Tide Surging Stance Mastered

In the path of martial arts, talent and resources are certainly important, but it is comprehension that truly determines how far a martial artist can go.

If talent is lacking, resources can make up for it; if resources are scarce, time can grind it out. But if comprehension is insufficient, it is like being blocked by a wall—no matter how hard you try, you cannot advance an inch.

In his past life as a Grandmaster of the Sword Dao, he understood better than anyone the principle that "a towering building rises from the ground."

Under the insight of the [Void Clarity Sword Heart], he saw through the true core of this sword art almost instantly—the so-called Tide Birth was merely the ultimate sublimation of the concept of "endless generation" pushed to its limit from the first three stances.

If the foundation had even the slightest flaw, how could the Ultimate Form be discussed?

"I must start from the beginning and polish every detail to perfection."

The original body trained bitterly for three years, yet only reached the beginner level with the first stance, [Tide Rising Stance]. It wasn't a lack of diligence, but limited comprehension—he could never see through this 'momentum' character.

Qin Jue furrowed his brow slightly, recalling every movement of the original body's [Tide Rising Stance] in his mind, then couldn't help but let out a light laugh, tinged with helplessness.

"This isn't practicing swordsmanship at all—it's like dancing for a blind audience."

With the marvel of the [Void Clarity Sword Heart], Qin Jue saw it clearly: the original body's sword technique, though seemingly smooth, was riddled with flaws.

Every time a sword stroke ended, there was a momentary pause—that pause was the break in the sword's momentum, and also the opening an opponent could exploit to strike.

How could such a sword technique ever be called "continuous"?

"All flash, no substance—every move is a flaw."

Qin Jue shook his head, casually twirling an extremely simple sword flower, his movements crisp and clean, without any hesitation.

"A true sword is meant to kill, not to perform."

Having realized this, Qin Jue immediately stopped in his tracks, took a deep breath, and assumed the starting stance.

This time, he stripped away all the flashy, superfluous movements, leaving only the most concise and refined techniques—then, he struck!

"Shua!"

One sword thrust out, the blade splitting the night. Simple, swift, with no unnecessary pause.

"Chi—"

The second sword, before the first had even been withdrawn, followed the momentum in an upward diagonal slash, with no break between the two strikes.

"Hu!"

The third sword, while the force of the second had yet to dissipate, used that lingering momentum to circle back and thrust straight ahead!

Three strikes flowed like water, executed in one breath, the sword's momentum unbroken, like a surging, ceaseless stream.

Qin Jue sheathed his sword and stood still, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

"Now that's more like it."

"The 'life' of sword momentum lies not in the complexity or flashiness of the moves, but in ensuring the momentum never breaks—like water flowing, endlessly generating! Understanding this principle means this sword art has truly begun."

He stood there, carefully savoring the subtle sensation of that moment, an indescribable exhilaration surging in his chest. After a long while, he slowly exhaled a white breath, calming his mind, then assumed the starting stance and began to wield the sword again.

Once.

Twice.

Three times...

With each repetition, the sword momentum grew smoother, the transitions between the three strikes more natural and seamless. Gradually, even Qin Jue himself felt as if the three strikes had merged into one, with no pauses left.

Under the state of the [Void Clarity Sword Heart], Qin Jue's comprehension soared. His blood and qi surged through his meridians along with the sword's momentum. The sword moved, his blood moved, his breath moved, and even his heartbeat merged with the sword's momentum. His entire being seemed to become a flowing, unceasing "momentum," fully fused with the iron sword in his hand.

Practicing like this, Qin Jue lost himself in it, and before he knew it, half an hour had passed.

Moonlight spilled onto the green stone ground of the courtyard, and Qin Jue's figure appeared exceptionally focused under the moonlight. He wielded the sword again, and this time, the sword momentum was vastly different.

The first strike: a flat thrust, the sword tip trembling slightly, carrying a faint sound of cutting air.

The second strike: an upward diagonal slash, the momentum unbroken—the end of the previous strike was the start of the next.

The third strike: a smooth return, the blade like a thread, tracing a rounded arc.

The three strikes formed a complete cycle, so fast that the sword's shadow was barely visible, only streaks of continuous silver light flickering in the moonlight. The sword momentum surged like tidal waves, endlessly generating, as if it would never stop.

Only then did Qin Jue sheathe his sword and stand still, his chest rising and falling slightly as he let out a long breath. That breath condensed into white mist in the cool autumn night air, lingering for a long time.

He raised the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, feeling the soreness in his muscles, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

Qin Jue smiled bitterly as he rubbed his aching shoulders. "This body's foundation is still too weak. A little intensity and it can't handle it. Looks like from now on, I'll not only need to practice swordsmanship but also find some medicinal herbs to strengthen myself. Sigh, I'm broke..."

Thinking of this, his brow furrowed even deeper.

"Keep going—it's not enough yet!"

He quickly composed himself.

Though [Tide Rising Stance] had reached mastery, relying on just this one stance to defeat Ning Zhiyuan was far from sufficient. Qin Jue's gaze fell on the second stance of the sword manual in his mind, [Tide Surging Stance]—"Retreat to gather momentum, surge to unleash it."

A sharp glint flashed in Qin Jue's eyes.

Since sword momentum could be continuous, could one intentionally gather momentum within that continuity, then release all of it in a single instant?

The moment this thought arose, Qin Jue could no longer restrain himself. His blood surged slightly, and he assumed the starting stance, striking again.

The first strike: a flat thrust, the sword momentum as steady as water.

Second sword, a diagonal slash, the sword momentum turning like a wheel.

Third sword... but Qin Jue did not thrust out as before. Instead, he suddenly lowered his sword momentum, deliberately letting it slow. The surging blood and qi within his body also gathered back, like countless streams converging into rivers at low tide, or a beast crouching, ready to spring.

And in that instant—

"[Tide Surging Stance]!"

Qin Jue let out a low shout. All the accumulated sword momentum erupted forth in that moment!

"Shiiing—"

The sword tip pierced the air, letting out a sharp tearing sound, driving straight toward the stone table in the courtyard. The sword was so fast that the air was compressed into a white misty trail.

"Crack!"

The bluestone split open with a sound, a deep sword scar appearing on it!

Qin Jue withdrew his sword and stood still, his arm trembling slightly, fine beads of sweat oozing from his forehead.

"Just as I thought."

He looked down at the sword scar on the stone table, then at the iron sword in his hand. The blade was still quivering lightly, letting out an overburdened hum.

Qin Jue reached out and gently stroked the sword blade, as if soothing a startled old horse.

"This sword won't last much longer."

Qin Jue shook his head. "But it should be enough to hold out until the day of the martial exhibition."

"Having grasped the endless, ever-renewing meaning of [Tide Rising], the so-called [Tide Surging] is no longer a mystery."

Borrowing the insight of the Void Clarity Sword Heart, he had already glimpsed, at the end of that unbroken sword momentum, a sliver of the true essence of 'gathering momentum and bursting forth.'

Though he still couldn't truly execute the second stance's sword technique, mixing a single burst of gathered momentum and explosive killing intent into the continuous sword momentum was already enough to catch any martial artist of the same rank off guard.

But the cost was a sore arm and surging blood and qi.

"This body is too weak. It still needs proper conditioning."

Qin Jue returned to the room, sat cross-legged on a cushion, closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, and circulated the Azure Pine Qi Drawing Art, letting the churning blood and qi in his body slowly settle.

The Azure Pine Qi Drawing Art was only Mortal Tier Mid-grade, but its strength lay in its gentleness and stability, making it most suitable for healing and recovery—which suited Qin Jue's current needs perfectly.

After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the blood and qi in his body finally calmed. Only then did Qin Jue stop his practice, collapse onto the bed, and fall into a deep sleep.

The next morning, just as the sky was faintly brightening, Qin Jue woke up.

He washed up briefly, then went back to the courtyard to continue practicing his sword.

This time, he didn't practice any new moves. Instead, he repeated last night's sword technique over and over, letting his body memorize this unbroken sword momentum, letting his muscles form new muscle memory.

No matter how exquisite a martial technique was, if the body couldn't keep up, it was useless.

Once, twice, three times...

Until the sun was high in the sky, Qin Jue finally stopped. By then, he was drenched in sweat, blood and qi churning, but his eyes were brighter than ever.

"Almost there."

He felt the circulation of blood and qi in his body. Though his realm hadn't broken through, his combat strength was more than a notch stronger than yesterday.

For the next two days, Qin Jue stayed in this courtyard, never stepping outside.

The discussions outside grew louder and more heated, but he didn't respond to a single word.

Some said he was too scared to go out.

Some said he had already accepted his fate and was waiting to die.

Others said he might run away on the day of the martial exhibition.

Qin Jue said nothing. Every night, he practiced his sword in the courtyard; during the day, he sat in meditation, regulating his blood and qi.

He knew very well that with his current strength, if he wanted to defeat Ning Zhiyuan, he could only rely on "technique."

If his realm was inferior and his strength was inferior, then he had to overwhelm the opponent with skill.

And on the path of "technique," as a former Grandmaster of the Sword Dao, he had never feared anyone.

The third night.

Moonlight like water.

Qin Jue stood in the courtyard as usual, iron sword in hand, practicing the unbroken sword momentum of [Tide Rising Stance] over and over. Each time, at the turn of the third sword, he tried to gather momentum, simulating the burst of [Tide Surging Stance].

Once, twice, three times...

The sword momentum grew smoother, the gathering of momentum more natural.

On the seventeenth try, at the moment the third sword turned, he seemed to see the scene of seawater converging at low tide, countless tiny streams merging into one—and then—

"[Tide Surging Stance]!"

Qin Jue let out a low shout. All the accumulated sword momentum erupted forth in that moment!

"Boom—"

The sword tip drove straight toward the courtyard wall. This sword was more than twice as fast as before! The air was compressed into a white trail by the sword edge, and the iron sword let out a sharp hum.

"Boom!"

The courtyard wall's blue bricks shattered on impact, cracks spreading like a spiderweb from the point where the sword tip struck, a full three feet in diameter!

Qin Jue sheathed his sword and stood upright, his arm trembling violently, sharp pain shooting through his muscles and bones.

But his eyes gleamed with excitement.

"It's done!"

[Tide Surging Stance], mastered!

Although this body's muscles and bones had yet to reach the Jade Bone Realm, and each use placed a strain on his physique, relying on his past life's understanding of the sword, he forcibly grasped this martial technique at the Hundred Refinements Third Layer—a technique that should only be fully wielded from the Fourth to Sixth Layers.

Cross-tier cultivation!

This was an extremely rare feat in the outer academy of Qingcang Academy.

Qin Jue looked down at his arm; beneath the skin, faint blue-purple bruises were visible—internal injuries from his muscles and bones failing to withstand the backlash of the force.

"At most, three times."

Qin Jue mused. With his current body, he could forcibly execute Tide Surging Stance at most three times. Any more, and his muscles and bones would be irreparably damaged.

He flexed his arm, and the tearing pain made him grimace, sucking in a sharp breath.

"Sss... that hurts."

Yet the smile at the corner of his mouth didn't fade in the slightest.

"But against Ning Zhiyuan, once is enough."

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The sparring day had arrived.