Cultivating Dragon Creek Swordplay, First Stage: Sword Harmonizes with Stream

"Meridian Severing?... Is it what I think it is? If so, this technique will be of great use."

After murmuring to himself, Zhong Ming took this cultivation method as well.

He also took out some cultivation insights left behind by predecessors.

Carrying those books back to the cultivation grounds, Zhong Ming began studying them carefully.

Yet his aloof attitude of disregarding everything and focusing solely on cultivation... did not make anyone unhappy.

Even those whom Zhong Ming had driven away earlier spoke up for him.

"Rated Class A, yet he still doesn't slack off. Senior Brother Zhong Ming truly deserves to advance."

"Exactly, this is the proper attitude for pursuing the Dao..."

As long as you were strong enough, someone would argue your case.

Zhong Ming, rated Class A, now received such treatment within Dragon Stream Peak as well.

Unfortunately, no matter what they said, Zhong Ming had no interest in paying attention. As for followers, he had only accepted Dong Hai for the time being.

What concerned him more now was cultivating Dragon Creek Swordplay.

"Breathe in... breathe out..."

After taking a deep breath and calming his mind, Zhong Ming spread the manual recording Dragon Creek Swordplay across his knees. Then, he activated Intent Reading, reading the book and grasping the mysteries within.

What Zhong Ming did not know, utterly absorbed in his reading, was that one... no, two people had been watching him all along.

Those two were naturally Yi Yunya and Youlan.

Seeing her young miss stare at Zhong Ming in a daze, Youlan felt exceedingly troubled.

She understood why her young miss was paying such close attention to Zhong Ming... unwillingness.

They had only been a step away from making Zhong Ming their companion, from completely turning the situation around.

Yet because of that single missing step, Zhong Ming had slipped past them. It left both women especially annoyed and regretful.

Still, Youlan understood even more clearly that such a mindset was greatly detrimental to cultivation.

Thus, after hesitating for a moment, she still advised Yi Yunya. "Young Miss, I know you are unwilling to accept missing Zhong Ming, but since we have already missed him, we should move forward. We cannot remain immersed in the past."

"Besides, Zhong Ming only advanced on the seventh day. Though he was rated Class A, his talent..."

Before Youlan could finish, Yi Yunya looked over. "You think his talent is poor?"

"Uh..." Her young miss's stern gaze left Youlan somewhat puzzled. After considering it, she still said, "Since he was rated Class A, Zhong Ming's talent is naturally very strong. Among the disciples of Dragon Stream Peak, he ranks near the front."

"But among the Class A prodigies of the Seven Mysteries Sect, Zhong Ming's talent can only be considered at the bottom, right? After all, he is ranked thirty-ninth..."

The more she spoke, the softer Youlan's voice became, and the more hesitant her words grew. That was because Yi Yunya's eyes had filled with deep disappointment after hearing her.

That look made Youlan unable to stop herself from asking, "Young Miss, am I wrong?"

"Of course you are. You have forgotten something. Xue Yao called Zhong Ming the strongest."

"Huh?" After freezing for a moment, Youlan reflexively said, "Wasn't that a joke..."

Before she could finish, Youlan suddenly fell silent.

Zhong Ming's advancement to Class A had already begun affecting everyone on Dragon Stream Peak in this way.

Before, when Zhong Ming had not opened his Qi Sea Acupoint, not a single person had believed Xue Yao when she said that.

The gap between mortals and Qi Practitioners made everyone rather believe that Xue Yao called Zhong Ming the strongest because beauty lay in the eye of the beholder than think Zhong Ming possessed extraordinary talent, much less believe that he was the strongest on Dragon Stream Peak.

But after Zhong Ming, with a Third-grade Spiritual Root, unbelievably opened his Qi Sea Acupoint within seven days and was rated Class A, when they reconsidered Xue Yao's words, even Youlan had no choice but to seriously consider one matter—what Xue Yao had said might be true. Zhong Ming really might be the strongest on Dragon Stream Peak.

Yi Yunya, shrewd and calculating as she was, thought of even more.

"Xue Yao is aloof by nature, but she is not someone who disdains lying. Since she called Zhong Ming the strongest, there is a great chance that he truly is the strongest."

"More importantly, Zhong Ming was still a mortal then... If he was already the strongest at that time, how strong has he become now that he has opened his Qi Sea Acupoint?"

At that thought, Yi Yunya's pupils suddenly contracted, and a thought rarely seen arose within her heart.

Then, hesitant and conflicted, she spoke to Youlan.

"Youlan, do you think I should join his team as a collaborator and form an alliance with him?"

"Uh..."

Her young miss's words rendered Youlan speechless once again.

If Yi Yunya wished to form an alliance, what she should do was approach Zhong Ming as a team leader.

Equal status was the foundation of an alliance.

Joining a team led by Zhong Ming—rather than an alliance, that was more like... attaching herself to him.

This made Youlan's voice turn dry. "Young Miss, is there really a need to go this far?"

While Yi Yunya and her maid pondered Zhong Ming's affairs, the departed Mo Shuying was also thinking about Zhong Ming, carrying a trace of guilt toward him.

"I'm sorry, but I am doing this for Dragon Stream Peak's sake."

Mo Shuying was not embezzling Zhong Ming's resources.

She had given him every bit of welfare and resources the sect was supposed to provide, not a fraction less.

What made Mo Shuying feel guilty was that, as a force that had existed for centuries, Dragon Stream Peak possessed some reserves.

At a moment when Dragon Stream Peak's survival hung in the balance, those reserves could naturally be brought out and used.

However, over the previous years, the Seven Mysteries Sect's Sect Master and elders had given much support to the disciples of Dragon Stream Peak. In order to restore Dragon Stream Peak's former glory, its Peak Master had also brought out most of its reserves, helping those disciples consolidate their cultivation and increase their strength.

During that time, Dragon Stream Peak's glory had indeed been partially restored, and several sword-dao seeds possessing Sword Hearts had been nurtured.

Unfortunately, while sword cultivators who comprehended Sword Hearts were powerful, they were not invincible.

Especially sword cultivators who had yet to mature.

They could still be forcibly killed by enemies of a higher realm.

In the past, human factions generally would not do such things. Even when they did, they acted discreetly, and it was even less likely that they would target everyone.

But Demons and Monsters cared nothing for that. During one expedition, powerful demonic and bizarre beings appeared, either killing or crippling Dragon Stream Peak's prodigies.

That incident thoroughly shattered Dragon Stream Peak. Even Peak Master Yun Qianqiu had been severely wounded to the point of near death while rescuing his disciples, and had remained in seclusion for years to heal his injuries.

That painful experience had also marked the beginning of the sect's change in attitude.

The losses had been too severe.

One had to know that during those years, any disciple with even a little talent had been taken by Dragon Stream Peak and Mingshi Peak. The deaths of those disciples also meant that the Seven Mysteries Sect's inheritance had been directly cut off for years.

The excessive deaths even affected the surrounding Cultivation Families, making them somewhat afraid to send their outstanding younger members to the Seven Mysteries Sect.

"Sect Master, this cannot continue. The abilities of Demons and Monsters are strange and unpredictable. Certainly, sword cultivators can use One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Arts, but reaching that realm is far too difficult, far too difficult. We should support Molten Fire Peak and Green Fragrance Mountain first, focusing on artifact refining and pill refinement, then discuss matters after we weather this calamity of demons and monsters."

"Compared to artifact cultivators, wouldn't it be better to support spell cultivators? Demons and Monsters have bizarre abilities, but are the methods of our spell cultivator disciples any fewer? Besides, spell cultivators do not require the sword cultivator's sharp momentum of charging forward without regard for anything. More importantly, outside of sword cultivators, our spell cultivators have the strongest combat power."

"Heh, you think us artifact cultivators are weak in battle? This is the Three Mountains Seal. Why don't you try blocking it..."

Mo Shuying sighed.

After that incident, the Seven Mysteries Sect withdrew most of its support for Dragon Stream Peak. Yet the sect was still unwilling to give up, nor did it wish for the sect to lose its sharp edge. Thus, Dragon Stream Peak merely lost support; it was not suppressed.

Unfortunately, people were selfish. Whether the surrounding Cultivation Families or the sect elders, they would send their most outstanding and most valued descendants to Molten Fire Peak, Green Fragrance Mountain, or, failing that, pháp ấn Peak.

"Sword cultivators who comprehend Sword Hearts are indeed powerful among those of the same realm, but they are not invincible. Spell cultivators who comprehend True Intent or wield lightning arts, as well as artifact cultivators with top-grade magic artifacts, can all contend against sword cultivators."

With such thoughts in mind, Cultivation Families would have their outstanding disciples seek stability.

Those who were less outstanding would be sent to Dragon Stream Peak to take a gamble.

As one side declined and the others rose, Dragon Stream Peak's circumstances naturally worsened.

Furthermore, after that incident, Dragon Stream Peak's remaining reserves were nearly exhausted. If they were to carefully nurture someone, they could only cultivate one person.

Unlike Yi Yunya, the person Mo Shuying thought most highly of in all Dragon Stream Peak was Xue Yao.

She, with her First-grade Spiritual Root, had advanced first and also possessed the special talent of Ice Heart.

In Mo Shuying's view, if anyone among Dragon Stream Peak's disciples could advance to Mid Qi Condensation within a mere month and contend against Yan Chen, Su Lingya, and the others, that person would surely be Xue Yao.

Thus, she had used all of Dragon Stream Peak's remaining resources on Xue Yao. She had not given Zhong Ming a single thing.

They had both come from humble backgrounds and both received Class A ratings, yet in the end, she had given all of Dragon Stream Peak's resources to Xue Yao and not shared even a little with Zhong Ming. This unfair allocation made Mo Shuying somewhat uncomfortable.

—She regarded Dragon Stream Peak as her home and the Inner Sect Disciples as family. Such unequal treatment naturally made her feel terrible.

"To let Little Yao advance to Mid Qi Condensation and contend against Yan Chen and the others, who carry precious treasures, I need to exchange a treasure of equal rank for her. Dragon Stream Peak's wealth and resources therefore cannot be used for you. I'm sorry, Zhong Ming. I am doing this for Dragon Stream Peak's sake... If she takes the top three, or even first place, perhaps the Sect Master will once again tilt resources toward us."

"However, Dragon Stream Peak's resources cannot be touched, but we still have some connections on other peaks. Perhaps, I can do this..."

Feeling that she owed Zhong Ming something, she ultimately still wanted to give him some compensation.

She also felt that if Zhong Ming grew stronger, he could help Xue Yao as well.

The end-of-month assessment looks at overall strength. Even if Xue Yao can hold off Yan Chen and the others, if Zhuang Yi and Zhong Ming lose too quickly, Xue Yao still will not be able to win. After all, two fists cannot defeat four hands.

With that thought, Mo Shuying went to Molten Fire Peak and arrived before a luxurious courtyard.

Just as she landed there, a gorgeously dressed woman in palace attire came before Mo Shuying.

"Senior Sister Mo, why have you come?"

"I came to see Senior Brother Xie. How... is he?"

Those words dimmed the expression of the woman in palace attire. "My husband is still recovering from his injuries..."

Yi Yunya wanted to attach herself to him, while Senior Disciple Sister Mo Shuying wanted to find him some compensation. Zhong Ming knew nothing of any of this.

At that moment, all his thoughts were focused on comprehending and understanding Dragon Creek Swordplay.

Using Intent Reading to silently read through the Dragon Creek Swordplay manual once, Zhong Ming unsurprisingly discovered that Dragon Creek Swordplay shared too many similarities with the Dragon Creek Breathing Technique.

"The sword is like a stream, following the current rather than resisting it... This is the central principle of Dragon Creek Swordplay."

Put simply, the early stages of Dragon Creek Swordplay cultivated water's pliancy. When others attacked, Dragon Creek Swordplay would not meet attack with attack. Instead, it would use the sword to guide the enemy's attack, directing it to one side along the flow of water.

When this step was cultivated to its limit, it became Water Flow.

At that time, when Zhong Ming wielded Dragon Creek Swordplay, his Long Sword would be like a flowing stream. No matter how others attacked, Zhong Ming could shift their offensive to one side along the essence of water.

Of course, Dragon Stream Peak was renowned for its sword arts, and its attacks were the most ferocious among the seven peaks. As its most fundamental and core technique, Dragon Creek Swordplay naturally did more than redirect force and dissipate power.

As before, water's flow was meant to build momentum.

Once Dragon Creek Swordplay was cultivated to proficiency, while using Water Flow to divert another's attack, Zhong Ming could also borrow that force and guide a portion of the enemy's strength.

"This, too, is flow—redirecting the enemy's power onto my sword."

"Come to think of it, water can transmit force... If someone strikes the surface of water hard from one side, ripples spread through the stream, and the current flows faster."

"Like a stream in nature, I can borrow my enemy's force to increase the speed and power of my sword techniques."

"When the enemy's attack is guided to one side, their defenses will be wide open. At that moment, my sword speed and power will multiply. If I attack then, it will be difficult for the enemy to block... Dragon Creek Swordplay's underlying concept truly is excellent."

"Even if the enemy can defend in time, it does not matter. Through Water Flow, I can continuously build momentum. The longer I fight, the stronger my sword momentum becomes. In the end, this babbling stream will become towering waves that blot out the sky. By then, the enemy still will not be able to withstand it."

This was the first stage of Dragon Creek Swordplay: Sword Harmonizes with Stream.