Sword Essence is a more condensed and purer form of Sword Qi.
This is beyond doubt.
If Sword Qi is the first step for a sword cultivator to enter the Four Realms of the Sword Dao, then Sword Essence... is actually even more important.
Lu Mingxuan then produced a tea set from somewhere and began brewing tea while explaining it to Chen Shuangbai.
"When a sword cultivator is building their foundation, if they can convert all their Sword Qi into Sword Essence, their strength will increase dramatically!"
"Whether it's the extremely fast Sword Escape Technique, the power of sword control, or the ability to fight against others, they are all incomparable."
That brings us to this.
Lu Mingxuan's eyes revealed longing, "Even among the eight Foundation Establishment in our sect, only four of our senior uncles have reached the Sword Essence Realm."
"For example, Exalted Cultivator Wen and Exalted Cultivator Yue, who are stationed here, are at this level."
"Not long ago, two Foundation Establishment from the Heart-Eroding Demonic Beast attacked. Exalted Cultivator Wen simply raised his hand and unleashed a Sword Essence that killed all the hundreds of Hundred Poisons beasts they released. This frightened them so much that they dared not approach the outside of the great formation again, and now they can only wear them down from a distance."
Chen Shuangbai still found it somewhat mysterious, so she shared her own thoughts.
" Senior Brother Lu, is it true that Sword Qi, once it develops sentience, becomes Sword Essence?"
Lu Mingxuan replied, "That's correct."
"But the birth of Sword Essence, like Sword Qi, requires not only aptitude, but also fortuitous opportunity, and even more so, luck... If one can achieve this realm, within the Foundation Establishment stage, in a one-on-one situation, we sword cultivators have never feared anyone!"
Chen Shuangbai had experienced this firsthand.
It should be noted that among the three lineages of swordsmanship, the Sword Qi of the [ Extreme Sword ] lineage is the best.
The cultivators of the [ Extreme Sword ] lineage entrust their entire cultivation to their three-foot-long swords; how could the Sword Qi they unleash not be formidable?
In contrast, Chen Shuangbai's [ Law Sword ] lineage is considered the weakest among the three sword lineages. However, even though it is the weakest, it still far surpasses other cultivators of the same generation, making both Devil Cultivator and righteous cultivators quite wary of it.
If this Sword Qi energy were to become a living being, transforming into Sword Essence, even a fool could imagine that its power would be doubled!
"The so-called 'Sword Qi energy comes alive' does not mean that the Sword Qi itself grows a head and develops thoughts."
He pushed a cup of tea in front of Chen Shuangbai and continued, "Instead, the sword master uses Law Power to constantly nurture and hone it, eventually allowing the sword and its Sword Qi to resonate with his will and spirit, thus creating a unique 'charm' or 'nature'."
This time, he didn't use himself as an example, but instead Exalted Cultivator Yue the example of Kong Jian, whom Chen Shuangbai had once met.
"Master Yue belongs to the [ Extreme Sword ] lineage. This lineage emphasizes the extremes of swordsmanship and emotion, remaining unaffected by external influences. Therefore, its Sword Qi and Sword Essence are not within the Five Elements, but rather a unique attribute proven from emptiness."
"His Sword Essence..."
Lu Mingxuan's expression turned somewhat strange, as if he were searching for the right words to describe it. "It's hard to describe. If I had to put it into words, it's like having the power to cut down everything in front of me."
Seeing that Chen Shuangbai looked slightly puzzled, he brought up an old story.
"I was fortunate enough to witness Master Yue practicing his Swordsmanship. He simply stood there quietly, and as soon as his Sword Essence energy was unleashed, a perfectly smooth cut appeared silently on a piece of black iron in front of him. There was no magnificent display, not even any fluctuation of Spiritual Qi, as if the metal was meant to be separated."
"His Sword Essence also exhibited a bright color, but it did not belong to the Five Elements category of our [ Law Sword ] lineage."
Upon hearing this, Chen Shuangbai was deeply shaken.
If that's really the case... then it's far too mysterious!
That's a bit too domineering!
" Senior Brother Lu, you've talked about Sword Qi and Sword Essence, but what about Sword Intent?"
Chen Shuangbai continued to ask for advice.
Lu Mingxuan sipped his tea, recalling his understanding of Sword Intent. "Hmm, Sword Essence is above Sword Intent, but Sword Intent... is even more mysterious."
"If Sword Qi is the weapon in your hand, Sword Essence is the divine Divine Weapon that resonates with your will, then Sword Intent..."
Lu Mingxuan shared his understanding.
" Sword Intent is more like your understanding of the way of the sword, a kind of 'realm' that has been condensed."
"Territory?"
Chen Shuangbai pondered the word.
No one in the Empty Sword Sect has mastered Sword Intent yet, but the Empty Sword Sect's ancestors were once wealthy and left behind many relevant records. They said, "According to our sect's ancient texts, once Sword Intent is unleashed, it can not only influence the things and events around one's own being, but also change or define certain things to a certain extent... I reckon the person who wrote those ancient texts only had a superficial understanding, hence the very mystical descriptions."
"Furthermore, none of us have ever seen a cultivator who has comprehended Sword Intent, so we can't explain it either."
Chen Shuangbai actually wanted to hear more about the Empty Sword Sect's understanding of swordsmanship, but Lu Mingxuan was only at the Qi Refining Stage. No matter how much the sect valued him, he couldn't possibly access the things that only Foundation Establishment cultivators or Golden Core True Person could read.
"Thank you for your guidance, senior brother."
Chen Shuangbai bowed deeply.
It was already extremely difficult for Lu Mingxuan to say so much to me.
Chen Shuangbai naturally felt obligated to accept the favor.
Lu Mingxuan waved his hand and said, "No need to be polite. This isn't really a secret. Besides, fellow practitioners in the sword path are few and far between. Being able to verify each other's work is a joyful thing."
These words allowed Chen Shuangbai to see the man's true character and confirm that he was someone she could befriend.
The two talked for a long time, exchanging ideas on cultivation and practicing swordsmanship.
Lu Mingxuan didn't leave until late at night.
The next day.
Chen Shuangbai arrived at the council hall of White Creek Camp and saw Exalted Cultivator Huo from his own sect presiding over the meeting. Exalted Cultivator Li and Exalted Cultivator Wu were nowhere to be seen. They must have been transferred to the other two camps.
Many disciples from the Jade Spring Sect have arrived.
Chen Shuangbai looked around and spotted many familiar faces, including Fu Qianlan.
Fu Qianlan seemed to have spotted Chen Shuangbai as well, and walked over to greet her, saying with a smile, " A-Bai, you were quite impressive yesterday!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Shuangbai quickly waved his hand and said, "Don't even mention it! People are starting to think I'm a three-headed, six-armed monster!"
"Hahaha!"
Lin Jingtao also joined in, bringing Ji Ruohua along as well.
These two people and Chen Shuangbai became acquainted after a fight, and now they can exchange a few words.
After the surprise attack the day before, Lin Jingtao's impression of Chen Shuangbai improved considerably. He stepped forward and said with a smile, "That's right... My fellow Kongjian Kong Jian all say that our Jade Spring Sect has sent its most direct disciples."
The teasing from his fellow disciples made Chen Shuangbai feel even more embarrassed.
It was rare to see him in such a state of embarrassment, and his fellow disciples couldn't help but exchange smiles. They felt that Chen Shuangbai at this moment... seemed to have gained some humanity, and the distance between them and their own sect members had become closer.
[PS: Three chapters today! Still hoping for five-star reviews to improve the rating! Thank you, everyone! You can also send some gifts to support the author!]