Epiphany

"Untainted within, the body like withered wood, the mind like cold ashes; all ties abruptly cease, the five aggregates become empty."

"Guard the Heart Ape, restrain the Horse of Delusion; inner radiance concealed, Heaven nourishes the self."

Li Rui slowly rose to his feet.

His right hand gripped the saber behind his back, his waist bent like a drawn bow—like a dragon nurturing a pearl, like a hen brooding an egg. He slowly swung the saber and lightly shifted his steps.

Each stance and movement unfolded naturally.

Boom!

Faintly, there was even the sound of wind and thunder.

His movements seemed wrought by Heaven itself, and Li Rui gradually entered the realm where man and blade became one.

Hoo—

Li Rui sheathed his saber and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. Only when he looked up did he realize that it was already evening.

Without realizing it, he had practiced for a full hour.

I just had an epiphany?!

He stared in disbelief at the long saber in his hand. He had practiced for an entire hour, yet did not feel the slightest fatigue.

It was said that during martial cultivation, one might occasionally be blessed by sudden inspiration and enter that mysterious, unfathomable state of epiphany.

In that state, one's thoughts moved ten million times faster than usual, and one's Cultivation Method advanced a thousand miles in a day.

Some even remained in epiphany for days and nights, only to open their eyes with their cultivation multiplied severalfold.

It was a Great Fortune that those of the martial world might encounter but could never seek.

Li Rui closed his eyes and felt carefully.

Sure enough!

While in that state of epiphany, he had actually refined the White Ape Mantle Blade into a version made exclusively for himself.

His heart pounded wildly.

Though refining a Cultivation Method was less difficult than creating one from scratch, it was still no small feat that someone like him, who had only just entered the martial path, could accomplish.

"A great opportunity!"

It was not that the refined White Ape Mantle Blade was stronger, but that it suited Li Rui better.

The places that had previously felt sluggish and awkward while practicing had all suddenly become clear.

Moreover, as time went on, Li Rui could continue perfecting it along this line of thought, eventually transforming the White Ape Mantle Blade completely.

It was almost equivalent to creating a technique of his own.

Cultivating a self-created technique often allowed one to unleash even greater power.

"This truly feels marvelous!"

"Hall Master, what saber technique was that?"

Liang He looked at Li Rui with some surprise.

He had happened to see Li Rui practicing, and his gaze had soon been drawn in.

It was not because Li Rui's technique was especially exquisite.

It was because it was too slow.

Slow like an old wealthy man in the city doing morning exercises, utterly without any power to speak of.

He could not understand it. He truly could not understand it.

Li Rui raised both hands before his chest, palms facing down, and slowly exhaled. Then he smiled faintly. "This is the Yin Yang Nine Revolutions Art."

Naturally, he had made up that name himself.

It was meant to deceive the eye and distinguish it from the White Ape Mantle Blade.

"The Yin Yang Nine Revolutions Art?"

Hearing the name of the Cultivation Method, Liang He frowned slightly. He had never heard of such a technique.

Li Rui did not explain further.

The refined White Ape Mantle Blade was now utterly unrecognizable compared to before. Even if someone from the Huaqing Sect saw it, they would not spot anything amiss. That was why he dared to practice openly in the courtyard.

"If you want to learn, I can teach you."

Li Rui said.

Liang He shook his head like a rattle drum and repeatedly said,

"No, no."

He had no plans to enter a leisurely life of old age ahead of schedule.

Li Rui did not press him.

With Liang He's current temperament, he was not suited to cultivating the Yin Yang Nine Revolutions Art. Or rather, the Yin Yang Nine Revolutions Art was inherently a Cultivation Method suited to the elderly; very few people in the world could cultivate it.

Besides, his Yin Yang Nine Revolutions Art was still in its initial stages, with many areas yet to be perfected.

"Not a moment to spare."

Outside Heaven One Hall.

Zhou Shulin planted his wooden sword against the ground, sweat pouring down his face.

"Ah He, you'll definitely earn a good ranking in this Great Examination. If you get rich, don't forget your old friends."

He grinned mischievously at Liang He.

When a brother suddenly started doing better, the psychological changes generally came in two stages.

At first came jealousy, which twisted a man's face into something ugly.

There was a saying in Clear River: one did not fear a brother's hardship, only feared a brother becoming rich overnight. Watching a brother who used to stroll around catching sparrows with you become lofty and untouchable was more painful than being killed.

This feeling sometimes lasted only a few moments, and at most no longer than a day.

Then it became a decisive grabbing of that brother's thigh, with "godfather" rolling off the tongue with particular smoothness.

Zhou Shulin had entered the second stage.

Liang He also smiled brightly. Ever since the Hall Master had set him straight, his martial realm had not changed, but his combat strength had risen by a great deal. Below the Ninth Rank, he was already among the best.

He could even vaguely glimpse the threshold of the Ninth Rank.

With his strength greatly improved, his mindset had also become much calmer.

"That won't do. At the very least, you have to call me godfather."

Liang He chuckled.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Shulin blurted out without a second thought, "Godfather, please accept your son's bow."

Actually bowing was out of the question.

But it greatly satisfied a man's vanity.

What could feel better than having a brother call you godfather?

Just as the two were bantering—

Zhou Shulin suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure from the corner of his eye.

"Eh, Liu Tong, why are you here?"

Liang He turned his head and saw Liu Tong striding over.

"Senior Brother Liu."

Liang He said with cupped fists.

Liu Tong also smiled faintly. "Junior Brother Zhou, Junior Brother Liang."

Zhou Shulin looked Liu Tong up and down in surprise.

The current Liu Tong had undergone a complete transformation. He had once looked as though his body had been hollowed out, but now he had changed into a sunny, sturdy young man.

Zhou Shulin clicked his tongue in wonder. "Senior Brother Liu, abstaining from desire really works. No wonder they say eunuchs can easily become peerless masters."

Hearing Zhou Shulin's teasing, Liu Tong laughed heartily. "My brother-in-law taught me the Tiger Brave Saber. I've only recently achieved minor mastery of it, and today I came to find an internal cultivation manual."

The Tiger Brave Saber!

Upon hearing that name, both Zhou Shulin and Liang He were startled.

If they remembered correctly, that saber technique was Vice Branch Master Zhang's signature skill.

No wonder he had changed so drastically before and after.

Clearly, after Liu Tong went to the Civil and Martial Hall, he had gained the deep trust of his Vice Branch Master brother-in-law.

By comparison, Liang He and Zhou Shulin's Cultivation Methods were somewhat unpresentable.

Liang He's expression did not change. "Congratulations, Senior Brother Liu. In this Great Examination, you will surely rise another level."

Liu Tong repeatedly waved his hands, then put on an improper grin. "Don't. I know exactly what I'm capable of. But some other day, I'll treat you two to Flower Night House."

"There's such a good thing?"

Zhou Shulin's eyes lit up.

Ever since he had gone to Flower Night House last time, he had not been able to forget it.

"We're all brothers here. It's nothing."

Liu Tong was very casual about it.

The reason he had such good relations in the Heaven and Earth Alliance was largely due to his generous and forthright nature, and his willingness to spend money.

"Better to act today than choose another day. It's getting dark—what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Zhou Shulin could not wait.

Liang He rolled his eyes.

He had never liked those places of smoke and willows; he preferred heroic young women.

Liu Tong shook his head. "Not today. Yesterday, quite a few people died at the branch division while carrying out a mission. I still need to return to the hall and deal with the aftermath."

Both Liang He and Zhou Shulin were startled.

Heaven One Hall had little contact with the outside world, so neither of them knew such a major incident had happened yesterday.

Liu Tong thought for a while.

"Oh, right. One of them seemed to have stayed at Heaven One Hall before. I think his name was... was Han Peng."

"Han Peng died?!"