How come the celestial technique I stole is so powerful?!-Chapter 278: The Li Ren Sword in Li Ren Valley

Feng Ji stepped forward: "Palace Master, I appreciate your kindness. I have yet to fully comprehend my sect’s Sword Dao and dare not delve into other techniques. I shall refrain from participating in your esteemed palace’s secret techniques."

"Sister’s Sword Dao is wondrous and profound, even surpassing our palace’s Sword Dao. It’s more fitting for you not to study the Li Ren Sword techniques," Lu Rusi gently nodded, "However, the Li Ren Valley is greatly beneficial for cultivators. Sister, you and the young master might as well enter together."

Feng Ji slightly nodded: "In that case, thank you!"

Li Ren Valley was once where an ancient great power comprehended Sword Dao, and the pervasive Sword Qi rendered the whole valley barren of vegetation.

It seems a place of life-and-death extremity, but Feng Ji understood its significance.

The pervasive Sword Dao energies are everywhere. For cultivators entering, it is akin to receiving a massage from ancient masters with Sword Qi. One can sense the mysteries of Sword Dao closely, consolidate their foundation continuously, and even discover neglected cultivation flaws...

Amidst the courteous exchange between the two women, Lin Xiaosu paid no attention.

He had already opened the "Li Ren Swordsmanship," encountering Sword Dao as a combat skill for the first time in his life.

Sword Dao, the kingly way of weapons.

Sword Dao, vast and profound.

Sword Dao, it has form and spirit...

A swordsman first grasps technique, then qi, followed by intent and finally rules...

What is intent?

Initially, a sword forms a technique, an angered man drawing his sword and spilling blood within five steps.

This is merely the elementary stage.

In the second stage, the sword is qi!

Qi, transformed from True Qi, transforms into Sword Qi when projected from the sword. Invisible yet more potent than form, Sword Qi requires True Qi to release, starting from the Observing Heaven level.

As for Sword Intent and Sword Rules...

The Sword Manual only briefly touches upon them, suggesting they’re beyond the consideration of his current level.

The focus is on three techniques recorded within.

First technique: Li Ren Slash!

The sword of speed.

Second technique: Severing Emotion!

The sword of power.

Third technique: Li Ren Tears!

The sword of variation...

The key to True Qi circulation within, the deconstruction of sword moves, the core essence of sword forms...

Although not extensive in words, every word is precious...

He did not notice when the two women began watching him as he flipped through the Sword Manual casually, their faces showing a strange expression.

"Ahem... he really hasn’t practiced swordsmanship," Feng Ji broke the silence with this explanation.

Indeed, she understood Lu Rusi’s strange expression.

Every Sword Manual is notoriously abstruse.

Anyone practicing swordsmanship needs to scrutinize every word, wondering at three-character phrases, possibly requiring days and nights to decipher a segment of text.

Who in the world reads a Sword Manual like a novel, flipping a page here and there?

Yet Lin did so.

Feng Ji felt embarrassed and had to justify Lin Xiaosu’s conduct, saying he hadn’t practiced swordsmanship nor understood its methods.

"The young master is an Array Path Genius, and doesn’t necessarily need Sword Dao, specializing in a particular field..." Lu Rusi’s clever mind provided Feng Ji a more perfect answer.

Before this sentence finished, Lin Xiaosu closed the manual.

He handed the Li Ren Sword Manual back to Lu Rusi: "Miss Lu, I’ve finished reading it and would like to return it to you."

Lu Rusi half-opened her mouth: "Actually... actually, you could bring it into Li Ren Valley..."

"No need!" Lin Xiaosu said, "Let’s go!"

"Let me guide you!"

Lu Rusi personally led them through the front corridor.

Disciples on both sides bowed.

Ahead stood a rusty, bronze ruin.

When they stepped into the ruins, the air seemed to turn colder.

At the end of the ruin, there was a bronze gate, which Lu Rusi opened. Lin Xiaosu immediately sensed a completely different energy.

Beyond the bronze gate, it seemed like an ancient battlefield.

Killing intent lurked everywhere, Sword Qi crisscrossed.

After countless ages, the killing intent hadn’t dissipated.

The Sword Qi still intersected across the river of time.

"Young master, sister, beyond this gate is Li Ren Valley. Should you need to rest, come back here any time. Food and drinks will be sent to this table daily by my order."

"Thank you!" Lin Xiaosu and Feng Ji bowed simultaneously.

"Young master, take this sword," Lu Rusi handed the sword she wore at her waist to Lin Xiaosu.

The sword was elegant, obviously a woman’s sword, presumably her own. For cultivators, their familiar swords are untouchable by others. Yet, today, she gave it directly to Lin Xiaosu.

Because for training swordsmanship, one needs a sword.

But Lin Xiaosu didn’t have one.

Lin Xiaosu accepted it straightforwardly: "I’ll return it when I come out!"

Taking her sword, he and Feng Ji entered Li Ren Valley side by side.

Lu Rusi quietly watched their backs, faintly furrowing her brow...

"Sister!" a voice came from the side. Her brother, Lu Rufeng, appeared beside her like a gust of wind: "The valley has been cleared. There’s no one else inside. Their cultivation won’t be disturbed, and the Sword Manual is safe."

Lu Rusi exhaled softly: "He did not take the Sword Manual into the valley."

"Didn’t?" Lu Rufeng was surprised: "Li Ren Swordsmanship... he’s not interested?"

"He has an interest! He looked at it... about a quarter of an hour!" Lu Rusi’s eyes shimmered with mystery: "Then he handed the manual back to me, saying he had finished reading it."

"A quarter of an hour..." Lu Rufeng was dumbfounded: "It takes that long just to flip through it casually, right?"

"Indeed, the Sword Manual has 58 pages. Even as a leisure book, it’d be impossible to understand the story in a quarter-hour. But this isn’t leisure reading; it’s a complex and elusive Sword Manual. If I were to forcibly memorize it, I might manage three pages in a night!"

"Sister, your wisdom surpasses mine. You can memorize three pages; I could barely do two within unlimited time. I’d forget the earlier pages after reading the later ones," Lu Rufeng said. "Don’t tell me this young master remembered the entire thing in a quarter-hour."

Lu Rusi said, "Logically, it’s impossible. But the miracles he creates make me somewhat hopeful..."

"Hopeful that months later, when he exits the valley, his sword will perform our palace’s ’Separation’ technique?" Lu Rufeng laughed.

"Possible?" Lu Rusi blinked.

Lu Rufeng laughed heartily: "Sister, you are a master of the Observing Heaven level, saying something so counterintuitive hardly befits your stature... Fine, people have their ambitions. If he doesn’t wish to learn our Li Ren Swordsmanship, he must have his reasons. Let’s go organize the sect’s forces. Suddenly being assigned such a complex task, I am overwhelmed, and you must assist me."

In his perception, Lin Xiaosu had completely given up on the Li Ren Swordsmanship.

Because no one could grasp the essence of the Sword Manual in merely a quarter-hour.

Without understanding the Manual, how could one master the Li Ren Swordsmanship?

At this moment, Lin Xiaosu had already stepped into Li Ren Valley.

Behind him was that bronze gate.

The bronze gate was only about ten meters away, but it seemed strangely distant to him.

It was a peculiar sensation...

Feng Ji smiled gently: "Junior brother, is seeking sword enlightenment in Li Ren Valley what you desire?"

"I suppose so."

"Why the sudden urge to practice swordsmanship?" Feng Ji asked.

"Remember the incident in Chunshui Sect’s corridor? That wretched second senior brother wanted to duel me, and I couldn’t respond at the moment."

Feng Ji smiled: "So you aim to cover your weakness in Sword Dao?"

"Indeed, on the cultivation path, more often, swords do the talking. Not knowing Swordsmanship might mean losing the right to speak in some situations."

The phrase "right to speak" appeared literal but implied more upon contemplation.

Feng Ji’s eyes shimmered: "I heard the outside world no longer uses swords. Even if you master Sword Dao, your sword might not blend into your world."

Lin Xiaosu smiled slightly: "True, the outside world is no longer a world of swords. But the world isn’t just the outside world!"

Feng Ji nodded gently: "Enlighten yourself!"

Closing her eyes.

With her eyes closed, the omnipresent Sword Qi permeated her body. These ancient Sword Qi led Feng Ji to a profound state, seemingly merging her Sword Dao with the ancient Sword Dao...

This was an immense fortune for her.

She practiced swordsmanship.

And was highly accomplished.

The more mystical the Sword Dao, the more it inspired her...

She forgot about Lin Xiaosu.

She forgot herself...

Lin Xiaosu gradually distanced himself from her.

Ten meters, a hundred meters, three hundred meters, turning a corner...

Suddenly, Lin Xiaosu drew his sword!

Swish!

The first stance of Li Ren Swordsmanship: Separation!

This sword, devoid of other techniques, was purely about speed!

The first strike was already swift.

The second strike, swifter.

The third, the fourth, the fifth...

Each strike outpaced the previous one. Lin Xiaosu harnessed all his muscles, engaged all his nerves, aiming solely for an ultimate goal—faster, even faster, faster still...

The thirtieth strike!

With that strike, Lin Xiaosu cleaved a rock into two halves.

The fragments flew into the air...

Lin Xiaosu had already sheathed his sword.

Suddenly, he thrust forth, and his sheathed sword trembled and emerged!

Swish!

The two airborne fragments were further sliced into four pieces...

Lin Xiaosu flicked his wrist, re-sheathing the sword.

Gracefully poised!

If Lu Rusi had witnessed this strike, she would be astounded because Lin Xiaosu’s "Separation" had reached the entry level of the Li Palace disciples.

Normally, it takes three months to reach entry level.

And he achieved it in thirty-one strikes! In merely a quarter-hour.

Lin felt a bit pleased with himself.

He could almost foresee...

One day, in a grand battle against foreign Genetic People, his sword would gleam coldly, wreaking havoc across the battlefield.

Feng Ji mentioned the outside world no longer uses swords.

She was correct; openly carrying a sword wouldn’t even permit boarding a vehicle.

But for him, conventional wisdom had already changed.

A sword hidden in the Secret Realm Space, summoned when needed, concealed when not—who would know?

This Sword Dao, for close combat, Dakongxuan, for long-range, his skills were becoming complete.

Suddenly, a phrase flashed in his mind...

It was what Lu Sanqian said when he had taken him to the skies...

"In Li Ren Valley, the Three Ancestors of Li Palace left three sword marks..."

Li Ren Valley, Lin Xiaosu had gathered intelligence about it in Chishui City—the place where the Three Ancestors of Li Palace comprehended Sword Dao.

According to Lu Rusi, the three sword marks were indeed the legacy of the Three Ancestors.

But one version differed slightly from the intelligence.

This version, told by the Palace Master Lu Sanqian, said: the Three Ancestors left three sword marks.

Where are the sword marks?

They were invisible!

At least, within his visible range, they weren’t there...

Could this mean they require the Primordial Spirit to see?

Read 𝓁atest chapters at fr(e)ewebnov𝒆l.com Only