Void Kalpa

At the same time, this change wasn't just in the numbers.

To Zhao Cheng, the sword in his hand seemed to have suddenly "come alive." In that instant, he could almost feel the sword's rhythm, the sword's breath.

And that wasn't all. As he recalled the sword techniques he had practiced before, Zhao Cheng realized how clumsy every move had been. It was like facing a question whose answer was obvious at a glance, yet when he had tried to solve it, he had gone around in circles, making the simple complicated.

Now, Zhao Cheng's answer was to breathe, then swing his sword!

He no longer needed to use the Breathing Visualization Method beforehand to adjust his state. Or rather, at that moment, Zhao Cheng had fused the Breathing Visualization Method and swordsmanship into one.

In truth, the two had always been one. It was only the limits of individual talent that had forcibly split them apart.

Now, Zhao Cheng had simply restored them to their original form!

For the time being, Zhao Cheng no longer cared why there was no sun here, nor did he feel like exploring the surroundings. He focused entirely on correcting the "atrocious" swordsmanship he had practiced before.

Unlike changes to stats in a game, in reality, even the slightest change could affect everything.

On the Panel, it seemed that only the skill level cap had increased and the required proficiency had decreased—a mere change in a few numbers.

But in reality, this was reflected in an explosive increase in his learning ability, creativity, comprehension, swordsmanship wisdom, and all the rest.

As Zhao Cheng felt these changes—or, rather, this "evolution"—he gained an even deeper understanding of the value of the red talent, Sword Seed.

His swordsmanship level cap had increased by only eight levels, and it was already this powerful. If it increased by thirty, the possibilities were simply unimaginable.

As for the effects described under Sword Seed, he could hardly begin to fathom them.

Rip!

The sword tore through the air, as if cleaving the breeze. This wasn't an illusion: the currents of air blowing toward him had truly been severed by the path of Zhao Cheng's blade.

This wasn't some subtle sword technique, but a wondrous sensation that was almost instinctive.

Zhao Cheng seemed to be swinging at empty air, but the elusive "wind" had, in that moment, become his enemy!

His swordsmanship talent was now enough to let him swing his sword and sever the wind!

At the same time, the log section of Zhao Cheng's Panel refreshed rapidly:

17th Basic Swordsmanship 6th Revised Edition proficiency +8

17th Basic Swordsmanship 6th Revised Edition proficiency +7

17th Basic Swordsmanship 6th Revised Edition proficiency +9

17th Basic Swordsmanship 6th Revised Edition level +1

17th Basic Swordsmanship 6th Revised Edition...

...

Zhao Cheng's swordsmanship level soared.

The sudden, tremendous growth in his swordsmanship talent plunged him into a state akin to enlightenment. In this state, his learning ability, creativity, comprehension, swordsmanship wisdom, and every other faculty were pushed beyond their limits.

Such a "peak" could never last, but even a short time was enough for Zhao Cheng to reap enormous gains.

After all, countless sword cultivators never encountered such a state even once in their entire lives.

To reach it required both a stroke of fortune and the necessary comprehension.

The increase in swordsmanship comprehension granted by the Sword Heart talent had seemed inconspicuous, but now its effect became clear.

Who knew how much time passed before the sword in Zhao Cheng's hand suddenly stopped. Then came exhaustion that surged over him like a landslide, like the earth splitting apart. He felt as though he no longer had the strength even to breathe.

Without hesitation, Zhao Cheng gathered the last of his strength and opened the Shop. He exchanged for a Full Recovery Potion and chose to use it. Warm currents surged through him, and his depleted energy was instantly restored.

Only then did Zhao Cheng have the strength to let out a long breath.

The results were naturally gratifying.

Zhao Cheng looked at the skill section of the Panel.

Skill: 17th Basic Swordsmanship 6th Revised Edition lv7 (lv16) (56/60) (Wind Severing, first level)

In a short time, his swordsmanship had risen directly from lv4 to lv7, and he was already close to lv8.

This rate of improvement was astonishing, and nearly impossible to replicate.

After all, he had been in a state of enlightenment.

Since ancient times, people had spoken of attaining the Dao in a single morning and ascending to immortality. Though that was an exaggeration, it showed the wondrous effects of enlightenment—and how rare it was.

At lv7, his swordsmanship had entered the proficient level. The transition from practiced to proficient was almost a qualitative leap.

Only when swordsmanship had been refined to the utmost could it become subtle and penetrating. Such refinement should have been a long process, but Zhao Cheng had nearly achieved it in a single bound.

Meanwhile, the proficiency needed to advance from lv7 to lv8 was only 60 points. Even advancing from lv7 to lv10 required a total of just 220 points.

He needed less proficiency for that than he had previously needed to advance from lv4 to lv5.

The gap was simply enormous.

As for the final Wind Severing, it was a unique swordsmanship evolution that emerged when one's skill reached a certain level, and a particular opportunity gave rise to a personal insight.

There was no invincible sword technique, only invincible people. In the hands of the strong, even the most basic Basic Sword Technique could produce all kinds of special effects.

As for the mediocre, even if they painstakingly trained their swordsmanship to a high level, they might never grasp a special effect.

Wind Severing was Zhao Cheng's own unique swordsmanship effect. His skill had grown so refined that he could even sever the elusive wind.

As Zhao Cheng's swordsmanship improved, this effect could continue to grow.

For now, he could only cut through a gentle breeze, but one day, he might be able to sever a storm!

It was only a seed now, but its future potential was boundless!

"This sword really is, as I suspected, the manifestation of some power within my own Hyper-Dimensional Body. Without that, I might not have had this opportunity."

Zhao Cheng stroked the sword. He didn't feel as though it were connected to him by flesh and blood. Rather, it felt as if it were his own body.

Since Zhao Cheng usually visualized a wooden sword, this Unnamed Weapon, exchanged for one Source Point, had taken the form of the wooden sword he knew best.

However, as his swordsmanship made a leap forward, the shape of the sword in his hand had also changed subtly, reflecting the changes in his inner vision.

Or rather, this sword was the manifestation of his inner vision!

Zhao Cheng looked at the Panel. The sword's attributes had appeared.

Unnamed Weapon (White)

Evolution: 0%

Durability: 100/100 (can be restored by consuming Vitality)

Sharpness: 1

Toughness: 1

Hardness: 1

Special Effect: Heart-to-Heart

Its attributes were simple and unimpressive, but Zhao Cheng felt that its sharpness, toughness, and hardness all surpassed those of the finest weapons in some real-world weapon shops.

And this was only the most basic white-grade weapon. If it evolved or was strengthened, it was impossible to imagine what it might become.

As he stroked the first true sword in his life, Zhao Cheng felt his heart stir.

"I'll wield this sword to bring slaughter, and protect the Dao through killing. I'll call it Void Kalpa!"

"This is my fate. I wonder whose calamity it will be!"

Zhao Cheng murmured, and at the same time, the Panel changed. The words "Unnamed Weapon" became the two white characters "Void Kalpa."

Zhao Cheng's name for it came from the Buddhist concept of Formation-Existence-Destruction-Emptiness, which described the universe's cycles of creation and destruction. He was Formation, so his sword would embody Emptiness.

That was how the sword Void Kalpa came to be!