Chapter 127: Sword Mastery

Mastering the sword is every cultivator's dream.

Especially for Qi Refining cultivators.

To Qi Refining disciples, only those who can stand upon flying swords and traverse a thousand li in an instant deserve to be called immortals.

"Let me try!"

Xu Kunlun waved his hand excitedly.

"Open…"

A tiny flying sword instantly elongated to three feet and landed in the empty air before him.

Xu Kunlun stepped forward and stood upon it, then flicked his spiritual sense—whoom! he shot forward over ten zhang.

Then…

Thud…

He and the sword crashed straight through the Jade Ning Palace gate and slammed into a towering ancient tree outside.

Rustle-rustle…

Leaves trembled on the tree; dry branches and bark rained down like a storm.

Xu Kunlun, meanwhile, huddled on the ground, clutching his head and screaming in agony: "Ah… so painful… I'm going to die!"

Yu Ning walked out of the palace with the others, muttering curses: "Why didn't you break your neck? You're in such a rush—can't you even let me finish speaking?"

Waaah…

Xu Kunlun sat on the ground, head in hands.

Yu Ning softened, walked over, and rubbed his head twice: "Feeling better?"

Xu Kunlun said: "Much better!"

"Fine," Yu Ning sighed deeply. "Listen to me now—when you reach Foundation Establishment, your spiritual sense will extend to a hundred zhang, and only then can you learn the 【Sword Mastery Technique】!"

"Only after mastering Sword Mastery can you ride the sword through the skies!"

Xu Kunlun grimaced: "Master, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Yu Ning snapped: "You gave me a chance to finish, did you?"

"Enough!"

She shot him a sharp glare, then pulled a paper scroll from her storage pouch: "Here's the Sword Mastery manual—copy it."

"Linger, copy it too."

"Then bring the original back to me."

"And you two," Yu Ning glanced at He Pingsheng and Tian Xiaoqing. "You both go copy it too—once you reach Foundation Establishment, you won't crash into trees."

Tian Xiaoqing muttered: "I'd never do that."

Yu Ning said: "Tian Xiaoqing, what was that? Go back and cultivate hard—raise your cultivation base as soon as possible!"

"Yes, Master!"

The four bid farewell to Yu Ning and rushed to Zhao Linger's chambers, pulling out paper and ink to copy the 【Sword Mastery Technique】.

He Pingsheng had an idea.

Master just said that after reaching Foundation Establishment, one's spiritual sense extends to a hundred zhang, and only then can one ride the sword.

But my spiritual sense already extends a hundred zhang—even though I haven't reached Foundation Establishment.

So… can I ride the sword now?

Hmm…

It's worth a try.

Back in his room, He Pingsheng placed the copied Sword Mastery manual into the Treasure Basin, hoping it would strengthen one tomorrow.

The next day, it did strengthen.

One became two.

But the content didn't change.

Sword Mastery Technique was still Sword Mastery Technique.

He Pingsheng was surprised, but after a moment's thought, he guessed why: the technique was too simple—no room for strengthening—so the Treasure Basin merely duplicated it, nothing more.

Time to close the door.

Six months later, He Pingsheng mastered the 【Sword Mastery Technique】.

Of course, during those six months, he didn't just learn Sword Mastery—he also mastered the 【Great Flag Rolling Thunder Art】 and refined the 【Sacred Wood Shield】.

Three things accomplished.

Then He Pingsheng stepped out of his courtyard.

He curled his little finger, thrust it into his mouth, and blew sharply—a long whistle pierced the sky.

Two snowy white birds suddenly darted from the clouds, landing around He Pingsheng, circling him affectionately.

They had grown much larger; the golden feathers on their heads gleamed brighter.

Over these six years, He Pingsheng had fed them countless celestial treasures; both now equaled a Qi Refining seventh-layer human cultivator.

Carrying weight in flight? No problem.

"Da Bai, take me…"

He Pingsheng leapt onto Da Bai's back; Da Bai flapped its wings hard and shot skyward, faster than even the strengthened paper crane.

And he didn't need to guide it with his spiritual sense.

In just a dozen breaths, the pair of snow phoenices carried him beyond Xiuzhu Peak to a nearby mountaintop.

He Pingsheng landed on the peak.

The two snow phoenices stood beside him.

Let's try.

Let's see if a Qi Refining disciple can ride a sword.

"Open…"

He Pingsheng murmured softly.

The supreme magical weapon sword unfolded, stretching to three feet in length and three inches in width.

Then it hovered before him.

He Pingsheng carefully stepped onto it, extending his spiritual sense and guiding the sword with the 【Sword Mastery Technique】.

The sword moved with perfect steadiness.

"Go…"

He Pingsheng controlled the sword, drifting slowly forward.

The sword wobbled off the mountaintop.

The two white snow phoenices flew out beside him, hovering beneath him, afraid he'd fall.

Of course, even if he fell, two snow phoenices were ready to catch him.

Fortunately, he didn't fall.

Though slow, He Pingsheng's sword flight was perfectly stable.

After about half an incense stick's time, he grew more skilled in the technique.

Naturally, his speed increased.

Swoosh…

He Pingsheng and the sword became one, streaking through the valley like a beam of light.

In a single thought, mountains and rivers flowed backward.

Soaring through clouds and empty air, He Pingsheng felt unprecedented freedom—this was nothing like riding the paper crane.

This feeling was: far more controllable.

It felt like he himself was flying.

Perfect.

He Pingsheng rode his sword, flashing past countless peaks.

The two snow phoenices flew beside him, weaving through the mountains.

From afar, he looked like a celestial immortal descending from heaven, weightless and ethereal.

"So awesome!" He Pingsheng shouted, then landed back on the snow phoenices' backs.

Fun as it was, it drained spiritual sense terribly.

He estimated his current spiritual sense could sustain flight for no more than two hours.

But that's enough.

One hour could get him to Mount Matou Market.

"Da Bai, land on that cliff ahead!" He Pingsheng directed the snow phoenices, soon landing on a mountaintop.

He hadn't come out just to test the Sword Mastery Technique.

He also wanted to test the 【Great Flag Rolling Thunder Art】.

Standing on this unnamed peak, He Pingsheng's eyes narrowed as he gazed into the distance.

He remembered how, when he first learned his very first spell—Fire Crow Art—he'd trekked for days through snowbound mountains alone, searching for a secluded spot to practice.

How fast time flies—twelve years have passed in the blink of an eye.