May 21, 2017, Evening
Li Qingming was caught in a major crisis.
"Oh my God, I've completely forgotten, the Outer Sect's regular exam, the Windchasing Sword... Oh no, I haven't practiced the Windchasing Sword at all these past few days!"
The girl mumbled in shock as she squatted down helplessly, her mind in despair.
The Sword Spirit was baffled: "Aren't you already a member of the Mutual Aid Association, making money? Why do you care about this Outer Sect exam?"
Li Qingming said, "The Mutual Aid Association doesn't really provide cultivation guidance. To obtain more advanced cultivation techniques, we still have to rely on the family's power."
"The Mutual Aid Association doesn't provide cultivation guidance? Why not?"
Li Qingming was a bit bothered and reluctantly explained to the Sword Spirit.
The main sponsors and supporters of the Mutual Aid Association are the three major families of Cyan Cloud City, with middle management mostly coming from some medium and small families and sects, each with a lot of secret cultivation technique manuals that cannot be leaked. So, naturally, the Association is tight-lipped about this issue and won't overstep. Young disciples seeking common cultivation technique manuals isn't hard, but getting higher-grade ones is extremely difficult. Conversely, Association members are also careful when acquiring cultivation technique resources; provoking dissatisfaction from their own sects would be a loss.
But Wang Jiu was increasingly confused: "What's the reasoning behind this? Cultivation techniques should be open source and shared. Why hide them? The organizers should just strictly manage the grassroots cultivators to prevent them from ambitiously trying to practice higher-level techniques, leading to backlash."
Li Qingming was simply incredulous: "… Whose cultivation techniques are open source and shared?!"
"Back then, the cultivation techniques of the Jiu Immortal Venerables were open source. People who were also Jiu Immortal Venerables, and even the common folk in the Mortal World, could freely peruse them."
"Weren't they afraid someone would find weaknesses in their techniques and target them?"
Wang Jiu retorted, "If someone finds defects in the techniques and they can quickly adjust and rectify them, what's so bad about that?"
Li Qingming was speechless for a while, feeling that Wang Jiu's theory had major issues, but she couldn't articulate why: "Uh, but..."
Wang Jiu then said, "Speaking of which, since the cultivators in Xiangzhou still haven't figured this out, why don't you take the lead, advocate for open-source sharing of techniques, and lead an immortal cultivation revolution."
"I'll get beaten to death for sure!"
"All people die eventually. Considering your aptitude and perception, dying for a revolution might be the most dignified way for you to go..."
"Shut up!"
"Sigh, humans are such foolish creatures."
"You're just a stupid Whiteboard Sword; it's not your place to mock humans!" Li Qingming weakly retorted to the Sword Spirit's statement, then paced around in irritation, starting to practice the Windchasing Sword's sword path.
Wang Jiu didn't understand: "Even if you can't avoid this Outer Sect exam, you've already broken through the Wind Barrier, which is much more powerful than mastering the insignificant Windchasing Sword."
"It's not the same," Li Qingming shook her head. "Breaking through the Wind Barrier is more commendable, but the instructor decided the regular exam content beforehand. Bringing unrelated achievements to the exam is useless. Moreover, breaking the Wind Barrier at 14 isn't a grade worthy of an exception by the Outer Sect instructors."
As she spoke, Li Qingming picked up the Celestial Divine Sword and began formally practicing the Thirty-Six Paths of the Windchasing Sword. Having just broken through the Wind Barrier and entered the Immortal Domain, plus achieving the first move of the Immovable Tyrant Body, her physical attributes had nearly doubled compared to a week ago. When practicing swordsmanship, many places that used to feel awkward naturally became smooth.
However, when she reached the final three sword techniques, she felt the long sword in her hand was somewhat out of control. After all, the Windchasing Sword was the classic entry technique of the Li Family, and the last few sword techniques are meant to encourage disciples to break through the Wind Barrier, even using it as a trick for Wind-Rising Realm battles. Without sufficient practice, it's really hard to master.
After practicing two more times, Li Qingming gradually got a feel for it, thinking her swordsmanship proficiency had soared. The girl marveled at how all aspects of her abilities had qualitatively changed after breaking the Wind Barrier, then glanced at the gradually darkening sky, having to brace herself to get ready to leave.
According to the Outer Sect's disciple course schedule, today was already the last day of the Outer Sect regular exam. If she couldn't reach the Martial Arts Arena before nightfall to complete the exam, her status as an Outer Sect disciple would be at risk, and given her current swordsmanship proficiency, whether she could meet the demanding instructors' standards was still uncertain.
In response, Wang Jiu consoled, "Don't blame yourself. Given your intelligence, such oversights are quite normal."
Li Qingming immediately flared up: "If it weren't for being stuck in bed because of your Immovable Tyrant Body, I wouldn't have had no time to practice the sword!"
Wang Jiu scoffed at this: "Needing special practice for a petty sword technique like the Windchasing Sword is purely a problem with your aptitude. If it were your ancestor Li Jiulong, he could replicate it immediately with just one look from his Nine Dragon Eye, and by the second time, he'd be able to improve it on his own. And he was the one with average aptitude among the Jiu Immortal Venerables."
"Don't tell me mythical stories I can't even understand!" Li Qingming was utterly drained. She knew well how her swordsmanship talent stood.
Even if it wasn't as worthless as Wang Jiu claimed, it indeed wasn't brilliant either. Back in the Inner Sect, it was thanks to her tenacity and determination that she could secure the chief position, but compared to true geniuses like Li Wanqing, she was merely a glimmer compared to a torch...
"It's okay, don't worry, if you can't manage it, I can help you when the time comes."
"You can help me?"
Wang Jiu said, "Though I disdain learning such inferior mounted sword techniques, I've seen you perform it so many times that I'm already familiar with it. When the time comes, just hand over control of your body, and I'll lead you to complete these thirty-six sword techniques."
"Are you capable of that?" Li Qingming was highly doubtful.
"What a joke!" With that, Wang Jiu activated the Illusion Sword Technique, projecting the true form of his Sword Spirit, holding his Divine Sword Body in one hand, and executed the Windchasing Sword path one by one.
Initially, Li Qingming was scrutinizing with a critical eye, attempting to find any awkwardness or inadequacy, but after just a couple of glances, she couldn't take her eyes off it anymore.
It's simply too perfect.
Although it's just the introductory swordsmanship of the Outer Sect, the Windchasing Sword contains countless variations in each simple sword path. The connection between sword techniques is also quite intricate. The last three paths, especially, require the true understanding of sword intent to grasp their essence; they are not something that can be learned by rote.
Li Qingming did not have much expectation for Wang Jiu precisely because of this. She had never shared the true understanding of the Windchasing Sword with Wang Jiu, only practiced the routine on her own. How could he, merely a Sword Spirit, manage to grasp the essence after just watching twice? Wouldn't that suggest his aptitude and comprehension have reached a divine level? Absolutely impossible!
Yet now, the impossible has unfolded right before her eyes. The Thirty-Six Paths of the Wind-Chasing Sword, in Wang Jiu's hands, seemed to have transcended; each path of swordsmanship displayed a brilliance surpassing the original version, without losing the original intent of the Windchasing Sword. As he reached the last three paths, Wang Jiu's eyes focused, holding his breath, and the White Sword in his hand suddenly glimmered. Three feet of Sword Qi surged from one side of the blade, effortlessly tearing through the gravel ground of the courtyard.
Li Qingming instantly held her breath.
Releasing Sword Qi relying solely on sword intent, without True Qi Spirit Wind—this is the highest realm of the last three paths of the Windchasing Sword, a realm that even exists only in theory, yet...
Wang Jiu said, "Convinced now? For me, these inferior sword techniques of you mounts are truly too simple."
Li Qingming was silent for a moment. "Honestly, watching you brag while melting is really amusing."
"This damn inferior paint!"
——
Regardless, Li Qingming hurriedly took Wang Jiu to the Outer Sect training ground on the outskirts of Qingyun East City. After breaking through the Wind Barrier, the young girl moved with extraordinary speed, arriving outside the city in less than a quarter-hour. It was just before nightfall, barely within the time limit.
Unexpectedly, the training ground was almost filled to capacity, with more than two hundred Outer Sect junior disciples gathered densely around it. Swordsmanship Instructor Li Zhiyuan stood in the center of the training ground, holding a black Iron Sword, and looked indifferently at the hastily arriving Li Qingming.
"Finally here? Then let's begin."
Li Qingming was a bit surprised by how clean and efficient the other was; in the past, this Swordsmanship Instructor would invariably have taunted her for nearly being late.
But one couldn't lower their guard. As a distant relative of the Li Family, Li Zhiyuan's talent, aptitude, and connections were all rather unremarkable. Nonetheless, thanks to the current Lady Li, Lu Xin's promotion, he managed to become an Outer Sect Instructor and establish himself in Qingyun City.
And being of Lu Xin's camp, he was naturally an enemy of Li Qingming. Who knows how many schemes and intrigues were prepared for her...
Li Qingming slowly walked onto the training ground, feeling the sudden focus of hundreds of gazes, making her more nervous than usual.
"So let me take over," Wang Jiu suggested.
"No, I'll handle it myself. After all, this is my cultivation, my assessment... I may lack talent and intelligence, but at least I still have the pride of a cultivator."
Having said that, Li Qingming raised the White Sword, nodded to the Instructor, and began to demonstrate the Windchasing Sword one path at a time.
But as soon as she started, she felt something was off. Her entire body seemed to develop a faint repulsion, making every movement particularly forced.
Really, Wang Jiu, you're causing trouble at a time like this?
"I swear, don't accuse me falsely. I didn't do anything."
"Then what's going on?!"
No time to wait for Wang Jiu's answer, Li Qingming, to overcome the body's repulsion, unhesitatingly tightened her Divine Sense, controlled Qi into Wind, and fully unleashed the power after breaking through the Wind Barrier.
Boom!
With a muffled sound of wind, a wave of air blasted throughout the Martial Arts Arena.
Li Zhiyuan's gaze shifted, and discussions erupted around the training ground.
At the same time, Li Qingming managed to steady herself, continuing the demonstration path by path. Soon, her sword light resembled a net, and the Sword Momentum Chasing Wind.
The Thirty-Six Paths of the Wind-Chasing Sword, if merely practiced, could be finished in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Very quickly, Li Qingming reached the final three paths—her expertise on these three was severely lacking, but she could only forcefully use them with Wind-Rising Realm. However, with a mere movement of her long sword, Wang Jiu's perfect sword path, resembling a Celestial Flying Sword, inevitably surfaced in her mind.
And with a single distracting thought, her hand's movements involuntarily deviated, and Li Qingming felt a piercing pain in her arm meridians, suffering a counterattack from the sword intent. Quickly suppressing the pain, but with such repetition and self-contradiction, the control of power became completely chaotic, ultimately losing control of the long sword which fell with a clatter, clanging on the stone slab floor...
Silence fell over the arena.
Li Qingming held her head high, trying to cover the uncontrollable blush on her face.
Under the gaze of all... this could be dubbed the greatest embarrassment of her life!
Amidst the silence, Li Qingming suddenly heard the voice of her Sword Spirit in her mind.
"Quickly, tell them you're practicing the Celestial Flying Sword. Just say that after the Thirty-Six Paths of the Wind-Chasing Sword, suddenly releasing the sword, the enemy will definitely be caught off guard..."
"Shut up!!!"