Chapter 455: Observing the Sword Ladder

"In this level of Mind Sword, you currently have two Mind Swords, 'Flying Feather Immortal' and 'Earth Immortal,' but neither has been mastered." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi said, suddenly looking at him, "You actually don't know a single Mind Sword, right?"

"... Yes."

Qiu Qiu Ji Zi nodded, asking about many details of these two Mind Swords. After asking, he frowned and lowered his head, picking up the brush to copy them earnestly, occasionally pondering for a long time.

Although it was said that "the two of us" would study carefully and pick a few Mind Swords, just as the letter said, Seeing Pei Ye was very confused about this and really couldn't understand the logic between these sword arts.

Qiu Qiu Ji Zi clearly knew this very well. Seeing Pei Ye just sat on the side to answer questions. The old man carefully asked about every detail of his sword arts, and even aspects like personal preference, sword-sparring character, etc. But when it came to constructing and writing, he didn't ask him at all, frowning and thinking hard alone, and picking up the brush when his eyebrows relaxed.

Seeing Pei Ye didn't know how much time had passed, but it was definitely longer than Zhang Chao's. Until he suspected that the two had spent the entire afternoon here, Qiu Qiu Ji Zi finally put down the brush.

The old man took a deep breath, his fatigue revealing a satisfied expression: "Fortunately, I have not failed the mission."

Seeing Pei Ye was still sitting on the side, blank and puzzled. Qiu Qiu Ji Zi turned his head, pushed the jade booklet gently in front of him, and leaned back slowly, leaning against the back of the chair.

"The Sword Ladder Yunlang gave you has a very high conception." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi said softly, "I originally thought that with such a Dao Sword above, as long as the bottom is standard, it would be a high and wide heavenly ladder. But Yunlang, or rather Young Shao Shao Jian Jun, clearly has extremely high expectations for you."

"Every level is looking far into the ultimate intent, and the true meanings captured are all high ones in the world. The lower four levels are not just stepping stones to reach the Dao Sword, but are like one body with it. Ascending from here, what you hold might not be an isolated sword, but truly a 'Dao'."

"..." Seeing Pei Ye understood half of it.

"You know, influenced by everything about a person, the Sword Ladder has bends and straights, biases and uprights, narrowness and width... Most people just barely manage to walk through it, and some have to climb dangerous cliffs and sheep intestines, because everyone faces different restrictions to a greater or lesser extent." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi looked at the young man and explained, "And Yunlang clearly hasn't considered the 'restrictions' for you at all. Although it is the most wonderful and perfect design, and although it has achieved this high and far flat Sword Ladder, the requirements for the sword practitioner slightly exceeded my expectations."

"... Hmm."

"But of course Young Shao Shao Jian Jun understands you better." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi smiled slightly, "So I didn't make any changes. Then let's look at your Sword Ladder."

He restrained his expression: "The first level, in the Clumsy Realm, you must 'exhaust the principles of all living things, obtain the sword of material images,' which is 【Cicada Fish Observation】."

"The sword arts you have learned are mainly from the two Jade Jade lineages, 'Wind Jade' and 'Yellow Jade' are examples, and the sword spirits are Jade Cicada and Jade Bird." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi said, "The letter says your sword nature is agile. In this first level of the Sword Ladder, you need to learn more sword methods derived from material images and living things. Cicada is earth, bird is heaven, fish is water... The so-called ten thousand images of frost heaven, the world in the sword—this is the requirement Young Shao Shao Jian Jun puts forward for you in the first level."

Seeing Pei Ye was stunned: "Then I have to learn many swords?"

"The number Young Shao Shao Jian Jun proposed is twenty-four."

"..."

"They must be Vein-Transmitted or above. As for Pavilion-Transmitted and Mountain-Transmitted ones, they must be three times this number, regardless of type." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi said earnestly, "These twenty-four swords have been listed one by one in the letter, and there are ten alternatives for replacement. I have verified them once just now. Most of them are in the Sword Treasury Pavilion, and the missing two or three are not very difficult to obtain. We can talk about it when the time comes."

"... Good."

Seeing Pei Ye quickly understood the woman's intention. Just like the inquiry in the carriage that day—why is there a difference in the height of sword moves for sword practitioners of the same Spirit Realm?

Besides the gap in sword-sparring, it is the difference in the sword arts learned. Someone who has learned two unrelated sword arts will definitely not be able to beat a sword practitioner who has learned two sword arts that help each other.

"Jade Jade Sword" is indeed a long-standing system, but it is clearly isolated and thin. The so-called "world in the sword" is precisely the answer Young Shao Shao Jian Jun hopes he can deliver in sword moves.

"The second level is the Spirit Realm. Since ten thousand images are born, they should be given circulation." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi flicked his finger, the jade booklet turned the page, and he said in a condensed voice, "I said Yunlang's conception for your Sword Ladder is too high, this should be evident here."

"In the ten thousand images constructed in the first level, you need to give the laws of circulation to the material images." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi said, "In this level, you need to learn six swords, which are: Heaven, Earth, Water, Day, Night, and Four Seasons."

"Feathers in heaven, insects on earth, scales in water, day and night alternate, four seasons rotate, which is 【Group Form Sequence】."

"..."

"Currently you only have one in progress, 'Jade Jade Four Forms,' which is Feather Heaven."

"The choice of Earth Sword needs to be connected with 'Ghost Immortal Sword'; Water Sword is completely blank for you, and it is still needed in the next level, so it must be practiced according to the system; Day and Night swords are not difficult to find. I am temporarily hesitating between several, and can decide when the time comes." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi looked at him, "And what is truly important in this level is the Confucian 'Four Qi Jade Candle Sword' pointed out by Yunlang."

"Four Qi harmonize, all things are orderly, this is the core of harmonizing the ten thousand images world. This sword is not stored in the Sword Academy, so it must be discussed with the Confucian school when the time comes. The Confucian school has no sectarianism in swords, but this is also one of their extremely special sword arts. Whether it is easy to obtain or not remains to be seen."

Seeing Pei Ye nodded slowly.

"In this way, all things grow and chirp, the four seasons rotate, cicadas and birds fly, fish and turtles swim, so what is the only eternal thing in such a natural world of ten thousand images?"

Qiu Qiu Ji Zi looked at him quietly, and Seeing Pei Ye seemed to have entered that world, murmuring softly: "... Life and death."

"Not bad." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi closed his eyes contentedly, "'Square life square death, square death square life,' the Dao of nature, nothing more than this. Extracting this meaning is the third level, 【Life and Death Wheel】."

"With the support of the previous level, we can obtain four swords here." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi opened his eyes and said earnestly.

"Cicada becomes feather and is born, which is 'Flying Feather Immortal'."

"Fungi lie down and mushrooms grow, which is 'Ghost Immortal Chapter'."

"As for the Water Sword, Yunlang suggested giving you 'North Sea Fish.' I think there is a 'Roaming Sea Immortal' in the far south of the Great Tang that might be more suitable. We can decide when the time comes."

"And Day and Night are fixed, Four Qi are harmonious, which is called 'Jade Candle'." The old man said, "Jade Candle is immortal, both dead and alive. The three phases of life and death alternate. This Jade Candle represents the formless principle within it. I said the Sword Ladder provided by Yunlang has a broad vision, precisely because it dares to use this Confucian sword to bear such an important position."

He looked at Seeing Pei Ye: "You might be able to realize the principle of life and death from the three swords, but we have already said that this process is a clear precipitation. So it must be solidly extracted and fixed. With this Jade Candle, the principle of life and death is like being at hand."

Seeing Pei Ye pursed his lips and nodded, but frowned slowly.

"You have also noticed that with these four swords, it seems insufficient to support us to reach the next level." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi tilted his head and looked at him.

"..."

Yes.

Seeing Pei Ye knew why this level fell on "life and death," because the Snow Night Sword was a process of rebirth.

Ming girl said "Life Feather," the Academy Master said "Hatching," both were meanings of rebirth. But is rebirth decided by the snow goose itself?

They deduced such laws from the affairs of cicadas and birds, how can they use such laws at will for themselves?

All the previous swords were performed under the law of life and death. Only when reaching here, this form needs to use 【Life and Death Wheel】 as a tool for its own "Life Feather."

How did the ten thousand images follow the laws before, and why is it no longer the ten thousand images following the laws, but the laws following the will of this snow goose?

How was it held in its hand?

"There is a sword missing here." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi said.

Seeing Pei Ye raised his eyes in astonishment.

"Yunlang's letter also said so, but Young Shao Shao Jian Jun still chose this—this Sword Ladder could actually follow the law of life and death from here, bypassing this gap, and also point to that Dao Sword, but she chose to follow the will of the creator of the sword, insisting on making this Sword Ladder transcend the world of ten thousand images." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi looked at the stunned young man in front of him and said straightly, "So, there is a sword missing here that can make the sword practitioner transcend the world of ten thousand images. The creator of the sword relied on it to complete the Snow Sword back then, but now it is nowhere to be found... There is a sword of Yue Muzhou missing here."

"..."

"Young Shao Shao Jian Jun believes this is also your will, so she chose this Sword Ladder, but you can of course modify it. We just need to bypass it..."

Seeing Pei Ye shook his head slowly.

"Good, then, when you find a way to obtain this sword, you can reach the fourth level of the Sword Ladder." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi said softly, "【Mirror Self】. At this point, you have learned the Snow Night Sword, the sword heart is cultivated, and the four swords are all formed... The Dao Sword is in sight."

"I cannot give you any guidance on this realm of reaching the Dao with the heart, but clearly your inheritance is broad enough. At that time, no one will be able to see the road ahead more clearly than yourself." Qiu Qiu Ji Zi closed the jade booklet, as if he had finally completed a heavy task, and breathed a sigh of relief, "This level is also a name that came with the letter. Young Shao Shao Jian Jun calls it 【Nirvana】."

"Remember, the Sword Ladder is not just a task book given by outsiders, it is connected to the 'Dao,' it is a true heavenly ladder. When a sword practitioner enters this road, it will produce an indescribable connection with the sword practitioner, accompanying them for a lifetime. Completing the Sword Ladder ascension will have a leap-like improvement in the sword practitioner's sword path attainments, sword-sparring level, and even sword affinity. From today on, you can try to step into it. I believe it is a quite miraculous experience."

Qiu Qiu Ji Zi smiled and handed the jade-inlaid booklet to the young man in front of him: "Sword Ladder 【Life Feather Wings】, it is handed to you."

Seeing Pei Ye held the jade-inlaid booklet and left the Sword Treasury Pavilion. The sword students hadn't dispersed yet. Qiu Qiu Ji Zi officially opened the Sword Treasury Pavilion to this year's sword students. Many people entered to choose swords, but for Seeing Pei Ye, he had only completed one "Wind Jade" among the twenty-four swords, and the second "Yellow Jade" was still missing one form 【Washing Tree Copper Shadow】, so he wasn't in a hurry.

The sky was already dusk. After having a meal with Yang Zhenbing, the two returned to the courtyard. Seeing Pei Ye paused before pushing the door, looking at the three characters "Asking Heart Residence" on the wall for a while.

He tilted his head and said, "Now that both of us have moved in, shouldn't this name be changed."

Yang Zhenbing was silent.

Seeing Pei Ye seemed used to it, pushed the door open, and muttered thoughtfully: "Yang Yan... No, Three Sword Residence... Ice Fire Person..."

Yan Feiqing was still lying in the courtyard holding a book, flowers fragrant and tree shadows, this Daoist was truly like an immortal under the moon when alone. Seeing Pei Ye didn't know what sword he cultivated, anyway, he hadn't seen his sword since entering the courtyard.

Yang Zhenbing was as self-disciplined as ever, looking at Seeing Pei Ye and saying, "Practicing swords?"

"Not today, I have to write a letter back." Seeing Pei Ye shook his head.

Yan Feiqing raised his head: "Does it take a whole night to write a letter?"

"..."

"Oh, writing slowly."

Yang Zhenbing tilted his head to look at him at this time: "Practicing swords?"

Yan Feiqing lay back: "No."

Seeing Pei Ye was suddenly curious: "Eh, did you two fight at that Southern Kingdom Meeting? Or did you only fight Southerners?"

Yan Feiqing said: "I won."

"Oh." Seeing Pei Ye tilted his head, "Brother Yang, why didn't you beat him?"

"..."

Yan Feiqing said faintly: "His sword is used too finely."

Seeing Pei Ye was stunned, remembering that Yang Zhenbing said his sword was coarse and sparse that day, and tilted his head: "Brother Yang, do you agree?"

"I lost."

"... Oh."

That meant he didn't agree.

"That can't be helped, Brother Yan is already ninth on the Fu List—by the way, Brother Yang, what rank are you?"

"Eighteenth."

Seeing Pei Ye paid tribute with respect.

Leaving these two, Seeing Pei Ye returned to the room. The moonlight was quiet, and outside the window was the figure of Yang Zhenbing practicing swords alone. Seeing Pei Ye picked up the brush and slowly and carefully wrote on the white paper.

"Miss Ming, greetings.

I have already entered the Sword Academy, and the Sword Treasury Assessment and Sword Ladder are all done. Thank you for sending a letter from so far away. Without your letter, I'm afraid I could only be assessed at the fifth floor, and the Sword Ladder would be strange.

This Sword Ladder must have taken you a lot of effort. Your time was already tight, yet you still did so much for me. I am grateful, but I won't express gratitude.

The Academy Master said the only thing missing from this Sword Ladder is a sword of Grandpa Yue. I will pay attention to searching for old traces. Since a Mind Sword has been created, I think there must be a place where it is preserved.

I will study swords earnestly and listen to lectures well in the Sword Academy. I come from the mountains and have little knowledge, and I know nothing about sword cultivation. Thank you for not being tired of trouble for the past two months, pointing out such a clear path for me in swords.

However, Miss Ming, twenty-four swords are a lot...

I don't know how your 'Gu She' is now, but I'm afraid the letter will be caught, so you don't need to tell me in detail. As long as you are safe, it's fine.

Also wish you all the best in asking about swords. If you encounter danger, remember to contact me in time—contacting the mountains is also fine.

Looking forward to the Yulin Trial next spring, I will go to cheer for you then.

Ye,

October 17th at the Divine Capital."

Seeing Pei Ye put down the brush contentedly and checked it once without finding any typos—actually, he usually called the little cat, but after having a courtyard, it didn't often hang on him.

He tied the jade sword, pushed the window to release it, and watched it turn into a stream of light under the moon, disappearing in an instant.

Seeing Pei Ye stretched and lay back on the bed.

From now on, he truly became a sword student of the Sword Academy. The first sword theory lecture tomorrow would begin. From then on, sword industry knowledge, sword industry practice, and sword-sparring industry would all proceed in an orderly manner. For Seeing Pei Ye, these were actually quite relaxed days.

So he remembered that two days had passed, and he would see that Pavilion Master tomorrow. ===== CHAPTER 456 =====