Chapter 3: The Martial Library

“Young Master Fuchen, what brings you here?”

Today, Li Fuchen had arrived at the martial library. At the entrance were guards giving their greetings to Li Fuchen.

This library was a place of importance to the Li Clan, in it contains a vast number of martial arts manuals. For regular disciples, an application has to be approved, with the exception to Li Fuchen of course.

Li Fuchen snickered, “Why? I can’t be here?”

“Of course you can!”The guards followed up with an apologetic smile.

Once Li Fuchen was in the library, one of the guards whispered, “Weird… Isn’t it the case that Young Master Fuchen can’t cultivate? So why is he here? And Young Master looks different than usual, he looks jovial.”

“Maybe he hasn’t been here in a long time and wants to see it again.” The other guard replied with a pitiful tone.

***

There were 3 floors in the library.

The first floor was where all the low-tier, yellow class manuals were located, middle-tiers on the second floor, and high-tiers on the third floor.

Advancing straight to the second floor, Li Fuchen began to skim through the sword art manuals.

Having cultivated 2 low-tier, yellow class sword arts. Other than the Tiger Fang Cross Slash, there was also the Crescent Sword Style, which he already cultivated to the completion stage last year.

As the Tiger Fang Cross Slash was much more complex, it took longer to reach the completion stage. This time, he wanted to see with his current perception, how fast he could learn a middle-tier, yellow class sword art.

“Swift Breeze Sword Style: Overwhelming speed with a domineering sword qi. One can only feel the breeze, but the sword is nowhere to be seen.”

“Soaring Eagle Sword Style: Eagle strikes from the sky, unmatched sword qi”

“Shao Shang Sword Style: A sword with strength filled to the brim; earth shattering power.”

“Xiao Zhou Heaven Sword Style…”

“Drifting Sword Style…”

“Diving Fish Sword Style…”

“Octadic Sword Style…”

…..

Within the library, a majority of the manuals were sword arts. Glancing through all the sword arts, for a split moment Li Fuchen saw images of swordsmen rise and fall.

Ultimately, Li Fuchen picked the Swift Breeze and Shao Shang Sword Style.

The Swift Breeze Sword Style gave the feeling of it being the most complex out of all the others, and Shao Shang Sword Style with its staggering strength.

Finally, Li Fuchen also pick the Cyclone Kick Style.

This kick style emphasized speed. There was much worth in cultivating this, as upon attaining sub-completion, not only will one have sharp kicks, it even raises one’s speed as well.

***

“Choosing 3 manuals in one go?

The elder protector of the library was Li Fuchen’s cousin grandfather, Li Dexing. With grizzled hair and furrowed brows he said, “Fuchen, although I am not sure if you can peacefully cultivate now. Even if you could, learning so many styles at one time is not beneficial. The essence of martial arts is not by quantity, one must understand that being a jack of all trades will mean that you can be a master of none.”

Li Fuchen gave a nod of respect, “Yes Elder, I understand. It is just for me to take a look.”

“If that is the case, I will not stop you.”

The thought of Li Fuchen not being able to cultivate, Li Dexing felt pity for him. A year ago, in terms of talent, Li Fuchen’s was not shy of the clan’s current uncontested genius, Li Yunhai. Such a pity…

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***

The next morning, Li Fuchen brought along a steel sword and once again came to the back of the mountain peak.

“Swift Breeze Sword Style, meticulous and unstoppable. Upon sub-completion, one can brandish 3 slashes in a blink of the eye. Once cultivated to completion, one can at least reach 6 slashes.”

Before cultivating, Li Fuchen tested his sword speed and realised he could only brandish 2 slashes at best. Even though 2 and 3 slashes is only 1 slash away, this difference could impact the result of a fight with a stronger opponent.

Inviting the wind, Li Fuchen shut his eyes to experience the state of mind within the Swift Breeze Sword Style.

No long after, Li Fuchen opened his eyes and his body shook with force, the steel sword in his hands brandished at an extreme speed.

With the wind blowing on endlessly, Li Fuchen’s sword inched on faster and faster. Gradually, as though enveloped in wind, wherever the wind was, the sword would follow. When he settled down, his qi was emptied, he was gasping for air and was covered in sweat.

“As expected of Swift Breeze Sword Style, it uses up quite a bit of qi.”

As the class of sword arts gets higher, the consumption of qi is increased. With Li Fuchen’s current cultivation, it is quite exhausting to wield a middle-tier, yellow class sword art. If he were to use a high-tier, yellow class sword art, he may only be able to manage ten slashes before depleting his qi.

Once his qi was replenished. Li Fuchen continued cultivating and repeating the process.

***

Five days passed

“He!”

With the breeze, Li Fuchen executed hundreds of slashes. The speed of the slashes were instantaneous, it was almost as if it fused with the wind. Under the bright sun, there seemed to be a mirage in front of him.

“Four slashes in a blink of an eye.”Li Fuchen exhaled and return his sword to the scabbard.

He was beginning to grasp the essence of the Swift Breeze Sword Style. In layman terms, it was to allow one’s sword to merge with the nature’s wind. Let the sword become the wind, let the qi become the wind, let the sword, qi, and wind unite as one.

Of course, it’s easier said than done. If not for his pale green soul spirit and astounding perception, he would not be able to achieve sub-completion in two months.

Leaving early in the morning and coming back late in the evenings, time passed by quickly.

***

On the tenth afternoon.

Pang!

With a strike of a palm on the tree, leaves rained in profusion.

With a flash of the sword.

Scattered…

The leaves that once covered his surroundings all broken into pieces. With a blink of an eye, Li Fuchen flourished 6 slashes.

“Finally completion attained.”

In the eyes of Li Fuchen was a flash of truth.

The Swift Breeze Sword Style capitalizes on quickness to win, as one’s agility reaches an extreme, one can spot things which were previously impossible. An example, seeing what is the fastest way to strike using different angles, stances, and trajectories.

Speed is the truth, with speed, when others stand in front of you, weaknesses can be found everywhere. Speed is a principle and with speed, your sword strikes are without equal.

Li Fuchen not only achieved the completion stage for the Swift Breeze Sword Style, but discerned an intangible treasure, that tons of swordsmen would kill for… the ‘way of the sword’.

To comprehend the way of the sword, one may or may not require excellent perception.

For some talentless individuals, with hard work and many years of cultivation, they could suddenly fathom the way of the sword and become the best swordsman. Yet those with exquisite talent, although they should be able to grasp the way of the sword effortlessly, can never figure it out.

Comprehension and perception. With the ability to assimilate… thus being able to envision. With just perception, it wasn’t going to work.

***

Returning to the Li Clan, Li Fuchen passed by the training grounds. He noticed that many of the Li clansmen were sparring against each other, but in his perspective, all of their sword styles were full of loopholes. If given the chance, he could use a 100 different ways to triumph over them.

Handily whipping one of the disciples, Li Yunhe’s gaze landed upon Li Fuchen, “Li Fuchen, this time you aren’t going to deny my challenge right!?” Li Yunhe smirked and looked at Li Fuchen with disdain.

“You are not my match…”, Li Fuchen shook his head.

“What did he say? Did I hear wrongly?!”

“Now this is a show! Before Li Yunhe was at fifth level of the Qi Realm, Li Fuchen was already not on the same level as him. Let’s not even talk about now.. Who knows how Li Yunhe will take care of Li Fuchen.”

In an instant, the entire training ground’s atmosphere was roused.

“Li Fuchen, this is the worst joke I have ever heard. You think acting like a fool will help you?”, Li Yunhe sneered at Li Fuchen, looking down on him completely.

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