The position of Commander carries great responsibility, but is relatively easy. After Li Xian took office, he arranged everything properly, without ever making a mistake.

Life became leisurely.

A few days passed.

Li Xian had a thought to further refine another martial art.

Currently, his [Four Directions Fist], [Clear Wind Leg], and [Jade Palm] had all reached the peak, and his Qi Lake measured four zhang and seven. Among martial artists of the same age, it was certainly considered a lot.

He practiced the [Setting Sun Bloodsword] every day.

However, this swordsmanship was incomplete, and practicing it for a long time caused heat in the body. Li Xian could withstand the heat and persisted in practicing. But the path of martial arts emphasizes gradual progress, and rather than forcing it, it's better to study another martial art to adjust and enrich his martial arts knowledge.

As the Commander, Li Xian oversaw the basic martial arts of Yihetang Manor.

Naturally, he could take whatever he wanted.

After much selection, Li Xian picked up the [Vertical Cloud Hand].

This is a rather mixed martial art, focusing on training the hands. If mastered well, it has endless wonders. It can serve as a fist technique, finger technique, palm technique, but... precisely because of this, it's somewhat like a hybrid.

Pang Long had also studied "Vertical Cloud Hand," but he never recommended this martial art for the Nursing Home to practice. Among the four hundred members of the Nursing Home, not a single person knew Vertical Cloud Hand, and not even one had heard of it.

The reason is simple: this martial art is too mixed and chaotic, not easy to master deeply, and letting the Nursing Home practice it would be no different from harming them.

It seemed powerful, but in fact, it was a burden.

But Li Xian was moved.

He took up this martial art and practiced whenever he had time.

Any basic martial art is not difficult to learn. Vertical Cloud Hand is even easier; Li Xian entered the beginner level within half an hour.

[Vertical Cloud Hand]

[Skill Level: 26/500 Beginner]

[Description: Basic martial art, with a wide range, but its skills in throwing hidden weapons, exploring pouches, and probing with fingers are genuine.]

[Skill Level +1]

[Skill Level +1]

Li Xian practiced according to the method: first, he took tree sap, mixed it with some herbal medicines, and boiled it over a large fire.

He made a pot of thick sap, sprinkled black sesame seeds in it, and then used his fingers to pick out each sesame seed one by one.

This practiced the basic skill, opening the bones of both hands.

Although this martial art is basic, it's extremely particular. The longer and more slender the practitioner's fingers, the more suitable they are. Li Xian had a pair of skillful hands, with long and distinct fingers, perfect for this martial art.

Thus, Li Xian practiced two martial arts simultaneously: Vertical Cloud Hand and Setting Sun Bloodsword.

Progressing head to head, the improvement was evident. Meanwhile... he also occasionally reviewed what he had learned before, practicing Four Directions Fist, Clear Wind Leg, and Jade Palm.

He mentally rehearsed, gradually filling in the gaps of Jade Palm's deficiencies.

Three days passed, and [Setting Sun Bloodsword] finally reached [Mastery].

[Setting Sun Bloodsword·First Layer]

[Skill Level: 34/3000 Mastery]

The Qi Lake within, after long accumulation, had reached five zhang and one.

But at the same time, Li Xian became increasingly burnt, and even his breath was slightly hot.

[Vertical Cloud Hand]

[Skill Level: 114/1000 Mastery]

In comparison, Vertical Cloud Hand was much easier.

Li Xian was not solely focused on martial arts. Occasionally, during his leisure time, he brewed a pot of tea, enjoying the view in the courtyard.

During this season, a type of flower planted near his courtyard was blooming. It was very bright, with a strong fragrance that attracted bees and butterflies.

Madam Wen was not easy to please, and sometimes issued task requests. Li Xian tried his best to complete them, and Madam Wen praised him several times, saying that Li Xian's abilities far surpassed those of Pang Long.

Life went on this way.

On this day.

As Li Xian's "Setting Sun Bloodsword" advanced further, he already felt his blood burning. He had no choice but to seek the madam.

"Wait here, Madam is in seclusion."

Before the Jingxin Tower.

Qiuyue blocked Li Xian and told him to wait on the spot.

He waited for half a day.

When the night deepened, he finally saw the madam leaving the tower. Li Xian went forward to greet her and said, "Madam, I have something to consult with you." The madam said, "What do you want to consult about?"

Li Xian said, "It's about the Setting Sun Bloodsword."

"You've only practiced for nearly a month, and your progress is slightly slow, which is normal. There's no need to rush, just go back and practice slowly," Madam Wen waved her hand, already rejecting.

"Madam, I don't know whether my progress is fast or slow, but lately while practicing the sword technique, my sword movements have become smoother, yet my body feels extremely hot and uncomfortable." Li Xian pretended to be unaware of the secret of the Setting Sun Bloodsword.

"Oh?"

Madam Wen, hearing Li Xian mention the body's heat, knew this indicated the "Yang Sword" had been mastered to some extent, and his skill was becoming more refined.

The Yang Yang Immortal Companion Sword is a superior combined sword technique. It was created by the ancient Yin Yang Immortal Companions, who were said to be extremely loving and inseparable in life.

Therefore, the true practice of this sword technique requires dual cultivation with a male and a female. As the practice progresses, mutual trust, and blending naturally occurs.

Thus, practicing this sword technique alone: practicing the Yang Sword results in heat scorching the body, while practicing the Yin Sword brings cold that numbs the body.

Madam Wen squeezed his wrist, feeling Li Xian's pulse strong and filled with scorching Yang Qi. Where did this Yang Qi come from? Of course, it came from the Setting Sun Bloodsword.

In her heart, she couldn't help but feel strange: "How is it possible for Li Xian, upon first encountering a superior martial art, with no guidance, to achieve such progress? Although in comparison to some prodigies, this speed is average, it seems practiced with such solidity, without a single error."

It was both surprising yet not hard to understand. Unexpected yet reasonable.

Madam Wen, being knowledgeable, had seen many martial arts prodigies. Among them were those with extraordinary talent, possessing a clear martial heart, able to grasp the basics or even master martial arts with just a glance.

Li Xian, in less than a month, practiced the Setting Sun Bloodsword to mastery. Within Qingning County, he was definitely a top-tier genius. However, if we look beyond to Qiong Heavenly Mansion, he was just average.

But...

The true difficulty of martial arts has never been about the speed of practice. It's about stable progress.

No matter how gifted and powerful you are, able to become a beginner, a master, or even achieve minor success with just a glance, these prodigies are often the ones most easily stuck in a bottleneck.

Once stuck, it could last a lifetime.

Li Xian's unique advantage was naturally unknown to Madam Wen.

"It's quite impressive that you could achieve such expertise with your initial practice of swordsmanship," Madam Wen praised as she sized up Li Xian once more.

Compared to a month ago... Li Xian seemed different again.

His hair had grown much, yet his attire was proper, simply tied behind his head. Locks hung at his temples, exuding youthful charm. His brows were like distant mountains, hiding strength yet noble, his eyes gleaming, his entire demeanor enhanced.

"With such an appearance, although born in a humble background, if I were to bring you outside, it would not embarrass me." Madame Wen was increasingly satisfied, especially as she thought that this young man came from an innocent background and had proven loyalty, almost like her own possession.

She said, "Follow me."

The two moved to a different location.

There was no one around, the moonlight was sparse.

A gentle breeze blew.

Madam Wen said, "Your current situation actually shows an error in your swordsmanship. Your impatience led to this tribulation. I shall guide you, and these symptoms will naturally be resolved."

Li Xian thought to himself: "This wicked woman never speaks the truth."

Madam Wen fetched two longswords, handing one to Li Xian.

Li Xian asked curiously, "Madam, do you intend to personally demonstrate the sword for me?" Madam Wen said, "I guide you in understanding the basics, not as your master, but I won't be stingy with such guidance. I'll use the sword to direct you. You should demonstrate the sword techniques."

Her eyes were particularly bright.

She learned this swordsmanship early on and knew its extraordinary aspects. When the dual swords unite, the strength unleashed even exceeds superior swordsmanship.

Her early fascination led her to forcefully practice the Yin Sword, which resulted in accumulated yin energy within her. It took a great effort to barely resolve it later.

Since then, she always wanted to practice this sword technique. But lacking a sparring partner, it had always been neglected. When she taught Li Xian the Yang Sword, she hadn't planned much, merely using the swordsmanship to control him.

Making it so he couldn't leave, couldn't escape.

Seeing Li Xian progress well, her old thoughts began to resurface and become lively again.

"Use the Yang-Breaking Technique against me."

Madam Wen, dressed in white, stood in the cool moonlight, her sword's handle pointing downward, the tip upward.

Li Xian nodded, using the Yang-Breaking Technique to attack. He only learned the Yang Sword and didn't know how to unite them. The method of uniting was all in Madam Wen's hands.

Madam Wen's sword was light and graceful, blocking with the Xuan Yin Technique. The Yang-Breaking Technique emphasizes force, while the Xuan Yin Technique emphasizes softness and adhesion. As the two swords crossed, a clear resonant sound echoed.

Both sword holders felt a tremor in their hearts.

Their thoughts were drawn to the sword, giving a sense of intimate contact.

The Combined Sword Technique is indeed different. Even if the two have no intention, at the moment of performance, their thoughts are inevitably drawn together.

Madam Wen felt strange: "Who would have thought that after wielding the sword for decades, today, I'm practicing Dual Swords Unite with this young lad. If this were known, my reputation as Lady Zhe Jian would be utterly lost. But…"

No time to ponder further, naturally guiding Li Xian into the second move. Madam Wen felt a slight itch in her heart. They appeared to be sparring, but in essence, they were uniting.

Their swords clashed several times.

The burning sensation in Li Xian had faded a lot. He felt relaxed all over and a sense of pleasant joy. His broken sword reached perfection, naturally flowing with his strikes, forgetting everything outside the sword techniques.

Li Xian sent out three consecutive swords. These were sword moves from the Setting Sun Blood Decay Sword, specifically the "Three Yangs Opening." As Li Xian channeled his inner qi, the sword emitted a red glow, quite impressive.

"Good sword!" Madam Wen admired, adjusting her force to match the techniques. As their sword edges met, there was an adhesive feel, a yin energy and a yang energy appeared to confront but were actually dancing together.

The sword's mysteries were countless.

Li Xian's "burning" feeling disappeared, but instead, he felt his body light, as if bathed in a mysterious power, strengthening his physique.

This was also the effect of the Yin Yang Immortal Companion Sword.

Superior martial arts… Throughout the Great Wu Dynasty, it was a rarity. The power of such martial arts not only lay in the sword techniques' lethality but also in the unimaginable effects brought during practice.

It was said that those Yin Yang Immortal Companions, with long lifespans, owed it to this set of sword techniques.

"Madam, pardon me!" Li Xian dispelled distracting thoughts, letting himself go. Madam Wen, usually reserved, showed a hint of delight, "Go ahead."

To outsiders, Li Xian's "pardon me" may have seemed amusing. How could he offend Wen Caishang? Madam Wen's "Go ahead" may also have been puzzling to some.

But within the sword momentum, the two were natural.

［Dual Swords Unite, Yin and Yang complement, two qis infuse, skill level +100］

［Dual Swords Unite, drawing thoughts, skill level +152］

As they sparred and parted, their eyes occasionally met. Li Xian, with a clear mind, was unaffected. But Madam Wen felt strange; the tingling sensation was hard to ignore.

When they executed the move "Dividing the Two Principles."

This sword technique engaged both the Yin Sword and Yang Sword simultaneously, with the swords' tips precisely meeting at one point. Then, they both flicked their wrists, the blades spun, adhering to each other, emitting the same whispering sound.

This was supposed to be an ingeniously defensive sword move.

But here, it carried an inexplicable meaning. At the end, the two swords were strangely entwined together.

"With this guidance, do you feel relieved?" Madam Wen withdrew from the sword move, turned away, and said faintly.

Li Xian's heart was filled only with the joy of progress in swordsmanship, cupping his hands to say: "Thank you, madam, for your guidance, indeed it helped."

"Hmm."

Madam Wen said: "Practice your swordsmanship diligently, don't neglect it. If you err again, come seek me."

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