Song Xuan Discussed the Sword Dao

After eating and drinking their fill, they went their separate ways.

Just as Song Xuan was about to return to his cabin to rest, Lin Daiyu suddenly called out to stop him.

"Something you need?" Song Xuan asked, turning around.

"Nothing in particular." Lin Daiyu looked at him with eyes as radiant as stars and smiled faintly. "Cousin, you seem rather fond of Lin Pingzhi?"

Song Xuan nodded. "Somewhat. I've met plenty of people over the years. Many call themselves gentlemen, but most are hypocrites.

"As for Lin Pingzhi, judging by his sincerity as he is now, he does qualify as a gentleman.

"Of course, I'm only talking about the present. What he'll become in the future, no one can say."

"Then are you a gentleman, cousin?"

"Me?"

Song Xuan laughed. "Have you ever seen a gentleman threaten to slaughter someone's entire family at the drop of a hat?"

Lin Daiyu pondered that for a moment, then changed the subject. "Cousin, you're different from the martial artists I imagined. Do you enjoy reading?"

Song Xuan recalled the treasured ancient books in his room and nodded slightly. "I do read a little in my spare time."

At that, Lin Daiyu's eyes immediately lit up, and she hurriedly asked, "What kinds of books do you usually read, cousin?"

"My reading is fairly varied. If there's a book in front of me and I have the time, I'll pick it up and have a look. I don't restrict myself to any particular kind."

Song Xuan really did enjoy reading. In his previous life, when he was bored, he could spend ages engrossed even in a screwdriver's instruction manual.

In this feudal era, with far fewer forms of entertainment than his previous life, reading, practicing martial arts, and listening to songs in pleasure houses were among his few diversions.

"Have you studied poetry, verse, rhapsodies, or Imperial Examination essays, cousin?"

Song Xuan waved a hand. "The Song household is a hereditary Black Robe Guard lineage. From birth, we have nothing to do with the scholars' Imperial Examination, so I've always read purely according to my interests.

"Once I've read it, learned it, and understood it, that's enough. Splitting hairs over words, polishing sentences, and studying eight-legged essays have no meaning for me."

As he spoke, something seemed to occur to Song Xuan, and he smiled. "I can't remember where I read it, but someone once said that, in reading, those who achieve great deeds and profound learning throughout the ages must pass through three realms.

"'Last night, the west wind stripped the green trees bare. Alone, I climbed a lofty tower and gazed down every road to the ends of the earth.' This is the first realm.

"'Though my belt grows ever looser, I will never regret it; for her, I willingly waste away.' This is the second realm.

"'A thousand times I searched for her amid the crowd. Suddenly, I turned-and there she stood, where the lantern lights grew faint.' This is the third realm.

"At first, you can grasp meaning from the words and memorize them by rote, achieving a little mastery.

"Then you can adapt and apply what you know, your tongue nimble as a reed, gaining some insight.

"Only when you can explain profound truths simply and unite knowledge with action do you achieve true mastery.

"Which of these three realms have you reached, cousin?"

Lin Daiyu stood rooted to the spot, unable to respond for a time. Only when Song Xuan yawned and prepared to leave did she call out, as though waking from a dream.

"Cousin, where exactly did you read about these three realms of reading?"

"I don't remember."

"Then who wrote, 'Last night, the west wind stripped the green trees bare. Alone, I climbed a lofty tower and gazed down every road to the ends of the earth'?"

"I told you, I don't remember."

"But I've never heard of these three realms of reading you mentioned. Those three verses you recited deserve to be literary classics. If anyone had written them and circulated them, they would surely be famous lines celebrated by everyone.

"Yet I've never seen them in any poetry collection, nor heard anyone mention them.

"So... cousin, you wrote all those verses yourself, didn't you?"

Song Xuan paused briefly and said evenly, "People shouldn't have too much time on their hands. Too much leisure leads to too much thinking, and once you think too much, it becomes difficult to feel happy.

"Tomorrow, I'll remind your cousin to increase your horse-stance practice from two hours to four."

Ignoring Lin Daiyu's pout and aggrieved expression, Song Xuan returned to his room. He had barely entered when Song Qian slipped in.

"Brother, were you just having a matchmaking date with our cousin?" Song Qian's large, curious eyes blinked rapidly, brimming with a thirst for knowledge.

"Sometimes I really want to pry open your skull and see what on earth you spend all day thinking about!" Song Xuan said, speechless. "Which eye of yours saw me on a matchmaking date?"

Song Qian pursed her lips. "Isn't a matchmaking date just two people telling each other about their likes and habits?

"You were discussing the realms of reading together, talking about poetry and verse, and even showing concern for her progress in martial arts by making her practice an extra hour every day. How is that not a matchmaking date?"

Song Xuan stared at her for a long while before sighing. "Sometimes I really think you were born in the wrong era. In another age, with that imagination of yours, there would be no limit to what you could accomplish."

"I'll take that as a compliment!"

Song Qian sat down beside him with a grin. "You told our cousin about three realms of reading just now. What about martial arts? Have you gained any insights?"

Song Xuan considered for a moment. "When it comes to martial arts, you can learn the circulation routes of internal energy from manuals, and someone can teach you moves and techniques.

"But manuals and moves are only the foundation for becoming strong. If you want to achieve true mastery on the martial path and become a great martial arts grandmaster, you ultimately have to find your own understanding. Simply relying on other people's explanations won't do much good.

"My insights won't necessarily be useful to you."

"Whether they're useful or not, tell me first!"

Song Xuan patted the longsword resting by the head of his bed. "We've both practiced the sword since childhood, so I'll talk about my understanding of the Sword Dao.

"This won't involve any specific cultivation methods, only my insights into the conceptual realms of the Sword Dao.

"In my view, the path of the Sword Dao can be divided into five realms: sharp sword, flexible sword, heavy sword, wooden sword, and no sword."

"Five realms?"

Song Qian immediately perked up. "Brother, explain them in detail."

Song Xuan poured himself a cup of tea and began to explain at an unhurried pace as he drank.

"The first realm is sharp sword without intent. In this realm, you rely on a sharp sword's keen edge and push your moves to their utmost limits, using those moves and the sword's sharpness to wound your enemy."

"The second realm is flexible sword without constancy. In this realm, besides wielding your sword with speed and ferocity, you attack your opponent continuously through the wondrous transformations of every move, every stance, and even every stroke, along with the flexible sword's uncanny, ever-changing trajectories.

"What we call 'flexible sword without constancy' means pursuing the utmost variation after already pushing your moves to their limits. By directing and controlling your physical force and internal energy, you can make the flexible sword's attacks shift into countless forms according to your will, changing them as you please.

"Once you reach this realm, you've essentially arrived at the pinnacle of technique."

"The third realm is heavy sword without edge, great skill appears clumsy.

"At this realm, you no longer pursue complexity and variation in your moves and techniques. Instead, you begin to overpower others with strength.

"No matter what moves your opponent uses, or whether their martial arts have any flaws, you need only swing your sword straight at them to achieve the unmistakable effect of one mighty force crushing ten clever techniques."