Chapter 4: Comprehending Sword Intent, Nurturing Task Completed

Thatched Cottage.

Lu Changsheng gestured casually toward the few bamboo huts and said, "Pick any room you like."

Ye Qiubai nodded. After settling in, he came before Lu Changsheng.

Lu Changsheng was sitting on a lounge chair, and with a wave of his hand, a sword and a medicinal pill appeared before Ye Qiubai.

"Since you have taken me as your master, I don't have much to give you. I will bestow this Qingyun Sword upon you, to send you straight to the blue clouds."

When Ye Qiubai saw the Qingyun Sword, his expression shifted in shock.

Even while hidden within its scabbard, the sword emitted a faint, persistent, and sharp sword intent that swirled around it.

Grasping it with his hand, he could feel a trace of the Great Dao of the Sword, as if he were gaining some faint insight!

Could a technique or weapon related to the Dao be anything ordinary?

What would it look like if it were unsheathed?

Thinking of this, Ye Qiubai felt the urge to draw the blade.

"I advise you not to draw it. As you are now, you cannot withstand the intent of this sword."

Hearing this, Ye Qiubai dismissed the thought.

"Master, this is too precious. I cannot accept it."

Ye Qiubai’s expression was solemn as he held the sword out.

Lu Changsheng glanced at him and said, "Since I gave it to you, keep it. And that pill—it will resolve the issues in your body."

After speaking, Lu Changsheng reached out and tapped Ye Qiubai’s forehead.

Streams of information regarding a cultivation technique flooded into Ye Qiubai’s mind.

*Taichu Sword Scripture.*

Forging the sword within the Dantian, forging the meridians with the sword.

Achieving the Supreme Sword Body.

The profoundness of it was something Ye Qiubai had rarely seen in his life.

Whether it was the techniques of his family or those he had seen while traveling, none could compare to even a ten-thousandth of this *Taichu Sword Scripture*.

Waves of shock surged in Ye Qiubai’s heart. He nodded, no longer refusing, placed the Creation Pill into his mouth, sat cross-legged, and began to comprehend the technique.

Seeing this, Lu Changsheng nodded and walked into the wooden hut.

"System, what is the disciple cultivation task?"

【Cultivation task initiated: Within three days, have Ye Qiubai comprehend sword intent and reach at least the Golden Core stage. Rewards will be granted to the host based on the completion rate.】

Sword intent?

While that was nothing to him—after all, he hadn't spent the last twenty years just idling away—how was a novice like Ye Qiubai supposed to comprehend sword intent in three days?

And this Golden Core... three days to take Ye Qiubai from zero to the Golden Core realm...

Damn it, are you trying to make things difficult for me?

However, having finally triggered a task, how could Lu Changsheng give up so easily?

Thinking of this, he began to devise a hellish training regimen.

Sword intent relies on aptitude.

Realm?

Even if I have to smash him with pills, I’ll force him up there!

With that, Lu Changsheng took out his alchemy furnace and summoned a flame with a wave of his hand.

Herbs with restrained medicinal fragrances were tossed inside one by one...

One day of the three-day period passed quickly.

Ye Qiubai, sitting cross-legged outside, suddenly opened his eyes. A vortex of spiritual energy appeared around him, using him as the center, and began to pour into his body!

Lu Changsheng walked out of the cottage, flicked his fingers, and several formation flags flew out, instantly shrouding the entire Thatched Cottage in a formation!

"Formation, rise."

As soon as he spoke, the surrounding spiritual energy surged madly into the cottage.

The spiritual energy vortex around Ye Qiubai became even more solid.

His cultivation realm began to climb rapidly!

Qi Refining, Third Layer!

Sixth Layer!

Ninth Layer!

...

Foundation Establishment!

The aura did not stop there; it continued to rise until it reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage!

He was only one step away from entering the Golden Core stage!

Ye Qiubai opened his eyes, picked up a tree branch, and executed a series of sword techniques.

They were the very techniques from the *Taichu Sword Scripture*.

When Ye Qiubai stopped, he could feel that his talent and strength far exceeded what they had been before.

It could be said that Lu Changsheng had given him a new life.

Dropping the branch, Ye Qiubai knelt heavily on the ground and said solemnly to Lu Changsheng, "After I have taken my revenge, Qiubai will surely serve by Master's side!"

Lu Changsheng reached out, lifting him up with an invisible force.

"Enough, continue your cultivation. Here are some pills; strive to break through to the Golden Core stage and comprehend sword intent within these next two days."

Looking at the pills in Lu Changsheng’s hand, Ye Qiubai was shocked once more.

Pure Yang Red Blood Pill, Spirit-Condensing Pill, Foundation-Cultivating Pill.

These three types of pills were rare and highly sought after throughout the entire Southern Region.

The number of alchemists capable of refining these three could be counted on one hand.

"Master, this is too precious!"

Lu Changsheng tossed them to him nonchalantly. "What’s so precious about them? I refined a whole furnace of them; if you run out, just come and get more."

A whole furnace...

Since when did these pills become as worthless as sugar candies...

However, recalling the requirements Lu Changsheng had set for him, he couldn't help but smile bitterly.

The Golden Core stage was one thing.

But sword intent wasn't something you could just "break through" to on command.

Some people spent their entire lives pondering it and never mastered it.

But there was no use thinking about that now. Ye Qiubai steeled his gaze and resumed his cultivation.

As he consumed the pills, his strength began to rise rapidly once more.

At the same time, strands of sword light began to swirl around his body.

Inside him, the sound of swords roaring echoed!

On a cliff nearby, a willow tree watched the scene, its branches rustling.

"This kid has good talent... to meet the requirements for the *Taichu Sword Scripture*, he must have the Primordial Sword Body."

On a nearby branch, a small bird with fiery red wings watched the scene, its eyes filled with a hint of gravity.

Another day passed.

Ye Qiubai sat atop a boulder.

Suddenly, an aura erupted.

Sword qi roared around him.

Before long, the aura retracted.

Golden Core Realm!

Ye Qiubai stood up.

Even though he had reached the Golden Core realm, how was he to comprehend the elusive state of sword intent?

His eyes drifted to a scroll on the wooden table, and, filled with curiosity, he walked over.

It was the painting of the Sword Immortal dancing with his sword.

Ye Qiubai stood before that scroll for an entire night.

Throughout the night, sword qi circled his body.

The sword qi grew increasingly solid, and even the Qingyun Sword in his hand began to reveal a faint gleam.

Lu Changsheng walked out of the cottage, stretched, and saw this scene.

Oh?

He’s touched the threshold of sword intent?

Lu Changsheng nodded and recited, "Silver saddle on a white horse, swift as a shooting star."

Ye Qiubai seemed to hear him, and the sword qi began to howl through the space!

"Ten steps to kill one man, a thousand miles without leaving a trace. After the deed is done, he brushes off his clothes and leaves, hiding his name and fame."

As the words fell, Ye Qiubai suddenly opened his eyes, and the light from the Qingyun Sword flared brilliantly.

A will of the Sword Dao soared from within Ye Qiubai’s body!

The commotion was so great that it startled the entire Cangdao Academy!

"This is... sword intent!"

"Has another swordsman been born?"

In the Martial Academy, Sword Hall.

A woman in red was meditating; she opened her eyes and looked toward the direction where the sword intent was roaring.

"Cangdao Academy, it truly lives up to its reputation..."

She then recalled being turned away by Lu Changsheng, who had chosen to take in an ordinary youth as his disciple instead.

"I will make you regret not taking me as your disciple."

With that, she closed her eyes and continued to contemplate the blood-red sword before her.

...

Only by comprehending sword intent can one be called a swordsman.

At this moment, a series of sounds echoed in Lu Changsheng’s mind.

【Cultivation task completed】

【Host receives: Nine Nether Yellow Springs Formation, Sword Dao Principles, One Thousand Years of Cultivation】