Chapter 395: Practicing Sword Techniques
The second round of the examination lasted three days, so all students had to remain within the Holy Academy to comprehend the sword techniques.
Only after the examination ended could they leave.
Time quickly passed by two days.
Xu Hai stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze cold and sharp as he patrolled the examination grounds. He asked Nie Wenlong, "Which sword has Xu Canglan cultivated to now?"
Nie Wenlong's expression was solemn. "Reporting to senior brother, the eighth sword."
Xu Hai nodded with satisfaction. "Xu Canglan is the second-strongest expert of this generation from the Xu Holy Clan. His attainments in the Sword Dao are extremely high, and he has long since reached the pinnacle realm of the sword following the heart. Seven days ago, I obtained the mental technique and oral formula for the Thirteen Soul-Chasing Swords from our master and gave them to him. He has not disappointed me. The eighth sword—very good."
The person presiding over the second round of the Sword Dao Department's examination was Xu Hai's master, Lingyuan Half-Saint.
The Thirteen Soul-Chasing Swords were also a sword technique martial art created by Lingyuan Half-Saint seven days earlier.
As a genius of the Xu Holy Clan and a disciple of Lingyuan Half-Saint, Xu Hai had obtained the mental technique and oral formula for the Thirteen Soul-Chasing Swords seven days ago and had passed them on to Xu Canglan, the second-greatest genius of this generation in the Xu Holy Clan.
Thus, before the Holy Academy examination even began, Xu Canglan had already spent seven days comprehending the mental technique and oral formula, having studied the Thirteen Soul-Chasing Swords almost thoroughly.
Now, he only needed to practice the sword moves, integrating them with the mental technique, to successfully cultivate this set of sword techniques.
After spending two days, Xu Canglan had already successfully cultivated seven swords and had begun practicing the eighth.
"With one day left, Xu Canglan should be able to successfully cultivate the tenth sword. The Sword Heart Pill is already within my grasp."
Thinking of this, a slight curve appeared at the corner of Xu Hai's mouth.
The reason he had told Xu Canglan the oral formula for the Thirteen Soul-Chasing Swords in advance was, of course, so that Xu Canglan could take first place in the second round of the examination and win the Sword Heart Pill for him.
Twenty years ago, Xu Hai had already reached the pinnacle realm of the sword following the heart. His Sword Dao cultivation grew deeper and deeper, yet he could never condense a Sword Heart Intent.
Therefore, he absolutely had to obtain the Sword Heart Pill to break through to the realm of Sword Heart Illumination.
As long as tomorrow passed, the Sword Heart Pill would be his.
Nie Wenlong stared in Zhang Ruochen's direction. "Senior Brother Xu Hai, Zhang Ruochen has reached the realm of Sword Heart Illumination. His speed in cultivating sword techniques will certainly be very fast. He might become a formidable opponent for Xu Canglan."
Xu Hai snorted coldly, a hint of disdain flashing across his face. "No matter how high his realm is, there are only three days. He is just a mortal, not a Saint. How could he possibly cultivate the sword technique so quickly? Haven't you seen? He is still comprehending the mental technique and hasn't even started practicing the sword yet!"
Cultivating a sword technique was divided into two parts: comprehending the mental technique and practicing the sword moves.
The mental technique included the coordination of footwork, the circulation of true qi, and the essential principles of the sword technique.
Only after fully comprehending these three aspects could one begin practicing the sword moves.
The purpose of practicing the sword moves was to integrate the sword technique with the martial artist's footwork and the method of using true qi within their body.
The sword technique and the martial artist would form a single entity, reaching a state of effortless mastery.
When you struck, you wouldn't need to think; the sword technique would already be unleashed, killing your enemy beneath the blade.
For example, if Zhang Ruochen had cultivated a certain sword technique in his previous life, he would have to cultivate it again in this life for the sword technique to integrate with this new body, reaching the realm of effortless mastery, or even the realm of Sword Heart Illumination.
In other words, only by cultivating the sword technique until it became a part of the body—like hands, feet, eyes, or nose—could one reach the realm of effortless mastery.
Only by cultivating the sword technique to the point where the physical body and the soul merged could one reach the realm of Sword Heart Illumination.
If one could not achieve this, then the sword moves they cultivated would forever be mere empty forms, making them nothing more than a brute, unable to become a true swordsman.
Just as Xu Hai finished speaking, Zhang Ruochen, who had been sitting cross-legged on the ground, suddenly began practicing the sword moves.
Using his hand as a sword, Zhang Ruochen pointed out with one finger, and instantly seven hand shadows appeared, spreading out like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, striking seven points in the void.
"Pop! Pop!"
Seven consecutive air explosions sounded, like the tips of seven swords striking a stone wall.
"Senior Brother Xu Hai, Zhang Ruochen has started practicing the sword moves. He just executed the first sword of the Thirteen Soul-Chasing Swords, 'Soul-Slaying Seven Killers.'" Nie Wenlong said.
Xu Hai's expression darkened, and he immediately turned to look at Zhang Ruochen.
It was already the last day. Not just Zhang Ruochen, but the other students were also standing up and beginning to practice the sword moves.
After executing the first move, Zhang Ruochen sat back down cross-legged like a rock, motionless, without continuing to practice.
"I didn't expect that after reaching the realm of Sword Heart Illumination, by merely comprehending the mental technique and oral formula, one can practice the sword moves in the mind using the Sword Heart Intent, and still achieve the Great Perfection realm."
Earlier, Zhang Ruochen had been practicing the first move, "Soul-Slaying Seven Killers," in his mind. He had just tried it and, surprisingly, succeeded.
Zhang Ruochen continued to enjoy this mysterious realm.
Within his Qi Sea, the Sword Heart Intent took human form and began practicing the second move, "Soul-Breaking Wind Listener."
In the distance, Nie Wenlong saw Zhang Ruochen motionless and frowned. "What is that kid doing? He only executed one move and then stopped moving again. There's only one day left, and he still hasn't started practicing the sword moves?"
Xu Hai gave a cold, mocking smile. "Don't worry about him. He's probably too arrogant, wanting to fully comprehend the mental technique and oral formula for all thirteen sword moves before starting to practice the sword moves. Unfortunately, he doesn't have that much time left."
Having not reached Sword Heart Illumination themselves, they naturally wouldn't understand the mystery of Sword Heart Illumination. They had no idea that Zhang Ruochen had already fully comprehended the oral formulas for all thirteen sword moves and was now practicing the sword moves in his mind.
In another direction, Xu Canglan of the Xu Holy Clan had already successfully cultivated the eighth sword and had begun practicing the ninth.
"How is that student from the Xu Holy Clan so formidable? He has already successfully cultivated eight swords. Does he have such high talent?"
Duanmu Xingling was very unconvinced, her round, starry eyes fixed tightly on Xu Canglan's direction.
On the Chaotic Saint Ladder, Duanmu Xingling had fought Xu Canglan and didn't think he was all that impressive. At least, if she released her sealed cultivation, she could easily cross two realms and defeat Xu Canglan.
But now, she had been fully focused on comprehending the Thirteen Soul-Chasing Swords and had only successfully cultivated seven swords.
Could it be that a genius student from the Xu Holy Clan had higher comprehension than her, a Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect?
"There must be a problem. I don't believe his comprehension is really that high."
Duanmu Xingling was very unwilling to accept this and continued to focus fully on comprehending the sword techniques, striving to surpass Xu Canglan. If he surpassed her, it would be too embarrassing.
Three days finally came to an end.
On this day, the chief examiner, Lingyuan Half-Saint, personally arrived and took the highest seat.
Beside Lingyuan Half-Saint floated a jade lotus platform, upon which sat Lingshu Half-Saint, who was only three inches tall. She was dressed in red robes, carrying a sword on her back, and was hidden within a cloud of white mist, like a divine maiden from the celestial realm.
Although Lingshu Half-Saint was not old, she was a disciple of Dean Xuanji. Her status within the Holy Academy was even higher than Lingyuan Half-Saint's.
Even Lingyuan Half-Saint treated her with great respect and dared not be negligent.
All the students who had applied for the Sword Dao Department stepped onto the martial performance stage one after another, doing their utmost to display the sword techniques they had comprehended, striving to show their best performance.
If they could catch the eye of a Half-Saint and become a Half-Saint's successor, they would rise to prominence in a single step.
The first student to step onto the martial performance stage was a young woman with cultivation at the initial stage of the Heavenly Extreme Realm.
"Soul-Slaying Seven Killers."
"Soul-Breaking Wind Listener."
"Soul-Settling Shadow Stand."
The young woman tried to execute the fourth move but failed.
However, successfully cultivating three sword moves was barely enough to pass, allowing her to get through the second round of the examination.
The second student to step onto the martial performance stage had cultivation at the Small Extreme Position of the Heavenly Extreme Realm. Among the students participating in this Holy Academy examination, he could be considered a top-tier expert.
But he failed, having only barely cultivated two sword moves, and ultimately could not enter the Holy Academy.
"He was able to reach the Small Extreme Position of the Heavenly Extreme Realm before the age of thirty-five, which shows his talent is already quite high. Unfortunately, his comprehension in the Sword Dao is very poor, and he didn't meet the Holy Academy's enrollment requirements."
Many people felt regret for him, while also lamenting that the Holy Academy's threshold was too high. Even top-tier geniuses could be weeded out.
In the subsequent tests, more than seventy percent of the students managed to practice at least three sword moves and passed the examination.
Twenty percent of the students could only practice two sword moves.
Less than ten percent could only practice one sword move.
Among them, three to five people couldn't even practice a single sword move.
Nevertheless, this still showed that the quality of the students coming to participate in the Holy Academy examination was indeed very high. They were all elites selected through layers of screening.
If ordinary Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artists with average talent were to cultivate such a profound sword technique martial art as the Thirteen Soul-Chasing Swords, not to mention three days, even if given thirty days, they might not be able to successfully cultivate even one of the sword moves.
Practicing the sword moves also revealed the varying levels of comprehension among the students.
In the front, nearly a thousand students had practiced their sword moves. Among them, about seven hundred could practice three sword moves. About eighty could practice four sword moves. Only ten had practiced five sword moves.
Not a single one had practiced six sword moves.
Only one successor from a Saintly Clan had practiced seven sword moves, which was already the best result.
"He actually practiced seven sword moves. I didn't expect that among those Saintly Clans, there would be a genius with such high comprehension." Duanmu Xingling glanced at Huang Yanchen. "Chen Jie, how many swords have you successfully cultivated?"
"Five swords," Huang Yanchen said.
In terms of comprehension, Huang Yanchen could only be considered top-tier, not at the heaven-defying level.
Comprehending seven swords in three days was at the heaven-defying level. Even in the eyes of those Half-Saints, it was a remarkable achievement.
(There is still one more chapter.)