Qingyun Back Cliff.
Ye Ping's entire mind was focused on the sword technique he had just comprehended.
After several hours of contemplation,
Ye Ping had an epiphany about this sword technique. It contained four sword move styles of entirely different character, yet they could be combined into a single sword technique.
The first set of sword moves was like spring thunder, rumbling in waves amid an endless drizzle.
The second set was like summer thunder, booming and crashing, fierce and terrifying.
The third set was like autumn thunder, soundless and traceless, utterly bizarre.
The fourth set was like winter thunder, a heaven-shaking thunderclap that withered all things.
These four sets of sword moves carried the momentum of thunder, each with its own distinct qualities, leaving Ye Ping in boundless awe.
At first, Ye Ping had only comprehended twelve moves.
But as time passed bit by bit,
the sword moves he comprehended grew more and more numerous.
By now, Ye Ping had comprehended one hundred and forty-four sword moves.
How could this not make Ye Ping believe that Su Changyu was a peerless Sword Immortal?
"A tiny Sword Mark actually conceals such powerful sword moves. Senior Brother truly is a fierce man."
"I wonder whether this result counts as passing."
Ye Ping was shaken to the core. On one hand, he was amazed by Su Changyu's strength; on the other, he was curious whether comprehending an entire sword technique in one day counted as passing.
Yet Ye Ping did not know that
this Four Thunder Sword Technique was divided in detail into four realms, based on the number of sword moves one comprehended.
Comprehending seventy-two moves was Initial Comprehension.
Comprehending one hundred and forty-four moves was Peak Proficiency.
Comprehending four hundred and thirty-two moves was Great Completion.
Comprehending one thousand four hundred and sixty moves was Peak Attainment. At that point, one could comprehend Sword Momentum and, through it, Sword Intent.
Su Changyu had spent more than a decade on it, yet up to now had only mastered eighteen moves—merely the Initial Comprehension of the Spring Thunder Sword.
But Ye Ping was different.
In less than half a day, he had comprehended the entire Four Thunder Sword Technique and directly entered the realm of Peak Proficiency.
This was no longer a matter of whether he passed or not.
If he went out and called himself the Top Prodigy of Ten Kingdoms, it would not be an exaggeration.
Yet Ye Ping was completely unaware of this. After resting briefly, he continued studying the Sword Mark on the ground.
And the sword moves Ye Ping comprehended continued to increase.
Until late at night,
Ye Ping comprehended another hundred sword moves before finally feeling exhausted.
It was already the third watch. Though Ye Ping wished to continue his epiphanies, fatigue ultimately overcame him, and he got up to return and rest.
That night,
Ye Ping had a nightmare.
He dreamed that, because his aptitude was too poor, Qingyun Dao Sect expelled him from the sect.
Fortunately, Ye Ping eventually woke with a start.
After waking,
Ye Ping let out a long breath.
The dream had been too real.
It filled Ye Ping's heart with melancholy.
To be honest, transmigrating had already been miserable enough. Not realizing until three whole years later that this was a world of immortals and martial heroes was even more miserable. Now that he had finally entered an immortal sect—and one of the Hidden Sects at that—Ye Ping had finally seen hope.
But if he were driven from the sect because his aptitude was too low, Ye Ping could never accept such an outcome.
"No, no. Don't Hidden Sects like disciples with poor aptitude the most? If someone has good aptitude, would they still need to be taught? Wouldn't it be easy as lifting a hand? Just casually carve a Sword Mark, and they can comprehend a peerless sword technique. Why would they need anyone to teach them?"
But Ye Ping soon felt that he had been mistaken.
He believed that Hidden Sects did not value aptitude, but rather diligence and perseverance. Therefore, he had to work hard, harder, and harder still.
In a word,
cultivators had only two seasons.
Working hard was peak season.
Not working hard was the off-season.
With that thought, Ye Ping was as fired up as though he had been injected with chicken blood. After washing up simply, he rushed straight to the Back Cliff.
Perhaps because of the nightmare, Ye Ping skipped breakfast again and headed straight for the Back Cliff to comprehend the Sword Mark.
Until noon.
A figure appeared at the Back Cliff.
It was Su Changyu.
He approached carrying a tray. Looking at Ye Ping in the distance, there was a trace of guilt in his eyes.
From yesterday until today, Ye Ping had not touched a drop of water, nor had he eaten a single meal. He had been constantly comprehending Su Changyu's sword path.
This made Su Changyu feel somewhat awkward.
Truthfully, he had merely wanted to delay Ye Ping's departure from the sect. Who could have imagined that Ye Ping would be such a stubborn fool?
He had actually locked horns with a single Sword Mark.
Skipping one meal was not much, but going an entire day without eating was definitely not acceptable.
What if they managed to keep the man but lost his life? How awkward would that be?
So Su Changyu brought the food over.
"Ye Ping."
Su Changyu came up behind Ye Ping and called out softly.
In an instant, Ye Ping awoke from his epiphany.
"This junior greets Senior Brother."
The moment he saw Su Changyu, Ye Ping immediately became respectful.
"You are eager to learn, but you must eat as well. I heard that you have not eaten a bite since yesterday. That will not do. Eat first."
Su Changyu spoke as he set several dishes on the ground: two vegetable dishes and a bowl of rice, all vegetarian, without a trace of meat.
"Senior Brother's lesson is correct."
Ye Ping nodded. Then, looking at the food on the ground, he fell silent for a moment.
Sensing Ye Ping's silence, Su Changyu looked somewhat embarrassed. But he quickly concealed it and said,
"Ye Ping, cultivators like us must not eat meat or fish. As Senior Brother said before, grains are not good for the body, and heavily meaty foods are not good either. Thus, Qingyun Dao Sect has always eaten vegetarian food. Do not overthink it."
Su Changyu explained, worried that Ye Ping might notice something amiss.
Those words were certainly false. The real reason was poverty—poverty so sour it stank.
It was not that they were too poor to afford meat, only that they could not buy it often. At most, they bought a little now and then.
"Senior Brother, I was not overthinking. I was simply rather moved."
Ye Ping spoke. He truly had not overthought it; he was simply quite touched.
Hearing this, Su Changyu inexplicably felt even worse. Looking at this handsome, delicate-featured junior brother, the guilt in his heart somehow deepened.
But there was no helping it. For the sect's development, Ye Ping could only be wronged a little. Once Qingyun Dao Sect advanced into a Third-rank Sect, he would compensate Ye Ping more generously.
That was what Su Changyu thought.
"Eat first."
Su Changyu said no more and told Ye Ping to eat.
The latter nodded.
Then he picked up the bowl and chopsticks and began eating.
Before taking a bite, Ye Ping had not felt particularly hungry. But after the first mouthful, the hunger in his stomach surged forth at once, making him swallow several more mouthfuls in rapid succession.
With a bowl of rice and two vegetable dishes, Ye Ping ate everything clean.
In the end, he even poured the vegetable oil into his bowl and forcibly finished the last few mouthfuls of rice.
Paired with a bowl of unknown hot soup, Ye Ping instantly felt full of energy.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Full and satisfied, Ye Ping set down his bowl and chopsticks, but did not forget to thank Su Changyu.
Watching Ye Ping wolf down the food, Su Changyu felt even worse.
But he did not know what to say. In the end, he could only casually ask,
"Ye Ping, have you comprehended a sword technique from the Sword Mark?"
Su Changyu spoke.
He was not asking deliberately. He merely wanted to ease the awkwardness, so he asked casually.
But Ye Ping's answer left Su Changyu stunned.
"I did comprehend something, but this junior's aptitude is dull. I did not comprehend its essence, only a tiny bit of the sword moves."
Ye Ping nodded, speaking somewhat sheepishly.
Su Changyu: ???
Are you fooling me?
You can comprehend sword moves from that?
Do you think I have never practiced swordsmanship?
Su Changyu did not believe him at all.
Before you continue