Shu Prefecture, Qushan Prefecture.
Secluded green mountains, an endless sea of forest.
Black tiles and green trees, white stone paving the ground.
He Changqing, the Azure Sword Sect's transmission elder known as Longwind Sword, held a long sword with an azure hilt. As he repeatedly performed a single sword technique, he said, "This Heavenly Divine Sword is broad and profound. Even after this old man has immersed himself in swordsmanship for sixty years, I found it difficult to glimpse its true meaning when I first learned it. Thus, I dare not teach it rashly. I shall only teach the first move, Sword Questions Heaven. This first move contains the most fundamental sword intent of the entire set. Heaven is unjust, so one questions it with a sword. If one asks and receives no answer, one takes the sword in Heaven's stead. That is the Heavenly Divine Sword."
"Do not think this old man's repeated use of this single sword technique is dull, or even laughable. You may ask the sword-path geniuses of our sect, or indeed all sword-path geniuses: on what day do they train in their signature sword techniques for less than four hours? Even if a sword technique has only a hundred moves, they must practice it hundreds of times a day. After several decades, how many repetitions is that? Can you match them?"
"You are young and do not understand what it means for a boxer's fists never to leave his hands, or a singer's tune never to leave his lips. There are no shortcuts in sword practice. There are only a few steps. First, truly learn one sword move. Second, know how you learned it. Third, do not forget the sword technique, and practice it every day. Fourth, do not forget how you learned it; use