Chapter 272: Sword Nurturing Art

Wang Ping nodded to show understanding, no longer hesitated, and stepped into the Sword-Hiding Pavilion.

The interior scene was completely different from what he imagined; the space was far more spacious and grand than it appeared from outside, obviously using an extremely profound spatial expansion formation.

The first layer was the most spacious, a huge hall floating with countless carriers of various materials—warm and moist bamboo slips, antiquated thread-bound books, metal‑shimmering leaves, and even images carved on hides or stone steles……

They were sorted and placed on rows of shelves or stone platforms emitting spiritual light, each area bearing a clear label indicating the name and brief description of the sword manual stored there.

From the most basic Azure Origin Sword Manual and Flowing Cloud Thirteen Forms to the quite profound Splitting Light Shadow-Chasing Sword and Great Expansion Heavenly Circuit Sword Formation.

The varieties were myriad, encompassing everything, enough to make any novice sword cultivator dazzled and overjoyed.

But Wang Ping's goal was clear; these basic, common sword manuals were not what he sought on this trip.

His divine sense swept lightly over them, then he headed straight for the spiral stone stairs in the hall's corner leading to the second layer.

The second layer's space was considerably smaller than the first's, but the atmosphere was more solemn.

Here are stored more profound sword arts and some special sword‑related Daoist jade slips, their numbers sharply reduced.

Yet each jade slip or object carrying a legacy hovered alone in a tiny light shield, emitting varying spiritual pressure and unique Dao rhythm fluctuations, surrounded by faint protective glimmer of restrictions—clearly not to be touched casually.

Wang Ping's divine sense swept over and saw, for example, the Light‑Splitting Shadow‑Transforming Sword, which can split sword light into illusions to confuse and defeat the enemy.

The Great Annihilation Sword Finger condenses annihilation sword intent into a single finger, concentrating power to specifically break protective spiritual light.

The Ice Soul Cold Light Sword draws extreme cold power, turning sword light into a freezing tide that immobilizes all things; just hearing it shows its extraordinary power, each with its own emphasis.

Any of these sword arts, if spread, would be enough to provoke contention among Golden Core cultivators.

Wang Ping also felt moved, carefully sensing which of these legacies might match his five‑element affinity or combat style.

Yet he still did not decide immediately, suppressing the urge to choose at once, and turned his gaze toward the wooden ladder leading to the third layer—the highest level, appearing ordinary but with the deepest aura.

The third layer's space was the smallest, only the size of an ordinary room, with soft lighting.

Here there were no shelves, only a dozen or so light clusters of varying colors and sizes, as if alive, silently hovering in the void.

Each light cluster seemed to form its own small world, sealing inside a legacy core of various forms—one was an ancient jade pendant covered in natural cloud patterns.

Another was a rust‑stained broken sword fragment that faintly revealed a shocking killing intent.

Another was a crystal‑clear water droplet like a living thing, constantly shifting shape; yet another was a cluster of erratic purple lightning radiating destructive aura……These were clearly the Azure Feather Palace's closely guarded core true transmission or extremely rare ancient marvels.

His gaze grew solemn as he swept over each light cluster representing the Azure Feather Palace's highest heritage foundation.

When his gaze touched a light cluster, a light curtain would automatically appear beside it in the void, displaying brief information.

Nine Heavens Thunder Radiance Sword: draws the power of heavenly divine thunder to temper sword intent; when the sword is unleashed it is like heavenly punishment descending, fierce and unmatched, with immense power—cultivation requires an extremely strong thunder foundation and a domineering physique, otherwise one harms oneself before the enemy.

Grand Void Illusory Sword: virtual and real interchange, traceless; sword light lies between virtual and real, specially injuring the cultivator's soul and sea of consciousness, mysterious and unpredictable, impossible to defend against—yet cultivation demands extremely high comprehension and soul talent.

Myriad Rivers Return to the Sect Sword Gang: embraces a hundred rivers, great capacity; it can absorb, guide, or even reflect the opponent's myriad sword qi attacks, defense unparalleled, also able to store external force for a victorious counterattack—but cultivation is extremely arduous and perilous, demanding mastery of spiritual force control.

Yin Wood Longevity Sword: contains vigorous vitality, sword momentum enduring, adept at prolonged combat; its sword qi carries self‑healing and recovery, can also stimulate spiritual plants, wondrous uses endless, though its killing power is slightly inferior.

Each is a top‑tier legacy, each with its own merits, making Wang Ping's heart surge and hard to choose; any of these legacies could serve as a foundation for establishing oneself.

However, when his gaze swept over one that was inconspicuous, even its light somewhat dim, revealing a dark‑golden light cluster, his steps felt as if nailed down, and he stopped abruptly!

This dark‑golden light cluster had its light restrained, not as dazzling as the others; inside floated not a physical object but a constantly twisting, illusory talisman woven from countless infinitesimal golden blades and mysterious runes, barely discernible to the eye.

This talisman gave a feeling of extreme antiquity, primality, and purity.

On the nearby light curtain, information appeared:

Primordial Sword Nurturing Manual (Ancient Fragment)

Introduction: believed to be a residual teaching left by an ancient sword master great adept, not a direct attack art but the supreme method for nurturing swords.

The core of the method lies in using one's mind and spirit as a furnace, taking killing‑conquest qi, various metal‑essences of heaven and earth, and even the sharp intent of all things as fuel, within the cultivator's dantian or sea of consciousness to nurture a thread of "Primordial Sword Qi".

This qi arises with the cultivator's intent and grows with the path; the longer it is nurtured, the better the quality of the metal‑killing qi and heavenly sharp qi used, making the nurtured sword qi ever purer, more condensed, and sharper.

When fully accomplished, no physical sword is needed; a thought releases a strand of Primordial Sword Qi—formless and substanceless—yet it can sever a person's soul and consciousness in the intangible, split the void like thin paper, with boundless power, unfathomable to gods and ghosts.

Yet the method's flaw is equally obvious: its cultivation consumes vast mental energy and time, requiring continual absorption of large amounts of high‑quality metal‑killing qi and rare metal essences; progress is extremely slow, easily surpassed by peers, becoming a useless skill.

Moreover, crucially, this manual is only a fragment, lacking the final crucial "sword‑out" control method and "sword‑control" variations; it retains only the core "sword‑nurturing" foundation.

"Sword‑nurturing art? Such a method exists!" Wang Ping's eyes instantly blazed with unprecedented fervor, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

This fragment of the Primordial Sword Nurturing Manual seemed tailor‑made for him, perfectly matching his current needs.

And the very Primordial Sword Nurturing Manual before him, whose core principle—"using mind and spirit as a furnace, gathering myriad sharpness to nurture one qi"—exactly provides the sword‑nurturing way he most needs and essentially requires.

Although it is only a fragment, lacking the final method to perfectly employ the nurtured sword qi (the "sword‑out" and "sword‑control"), this exactly complements the operational methods and technique variations of the White Tiger Slaughter God Sword Gang he already possesses, forming a near‑perfect synergy!

He could do this: using the supreme nurturing method of the Primordial Sword Nurturing Manual, deep in his own sea of consciousness (he leans toward the sea of consciousness because sword qi combined with spirit yields greater future potential and more agile control), taking his mastery of the White Tiger Slaughter God's true intent of slaughter and destruction as the core foundation, he builds the sword‑nurturing base.

Then, continuously absorb and refine the killing‑conquest qi he has accumulated in countless battles, purify the pure metal essence from various rare ores and metals, and even draw in and capture the wandering heavenly metal qi and Tai Bai essence, etc., of heaven and earth.

Pour these "nutrients" into the mind‑spirit furnace to nourish, temper, and strengthen that thread of Primordial Sword Qi whose core is the will of the White Tiger Slaughter God!

This carefully nurtured Primordial Sword Qi—ultimate sharp, ultimate keen, utterly pure—is essentially the White Tiger Slaughter God Sword Gang reborn, its potential fully unleashed, future growth limitless!

When the day comes that he faces an enemy and needs to wield this sword, he will then employ, from the White Tiger Slaughter God Sword Gang, the mastered exquisite sword‑control methods and technique variations to unleash this cultivated Primordial Sword Qi……The two combine: one as foundation nurturing, the other as application variation, supporting each other; the eruptive power will absolutely surpass simple power stacking, amounting to a qualitative transformation!

"Opportunity! This opportunity! It is fated with me!"

Wang Ping's heart held no further hesitation; he no longer glanced at those other powerful but not fully fitting legacy light clusters, instead straightly reaching out with a hint of anticipation, slowly touching the dark‑golden light cluster.

At the moment of contact, the light cluster turned into a stream of light that instantly entered Wang Ping's glabellar sea of consciousness.

In an instant, a vast amount of profound yet obscure information pointing directly to the source of the sword Dao surged into his consciousness like a tide—how to arouse and refine killing‑sharp intent, how to use mind‑spirit contemplation to build the sword‑nurturing furnace, how to grasp the timing step by step, how to warm the sword qi with his own Dao rhythm for spirituality……All the subtle methods and key points of sword nurturing were clearly imprinted in his soul's memory.

As an hour approached, Wang Ping left the Sword‑Hiding Pavilion with satisfaction.

Seeing him emerge, Mu Chen showed no change in expression and did not ask what he had finally chosen—this was the rule, and also respect.

He simply said respectfully:

"Uncle‑Master, the Patriarch still has orders: if you are not in a hurry to leave, you may temporarily reside in the cottage beside the palace's Listening Sword Pond. The Patriarch said, if he finds leisure, he could perhaps clarify a couple of matters for you in cultivation."

Hearing this, Wang Ping felt a warm surge in his heart, deeply grateful for the Azure Feather seniors' thoughtful arrangements and supportive kindness. Having just obtained the Primordial Sword Nurturing Manual, an ancient method requiring deep contemplation, he now needs an absolutely quiet, safe, and spirit‑rich environment to ponder and digest it.

If during this process he encounters difficulties and can even receive personal guidance from the Azure Feather Grand Master, a towering figure of the sword Dao, that would be a long‑sought opportunity.

"Many thanks for the Azure Feather seniors' kindness; then I, the junior, will obey rather than merely defer, and impose myself for a few days."

Listening Sword Pool lies in a secluded, tranquil valley behind the rear mountain of Qingyu Palace.

The pool water is dark in hue, appearing calm, but when one extends their divine sense into it, they can faintly "listen" to a strange sound arising from the resonance of the earth's veins deep below with a natural, faint yet pure sword intent, hence its name.

By the pond stand several simple, clean blue-tile hermitages; the environment is extremely tranquil, making it an ideal place for quiet cultivation and comprehension of the Dao.

Over the next few days, Wang Ping never left his quarters, immersing himself in the study of the Primordial Sword Cultivation Manual within the Listening Sword Pool hermitage.

Following the manual, he first tried to visualize, at the center of his vast sea of consciousness, the White Tiger Divine Form born of heaven and earth's slaughter, taking it as his core will, and to draw forth the threads of pure killing intent he had accumulated in past battles—especially in the Tower to Heaven—that had not yet fully dissipated.

At the same time, he took several chunks of ore obtained from the earth veins of Blazing Flame Valley, rich in dense fire-copper essence, and carefully refined them with his true fire to extract the scorching, sharp gold-iron essence within.

The initial process of establishing the foundation for nurturing the sword was not easy; it could even be said to be like walking on thin ice.

Although this killing intent originated from his own battles, it also required repeated refinement with strong divine sense to cleanse it of opponents' residual thoughts and negative emotions, retaining only the purest "Sword Way Slaughter" intent.

Otherwise, impurities would intrude, damaging the sword qi's foundation and even backfiring on his mind and spirit.

Moreover, refining and absorbing the gold-iron essence demanded careful measure, guiding its sharp quality into the nascent sword qi; a lapse in control could cause the overly sharp metal qi to run loose like a wild horse, injuring meridians and even wounding the fragile soul.

Fortunately, Wang Ping's divine sense far surpassed that of his peers, his foundation was extraordinarily solid, and, bearing the mysterious Five-Colored Divine Light, he had a natural advantage in harmonizing the five elemental energies.

Under his cautious guidance and with the aid of the Five Elements Divine Light, progress was slow but steady, step by step, without any deviation.

Three days later, the Qingyu Grand Master indeed arrived as he had said, drifting over as if merely taking a leisurely stroll, happening to pass by the Listening Sword Pool.

Wang Ping hurriedly woke from his meditation, greeted him respectfully, and presented the several crucial obstacles and doubts he had encountered while initially cultivating the Primordial Sword Cultivation Manual.

The Qingyu Grand Master did not directly give a concrete solution, but gazed at him deeply and asked in return: "Do you know what 'nurturing' means? What is its core true intent?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Ping fell into thought, then after a moment tentatively replied: "To cherish it with care, to nurture it patiently, to guide it according to its nature, so that it may grow strong following the natural way."

"Not bad, you've glimpsed the path." Qingyu gave a slight nod, his eyes showing approval.

"The way of nurturing the sword is also the way of nurturing the heart, nature, and self. For the killing intent, you should take its 'unyielding forward advance, severing karma' decisive will, rather than indulging in bloody, violent chaotic thoughts; for the gold-iron essence, you should perceive its 'unstoppable, inheriting Geng Metal' pure sharpness, not regard it as a lifeless lump devoid of spirit."

"You possess a five-elements spiritual root, whose foundation lies in the five elements' mutual generation and domination—this is your greatest advantage; why not use it? The Geng Metal qi is too sharp, its edge too fierce, prone to break and injury; you may try to invoke the intent of Bing Fire to slightly 'temper' it—true gold forged in blazing fire can thus discard impurities and retain essence, making the edge retract and become purer."

"You can also mobilize the Wu Earth quality to 'nurture' within it—great virtue carries all things—allowing the sharp qi to take root, becoming more steady, substantial, and less prone to backlash."

"As for the mind, it should be like flowing water, benefiting all things without contention; guiding the sword qi to grow in silence is inclusive nourishment, not forcible suppression or rigid shaping."

"In just a few words, lofty and far-reaching, pointing directly to the source of the Great Dao, yet perfectly compatible with his own five-elements nature."

Wang Ping only felt as if a thunderclap had exploded in his mind, and suddenly everything became clear!

He had previously been overly fixated on the steps of the manual itself, falling into the rut of "technique," neglecting the "Dao" level, and overlooking the union of the true meaning of "nurturing" with his own strengths.

Those words of the Qingyu Senior were like dispelling the fog before his eyes, pointing out the direction forward.

"The sword-nurturing art you have chosen is lofty in intent, ancient in foundation, and perfectly matches the dormant White Tiger Slaughter God Sword Intent within you—like giving a fierce tiger wings."

Qingyu's eyes flashed like lightning, as if he had long seen through Wang Ping's hidden, undisclosed secret, and he smiled, saying:

"If this sword can be persevered in, nurtured by the righteous path, once it reaches full maturity and emerges into the world, it will surely shake the heavens and blaze cold in all directions. But you must remember, nurturing a sword is not a matter of a single day; avoid haste and reckless ambition."

"Slow is fast; only through deep accumulation can one unleash sudden power. Do not, for the sake of speed, damage the supreme foundation and future potential of this primordial sword qi."

"Junior will surely keep the senior's teachings in mind! I will proceed step by step, steady and firm!" Wang Ping felt delighted and sincerely convinced, bowing deeply. These words were priceless.

The Qingyu Grand Master said no more, nodded, and his form vanished like a clean breeze, silently disappearing beside the Listening Sword Pool.

After receiving the Qingyu Grand Master's guidance, Wang Ping's heart suddenly became enlightened, and his cultivation proceeded with ease.

He continued to stay in the Listening Sword Pool hermitage, entering another ten days of closed-door seclusion. During these ten days, he no longer rushed for results, but followed the Qingyu's pointed-out true meaning of "nurturing," with a mind of water-fire tempering and earth-wood nurturing, carefully polishing.

Finally, deep within his sea of consciousness, he successfully condensed a wisp extremely fine, like a golden thread, yet utterly pure and condensed, containing within it the pure White Tiger Slaughter God will and pure Geng Metal killing qi—the Primordial Sword Qi Seed!

This seed is as fine as dust; if not carefully sensed, it is hardly detectable, let alone possessing any combat power.

Yet Wang Ping could clearly feel within it the nascent-like pure life force and the deeply hidden sharp essence capable of cleaving all things!

This is merely a beginning.

He slowly opened his eyes; a flash of sharp metallic color flickered in his pupils and then vanished, restoring calm.