Vol.2-Chapter 17 – Beginning to Learn the Sword Art

Sword, the weapon of the king, the weapon of killing. Energy, a combination of four mysteries, gathers in the dantian. Intent, born from the heart, attacks the body. Form, move like a god, one with the sword.

A sword wielder only had to observe the form, condense the energy, and assemble the intent. The sword energy would then be born from within the heart to reach the realm of Elucidation.

……

After returning to his room, Zhao Jiuge impatiently sat down on his wooden bed and began studying the Sword Energy Elucidation. It was divided into three sections. The first section was the Origin chapter, where it talked about the truth about cultivating the sword art.

The second section was the Body Form chapter. Every move had its own image drawn. Cultivate the sword art externally and sword energy internally.

The last section was about the seven layers of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Art. However, outer sect disciples could only cultivate the first layer, Elucidation.

The Mysterious Heaven Sword Art.

The first layer, Elucidation:

Open Fan Raised Oar

Soft Yet Unyielding

Little Oar Boat

Grass Creek Hanging Silk

Small Boat One Leaf

Great River Drill

Vast Cold Wave

The second layer, Autumn Wind:

Beginning of spring, Coming to an end

West Wind, Oppressive Shine

Delicate and Deliberate Big Dipper

Stopping the Autumn Wind

Slating Wind, Fine Rain

Rain Clears, Wind Stops

Desolate Night Rain

The third layer, Essence Moon:

Essence Moon, Divided Splendor

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Distant Star, Indifferent Moon

Star River Desires Change

Bright Moon, Gathering Frost

Star River, Heron Rises

Moon Fills the West Building

Bright River, Shared Shadow

The fourth layer, Twilight Cloud:

Colorful Boat, Indifferent Cloud

Thin Mist, Thick Cloud

Delicate Cloud Handled Skillfully

Receive the Heavenly Cloud Wave

Sunset Cloud, Mist Willow

Slating Splendor and Affection

Harmoniously Matching Sunset Clouds

The fifth layer, Elegy:

Inviting the Sorrowful Wind

Play the Plum Flute in Complaint

Worried Frost Cover the Earth

Building the Elegy Strike

Frost Wave Rolls the Snow

Sorrow and Hatred, Mutual Extension

Thousand Kilometers of Whisker Frost

The sixth layer, Flowing Water:

Peach Blossom, Flowering Water

Gather Ten Thousands, Leave Thousands

Apricot Flower, Spare Reflection

Goose Arrives, Book Complete

Coiled Flower Easily Binded

Cold Mist, Waning Grass

Orchid Embers, Hidden Sight

The seventh layer, Crossing Passion:

Gathered in One Mind

Sprinkle High Proof Wine

Soul Mate, String Snaps

Intoxicating in Coveting Happiness

Lonely Light Shines Alone

Conferred King for Ten Thousand Kilometers

Sealed River, Dream Ends

These were the seven layers of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Art. Although he could only study the first layer in these three years, Zhao Jiuge was satisfied. However, reading the words inside the jade tube made Zhao Jiuge feel dizzy. These mysterious words gave him a sense of vertigo.

After he finished reading the contents of the jade tube, he finally learned about the cultivation level after the Nascent Soul Realm. He originally thought Bo Re was very powerful. That scene of her killing the flood dragon still remained in his heart.

The seven layers of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Art each correspond to the Foundation Realm, the Nascent Soul Realm, the Soul Formation Realm, the Dao Sea Realm, the Dao Origin Realm, the Mahayana Realm, and Tribulation.

One had to completely master that layer and break through to the next realm before they could learn the next layer of the sword art. In the past, Old Man Mysterious Heaven created the Mysterious Heaven Sword Art. He then relied on the Mysterious Heaven Sword Art to gain enlightenment. After doing so, he ascended.

Every layer of the sword art contained the meaning of the grand dao and the mortal seven emotions and six desires. Dao was simply too mysterious, and many things could only be comprehended but not taught. Only when one gained comprehension of all these various emotions and still maintained their cultivation heart could one’s cultivation soar.

Otherwise, even if you had really good talent, your dao heart wouldn’t keep up. You could have a powerful spirit force, but you still wouldn’t be able to break the bottleneck between realms. Back then, Old Man Mysterious Heaven was like this, but in a short period of 200 years, he soared into heaven, shocking everyone. However ever since then it has been thousands of years and no one else has been able to.

Looking back into the past, very few people in the Huaxia Dynasty have been able to ascend. These people could be counted with just a pair of hands. Yet so many people were still desperately tiring to ascend and see what the world after ascending was like. However, cultivation was like crossing a river—no matter how talented and wealthy you were, it was all fleeting.

There was only a single wooden bridge, and everyone wanted to rush across it. Most would fall into the river, not many would truly cross it.

The path of cultivation was too dangerous.

Fighting other people simply due to the greed in people’s hearts. No matter how warm someone was, it was not enough to resist the weakness in the human heart. This was very difficult to guard against.

Fighting against the earth due to the danger of the earth. No matter how many strange and exotic treasures the earth had, they were all connected to death.

Fighting against heaven due to the vastness of heaven. No matter how powerful your cultivation, one person was simply too small. They would always chase that elusive and tiny sign of hope.

For a moment, Zhao Jiuge felt a sense of loneliness when he thought about how he had no relatives to accompany him. He was all alone. Even if he reached a high cultivation level, who could he share it with on the path of cultivation?

No wonder those powerful cultivators were all alone. Even if you found a partner to help with the loneliness, the relationship would not be able to withstand the test of time. When there was a difference in cultivation level, the weaker one would die of old age and the other would be left alone with even more sadness.

A sound echoed in the room.

Zhao Jiuge noticed that Luo Xie, who was sitting on the bed on the other side of the room studying the jade tube, had fallen asleep. His breathing was slow and steady. It was clearly the sound of someone sleeping!

There were a few drops of liquid on the corner of his mouth—he was drooling. Zhao Jiuge revealed a helpless smile and shook his head. He thought that Luo Xie was really strange. He originally thought that Wang Baiwan was strange enough, but at least he was rather mature. Luo Xie was simple-hearted but didn’t have any ambitions. It was best not to wake him up. Even if Zhao Jiuge woke him up, he wouldn't cultivate, so there was no point.

Zhao Jiuge calmed his heart and continued to study the Sword Energy Elucidation chapter.

The sword art required one to comprehend sword intent so they could hurt the enemy. The Sword Energy Elucidation taught you how to comprehend sword intent and cultivate it to the first layer, Elucidation.

Zhao Jiuge’s brows were furrowed. He had a serious expression as he read the contents of the Sword Energy Elucidation, but he still could not understand the key point. He could not focus on cultivating his spirit force. He had the sword art in hand, but he could not understand it, which made his heart itch. He saw that there were some simple moves that made him jump off the wooden bed and come to the door.

No matter how powerful a spell was, it would start out simple then become more complex. The transformation of an ordinary person to a cultivator was also a step-by-step process. The Mysterious Heaven Sword Art contained seven layers, and because it cared about the foundation, the first layer included some moves. That was why they made disciples stay in the outer sect for three years—so they could thoroughly understand it before entering the inner sect to learn the more profound parts. The second layer would be a qualitative leap where one would no longer use their hands to control the sword. Instead, they would use their spirit force. That was why a flying sword could cut someone thousands of kilometers away.

At this moment, Zhao Jiuge’s two fingers formed the shape of a sword and he imitated the drawing inside the jade tube. His right hand formed the sword, then he pointed forward and stood in the tiger pose. He took two steps forward before doing a 180 degree turn and slashed with his right hand.

He either stabbed, chopped, pointed, or swiped. Zhao Jiuge’s imitation gradually took form. He generated a small wind that caused his robe to flutter. If an outsider saw him, they would think he was only imitating without understanding, but Zhao Jiuge was slowly finding his way.

After practicing for several hours, even with his physical body strengthened by the Sanskrit Divine Body, big drops of sweat appeared on his forehead and rolled down. The back of his blue sword robe was becoming damp, but there was no trace of tiredness inside Zhao Jiuge’s bright eyes. Instead, there was a sense of excitement.

His actions became more and more familiar, and Zhao Jiuge gained some understanding of the first layer. As he continued, he began gaining some insight to each of the movements in the first layer.

As he cycled the spirit force inside his body, dots of light converged and sword energy slowly gathered inside his veins.

Little Oar Boat—when Zhao Jiuge wielded the sword, he felt like his body was a light boat rocking back and forth in the world.

Great River Drill, Vast Cold Wave—the world was like an endless ocean, and his body seemed very small in this vast ocean. However, no matter how strong the wind and waves were, as long as he persisted, then the lonely boat could still move forward in the ocean. No matter how strong the wind becomes, be like the tenacious wild grass in the valley and hang on no matter what.

Thinking about this, Zhao Jiuge seemed to comprehend something, and his movements became even faster. He moved like the wind as his right hand swept by, creating an invisible wave that caused the flowers and grass to move.

Although the sword energy inside his veins was only the size of his thumbnail, it made him very excited. After making progress, he became even more energetic.

His eyes suddenly lit up. This was the moment for the Great River Drill!

Bang!

A crisp sound echoed as a thumb-sized ray of silver sword energy was released by Zhao Jiuge toward the Blue Moon Flower. The silver light was small but very dazzling as it cut the flower from its stem.

“Hahahaha!”

Seeing this, Zhao Jiuge began laughing like a child and was filled with satisfaction as he excitedly waved his arms. Although it was just the start, he believed that with time, he would be able to wield the silver light and soar to the heavens!

Just like the Mysterious Heaven Asura had said, the most important thing in cultivation was a determined heart. Perhaps talent was important when it came to learning—some people could ?understand at a glance, while others needed months to understand. But on the path of cultivation, it was ordinary people with persistent hearts that would go further.

A moment of glory meant nothing, and steadily moving forward with a solid foundation was difficult. No matter how fast you build a magnificent structure, without a powerful foundation, all of it would collapse during the moment of tribulation.

“Jiuge, it's the middle of the night and you’re laughing like crazy. What madness is this?” Luo Xie opened the door and walked toward Zhao Jiuge with a sleepy face. He was rubbing his sleepy eyes, and only when he arrived before Zhao Jiuge did he seem more awake.

Zhao Jiuge revealed a mysterious smile but didn’t answer. He just copied the feeling he had now and moved the spirit force in his body. The sword energy gathered as he waved his right hand and the same scene reappeared. A ray of silver light shot out, successfully cutting the flower with a sound. This completely stunned Luo Xie.

Luo Xie’s neck was stretched out as he stared incredulously at Zhao Jiuge and then at the flower that was cut. He had completely awakened and stuttered a few times as he said, “Jiuge, this… this… This is the sword energy that Instructor Zhou displayed today. You already learned it so fast.”

Zhao Jiuge had a faint smile on his face and gently nodded. He was, after all, still a child, so he was a bit proud. It was not a strong enough feeling to be considered showing off, but he was very happy.

1. I want to state here to not think too much about these names. I checked the raw and they are barely ever used again. When they are, it's only because they’re being listed off.