Chapter 119 - 94 - Divine Thunder Crosses the Void, The Way of Nurturing The Blade (Seeking Monthly Passes) _2
Like a divine thunderbolt that could traverse virtual space, crossing through vacuum and space.
In an instant, it spans the void.
Of course, this requires a high realm to accomplish.
Li Xuan, with his current strength, naturally couldn’t cross the void and space.
Nevertheless, when used, it was more swiftly and domineering than Xu Yan’s Heavenly Lightning Flash, and exuded more of the divinity of thunder than Meng Chong’s Furious Thunder.
“Such a good disciple! 1, your teacher, am invincible mainly because of you all!”
Li Xuan was immensely excited.
In his high spirits, he conjured a true Qi resembling a tiny lightning bolt and tossed it into Shi’er’s body, aiding Shi’er to hurry his internal cultivation.
As for the possibility of causing undesired rapid growth in Shi’er, that was not an issue; given Shi’er’s innate talent, there was no risk of undermining his foundation.
Shi’er instantly felt like his organs were entwined with threads of lightning. Although it was painful, the speed of his internal cultivation unexpectedly increased.
He was immediately overjoyed!
“I am about to complete my internal cultivation and hope to enter martial arts within a month!”
The Qi and Blood Realm seems not far away!
Li Xuan vanished from his chair in a flash and reappeared like a thunderbolt before Xu Yan and Meng Chong.
Xu Yan and Meng Chong were shocked. When did their master come?
A moment ago, they seemed to have sensed an overwhelming divine might!
“Considering your two realms and understanding about The Eight Diagrams, you are almost there. Don’t be overly obsessed and just go with the flow. As your realm elevates and your vision widens, you will naturally gain new insights.”
Li Xuan glanced around and noticed that The Eight Diagrams had been erased.
He realized that the study of The Eight Diagrams by Xu Yan and Meng Chong had come to an end.
He then solemnly instructed in an authoritative tone.
“Yes, Master!”
Xu Yan and Meng Chong replied respectfully.
“Master, while rehearsing with Hu Shan, I found that my knife skill seems like blatant force and can’t bring out my full strength. Hence, 1 would like to learn knife-based martial arts.”
Meng Chong humbly requested.
Li Xuan had prepared for this and intended to impart Meng Chong the knife Dao he organized at an appropriate moment.
Then he asked, “What do you think is the Dao of the Knife?”
Meng Chong was taken aback and began to ponder.
“What my master imparts is the Dao, not the technique. What he gives me is naturally the Dao of the Knife… What is the Dao of the Knife?”
Meng Chong drew out the large knife he carried and said, “Master, is the Dao of the Knife about killing the enemy, about ferocity, about brutality?”
With hands behind his back, Li Xuan took on the air of a stern and lofty master and said, “Pupil, what you are referring to is the brutality of the knife, not the Dao of the Knife.
“The Dao of the Knife is not limited to ferocity, to brutality.
“The Knife, it opens the world with one stroke, cuts the universe with another, making me invincible!
“Stand between heaven and earth, dominate the world, even with numerous enemies in front, I march fearlessly onward!”
Meng Chong was thrilled by Li Xuan’s words, his face flushing with excitement.
“Open the world with one stroke, cut the universe with another, making me invincible?”
Repeating the words to himself, the more he muttered, the more he felt their domineering spirit. This, he thought, was the true power of the Dao of the Knife.
“Master, please instruct me!”
Meng Chong requested excitedly.
“The Dao can only be comprehended. As your master, I can only open this door for you. Whether you can comprehend it and step through the door relies solely on you.”
Li Xuan looked at him with deep-set eyes.
Meng Chong took a deep breath and said respectfully, “Disciple understands, I will not let Master down!”
“Good, very good!”
Li Xuan nodded approvingly.
“Entering the Dao of the Knife has its basics, the same as the Dao of Sword, only those with a clear Sword Heart can truly master it.
“For the Dao of the Knife, to set foot into the door, you must awaken your Knife Soul!”
Speaking the last line, Li Xuan’s voice was deep and resonant.
Awaken a Knife Soul?
Meng Chong was stumped. He thought entering the Dao of the Knife required a clear Knife Heart, similar to the Sword Heart. But, in fact, it required awakening a Knife Soul?
Xu Yan by the side was also perplexed.
Seeing their expressions, Li Xuan knew his disciples believed the Dao of the Knife required a clear Knife Heart, similar to the Sword Heart.
He chuckled inside, “The cultivation technique I made up is not so easy to guess.”
“Master, what is a Knife Soul?”
Meng Chong was a little puzzled.
If entering the Dao of the Knife required a clear Knife Heart, he might follow Xu Yan’s approach, and probably succeed.
However, awakening a Knife Soul was something he was completely at a loss about.
What is a Knife Soul?
“A Knife Soul, in simple words, is to endow the knife with a soul.”
Li Xuan’s voice was faint, “This is a state of mind where the knife in hand feels like part of your body. Though sharp, the knife does not harm itself.
“All blades under the heavens sing for me, serve me…
“They resonate with my sword-heart, revealing mysteries similar yet different.”
Meng Chong fell deep into thought, this all sounded too mysterious. He looked at the blade in his hand. Although it was a precious sword, it didn’t evoke the feeling of ‘being a part of me’.
Li Xuan continued, “The awakening of the blade spirit is the basis of the Dao of Blades. Regardless of whether the blade is big, small, long or short, you can utilize it as you please, you can be dominant under the heavens.”
Meng Chong was shocked into silence. He liked the big broadsword. It felt dominant and fierce when he used it, but a short blade, how could it exhibit a dominating presence under the heavens?
Is this, the difference between blade techniques and the Dao of Blades?
In his mind, he seemed to see the vision of a dominating presence under the heavens. With one slash, the sky collapses and the earth cracks, creating chaos in the cosmos.
His heart was excited, his eyes were full of longing.
“I must awaken the blade spirit, 1 must step onto the Dao of Blades!”
His breaths had become rapid. “Master, how can I awaken the blade spirit?”
“Awakening the blade spirit, in addition to self-enlightenment, and searching for the profound mysteries, there is another method.”
Li Xuan had already prepared the method to awaken the blade spirit.
Whether it can be successful, whether it can be done, is all up to Meng Chong.
“Master, what method?”
Meng Chong eagerly asked.
Compared to being clueless and searching for mysteries, naturally it is easier to grasp if you have the method.
“The method is to raise the blade!”
Li Xuan solemnly answered.
Meng Chong was taken aback, “Raise the blade? How to raise it?”
In the pugilistic world, there were also talks of raising blades, but that was just about maintaining precious swords. What the master meant by raising blades was evidently not this!
“Raise the blade with your body, raise the blade with your heart, raise the blade with your mind, raise the blade with yourself…”
Li Xuan’s expression was serious as he slowly proclaimed, “Never leave your blade behind, raise it with your body, your heart, and your mind. The blade is me, I am the blade.
“Raise your energy and blood in the blade, raise your emotions in the blade, raise your comprehension in the blade…
“Until one day, you feel something in your heart, the blade resonates with the man, the heart and the blade are united, my heart is the blade’s heart, my spirit is the blade’s spirit.
“That will be the moment, when you pull out your blade, the blade spirit awakens!”
Meng Chong was startled, raising the blade was so profound?
“The blade resonates with the man, the heart and the blade are united, my heart is the blade’s heart, my spirit is the blade’s spirit…”
Meng Chong repeated softly.
The more he recited, the more his heart was shocked, feeling the power and mystery of Dao of Blades.
Just the awakening of the blade spirit was so profound and unpredictable.
The more he recited, the more his heart was stirred, as if the blood in his body was boiling.
“Master, I will definitely raise the blade, to awaken the Blade Spirit!
He said with determination in his eyes.
“Then start raising the blade from today.”
Li Xuan nodded.
“Yes, Master!”
Meng Chong took a deep breath, sheathed his broadsword, hung it tightly on his waist, and held the hilt with one hand.
But how to raise the blade?
He felt a bit lost and could only look to his master.
“First, raise the blade with your energy and blood, nourish the precious blade with your energy and blood, raise the blade with your body, your heart, and your intentions… this is all up to you. Nourishing with energy and blood is easy, but as for the heart and intentions, it all depends on you.”
Li Xuan guided him.
“Master, 1 understand!”
Meng Chong took a deep breath.
Energy and blood in his palm flowed into the precious blade, carefully nurturing it, and sensing the changes of the blade, he started searching for how to raise the blade with his heart.
Li Xuan spoke again, “Don’t forget to cultivate, to truly raise the blade without neglecting your cultivation. It is not wholeheartedly raising the blade, at the expense of cultivation.
“Otherwise, even if you manage to raise the blade, you will be wasted.
“The blade raised in such a way will only be temporary.”
He must prevent Meng Chong from focusing on one thing and neglecting cultivation, this would be putting the cart before the horse.
Raising the blade and awakening the blade spirit are secondary, cultivation is the right path.
“Raising the blade is a long process, all depends on the heart. If you don’t succeed in the realm of energy and blood, then raise it to the Innate Realm, persist and there will always be gains. If you squander cultivation, it will all be in vain in the end.”
Li Xuan’s voice sounded like a large bell, making Meng Chong’s heart tremble.
He suddenly snapped back to his senses, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
“Fortunately, the master has reminded me, otherwise, I would have been obsessed with it and neglected my own cultivation.”
Respectfully he said, “Thank you, Master, for reminding me. 1 understand, I will definitely not delay cultivation!”
“Mm, diligently cultivate and elevate your realm of power, that is the most important.”
Li Xuan nodded his head.
After saying what he needed to say, his figure disappeared in an instant.
Xu Yan, who was in the same Innate Realm, couldn’t detect any trace of him at all..