Chapter 372 – Awakening the Sword Inquiry Heart

“What is a sword?”

Suddenly, Ye Kuang had a whimsical thought, recalling the true essence of sword usage he had once comprehended.

“A gentleman is known to the world for his righteous spirit and sharp edge—capable of advancing to attack and retreating to defend.”

Here, the “sword” also ranks as the “king of weapons” among the eighteen arms.

Rather than facing enemies with the mindset of “when two meet on a narrow path, the brave wins,” it would be more fitting to say “where the sword points, nothing can stand in its way”!

“Then what is swordsmanship?” At this thought, Ye Kuang inevitably fell into a pensive trance.

Clearly, he had no answer to this question.

The reason for this was that he had never been familiar with the sword—how could he even discuss swordsmanship?

Reverend Dandao: “Master, sword techniques vary widely, and so does swordsmanship. However, this old servant believes that the sword is the edge; sword techniques, in essence, never stray from their core principles.”

As he spoke, Reverend Dandao continued: “As for the fundamental principles that form the basis of countless sword techniques, this is swordsmanship. If Master can draw parallels between sword cultivation and swordsmanship to develop a unique and extraordinary sword art, then you can establish your own exclusive sword dao!”

It was easy to imagine how Ye Kuang, upon hearing this, could remain calm.

Afterward, he seemed somewhat absent-minded, muttering to himself: “What do sword cultivation and swordsmanship have in common? Sword dao? Swordsmanship? Ah, that’s right—the Profound Sword!”

In an instant, after murmuring these words three times, he became utterly engrossed.

Regardless of whether he had systematically trained in swordsmanship, the fact that the Profound Sword could instantly annihilate all Dao Inquiry was enough to show that it still had immense potential for development.

“Heh… hehe…”

At this thought, a series of mischievous chuckles escaped him. Ye Kuang suddenly seemed to have an epiphany, as if he had discovered an unknown new continent.

As the saying goes: when the grievances of the jianghu enter one’s heart, how can one not draw the sword?

It was only at this moment that he began to truly acknowledge the existence of the “sword,” abandoning his previous indifferent attitude.

It could be said that no matter how skilled one is in martial arts, one still fears a kitchen knife.

In other words, even if one’s cultivation is lacking, swordsmanship can still hold its own charm!

Unbeknownst to him, Reverend Dandao had naturally guessed some of Ye Kuang’s thoughts and couldn’t help but praise: “Master, it is truly commendable that you have realized this. The Qi Refining Stage is not as simple as you might think. If Master wishes to pursue the path of sword dao, the power of the Primordial Spirit is likely indispensable. If you can materialize the Primordial Spirit and undergo the two major tempering processes of nurturing and refining the sword, your future sword dao will surely shake heaven and earth.”

Ye Kuang heard this and did not doubt it.

But then, with a mere gesture, the Heavy Edge on his back silently landed in his palm, leaving him inexplicably astonished: “Are you referring to this?”

Reverend Dandao: “…”

Ye Kuang: “It seems so.”

No sooner had he spoken than he couldn’t help but marvel at this.

“Yet it’s truly unbelievable—the speed at which the sword unsheathes with a mere thought of Divine Sense is clearly faster than any hand movement… though it does consume quite a bit of energy,” Ye Kuang said.

Hearing this, Reverend Dandao couldn’t help but feel speechless internally.

To be honest, Reverend Dandao wanted to scold him: You’re practically flaunting your luck! If you hadn’t devoured half of my Primordial Spirit, how could you have comprehended the wonders of Divine Sense ahead of time and even wield it as effortlessly as your own arm?Of course, Reverend Dandao naturally dared not voice these thoughts aloud, for the consequences could range from minor to severe.

“Master, since you have now grasped the basics of Divine Sense, the next step becomes simpler. You need only familiarize yourself with this power until it becomes second nature. You should know, in our era, there were countless formidable sword cultivators who could split mountains and part seas. Even enemies a thousand miles away could not escape being beheaded by a single sword strike,” Reverend Dandao reminisced.

Hiss, hiss, hiss.

It was predictable that upon hearing this, Ye Kuang would inevitably draw a sharp, silent breath.

Clearly, though he had never witnessed such scenes of overwhelming dominance, it wasn’t hard for him to conjure vivid imaginations of them.

Splitting mountains, parting seas. Taking heads as easily as reaching into a bag.

As for enemies a thousand miles away, it was like moving unseen and unheard, killing without a trace.

At this thought, a surge of longing ignited within him!

To be as powerful as a sword cultivator, commanding the wind and clouds!

With sword dao reaching divine heights, invincible across the realms!

But who would have thought, Reverend Dandao seemed determined to shock with his words, proceeding to extol the various invincible and admirable qualities of sword cultivators.

A million years ago… a hundred thousand years ago… ten thousand years ago… a thousand years ago… until a century ago.

“Killing one with every ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles—it seems these tales aren’t unfounded. And passing through ten thousand troops without a single leaf touching you—clearly not empty boasts either,” Ye Kuang murmured to himself, falling into an inexplicable excitement.

One could say, once this fervent blood began to boil, the innate martial spirit buried deep in his bones awakened with renewed vitality.

Though Ye Kuang didn’t fully understand why this was happening, he deeply realized one thing: the purpose of wielding a sword.

It was just as the saying goes: the strength of one’s conviction determines the breadth of the sword heart one can awaken.

No matter how strong you are, I shall pacify all intentions with a single sword.

As for feasibility, it largely resembled: a single thought bringing clarity, seeking the sword as thirstily as one craves water.

Hum, hum, hum!

Unbeknownst to him, the heavy sword, enveloped by his Divine Sense, suddenly emitted a series of resonant hums.

At that moment, feeling the subtle connection tingling in his palm, Ye Kuang couldn’t help but gently stroke the sword’s blade and smiled inexplicably. “You resonate with me? Good! Good! Good! It seems I was born to wield a sword. Very well, you shall join me in battling across the world…”

Buzz, buzz!

Reverend Dandao: “…”

As that scene faded into the past, outside the Cave, in the open woods, the air was thick with the sounds of rending wind and thunder.

Clearly, it was a swordsman focusing intently in silence.

“Ha!”

As Ye Kuang continued to sweat profusely, the moist air filled with the fragrance of earth, he completely entered a state of self-forgetfulness, gradually practicing the Profound Sword.

A seemingly ordinary thrust moved as swift as lightning, barely visible to the naked eye.

In an instant, a tree crown ahead was pierced with a foot-long sword mark!

“Not enough. Both speed and power are lacking…”

“Ha!”

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

“Not good—the arc is too wide, speed is still insufficient, and power is even weaker!”

Slash, slash, slash!

No one knew how much time had passed. Now, with nightfall abruptly descending, the surrounding woods became Ye Kuang’s training ground.

From the neat, uniform sword marks everywhere, it wasn’t hard to see how diligently the practitioner was cultivating.

Every time Ye Kuang entered meditation, new insights would surge upon him.

Each time he opened and closed his eyes, it was like the sun rising and setting, leaving behind a trace of cold, sharp electricity.

Thud, thud, thud!In an instant, the roaring of swords assaulted his ears, while the canopy was once again bathed in countless Sword Lights, leaving it in a state of utter disarray.

“The strength is sufficient, but the speed is far from enough!”

As the words fell, Ye Kuang couldn’t help but reflect on the original intent behind the Profound Sword technique!

Swiftness!

Ferocity!

Precision!

It embodied his unyielding will, his relentless momentum, and even the courage to draw his sword against formidable foes…

As these thoughts surged through his mind, a sudden inspiration seemed to dawn upon Ye Kuang!