Chapter 85

Chapter 86: Xu Yan’s Enlightenment, the Sword Intent of Mountains and Rivers

Boom!

A bolt of lightning struck from the horizon, the thunderous sound deafening.

Li Xuan sighed inwardly, "The power of heaven and earth is truly extraordinary. Even with my current strength, it would be difficult to withstand such a bolt of lightning."

He suddenly became curious, wondering if the martial arts in this world included the concept of transcending tribulations.

"I won’t create a martial arts system that includes transcending tribulations. It would be foolish to create a heavenly tribulation for myself without any reason."

Li Xuan thought to himself.

As for whether the lack of a heavenly tribulation would make one less powerful, that wasn’t a problem.

Who says that only those who transcend the heavenly tribulation are powerful?

Why not directly control the power of heaven and earth, and the power of the heavenly tribulation, without having to transcend it?

"As long as the cultivation method is well-designed and the disciple is talented, anything is possible!"

Li Xuan smiled.

"You, your disciple Meng Chong, has successfully cultivated the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist. Your Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist is now complete!"

Suddenly, a golden light appeared.

The system’s feedback came.

Meng Chong had enlightened to the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist and had successfully cultivated it.

"Good, good. Since you have enlightened to the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist, it’s time to continue teaching Meng Chong more cultivation methods."

Li Xuan was overjoyed.

In his mind, he already had the cultivation method for the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist, and he couldn’t help but marvel at its power.

He lightly punched, and a surge of thunderous power followed.

"Evil cultivators like Xue Wuxin would be completely suppressed by the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist!"

If Xue Wuxin were still alive and faced the current Meng Chong, the outcome would be uncertain.

The rain was pouring down, but the strong wind had stopped.

The lightning and thunder had also ceased.

Meng Chong returned in the rain.

"Master, I have enlightened to the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist!"

Meng Chong said excitedly.

"Good! You haven’t disappointed me. Take some time to consolidate, and then I will teach you the Eight Trigrams and the Dao of the Sword!"

Li Xuan nodded with satisfaction.

"Yes, Master!"

Meng Chong was thrilled.

Li Xuan decided to teach each of his disciples the Eight Trigrams. What they could enlighten to would depend entirely on themselves.

Each disciple’s enlightenment would be different.

The movement techniques and other profound aspects were all included, and perhaps as their realm improved and their strength increased, they would have new insights.

For example, Xu Yan had enlightened to the Light Swallow Movement Technique and, during his battle with Xue Wuxin, had further enlightened to the technique of shifting positions.

It was unknown what movement technique Meng Chong could enlighten to.

Perhaps he would also enlighten to the technique of shifting positions?

Three days later.

Outside Yunshan County, in a familiar forest.

At this moment, the forest had only trees on the outskirts, while the inside was a flat, barren land, not even a blade of grass remained.

Li Xuan waved his hand, and with the surge of true qi, a pattern of the Eight Trigrams appeared on the ground.

"This is the Eight Trigrams, containing the profound principles of heaven and earth. Movement techniques can also be enlightened from it. I will now teach you the Dao of the Eight Trigrams..."

Li Xuan explained the knowledge of the Eight Trigrams, along with his own insights, which sounded profound and powerful, to Meng Chong.

"Have you remembered it?"

Finally, Li Xuan asked solemnly.

"Master, I have remembered it!"

Meng Chong nodded.

He looked at the pattern of the Eight Trigrams and fell into deep thought.

"The Dao of the Eight Trigrams is truly profound. It sounds powerful and contains the profound principles of heaven and earth, which can be continuously enlightened.

"Master said that at each stage, there would be different insights, and each person’s insights would be different, allowing one to enlighten to their own martial arts path."

He decided to spend the next period of time enlightening to the Eight Trigrams.

"I have already enlightened to the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist. Next, I will enlighten to a movement technique or a movement method from the Eight Trigrams.

"Senior Brother’s movement technique is extremely profound, also enlightened from the Eight Trigrams. I won’t learn his movement technique; I will enlighten to my own.

"Only what I enlighten to will be the most suitable for me."

Meng Chong thought as he walked on the pattern of the Eight Trigrams.

Li Xuan, seeing this, reminded him, "While enlightening to the Eight Trigrams, don’t forget to cultivate your own strength and achieve full qi and blood."

"Yes, Master!"

Meng Chong replied respectfully.

"Good, cultivate well!"

Li Xuan said and then left.

Next, it was up to Meng Chong to see when he could enlighten to his own movement technique from the Eight Trigrams.

As for the movement technique’s incantation, Li Xuan didn’t create one. Meng Chong’s talent lay not in learning incantations, and teaching him one might even be counterproductive.

...

In the capital of the Qi Kingdom.

The high-level martial arts wave had gradually subsided, and the ministers knew that even if they found high-level martial artists, they couldn’t shake the Guo family’s position.

The enthusiasm for finding high-level martial artists had also gradually waned.

All the ministers wanted to obtain martial arts techniques from high-level martial artists or have their descendants become their disciples.

Without exception, they couldn’t even meet the high-level martial artists.

In the back courtyard of the Qi Prince’s residence, Xu Yan’s living quarters.

Xie Lingfeng held a wooden branch and was sparring with Xu Yan. One did not use martial arts inner qi, and the other did not use qi and blood, both using pure sword techniques.

This was not the first time.

"Xu brother, are you sure that this kind of sparring will help you enlighten to the sword intent?"

Xie Lingfeng asked curiously.

After repeatedly discussing martial arts with Xu Yan, especially sword techniques, Xie Lingfeng realized that he was cultivating a false martial arts path!

He hadn’t even touched the door of sword techniques!

Recognizing his mistake, he naturally wanted to correct it, so he asked Xu Yan about true martial arts and how to cultivate them.

Rebuilding his martial arts path was no longer feasible.

Xu Yan’s answer was to convert his Master Realm cultivation to the Innate Realm, and the first step was to condense innate true qi.

It was similar to martial arts inner qi but purer, more profound, more potent, and stronger.

According to Xu Yan, the martial arts inner qi of the Inner Domain’s martial artists was actually true qi, but since they cultivated a false martial arts path, it was also false true qi.

This was why it lacked the purity and power of innate true qi.

Xie Lingfeng found this reasonable and believed it deeply.

However, he didn’t know how to refine his martial arts inner qi into innate true qi.

Xu Yan couldn’t provide a method but told him that once he broke through to the Innate Realm and understood the profound principles, he might know how to refine and enhance it.

Before breaking through to the Innate Realm, he wanted to enlighten to the sword intent.

The earlier he enlightened to the sword intent, the stronger his foundation in sword techniques would be. If he couldn’t enlighten to the sword intent within a month, Xu Yan wouldn’t hold back and would choose to break through.

Thus, Xie Lingfeng sparred with Xu Yan to help him enlighten to the sword intent.

"Yes!"

Xu Yan nodded, "Enlightening to the sword intent requires a calm mind, sensing the principles of heaven and earth, and understanding sword techniques. I have a feeling that continuously sparring with you will be more beneficial for enlightening to the sword intent!"

Xie Lingfeng thrust his sword and asked curiously, "Xu brother, what is the sword intent?"

It was too profound. When he first heard it, he was completely baffled.

In the Inner Domain, there was only the concept of supreme sword techniques, powerful and invincible sword qi, and cold, sharp sword light. Even if there were occasional mentions of sword intent, it was a different concept from what Xu Yan described.

"The sword intent is the meaning within the sword, my meaning, the meaning of heaven and earth, and the meaning of the sword path. It is a kind of insight, a realm that aligns with heaven and earth..."

Xu Yan pondered and slowly explained.

Xie Lingfeng’s mouth slightly opened, slightly baffled. Each word made sense, but together, it was too profound for him to grasp.

At that moment, he sighed inwardly, "I am called the first sword genius in a thousand years at the Sword Respected Cliff, but compared to Xu brother, it’s a joke!"

Suddenly, Xie Lingfeng was stunned.

His eyes widened in shock as he looked at Xu Yan.

In that instant, he felt his wooden branch become heavy, as if it was no longer under his control.

More shockingly, a mysterious, indescribable, yet powerful and profound force was emanating from Xu Yan.

It was faint, indescribable, and ineffable.

Yet, it carried a sharp and relentless, eternal and imperishable aura.

His sword technique was out of control.

His hand trembled, and the wooden branch in his hand gradually turned to powder, causing him to hastily let go and step back.

Xu Yan’s eyes slightly narrowed as he entered a state of complete focus, and a mysterious aura emerged in circles.

"The sword intent is the meaning within the sword, and the sword is in my hand, so it is my meaning... What is the meaning of the sword path? The sharpness and keenness of the sword cannot be lacking, and my jade bones are flawless, continuous, and eternal.

"The martial arts path has no end, and the sword path also has no end, and it should be eternal and imperishable..."

Xu Yan reflected on himself, and the words and actions of his master appeared in his mind. His master sat gracefully and walked freely, every move was just a normal person’s way of life.

But his master was a great person.

What kind of realm was that?

Xu Yan’s mind recalled the hard training in the small village, feeding chickens and cooking every day, while his master lived a carefree life. The more he recalled, the higher he felt his master’s realm was.

"This is what Master meant by the Dao follows nature!"

He also recalled the scene when his master taught the Eight Trigrams, the patterns of heaven, earth, thunder, and marsh...

The more he recalled, the more he had insights: "It turns out that from the beginning, Master laid the foundation for me to enlighten to the sword path and the sword intent.

"But I have always been ignoring it.

"Now, I realize that every word and action of Master aligns with the Dao, and I am in close contact with the Dao.

"Master’s realm is truly unfathomable, almost a manifestation of the Dao."

At that moment, Xu Yan enlightened, his sword heart clear and bright.

A sword intent emerged from his body.

The sword heart was clear and bright, and he enlightened to the sword intent!

"Mountains and rivers are eternal, enduring wind and rain, indifferent, burying countless lives... I will call this first sword intent the Sword Intent of Mountains and Rivers."

Xu Yan opened his eyes, and the Sword Intent of Mountains and Rivers emerged, heavy, continuous, and seemingly sharp and indifferent.

He looked at the shocked Xie Lingfeng and smiled, "Xie brother, how about you try my sword intent? Don’t worry, I will hold back."

He wanted to test the power of the Sword Intent of Mountains and Rivers!

If not for Xie Lingfeng’s practice, he wouldn’t have enlightened to the sword intent so quickly. He finally enlightened to the sword intent before breaking through to the Innate Realm.

Xie Lingfeng was full of shock. This is the sword intent?

Too profound and mysterious.

He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Alright!"

He also wanted to experience the so-called sword intent and see if it was truly so powerful.

Clang!

He drew his