The Three Realms of Swordsmanship, Practicing Sword Techniques

Worship Hall.

The moment Su Mo stepped into the hall, an atmosphere of solemn majesty washed over him.

Qian Daoliu stood at the center of the main hall, his hands clasped behind his back, his posture as straight as a pine.

The other three worship elders stood behind him, each possessing a profound aura.

Their gazes fell upon Su Mo, carrying scrutiny and appraisal.

"Father, I've brought Xiao Mo," Qian Xunji said.

Su Mo remained composed. He stepped forward and bowed. "Greetings, esteemed worship elders."

On the way here, Qian Xunji had already explained the purpose of their visit and briefly introduced the identities of the worship elders.

When Su Mo learned that Qian Daoliu intended to personally teach him sword techniques, he had been somewhat surprised—and delighted.

Qian Daoliu was not only one of the continent's strongest experts, but his swordsmanship was also among the very best. With his guidance, Su Mo's swordsmanship would surely improve rapidly.

"No need for such formality." Qian Daoliu smiled faintly. "Su Mo, you are Ji'er's disciple. You need not be so distant with me in the future. Just call me Grandpa Qian."

Ji'er? Hearing that form of address, Su Mo nearly failed to hold back his laughter. The dignified Pope of Spirit Hall was actually called that.

Yet his expression remained unchanged as he respectfully replied, "Yes, Grandpa Qian."

"Release your Martial Soul," Qian Daoliu said.

Su Mo nodded and raised his hand. The Asura Demon Sword appeared in his palm, while one yellow and one purple soul ring emerged beneath his feet.

Although the worship elders present had already heard Golden Crocodile Douluo explain the situation, seeing a thousand-year second soul ring with their own eyes still brought a trace of surprise to their eyes.

Qian Daoliu stared at the sword in Su Mo's hand, his gaze deep.

He vaguely sensed that this sword Martial Soul seemed to possess an even higher quality than his own Six-Winged Angel. It was undoubtedly a God-level Martial Soul.

Yet he still worried that Su Mo might be unable to resist temptation and embark upon the path of the Fallen Soul Masters.

Those Fallen Soul Masters could rapidly increase their strength by absorbing life force or using other wicked methods because of their Martial Soul characteristics. Unable to resist temptation, they ultimately strayed onto the wrong path.

Qian Daoliu's expression suddenly turned more serious. "Su Mo, remember this: power itself is neither good nor evil. What matters is the person who wields it.

A sword can be used for slaughter, but it can also be used for protection.

Your path is destined to be filled with temptation and trials. Do not be ruled by power. Rule power instead."

Su Mo nodded earnestly, his gaze resolute. "Yes, this disciple will remember."

Although Qian Xunji was his teacher, Qian Daoliu was now going to teach him sword techniques, so he naturally counted as half a teacher. That was why Su Mo referred to himself as this disciple.

Qian Daoliu nodded slightly, satisfaction flashing through his eyes.

Su Mo was only six years old, yet his eyes were clear and calm. He neither avoided Qian Daoliu's gaze nor showed fear. Such temperament was truly rare.

"Put away your Martial Soul and follow me." Qian Daoliu turned and walked out of the hall.

Su Mo withdrew his Martial Soul and quickly followed.

The two made their way upward, passing through the Worship Hall and winding along the stone steps through the mountains.

Before long, the view suddenly opened up. It was a level clearing in the mountains, surrounded by pines and cypresses, with mist drifting through the air. Distant mountain ranges rose and fell, faintly visible like a paradise.

A massive bluestone lay beside the cliff, its surface covered in crisscrossing sword marks of varying depths. They were densely packed, clearly left behind by someone who had used it for sword practice.

"Sit down," Qian Daoliu said.

Su Mo obeyed and sat cross-legged, placing his hands on his knees and keeping his back straight.

Qian Daoliu stood before him with his hands behind his back, his robes and golden hair fluttering softly in the breeze.

"Today, I will first explain the realms of swordsmanship." His voice was unhurried, yet every word reached Su Mo's ears clearly. "Swordsmanship is divided into three realms: Sword Intent, Sword Domain, and Unity of Man and Sword."

"Sword Intent—the sword follows where the intent points. Everyone has a different disposition and different experiences, so the Sword Intent they comprehend will differ as well.

"Some have Sword Intent as sharp as the wind, some as heavy as mountains, and some as blazing as fire. All are manifestations of one's true heart."

"Sword Domain is the sublimation that comes after Sword Intent reaches its peak. Intent transforms from the intangible into the tangible, shrouding a stretch of heaven and earth with Sword Intent to form a domain of one's own."

"Unity of Man and Sword is the ultimate realm of swordsmanship. The man is the sword, and the sword is the man. Grass, wood, bamboo, and stone can all become swords."

"Xiao Mo, everyone's path of swordsmanship is different. I can only share my own insights with you and tell you about the path I have walked.

"As for what you can comprehend and how far you can go, that depends entirely on you.

"I can teach you the techniques of swordsmanship hand in hand, but the path of swordsmanship must ultimately be walked by yourself."

"Yes, Grandpa Qian." Su Mo nodded earnestly.

He already had a rough understanding. The Asura Demon Sword governed slaughter and had been born for killing. His path of swordsmanship was destined to be connected to slaughter.

"Next, I will tell you about my cultivation insights..."

Qian Daoliu began to speak.

His words were concise and refined, without a single unnecessary sentence. Every word went straight to the heart of the matter.

Su Mo listened intently, committing every word to memory while constantly digesting it through his own understanding.

There were some parts he could not fully comprehend for the moment, but he was not impatient. He merely committed them firmly to memory, intending to slowly ponder them in the future.

After an unknown amount of time, Qian Daoliu's voice abruptly stopped.

"That will be all for today. Go back first and properly digest what you learned today. Starting tomorrow, come here every morning and practice for one hour."

Su Mo rose and respectfully bowed. "Goodbye, Grandpa Qian."

With that, he turned and walked down the mountain along the stone steps by which he had come.

Behind him, Qian Daoliu stood with his hands behind his back, watching Su Mo's figure disappear without moving for a long while.

The next morning, the sky gradually brightened.

After washing up and eating breakfast, Su Mo came alone to the mountain peak.

The moment he stepped onto the clearing, Qian Daoliu's figure silently appeared some distance away.

"Grandpa Qian," Su Mo greeted him.

Qian Daoliu nodded. "Xiao Mo, all sword techniques begin with the basics. If the foundation is weak, everything else is a castle in the air.

"Forms may change in countless ways, but only by practicing the basics to the extreme can the sword in your hand truly move as freely as your own arm."

He picked up a dead branch and held it in his hand. "I'll demonstrate it once first. Watch carefully."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qian Daoliu moved.

He held only a dead branch, yet in his hand, it seemed to transform into a peerless fine sword.

Every basic sword move he performed carried a fierce sword presence. The branch sliced through the air, producing sharp howls.

They were clearly the simplest of movements, yet in his hands, they possessed the power to turn the ordinary into the miraculous.

Su Mo watched intently, his gaze closely following Qian Daoliu's every movement and every detail of how he exerted force.

As the final move fell, Qian Daoliu withdrew his stance and casually tossed the dead branch to the ground.

"Your turn."

Su Mo nodded and released his Asura Demon Sword Martial Soul.

He took a deep breath and began to imitate what he had seen.

Qian Daoliu stood with his hands behind his back, watching Su Mo's moving figure as a trace of gratification flashed through his eyes.

Su Mo had watched only once. Though his movements were still somewhat awkward and stiff, every move looked convincing. He truly had considerable talent for swordsmanship.

For the rest of the time, Qian Daoliu began correcting Su Mo's methods of exerting force and the key points of each move, personally adjusting every one of his movements.

He pointed out everything in detail—where Su Mo used his strength incorrectly, where his footwork should be faster or slower, and where his body should turn or shift.

After one hour, Su Mo's back was soaked with sweat. He had gradually grasped the essentials of those basic sword moves.

To make such progress on the first day showed that Su Mo's cultivation talent and swordsmanship talent were both exceptional.

"Alright, that will be all for today. Go back," Qian Daoliu said.

Su Mo put away his sword and bowed. "Yes, Grandpa Qian. Goodbye."

With that, he turned and headed down the mountain.