Free and Easy Wandering

With nothing much to do at the Cangwu Tree Palace, Zhou Wuji spent his days practicing swordsmanship to pass the time.

True Person Zhihua would always guide Zhou Wuji on the essentials of Swordsmanship; she was a genuine swordsman with high cultivation.

In terms of Swordsmanship, he far surpasses Zhou Wuji.

With her careful guidance, Zhou Wuji gained a new understanding of the Northern Dipper Seven Star Sword as a whole, and also had a deeper understanding of the Swordsmanship he had learned.

But he was still a little uneasy. Would True Person Zhihua dislike the Tianxuan Sword, which he had upgraded to the minor completion level, or notice something was wrong?

After all, he mastered the Army-Breaking Sword technique very quickly; in just over three months, he had already reached perfection.

The Army-Breaking Sword is also the Foundation Establishment Swordsmanship of the Northern Dipper Seven Star Sword, requiring dual cultivation of sword and body, making it the most difficult to master.

The main reason is that he receives daily guidance on Swordsmanship from True Person Zhihua, True Person Zhihua can see his progress at a glance.

Fortunately, after killing a group of rebels, Sanliang still had a chance to survive.

After practicing for more than ten days, Zhou Wuji made a tough decision and invested three more life essences, forcibly pushing the Tianxuan Sword to the Great Completion Realm.

The Tianxuan Sword is drawn in a circular motion, and the Sword Qi can be drawn inward to conceal its aura. The Tianxuan Steps are even more capable of concealing one's whereabouts.

The Tianxuan Sword, combined with footwork, can be considered the most powerful defensive sword technique among the Northern Dipper Seven Star Sword.

Zhou Wuji elevated his Swordsmanship to a high level and Swordsmanship his own unique understanding of it.

The Tianxuan Sword's sword moves are circular, with the Sword Qi rotating, truly a first-rate and wondrous transformation, and it perfectly matches the illusory and fantastical nature of the Water Moon Sword.

It can be used not only for defense, but also for killing enemies.

He was indeed mediocre in Law Technique, but he did have some talent in swordsmanship.

He also mastered the Xiaoxiang Sword, Tianji Sword, and Army-Breaking Sword to perfection. Even though his cultivation level was at least Sixth Rank, his Swordsmanship was not as good Zhihua's, but it was not far behind.

In terms of subtle variations in Swordsmanship, he even surpasses True Person Zhihua.

With such a foundation, Zhou Wuji was able to integrate the Tianxuan Sword, which had reached its peak, into his own knowledge and combine it with all other Swordsmanship techniques.

For him, the Tianxuan Sword was more subtle and agile than the Tianji Sword and the Army-Breaking Sword, which greatly improved his sword skills.

The White Rainbow Sword spun lightly in the air, its agile sword light resembling a bright moon, illuminating the dark forest.

The moon formed from the sword light rippled in the air, and its reflection was faintly visible in the sword light.

"The sword's swirling motion is both ethereal and real; the Tianxuan Sword, when practiced to such a level, possesses the wondrous quality of the Water Moon reflected in water. While the Sword Qi transformations are still somewhat rough, they already display the grandeur of a master."

True Person Zhihua asked, "Is this sword the Xiaoxiang Swordsmanship?"

"It is precisely the Water Moon Sword from the Xiaoxiang Sword, where Water Moon reflect each other; the moon in the sky is high and distant, while the moon in the water is ethereal and fleeting, changing between reality and illusion as needed..."

Zhou Wuji briefly explained the essence of the Water Moon Sword, and naturally had nothing to hide from True Person Zhihua.

The Xiaoxiang Sword, created by his master, Daoist Yiyuan, was inspired by the ever-changing scenery and grand scale of the Xiaoxiang region.

He has mastered the Xiaoxiang Sword to perfection, far surpassing his master. He has gained his own understanding of the sword techniques Sword Intent, and it can be said that he has brought the Xiaoxiang Sword to its peak.

However, the fundamental spirit and essence of the Xiaoxiang Sword have not changed.

Zhou Wuji was also quite proud of the Xiaoxiang Sword. He incorporated the Northern Dipper Seven Star Sword into the Xiaoxiang Sword not just to conceal the traces of the Northern Dipper Seven Star Sword, but also because this transformation was more comfortable and natural, and easier to use.

"Your master's understanding of swordsmanship is truly profound."

True Person Zhihua sighed, then praised, "Your talent in Swordsmanship is exceptional; no one in the Upper Court can match you."

"Unfortunately, you are ultimately not a disciple of my lineage. No matter what you do, you can never learn the strongest technique in the Northern Dipper Seven Star Sword: the Northern Pole Sword."

Zhou Wuji sheathed his sword and said solemnly, "To be taught these three Swordsmanship by True Person is already an immeasurable benefit."

"As for the Northern Pole Sword, I have no such ambition."

True Person Zhihua then added, "Once you become the True Disciple disciple, you can learn the Northern Dipper Seven Star Sword at will, but don't be discouraged."

When the topic of the sect leader's True Disciple came up, Zhou Wuji couldn't help but ask, "True Person, what should I do when I go to the Upper Court?"

"Cultivate diligently and advance to the Fourth Rank. Once your cultivation reaches that level, you should at least be able to overpower other cultivators of Jingyang's generation. Only then will you be qualified to become a candidate for the sect leader's True Disciple."

True Person Zhihua said, "Jingyang is, after all, a prefecture city, with a population of nearly two million, and it governs an entire prefecture, where countless heroes and talents reside."

"Putting everything else aside, Lu Wuyuan of the Upper Court is Fourth Rank, Yan Wudong is only one step away from becoming Fourth Rank as well."

"And there's Shui Wuyou of the Greater Yin Cult, also Fourth Rank cultivator. Yue Wuying of the Lesser Yin Cult, although Fifth Rank cultivator, is not yet twenty years old. Her talent is astonishing."

"The strongest is Xinru from Dragon Elephant Temple. She is only twenty-four years old and is said to have already comprehended the wonders of Prajna. She is outstanding among the Fourth Rank."

"Such a person is rare even in Chu Province..."

True Person Zhihua gave a brief overview of Jingyang Commandery, and this was just a rough count of the most outstanding young people; there were many more powerful martial artists of the same age.

There are also shady sects that operate in the shadows, and they always have some powerful cultivators among them.

If you include the older generation of masters, the number becomes countless...

Zhou Wuji was prepared for this; the Fang Yue and the more people there are, the more talented people there will be, which is normal.

The fact that several of his peers were Fourth Rank experts still made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"How?"

True Person Zhihua asked Zhou Wuji with a smile, "Are you scared?"

"No, I'm actually quite pleased to hear that Jingyang is teeming with talented individuals and experts. Life is full of surprises and excitement when you can compete with these strong people."

Zhou Wuji was displeased, but his face remained calm and composed. His words were full of pride, as if he wanted to compete with all the heroes in the world.

True Person Zhihua greatly appreciated this. "This is how we cultivators should be."

"These geniuses had their talents confirmed by the age of seven, received specialized instruction from renowned masters, and took every step with absolute certainty. They also had various spiritual objects and elixirs to gradually and systematically strengthen their spirit and body, making their foundation hundreds or thousands of times stronger than that of ordinary cultivators."

"Although your cultivation level is slightly inferior right now, it's because they're a few steps ahead of you, so there's no need to rush..."

Zhou Wuji wholeheartedly agreed: getting fat first doesn't mean you're fat; getting fat later will make you collapse on the bed!

He possesses the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment; how can a bunch of guys who rely on their family background compare to him!

Zhou Wuji could no longer control the earth dragon that had penetrated deep underground; it was too far away, and he didn't have the Divine Sense.

He simply gave the earth dragon orders to retrieve the tree heart and bring it back to him.

Whether the earth dragon can complete the task is really hard to say.

The dimly lit Cangwu Tree Palace was quite boring, and Zhou Wuji couldn't spend all day practicing his sword.

When he had nothing to do, he would ask True Person Zhihua about the situation at Jingyang Upper Court and about the situation at his own court.

Zhou Wuji wasn't particularly curious about this, but he knew that people should communicate more, and verbal communication was the simplest, most direct, and most intimate form of communication.

People and dogs can develop feelings for each other after spending a lot of time together. Let alone people-to-people relationships.

He and True Person Zhihua stayed at the Cangwu Tree Palace, which was a valuable opportunity for him to get closer to them.

Of course, it's important to strike the right balance; you can't just ramble on and on about trivial things, which can be annoying.

Socializing upwards has always been troublesome, but fortunately True Person Zhihua is a free-spirited and generous person who doesn't adhere to many formalities.

Asking for advice on Swordsmanship and various other questions is a very mature teacher-student interaction model. True Person Zhihua can gain a sense of satisfaction as a teacher through such exchanges, and he can also gain knowledge.

In this process, a very good relationship was naturally established.

After all, spending dozens of days together in a dark forest is a very unique experience.

Zhou Wuji noticed that the True Person Zhihua read were mostly tales of the strange and supernatural, and the content of these books was mostly absurd and unbelievable.

Therefore, it seems that True Person Zhihua reads not for learning, but mainly to pass the time when he has nothing else to do.

For True Person Zhihua, the content of the book is as long as it is fresh and interesting; whether it is true or false is irrelevant.

Not just True Person Zhihua, most people like new and interesting things, but few people consider what's hidden inside them.

In order to gain the favor of True Person Zhihua and deepen their relationship, Zhou Wuji took the opportunity to recite a passage from Zhuangzi's "Free and Easy Wandering".

Although he had only casually skimmed through it in his previous life, now, with his powerful Divine Sense, he remembered all the contents of the entire text.

The Free and Easy Wandering's imagination is boundless and unrestrained, his writing is beautiful and grand, and it also contains philosophical reflections. He deleted some content, such as the section on officials.

"If one rides the true course of Heaven and Earth, and controls the transformations of the six qi, to roam the boundless realm, what would he need to rely on? Therefore it is said: The Perfected Person has no self, the divine man has no merit, the sage has no name..."

True Person Zhihua recited this passage, her expression shifted constantly. After a long period of contemplation, she asked, "Where did you learn this from?"

I read it in a book called "Zhuangzi".

Zhou Wuji waved his hand. "But the book is nowhere to be found..."

True Person Zhihua looked on with suspicion. She had read so many books, but she had never heard of "Zhuangzi".

The key point is that this passage directly addresses profound truths, which deeply resonated with her.

To place the profound truth within a small allegory—how much knowledge and cultivation would that require?

Once this book is published, it will surely become famous throughout the world!

She asked, "What do you think this passage means?"

Zhou Wuji said, "It should mean that a highly skilled cultivator should follow the natural order and not be attached to complicated and complex thoughts and external things, hence the terms 'selflessness,' 'no merit,' and 'no fame'..."

True Person Zhihua pondered for a while longer before saying earnestly, "I still can't quite grasp it, but this passage is truly excellent, revealing the ultimate truth of heaven and earth in the smallest details."

Zhou Wuji remained silent. He couldn't very well admit that he had written it himself. As for what True Person Zhihua thought, that was beyond his control.

This exchange will surely be remembered by True Person Zhihua, who will find him to be a very wise and extraordinary person, and that is enough.

True Person Zhihua truly admired the style of this piece of writing, so Zhou Wuji copied it down on paper, not forgetting to show off his Slender Gold Script.

The Slender Gold Script of calligraphy, with its inherent strength and elegance, is perfectly suited for recording the "Free and Easy Free and Easy Wandering).

The combination of text and calligraphy further enhances the charm of this piece.

True Person Zhihua was overjoyed and praised him lavishly.

She had always regarded Zhou Wuji as a junior, even though Zhou Wuji was very shrewd and calculating.

After this incident, Zhou Wuji's status in her heart was greatly elevated, and he was already a peer with whom she could discuss the Great Dao.

Zhou Wuji could clearly sense the change in True Person Zhihua's attitude. Of course, it wasn't the kind of affection between a man and a woman, but True Person Zhihua regarded him more as a friend than a junior member of the sect.

This rise in status proves that his efforts were not in vain.

On the thirty-seventh day after the earth dragon went deep underground, it finally burrowed back to the surface.

Looking at the fist-sized green bead that the earth dragon spat out, Zhou Wuji was overjoyed. This time, his efforts had not been in vain; he had finally succeeded!

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