Sword Intent

A day and a night later, Li Gan did not travel with the other inner disciples, returning to the Divine Sword Sect alone ahead of schedule.

After all, returning a day early meant he could strike the bell one extra day and refine the Chenzhong Terrace once more.

When submitting his mission, Li Gan discovered that the contribution points for this task were not three hundred, but five hundred.

The extra two hundred points were compensation for the increased risk level of this escort mission.

Afterward, he went to the wooden cabin in the valley.

He recounted the situation he encountered during the mission to his master, Zhou Buping.

Zhou Buping only said one sentence: "As a martial artist, you will encounter more and more things like this in the future."

Returning to the bell tower, it was still the Shen hour, so he could strike the bell one more time.

"It really is better on the mountain."

Li Gan sat on the Chenzhong Terrace, looking at the distant green mountains and clear waters, his heart suddenly becoming very calm.

Because he had been away from the Divine Sword Sect for eight days, all the hourglasses had run out.

He had no way to judge the time accurately.

Fortunately, it was a sunny day, so he could observe the sun to determine the approximate time.

Next, based on the sun-observation timing method taught by Elder Song, combined with the astronomical and geographical knowledge from his past life, he determined the approximate time and reset the hourglasses.

Of course, this time was certainly not precise.

He still had to adjust it according to the time signals from the Gengluo room.

Just like that, before the You hour, Li Gan finally completed all the preparations.

Dong, dong, dong, dong.

Following the seven clear, resonant strikes of the bell, the sound spread across the entire sky above the Divine Sword Sect, lingering for a long time.

Feeling the activity of his blood and internal qi, Li Gan immediately assumed his stance and began to practice the Heartless Sword Art.

Suddenly, an invisible aura permeated the air, and countless fine, fragmented sword qi rapidly coalesced with Li Gan at the center, making his surroundings seem to transform into an ocean of sword qi.

At this very moment, Li Gan's mental consciousness fell into a strange state.

It was as if he had forgotten himself.

He forgot the sword techniques.

He forgot the sword in his hand.

His mind sank into a state of ethereal emptiness.

There was a sword in his hand and a sword in his body, yet there was no sword in his heart.

As he finished practicing the sword technique, the sword qi surrounding his body dissipated, as if it had never existed at all.

Li Gan suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils clear and bright.

"This is..."

He carefully savored that indescribable, marvelous state.

Suddenly, his heart stirred, and he hurriedly summoned the system interface.

Host: Li Gan.
Cultivation: Postnatal Realm (eighth layer 57/100).
Sacrificial Vessel: Chen bell (Dharma 182/10000).
Martial Arts: Sword piercing fist (perfected), Heartless sword art (perfected).
Martial Intent: Heartless sword intent (illusory image 1/100).
Secret Technique: Myriad transformation sword qi.

"The heartless sword art has actually reached perfection, and I've comprehended the heartless sword intent? I've even unlocked the secret technique of the heartless sword art."

Li Gan muttered to himself.

This secret technique was incredibly formidable, a true trump card and hidden ace.

Moreover, this secret technique had to be used in conjunction with sword intent. By using his own internal qi as a catalyst to draw upon the essence of heaven and earth, he could transform it into countless sword qi to deliver a lethal strike to his enemies.

"Drawing upon the essence of heaven and earth—isn't that something only a xiantian martial artist can do?"

Li Gan was shocked to his core.

This secret technique, myriad transformation sword qi, was simply too powerful.

It meant that with his cultivation at the eighth layer of the postnatal realm, he could draw upon the essence of heaven and earth to unleash a xiantian-level strike.

Of course, it was only a single strike.

However, such attack power was absolutely a dimensional strike against any postnatal martial artist who had not yet reached the xiantian realm.

"If I had comprehended the sword intent and this secret technique during the previous mission, I could have easily dealt with that mere attacker at the ninth layer of the postnatal realm."

Li Gan suddenly understood why the green-robed elder of Yuping Peak had been able to unleash a torrent of sword qi with a single wave of his hand that day.

That was definitely the result of drawing upon the essence of heaven and earth.

He suddenly understood why the Divine Sword Sect required inner disciples to participate in various missions every year. The purpose was likely to temper the inner disciples.

He had only gone out on one mission, experienced a single battle, and returned to cultivate once, and it had immediately allowed his Heartless Sword Art to achieve a breakthrough.

This certainly had a direct correlation with him going out to perform missions.

For the next few days, he went nowhere and stayed in the bell tower to consolidate his realm.

After the Heartless Sword Art reached perfection, his cultivation progress returned to one point per day.

However, improving the Heartless Sword Intent was extremely difficult.

It only increased by one point every seven days.

In other words, for the Heartless Sword Intent to advance further from the phantom stage, it would take at least seven hundred days or more—nearly two years.

Still, Li Gan could accept that.

A few days later, at dusk, Li Gan arrived at the wooden cabin in the valley and met his master, Zhou Buping.

"You have comprehended sword intent?"

The moment Zhou Buping laid eyes on Li Gan, he bolted upright from his rocking chair.

His tone was filled with shock.

"Yes, Master. I just comprehended the Heartless Sword Intent. I also learned the secret technique, Myriad Transformation Sword Qi."

Li Gan did not hide anything.

"What is your current cultivation level?"

Zhou Buping asked.

Although he could sense a trace of intangible sword intent emanating from Li Gan, he could not perceive his cultivation level.

"Eighth layer of postnatal realm."

Li Gan said honestly.

"Good, good, good! To have comprehended sword intent at the eighth layer of the postnatal realm..."

Zhou Buping was overjoyed.

This disciple's comprehension was even higher than he had imagined.

With his cultivation already at the eighth layer of the postnatal realm, it was clear that his innate talent and aptitude were not bad either.

Back when he first joined, due to some unknown circumstances, this disciple had been delayed for over two years.

If he had entered the inner sect two years earlier, he would likely be ready to charge toward the xiantian realm by now.

To be ready to challenge the xiantian realm in just over three years—that is a rarity even in the history of the divine sword sect.

"Disciple, remember these words from your master: if your cultivation reaches the postnatal perfection, you must not choose to break through to the xiantian realm directly."

Zhou Buping said in a deep voice.

"Master, why is that?"

Li Gan asked curiously.

"Nine is the limit of the postnatal realm, but between the postnatal and xiantian realms, there exists another stage called the flawless realm. This stage focuses primarily on body refining. Once your internal qi is perfected, your martial intent is comprehended, and your physical body achieves flawlessness, your essence, qi, and spirit will reach a state of perfection. Only then can you achieve a perfect xiantian realm. A xiantian practitioner of this caliber is destined to reach the martial saint realm in the future."

Zhou Buping explained.

"The flawless realm? Master, there must be restrictions to achieving this state, right?"

Li Gan asked.

"To become a xiantian, one only needs perfected internal qi and a xiantian pill. However, to forge a flawless body, besides comprehending martial intent, you must not have entered the xiantian realm yet. Otherwise, your physical body will be constantly influenced by the world's primordial qi, making it impossible to ever reach the flawless state."

Zhou Buping said.

"Master, is a xiantian pill absolutely necessary to reach the xiantian realm?"

Li Gan asked another question.

"At the postnatal level, if you haven't comprehended martial intent, you must use a xiantian pill. Furthermore, there is a certain failure rate, which depends on the cultivation technique you practice; the more profound the technique, the higher the success rate. If you have comprehended martial intent, you can naturally transform into the xiantian realm through cultivation without needing a xiantian pill. Therefore, once your internal qi is perfected, you must stop your current cultivation and switch to practicing the specialized diamond body refining art."

Zhou Buping replied.

"Master, can I not practice the diamond body refining art now?"

Li Gan asked.

"No. If you practice the diamond body refining art before your internal qi is perfected, it will lead to impure essence and qi, which will ultimately affect the flawlessness of your physical body."

Zhou Buping shook his head.

Li Gan understood immediately.

From now on, his goal was to achieve a perfect xiantian.

Only by doing so could he step onto higher realms of the martial path in the future.