You Su did not hesitate. He immediately bowed and apologized.
Gu Yao looked somewhat stunned at the youth's deeply lowered head, utterly baffled:
"Do you know how many cultivators have sought but never obtained the chance to become a Formal Disciple of the Xuanxiao Sect? You agreeing to it would bring you nothing but benefits."
How could You Su not understand that principle? But it was his master who had picked him up after he was abandoned and raised him to adulthood.
When he had been young, his emotions were fragile and his will weak. Whenever he had wanted to end his life because he was blind and for other reasons, it was always his master who had pulled him back from the brink. It could be said that before his junior sister arrived, his master had been his greatest emotional support. Not to mention that his master was currently traveling abroad—even if she were beside him now, ordering him to switch sects, You Su still would not agree.
Besides, the Heaven-and-Earth Yin-Yang Union Mandarin Sword Sect had not always been so decrepit. In the distant past, it had once been a flourishing sect, which meant its cultivation methods and scriptures were sufficient to let its disciples set foot on the Great Dao.
There was another highly important point: Formal Disciples had to remain on Divine Mountain, and it was obviously impossible to bring their family along. That would make it extremely inconvenient for him to care for his junior sister and Mistress.
"You Su understands. But my master saved my life, raised me to adulthood, and taught me cultivation. I resolved long ago to revive the sect and repay my master. I have never considered leaving the Mandarin Sword Sect, and I never will. I hope you can forgive me, Immortal Master." You Su continued to keep his head lowered, his words earnest.
Gu Yao had originally been somewhat angry—not because You Su had refused him, but because the youth had actually decisively abandoned the broad, sunlit road right before him. The guide on that road would even have been the world-famous Lotus Sword Venerable.
After hearing You Su's words, Gu Yao fell even deeper into silence. Whether in talent, intelligence, or character, this youth had far surpassed his expectations. He could not help but regard You Su even more highly, while also beginning to worry about the Lotus Sword Venerable's decision to take him as a disciple.
"I understand what you mean. Your master really did take in a fine disciple." Gu Yao sighed, his gaze profound. "The Great Dao does not exist only on Divine Mountain. One day, I hope to hear the name of the Mandarin Sword Sect on Divine Mountain as well."
You Su raised his head and met Gu Yao's gaze without the slightest evasion. "It will."
Gu Yao broke into a smile and rose to his feet. "Then I will not disturb you any longer. Come to the City Lord's Mansion tonight for the banquet. I shall have a proper drink with you."
"You Su will certainly accompany you." You Su also rose to see him off. As he finally felt relieved that the matter was over, he was glad Gu Yao still had not noticed anything amiss. That Formation Technique truly had some effect.
When they reached the doorway, Gu Yao turned around and took out another item with a smile. "You can see me off this far. This is a bottle of True Qi Pills. If you occasionally find your cultivation stagnating or your Mystic Qi depleted, taking one should have miraculous effects. You need not refuse; this is the reward for first place."
With that, he tossed the bottle to You Su. You Su could only reach out and catch it. He was about to offer his thanks when he discovered that Gu Yao had already vanished without a trace.
You Su held the two gifts in his left and right hands and secretly sighed that the performance he had put on for Gu Yao that day had not been in vain. Gu Yao could not be considered a flawless True Lord, but he was certainly not a bad person.
You Su silently put away the treasures, finally releasing the tension he had kept wound tight inside him. He then closed the door and continued pondering the principles behind that sword strike.
By the time the sun was sinking in the west, You Su felt that he could vaguely see that wisp of spiritual light again, but he was still just short of grasping it firmly. He found it exceedingly profound. When deciding whether to ask Gu Yao or Mistress, You Su ultimately chose Mistress first.
He stood outside the main hall. Before disturbing Mistress each time, he always had to make a bout of mental preparations, because whether it was the identity of Mistress or the person herself, she gave him the feeling of being lofty and unreachable.
You Su cleared his throat and knocked on the door.
"Mistress?"
After a while, Mistress's cool and ethereal voice drifted out. For some reason, You Su found it sounded somewhat distant.
"What is it?"
"I encountered some problems while practicing the sword today. I hope Mistress can clear up my confusion."
"Ask."
"When I competed with someone yesterday, my final sword strike was extraordinarily mysterious. At the time, my mind was completely empty. My only thought was that I had to swing that sword out, and my body and sword both responded to me. It felt as though all my strength had surged forth, but that sword strike was not a move from the Mandarin Duck Sword Scripture. I simply performed it naturally. If I had not stopped myself then, I even felt that the person receiving the sword would have died. But today, when I tried to recall that feeling, I could never grasp its essence. I do not understand what happened, so I wanted to ask Mistress."
There was a moment of silence.
"It was sword intent, but it was incomplete."
"Sword intent?" You Su had naturally heard the term, but he did not know exactly what it was.
"Your master never taught you?"
"Uh, no."
"On the northern wall of the library, third row, there is a book called An Introduction to Sword Cultivators. Starting from page sixty-nine, you can have your junior sister read it aloud to you. Have her read the book as well."
You Su deeply felt the helplessness of a blind man. His understanding of the sword was limited to the Mandarin Duck Sword Scripture his master had read to him.
Perhaps Mistress thought the question was too basic and could not be bothered to waste words explaining it to me.
"Thank you, Mistress."
"To comprehend sword intent at your age is quite impressive." Mistress praised him without warning.
The trace of displeasure in You Su's heart vanished along with her words. Like a child tasting candy for the first time, he happily said:
"Thank you for your praise, Mistress."
"Mm."
Mistress's voice was extremely indifferent, but You Su still retreated with a grin on his face.
By evening, Ji Lingruo had also woken up. You Su hurriedly took her to retrieve the book and asked her to read it aloud to him. Only then did he learn what "sword intent" was:
When a cultivator wielded a sword, it carried a resonance formed from Mystic Qi. Sword intent was the pinnacle of that resonance, as well as the pinnacle of the sword path within the swordsman's heart.
Some people nurtured a sword atop a snowy mountain for a hundred years, gaining Frost-Snow Sword Intent. Whenever they struck, everything would freeze solid; some people stood alone and desolate, mourning spring and lamenting autumn, so their sword intent would inevitably be bleak and sorrowful...
Different people followed different paths of the sword, and naturally possessed different sword intents. But too few people could walk their sword path to its ultimate extreme, so too few could comprehend sword intent.
According to the book, You Su finally understood what stage he was currently at: the resonance within his sword was already nearing perfection, but he had yet to determine what his true sword path was. Only after seeing through that point and following it unwaveringly could he obtain sword intent that belonged solely to him.
You Su was not overly delighted. He merely felt it was what he deserved. As a blind man, the thing he could trust most was the sword in his hand. Countless swings of the sword had also made the sword trust him. This had nothing to do with talent or blessed fortune; this was the Dao Fruit he had cultivated himself.
After figuring it out, You Su prepared to hurry to the banquet. Just as he was leaving, Ji Lingruo called him back and forced him to change into an outfit the young girl had carefully put together. Although it still used You Su's old clothes, at least You Su now looked considerably more presentable.
Ji Lingruo gazed at You Su's back in satisfaction, secretly thinking with pride:
As her senior brother, the top scorer of the Ascension Gathering, he ought to look like this—not only having overwhelmed all his competitors in skill, but also possessing such an appearance and bearing.
Beneath the ambiguous, hazy light of the setting sun, You Su's back grew increasingly indistinct. Ji Lingruo found it somewhat strange. Her eyesight was clearly excellent, and You Su had not gone very far, so why did it always feel as though... a mass of fog was spreading around him?
The somewhat bland competition story was about to draw to a close. A new chapter would begin tomorrow~
Before you continue