At midnight, Xue Shilou closed his eyes and focused. Treating the rake in his hands like a sword, he suddenly opened his eyes and swung it in a flurry, every movement precise and deliberate.
Even the old masters in Muxue City who specialized in rake techniques would have to admit that Xue Shilou wielded the rake far better than they did.
But Xue Shilou felt this was nowhere near enough.
Not fast enough. Not fast enough. He had to go faster, faster!
He swung the rake until afterimages filled the air. At last, exhausted and panting, he planted it on the ground and leaned on it to keep himself standing, preserving the bearing of a sword cultivator.
Daoist Lu must have had a deeper reason for asking him to practice rake techniques. It definitely wasn't as simple as teaching the students how to use a rake.
Xue Shilou stared at the handprints left on the rake's handle, his mind going blank.
A rake, a rake... A flash of inspiration struck Xue Shilou, and he suddenly understood.
That was it! How had he not thought of it? When he swung the rake, all nine of its teeth attacked the enemy at once. Wasn't that precisely in keeping with the principles of One Sword Becomes Ten Thousand and Ten Thousand Swords Return to One?
The rake could embody both of these completely opposite sword techniques at once. Could it be that the two techniques had something in common?
Daoist Lu had definitely been hinting at this!
With his thoughts now flowing freely, Xue Shilou showed up at Lu Yang's door first thing in the morning to thank him.
"Thank you for your guidance, Daoist Lu. I understand now."
"..."
Lu Yang had spent the whole night playing with the Everlasting Immortal Fairy,