Clumsy Intent Sword Art

When the sky began to glow pale with dawn.

When fallen leaves drifted past his eyes.

Tang Xuan's half-closed eyes suddenly flew wide open.

"Chop!"

"Stir!"

"Lift!"

Three soft shouts rang out as he swung his sword three times.

With the first strike, the Heavy Sword came crashing down from above, blasting the pond's water high into the air.

With the second strike, the Heavy Sword stirred gently.

The erupting spray coiled around the blade, forming a horizontal Water Tornado.

With the third strike, the Heavy Sword swept upward from below, and the Water Tornado soared into the sky.

Anyone unaware of the truth would have thought another waterfall had suddenly appeared.

"Xiao Xuan, watch the sword!" Chen Xin shouted softly, wielding his Wooden Sword as he launched a pure Sword Skill attack toward Tang Xuan.

With his eyesight, he could naturally tell.

Tang Xuan was currently at a critical stage in creating a Self-Created Soul Skill.

Although Chen Xin did not understand how a one-ring Spirit Master could possibly create a Soul Skill.

He was Tang Xuan's Grandpa.

No matter what Tang Xuan did.

He would do everything in his power to lend his Grandson a hand.

"Perfect timing!" Tang Xuan was delighted rather than alarmed.

He stirred the Heavy Sword, dissolving Chen Xin's attack.

Borrowing Chen Xin's force, he swung out a strike as light as if it weighed nothing.

Yet this seemingly ordinary strike made Chen Xin's heart tremble with fear.

An indescribably profound Momentum pressed down on him fiercely, leaving him nowhere to evade.

It was as though a mountain had crushed him beneath it, as though he had been swept away by a vast ocean.

"This is... Sword Momentum?" Chen Xin's voice trembled.

The Sword Dao was divided into three realms: Sword Skill, Sword Momentum, and Sword Intent.

The realm of Sword Skill, as its name implied, consisted only of pure techniques.

Sword Momentum, meanwhile, was an indescribably profound realm.

Every move and stance carried the pressure unique to the Spirit Master wielding it.

Depending on the Sword Skill.

Each person's Sword Momentum was also different.

It was somewhat similar to a Domain Skill.

Ordinary people could spend their entire lives wandering within the realm of Sword Skill.

Yet Tang Xuan had entered the realm of Sword Skill less than twelve hours ago.

And he had already directly reached the Sword Momentum realm, where one suppressed others with sheer Momentum.

How could the word "prodigy" possibly be enough to describe such talent?

Just as Chen Xin was still stunned.

Tang Xuan's chopping strike arrived beneath the force of his Sword Momentum.

With Chen Xin's strength, breaking such weak Sword Momentum would have been effortless.

But Sword Momentum was an extension of Mental Power.

If he forcibly shattered it, given Chen Xin's strength.

Tang Xuan would be left listless for a long time at best, or fall unconscious on the spot at worst.

With no other choice.

Chen Xin could only raise his Wooden Sword to block.

This strike looked light and fluttering.

But it actually weighed a thousand pounds.

The instant the Wooden Sword collided with the Heavy Sword, it snapped in two and fell to the ground with a clatter.

At the sight.

Tang Xuan immediately withdrew his sword. His face filled with anguish as he wailed, "Ah—Grandpa, my Wooden Sword~"

Though the material of this Wooden Sword was ordinary.

It carried much of Tang Xuan's feelings for his Grandpa.

It represented the last remaining sense of belonging for a child who had "no home."

For all these years, he had carefully maintained it every day.

Even when practicing Lift Light as Heavy.

He had only dared use this Wooden Sword after mastering it.

Now, it had been destroyed by his own hand. Only Ghost knew how much Tang Xuan's heart hurt.

"Grandpa, honestly, you know how heavy my martial soul is. Why did you insist on using a Wooden Sword to fight me..." Tang Xuan looked at the broken Wooden Sword with utter reluctance.

He looked as though he were about to cry.

Chen Xin was helpless at Tang Xuan's childishness, yet deeply moved as well.

To elders.

Nothing felt better than seeing something they had made with their own hands treasured by their Grandson.

Looking at his Grandson's pitiful expression.

Chen Xin thought for a moment, then coated his hands and Sword Fingers with Soul Power.

He carved the two halves of the broken Wooden Sword into two exquisite wooden sword pendants and handed them to the Two Little Ones.

They were shaped like the Mysterious Iron Heavy Sword and the Seven Kill Sword respectively.

"Here. One for each of you, so pick one yourselves." Chen Xin threaded cords through the pendants and handed them to the Two Little Ones.

"Hm? A gift?" Ning Rongrong instantly woke up.

With a swish, she snatched the Heavy Sword pendant and hung it around her neck.

By the time everything was done, Ning Rongrong was already admiring her beauty in a mirror.

The Grandpa and Grandson had not even had time to react.

"No one was fighting you for it." Tang Xuan speechlessly took the Seven Kill pendant.

He was not at all surprised by Ning Rongrong's reaction.

How could the quirky Little Witch ever behave herself when it came to gifts?

However, Ning Rongrong's action happened to suit Tang Xuan perfectly.

He had wanted to take the Seven Kill pendant anyway, to carry his feelings for his Grandpa with him.

Ning Rongrong said nothing. She merely stole a glance at Tang Xuan.

Her eyes were filled with something inexplicable.

In truth, this time, she had not acted for the gift itself, but for the Heavy Sword pendant.

Or rather, for Tang Xuan.

In her heart, the Heavy Sword pendant around her neck.

Felt as though Tang Xuan were able to protect her closely at all times.

It gave her a great sense of security.

Unfortunately.

Neither the Grandpa nor the Grandson noticed Ning Rongrong's meaningful gaze.

"Alright, down to business." Chen Xin said solemnly, "Xiao Xuan, how did you comprehend Sword Momentum?"

It had taken him a full twenty years to comprehend Sword Momentum from Sword Skills.

Yet his Grandson Tang Xuan had taken, at most, ten hours.

Such speed had left tiny cracks in his Worldview.

Tang Xuan's expression turned solemn. "What Sword Momentum? I don't understand it."

"But I do know that a hundred moves of the Light Sword are inferior to a single blow from the Heavy Sword."

"The Heavy Sword has no edge; Great Skill Appears Unskilled. No matter how exquisite your Sword Skills are, I will break them with pure strength!"

"When I comprehend my True Heart, the Sword Dao will naturally fall into place."

Tang Xuan spoke with a resounding, unwavering voice.

Paired with his slightly arrogant words and his youthful yet cold face.

Ning Rongrong, who had been watching Tang Xuan all along, nearly had stars shining in her eyes.

Chen Xin looked deeply at his Grandson.

The four words "Innate Sword Heart" were etched into his mind as though carved by blade and chisel.

This meant that as long as Tang Xuan followed his True Heart.

He would surely reach the supreme realm of Sword Intent.

"Xiao Xuan, give your sword art a name." Chen Xin said with a smile.

That smile held both loneliness and comfort.

For one born with an Innate Sword Heart.

Interference from outsiders would bring nothing but harm.

And that meant that Chen Xin, on the path of the Sword Dao, before Tang Xuan.

Had completely lost the qualifications to serve as his Teacher.

Even so.

To have an Heir who would certainly surpass him within his lifetime.

Was also an exceedingly rare blessing.

"Breaking ten thousand techniques with simplicity, defeating a thousand clever tricks with clumsiness... Let's call it the Clumsy Intent Sword Art." Tang Xuan murmured, stroking his chin.

First style of the Clumsy Intent Sword Art: Whirlwind Style.

Use skill to break force, deflecting overwhelming attacks and striking back.

It was the latter two of the three strikes he had used against the pond.

Second style of the Clumsy Intent Sword Art: Level Mountain Style.

One force crushes ten techniques: a plain, unadorned downward slash with the Heavy Sword, its Sword Momentum bearing down like Mount Tai.

It was the first strike he had used against the pond, as well as the strike from his "duel" with Chen Xin.

"Clumsy Intent Sword Art... It truly is fitting." Chen Xin murmured softly, unable to hide the praise in his eyes. "Once you perfect this sword art in the future, forget the Seven Kill Sword Art—even the Great Sumeru Hammer may not be able to surpass you."

Tang Xuan neither agreed nor disagreed.

Although he looked down on that pack of rats from the Clear Sky Sect.

He could not deny that the Great Sumeru Hammer was truly absurd.

Calling it a divine skill would not be an exaggeration.

His Clumsy Intent Sword Art might have two styles, but it had only just taken shape.

It might possess Sword Momentum, but it was still far too weak.

Even Tang Xuan himself did not know where the end of the Clumsy Intent Sword Art lay.