sinovels Chapter 81 The True Understanding of Swordsmanship, Level 2
Chapter 81 The True Understanding of Swordsmanship, Level 2
In the quiet room on the top floor of Huanzhu Tower, Li Qingyi sat cross-legged, with the book "True Explanation of Swordsmanship" floating in front of her.
He immersed himself in it, carefully studying the profound meaning of the second level, "Sword Qi Transformation":
Upon reaching the first level of perfection, the twelve meridians are filled with sword energy, flowing like a mighty river.
Li Qingyi looked inward and could clearly see the pure sword energy within the twelve meridians.
When he broke through to the sixth level of Qi Refining, the first level had naturally reached perfection.
"Next, we will disperse this powerful sword energy, which fills the twelve meridians, into the more hidden and vulnerable eight extraordinary meridians."
He focused his mind and silently recited the Eight Meridians in his heart.
Chong, Ren, Du, Dai, Yin Qiao, Yang Qiao, Yin Wei, Yang Wei.
Sensing its location, Li Qingyi took a deep breath and carefully guided a wisp of sword energy, breaking free from the cycle of the twelve meridians, and probing towards the nearest Chong meridian.
"Hiss—ah—!"
Li Qingyi wiped away the beads of sweat that had seeped out from the pain, not understanding why it hurt so much.
In just a moment, he gave up.
The eight meridians are like the undercurrents of the earth, containing the potential of the human body. When sword energy enters the meridians, it is like a dragon returning to the abyss. This is a crucial step in nurturing the "sword embryo".
However, this process is extremely dangerous and requires an extremely calm and focused mind to control every wisp of sword energy with precise intention. The slightest carelessness could result in the complete shattering of one's meridians.
The Eight Meridians are like the dark currents deep within the earth. To integrate the already formed sword energy into them is no different from using a large iron hammer to carve the most exquisite ornament.
It must be powerful enough, yet also exquisitely precise, without the slightest error.
The unbearable pain continued to assault his mind, making it difficult for him to maintain the "ultimate stillness" required by the method.
This contradictory situation truly caused Li Qingyi immense suffering.
"If even the most basic 'Transforming Sword Qi' is this difficult and dangerous, are the more profound sword techniques really meant for humans to practice?"
He rubbed his throbbing temples and sighed softly.
"Fine, let's simulate it first. Deep Blue, simulate it for me..."
[Simulation started, 15 spirit stones consumed, 22 spirit stones remaining.]
[You hesitated in Huanzhu Tower, the second level of "True Explanation of Swordsmanship" like a needle pricking your heart. It felt as if ants were crawling all over you, causing you immense discomfort.]
After much deliberation, you decided to temporarily detach yourself from worldly affairs and devote yourself to cultivation.
To avoid outside interference, you quietly left Xuan Ce City and plunged into the vast Tianyun Mountains, intending to find a secluded cave to cultivate in seclusion.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and you haven't been able to find a satisfactory cave dwelling.
Just then, two familiar figures, one in green and one in white, blocked your path. You recognized them immediately as the spirit snake you had saved earlier.
They recognized you and acted very affectionately, circling you several times before leading the way. Curious, you followed.
Led by the two snakes, you traverse a mist-shrouded canyon, and suddenly a hidden cave nestled among the mountains and rivers comes into view.
This place is exceptionally beautiful and full of spiritual energy, far more suitable for cultivation than any other place you've seen before. You surveyed the area, quite satisfied.
Stepping into the cave, it was far more spacious than it appeared from the outside. The stone walls were smooth, with naturally formed, continuous mountain and water patterns.
[Humans and demons are different; you cannot understand the two snakes' language, so you can only continue deeper under their guidance.]
Deep within the cave, the scenery suddenly changes. A Buddha statue, about ten feet tall, sits quietly inside.
The Buddha statue, with its benevolent expression, sits cross-legged, hands forming a mudra, and its body subtly radiates a soft Buddhist light, illuminating the entire cave with a solemn and dignified aura that compels you to turn your head.
You speculate that this Buddha statue may have been the original owner of this cave, but you don't know why he passed away here.
[You suddenly have doubts. You've been in the cultivation world for some time now, yet you've never heard of anything related to Buddhism.]
After bringing you here, the green and white snakes each found a dry and comfortable spot not far away, coiled up, and rested contentedly, without any suspicion of you.
Although you had many doubts, seeing the two rather intelligent little snakes so at ease, you gradually lowered your guard.
[You stopped thinking about it and sat cross-legged in a quiet corner a little distance from the Buddha statue. You calmed your mind and began to try to cultivate the second level of the "True Explanation of Swordsmanship," a skill you both loved and hated.]
Unlike condensing sword energy into the twelve regular meridians, reversing the flow of sword energy into the more subtle and fragile eight extraordinary meridians is far more difficult and dangerous than you can imagine.
You have to devote much more attention to precise control, and progress is extremely slow.
For several days in a row, your screams echoed frequently within the cave. You suddenly realized that today was the day Lu Zhenxuan would travel to Xuan Ce City to seek revenge.
So you decided...
First, continue your spiritual practice and remain detached from worldly affairs.
Second, return to Xuan Ce City and eliminate your mortal enemies.
"Um……"
The developments in the simulation were indeed somewhat unexpected.
Li Qingyi never expected that her simulated self would choose to cultivate the second level of "True Explanation of Sword Dao".
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the overhead beam in deep thought.
"Something's not right with the Buddha statues in this cave..."
I have never heard of anything related to Buddhism in the Cangling Domain.
"wrong……"
Suddenly, Li Qingyi thought of something and immediately shouted in a low voice:
"Someone come here!"
A moment later, Yue Chi pushed open the door and entered. "What are your orders, Master?"
"In which kingdom is the Buddhist sect of the Azure Spirit Realm located?"
Yue Chi looked confused. He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Buddhism? What is Buddhism, Master?"
"Haven't you heard of it?"
"Never heard of it."
Li Qingyi frowned: "I understand, you can go now."
"Yes."
Yue Chi bowed, intending to retreat.
"etc."
Yue Chi paused, "Is there anything else you need, Master?"
Li Qingyi took out a spirit stone from her storage ring and casually tossed it over, saying, "Take this and cultivate diligently."
Upon seeing the spirit stone, Yue Chi's eyes lit up. He caught it steadily and said with tears of gratitude:
"I will certainly not let you down!"
He is now forty-three years old, and this is the first time he has ever held a spirit stone in his own hands.
These rare cultivation resources are controlled by the royal family, major clans, and immortal cultivation sects.
A mere mortal like him, who hasn't even reached the first level of Qi cultivation, doesn't even have the qualifications to come into contact with it.
If one could have spirit stones to aid in cultivation, what worries would there be about not being able to break through to the first level of Qi Refining in this lifetime, and become a revered immortal master?
Li Qingyi felt a chill run down her spine under his intense gaze, and waved her hand:
"Go down."
"Yes, sir!"
Watching Yue Chi walk away, Li Qingyi's lips twitched. "It's just a spirit stone, is it really that big of a deal..."
After venting her frustrations, Li Qingyi turned her attention back to the simulator interface.
"Is there no Buddha in this world? Then what's the deal with this Buddha statue? And why is it precisely the place where these two little snakes live?"
He shook his head, temporarily suppressing his chaotic thoughts.
"Fine... let's end this simulation first. Since we're already here, let's choose one!"
[You chose to continue your cultivation. In your view, the foundation of Xuan Ce City and a Qi Refining Level 4 corpse puppet are far less valuable than your own breakthrough in swordsmanship and the potential opportunities contained in this mysterious cave.]
Though a formidable foe has arrived, the path of cultivation is inherently a struggle against fate; how can one abandon the Great Dao because of a temporary threat?
You cleared your mind of distractions, calmed your spirit, and immersed yourself in the arduous training of the second level of "True Explanation of the Sword."
The process was filled with indescribable pain. You fainted countless times from the agony, but forced yourself back to consciousness with sheer willpower, continuing to guide the sword energy.
Far from the hustle and bustle and intrigue of Xuan Ce City, you feel a long-lost tranquility.
You no longer dare to be as eager for quick success as you were when you first started practicing. Instead, you follow the methods, proceed step by step, and gradually guide, adapt, and integrate with the methods.
You cultivate within your cave, oblivious to the passage of time.
You gradually discover that in the process of guiding the sword energy into your eight meridians, the residual sword energy that failed to integrate perfectly is not completely wasted, but repeatedly tempers your meridians and flesh.
This tempering method is similar to the body-forging techniques of physical cultivation, allowing your physical strength to increase at a slow and steady pace.
Over the years, you have been accompanied by pain and lived in solitude. Unconsciously, your mind has been transformed, becoming more calm and more resilient.
You begin to truly appreciate the profoundness and extraordinary nature of this manual on swordsmanship; it forges not only the sword, but also the person wielding it.
Over the years, your cultivation has often disrupted your internal energy, and your body has even suffered minor injuries due to uncontrolled sword energy.
The two snakes, one green and one white, were quite intelligent. Seeing how "hard" you were working, they often went out together to bring you all sorts of strange fruits of different colors and with a wonderful aroma.
After consuming these spiritual fruits, you discover they have an excellent effect on stabilizing your aura and repairing hidden injuries to your physical body.
Time flies, and you've gradually developed feelings for the two snakes, naming them Xiaoqing and Xiaobai. They seem to like these names very much, always swimming happily to your side when you call them.
While you are diligently practicing "The True Explanation of Swordsmanship", your own cultivation of Taoist arts has not lagged behind.
Nestled in this spiritually rich cave, comparable to a blessed land, your cultivation steadily increased. Finally, one day, you stepped into the seventh level of Qi Refining, officially entering the late stage of Qi Refining.
[Persistence pays off. After countless failures and hardships, you have finally succeeded in perfectly dispersing the surging sword energy from the twelve regular meridians into the eight extraordinary meridians. The second level of *True Understanding of the Sword*, minor success!]
After achieving a minor level of mastery, the sword energy around your body bursts forth uncontrollably, only to suddenly retract three feet away from your body, forming an invisible layer of sword energy on your skin.
With a slight thought, the sword energy flows accordingly, protecting oneself and becoming incomparably sharp with the power of the sword's power.
[You feel the sword energy flowing more smoothly and evenly within your body, and this integrated offensive and defensive sword aura, and you are overjoyed. At this moment, you are only one step away from breaking through to the eighth level of Qi Refining!]
Just as you were basking in the joy of your breakthrough, you saw Xiaoqing and Xiaobai swimming towards you with difficulty, each carrying a crimson spiritual fruit that you had used to heal your wounds in their mouths.
However, their once smooth and beautiful scales were now covered with crisscrossing wounds, dripping with blood, clearly indicating they had been injured by some sharp weapon, and their aura had become extremely weak.