Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
When Zhang Ruochen stepped out of the Sword Pavilion, it was dusk outside.
The red glow of the setting sun inflamed the sky.
Dusk was the moment when day and night alternated, and Yin and Yang transformed together. Subtle changes occurred in the rules between the Sky and Earth.
After all, day and night were not the same.
The Thousand-bone Empress’ notes proclaimed that Sword Two represented “day” and “night”. Only at dawn and at dusk by observing the changes of Earth and Heaven could he comprehend the first realm of Sword Two.
The Thousand-bone Empress’s comprehension of Sword Two was widely different from that of sword practitioners in the Kunlun’s Field, but it had a lot of desirable attributes.
Therefore, Zhang Ruochen decided to practice by following the Thousand-bone Empress’ comprehension of the first level of Sword Two and integrate it with what he had perceived from Sword Saint Xuanji, the Nine Serenity Sword Saint and the Moon-burier Sword Saint.
Sitting cross-legged on the edge of the Third-level Mountain, Zhang Ruochen gazed at the setting sun raptly. He appeared tranquil as he perceived the subtle changes in the alternation of day and night.
“Tap, tap!”
Qi Feiyu walked out of the Sword Pavilion. She was dressed in a green robe and had an ancient sword on her back. She looked like a fairy from another world.
Who could imagine such a refined, elegant and chaste girl was the Saintess of a demonic sect?
Her beautiful eyes fell on Zhang Ruochen, and she said, “Are you trying to comprehend the interchange of Yin and Yang from the alternation of day and night?”
“Yes,” Zhang Ruochen replied.
“It’s actually a great method. But won’t that be too slow? Can you practice to the first-level realm of Sword Two in a month?” Her melodious voice sounded like a godsend.
Zhang Ruochen just smiled and replied, “Haste makes waste. It’s good to find my own way to practice.”
In fact, Zhang Ruochen held a deep understanding of Sword Two after reading the sages’ notes.
As soon as he noticed the day-night variation, the Heart of the Sword in his Qi Pool transformed into human form to practice sword technique.
“Would Senior Sister Apprentice Qi like to comprehend the swordplay with me?” Zhang Ruochen invited her to join him.
“Okay.”
Qi Feiyu twisted her long robe with her delicate hands, walked toward Zhang Ruochen, and sat cross-legged beside him. Her straight back and waist depicted perfect lines.
The afterglow of the sunset diffused upon them, casting two long shadows on the ground. The cloud and mist in the mountains changed ceaselessly. It leapt up from the cliff, shrouding them completely.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, darkness engulfed everything. The air became cold and glittering stars began to appear in the sky above them.
Under the starlight, Zhang Ruochen stopped perceiving. He took out his Void Sword and started to display sword techniques.
“Swish, swish!”
His footwork was abstruse and profound. Sometimes he shifted to the left and sometimes he leapt in an unpredictable manner.
A current of icing air and a ball of flame surged up simultaneously from the sword edge. The two powers began to rotate in pace with the sword’s movement, and then formed a faint mark of Tai Chi.
Qi Feiyu stood to the side, quietly observing Zhang Ruochen’s sword movement, and thought to herself, “His understanding of Sword Two is still on the most superficial level. At this pace, he will need at least three months to successfully practice the first realm of Sword Two.”
It was quite extraordinary to reach the first realm of Sword Two in three months.
As for Qi Feiyu, it had taken a whole year to reach the same realm.
Although Li Yue displayed a great gift for Tao of the sword, she was not threatened by it. She paid him no mind and returned to the Sword Pavilion to seclude herself for refining and perceiving the second realm of Sword Two.
All night, Zhang Ruochen stood on the edge of the cliff demonstrating sword movements.
It wasn’t until morning the next day that he stopped. He sat cross-legged on the ground and started a new observation on the changes of day-and-night alternation.
Every single day Zhang Ruochen made rapid progress in his sword technique and his perception into the Tao of the sword.
On the eighth day, when the sun set, a stream of piercing icing air burst inside his body. It froze him completely into a human-shaped ice sculpture.
Sitting cross-legged in the Icing cold, he continued to breathe deeply. His Genuine Qi ran little by little inside his body.
On the tenth day, when the sun rose from the horizon, the Icing cold began to melt. Soon, wisps of flame were spurting from his pores, surrounding him like a fireball.
Inside the flames, Zhang Ruochen opened his eyes and grinned. “I see. The first realm of Sword Two was not so difficult!”
Zhang Ruochen stood up, breathed in the fresh air and went down the mountain.
In the Sword Pavilion, Qi Hong was sorting sword manuals. A wisp of his Divine Soul detected that Li Yue had left the Ancient Gods Mountain.
Suddenly, he paused with an unusual smile and said to himself, “There’re only six days left. And yet Lin Yue is heading down the mountain. Has he given up?”
It was out of the question to practice to the first realm of Sword Two within a month.
Qi Hong was not surprised Lin Yue had chosen to give up.
He walked to the second level of the Sword Pavilion, eager to tell Qi Feiyu the good news and reassure her.
When Qi Feiyu found out that Li Yue had left the Third-level Mountain, a look of disappointment appeared in her eyes. She had assessed Lin Yue’s potential and intended to recruit him under her command.
But now, it seemed that his disposition was too poor, far from her expectation.
Qi Feiyu did not dwell on it further She continued to practice Tao of the sword.
The reason Zhang Ruochen had left the Third-level Mountain was not to give up on the competition with Qi Feiyu.
Rather he had already comprehended the first realm of Sword Two and was preparing to go back to Zixia Sacred Mountain. There he could utilize the Scroll World to race against time and practice the second level of Sword Two.
The deadline of one month was six days away.
Six days in the external world would be 60 days inside the Scroll World.
Naturally he chose to practice inside the Scroll World instead of staying in the Sword Pavilion. The Sword Pavilion was not his best option.
The second realm of Sword Two was called “Yin-Yang Chaos”.
Although this realm was higher than the realm of “Yin-Yang Alternation”, Zhang Ruochen had crossed the threshold of Sword Two, so the second realm would be relatively easier than the first.
Zhang Ruochen practiced day and night for 60 days straight and became rather crazy. The cap on his head had broken as his long hair dispersed down. His eyes were bloodshot and blue veins stood out on his forehead.
To an outsider, it looked as if he was possessed by the Devil.
As a matter of fact, Zhang Ruochen still had a clear state of mind. But he was so exhausted and fatigued that he had turned himself into what he looked like now.
It was not that he didn’t want to rest; he had deliberately put himself into a state of chaos.
He was getting closer to the second level of Sword Two, only one step away from comprehending the realm of “Yin-Yang Chaos”.
According to the Nine Serenity Sword Saint’s notes on Sword Two, the best way to grasp “Yin-Yang Chaos” was to drive oneself crazy. Fatigue and overwork could stimulate one’s potential.
In order to practice the second realm of Sword Two, the young Nine Serenity Sword Saint, had once dove into an icy bottomless lake and fought fiercely against the savage beasts underwater without rest. It had taken him three months to practice the realm successfully. He had narrowly escaped from the battle.
The Nine Serenity Sword Saint believed that only by keeping a clear mind, could a Monk reach the realm of “Yin-Yang Chaos” in any real sense.
He must be in “chaos” before the sword could be in Chaos.
The way the Nine Serenity Sword Saint practiced was quite risky. A Monk might not be able to control his or her own spirit and drive themselves mad. Even worse, the Monk might die suddenly from overexerting themselves.
Zhang Ruochen had strong Spiritual Power and was guarded by the Gods’ Mark. Relatively speaking, he had an advantage over the young Nine Serenity Sword Saint.
If even the Nine Serenity Sword Saint had dared to struggle for it, why shouldn’t he?
For 60 days, Zhang Ruochen had been buried in sword practice without a moments rest. His consciousness was getting fuzzier; even his Genuine Qi seemed to be running out. It was obvious that he had pushed his body to the extreme.
“Zhang Ruochen, the deadline of one month is up. You should go to the Sword Pavilion,” reminded Blackie.
Zhang Ruochen had to stop and pull himself up with the sword. His eyes were bloodshot. He gasped. “The second realm of Sword Two is too difficult to practice successfully in such a short period of time. Maybe I can accelerate it by using Swordsoul Hailstone.”
In the end, he stayed at the first realm of Sword Two.
Swordsoul Hailstone was such a treasure that it could only be found by chance. Zhang Ruochen would have to acquire it in order to use it.
Zhang Ruochen would not submit to the fact that he had failed to practice the second realm of Sword Two. Therefore, on the way to the Sword Pavilion, he began pressing his potential to comprehend swordplay.
Hard work paid off.
…
The Third-level Mountain on the Ancient Gods Mountain appeared lively. A large number of monks had gathered.
The top ten warriors in each realm of the Tao of the sword martial arts contest stood together in the square below the Whitestone Sacred Cliff. They were the best God’s favored sons in the Yin and Yang Sect and would become High-level warriors. So it was out of the question that they were chosen as key people to be trained.