Chapter 85

(The temperature has dropped again, everyone should take care to stay warm. The update is here, finish reading and go to bed.)

"Wu Dao..."

"Mind, eyes, and hands as one..."

"Essence, energy, and spirit as one..."

After the Sword Guest Huanyun finished his lecture on martial arts, he walked out of the Seven Radiance Hall. Chen Zong was lost in thought, as were the others, muttering to themselves, occasionally showing expressions of sudden enlightenment, only to be quickly replaced by confusion.

Huanyun's lecture seemed to have enlightened everyone, but upon closer reflection, it was like a thick fog that was hard to dispel, making it difficult to see the truth behind it.

But no matter what, if a few strong individuals emerge from this group in the future, it will be largely due to today's lecture.

"Mind, eyes, and hands as one, emphasizing the presence of mind, eyes, and hands."

"Mind, eyes, and hands are not separate; they become an indivisible whole..."

In the small courtyard, Chen Zong swung his long sword unconsciously, muttering to himself.

It was hard to understand. The mind is the mind, the eyes are the eyes, and the hands are the hands. How could they become an indivisible whole?

In normal sword strikes, whether it's a basic move or a higher-level martial art, one must first have an idea, or intention. After having an idea, one must lock onto a target, not aimlessly. Finally, one must mobilize one's strength, channeling it in a specific way, and release it through the arms or legs.

This process takes time.

According to Huanyun, the initial stage of Wu Dao, where mind, eyes, and hands are as one, involves achieving synchronization, as if it becomes an instinct.

"This is hard to understand," Chen Zong stopped swinging his sword, shook his head, and felt that Wu Dao was still too profound for him at this stage.

Indeed, throughout the Eastern Continent, whether in the Kingdom Era or the current True Martial Era, no martial artist has ever achieved the threefold unity at the Blood Qi stage, and even at the Muscle Tendon stage, it is extremely rare.

Chen Zong found it difficult to comprehend, and the other Blood Qi stage martial artists were even more confused. The Muscle Tendon stage experts were not much better off.

"Let it be for now." Chen Zong shook his head. Since he couldn't understand it, he decided to stop thinking about it for the moment and practice his sword skills.

Huanyun had taught some relatively simple cultivation techniques that could, to a certain extent, increase the number of changes in a single sword strike. Reaching nine changes would offer a chance to enter the Wu Dao stage.

The techniques from a True Martial stage expert were very useful, as they were based on their own cultivation and experience.

As the moon rose high in the sky, Chen Zong continued to practice his sword skills under the bright moonlight.

The sword blade gleamed, reflecting the moonlight like rippling water.

He sheathed his sword, the light within it收敛, and Chen Zong exhaled a long breath.

After practicing with the techniques Huanyun had taught for half a day, Chen Zong felt he had gained better control over his sword. On the basis of five changes in a single strike, he had made some progress, but reaching six changes was not easy.

"You have good insight." A gentle voice sounded, startling Chen Zong, making his hair stand on end.

"Senior, it's you." He quickly turned around, slightly relieved.

At some point, Huanyun, dressed in a white robe, had appeared in the courtyard, bathed in the moonlight, appearing to change constantly, like a statue standing firm, very peculiar.

"You are very suitable for sword practice." Huanyun smiled and casually drew his long sword.

Chen Zong felt as if he were seeing a cloud, a white cloud floating in the moonlight, as natural as water.

Huanyun casually swung his sword, and it seemed to transform like a flowing cloud, changing continuously. Chen Zong couldn't count how many times it changed; he was dazzled by the tenth change.

Huanyun continued to swing his sword, each strike graceful and unhurried, each containing unfathomable mysteries, changing dozens of times in an instant.

Chen Zong felt that he couldn't block any of the strikes, the gap was too great.

As he watched, he gradually fell into a state of enlightenment.

Huanyun sheathed his sword, said nothing, and stood quietly in the courtyard.

After a long while, Chen Zong moved again, thrusting his sword with great speed, the blade flashing in the moonlight.

First thrust, then slash, flick, point, and collapse. Under the five changes in a single strike, Chen Zong's eyes became more focused, the sword never pausing, and a new force seemed to surge within him, causing the sword to change again, turning back into a thrust, piercing forward as if to pierce through the moonlight.

Six changes in a single strike!

A glint of sharpness flashed in Huanyun's eyes, surpassing the brightness of the moon, his face full of admiration, and his heart deeply moved.

This was the first time in his cultivation that he had seen a teenager, a mere seventh-layer Blood Qi stage martial artist, achieve six changes in a single strike.

Thinking back to his own past, he had only reached six changes at the Muscle Tendon stage, and nine changes at the peak of the Muscle Tendon stage.

"Are you practicing the Lone Star Sword Technique?" Huanyun suppressed his inner shock and asked.

"Yes." Chen Zong nodded, swung his sword, and the sword disappeared, leaving only a lone star rising, piercing the night sky.

"The Lone Star Sword Technique is a famous sword technique from the Kingdom Era, known for its killing power, surpassing all other techniques of the same level. It was lost after the Kingdom Era, but was rediscovered over a hundred years ago. After mastering it, the person used it to defeat many strong enemies. Based on the Lone Star Sword Technique, he combined multiple other sword techniques, observed the night sky, and eventually created a Heaven-level and an Earth-level sword technique, becoming a formidable figure in the Eastern Continent with few rivals." Huanyun explained, "This person is the Star Pointer True Man."

Although Chen Zong knew that the Lone Star Sword Technique was left by the Star Pointer True Man, he was unaware of its origins, and nodded, gaining new knowledge.

"Although the Lone Star Sword Technique is extremely powerful, it is also very difficult to master. Without sufficient insight and a high level of control over one's strength, it is hard to enter the door. How long have you been practicing?" Huanyun asked.

"About a month or so." Chen Zong exaggerated a bit.

"To reach the minor completion of the first level of the Lone Star Sword Technique in a month is indeed outstanding. Do you have the method for the second level?" Huanyun was surprised again.

"Only the first level." Chen Zong answered truthfully.

"Practice well. Perhaps one day, you can enter the path of the sword." Huanyun said, and from his sleeve, he pulled out a notebook and threw it to Chen Zong.

Chen Zong caught the notebook, glanced at it quickly, and when he looked up, Huanyun was gone.

"Senior." Chen Zong called out, but there was no response. Huanyun had left.

"The actions of a great person are truly unpredictable," Chen Zong thought to himself, "The path of the sword? How is it different from Wu Dao?"

Unfortunately, no one could answer his question, so he had to put it aside for now.

The cover of the notebook was gray, made of some kind of animal skin, rough but not hard, with a good feel. There were no words on it.

When Chen Zong opened the animal skin, he was stunned.

"Lone Star Shines in the World!"

"This is the second level of the Lone Star Sword Technique..."

It was a handwritten copy, unknown by whom, detailing the second level of the Lone Star Sword Technique, "Lone Star Shines in the World." The cultivation method was detailed, and although it was a high-level human-grade technique, its power surpassed most other high-level human-grade techniques, making it very formidable.

"Great, in a short time, I can reach the major completion of the first level of the Lone Star Sword Technique, and then I can start practicing the second level." Chen Zong was delighted.

Huanyun's lecture had benefited everyone to some extent. After returning, they all began to practice in seclusion, making the Seven Radiance Martial Academy quieter than usual.

A week passed.

In the small courtyard, a lone star seemed to descend from the sky, appearing and disappearing instantly, piercing through the ironwood post, which was much harder than a wooden post, leaving a smooth and flat sword hole.

"The first level of the Lone Star Sword Technique has finally reached major completion." Chen Zong smiled, "Next, I can start practicing the second level, Lone Star Shines in the World."

The second level of Lone Star Shines in the World had eighteen guiding forms, with more complex circulation of Blood Qi and more changes, making it more difficult to practice. For Chen Zong, it was a significant challenge.

However, after a long period of subtle transformation by the mysterious sword tip, his martial arts skills had accumulated, his cultivation had improved, and his horizons had broadened. Listening to Huanyun's lecture had also accelerated his martial arts practice.

Three days later, on the Dragon Horn Peak's Sea View Cliff, Chen Zong swung his sword, and the sword disappeared, the sword light turning into a lone star. It first flickered, as if blinking, then burst into dazzling light, becoming the only thing in the world.

The shining lone star suddenly shot forward like lightning, piercing through the mountain wall, which was as hard as tofu, leaving a hole five inches deep.

Next to it was a hole four inches deep, created by the major completion of the first level of the Lone Star Sword Technique.

The difference between five inches and four inches might seem small, but the power difference was significant. The mountain wall was very hard, and being able to pierce an additional inch would at least double the power.

The increased power also meant greater consumption of Blood Qi.

With his current mid-seventh-layer Blood Qi stage cultivation, he could perform the major completion of the first level of the Lone Star Sword Technique seven to eight times in succession, but only four times for the initial level of the second level. With proper management, he could perform it five or even six times.

"If I encounter the Bloodthirsty Ironscale Beast again, the power of this strike would be enough to break through its defense," Chen Zong thought.

Taking the materials from the recent hunt, Chen Zong left the Sea View Cliff, quickly descended the mountain, and returned to the Sword Radiance Hall. He sold the materials and some herbs to the Hundred Affairs Pavilion, earning over 6,000 white jade coins.

Calculating, he now had over 200,000 white jade coins, bringing him closer to his goal of one million.

"So many people?"

Chen Zong put away the money ticket and looked at the other side of the Hundred Affairs Pavilion, where there was a task wall. The wall was covered with white papers, each detailing a task. There were two ways to accept a task: one was to tear off the paper, and the other was to remember the task content without tearing it off.

There were many tasks, such as finding herbs and hunting beasts. As Chen Zong scanned through them, his eyes were drawn to one particular paper.

"Find Sunken Blood Jade. Note: One ounce is worth 10,000 white jade coins."

Chen Zong's pupils dilated, and his breathing quickened.

If he could find a few pounds of Sunken Blood Jade, he could earn over a million white jade coins, enough to buy the Nine Turn Blood Return Pill and the Seven-Leaf Blood Lotus.