Chapter 60: Slow Blade Painting

Beacon Fire Alarms the Vassals

Was that old man in the sheepskin robe the former Sword God, Li Chungang? To Xu Fengnian, this was both unexpected and yet entirely logical. Recalling Xu Xiao's assessment in the Tidal Listening Pavilion, coupled with the vivid images of the water sword string and the umbrella sword, all of which had been profoundly shocking, Xu Fengnian believed Jiang Ni's unrestrained talk, thinking it could only be Li Chungang. Even a skinny old crane is incomparable to chickens and ducks covering the ground. What if he lost to Wang Xianzhi and had his 'Wooden Horse Ox' broken? This one-armed old man still shattered the Talisman General's Red Armor with a single finger. If he were given a sharp sword again, what level of sword intent would he possess?

Xu Fengnian's leg had been hit no less than a hundred times by Jiang Ni using a priceless ancient fire-clay inkstone. He frowned and said, "Keep hitting, and my leg will be fine, but your Uncle Jiang Taiya's treasure will be ruined. You wasteful girl might not feel sorry, but I do."

Xu Fengnian stretched his neck, picked up his twin blades, Xiu Dong and Chun Lei, and walked into the courtyard. Jiang Ni, holding the secret manual, stood in the corridor, reluctant to leave, lamenting that 'one character a coin' meant she had earned several taels of silver less than usual today. Xu Fengnian focused his mind and gathered his breath, drew Chun Lei, and mimicking the old Sword God's posture of holding an umbrella as if it were a sword, thrust it towards the ground. However, he merely embedded Chun Lei into the flagstone, completely devoid of any sword intent. Xu Fengnian thrust it a dozen more times, failing to grasp the method, then squatted on the ground, silent.

The patterns on the Talisman General's Red Armor could be copied, but secretly learning this sword intent was as hard as ascending to heaven.

It was truly a pity that Jiang Ni, with her strong sense of justice, wasn't a hero dedicated to eliminating evil and bringing peace. She indignantly exclaimed, "How shameless, stealing from others!"

Xu Fengnian closed his eyes and slowed his movements, making them incredibly, incredibly slow. So slow that he could feel the flow of vital energy gathering in his right arm holding the blade, even sensing the slightest tremor in his muscles. Then, fusing with the blade itself, it finally concentrated into a single point at the tip.

On Mount Wudang, the one riding the ox taught him an unknown circling boxing method, whose initial breakdown of movements was as gentle as flowing clouds and water. Xu Fengnian practiced fast saber techniques, and thus the 'Sixty-Year Sword Practice Records of Green Water Pavilion' he read on the mountain all focused on swordplay. Although saber practice sought speed, he also knew that slow saber was more difficult. Only by completely forgetting speed and slowness, swiftness and gentleness, could one eventually have no techniques in mind, only a single thought and intention. When thought led to action, whether it was a saber strike or a sword thrust, there would be no more hesitation.

However, these were all concepts as elusive as a castle in the air, leaving almost no trace. How many martial artists in the world had practiced hundreds of thousands of saber strikes and millions of sword thrusts to achieve this realm?

When the blade tip was just an inch from the ground, Xu Fengnian suddenly exerted force.

It was still just a simple strike.

Xu Fengnian felt a bit regretful, murmuring, "Too hasty."

Getting up, he put Chun Lei back, stretched, and self-deprecatingly remarked, "No rush, no rush. As Old Huang says, you have to eat your meal one bite at a time."

Jiang Ni, who had expected something to happen, found it was merely much ado about nothing and pouted. Seeing her expression, Xu Fengnian chuckled, "Laughing at me? You, the heroine who is about to learn swordsmanship from the Sword God and aspires to become the next Sword God, why don't you try lifting my saber? Forget Xiu Dong; even this three-catty Chun Lei—if you can hold it horizontally with one arm for the duration of an incense stick, I'll consider you to have read ten thousand characters."

Compared to green bamboo, she still preferred the graceful plantain trees, with their spreading branches and tall, draping shade. Weren't there many here?

Before Yu Youwei approached, Xu Fengnian, who had switched the brush from his left hand to his right, asked with a smile, "Is something the matter?"

Yu Youwei softly replied, "To look at the plantain trees."

Xu Fengnian paused, then teased, "Changing courtyards isn't an option; all my belongings are here. However, if you like looking at plantain trees, I can have those large clumps in this courtyard pulled up and moved to fill yours. How about that?"

Yu Youwei, blushing with indignation, said, "Fine."

Xu Fengnian snapped his fingers, and the elusive Azure Bird appeared beside Yu Youwei. Xu Fengnian said with a smirk, "Have someone move the plantain trees."

Yu Youwei indignantly turned around after saying, "No need." Even Wu Meiniang lazily stretched out her paws. From the side, her paws glided over the rounded curve of Yu Youwei's chest. Xu Fengnian, who unfortunately caught sight of this alluring scene, became somewhat entranced.

Xu Fengnian waved his hand, and Azure Bird withdrew. Then he called out to Yu Youwei, smiling, "Come, let's both grind ink."

Yu Youwei asked, puzzled, "Hm?"

Xu Fengnian pointed a finger at the famous Huanglu inkstone on the table and said, "You grind this one."

Then, pointing to Yu Youwei's chest and making a back-and-forth grinding gesture, Xu Fengnian mischievously chuckled, "I'll grind this one."

Yu Youwei's face flushed crimson as she indignantly cried, "Pervert!"

Watching Yu Youwei flee in a rush, Xu Fengnian leaned back in his chair. There was no trace of lust in his eyes; he narrowed his beautiful phoenix eyes. He turned his head to look out the window at the sparse stars and bright moon after the rain, wondering, "Where is Xu Xiao now?"