svetikya Page 196
Page 196
"No wonder he knows the moves and techniques so well; it turns out it's a trap set up in his own backyard."
Wei Changxuan chuckled softly, his fingertips tracing the subtle patterns on the rim of the cup. "Senior Li's '753' trick of luring the enemy into a trap is truly ruthless, with the blade facing inward."
Yan Feifei's silver ribbon suddenly tightened around her collarbone, and half of a star-chasing shuttle slipped out from the cuff embroidered with star patterns.
"If it's a trial, why hide it?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her pearl earring trembled with anger.
"If it weren't for Young Master Wei's clear-mindedness in swordsmanship, we would probably already be dead under the evil Taoist's blade."
Li Changsheng looked out the window at the bamboo in the twilight, its shadow casting sword-like silhouettes on the stone table.
"Beneath the threshold of the Tianqi Underground Palace lie the remains of twenty-seven sects from the past three hundred years."
As he turned, a faint light flashed across the crack in the scabbard of the Primordial Sword.
"The Double-Pupiled Taoist is merely a testing ground; if he can't even see through this little trick—"
The old man's gaze swept over the crowd. "Even with extraordinary cultivation, they're nothing more than snacks for the gluttons in the underground palace."
Wei Changxuan put down his teacup, the celadon porcelain striking the wooden table with a clear, melodious sound.
He remembered the broken sword in the illusion, and the suffocating feeling of kneeling among the bones.
Suddenly, I understood the deeper meaning in Li Changsheng's eyes—the true sharpness of a sword is never forged in a greenhouse.
Yan Feifei's star-chasing shuttle clicked back into her sleeve, and the silver ribbon loosened by half an inch.
Looking at the frost on Li Changsheng's temples, she suddenly remembered the inscription she had seen when she entered the gate: "A swordsman must be nourished with blood, honed with heart, and enlightened by death."
"I understand." Her fingertips traced the "Soul-Cleansing Bell" at her waist, a keepsake from her father before his death.
"I will go to Mingxin Pavilion for seclusion tomorrow. I will not take a single step out until I have broken through my inner demons."
Li Changsheng nodded, and three jade slips engraved with the word "Breaking Illusion" slid out from his sleeve.
"Illusion is not real, inner demons are not demons."
He distributed the jade slips to everyone, saying, "Only when you can see your own obsessions in the mirror can you truly grasp the hilt of the sword."
When Wei Changxuan took the jade slip, he touched the thin calluses on the old man's palm—marks left from years of wielding a sword.
He suddenly recalled the way Li Changsheng had wielded his sword to slay the demon during the day; the sword light concealed not killing intent, but compassion.
"The underground palace trial doesn't test your ruthlessness in combat," Li Changsheng said, his voice tinged with a sense of vicissitude as he gazed into the deepening night.
"It depends on whether you can hold onto your principles when facing life and death."
Outside the window, the branches and leaves of the Magnolia splendens suddenly moved without wind, emitting a rustling sound like swords.
Yan Feifei gripped the jade slip tightly, the silver ribbon fluttering in the night wind, much like the tassel of a sword before it is drawn from its sheath.
But Wei Changxuan stared at the teacup in his hand; the reflection in the remaining tea was no longer fear, but rather—
—The starlight before dawn.
Yin Luoxia's folding fan twirled between her fingers, casting illusory shadows of green bamboo. The rhythm of the fan ribs tapping against her palm suddenly slowed to 4.8.
"No wonder Zhuge Yun's Heavenly Secrets Scroll ended up in Young Master Wei's hands."
So, from the day he stole the scriptures, it was all part of your scheme?
She suddenly stopped fanning herself, then said with some doubt, "But are the White-Haired Immortal's Crane Cry Sword and the Purple-Clad Marquis's Iron Bone Fan also pawns in this game?"
Chapter 351 Li Changsheng's Great Chun Gong!
Li Changsheng's fingertips traced the cracks in the Primordial Sword Sheath, and the leaking light condensed into a star map on the ground:
"Zhuge Yun's Heaven-Gazing Mirror can calculate the fate of mortals, but it cannot predict variables." He suddenly looked up at Wei Changxuan, his gaze sharp as a sword.
"As for the likes of the White-Haired Immortal, they are nothing more than sparrows that accidentally stumbled into the net—but they made me see clearly the power you displayed when you wielded your sword."
"I wish to take you as my disciple," Li Changsheng suddenly said, taking down a bronze token engraved with the words "Primordial Beginning" from the antique shelf.
"My Chun Gong can absorb the spiritual energy of the heavens and earth into my body, and the Primordial Sword Technique can cut through illusions and falsehoods."
"And you," he slapped the token into Wei Changxuan's palm.
"If one can escape a dead end through divination, one has already grasped the essence of change."
Yin Luoxia unfolded her folding fan with a "snap" and smiled meaningfully.
"That's a different story altogether." Li Changsheng waved his hand, dispelling the illusion. "Young friend Wei, would you be willing to cultivate that sword that defies fate?"
Wei Changxuan gripped the token tightly, the cool bronze seeping into his palm, yet stirring a surge of heat in his blood.
At that moment, the token and the jade pendant resonated through his clothes, burning a sword-shaped mark onto his heart.
"This junior is willing to hear the details. But please consider the matter of becoming my disciple!" When he raised his eyes, his gaze was like a sword drawn from its sheath.
Li Changsheng laughed loudly, his voice so powerful it made the broken swords clang: "Good! I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"
Three jade slips flew out from his sleeve, each engraved with the words "Sword Heart and Intent to Break Illusions." "The first move, 'Sailing Against the Current,' will allow you to carve out your own path amidst thunder and fire!"
Yin Luoxia tapped Wei Changxuan's shoulder with the handle of her fan.
With a smile at the corner of his eye, he said, "Don't let the lightning from Leichi ruin your handsome appearance—I'm still waiting to see you use the Primordial Sword Intent to knock down the Purple-Clad Marquis's Iron Bone Fan."
Then, in her lowered voice, there was a hint of urgency.
My eyes swept over the century-old sycamore tree beside the training ground:
Senior Li's Chun Gong (a martial arts technique) has reached its peak, enabling him to reshape his meridians using the essence of plants. Last year, he used a withered branch as a sword.
He cleaved the ice of Mirror Lake with only 30% of his sword intent.
Before he finished speaking, Wei Changxuan lowered his eyes and fiddled with the tassel of the Thunder Tribulation Wooden Sword. The shadow of the paulownia leaves cast dappled light on his brow bone.
I understand Miss Yin's good intentions. He traced the thunder pattern indentation on the sword hilt with his fingertips.
The scorch marks from when the sword was tempered by lightning still remain there.
But this wooden sword of mine has traveled with me all over the country, and is used to the rough and unrefined ways of life.
If he were to truly become a disciple... he suddenly looked up, his amber pupils reflecting the dark patterns of the toon leaves on Li Changsheng's rolled-up sleeves, which would likely give his senior a headache.
Li Changsheng, who was sitting under the sycamore tree, suddenly burst into laughter, which caused the white flowers on the branches to fall in a flurry.
The elderly man with waist-length silver hair casually tossed the withered branch in his hand, and the wood shards split into three willow-leaf darts in mid-air.
They were precisely driven into the bullseye of the bluestone twenty paces away, forming the character "生" (sheng).
You little rascal, you've got the same temperament as me when I was young!
He flicked his finger 753 times in the celadon teacup on the stone table, causing ripples in the tea.
Although my Chun Gong (a martial art) is called "Endless Life," it doesn't mean you'll be confined to the academy, drinking from spiritual springs and soaking in medicinal baths. Just watch—
Before he finished speaking, the old man's palm was already covered with lush green vines, and he lightly touched Wei Changxuan's Thunder Tribulation Wooden Sword with his fingertips.
In an instant, the purple lightning crackling around the sword intertwined with the fluorescent light emanating from the vines.
A curtain of lightning and emerald light was woven between the two.
Thunder belongs to Yang, and the tree of spring belongs to life. They seem to be contradictory in terms of strength and gentleness, but in fact they secretly conform to the way of Yin and Yang.
A glint appeared in Li Changsheng's eyes. "If your Thunder Tribulation Cloud Breaker could draw upon the essence of plants and trees through the Chun Gong technique, it could probably unleash ten more miles of thunder."
Chapter 352 A New Sword Style!
Upon hearing this, Wei Changxuan's fingers tightened suddenly, pressing red marks into his palm from the wooden sword hilt.
Yin Luoxia chuckled softly, clutching her handkerchief; the golden bell on her wrist jingled gently with her movements.
Looking at Young Master Wei's Thunder Tribulation Sword Style, it resembled the Wind and Thunder Strike that Senior Li created when he was young.
That move back then cleaved not only the ice of Mirror Lake, but it would probably make even the immortals in heaven tremble.
Zhao Yujia silently pushed the wine gourd across the stone table, the wine in the cup reflecting Wei Changxuan's slightly furrowed brows.
The shadows of the paulownia leaves cast dappled light on Li Changsheng's face.
He suddenly reached out and pressed down on the boy's shoulder, the warmth from his palm feeling like the warm spring sun.
Just follow your own path, accept all commissions from the martial world without hesitation, and practice the Thunder Tribulation Sword however you wish.
The old man took out a jade slip engraved with a toon flower from his sleeve.
But if you ever want to come up with new moves, you can choose and combine any of the thirty-six kinds of herbal sword intents in this jade slip.
Wei Changxuan looked down at the emerald light flowing around the edge of the jade slip and suddenly felt the Thunder Tribulation Wooden Sword tremble slightly.
When he looked up, he happened to meet the firelight flickering in Li Changsheng's eyes—the sharpness that only a swordsman possesses when encountering a gem worthy of being polished.
As his fingertips traced the lightning patterns on the sword hilt, he suddenly recalled the scene three years ago when he found this wooden sword in a thunderstorm:
At the time, it was nothing more than a charred, broken branch, but it sprouted new buds and condensed lightning patterns in his palm, eventually becoming the demon-slaying weapon it is today.
If you're not afraid that I'll ruin the essence of the Chun Gong technique... The veins on his hand holding the jade slip bulged slightly.
But when he let go, he revealed a relieved smile. This junior would like to see what kind of world this thunder and wood can create.
Upon hearing this, Li Changsheng clapped his hands and laughed heartily. He twirled a withered branch between his fingers, creating a sword-like effect that startled a tree full of white, butterfly-like petals into falling.
Ye Dingzhi's bronze token was now warm, while Yin Luoxia's golden bell and Zhao Yujia's wine gourd jingled softly at the same time.
The wind in the training ground carried the fragrance of toon blossoms, brushing against the hems of everyone's clothes, and sending the word "good" far and wide.
Suddenly, ripples appeared on the surface of Mirror Lake in the distance, whether from the stirring of sword intent or the warmth of spring water, it was unclear.
Li Changsheng stood with his hands behind his back, his fingertips still carrying the lingering fragrance of toon leaves from his sword fight with Wei Changxuan.
He watched as dusk crept over the stele forest on the west side of the drill ground, and heard the aroma of steaming buns wafting from the distant kitchen.
He suddenly chuckled and shook his head: "Passing on the skills isn't urgent. Let this kid get used to the academy's coarse rice and steamed buns for a couple of days—back when I was teaching you guys..."
You've complained about the food quite a bit. Before the words were finished, intermittent flute music drifted from outside the bamboo window.
The melody is like the northern nomadic flute, yet it also blends with the gentle melodies of southern silk and bamboo instruments.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a figure in moon-white robes gliding across the eaves.
As it landed, the folding fan unfolded gently, revealing five elegant characters in slender gold script on its surface, faintly visible in the twilight.
Young Master Liu Yue held the jade flute between his fingertips, and the silver leaf pendant in his hair swayed gently with his movements, yet not a speck of dust touched the soles of his shoes.
He strolled into the study, fanning himself with a folding fan, the scent of ink and cedar wafting towards him.