Heartless Sword Art

"Disciple, you've trained Sword Piercing Fist to perfection, which shows that you have exceptional talent for the sword. I have a cultivation technique here called Heartless Sword Art. It combines an Internal Cultivation Technique with sword-based Martial Techniques, making it just the thing for you to practice after reaching the Entry Level. Compared with the main cultivation techniques of the Seven Peaks, Heartless Sword Art is in no way inferior. Its defining trait is that it values insight over physical constitution. Those with even slightly poor insight will struggle just to reach the Entry Level."

The old man, Zhou Buping, entered the wooden hut, took out a thin manual, and tossed it to Li Gan.

The manual's cover had yellowed, clearly showing its age.

He gently opened the cover.

The essence of Heartless Sword Art lay in entrusting one's feelings to the sword.

The contents that followed were obscure and difficult to understand, seeming mysterious and profound. Li Gan was left utterly bewildered by all the technical terms.

Seeing Li Gan's baffled expression, Zhou Buping said at once, "Take it back and study it carefully. If there's anything you don't understand, come back and ask your master."

"Yes, Master."

Li Gan hurriedly nodded.

Then he left the valley and returned to the Bell Tower.

No one could have imagined that this trip had turned him into an Official Disciple of the Divine Sword Sect—and even earned him a master.

Back at the Bell Tower, after completing his daily bell-ringing, Li Gan didn't practice Sword Piercing Fist. Instead, he began studying the manual for Heartless Sword Art.

Now that he had an Internal Cultivation Technique, there was no need to practice Sword Piercing Fist.

Even if he mastered it, it was still just a basic fist technique.

After studying it for a long while, Li Gan sighed. Forget practicing Heartless Sword Art; even understanding it was difficult.

In the end, he had no choice but to practice Sword Piercing Fist a few times to ease his frustration.

At dusk, after ringing the bell for the final time, Li Gan hurried down the mountain and straight to the valley.

"You're here."

Zhou Buping was still reclining by the wooden door.

As he spoke, he tossed Li Gan a brand-new wooden token.

"This is your Official Disciple identification token, which I had prepared for you. It also functions as a Contribution Points token. If you have any Contribution Points on your old one, go to the Inner Sect's Internal Affairs Hall and have them transferred."

Zhou Buping said.

Holding the wooden token, Li Gan saw that it was practically identical to the one belonging to the stall owner in the Black Market.

"How much of Heartless Sword Art did you understand?"

Zhou Buping asked.

"Master, I could only understand about one or two tenths of it."

Li Gan looked ashamed.

"That's normal. You came from the Menial Disciples and have never practiced an Internal Cultivation Technique, so you don't know many of its technical terms and specialized expressions."

Zhou Buping wasn't surprised.

Then he began explaining the technical principles behind Internal Cultivation Techniques to Li Gan.

That was the benefit of having a master.

He could teach you step by step.

If Li Gan had to puzzle it out by himself, it would not only take time and effort; he might also practice incorrectly.

Cultivating internal techniques was unlike practicing basic fist techniques. Even a slight mistake could cause one's Internal Qi to run out of control and lead to cultivation deviation.

With Zhou Buping's explanations, Li Gan gained a profound understanding of Heartless Sword Art.

When he left, Zhou Buping tossed him a cloth bag.

Inside were the monthly provisions for a Personal Disciple: a bottle of Blood Vitality Pills, a bottle of Spirit Nourishing Pills, and a pound of Exotic Beast Jerky.

Besides that, Zhou Buping gave Li Gan a Treasure Sword.

"Whether it's Blood Vitality Pills or Spirit Nourishing Pills, it's best to take one every two days, alternating between them. Only when you're breaking through should you take more."

Zhou Buping said.

The treatment of an Official Disciple was worlds apart from that of a Personal Disciple with a master.

Official Disciples were given Blood Vitality Pills, whose effects couldn't compare to those of Blood Vitality Pills provided to Personal Disciples.

And they certainly didn't receive Spirit Nourishing Pills, which restored one's mental energy.

As for Exotic Beast Jerky, Official Disciples only received two taels a month.

Most of the two bottles of pills and pound of Exotic Beast Jerky had to be supplements from his master.

Official Disciples didn't get any of that.

"Thank you, Master."

Li Gan hurriedly replied.

After returning to the Bell Tower, Li Gan began preparing to reach the Entry Level in Heartless Sword Art.

He repeatedly studied the Internal Cultivation Technique until he had no doubts left. Only then did he sit cross-legged and begin directing his Internal Qi according to the instructions.

When practicing Sword Piercing Fist, Internal Qi circulated passively.

With an Internal Cultivation Technique, however, he had to circulate it actively.

At first, Li Gan couldn't focus, making it difficult to control his Internal Qi precisely. It kept slipping out of control and wandering chaotically.

So he activated his Sacrificial Tool, the Chen Bell, and its tolling rang out again and again.

In an instant, he felt his mind grow alert. The Internal Qi that had been so difficult to control seemed to grow docile and gentle, flowing along the designated meridian pathways at his command.

After completing one Greater Celestial Circuit, the Internal Qi returned to his Dantian Qi Sea.

Whoosh!

He exhaled deeply, his face lighting up with delight.

An Internal Cultivation Technique was truly different.

The increase in Internal Qi alone made that clear.

Suddenly, a thought came to him, and he summoned the System Interface to check the latest information.

Host: Li Gan.

Cultivation Base: Postnatal Realm (First Layer 58/100).

Sacrificial Tool: Chen Bell (Treasure 802/1000).

Martial Arts: Sword Piercing Fist (Perfected), Heartless Sword Art (Entry Level).

"One Greater Celestial Circuit, and it actually increased my progress by one?"

Li Gan looked astonished.

Previously, practicing Sword Piercing Fist had only earned him one point of progress every two days.

However, practicing Heartless Sword Art took a heavy toll on his energy and mental strength. After completing just one Greater Celestial Circuit, he already felt drained of energy and mentally exhausted.

No wonder internal cultivation required pills.

Since he had reached the Entry Level, he didn't continue practicing.

The next morning.

Li Gan rang the Chen Bell.

After the bell tolled, he felt comfortable all over, and the Internal Qi within him grew incredibly active.

He immediately sat cross-legged and began practicing Heartless Sword Art.

After completing one Greater Celestial Circuit, Li Gan felt refreshed and invigorated, without the slightest hint of fatigue.

"The first toll of the bell each day works best. The bell's invisible energy can greatly replenish my energy and mental strength."

Li Gan opened his eyes with a smile.

That was why his daily cultivation was most effective after the first toll of the bell.

The next few times he rang it, the effect would be much weaker.

And if he didn't ring it at all, but simply activated the Chen Bell to create the sound in his mind, the effect would be weakest.

Moreover, the farther he was from the Chen Bell, the weaker the sound he created would become.

Li Gan stopped cultivating.

The effect of the first toll had already worn off.

He would wait until he rang the bell at Chen Hour to cultivate again; the results would be better then.

That day, Li Gan practiced five times in total, completing five Greater Celestial Circuits and increasing his Postnatal Realm First Layer progress by five points.

Before, practicing Sword Piercing Fist had earned him only one point of progress every two days.

Now, practicing Heartless Sword Art earned him five points in a single day—ten times the efficiency.

It was true that taking one Blood Vitality Pill had helped, but this still showed how powerful an Internal Cultivation Technique was. It was far beyond what a basic fist technique like Sword Piercing Fist could offer.

As for the Spirit Nourishing Pill, Li Gan found he didn't need it for now.

The Chen Bell's tolling could dispel the mental fatigue caused by cultivation.

Unfortunately, his energy couldn't keep up. He was confident he could practice Heartless Sword Art several more times.

He sighed inwardly. If Yi Zhong hadn't come to threaten him, he never would have planned to become an Official Disciple—and he would have missed out on all this good fortune.