Learning the Sword, Ying Bing Prepares to Head for the Land of Inheritance

Autumn Water Pavilion.

Night had fallen, and the air was faintly cool.

Tonight, there were only three simple side dishes on the table. They had not been made by Li Mo, but brought back from the dining hall.

Ying Bing held her bowl, her cheeks moving lightly.

After eating only half a bowl, she put down her chopsticks.

Today's food was truly tasteless.

Ying Bing had never been particular about food. As long as it was clean and filled the stomach, that was enough. To her, eating was only because her current body still needed nourishment, nothing more.

Her appetite was as faint as all her other desires.

Mm...

Before she had eaten hotpot and grilled meat, that had indeed been the case.

"I could have endured the darkness, if I had never seen the light."

That logic applied equally well to fine food.

Now, looking at these ordinary dishes again, Ying Bing felt a faint emptiness in her heart.

From the corner of her eye, she glanced lightly across the table.

The young man was mechanically shoveling food into his mouth, his face full of doubt about life.

Little Li's mood was indeed complicated to the extreme.

"Calamity Meteor Hammer... divine weapon..."

Back then, when Murong Xiao had quietly told him it might have been the divine weapon beneath Divine Blade Cave stirring.

Li Mo's expression had been wonderfully complicated.

"My sword art reached minor accomplishment, and the Crimson Firmament Sword barely spared me a glance."

"But I clearly never trained in hammer techniques, yet the divine weapon hammer is deeply devoted to me."

Calling that hammer the Crimson Firmament Sword's father would not even be going too far.

Could it be that he was not suited to learning the sword at all, but suited to training with a hammer instead?

In his mind, he could not help but picture himself giving an evil, charming smile, swinging up a hammer and smashing an enemy's skull to pieces...

"Hiss..."

"Impossible. Absolutely impossible!"

Li Mo set down his chopsticks with a smack, driving the image from his mind.

He had lost the mood to eat too. As if refusing to believe in evil, he picked up his longsword and walked into the courtyard.

Holding the Green Steel Sword, for the first time, he personally began practicing the sword art.

Sword light flowed and turned; it could be said to have a vigorous, wind-stirring momentum.

At his age, to train a superior sword art to minor accomplishment—no matter which elder saw it, they would not be able to resist praising him as a sword Dao genius.

"Minor accomplishment in ten days."

"He does have some talent for practicing the sword."

Ying Bing also felt it was barely presentable.

Of course, he was still a very long way from being a true sword Dao genius.

Even without the experience and insight from her previous life.

For her to learn a superior sword art to minor accomplishment would only take half an hour.

And yet, on the path of the sword, there were still monsters more terrifying than her.

Born with a sword heart and Sword Bone, able to look at any sword art once and bring forth the new from the old, creating a peerless-level sword art at ten and training a divine art-level sword technique to the realm of transformation at twenty.

Such people truly existed.

One of them had also been a defeated opponent who had left a very deep impression on Ying Bing.

If Li Mo could have known what she was thinking, he would probably have smiled bitterly without end.

Only one's own family knew one's own affairs.

The years he had spent practicing the sword were greater than his actual age.

And now he could only be considered barely presentable.

Then his true talent could probably only be considered a steaming pile of crap...

"I don't feel like I've improved at all."

"I can't even see the dawn of great accomplishment."

As Li Mo practiced his sword, he had no choice but to admit one thing.

What he was doing could not be called practicing the sword. At most, it could only be called sword dancing, because after one round, there had been no progress whatsoever.

He did not even know which direction he should work toward.

People were not afraid of failing to work hard; they were afraid of not even being able to find the direction to work hard in.

Could it be that he really was not cut out to be a swordsman?

"This sword technique of yours focuses on containing without releasing."

Beside his ear, a familiar, clear voice suddenly rang out.

Before Li Mo could react, a fair, slender-fingered hand had already taken the Green Steel Sword from his palm.

"The longer you can accumulate it, the stronger the power that finally erupts will be."

Hiss—

"That is why drawing the sword must be like embroidering, controlling every fraction of your strength."

Swish—

"The stronger your control, the stronger the force you can accumulate."

Moonlight Beauty, her sword dance light and nimble.

When she used the sword, she was focused and serious, her movements carrying a harmonious beauty untouched by the mortal dust.

She was like an ice lotus in a deep mountain pool, passing through spring, summer, autumn, and winter before slowly blooming.

Li Mo stared in a daze.

But immediately after, he felt somewhat confused.

Ice Block clearly had not practiced Fire Crane Thousand Feathers, right?

Was what she said correct?

[Twenty years of martial arts comprehension successfully infused.]

Little Li chose to cheat just a little.

In any case, the sect trial was coming soon. Raising his sword technique would definitely come in handy.

[In the first year, thanks to Ying Bing's guidance, you found the correct direction for practicing Fire Crane Thousand Feathers.]

[In the fifth year, you worked hard to practice your control over the sword, and finally managed to hold back seventeen feathers without releasing them.]

[In the seventh year, the further you went, the harder control became to practice. Even the slightest improvement required immense effort. You spent two years with no progress.]

[In the thirteenth year, relying on slow, grinding effort, you finally integrated the technique into your body's instincts and could hold back twenty-four feathers.]

[In the twentieth year, for the first time, you successfully left thirty feathers on the wooden training dummy.]

[Fire Crane Thousand Feather Sword Technique, Great Accomplishment.]

Li Mo: "..."

Sword Dao experience flowed into his mind like water in an instant.

But he could not feel happy at all.

Ice Block's pointers were actually right.

What he could be sure of was that she had never practiced this sword technique before. She had only watched him practice it once.

And then... she could already give him pointers?

Although he really did not want to use this description, Li Mo had to admit that his heart was filled with...

Terror like this!

Pfft, pfft, pfft—

A string of muffled sounds rang out.

The young girl withdrew her sword and turned around. On the bamboo behind her, dozens of feather marks abruptly appeared, then burst one after another into brilliant ice flowers.

Yet she did not even look back, only asking softly:

"Have you learned it?"

Li Mo: "...I have."

He could tell that Ice Block had no intention of teasing him.

She genuinely wanted to teach him, and she genuinely believed he could improve after watching once.

Li Mo suddenly remembered his previous life, when he had gone to ask a top student about a math problem. Without even raising his head, the guy had swiftly written out four solutions.

Every single one was beyond the syllabus.

Then he had sincerely asked him, "Got it?"

"Do it once."

The sword was tossed back again.

Li Mo's emotions were complicated as he caught the sword and began to demonstrate.

In Ying Bing's slightly lowered eyes, the youth's somewhat inexperienced figure was reflected, and a trace of satisfaction showed in them.

Not bad.

If she could be taught, then she was not too stupid. She counted as material for sword training.

"Did I practice it right?"

Li Mo turned around, only to find the space behind him empty.

The second-floor window had closed again, and a thin layer of ice swiftly condensed over the glass.

It seemed she had gone back to cultivate again.

"How many meridians has Ice Block opened now?"

Li Mo pondered slightly.

He had originally thought that he was already progressing very quickly in the Blood-Qi Realm.

Even someone with red Heavenly Fate might not necessarily be able to catch up to him.

But what had just happened served to make him guard against arrogance and impatience.

Little Li put away that little bit of smugness in his heart.

Then he returned to his own room and sat cross-legged on the bed.

The Fire Sparrow Feather pouch at his chest steadily and peacefully sent out warmth.

Fire Heart Lotus-Birth Technique, activate!

Tonight, he would try opening the ninth meridian!

Before he knew it, the moon shone high in the sky.

Next door.

"The ninth meridian is complete."

Ying Bing opened her eyes, and the ice crystals on her lashes flickered faintly.

From opening her first meridian until now, it had taken only half a month in total for her to condense nine meridians.

In her previous life, she had spent a full three months.

Her progress in cultivation was several times faster.

As for her combat strength, it was stronger by far more than dozens of times!

Right now, with her current body, she could at most execute sword techniques at the perfected level.

Her combat experience—forget Purple Sun Prefecture, even looking across the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, she was the undisputed number one.

Moreover, she bore Taiyin Power. Although she still could not control it now, even just a wisp of aura leaking out was enough to serve as a trump card.

"For the sect trial, I should be able to handle any variable."

"If I can obtain one more of the Nine Souls of Primal Phoenix of the Nine-Colored Primal Phoenix, then in the Blood-Qi Realm, I can be said to have reached perfection."

"And that mysterious system..."

A trace of anticipation could hardly be hidden in Ying Bing's eyes.

There was no doubt that in the system rankings, she would become the first name at the very top.

When the time came, she would also obtain the system reward, making her even stronger.

If one spoke only of the Blood-Qi Realm, then looking across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, from ancient times to now, she dared to say she was unmatched and without equal.

Time passed.

The sun rose and the moon set.

The hardworking Little Li had already gotten up, busying himself in the kitchen early in the morning.

"She opened her mouth to give me pointers yesterday, so I'll make today's breakfast a bit more abundant."

"Speaking of which, after using the Fire Heart Lotus-Birth Technique to break through to nine meridians, my control of the heat has also grown much stronger."

Li Mo thought this as he stir-fried the dishes.

That was right.

Last night, he had already opened the ninth meridian.

He had heard that the farther one went, the harder it became to open meridians, but up until now, he had never felt anything like a bottleneck.

Every breakthrough had come as naturally as water flowing into a channel.

After making breakfast, he ate a little simply, then went to the mountain gate as usual, preparing to harvest a wave of martial-arts comprehension.

"Disciple Li, you're here again today?"

Today, it was still that old woman handling sect withdrawals for the disciples leaving the sect.

Li Mo came every day, making the old lady's heart seesaw up and down with unease.

Surely you're not thinking of handling a sect withdrawal like the outer disciples too?

"Nothing, I'm just taking a stroll."

Li Mo had just smiled and greeted her when, in the next instant, his expression suddenly stiffened.

He had just activated the Heavenly Mandate Divine Eye.

[Name: Jiang Yue]

[Age: 19]

[Root Bone: None.]

[Realm: Blood-Qi Realm, Four Meridians.]

[Heavenly Mandate: Black]

[Evaluation: One of the countless masses, with nothing worthy of praise.]

[Recent Encounter: While descending the mountain to return home, encountered Demon Summoning Cult followers, was implanted with a Beast Seed, and died after his vital essence and blood were devoured.]

[Name: Duan An]

[Age: 18]

[Root Bone: None.]

[Realm: Blood-Qi Realm, Two Meridians.]

[Heavenly Mandate: Black]

[Evaluation: One of the countless masses, with nothing worthy of praise.]

[Recent Encounter: While descending the mountain to return home, encountered Demon Summoning Cult followers, was implanted with a Beast Seed, and died after his vital essence and blood were devoured.]

These two were not isolated cases.

Li Mo looked out, and saw a dark, crushing mass. Above every disciple leaving the sect to return home, their Heavenly Mandates were all black.

Everyone here would die.

And even the manner of their deaths was cut from the same mold.

"The Demon Summoning Cult?"

Li Mo's brows knitted tightly together.

After pondering for a moment, he suddenly stepped in front of this group of disciples.

"Senior brothers, please wait a moment..."

"I deposited ten thousand taels of silver at Fanghua Pavilion, but ever since I entered Clear Abyss Sect, I resolved to focus on the martial path. I imagine I won't have any use for it."

"Since you're returning home, why not go eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves for a few days? Help me spend that silver, and it'll also put an end to my lingering thoughts."

Ten minutes later.

Li Mo had gained a great pile of investment rebates waiting to be claimed.

The martial arts insights added up to a total of one hundred and ten years, along with all sorts of miscellaneous odds and ends.

Mm, those disciples returning home had all been fooled by him into going to Fanghua Pavilion.

Fanghua Pavilion was the liveliest pleasure quarter in Purple Sun Prefecture City. High officials and nobles often came and went there, and even the cheapest overnight stay cost thirty taels of silver.

Naturally, it was also a safe place.

The moment they heard they could eat, drink, and make merry at Fanghua Pavilion without paying, everyone was overjoyed.

There was actually such a good thing?

They were only one step away from opening their mouths and calling Li Mo their foster father on the spot!

Judging from their eager and excited looks, if they did not enjoy themselves to their hearts' content for several days, they probably would not be willing to come out.

"The Demon Summoning Cult doesn't seem to be one of Purple Sun Prefecture's three sects."

"From the sound of it, it probably isn't any proper sect..."

Li Mo withdrew his gaze and walked toward Divine Weapon Peak.

This world was no law-governed society.

Thinking too much was useless. Only becoming strong himself was real.

In the blink of an eye, three days later.

Autumn Water Pavilion.

"Looks like the most I can reach is ten meridians."

Li Mo stood up, kneaded his thighs, which had gone a little sore and numb after he had sat stiffly all night, and opened the bundle beside him.

Inside were two sets of clothes, one black and one indigo-blue, both made from top-quality Songjiang brocade.

Little Li recognized at once that they had come from his mother's hands.

There was also a family letter in the bundle.

"To my son, to be opened by your own hand. Seeing these words is as if we meet."

"You and Little Bing have both become true disciples of Clear Abyss Sect? Good, good, good! My son is brave and capable, just like me!"

The handwriting was a little messy. It seemed that when his old man wrote these words, he had been so excited inside that he could not hold the brush steady.

Li Mo laughed despite himself and continued reading.

"Since you have become a true disciple and begun practicing martial arts, you should also mature a little. Change that reckless temperament of yours. You cannot love making mischief the way you did before."

"A real man should first establish a family before building his career. It is time for you to consider a marriage."

"You must be especially good to Little Bing as well. The two of you have known each other since childhood, and now you have both entered Clear Abyss Sect together and both become true disciples. This is fate bestowed by the heavens."

"The pavilion closest to the water gets the moon first. Open your eyes and seize the chance well!!!"

It was clear.

His old man was getting a little anxious; the last strokes had been pressed down with particular force.

He wished he could be holding a fat little grandson by next year.

Li Mo: "..."

Family, who understands? In his last life, he had been twenty-six and hounded half to death to have children.

In this life, he was sixteen, and he still had not escaped the marriage-urging stage.

Fine. In Great Yu, it was quite common for men to marry at sixteen.

"Is this really my problem...?"

Li Mo felt a little headache coming on.

It was very hard to imagine Ice Block as a virtuous wife and loving mother.

Putting everything else aside.

The moment he thought of the two of them sleeping under the same blanket at night, Little Li shuddered.

"Looks like I'll have to disappoint the old man."

Li Mo shook his head and changed his clothes.

In just half a month, the young man in the mirror had gained a few more defined features, making him look even brighter and more handsome.

His originally somewhat thin and weak body had now become clearly muscled, the classic sort that looked slim when dressed and had substance when undressed.

Wearing the fitted outfit his mother had sewn, anyone who saw him would have to praise him as a spirited young man in fresh clothes on a galloping horse.

Mm, if one ignored the mandarin ducks playing in the water embroidered on the clothes.

"Ying Bing, Mother sewed you new clothes."

Li Mo held the garments and knocked on the door next door.

It had been the plum-rain season recently, and the air was damp. The door had frozen solid, so his knocks rang out with hard bang, bang sounds.

"Leave them at the door."

From inside came a voice even clearer and colder than ice.

Li Mo nodded and went to heat up breakfast.

Before long.

Footsteps came from the staircase.

Li Mo subconsciously looked back, and the bun in his mouth slipped down soundlessly.

Her jade-like face was slightly lowered, radiant in the morning light whenever her eyes moved. Her black hair was tied up, the high ponytail swaying behind her.

The close-fitting clothes made her figure look even more exquisite.

Never mind that her legs were longer than life itself—the black gauze also clearly outlined the lines of both legs.

Black... black stockings?

Li Mo came back to himself. That should be a material called Black Cloud Gauze, light and tough, resistant to cold and high heat.

At the same time, it was extremely expensive. This sort of protective gear cost far more than weapons.

The person who had invented this thing was truly a genius.

"I'll wait for you at Moon-Gazing Cliff for one hour."

"Try your best to get there."

Ying Bing suddenly spoke.

"Moon-Gazing Cliff? Why?"

Li Mo did not know why she had suddenly blurted out those words.

Ice Block clearly had no intention of explaining it to him.

Curious, Li Mo activated the Heavenly Mandate Divine Eye.

[Name: Ying Bing]

[Age: 16]

[Innate Constitution: Lunar Phoenix Physique.]

[Realm: Blood-Qi Realm, Ten Meridians.]

[Mandate: Red (bears an emperor bone, takes profound ice as her fate, autumn waters as her spirit, and possesses the aspect of Phoenix Heaven)]

[Evaluation: Her fate is riddled with calamities, yet she can always turn danger into fortune. At present, her wings have yet to fully grow; when the winds and clouds shift, she will surely hang high above the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, the phoenix descending upon the Six Harmonies and Eight Desolations.]

[Recent Experience: Participated in the sect trial and planned to go to the Nine-Colored Primal Phoenix inheritance site to obtain one of the Nine Souls of Primal Phoenix, the "Rosy Soul." To repay a favor, she is preparing to bring along a "burden."]