Comprehending an image was not something that could be accomplished overnight, and Jiang Yang was in no great hurry.
Over the next few days, aside from his daily cultivation, he practiced his sword near the little courtyard, drawing on the bleak winds filling the sky to comprehend their true meaning.
Early autumn grew colder, and dew dotted the green moss.
After growing and developing, all things in the world entered maturity, their nature tending toward solidity and stability. This nature was commonly associated with metal, and metal was said to yield to Transformation. All things likewise became pure through Transformation, descending, gathering, and drawing inward. Autumn was therefore usually seen as a symbol of all things maturing, becoming firm, and contracting.
The breeze stirred the hem of Bai Tang's moon-white skirt. Watching with her arms folded, she offered her assessment:
"When things reach completion, they become firm and belong to metal; among the Four Seasons, autumn is likewise the time when things reach completion. Once you fully understand that sentence, you'll have mastered the better part of this volume."
Bai Tang had, of course, read the Four Seasons Cloud's End Sword Canon as well. With her attainments, this sword art was not difficult for her to pick up, but her path was different, making true mastery difficult.
Yet picking it up was one thing; she could not simply impose her own experiences of comprehension on Jiang Yang. All she could do was offer a few pointers from the sidelines.
Cultivation was inherently a deeply personal matter. Besides, everyone understood the Sword Dao differently, and on that point, even Bai Tang could do nothing.
Jiang Yang listened silently without stopping his hands. His talent for the Sword Dao was not exceptional, but neither was it poor. He believed that, given enough