Cao Wenguan were old acquaintances. Now, their feelings were mutual, and they were thinking of becoming husband and wife.
(End of this chapter)