Chapter 62

Perfection?

Fang Shi’s heart leapt with joy; indeed, in the Profound Heaven Sect’s classification, sword techniques had a higher realm.

“I don’t know if this is perfection.”

The senior brother smiled: “Use your strongest thrusting strike at me—I’ll take a look.”

“Then thank you, senior brother. Uh, but is it alright if you don’t get up?”

“No problem. Your strength is still far below mine.”

Since the senior brother said so, Fang Shi didn’t hold back.

He drew his longsword and began channeling the spiritual energy within his body.

Shhh!

The longsword pierced the air, swift as the wind.

The spiritual energy gathered at the swordtip swelled into a flame the instant of impact.

Boom!

The senior brother remained utterly still; his longsword, resting flat on his knees, rose vertically, glowing with a soft radiance.

It moved without human intervention, blocking Fang Shi’s strike.

“Good, good. This is truly the power of perfected thrusting.”

“Your physical condition is decent too—on the verge of human limits, not far from Qi Refining.”

Fang Shi was astonished; the senior brother’s strength was truly unfathomable.

The burst from his strike was considerable even among first-rank cultivators.

First-rank monsters might withstand it, but never so effortlessly.

“Senior brother, your eye is sharp—I’m indeed close to Qi Refining.”

Fang Shi had laid a solid foundation earlier; he didn’t need to eat full meals in the cafeteria for a month.

He estimated that in a few more days, once his breathing technique reached level four perfection, he would break through to first rank.

“Senior brother, I have a question: when practicing thrusting, I often feel insufficient spiritual energy—is there a way to improve this?”

The senior brother paused: “You don’t need to worry about this. Once you reach Qi Refining and open your dantian, it will be resolved.”

“Your biggest problem now is that your sword forms are adequate, but your understanding of the sword is poor.”

“You’re not using a sword—you’re using a dao.”

“Too often, you instinctively slash...”

After hearing the senior brother’s guidance, Fang Shi’s understanding of the sword deepened further.

The senior brother was right: even the best-trained sword techniques were merely a form of burst.

In actual combat, you must learn how to wield the sword—or you’re just putting on a show.

That’s what’s called combat experience.

Previously, Fang Shi had treated the sword like a dao, based on his past-life experience.

His use of the sword was mediocre at best.

But times were different now.

After listening to the senior brother’s explanation, a string of data appeared on his attribute panel.

“You obtained partial information on Longsword Weapon Focus I.”

“You have mastered Longsword Weapon Focus I.”

“【Longsword Weapon Focus I】: Your accuracy increases by +1 when using longsword-type weapons.”

“You obtained partial information on Longsword Weapon Proficiency I.”

“You have mastered Longsword Weapon Proficiency I.”

“【Longsword Weapon Proficiency I】: Your damage increases by +2 when using longsword-type weapons.”

“You obtained partial information on Longsword Lethal Strike.”

“You have mastered Longsword Lethal Strike I.”

“【Longsword Lethal Strike I】: Your critical strike chance increases by +1 when using longsword-type weapons.”

Prolonged combat, the senior brother's guidance, and a thirtyfold boost to comprehension.

Everything unfolded as naturally as water flowing downhill, with not a single obstacle.

Fang Shi bowed deeply: “Thank you, senior brother, for your guidance.”

The senior brother waved it off: “This is mostly your own effort—I merely gave you a nudge.”

Fang Shi shook his head: “Still, I must thank you, senior brother.”

“But, senior brother, I’m curious—why doesn’t the Sword Manual record the perfected stage of sword forms?”

“Why must beginner disciples figure it out themselves, wasting so much time?”

The senior brother smiled: “Didn’t I already tell you?”

“We outer sect disciples aren’t fed and clothed for free by the sect.”

“To gain anything—including cultivation techniques—you must pay a price.”

“Naturally, the Sword Manual is incomplete.”

Seeing Fang Shi’s surprised expression, the senior brother added: “But in truth, mastering all six sword forms to perfection is extremely difficult.”

“Most disciples reach great proficiency in a month.”

“So whether it’s complete or not doesn’t matter much.”

“Once you reach Qi Refining and enter the Back Mountain to slay beasts, you’ll quickly earn enough sect contributions to exchange for the full Sword Manual.”

Fang Shi asked again: “What if I can’t defeat the beasts?”

The senior brother’s expression turned stern: “If you can’t defeat them, you can’t defeat them. Cultivation is a battle against heaven for life itself.”

“Sword cultivators walk the path of slaughter. If your cultivation base is insufficient, dying is dying—nothing to lament.”

“Besides, the beasts in the Back Mountain are all captured by Foundation Establishment senior brothers—they’re generally weak.”

“If you still meet with misfortune under these conditions, you simply aren’t suited for the path of cultivation.”

Fang Shi fell silent. These past few days, life in the Profound Heaven Sect had been peaceful.

He didn’t need to worry about anything, didn’t need to fear anything.

He only had to practice his sword within the sect.

Combined with the sect’s excellent benefits, he’d almost believed the Profound Heaven Sect was truly a paradise, caring for every disciple’s needs.

In truth, the Profound Heaven Sect still had its cruel side.

The senior brother continued: “Of course, geniuses have privileges.”

“You reached perfection in thrusting in four days—I should reward you.”

As he spoke, a book appeared in the senior brother’s hand.

“This is the Sword Art—the next stage after the Sword Manual.”

“But remember: don’t become arrogant or complacent.”

“In the history of the Profound Heaven Sect, there were those who had never touched a longsword, yet mastered the Sword Manual to perfection in a single day.”

“Nine days later, they perfected the Sword Art, awakened Sword Intent, formed spiritual sense from their mind sea, and became Sword Gods.”

“Compared to that person, you’re still far behind.”

Fang Shi didn’t mind—he’d grown up hearing about other people’s prodigies.

His mindset had long been calm; he only compared himself to himself, never overreached.

Still, since the senior brother mentioned this history, Fang Shi seized the chance to ask.

Ever since reading the notes of the Profound Heaven Sect’s Foundation Establishment disciples, he’d been deeply curious about these legends.

“Senior brother, who was that person? What is Sword Intent? And what is spiritual sense?”

The senior brother fell silent, as if pondering deeply.

Fang Shi sensed the atmosphere had turned wrong; after the senior brother stopped speaking, a chill seemed to fill the air.

No—it was truly windy!

The temperature in the courtyard plummeted instantly; air currents formed from the temperature differential, creating wind.

Fang Shi could even clearly see the dew on the grass beside the senior brother misting into the air.

What was this? Emotions affecting reality?

“This is Sword Intent. This is the realm,” the senior brother said, his voice icy cold.

“When you master sword art to its utmost extreme, you will feel this power—and come to control it.”

Fang Shi was stunned. Before his rebirth, he’d heard only legendary cultivators possessed Sword Intent.

In the Profound Heaven Sect’s world, that would mean Golden Core.

These days, he’d come to understand the cultivation realm divisions.

Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, False Golden Core, Golden Core.

Each stage was a transcendence.

Fang Shi had deduced from Qi Refining being first rank that Foundation Establishment was second rank, False Golden Core third, and Golden Core fourth.

Fourth rank corresponded to legendary.

But the senior brother was merely an outer sect senior brother, his aura clearly first rank—how could he possess Sword Intent?

Could it be that the Profound Heaven Sect had a shortcut to mastering Sword Intent?

Could it be that the Sword Intent has a rapid cultivation method within the Heavenly Sword Sect?

Or perhaps this sword intent is not that sword intent, merely sharing the same name?

The next second, Senior Brother’s words shattered Fang Shi’s speculation.

“Generally speaking, sword intent is a power only attainable at the Golden Core realm.”

“But that’s in the outside world; any disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect can master sword intent before reaching Golden Core.”

“In other words, if a disciple cannot master sword intent before Golden Core, the Heavenly Sword Sect will not accept them.”

“So Fang Shi, you must work hard—if you fail to master sword intent before Golden Core, you might as well leave the sect yourself.”

Fang Shi bowed respectfully. “I will, Senior Brother.”

In truth, Fang Shi had no confidence—he knew perfectly well how little innate talent he possessed.

Step outside this training ground, and he was just an ordinary person.

Awakening sword intent before Golden Core was a slim possibility.

Senior Brother smiled approvingly, and the temperature in the courtyard began to warm.

“Sorry, younger brother. My control over sword intent is still poor—I need to stir up emotion, so my words just now were a bit cold.”

“It’s fine, Senior Brother.”

As for that peerless individual, Senior Brother said not a word, and Fang Shi would not invite embarrassment by asking.

“By the way, I’ve noticed your talent ranks first among this batch of disciples. I’ll give you the reward for practicing the Sword Art now, so you won’t have to come back again.”

Senior Brother waved his hand, and before them appeared a long, earth-yellow sword and a crimson gemstone.

“Choose one of these two items.”

“Senior Brother, what are these?”

“One is an Earth-elemental Earth Dragon Sword; the other is a mid-grade Fire-elemental spirit stone.”

“Which is better?”

“Both are good—one is a weapon, the other can sustain your Qi Refining cultivation for three months.”

“Then I’ll take the weapon.”

“Alright.”