Yang Shi turned and left, choosing not to lock horns with Meng Fan any further.
What Meng Fan did not know was that at this very moment, on the roof of the cultivation hall, a pair of old men were watching him while playing a game of chess.
"A 1st Layer of Qi Refinement cultivator crushing a 5th Layer one. It has been a long time since the Shushan Sword Sect has seen such an exceptional talent, hasn't it?"
"Below the 6th Layer of Qi Refinement, the gap isn't actually that vast. If one has achieved mastery in swordsmanship, fighting above one's level is not difficult."
"But one cannot deny that the gap between the 1st and 5th Layer of Qi Refinement is far from small!"
"It is indeed quite eye-catching, though it's a pity he only has a miscellaneous-grade Spiritual Root. His ceiling is very low."
"And what if he has a miscellaneous-grade Spiritual Root? The kid just struck twice, and both times he accurately grasped the flaws in his opponent's attacks. Especially when facing that first strike—he saw right through the opponent's sword technique entirely. This proves his comprehension is astonishing; it is highly likely he can compensate for the shortcomings and defects of a miscellaneous-grade Spiritual Root!"
"I don't rule out the possibility, but it’s difficult! By comparison, I value that girl, Li Xuerou, much more. She possesses a top-grade Spiritual Root and crushes others in every aspect!"
"You really have the nerve to compare a top-grade Spiritual Root with a miscellaneous-grade one."
***
Meng Fan was in no hurry to return to the Sword Pavilion. Since he was finally out, he decided to wander around a bit more.
A while later, he arrived at the Sword Enlightenment Hall of the Shushan Sword Sect.
The Sword Enlightenment Hall, also known as the Sword Testing Hall, was essentially a place to practice sword techniques. While the Cultivation Hall contained a small spirit-gathering array and was a precious site for practicing cultivation methods to increase one's power, the Sword Enlightenment Hall was where disciples of the Shushan Sword Sect went to practice and test their swordsmanship.
"Testing a sword" here meant sparring. Unlike the martial arts arena, sparring in the Sword Enlightenment Hall was meant to stop at the point of contact, focusing on exchanging pointers on sword techniques. It was a form of sparring, or rather, instruction. Over time, it had even become a place where low-level disciples could learn swordsmanship from higher-level ones, though sometimes a reward was required.
Upon arriving at the Sword Enlightenment Hall, Meng Fan was pleasantly surprised. Compared to the Cultivation Hall, he liked this place much better. Because the disciples here were all practicing and sparring, Meng Fan felt as if he had opened the door to a new world the moment he arrived.
With his "Sword Dao Divinity," he was like a fish in water here.
Once inside, Meng Fan saw numerous sword techniques. An ordinary person might find them dazzling and learn nothing unless they focused on studying one single technique, but Meng Fan was different. His supreme talent, "Sword Dao Divinity," gave him a terrifying aptitude for grasping the creation and evolution of the Sword Dao. To his eyes, every sword technique practiced by these disciples was like an immaculate, breathtaking woman, laid bare for him to behold. He began to absorb this knowledge of the Sword Dao frantically.
Meng Fan sat quietly in a corner, watching the disciples practice. Sword technique after sword technique was rehearsed and deduced within his mind. He could see the flaws and defects in their movements and then perfect and repair them within his own consciousness.
It was absurd. Even a senior with an extremely high level of attainment in the Sword Dao could usually only master a few, or perhaps a dozen, sword techniques at most. Someone like Meng Fan, who could reach the "introductory" level of any technique at a glance and achieve "mastery" after a bit of reflection, was a rare phoenix feather and unicorn horn—no, not rare, he was the only one in the entire world!
Meng Fan sat in the corner for two full hours. Inside the hall, it wasn't long before someone noticed this oddball. Everyone came to the Sword Enlightenment Hall to practice or spar. While some did observe others to learn, sitting in a corner and staring unblinkingly for two hours straight was quite unusual.
A female disciple practicing directly in front of Meng Fan eventually became unhappy. She misunderstood Meng Fan’s intent, thinking he had been staring at her the whole time, which made her feel awkward. She even began to think Meng Fan was a lecher using this as an excuse to ogle her. Watching for a small while was one thing, but two hours? What young lady could tolerate that?
Unable to bear it any longer, she walked up to Meng Fan and said coldly, "You, get up!"
"Me?" Meng Fan pointed at himself, standing up in surprise. Why was someone calling him out? He was quite bewildered.
"Am I pretty?" the woman stared at him coldly.
The question left Meng Fan stunned. What was this? But since she had asked, he answered politely. After all, it was his first time here, and he didn't want to cause trouble; he was being perfectly well-behaved.
"Even if I am pretty, you had no reason to stare at me from behind for two hours! That is very rude!" the woman said with a frigid expression.
*Er...* Meng Fan widened his eyes. This could be a misunderstanding, too? Was she a narcissist? He explained awkwardly, "Miss, you’ve misunderstood. I wasn't looking at you; I was watching everyone practice their sword techniques."
The woman sneered, "Watching everyone practice? If you were watching everyone, why did you have to sit right behind me for two hours?"
How could he explain this? It seemed that no matter how he explained it, it would just sound like a mess. He had been sitting in a corner, and the trouble had fallen from the sky.
"Miss, you really have misunderstood. I wasn't looking at you; I was just watching everyone practice." He denied it three times, but it didn't seem convincing.
"Excuses are just cover-ups! Since you claim you were watching everyone practice, you’ve been here long enough—it's time for you to show your own skills. Why not spar with me?" She wanted to teach this lecher a lesson.
Meng Fan sighed helplessly, "Miss, this really isn't necessary."
The woman sneered, "Guilty? If you say you weren't peeping at me and were watching everyone practice, then you must have seen me practice my sword technique, too. If you can perform the technique I just practiced, I will believe you!"
A wry smile appeared on Meng Fan's face. Actually, that wasn't difficult.
"Fine." Meng Fan agreed; he didn't refuse because it was an easy problem to solve. Since it was easy, there was no need to be stubborn and let her continue to misunderstand him.
"If I can perform the sword technique you just practiced, you must apologize to me and admit that it was a misunderstanding," Meng Fan said, sounding resigned.
"No problem. I'll see how long you can keep up this bluff," the woman retorted with a mocking look. In her eyes, this sleazy guy couldn't possibly perform her technique. Her technique was extremely difficult to learn; even with dedicated practice, it would take ten days and nights just to gain a basic grasp. Even if this guy had really been watching her, he couldn't have learned it. She proposed this request purely to make things difficult and embarrass him.
***
Unfortunately for her, she had met Meng Fan. From this point on, she would learn that there truly were geniuses in this world!
"What is the name of the sword technique you just practiced?" Meng Fan asked.
"The Azure Sea Tide-Rising Sword."
Meng Fan nodded, committing the name to memory. He had watched many people in the hall and learned much, but had not known the names of their techniques.
"Your technique looks gentle and weak, but it is continuous, one link after another. It has the ability to use four ounces to move a thousand pounds, to win against the strong with the weak. You only need to draw your opponent into the rhythm of your technique, and they will gradually be controlled by you and fall into defeat. However, when you wielded your sword just now, there was a major flaw: your speed was too slow!"
"This type of technique requires a seamless, airtight connection of strike after strike. You must combine that gentleness with the speed of a gale-force storm to catch the opponent off guard."
Meng Fan picked up a wooden sword from the rack, drew it, and set the scabbard aside. "Miss, your sword is too slow."
With that, Meng Fan began to practice. The wooden sword in his hand moved like a fleeting vision—swift and fluid. The eight stances of the Azure Sea Tide-Rising Sword were executed by Meng Fan like flowing water. There was almost no difference from the moves the woman had used; if anything, the details were even more optimized. Most importantly, Meng Fan’s sword was fast—strike after strike, airtight and dazzling to the eye.
The woman standing beside him was completely dumbstruck, her mouth agape.
A moment later, Meng Fan stopped and looked at her quietly. "Miss, are you satisfied with this performance?"
It took a long time for the woman to snap out of it. She stared at him blankly, "Have you learned the Azure Sea Tide-Rising Sword before?"
Before Meng Fan could answer, she muttered to herself, "No, that’s impossible. You couldn't have had access to the Azure Sea Tide-Rising Sword!" She frowned fiercely, staring at Meng Fan, truly questioning reality. If he had learned this technique to such a level just by watching her practice a few times, it would be a fantasy—an impossibility.
"Who exactly are you?" she asked coldly. At this moment, she didn't care if he had been peeping; she was far more curious about why he knew her technique.
Meng Fan replied, "I am Meng Fan, a Sword-Guard disciple of the Sword Pavilion. May I ask how to address you?"
"Sword Pavilion?" Hearing those words, the woman couldn't help but look at him with renewed surprise. "I am Liu Yanping, an inner-sect disciple." Since he had introduced himself, she couldn't hide her identity either.
Meng Fan nodded slightly, showing no particular reaction. He had never heard that name before, let alone met her.
"Have you studied the Azure Sea Tide-Rising Sword?" Liu Yanping asked, frowning.
"No."
"Then how do you know this technique?"
"I just watched you practice it and followed the gourd to draw the scoop."
"Nonsense!" Liu Yanping glared at him, her chest heaving with anger. Just by watching, he couldn't have achieved that; even a Sword Immortal descending from the heavens couldn't do such a thing. But since things were as they were, she didn't press the matter. Though she was a woman, she knew how to lose. Since Meng Fan had fulfilled her challenge perfectly, she couldn't keep being unreasonable.
Most importantly, his critique earlier, combined with the demonstration he just performed, had truly cleared her mind like a splash of cold water. She now had a much clearer understanding and direction for the Azure Sea Tide-Rising Sword. Liu Yanping smiled wryly. Truth be told, she should have thanked him. If she continued to pester him, it would be too much.
"Miss, if there is nothing else, I will continue to observe," Meng Fan said. He moved to a different corner, quite far from her, and continued to watch the disciples.
Liu Yanping, however, began to watch Meng Fan secretly. Without a doubt, she was interested in him. This was natural, as Meng Fan’s display had been uncanny. She didn't believe he hadn't seen the technique before, but even if he had, how could a 1st Layer outer-sect disciple reach such a level of mastery? She was also curious about him being a Sword-Guard at the Sword Pavilion—a place filled with mystery, especially its upper floors, which were practically restricted areas.
Driven by curiosity, she spied on him, only to find that Meng Fan was truly just observing others intently. It baffled her. What was the use of watching others? If it were a master, perhaps they could see some depth, but a 1st Layer outer-sect disciple? Without oral instructions or a cultivation manual, just watching? If one could learn a sword technique like that, would there be any need for secret manuals?
She shook her head, thinking the guy was a bit neurotic. Once she was sure he wasn't doing anything else, she lost interest. She couldn't see anything worth noting.
Not until the sun set did Meng Fan reluctantly rise and leave the Sword Enlightenment Hall. The Sword Pavilion was about to close, and he had to return.
Back at the Sword Pavilion, Senior Brother Luo told Meng Fan to lock the main gate and then paid him no more mind. He never asked where Meng Fan had been; he didn't care. Not asking was his way of giving Meng Fan enough freedom.
"You kid, you haven't wiped a single sword today, have you? Don't forget your daily duties!" Senior Brother Luo did not forget to give a reminder.
Meng Fan nodded. He had indeed not wiped a single sword today, so he set to work immediately. He hadn't felt much effect in the Cultivation Hall, so he had to work hard here to absorb the warm currents. Meng Fan didn't know what those warm currents flowing from the sword bodies into his abdomen were, so he silently named them "Sword Essence."
Every time he drew a sword, he absorbed a wisp of Sword Essence. Consuming this during cultivation increased his speed. For a Sword-Guard, this task was perfect!
Meng Fan wiped the swords diligently, intending to finish forty before returning to his room. He had calculated that the Sword Essence from forty ordinary swords was enough to support his cultivation for an entire night. Of course, this applied to ordinary swords. If it were a Spiritual Sword, one might be worth ten or even a hundred ordinary ones. But Meng Fan didn't dare touch a Spiritual Sword yet; the memory of the "Hongqi" was still fresh in his mind. He had been lucky last time that it hadn't been determined to harm him, but he couldn't count on luck every time.
Strength was the ultimate truth. Once he grew stronger, he would consider touching Spiritual Swords again.
When Meng Fan was wiping the twenty-sixth sword, a long-lost Sword Vengeance appeared. The probability of an ordinary sword containing such vengeance was low, but by wiping forty swords at once, the chances increased.
[Sword Name: Copper Mountain.]
The moment Meng Fan touched the blade, a surge of Sword Vengeance rushed into his body. As expected, his "Sword Dao Divinity" activated, beginning to refine the vengeance.
A scene appeared in Meng Fan's mind. Such swords, while not spiritual, were imbued with a trace of spirit. Every sword held its own "memory." In this memory, Meng Fan saw a young man holding the Copper Mountain sword, practicing the same single move over and over again—a simple, vertical chop.
In the memory, the boy practiced this move endlessly. Time flowed like water; while it passed slowly in the memory, only a second had passed in the reality of the Sword Pavilion. Meng Fan watched as the boy performed the move countless times, eventually growing into a young man, never giving up.
Meng Fan frowned, confused. It was just a simple vertical chop, nothing special, not even a true sword move. Even a three-year-old could do it with a wooden sword. But his intuition told him it wasn't that simple. The memories contained within Sword Vengeance were always precious and vital. This chop was bound to have a transformative change.
Soon, the man in the memory had grown into a middle-aged man. Then, on one specific day, the man performed the same chop as always. But this time, it was different! As the sword fell, ripples spread through the void. This mundane strike underwent a heaven-shaking transformation.
Sword Intent? No. It was Sword Momentum!
The middle-aged man’s strike had invoked the power of heaven and earth, faintly containing the profound mysteries of the universe. He had unified the sword with heaven and earth, stealing the creation of the world to condense Sword Momentum! Decades of repeating the same strike had finally borne fruit.
"Sword Momentum—Mountain Cleaver!"
Before the memory ended, Meng Fan heard a weathered voice.
[Mountain Cleaver.]
Meng Fan opened his eyes, shock in his gaze. He had actually witnessed "Sword Momentum" from an ordinary sword. Although he had encountered seemingly ordinary swords before that turned out to be the weapons of supreme experts, he was still incredibly shocked. The Sword Pavilion of the Shushan Sword Sect was simply absurd. How many famous, strange, or treacherous swords did this small pavilion contain? And this was only the first floor! How many terrifying weapons lay on the second, third, and fourth?
In truth, Meng Fan was simply reaping rewards. Whether it was the [White Night], [Black Wind], or the [Copper Mountain] in his hand, they were all treasures. From the [White Night], once held by the Marquis of Eternal Night, he had learned the Extreme Sword-Drawing Technique. From the [Black Wind], held by Li Qingyun, Sect Master of the Wuji Sword Sect, he had obtained a seed of the Taishang Emotion-Severing Sword Intent.