Su Wen nodded once and didn't say anything, turning his focus back to his preparations.
Du Yue finally let out a quiet sigh of relief and relaxed slightly in her seat, though her gaze still lingered on him.
Su Wen then reached into his storage ring and took out several silver, bangle-like objects. Du Yue leaned forward slightly, muttering under her breath, "Those rings…"
One by one, Su Wen carefully placed the rings around his body, on his arms, legs, chest, and neck. They gleamed faintly in the late afternoon sunlight.
'Spirit Steel rings…' he thought, 'They can increase or decrease their weight based on the amount of spiritual energy I channel.'
He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the gentle hum of energy resonating through the rings. 'I'll have to wear these from now on even when eating and sleeping. Skin and muscles are refined…and I am halfway through the bones. To break my limits, I need to increase the pressure gradually. Adding more weight is the most effective way to push my body beyond its current boundaries.'
Du Yue's eyes widened slightly as she watched him, her thoughts racing. 'Is he really practicing body cultivation alongside spirit cultivation? Is that why he hasn't broken through to Foundational Establishment yet?' She didn't dare disturb him, instead choosing to quietly observe from her seat.
Su Wen, meanwhile, recalled the priceless techniques his grandfather had given him: the space-escape technique 'Celestial Void Steps' and the sword technique 'Pride of the Heavens'. Both were formidable techniques, and he couldn't even guess their grade. Beyond that, his grandfather had handed him cultivation techniques for body, soul, and spirit: 'Heavenly Body Fist', 'Heaven's Will Mantra', and 'Dao of the Nine Heavens'.
At first glance, the names alone made him feel as though he was living inside one of the grand cultivation dramas he had read about in his previous life. But when he opened the techniques and began to understand them, he was utterly shocked. These techniques were beyond priceless, and their depth was such that he couldn't dare share them with anyone.
His grandfather had suggested practicing only one of the three, but Su Wen, true to his stubborn nature, decided to pursue all three simultaneously, walking the extreme path. It had taken him two years just to memorize the methods and all the books turned to dust right just after, and oddly enough, he only remembered the steps needed to break through to Foundation Establishment. Yet instinctively, he felt that once he achieved the breakthrough, the next step would naturally reveal itself.
Curious about the origins of the techniques, Su Wen had once asked his grandparents where these came from. After all, they were mere mortals with no connection to the cultivation world. Their answer had been simple, almost absurd: they "Dropped by a bird in front of our house..." Su Wen had wanted a more convincing story, but he refrained from pressing. 'If the time is right, they'll tell me', he thought to himself, shrugging off his curiosity for now.
Since The Pride of the Heavens, the sword technique, was far too extraordinary, Su Wen didn't dare reveal it in front of others. Instead, he had gone to the Treasure Tower and acquired another sword technique, The Cloud Step Sword, a Grade 3 technique that harmonized perfectly with his space-escape skill, Celestial Void Steps. While the higher grade versions of Cloud Step Sword technique were rumoured to exist in the Central Continent, for now, this combination suited his current cultivation level.
Beyond that, Su Wen had already comprehended the Level 2 Sword Intent and Level 2 Space Intent. He now aimed to merge these two intents into a single, unified Space-Sword Intent, a bold step that might eventually allow him to create a brand-new sword technique, one entirely suited to his own style.
As he adjusted the silver weight rings on his body, he thought to himself, If I can succeed in merging these two intents, not only will my swordsmanship become more seamless, but my combat adaptability will be far beyond ordinary cultivators…
He exhaled slowly. 'Weight has increased… good. My bones should reach their limit in today's practice. The more pressure I face now, the stronger my foundation will be later'.
He flexed his fingers. His joints crackled lightly, not in pain, but in readiness.
Merging two intents wasn't something ordinary cultivators even considered at Qi Refinement. Most weren't able to grasp even a single intent until late Foundation Establishment or even Core Formation.
Sword Intent, sharp, decisive, straight to the point.
Space Intent, elusive, everywhere and nowhere, twisting reality itself.
Two forces that should have clashed… yet he felt a faint resonance between them.
A possibility. A path for him.
Su Wen tightened his grip on the sword hilt and raised it slowly, his movements deliberate and calm.
'If I can harmonize the cut of the sword with the distortion of space… then even a simple slash will carry the force of two intents.'
He started slashing the air according to the Cloud Step Sword technique, the blade shining brightly with sharp Sword Intent while faint ripples of Space Intent shimmered around it.
Meanwhile, not far away, Du Yue, who was sitting on the bench, was stunned.
'W-What!! Second-level Sword Intent and second-level Space Intent?? Wait! Is he trying to merge them? Why did I never think of doing something like this myself…?'
As she watched him, she unconsciously slipped into a trance. A sharp Sword Intent slowly enveloped her body as delicate snow-like petals floated around her, shimmering in the sunlight like jewels.
After some time, she finally woke up from her daze, only to realize she had successfully merged her intents together.
The reason she succeeded so quickly was simple: she had already comprehended Third Grade Sword Intent during her final battle before the tribulation. With her deep understanding of the sword, combined with her innate affinity for Snow Intent due to her Pure Yin physique, the merge had come to her as naturally as breathing.
There was no resistance. No hesitation.
Only clarity.
When her gaze returned to Su Wen, who was still fully focused on his practice, his sword movements flowing like clouds and under the evening sunlight, he looked as if he was dancing with the wind, an immortal practicing among mortals.
Her heart couldn't help but speed up again, the tips of her ears and the right side of her cheek turning pink. She silently lowered her head for a moment… then raised it again, only to watch him once more with a gentle smile she didn't even notice forming.
Inside the lakeside lodge, Grandma, Grandpa, and the little sparrow who's perched on Grandpa's head were peeking through the window.
They quietly observed the silly girl outside, completely lost in watching Su Wen practice, smiling like a maiden seeing spring for the first time.
They exchanged glances. And then…Three identical smirks appeared.
They decided to wait patiently for Su Wen to finish his practice because clearly, today's drama was far from over