Chapter 70: Chapter 69: The Broken Sword Conceals Its Edge, True Understanding of Sword Dao

"By the way, teacher, could you please tell me about the experiences of this Black Sword’s holder? I’m very interested."

The young Ah Feng took the Black Sword from the Master of Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion and earnestly requested.

Upon holding the sword, he felt it was extraordinary, especially the exhilarating feeling when slicing through the air. However, this Black Sword was clearly quite blunt, so he scrutinized it again, noting that in the teacher’s hands, it seemed utterly ordinary.

Moreover, swords at the Sharp Weapon Level do not have the ability to amplify the "Gentle Breeze Breathing Technique."

Only sword artifacts at the Treasure Artifact Level would exhibit such—strangeness.

"A top-grade mortal artifact is worth three hundred silver, while a lower-grade weapon is valued at three thousand silver, much more than ten times the difference." The Master of Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion looked down and flipped through the registry, still reminding Ah Feng.

"Thank you, teacher." The young Ah Feng smiled, clutching the Black Sword tightly, "I won’t exchange it."

"You..." The Master of Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion glanced at Ah Feng, shook his head, and said no more.

"Huh?" He opened the registry, found the record of the Black Sword, his expression surprised, "This Broken Sword was personally delivered by the Feiyan Guard Commander, who is a high-tier knight..."

The Master of Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion handed the registry to the young Ah Feng.

Feiyan Guard, as Beixuan County’s Inspector, directly belongs to the military, and all its members are skilled in swordsmanship.

The young Ah Feng accepted the registry handed over by the Master of Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion and turned to the page recording the Black Sword.

[Black Sword, top-grade mortal artifact, origins unknown, insufficient forging fire, no sharpness, no strangeness.

The only Sword Master—Beixuan County Taoyuan County·Liu Xiu, Sword Dao rated "Second-Rank Sword Disciple", once served as a Centurion of Beixuan Army, retired due to severe leg injury, his grandson Liu Wei was crippled in a school competition and jumped into the river to commit suicide.

Afterwards, Liu Xiu disappeared.

Three years later, Liu Xiu suddenly resurfaced.

Slew Qingyuan County Magistrate.

Slew the Haohong Academy dean.

Slew a total of one hundred and seven sword disciples.

Slew Grade-Entering Swordsman·Broken Sky Sword.

It is speculated that Liu Xiu may have cultivated the Breathing Technique to great success, realized true intent, but his inheritance was not found on him.

Regrettable.

Regrettable.

—Feiyan Guard·Long Yi, investigation record.]

"Breathing Technique great success? True intent? Liu Xiu?"

The young Ah Feng suddenly recalled the sensational rumors years ago, "This is that lame swordsman’s sword?"

He pondered silently, "Liu Xiu only reached Second-Rank Sword Disciple when young, root bone at best lower middle. Comprehension and temperament can change, but he slashed the Grade-Entering Swordsman·Broken Sky Sword while old and lame, cultivating for only three years."

"Is this transformation because of the Black Sword?"

He looked down and gazed at the Black Sword, realizing this might be his opportunity.

[The young Ah Feng left with the Black Sword, found someone to make a sword scabbard and named the Black Sword—Hidden Blade Sword.]

[Seven days later, the young Ah Feng wielded the sword, aside from slightly faster sword speed, there was no other strangeness, and during a competition with the academy’s "Fifth Chair·Ding Ying", the Hidden Blade Sword collided multiple times, unexpectedly breaking from a gap into two pieces.]

[The Hidden Blade Sword became a Broken Sword.]

[The Fifth Chair·Ding Ying kept apologizing, saying he would compensate him.]

[Ah Feng was ridiculed by everyone, he returned to his dormitory disheartened, stared at the broken Black Sword in his hand, and didn’t sleep all night.]

[In the morning, he finally fell asleep dazedly.]

[I devour "Liu Xiu’s soul", at this moment "Sword Demon Heart Eye" swells greatly, entering the sea of consciousness when Ah Feng’s Heart Spirit was insecure.]

[Ah Feng in his dream dazedly opened his eyes, finding himself on a fog-shrouded mountain peak, with fierce winds howling past, a cyan-robed youth suddenly appeared standing hands behind his back on the peak.

He observed the back for a moment, his eyes feeling a slight prick of pain.

He cautiously asked: "Who are you?"]

["Young man, you almost ruined my dwelling." I turned around, speaking lightly, finally waiting for a live person to talk, I no longer felt the initial urge to kill this "Sword Holder".]

[Initially, Liu Xiu gradually became a sword slave, even losing the ability to speak, completely controlled by the sword, I couldn’t sense anything, it was like being stuck inside a Demon Sword.]

[I gave up the idea of taking the body, I must devise another way to come back to life, and now need to renovate this "Demon Sword", if the sword shatters, I’ll also perish! I don’t want to die!]

[The young Ah Feng was stunned, then reacted: "You are Hidden Blade Sword?!"]

[I nodded.]

[The young Ah Feng took several deep breaths, finally calming down, rushed to say: "I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have used the Hidden Blade Sword for a duel."]

["The Hidden Blade Sword is merely a top-grade mortal artifact, cannot compete with those sharp weapons and treasure artifacts. However, I can teach you Cyan Mountain Swordsmanship." I was slightly surprised by the youth’s behavior.]

["Cyan Mountain Swordsmanship?" The young Ah Feng nodded, he took a deep breath, looking at me, promised solemnly: "I will repair the Hidden Blade Sword."]

[I chuckled lightly, an additional Bronze Sword appeared in my hand, the young Ah Feng surprisingly found a Bronze Sword also appear in his hand.

I stepped forward, suddenly raised my hand and thrust a sword, slowly stabbing towards the youth, Ah Feng instinctively blocked, but the sword was merely a feint, striking Ah Feng’s wrist from a bizarre angle.

With a clang.

The Bronze Sword in Ah Feng’s hand fell to the ground, but he felt no pain, instead quietly experiencing the previous thrust, clearly it was slower, yet it was indeed quicker, a very peculiar feeling.

"Watch."

I stood holding the sword, the surrounding mountain peaks and ancient trees suddenly transformed into an ink painting—Heaven and Earth became white, only I remained black.

"Seventy-two Paths Cross Sword Technique, begins with—cross."]

As the fingers moved, the sword was out of the scabbard, moving with the heart, wind silent, sword traceless, leaving ink remnants across heaven and earth, the moves grew increasingly swift and complex.]

[Just at this moment, a dark figure leaped out from the sword light, similarly performing "Seventy-two Paths Cross Sword Technique", the two facing each other, murderous intent overflowing, moves transformed unpredictably.]

[One becomes two, two becomes three, three becomes seventy-two swords, then into one hundred and eight swords, until infinite swords, in an instant, heaven and earth were covered by sword shadows.]

["This kind of conception, this, this is Upper Grade Sword Skill." Ah Feng was dumbstruck, in Dongzhou every Upper Grade Sword Skill was created by a "Sword Saint", capable of comprehending true intent.]

[I pierced through the figure with one thrust, slowly paused, gazed at the sword shadows in the air, sighed lightly: "Seventy-two Paths Cross Sword Technique is overly complex, its essence should be condensed into four styles."] 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

As the words fell.

Sword shadows receded with the heart, all swords return to origin, leaving only one person and one sword in the world, this ordinary sword, upon viewing, one could sense the fourfold mental realm contained within: one is cross, two is traverse, three is fast, four is slow.]

[I sensed a realization, understood "True Understanding of Sword Dao", formless and shapeless, without moves or styles, unity of heaven and man, sword is heart, heart is sword.]

[Accumulating through two lives, three times in life, body sword transformation, all things silent, leaving only one person, seizing this opportunity, creating the unparalleled sword dao "Unrivaled Heavenly Sword".]

[Time flies, six years vanish in the blink of an eye, the young Ah Feng never again used "Hidden Blade Sword" in duels, enduring three years of mockery, Ah Feng never responded, gradually few remembered him.]

He silently practiced swordsmanship, finally transforming "Seventy-two Paths Cross Sword" into "Thirty-six Paths Cross Sword".]

["Gentle Breeze Breathing Technique" great success! "Thirty-six Paths Cross Sword" great success! "Flying Swallow Swordsmanship" great success!]

[The next day, on Beixuan Academy’s graduation day.]

[Feiyan Guard·Long Yi arrived to observe, recruiting talents for Beixuan Sword Master.]

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