He arrived at the Hall of Books.
Lin Bai went straight to the bookshelf from yesterday and found the Thunderous Sword Intent Scroll.
I'd like to see just how sinister it is.
Lin Bai immediately opened the Thunderous Sword Intent Scroll.
That lightning-wreathed divine sword shot out first.
This time, Lin Bai did not dodge. He let the lightning-wreathed divine sword charge straight into his body.
Then the scroll unfurled, revealing a man standing amid thunder.
Lin Bai stared at the image.
After a moment, countless bolts of thunder surged toward Lin Bai, like divine dragons crawling out of hell.
A terrifying force bore down on Lin Bai.
As he watched the countless bolts of thunder charge forth,
Lin Bai's entire body trembled, but he spoke firmly. "Are you here to kill me, or to worship me?"
"Are you here to kill me, or to worship me?"
The moment Lin Bai finished speaking, the thunder that had pounced out with such baleful ferocity trembled slightly, then all of it shrank back into the scroll.
Whoosh—
The instant the thunder vanished, the scene before Lin Bai changed.
He was no longer in the Hall of Books on White Cloud Peak.
More precisely, his will was no longer in the Hall of Books.
Before him lay a dim world beneath a canopy of dark clouds.
Lin Bai stood at the center of this world, while countless bolts of thunder flashed continuously around him.
He was like the ruler of this world, worshipped by the countless bolts of thunder!"
"He actually... merged his will into it!" Li Shanqing said in astonishment.
Hearing this, Ling Tianzi lowered the book in his hand with great interest and smiled. "Interesting. In all these years, this is the first junior I've seen with such talent in the sword dao."
"Master, could he be about to comprehend sword intent?" Li Shanqing asked in surprise.
"He shouldn't be." Ling Tianzi shook his head and continued reading.
Sword intent was a Martial Dao Will.
The Martial Dao Will comprehended by a bladesman was called blade intent.
The Martial Dao Will comprehended by a swordsman was called sword intent.
The Martial Dao Will comprehended by a pugilist was called fist intent.
Martial Dao Will was also divided into levels—nine ranks in total.
Once one comprehended sword intent, one could be called a sword cultivator.
Cultivating Martial Dao Will was extraordinarily difficult. A martial artist needed to seek insight and breakthroughs amid heaven and earth and the countless forms of human life.
It was far more difficult than cultivating martial prowess.
However, among martial artists of the same realm, those who possessed Martial Dao Will were basically invincible once they unleashed it.
Lin Bai stood in the dim space, calmly studying the thunder.
The thunder gleamed in his eyes, as though this entire world existed within them!
"I understand now!"
"So all fear originates from the heart."
On the first night, when Lin Bai had first arrived here and discovered the Thunderous Sword Intent Scroll,
Lin Bai had feared that lightning-wreathed divine sword. He had feared the countless bolts of thunder.
But today, when Lin Bai arrived, he was no longer afraid in the slightest.
Had the thunder shattered his fear?
Or had he defeated the thunder?
"No one in this world can defeat me except myself."
"With me, I am invincible!"
At a glance from Lin Bai, the countless bolts of thunder before him cracked apart in fear.
A heaven-shaking sword force radiated from Lin Bai, pressing down and crushing the firmament of this world.
Buzz—
Lin Bai's words, "With me, I am invincible," instantly caused the dim space before him to shatter.
Crash—
The scene shifted, and Lin Bai once again saw the Hall of Books.
The scroll in his hand turned to ashes.
Even after the scroll had become ashes, lightning continued to flicker in Lin Bai's eyes.
Lin Bai slowly raised his hand.
The Barren Ancient Continent Gazetteer on the bookshelf exploded with a boom, its scraps of paper gathering in Lin Bai's hand into the shape of a sword.
Lin Bai brought it down in a slash.
"Go!"
The slash violently shattered a pillar in the distance that would have taken three people holding hands to encircle.
"What kind of power is this?"
"It can actually be unleashed without circulating true qi."
Lin Bai spoke with great curiosity.
Lin Bai still did not know that he had just comprehended sword intent.
After Lin Bai shattered the enormous pillar, the entire Hall of Books began to shake violently.
"Not good, it's going to collapse."
Lin Bai took one look and realized that the pillar he had struck was the main support!
"Damn!"
Lin Bai cursed under his breath and hurried out of the Hall of Books.
He glanced back at the Hall of Books, now reduced to ruins. With such a commotion, Ling Tianzi would certainly be alerted.
Lin Bai hurriedly turned and ran down White Cloud Peak.
If Ling Tianzi found out that he had destroyed his Hall of Books, he certainly would not take Lin Bai as his disciple.
"Oh dear, how did I end up destroying the Hall of Books?"
"Senior Ling Tianzi, I suppose I'll have to become your disciple first, then slowly come back and apologize."
Lin Bai stood at the foot of White Cloud Peak, speaking with a sorrowful expression.
Lin Bai had just left
when Ling Tianzi and Li Shanqing appeared before the Hall of Books.
"Not bad. He knew to face the fear in his own heart."
"If he hadn't dared to face that bolt of thunder today, he would never have comprehended sword intent."
"Although he has only comprehended a tiny bit, it still makes for an excellent beginning."
Ling Tianzi smiled faintly.
"Master, he destroyed the Hall of Books. You can really tolerate that?" Li Shanqing asked in astonishment as he looked at the collapsed Hall of Books behind them.
"Otherwise, why don't you go down and drag him back up, then give him a sound beating?" Ling Tianzi said with a smile as he looked at Li Shanqing.
"Forget it. Since you've tolerated it, what else can I do?" Li Shanqing said, his face full of misery.
"Put the Hall of Books back in order."
Ling Tianzi said it casually.
"I knew it. In the end, I'd still be the one cleaning it up." Li Shanqing looked ready to cry.
Lin Bai left White Cloud Peak and returned to his residence.
"If I hadn't had that Thunderous Sword Intent Scroll, I never would have comprehended this mysterious power!"
"This scroll belongs to Ling Tianzi!"
"It seems Third Uncle chose the right path for me."
"Master Ling Tianzi, your disciple has arrived."
Lin Bai happily collapsed onto the bed and slept a sweet, beautiful dream.
Although Lin Bai did not know the value of the Thunderous Sword Intent Scroll, he had a feeling that it was definitely no ordinary object.
Since Ling Tianzi possessed such an extraordinary scroll, he himself should be no ordinary person either!
For two days straight, Lin Bai immersed himself in comprehending that mysterious power.
Lin Bai discovered that whenever he held a sword and unleashed that mysterious power, the blade became extraordinarily sharp.
His swordsmanship, sword techniques, and sword force also became ten times more powerful than usual.
"This mysterious power is very strong. It can enhance my sword techniques and swordsmanship."
Lin Bai was deeply surprised.
"That's good, too. With this mysterious power, I'll have even more confidence in the reexamination two days from now."
"Perhaps I can even obtain a fairly high ranking."
Lin Bai was overjoyed.
For two days straight, Lin Bai remained in his room, secluded himself, and comprehended this mysterious power.
After two days, Lin Bai had finally mastered it completely, reaching a state where he could release and retract it freely.
Although Lin Bai did not know what this mysterious power actually was, he knew that it was definitely a benefit bestowed upon him by the Thunderous Sword Intent Scroll.
To this day, Lin Bai still did not know that the so-called "mysterious power" he spoke of was precisely the Martial Dao Will that every martial artist dreamed of comprehending.
Because of this, Lin Bai felt another measure of gratitude toward Ling Tianzi.