Chapter 62

Chapter 62

The Path of Heaven and Man, Rivers of Blood

Lu Chengfeng moved quickly. Upon returning to Bixia Peak, he immediately informed Luo Suyi and Qiutong about the move.

Fortunately, there weren’t many people on the mountain now, so packing was relatively simple. Lu Chengfeng personally explained the situation to Qiutong, and she agreed.

The group from Bixia Peak moved to Black Crane Peak that very day. The Hall of Encounters had many vacant rooms, providing ample space for everyone.

Although it wasn’t their own home and felt unfamiliar and inconvenient, Lu Chengfeng insisted, and Luo Suyi and Qiutong had no choice but to comply.

Li Mofeng had been sent down the mountain by Lu Chengfeng to the Su family in Jiangnan and hadn’t returned yet. Luo Yong had been dispatched to the town at the foot of the mountain to gather information and wasn’t currently residing within the sect.

After arranging all the miscellaneous matters, Lu Chengfeng spent almost every day with Zhu Yuxian, seeking her guidance.

The longer he cultivated, the more questions he had. Gaining the legacies of the three elders had given him a deeper understanding of the Martial World, martial arts, and the righteous sects, but it also raised more questions and confusion.

“Master, the longer I cultivate, the more doubts I have. May I ask, Master, what exactly is Sword Intent?”

Zhu Yuxian sat cross-legged, her beautiful curves hidden beneath a loose red silk robe embroidered with golden phoenixes, exuding dignity and elegance.

“The fact that you can ask this question shows that you’ve reached a certain level in both internal and external cultivation. Your martial arts skills have reached a refined state, and you’re starting to explore the deeper mysteries of the martial path.”

“Sword Intent is not something that can be cultivated solely through techniques.”

“Sword Intent is the cultivator’s true heart, their pursuit of the Dao, the truth engraved in their soul.”

“Only by adhering to one’s true heart can the will become pure and flawless, allowing it to penetrate both the internal and external, refining essence, Qi, and spirit, and achieving the pure and focused Sword Intent.”

Lu Chengfeng still had doubts.

“But as far as I know, the Sword Intents cultivated by the elders of the five peaks are diverse: Wind and Thunder, Water and Fire, Yin and Yang, Life and Death, Bearing the Weight of All Things, and Concealing the Dragon in the Abyss. Are all of these considered one’s true heart?”

Zhu Yuxian explained, “The path of martial arts is divided into the Way of Heaven and the Way of Humanity. The Way of Heaven seeks the truth of the natural world, exploring its mysteries and integrating them into one’s martial arts, comprehending the Dao of Heaven and Earth, and pursuing transcendence.”

“The Daoist lineage follows this path of cultivation, and in the current world, most sects and aristocratic families also walk this path.”

“Elements like water, fire, wind, thunder, mountains, rivers, and lightning, when integrated into martial arts and achieving true understanding, represent the Way of Heaven.”

She paused slightly.

“The essence of the Five Elements contained within the Five Elements Convergence Sword Scripture also belongs to the Way of Heaven.”

“Besides the Way of Heaven, there’s also the Way of Humanity. The Way of Humanity doesn’t rely on external pursuits but explores the inner treasures within the human body, seeking the realm of the mind and its sublimation.”

“The timid and fearful can rise up and kill when faced with life-and-death situations. The outnumbered can fight bravely, unleashing their potential and sweeping away their enemies.”

“The human body has limits, but the power of the mind is boundless. Human emotions and desires contain inconceivable power. Once unleashed, they can manifest strength far beyond the physical limitations of the body.”

“Thus, there are those who, consumed by love, neglect their sword for ten years, but upon the death of their beloved, unleash a sword strike that shakes the heavens, bringing down blood rain and slaying all their enemies.”

“There are those whose sects are destroyed, their hearts consumed by rage, who chase their enemies for three hundred miles, burning them to ashes with their fury.”

“There’s even the supreme demonic skill, the ‘Heaven and Earth Yin Yang Great Sorrow Scripture.’ Comprehending this technique can cause even heaven and earth to grieve, often leading to the practitioner’s self-destruction.”

“This is the Way of Humanity!”

Lu Chengfeng suddenly felt enlightened.

“I see. So, condensing Sword Intent also has a distinction between Heaven and Humanity. That’s why there are so many variations.”

Zhu Yuxian nodded.

“Swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, forks, or even fists, palms, and fingers – martial arts cultivation isn’t limited to swords, and what’s condensed isn’t necessarily Sword Intent. It can be called Martial Intent.”

“Daoist cultivators also refer to the natural principles they comprehend from heaven and earth as Dao Rhymes.”

“In the past, those who sought to understand the Heavenly Dao and become Daoists pursued detachment from the world and longevity.”

“But those who killed in anger, defied the law with martial might, and upheld justice with courage, seeking inner peace, were called martial artists.”

“However, three hundred years ago, the world was unified under the Great Chu Dynasty. They collected the knowledge of various schools, merging the Daoist and martial paths, and established the thirty-six levels of martial arts cultivation, ushering in an era of martial arts prosperity.”

Lu Chengfeng couldn’t help but nod. Although Li Guan’s martial arts skills were profound, many of his memories were fragmented. Despite receiving his legacy, Lu Chengfeng understood some things but not the underlying principles.

Now, with Zhu Yuxian’s guidance, he suddenly gained a deeper understanding.

“You have exceptional talent. The Five Elements essence within you is abundant, and your yin and yang energies are balanced. A faint celestial light shines through your crown. This is a sign of extraordinary potential, qualifying you to pursue the path of Heaven and Man.”

“The so-called Heaven and Man is one who controls the principles of Heaven with the human heart, thereby possessing various inconceivable divine abilities, like an Earthly Immortal. The legendary Sword Immortals and deities in folklore are mostly Heaven and Man realm experts.”

“Although the supreme techniques of the five peaks in our sect are impressive, they don’t lead to the Heaven and Man realm. The Five Elements Convergence Sword Scripture, though incomplete, has a lofty ambition, laying the foundation for Heaven and Man from the very beginning.”

“That’s why I advised you to condense your Sword Intent with this technique. This is the true path to transcendence.”

A teacher’s role is to impart the Dao, teach skills, and resolve doubts.

Since moving to Black Crane Peak, Lu Chengfeng had been shamelessly seeking Zhu Yuxian’s guidance every day. She, in turn, answered all his questions and provided dedicated instruction. Finally, they started to resemble a true master and disciple.

Lu Chengfeng benefited greatly. Although his martial arts skills didn’t improve dramatically overnight, his understanding of martial arts became clearer, and his foundation grew more solid.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

After answering Lu Chengfeng’s questions one day, Zhu Yuxian took out a stack of letters and said,

“These are some of the letters I exchanged with my late husband. They contain his understanding of the principles of Heaven and the human heart. If you can carefully comprehend them, you will surely gain something.”

Lu Chengfeng carefully accepted the letters. Just from the yellowed paper, he could tell they were quite old. His master had kept them well, clearly treasuring them.

Her willingness to lend them to him now showed her sincerity.

Although there had been some misunderstandings at the beginning of their master-disciple relationship, after spending more time together, he found that Zhu Yuxian was genuinely straightforward. Her joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness were all expressed openly and naturally.

‘Perhaps this is the Way of Humanity that Master walks, related to her Sword Intent.’

Lu Chengfeng speculated.

After he put away the letters, Zhu Yuxian slowly stood up. Her long, flowing robe trailed on the ground, and a cold expression appeared on her celestial face.

“They’ve finally come!”

Her gaze seemed to pierce through the palace walls, seeing beyond the mountain gate.

Outside the Cloud Firmament Sword Sect, three groups of mounted warriors suddenly appeared. Each group numbered in the hundreds, totaling over a thousand people, all skilled in martial arts.

They charged into the mountain from different directions, killing anyone they encountered. The disciples guarding the mountain and those on patrol were no match for them, and in the blink of an eye, blood flowed like a river.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The bronze bell in the mountain tolled seven times, alerting all disciples of the sect to the invasion of powerful enemies.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Blood splattered, heads rolled, and corpses littered the ground.

In an instant, this mighty sect that had dominated the northern lands was plunged into chaos. Countless Outer Peak disciples screamed and fled for their lives.

The three groups of invaders didn’t bother with the Outer Peaks. They converged and attacked the Inner Peaks from three directions.

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