What Happened Next (Second Update!)

If dueling a formidable opponent was a shortcut to improving one's swordsmanship, then fighting one to the death was a rocket ride.

Xia Lun couldn't beat the Brigadier General in his dreams. He died horribly every time, but he wasn't discouraged.

Most people, faced with defeat after inescapable defeat, might grow afraid of trying or even fall into "learned helplessness." But Xia Lun was no ordinary person.

Each setback only made him more determined. Every moment of agonizing pain sharpened his focus, and amid flying sparks and ringing blades, he rapidly absorbed hard-won lessons in swordsmanship and made them part of his own combat experience.

Gradually, even without a gun or the aid of Heightened Focus and Wind Whisperer, he could hold his own against the Brigadier General in his dreams. Through endless trial and error, Xia Lun finally grasped a small trick: keeping up wasn't about reacting faster. It was about anticipating how force would flow.

In other words, he had to sense changes in the forces around him first, then use experience and intellect to predict his enemy's movements. Only then could he adapt to that inhuman pace.

From a certain perspective, swordsmanship at this level really was an intellectual pursuit.

And so, night after night, Xia Lun honed his swordsmanship through endless combat and death. The ordeal made him calmer and humbler.

The reason was simple. Killing could make a person frenzied, inflate their sense of self, and leave them craving more blood. Being cut down, on the other hand, had a way of making them recognize their actual limits. Humility and calm followed whether they liked it or not.

As he kept entering dreams, Xia Lun was delighted to discover another change brought about by his increased Intelligence.

Each dream had previously cost him seven hours.