Seeing this destiny, Zhao Huai's eyes lit up.
"Sword Dao Prodigy? With this destiny, I'll be able to make even greater breakthroughs in the Sword Dao!"
"It's just that I'll need to study this Sword Contemplation carefully."
Zhao Huai would never underestimate this special effect. He had experienced the ultimate state within Peak Intent—the terrifying eightfold enhancement to his physical body was enough to break ten thousand techniques with sheer force.
So this Sword Contemplation could not be underestimated either.
Zhao Huai had only heard of the state of Man and Sword as One; he had never experienced it firsthand.
Fuse destiny?
"Fuse."
The Sword Dao Prodigy destiny bloomed with a deep blue radiance before slowly taking its place. As one of his earliest permanent destinies, its position was difficult to shake.
Under the destiny's enhancement, Zhao Huai clearly felt that many of his understandings of the Sword Dao had deepened, undergoing a qualitative leap! Among all the basic sword techniques he had learned before, quite a few things had been wrong or overly complicated, and he could now distinguish them one by one.
He could even derive them in the simplest possible way.
This was the strength of outstanding Sword Dao talent.
Zhao Huai absorbed Swift Walker as well. A refreshing sensation immediately coursed through his body, and his limbs became remarkably light.
Without him realizing it, his speed had already doubled.
Zhao Huai had not forgotten the two Mysterious-Grade Destinies he had obtained from the antiques and artifacts of that crooked merchant last time.
Bone Refining Jade Transformation and Sword Heart Clarity.
Sword Heart Clarity had left the deepest impression on him. It could unshackle the upper limit of sword techniques, preventing him from being rigidly confined by every move and stance.
A thought suddenly came to Zhao Huai.
Sword Heart Clarity and Sword Dao Prodigy had the same melody played with different instruments. Both were destinies that improved the Sword Dao, yet their subdivisions differed. Sword Heart Clarity leaned toward sword moves, while Sword Dao Prodigy was talent.
What changes would occur if the two were layered together? Zhao Huai could no longer contain the excitement in his heart and immediately took out a Sword Dao manual to study.
If it had been an ordinary manual, that would have been one thing—he could learn it at a glance.
But this sword technique was rather special. It was the kind that one might learn, yet find almost impossible to master, much less bring to great completion, even over an entire lifetime. Cultivating such a sword technique required tremendous talent!
At this moment, Zhao Huai revisited this sword technique he had once learned in his mind.
Its name was the Sword Drawing Technique.
The Sword Drawing Technique was an exceedingly basic sword art, yet those who truly mastered it were few and far between.
Many people misunderstood it as a technique for drawing the sword, including Zhao Huai at the beginning, but that was completely the wrong direction.
The Sword Drawing Technique was not a sword-move technique, but a growth-type sword art that could undergo continuous transformation.
What was the true Sword Drawing Technique?
It was adjusting one's physical body to its peak state, bringing spirit, mind, and qi into one.
Nurture the sword within the heart; sheathe the blade within its scabbard.
The momentum accumulated from years of keeping the sword sheathed burst forth after long accumulation; years of obscurity were all for that single moment of eruption! Silent until it struck, then astonishing the world with one cry.
Ancient records thus stated: an immortal's single sword could startle heaven and shatter stone, overturn seas of clouds—this was called one sword.
Zhao Huai studied the Sword Drawing Technique again, correcting his previous mistakes, but he was still short of one final step before he could truly transform.
Do not underestimate that one step. More often than not, that tiny gap was the key to success.
Outside Huai Pawnshop, people came and went. Anyone who glanced into the shop would find a man inside with his eyes closed, reclining in a lounge chair as though he were taking an afternoon nap.
In truth, Zhao Huai had entered a state of meditative enlightenment.
Yet no matter how he contemplated it, his understanding of momentum remained vague. How was he to wield Sword Momentum and guide Sword Momentum? So long as he pierced through this layer of window paper, he would truly master the Sword Drawing Technique.
"Activate Sword Contemplation."
Zhao Huai silently recited it in his heart.
The special effect of the Sword Dao Prodigy destiny activated, and he instantly fell into a state both profound and mysterious.
He felt as if he had become a sword himself, its sharpness stretching ten thousand zhang, tempered in secluded frost.
Centered on Zhao Huai, invisible whirlwinds appeared around him.
He also assumed the posture of drawing a sword. Though there was no sword in his hand, an indescribable momentum was there.
The whirlwinds followed him, releasing a trace of mysterious might—sharp, yet harming no one.
Zhao Huai remained as steady as a towering mountain. The whirlwinds grew larger and larger, while his hand gripping the sword tightened more and more. At this moment, he had entered the realm of Man and Sword as One.
More and more whirlwinds spread from Zhao Huai's body. Even the copper coins atop the counter were blown into ringing with "ding ding" sounds.
With the Sword Heart Clarity destiny, his state of mind resonated with the sword, and the shackles known as the upper limit shattered inch by inch.
Until a critical point was reached—with a whoosh.
A towering Sword Momentum erupted from within the pawnshop. The willow branches outside the store were blown into wild swaying, and a fierce gust swept past, making nearby pedestrians shield their faces and grumble in confusion.
"This is the Sword Drawing Technique."
"I've learned it!"
Zhao Huai abruptly rose to his feet, his gaze sharp. Beads of sweat had already appeared across his forehead and neck.
Now, he had finally learned the true Sword Drawing Technique and mastered Sword Momentum. This counted as successfully taking a great step forward on the path of the Sword Dao.
Comprehending Sword Momentum was an indispensable step for sword cultivators training in the Sword Dao.
Pear Blossom Lane.
Rows of benches were filled with people, surrounding an opera stage in the center. Actors upon it sang and recited line after line with impassioned fervor.
Yu Qinghan sat below the stage, thoroughly engrossed in the performance, the smile on her face never fading.
All around her, quite a few people were watching her figure with cold light in their eyes. Yet she seemed not to notice, continuing to focus on the stage.
"Princess, Prince Yan has proposed an alliance with us. He hopes we can deal with Prince Qin together."
The middle-aged woman beside her spoke in a young voice, whispering softly into Yu Qinghan's ear.
This middle-aged woman was actually a maid in disguise.
Hearing this, Yu Qinghan shook her head. "My second brother? He's no good thing either."
"If my eldest brother is a brainless brute, then he is as cunning as a fox. He likes using schemes in warfare, and he never reveals the depth of his thoughts when dealing with others. He probably has no good intentions."
"Your Highness means we should refuse him?"
Yu Qinghan cast a sidelong glance with her phoenix eyes and said indifferently, "I do not need to ally with anyone, nor do I need to defeat anyone. The war is already over. What meaning is there in these internal struggles?"
Hearing this, the maid nodded, then added, "But the assassination order is still active. Princess, your situation is still very dangerous."
"They are merely scraps. Why would they be worth mentioning? Shadowless Pavilion of the Black Market, was it? Once I reach Foundation Establishment, I'll wipe them all out."
Yu Qinghan's cold tone made it sound as though she were merely discussing some trivial matter.
"Still, having people interfere with my opera is indeed rather irritating."
After saying that, she stood and elegantly smoothed the wrinkles from her cloud-embroidered skirt.
"Princess, you are...?"
The maid froze for a moment.
"I'm going to kill someone."
Before you continue