Chapter 48: Sudden Enlightenment

Innerly unstained, body like withered wood, mind like cold ash, all attachments suddenly ceased, the five aggregates are empty.

“Guard the mind-monkey, bind the thought-horse, spirit bright and inwardly contained, heaven nourishes the self.”

Li Rui slowly stood up.

Right hand gripping the blade, held behind his back, waist curved like a bow, as if a dragon nurtures a pearl, as if a hen broods an egg, he swung the blade slowly, stepped lightly.

Each movement unfolded naturally.

Boom!

Faintly, there arose the sound of wind and thunder.

His motions seemed wholly innate; Li Rui gradually entered the state of unity between man and blade.

Huh~

Li Rui sheathed his blade, slowly exhaled a foul breath, and raised his head—only then did he realize it was already evening.

Without noticing, he had trained for a full hour.

“Did I just attain sudden enlightenment?!”

He stared in disbelief at the long blade in his hand—he had trained for a full hour and felt not the slightest fatigue.

It is said that during martial cultivation, sometimes fortune strikes the heart, allowing one to enter the profound, mysterious state of sudden enlightenment.

In this state, the speed of thought becomes a millionfold that of normal, and the progress of one’s art advances a thousand li in a single day.

Some even attain enlightenment for days and nights, emerging with their power multiplied many times over.

It is a great blessing, rare and unattainable by mere chance.

Li Rui closed his eyes and carefully felt within.

Indeed!

During that state of sudden enlightenment, he had refined the White Ape’s Cloak Blade into a version uniquely his own.

His heart pounded wildly.

Though refining a technique is easier than creating one from scratch, it is still an feat far beyond the reach of one just entering the martial path.

“A great fortune!”

It was not that the refined White Ape’s Cloak Blade was stronger, but that it suited Li Rui perfectly.

All the previously stiff and awkward parts of his practice now opened up clearly.

Moreover, as time passed, Li Rui could continue refining along this path, ultimately transforming the White Ape’s Cloak Blade completely.

Nearly equivalent to creating a new technique.

Cultivating a self-created technique often unleashes greater power.

“Truly exhilarating!”

“Master, what blade technique is that?”

Liang He stared at Li Rui in surprise.

He had happened to see Li Rui training, and his gaze was instantly drawn in.

It wasn’t that Li Rui’s technique was particularly exquisite.

It was just too slow.

Slow as an old wealthy merchant’s morning exercise—utterly devoid of power.

He couldn’t understand it. He simply couldn’t understand.

Li Rui raised both hands before his chest, palms downward, exhaled slowly, then smiled faintly: “This is the Yin-Yang Nine Turns Art.”

The name was, of course, his own invention.

To conceal its true origin and distinguish it from the White Ape’s Cloak Blade.

“Yin-Yang Nine Turns Art?”

Upon hearing the technique’s name, Liang He frowned slightly—he had never heard of such a technique.

Li Rui offered no further explanation.

The refined White Ape’s Cloak Blade was now unrecognizable from its original form; even a member of the Huaqing Sect would fail to detect its roots, so he dared practice it openly in the courtyard.

“If you wish to learn, I can teach you.”

Li Rui spoke.

Liang He shook his head vigorously, waving his hands:

“No, no.”

He had no intention of prematurely entering old-age leisure.

Li Rui did not press.

Liang He’s current temperament was unsuited to the Yin-Yang Nine Turns Art—or rather, this art was meant only for the elderly; few in the world could practice it.

Moreover, his Yin-Yang Nine Turns Art was still in its infancy, with much left to refine.

“Truly not a moment to rest.”

Before the Tianyi Hall.

Zhou Shulin leaned on his wooden sword, drenched in sweat.

“Ah He, you’ll surely rank high in this exam—don’t forget me when you’re rich and powerful.”

He grinned at Liang He.

When a brother suddenly improves, psychological change occurs in two stages.

First comes jealousy, twisting the face into a grotesque mask.

In Qinghe, there’s a saying: don’t fear your brother’s hardship, fear his sudden wealth—watching a former bird-walking, sparrow-hunting companion become unreachably lofty is worse than being killed.

This feeling lasts at most a moment, never more than a day.

Then it shifts to firmly clinging to the brother’s leg, calling him “Father” with unnatural ease.

Zhou Shulin had entered the second stage.

Liang He smiled brightly; since being enlightened by the Master, his cultivation realm hadn’t changed, but his combat power had surged dramatically—he was now among the best below the Ninth Rank.

He could even faintly perceive the threshold of Ninth Rank.

With greatly enhanced strength, his demeanor had also become far more serene.

“No way—you must call me Father.”

Liang He chuckled.

To his surprise, Zhou Shulin blurted out without hesitation: “Father, let your child pay homage!”

Of course, he wouldn’t actually kneel.

But it greatly satisfied the man’s vanity.

What could be more satisfying than a brother calling you Father?

As the two bantered—

Zhou Shulin’s peripheral vision caught a familiar figure.

“Hey, Liu Tong, what are you doing here?”

Liang He turned to see Liu Tong striding over.

“Senior Brother Liu.”

Liang He bowed.

Liu Tong smiled slightly: “Junior Brother Zhou, Junior Brother Liang.”

Zhou Shulin stared at Liu Tong in surprise.

Liu Tong had changed utterly—once looking like a man drained of vitality, now he was a sunlit, robust young man.

He clucked in amazement: “Senior Brother Liu, abstinence really works—no wonder eunuchs often become peerless masters.”

Liu Tong laughed at Zhou Shulin’s teasing: “My brother-in-law taught me the Tiger’s Fury Blade—I’ve just barely mastered it. Today I came to find an internal cultivation scripture.”

Tiger’s Fury Blade!

Hearing the name, Zhou Shulin and Liang He were both startled.

If memory served, that blade technique was the signature art of Vice Captain Zhang.

No wonder his transformation was so drastic.

Clearly, after joining the Civil-Martial Hall, Liu Tong had earned deep trust from his vice-captain brother-in-law.

By comparison, Liang He and Zhou Shulin’s techniques seemed crude and unremarkable.

Liang He’s expression remained unchanged: “Congratulations, Senior Brother Liu—you’ll surely rise another rank in this exam.”

Liu Tong waved his hand dismissively, then grinned mischievously: “Don’t flatter me—I know my own limits. But how about I treat you both to Huaye Tower sometime?”

“Really? That’s a deal!”

Zhou Shulin’s eyes lit up.

He still couldn’t forget his last visit to Huaye Tower.

“We’re brothers—nothing special.”

Liu Tong was casual.

His good reputation in the Heaven and Earth Gang stemmed largely from his generosity and willingness to spend.

“Why wait? The sky’s darkening—let’s go now!”

Zhou Shulin was eager.

Liang He rolled his eyes.

He never liked brothels—he preferred martial heroines.

Liu Tong shook his head. "Not today. Yesterday, during a mission, several men from the branch died. I still have to go back and handle the aftermath at the hall."

Liang He and Zhou Shulin were both startled.

Tianyi Hall had little contact with the outside world, so neither of them knew about the major event that had occurred yesterday.

Liu Tong thought for a moment:

"By the way, there was one guy who used to be at Tianyi Hall—I think his name was Han Peng."

"Han Peng is dead?!"

(End of Chapter)