Inside the great hall, all the other disciples had left.
Only Su Changyu remained.
“Changyu, your master will be going down the mountain for the next few days to see if I can borrow some spirit stones. As for Ye Ping, take good care of him. No matter what, proceed according to the original plan. There must not be the slightest mistake, understand?”
Daoist Taihua said solemnly.
“Disciple understands. It’s just that a hundred taels of gold really is rather much. Master, can you think of a way?”
Su Changyu was somewhat worried as well.
After so much difficulty, a genius had finally come to their sect, only for this sort of thing to happen.
“There should be a way. In short, you don’t need to worry. It wasn’t easy for our sect to produce a dragon. Even if your master has to suffer a little and toil a little, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you steady that little junior brother of yours and teach him properly. Don’t go teaching nonsense again.”
Daoist Taihua said seriously.
After learning that Ye Ping was a genius, Daoist Taihua naturally did not want Su Changyu to lead him astray, which was why he said this.
“All right. Master, don’t worry. With me in the sect, you need not be concerned.”
Su Changyu nodded.
He had thought about it for an entire night yesterday and felt that Daoist Taihua was quite right. He had also gotten over that hurdle in his heart, so he no longer felt any burden.
Before long, Su Changyu left the great hall.
He walked toward the rear cliff.
At the rear cliff.
Ye Ping was still comprehending the sword marks.
Ever since learning that his talent in the sword Dao was merely ordinary, Ye Ping had worked even harder. If not for the fact that his body could not withstand it, he would have wanted to spend all twelve hours of the day comprehending the sword marks.
However, diligence would always be rewarded.
The Four Thunders Sword Art had a total of one thousand four hundred and sixty sword moves.
Ye Ping had now comprehended seven hundred and twenty sword moves.
Moreover, the speed of his comprehension was growing faster and faster. Within three days, he was confident he could deduce the Four Thunders Sword Art to the pinnacle.
It was also at this moment that Su Changyu arrived.
“Little junior brother.”
Su Changyu appeared, but his expression remained aloof. It was not that he was deliberately putting on airs for Ye Ping. The main thing was that he could not smile. Facing Ye Ping now gave him pressure.
“Greetings, Eldest Senior Brother.”
When Ye Ping saw that Su Changyu had come, he hurriedly rose and cupped his hands in salute.
“Junior Brother, there is no need for such ceremony. Although we are not related by blood, since we have entered the same sect, we are naturally as close as brothers. There is no need to care about such formalities.”
Su Changyu hurriedly spoke, telling Ye Ping not to bow. He really could not bear it.
“Eldest Senior Brother jests. Etiquette is the foundation of being human. As your junior brother, I naturally must abide by it.”
Ye Ping, however, was unwilling. As the old saying went, no one would blame a man for being too courteous.
When he had mingled in literary circles, he praised everyone he met and bowed to everyone he saw. It was precisely because of this that he had won quite a bit of goodwill.
Su Changyu did not dwell on the details. He merely asked subconsciously, “Little junior brother, how many sword moves did you comprehend today?”
He asked thus.
At the mention of sword moves, Ye Ping felt somewhat embarrassed.
“From yesterday until now, I’ve only comprehended up to the seven hundred and twentieth move.”
Ye Ping answered.
Su Changyu:
Only seven hundred and twenty moves?
I’m so envious it hurts.
Su Changyu truly did not know how to respond. He felt terrible.
But after thinking about it, Su Changyu took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and decided he might as well keep acting to the end. In any case, he had already been acting for so many days. If he was found out, then so be it. There was nothing too embarrassing about it.
Thinking of this, Su Changyu shook his head and said,
“You’re still lacking a little in attainment.”
Su Changyu said so.
Sure enough, once these words were spoken, Ye Ping’s expression grew slightly dejected. But very quickly, Ye Ping continued asking,
“Eldest Senior Brother, how many sword moves must one comprehend before it can be considered acceptable? Also, what is this sword art of mine called?”
Ye Ping asked. He also could not figure out just how many moves counted as passing.
As for explaining such things, Su Changyu was quite adept.
“Little junior brother, listen carefully.”
“This sword art of yours is called the Four Thunders Sword Art. Within it are four different sword techniques: Spring Thunder Sword Technique, Summer Thunder Sword Technique, Autumn Thunder Sword Technique, and Winter Thunder Sword Technique.”
“The entire sword art has a total of one thousand four hundred and sixty moves. If you comprehend them all, then this sword art can be considered to have reached the pinnacle.”
“Sword arts are divided into four levels: first glimpse of the threshold, consummate mastery, great attainment and perfection, and the pinnacle.”
At this point, Su Changyu paused.
“However, reaching the pinnacle is merely the beginning. Once a sword art has reached the pinnacle, one must condense one’s own sword momentum. After comprehending sword momentum, there is still sword intent.”
“A truly powerful expert of the sword Dao must condense sword momentum and sword intent. Only after condensing sword momentum and sword intent can one merge essence, qi, and spirit into one. Only then can one be called a sword Dao cultivator. Do you understand?”
Su Changyu earnestly explained, speaking in great detail.
In an instant, Ye Ping came to a sudden realization.
“So that’s how it is.”
Ye Ping understood, then immediately asked a question that made things very awkward for Su Changyu.
“Then, Eldest Senior Brother, what realm are you at now?”
Ye Ping asked.
This question was very awkward.
Su Changyu did not quite know how to answer.
If I say I’ve only just glimpsed the threshold, would you believe me?
After thinking for a moment, Su Changyu took a deep breath, then stood with his hands clasped behind his back and said,
“Your senior brother is untalented. In my earlier years, I merely stepped into the first level of the legendary supreme sword Dao—Boundless Sword Intent, that is all.”
Su Changyu did not dare speak too clearly. He could only start making things up.
“Boundless Sword Intent?”
In an instant, Ye Ping was shocked.
He did not understand what Boundless Sword Intent meant.
But it sounded extremely powerful.
Sword moves, sword momentum, and finally sword intent.
Even a single strand of sword intent was difficult to condense. Boundless Sword Intent? What sort of concept was that?
“Mm, Boundless Sword Intent. In the lineage of the sword Dao, after one reaches the peak, a supreme realm will appear. The supreme realm is divided into three levels, and the first level is Boundless Sword Intent. As the name suggests, it means possessing countless strands of sword intent.”
“If one steps into this realm, one would be number one among the Ten Nations.”
Su Changyu said thus.
He was not making this part up, because this was indeed the supreme realm of the sword Dao.
However, throughout all of Qingzhou, not a single person could achieve it. Nor was there anyone in the Jin State. Among the Ten Nations, there was one person who had half a foot in the domain of Boundless Sword Intent, and that person was Sword Venerable Taixu, the number one sword Dao expert of the Ten Nations. But even he had only stepped in with half a foot; he was still far from true Boundless Sword Intent.
As Su Changyu said this,
Ye Ping’s heart yearned for it all the more.
Boundless Sword Intent?
Just hearing it sounded utterly heaven-defying.
Eldest Senior Brother had stepped into this realm in his earlier years. Perhaps in his own lifetime, he might also be able to step into this realm.
When that time came, wouldn’t he be second among the Ten Nations? After all, Eldest Senior Brother was here.
Thinking of this, Ye Ping grew increasingly excited.
To be honest, he felt that being second among the Ten Nations was too great a title. Being first in Qingzhou would already satisfy him. Besides, being second was not bad either. After all, if the sky fell, the one in first place would be there to hold it up.
“Junior Brother understands. Senior Brother, please rest assured. Junior Brother will definitely work hard to catch up to your footsteps. Within my lifetime, I will surely step into Boundless Sword Intent.”
Ye Ping said excitedly.
Su Changyu, however, felt miserable.
Because he was so envious.
But when he thought that he was Ye Ping’s first teacher, Su Changyu’s mood improved slightly.
“Little junior brother, continue comprehending the sword marks in the coming days. These next few days, your senior brother will accompany you, lest you make any mistakes.”
Su Changyu said.
“Many thanks for your guidance, Senior Brother. When Junior Brother achieves success in the future, I will never forget this kindness.”
Ye Ping said gratefully.