Checking the map, the four of them found the right direction and began walking towards the Martial Skill Pavilion.
With Lu Xuan in the lead, Xing Feng, Xia Ye, and Lin Xin Yi followed behind him. There were quite a few other new budding disciples also going towards the Martial Skill Pavilion. Seeing Lu Xuan and the others, there was no small amount of whispering. Having just entered the Wind Sword Sect, Lu Xuan’s performance was eye-catching. Heaven knows what sort of step he would reach in a year.
“Lu Xuan, did you really comprehend sword intent?” Along the way, Xing Feng finally couldn’t help but ask.
Although countless elders were guessing that Lu Xuan had comprehended sword intent, but from start to finish he had never used it. Because of that, even Elder Jin, who had seen much more than everyone else, couldn’t be sure.
The importance of sword intent for swordsmen was self-evident, so knowingly asking others about their cards was a matter usually only done by friends, but Xing Feng still couldn’t help but ask the words in his heart.
Lu Xuan faintly smiled, neither confirming nor denying: “The Sword Forest is filled with sword intent. The deeper you go, the stronger the sword intent. If you have the heart, you can frequently go in and feel it. Even if you cannot comprehend it, it will still have extremely good benefits to your practice.”
Towards Lu Xuan’s ambiguous answer, Xing Feng nodded thoughtfully and didn’t pursue the matter further. He wondered for a moment, then after considering it for about a while, he once again asked: “Lu Xuan, I wonder if you could tell me, what exactly is this sword intent?”
In the entire Wind Sword Sect, the number that had comprehended sword intent was less than five. Even now the sword sect’s great elders, even Elder Cheng himself, had also only brushed across sword intent. Even if Xing Feng wanted to be taught, he wouldn’t be able to find anyone. Currently facing a person that possibly had comprehended sword intent in front of him, he definitely couldn’t let it pass.
Hearing Xing Feng’s question, Lu Xuan couldn’t help but chuckle to himself: “Sword intent isn’t a thing. That’s wrong, it is also a thing, it’s just that this thing is very mysterious. It can only be felt and not explained. I’ll gift you twenty-four characters.”
(TN: As in words.)
When Lu Xuan spoke this, not only Xing Feng, even Xia Ye and Lin Xin Yi also perked up their ears. Theirs eyes tightly staring at Lu Xuan, afraid of missing out on even half a word. These were invaluable insights concerning sword intent!
Without even speaking of insight towards something as important as sword intent, even if it was an average cultivation insight, martial artists would still not be willing to divulge it to others, after all, those were things they had cultivated themselves with difficulty. How could they so easily direct others.
Perhaps some of the elder’s generation would be willing to direct some disciples, after all, both sides weren’t on the same level, but most disciples weren’t the same. Because they had a competitive state, if they gave their insights to other people, in the future if they were surpassed by the other side, then the their own resource allocation would be less.
However, for Lu Xuan, it wasn’t a problem because even people like Zheng Gang, even if it was a genius like Xia Chen Xi who had entered the core, he still didn’t view them as his opponents, not to mention Xing Feng, and also, Lu Xuan didn’t have any bad feelings towards Xing Feng. From his being able to simply challenge himself to directly asking about his experience, he knew that this person wasn’t the type to scheme, and was only concerned about contributing to the sword faction and pursuing the martial path.
(TN: I translated martial path from 武道, but does anyone think I should be translating it as martial dao?)
As for Xia Ye and Lin Xin Yi, Lu Xuan had long since recognized them as friends. How could be stingy with just a big of insights?
Stopping in his tracks, Lu Xuan slowly turned his body and scanned over their three faces.
“These twenty-four characters are, the heart comprehends the sword, the sword condenses the heart, in the sword is the heart, in the heart is the sword, sword intent is immortal, sword heart does not die. However, this is also only what I have superficially seen, and is very weak. You guys can listen to and that’s enough. Maybe you will be able to gain some enlightenment.” Lu Xuan shook his head after finishing speaking. His current sword intent was only small success. Its distance from the actual peak was still who knows how long.
(TN: I use the word “characters” rather than word “words” because there really were only 24 characters in the original Chinese text, and I didn’t really have a way to convey the meaning of those 24 characters with just 24 English words.)
However, what Lu Xuan viewed as superficial insights, when it landed in the three people’s ears, it stimulated frightening storms. In a moment, the three were completely startled them, all of them were thinking about Lu Xuan’s twenty-four characters.
Among the three, Xing Feng’s talent was the highest. Having obtained Lu Xuan’s directing, he felt as if something in his mind had just broken, the ever distant sword intent seemed to have already been glimpsed by him. Although the distance from comprehending sword intent was still far far away, but at least he had already grabbed onto its image. From now on, as long as there were enough opportunities, he could successfully be able to break through.
As for Xia Ye and Lin Xin Yi, their talents weren’t as good as Xing Feng, but they also had great perception. They couldn’t comprehend sword intent, but at least they would be able to travel further along the sword dao.
What Lu Xuan didn’t know was that his twenty-four characters were the general principles of the small success stage of sword intent, and even Elder Cheng could only make out with difficulty to understand the sword heart two characters and was entirely unable to speak as clearly as Lu Xuan.
Without even speaking of the three fledgling martial artists that were leaning in to listen closely to Lu Xuan’s insights, even if had spoken those twenty-four characters in front of Elder Cheng, Elder Cheng wouldn’t necessarily be able to understand everything.
Seeing that the three seemed to have understood something, Lu Xuan didn’t rush to leave. After waiting for half an hour, the three walked out of their perceiving one after another.
Xia Ye sighed and said: “Lu Xuan, your short twenty-four characters were equivalent to three years of me bitterly cultivating. From now on your dao path will absolutely be further than mine. This large leg, I will have to grasp onto firmly.”
Hearing this, Lin Xin Yi smiled and said: “That’s a given. Vice sect master has spoken, after a year, Lu Xuan will definitely become a core disciple. You’re far off, however, you have spoken correctly. These twenty-four characters are indeed unusual. After hearing it, I’ve had quite a few insights.”
Towards Lin Xin Yi’s ridicule, Xia Ye refused to be outdone and retorted: “Why are you happy about Lu Xuan entering the core. You’re still going to remain in the inner sect. At that time, don’t be a person with an unrequited love…”
“Xia Ye, what nonsense are you talking about!” Lin Xin Yi said with a bit of embarrassment as she interrupted Xia Ye’s words, her face couldn’t help but blush, and she didn’t dare to lift her head to look at Lu Xuan.
She had never spoken her feelings about Lu Xuan aloud, but a few people were well aware, but they had just never pierced this window paper. Unexpectedly, Xia Ye, in a moment of desperation, had just blurted it out.
Aware that he had spoken out of line, Xia Ye immediately chuckled a bit and didn’t elaborate further, no longer speaking, only giving an ambiguous look towards the two of them.
Just as Lu Xuan and Lin Xin Yi were both feeling rather embarrassed, Xing Feng on the side suddenly opened his mouth, breaking the awkward silence, causing both of them to sigh.
“Lu Xuan, this favor of teaching, I have remembered. Although I may not be able to help you in the future, but as long as there’s a place to use me, I will definitely not decline!” Xing Feng said solemnly. Lu Xuan being able to speak about such important insights without reservation made this promise totally worth it. He was almost entirely sure that Lu Xuan had definitely comprehended sword intent, otherwise, there was no way he could have spoken these twenty-four characters.
To Xing Feng’s words, Lu Xuan smiled a little and didn’t reject them. His directing was indeed worthy of this promise. Besides, who knew whether or not there would be a time when he would need Xing Feng?
The four of them continued along the road towards the Martial Skill Pavilion. The matter just now was just an interlude. Very soon, a not too tall building but looked very majestic appeared before their eyes. A carefully framed plaque was hung up, with the three words Martial Skill Pavilion flamboyantly written on them.
They had arrived at the Martial Skill Pavilion.
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