Ethereal Immeasurable Sword Technique, One Year

After discussing Ice Cold Dew, Xiao Rang saw that Lin Heng was in good condition and took the initiative to bring up the sword art he had promised to teach Lin Heng several days ago.

"Disciple, your master will now teach you Cloud Sword Palace's Sect Suppressing Sword Technique, the Ethereal Immeasurable Sword Technique."

"This sword technique has three realms. It complements the Cloud Sword True Art Internal Cultivation, corresponding respectively to the three great realms of Xiantian, Grandmaster, and Great Grandmaster. The first level is sword technique, the second is sword intent, and the third is Sword Domain."

"Upon mastering the first level of sword technique, one may wield Heaven and Earth Origin Energy against enemies. Besides using the Power of Heaven and Earth to temper one's Muscles, Bones, and Flesh while practicing the sword, one can also use Heaven and Earth Origin Energy to greatly increase the power of one's sword art."

"The second level allows one to use the Power of Heaven and Earth to temper one's Internal Breath, using sword intent to drive internal force and preserve it as sword qi within the Meridians and Acupoints. In combat, one can unleash surging sword qi with every gesture, further greatly increasing both the power and range of one's sword art beyond the first level."

"The third level spreads one's sword intent throughout Heaven and Earth, merging one's Internal Breath with Heaven and Earth Origin Energy. One's aura envelops the battlefield and forms a domain, greatly enhancing the power of one's sword art, increasing the speed at which one recovers qi, and suppressing one's opponents."

"With the Ethereal Immeasurable Sword Technique paired with the Gale Cloud Movement Art, one can stand invincible among those of the same level. Even against opponents of a higher realm, one would not be entirely without the strength to fight back."

Lin Heng listened intently as Xiao Rang introduced the sword technique. The first realm of sword technique alone was already deeply alluring.

The Cloud Sword Nineteen Forms he had learned before did not have this effect of drawing upon the Power of Heaven and Earth to strengthen the sword art. Its power depended entirely on the strength of his arms and the driving force of his Internal Breath.

Yet the Ethereal Immeasurable Sword Technique could borrow the Power of Heaven and Earth to bolster itself. Its might was simply impossible to estimate.

"Now listen as your master recites the qi-circulation formula for the sword technique. Then follow me and practice it."

As Xiao Rang spoke, his voice shifted into Sound Transmission into Secrecy, imparting the core secrets of the Ethereal Immeasurable Sword Technique to Lin Heng.

It was clear that this Sect Suppressing Sword Technique was extremely difficult to learn, but it failed to stump Lin Heng. After hearing the essential principles of the sword art, Lin Heng closed his eyes in thought for a while, then began practicing it according to his own understanding.

With more than a year of experience cultivating the Cloud Sword Nineteen Forms, Lin Heng took to it immediately this time, displaying great familiarity with the moves of Ethereal Immeasurable.

Afterward, he began attempting to draw Heaven and Earth Origin Energy into harmony with his sword art.

And that was where the true difficulty lay.

After some time, Lin Heng asked Xiao Rang about several points he was uncertain of. Then he fell silent and began earnestly practicing the sword art.

As he performed the sword technique again and again, his moves grew increasingly fierce, and he gradually entered a better state.

At this point, Lin Heng could clearly feel that as he practiced the sword art, his Muscles, Bones, and Flesh were being more thoroughly tempered by Heaven and Earth Origin Energy. His spirit, too, gradually sharpened, beginning to nurture a sword intent of his own.

Later on, Lin Heng linked the sword art with his Internal Cultivation. With movement and stillness combined, practicing sword art became practicing Internal Cultivation, while meditating and refining qi became nurturing his sword intent.

With movement and stillness working together in this way, both Lin Heng's internal and external cultivation advanced rapidly.

"Not bad."

Xiao Rang watched Lin Heng's sword art gradually enter a better state. Smiling, he nodded and turned to leave.

This disciple truly gave him little to worry about when it came to cultivation.

For the next period of time, Lin Heng's life entered another steady and peaceful rhythm.

He spent most of his time practicing swordsmanship.

Whenever he grew tired from training, he would go to the study to read, or listen to his master Xiao Rang explain the great affairs of the world to relieve his boredom.

With Cloud Sword Palace supplying unlimited resources, Lin Heng's cultivation grew swiftly.

With each passing day, Lin Heng could clearly feel himself becoming much stronger. His Physique grew sturdier, more Acupoints were opened, and the mist-like Internal Breath circulating through his Meridians became increasingly dense.

Because he could feel such obvious progress every day, Lin Heng did not find cultivation bitter in the slightest. Instead, he enjoyed it all the more.

One month after the Master Acknowledgment Ceremony ended, he reached the Xiantian Fourth Level.

Another two months passed, and he had already reached the Xiantian Fifth Level.

After that, Lin Heng consistently advanced one level every two months, steadfastly pressing toward Xiantian Great Perfection at the Xiantian Eighteenth Level.

"The five great imperial dynasties have each sent two beautiful young women of the imperial clans, all with decent cultivation aptitude, to Cloud Sword Palace. They intend for them to serve as your Sword-Bearing Maids. Your master also plans to select another ten from our sect, making twenty Sword-Bearing Maids for you in total. What do you think, Disciple?"

One day a year later, Xiao Rang stopped Lin Heng just after he had finished practicing his sword.

"Master, aren't you afraid they'll affect my cultivation?"

Lin Heng took a sip of black chicken soup stewed with hundred-year-old ginseng to replenish the qi and blood he had expended in sword practice, then smiled.

Over the past year, although Lin Heng had been utterly engrossed in cultivation, he had noticed that quite a few Inner Disciples around his age, or slightly older, wanted to come find him to play after he finished training.

So-called Inner Disciples held a higher status than the Outer Disciples who had poor aptitude and paid to enter the sect for cultivation. They were generally disciples of mid-ranking stewards and Elders, yet their status was lower than the core True Disciples under the various Elders.

Their loyalty to the sect was still assured. If Lin Heng wished to smoothly inherit the position of Cloud Sword Palace's sect master in the future, he would also need these people's support.

But Xiao Rang had stopped all of them. First, he feared that some among them might have been replaced by enemies in disguise and turned into spies sent by other factions to assassinate Lin Heng. Second, he feared that Lin Heng might become addicted to pleasure and delay his cultivation.

Thus, the only people Lin Heng could come into contact with were the various Cloud Sword Palace Elders and the Direct Disciples under them.

Of course, Lin Heng himself did not care much about this. Much of the time, he was alone anyway.

"At first, I was afraid others would influence you. Now, I'm afraid you'll overcultivate and suffer a Cultivation Deviation."

Xiao Rang shook his head and sighed.

In a single year, Lin Heng had raised his cultivation from the Xiantian Third Level to the Xiantian Ninth Level in one breath, entering the Xiantian Mid Stage.

Such cultivation progress was far too astonishing. He was nothing like an eight-year-old child, striving diligently at cultivation every day without complaint or fatigue.

Although Lin Heng appeared Naturally Optimistic and passionate about cultivation, with an extremely healthy state of mind, Xiao Rang felt that he had been affected by Li Hen Pavilion's assassination attempt last year. He seemed to be holding back a breath of resentment, preparing to take revenge once his Divine Skill reached Great Accomplishment.

Such fighting spirit was naturally a good thing, but excessive pressure could easily backfire. It still had to be relieved from time to time.

Xiao Rang felt that letting Lin Heng spend time with people his own age would be good as well.