Formal Practice of the Seven Kill Saber Technique

Aside from that distinctive movement technique, what pleased Chen Xin most was Wang Chuan's leap in saber techniques. He had fused the steadiness of basic saber techniques with the unpredictability of the Void Blade Technique, refining them again and again until he had finally forged a saber art marked by his own distinct style—his strikes carried the force of a boulder crashing down, while his withdrawals concealed the speed of drifting mist. He had long since shed the traces of his initial imitation.

On the Training Ground that day, the crisp sound of a cold blade returning to its sheath had barely faded when Chen Xin raised a hand to stop him. "That's enough, Xiao Chuan. Come here." Wang Chuan withdrew his stance and walked steadily over. The thin sheen of sweat on his brow had yet to be wiped away, but his eyes shone brilliantly.

Chen Xin looked at him with a hint of scrutiny, though there was even more approval in his gaze. "After these months of refinement, your saber technique has reached perfection. Remember this: whatever you cultivate or practice in the future, you must approach it as you did this saber technique. Do not give up halfway unless you have attained perfection."

"This student will remember Master's teachings." Wang Chuan lowered his head, his voice full of solemnity.

"Good." Chen Xin nodded, then abruptly changed the subject. A rare seriousness flashed in his eyes. "Since you have mastered the saber technique, today I will formally pass down my ultimate art to you—the Seven Kill Sword Technique."

Wang Chuan jerked his head up. A flicker of astonishment passed through his eyes, followed by uncontrollable shock. Seeing this, Chen Xin slowly explained, "The Seven Kill Saber Technique I taught you before was ultimately only a temporary measure, with far too many flaws. Over these past months, I repeatedly worked through it and finally fused it with the essence of the sword technique, making up for its shortcomings."

The rudimentary saber technique he had first learned months ago had already possessed an awe-inspiring sharpness that looked down upon the world. Now, he could finally formally learn the Seven Kill Sword Technique, renowned alongside the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Dragon Transformation and the Clear Sky Sect's Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique! Even more rare, this was a version of the saber art that his master had specifically developed and tailored for him.

At that thought, Wang Chuan's breathing quickened. Sweat seeped into his tightly clenched palms, and he could not hide the excitement in his voice. "Thank you, Master!" His exhilaration burned even hotter than when he had broken through his Soul Power bottleneck—it was not merely the inheritance of martial arts, but also a long-silent expectation and trust.

Chen Xin focused his mind and began slowly explaining the essential principles of the Seven Kill Sword Technique. This sword technique had seven forms, each containing fierce killing intent and the force of destruction. Their names were: Spreading Killing Intent, Heaven and Earth are Ruthless, Blood Floods the Mountains and Rivers, Heaven Collapses and Earth Cracks, Myriad Calamities, No Recovery, All Beings Slaughtered, and Three Realms Annihilated.

The first form, Spreading Killing Intent—before the blade even left its sheath, killing intent already spread like icy mist, gripping the soul. The second form, Heaven and Earth are Ruthless—the sword moves were cold and fierce, like the impartial Heavenly Dao, leaving not the slightest chance of survival. The third form, Blood Floods the Mountains and Rivers—the sword force surged like a flood; wherever the sword light reached, it was as though a sea of blood churned and mountains and rivers were dyed red. The fourth form, Heaven Collapses and Earth Cracks—the sword's might erupted with the momentum to shatter the heavens and split the earth. The fifth form, Myriad Calamities, No Recovery—the sword intent continued without end; once struck, one would seem to fall into reincarnation, with scarcely any chance to turn things around. The sixth form, All Beings Slaughtered—wherever the sword path pointed, it brought indiscriminate slaughter, as though it sought to cut down every living being in the world. The final form, Three Realms Annihilated, was the pinnacle of the Seven Kills. When the sword was unleashed, it seemed ready to consign the realms of heaven, earth, and humanity alike to silence.

Standing before Wang Chuan, Chen Xin fixed his blazing gaze on the long saber in his hand and said in a deep voice, "From today onward, you will begin with the first move, Spreading Killing Intent. Until you pass this move, do not even think of touching the later ones."

Wang Chuan's grip on the hilt tightened slightly. He had thought this seemingly simple cleaving strike was merely beginner-level material, never expecting it to be treated with such gravity. Chen Xin seemed to see through his thoughts. He slowly raised a hand and gripped his own saber. With a soft shing, the instant the blade left its sheath, the surrounding air seemed to freeze—there was no fierce killing intent bursting outward. Instead, every bit of sharpness was tightly locked within three inches of the blade. Though it was merely the simplest downward slash, it carried a seamless balance between restraint and release.

"Watch carefully." Chen Xin's voice held unquestionable authority. "This move may look like nothing more than raising your hand and slashing, but in truth, it teaches you to converse with your own killing intent. Beginners always want their killing intent to surge forth like raging waves, yet they do not understand that a true master can make it like a needle hidden in cotton—gentle in ordinary moments, but revealing its edge only when it moves."

His wrist gave a light flick, and the blade traced a faint arc beneath the sunlight. Though he had clearly not exerted any deliberate force, Wang Chuan inexplicably felt a bone-piercing chill, as though that killing intent did not come from the saber, but bored out from the depths of his own heart. "What this move trains is restraint, not release." Chen Xin sheathed his saber in one smooth motion. "Rein in that impatience and viciousness of yours. Let your killing intent travel along the blade and merge into the force exerted by every inch of your muscles. When you can slash without a sound, yet make your opponent shiver from the gaps in their bones when your blade falls, only then will this first move truly count as an entry."

Looking at Chen Xin's calm profile, Wang Chuan suddenly understood that this seemingly basic form was the foundation for every move to come. Like compacting the earth before building a tower, if this skill of restraining killing intent was not firmly practiced, then no matter how exquisite the later moves were, they would be like rootless duckweed—flashy to behold, yet unable to withstand a single blow. He took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the hilt, and for the first time truly calmed his mind as he began to ponder this simplest of downward slashes.