Jade Breaking Sword Art, Fierce Wind Swift Sword

Clang!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Feng Buping's sword momentum was fierce, its edge fully bared. His moves were intricate and ever-changing; once unleashed, they resembled surging waves rolling over one another, as if they would blanket and drown everything!

Beneath his sword, Ji Shu was like a small boat upon the sea, liable to be swallowed at any moment.

Yue Lingshan and the others watched intently from the side, yet they were not overly concerned. Ji Shu had defeated Ding Mian and a whole group of martial heroes alone before; there was no reason he would lose to Feng Buping.

And indeed, that was the case.

Ji Shu only struck once.

Clang!

As the sword cry rang out, the strike seemed like a profusion of flowers falling to the ground, dazzling the eye. Yet in that very instant, it broke through the core of the swift sword like rushing thunder and pointed straight at Feng Buping's throat. Feng Buping was horrified. Just as he thought he was about to be killed, Ji Shu gave his sword tip a light flick, and it landed on Feng Buping's shoulder. Rip!

With a soft sound, Feng Buping's clothes were torn open, and blood immediately streamed from his shoulder.

Clang! Blinding pain struck his mind, and Feng Buping could no longer hold his sword steady. With a clang, it fell to the ground.

His face full of complicated emotions, he looked at Ji Shu, who had already sheathed his sword, then threw back his head and sighed.

"The waves behind on the Yangtze River drive those before them onward. The ancients truly did not deceive me! Ji Shu, I am far from being your match! I concede."

He was so ashamed he wished he could sink into the earth.

"The Fierce Wind Swift Sword I painstakingly created over fifteen years was utterly vulnerable before you. I truly have no face to teach you everything I know."

"Hey~"

Yue Lingshan spoke. "Feng Buping, are you going back on your word?"

"No."

Feng Buping sighed.

"I merely feel that Ji Shu's swordsmanship surpasses mine by far. There is truly no need for him to learn these worthless sword techniques of mine."

"Only by studying the sword techniques of the world can one create the strongest sword technique."

Ji Shu smiled.

"To be able to create your own sword technique, you already surpass many people."

"Since you've put it that way, Ji Shu... fine. I keep my word."

Feng Buping said, "Ji Shu, come with me."

Ji Shu followed him.

Not long after.

Within a mountain forest.

Feng Buping began teaching Ji Shu the Fierce Wind Swift Sword.

He demonstrated swiftly, and his explanations were swift as well.

Yet after watching it once, Ji Shu immediately saw through its essence, comprehended the true meaning of the Fierce Wind Swift Sword, and generated Fierce Wind Sword Qi.

He drew his sword and demonstrated the Fierce Wind Swift Sword.

On the first run, he was already as smooth as flowing clouds and running water.

On the second, sword qi rang against sword qi.

On the third, fierce winds howled around him, sword qi standing dense as a forest, thick and countless, like a Tatsumaki storm sweeping across all directions!

Feng Buping was dumbfounded, drawing in a sharp breath!

He knew Ji Shu was talented. After all, at Ji Shu's age, being able to cultivate swordsmanship to the realm of perfection in Mount Hua, a sect focused on qi cultivation, was enough to show that his gifts were extraordinary, far beyond ordinary people!

But he had not known Ji Shu was this talented!

The Fierce Wind Swift Sword had one hundred and eight forms. Ordinary people would find it difficult even to memorize them all in several days, much less begin cultivating them. But Ji Shu? In mere moments, he had reached the legendary realm of Sword Qi!

Even Feng Buping, the creator of the Fierce Wind Swift Sword, had not reached such a realm. Yet Ji Shu, who came after him, had!

When Ji Shu sheathed his sword and stood still, glancing sideways at him, Feng Buping remained frozen in a stupor, disbelief written across his face as though his entire worldview had collapsed.

Ji Shu called out to him twice.

Only then did he recover. He turned to Ji Shu with a fervent expression.

"A genius!! Ji Shu, you are a genius born for the sword! A genius like you should learn more swordsmanship, carry swordsmanship forward, and become a god among swords!"

Ji Shu merely smiled noncommittally.

As his swordsmanship continued to absorb the essence of all kinds of sword techniques and advance without pause, he had now reached a lofty vantage point. Even with a superior sword technique like the Fierce Wind Swift Sword, he could quickly see through its essence!

The fact that he had already wielded it as smoothly as flowing clouds and running water on his first attempt was proof enough. Ji Shu was no longer the same as before. The speed of his progress was world-shaking; even he himself found this talent excessively outrageous, much less anyone else.

"Ji Shu, I want to follow you and establish the Sword Sect. What do you think?"

"Not much."

Ji Shu said, "For now, I have no intention of establishing a sect."

"Then you will in the future?"

"We can speak of future matters in the future."

Ji Shu suddenly recalled this world's Main Quest: become the Number One Expert Under Heaven and Unify the Jianghu! To unify the Jianghu, he would need people under him. Feng Buping seemed fairly decent. There was no need to shut the door completely; perhaps he could be of use in the future.

"Fine."

Feng Buping tactfully did not press further, instead saying, "I still have quite a few sword techniques. I will teach them all to you."

He immediately began demonstrating sword techniques.

But Ji Shu had already learned many of them, so he told Feng Buping which ones he knew.

After tallying them up.

Only two remained that he had not learned. Feng Buping taught Ji Shu those two sword techniques, and when he saw Ji Shu reach the realm of Sword Qi Self-Generation in mere moments as well, he was utterly amazed, looking at Ji Shu as though he were the Sword God.

His former desire to live in seclusion also faded the moment he witnessed Ji Shu's monstrous talent.

He wanted to follow Ji Shu. He wanted to see just where the ultimate realm of the sword path lay!

Afterward.

He also taught Ji Shu the Sword Sect's internal cultivation.

Compared to the Purple Cloud Divine Skill, the Sword Sect's internal cultivation was more unorthodox and specialized. It was called the Jade Breaking Sword Art.

It was a special internal cultivation method meant to be paired with the Jade Breaking Sword Technique and Jade Breaking Fist Technique.

This internal cultivation could be mastered quickly.

But it was difficult to cultivate to perfection.

"Ordinary disciples who cultivate the Jade Breaking Sword Art can reach the third-rate level needed to roam the Jianghu in two or three years! In five or six years, they can reach the second-rate level. But to reach the first-rate level, fifty or sixty years is rarely enough. Only those with extraordinary talent can reach the first-rate realm in ten or twenty years through this sword art, and attain a transcendent realm in forty or fifty years."

Ji Shu nodded.

He listened carefully as Feng Buping explained the Jade Breaking Sword Art.

He had not expected to obtain such a powerful Internal Cultivation Method from Feng Buping. Though it was inferior to the Purple Cloud Divine Skill, it was certainly far superior to many second-rate cultivation methods.

His comprehension and Peak Inner Strength Talent were both supreme. After hearing it only once, he had already seen through more than half its essence. After asking a few questions and grasping the special meanings behind several lines, it was not long before he completely understood all of its essence.

Then Self-Generating Inner Energy emerged, circulating without end.

The Huashan Heart Method he had originally cultivated had reached the realm of perfection yesterday. There was no further room for advancement! It could no longer generate inner energy.

Only yesterday, he had been worrying over which Internal Cultivation Method he should cultivate next.

He had not expected that today, he would obtain an advanced Internal Cultivation Method stronger than the Huashan Heart Method—the Jade Breaking Sword Art!

Perhaps because both belonged to the Huashan Heart Method lineage, the inner energy of the Jade Breaking Sword Art was sharper and more tyrannical, yet also upright and pure, rich and profound. It was quite similar to the Huashan Heart Method. When he circulated the Jade Breaking Sword Art—

The tyrannical sword art inner energy it generated had already begun gradually devouring the inner energy produced by the Huashan Heart Method.

Supported by his Supreme Talent, the sword art inner energy automatically increased by a measure every time it completed a major circulation.

But this consumed his vital blood and qi.

Ji Shu knew he could not remain here for long. He had to return beneath the Old Sophora Tree to draw in Qi Mechanism, or drink more restorative medicine. Otherwise, if he allowed the cultivation method to run automatically, prolonged depletion of his vital blood and qi would greatly harm his body.