Enlightenment on His Own

After reading the Sword Control Art, Fang Chen replayed it over and over in his mind. Its diagrams and text flashed through his thoughts, faster and faster as time passed.

The Sword Control Art did not seem nearly as difficult as Li Yanshan had said. Compared with the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique he had practiced before, it was far too simple.

Fang Chen kept working through the Sword Control Art in his mind, then poured True Qi into the Black Iron Sword.

Hum!

The dark-gold patterns on the Black Iron Sword instantly glowed faint white, and sharp Sword Intent radiated from it.

A moment later, the Black Iron Sword trembled gently and slowly floated up before him.

He silently recited the Incantation. The Black Iron Sword quivered, then drifted beneath his feet.

"How amazing!"

Fang Chen's eyes lit up as he stared at the Black Iron Sword. He lifted a foot and stepped onto it.

Hummm...

The moment he stepped onto the Black Iron Sword, he felt it trembling beneath his feet. He circulated the Sword Control Art, sending the True Qi in his body surging through his soles and into the sword.

As it absorbed more True Qi, the Aerial Formation Pattern on the Black Iron Sword shone with an even brighter white light.

There were many kinds of Aerial Formation Patterns. Once activated, some shone white, while others shone red, yellow, green...

Beyond single-colored light, some people etched Aerial Formation Patterns in multiple colors for a more dazzling effect. They even deliberately carved special Sonic Formation Patterns onto their Flying Swords.

Flying Swords engraved with Sonic Formation Patterns let out deafening roars in flight. They were favorites among young cultivators with a flair for the dramatic, who thought riding such swords through the sky looked spectacular. Whenever night fell and people had gone to bed, these youngsters would fly their specially modified swords wherever they pleased within the sect.

The deafening noise of Flying Swords enhanced by Sonic Formations disturbed not only the sect's people but also the spirit beasts and birds it kept. The sect therefore strictly forbade flying these specially modified swords. Anyone caught doing so faced severe punishment.

Even so, plenty of youngsters still defied the ban, giving the Enforcement Hall no end of headaches.

Fang Chen stood on the Black Iron Sword and gathered himself, then silently recited the Incantation.

"Off we go!"

Hummm...

The Black Iron Sword beneath Fang Chen's feet rose with him aboard and glided slowly forward. Standing on it, Fang Chen wobbled like someone walking along a bamboo pole floating on water, unable to keep his balance.

The principles of the Sword Control Art surfaced one after another in his mind, and he quickly adjusted his stance.

After a while, Fang Chen could finally fly steadily. He then tried steering the Black Iron Sword through a turn.

"Hahaha! Uncle Li, I can fly!"

Fang Chen swooped and turned through the air on the Black Iron Sword, so excited that he waved his arms and legs.

Li Yanshan was sorting medicine bottles when he heard Fang Chen's voice. He looked up, and his expression froze. It had been less than fifteen minutes since he had given Fang Chen the Sword Control Art. He had even told Fang Chen how difficult it was and asked him to come by if he had any questions.

Yet Fang Chen had already learned it.

Li Yanshan wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him. He shook his head hard, rubbed his eyes, and looked up again. Fang Chen was still on the Black Iron Sword, flying to his heart's content.

"What the hell? Just how monstrous is this guy's talent?"

Fang Chen's performance stunned Li Yanshan. But when he recalled how Fang Chen had learned the Misty Turtle Steps and the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique a few days earlier, it began to make sense.

Neither he nor Elder Yun could learn the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique, yet Fang Chen had mastered it in less than two days. With talent like that, learning the Sword Control Art would be as easy as reaching out and taking it.

Fang Chen's performance now only cemented his reputation as a genius in this area.

Remembering that Fang Chen had no Spiritual Root, Li Yanshan could not help shaking his head and sighing. If Fang Chen had a True Spiritual Root, those old fossils in the sect would surely come to blows over him.

Fang Chen continued flying through the air on the Black Iron Sword. He grew faster, his maneuvers bolder, while the principles of the Sword Control Art flashed through his mind.

Boom!

A roar sounded inside Fang Chen's mind. Everything in his vision vanished, replaced by countless white points of light that gathered into a Flying Sword.

Whoosh...

The Flying Sword soared between heaven and earth, radiating powerful Sword Intent and trailing a long streak of Rainbow Light. Perfect flight paths traced its passage through the sky.

Fang Chen instinctively steered the Black Iron Sword after it.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Following that Flying Sword, Fang Chen began performing all sorts of difficult maneuvers in the air. Li Yanshan stared, dumbfounded.

"Compare yourself to someone else and you'll die of frustration!"

Li Yanshan could not help sighing at the sight. Though he had learned the Sword Control Art long ago, his mastery remained limited. He could only fly a Flying Sword in a straight line, and he had to slow almost to a crawl to turn.

Fang Chen, on the other hand, had only just begun learning the Sword Control Art and could already pull off such difficult maneuvers. He flew not only fast but with remarkable agility.

Li Yanshan had to admit to himself that cultivation truly came down to Talent. In the face of it, all their hard work amounted to nothing.

After flying across Fang Chen's vision for a while, the Flying Sword suddenly turned toward him and plunged into his body.

Fang Chen shuddered and instantly emerged from his state of Enlightenment.

"I never thought I could enter Enlightenment without the Floating Immortal Sword's help!"

Fang Chen sighed in wonder. He then flew the Black Iron Sword over to Li Yanshan, leaped down, and put the sword away with a wave of his hand.

Smiling at Li Yanshan, he said, "Uncle Li, you lied to me. The Sword Control Art isn't hard at all!"

Li Yanshan shook his head helplessly. "Don't tease your Uncle Li, you brat. It's not that the Sword Control Art is easy. Your talent is just too Monster!"

He beckoned Fang Chen over. "Come here. I'll explain what these medicines are for and how much to take!"

Fang Chen went straight to Li Yanshan and listened carefully.

When he finished explaining, Li Yanshan handed him more than a dozen medicine bottles. "These are all yours. Keep them safe!"

Looking at the bottles, Fang Chen asked, "How much?"

Li Yanshan smiled. "Consider them a gift from Elder Yun and me. Don't bring up money!"

"All right!"

Fang Chen nodded. He did not want to take advantage of Elder Yun and Li Yanshan, but with Li Yanshan putting it that way, he could hardly refuse. He would remember their kindness, though, and repay them many times over if he ever had the chance.

He tucked all the medicine bottles into his clothes. Conditions on the Trial Path could change at any moment, and dangers lurked everywhere. At a critical moment, these medicines could save his life.

Fang Chen knew the Floating Immortal Sword could help him neutralize snake venom, but the Trial Path held centipedes, spiders, lizards, poisonous insects, and more. There were also highly poisonous plants. He did not know whether the Spiritual Power he absorbed from the Floating Immortal Sword could neutralize all their toxins.

Just then, Fang Chen felt his Identity Token vibrate. He took it out and swept it with his Spiritual Sense. An unfamiliar message immediately appeared in his mind. It came from the Merit Hall on Azure Cloud Peak and instructed them to make their own way to Glazed Peak at once.

The message included a flight route to Glazed Peak. Disciples of Azure Cloud Peak who wished to fly there by sword had to follow that designated route.

Elder Yun stepped out of his Stone House and asked Li Yanshan, "Have you finished sorting those medicines?"

Li Yanshan nodded at once. "I have! I've also explained their uses and dosages to Fang Chen!"

Elder Yun looked up at Fang Chen. "Have you memorized what each medicine is for and how much to take?"

Fang Chen nodded vigorously. "I have!"

Elder Yun nodded slightly. "Then let's set off. Little Li, take Fang Chen with you on your sword!"

Fang Chen immediately said, "Elder Yun, Uncle Li doesn't need to take me. I've already learned the Sword Control Technique!"

"You've learned the Sword Control Technique?"

Elder Yun raised his head and looked at Fang Chen in surprise.

Fang Chen nodded and summoned the Black Iron Sword. He stepped onto it, used the Sword Control Technique to shoot into the sky, circled a few times, then flew back to Elder Yun.

Seeing that Fang Chen really had learned the Sword Control Technique—and already wielded it with practiced ease—Elder Yun could not help praising him. "You really are a Monster, boy. You learn far too quickly. In that case, fly your own sword and follow us!"

"All right!"

Fang Chen nodded at once.

Elder Yun tossed his cane into the air. It glowed faint red, then flew back in front of him.

Elder Yun sat directly on the cane. Little Six hopped up too, sat beside him, and leaned against him affectionately.

Hummm...

The black cane trembled gently, then carried Elder Yun and Little Six, the black dog, slowly toward the southeast.

Fang Chen looked at the black dog beside Elder Yun. "Is Xiao Liu coming too?"

Li Yanshan nodded. "Yes. Little Six has a keen nose. With him along, Elder Yun will probably find plenty of Glazed Mushrooms. Let's go too!"

With that, Li Yanshan waved a hand, and a Flying Sword appeared before him. He stepped onto it and promptly flew after Elder Yun.

Fang Chen followed on the Black Iron Sword.