"Young Master Fu Chen, what brings you here?"
Today, Li Fu Chen had arrived at the martial library. At the entrance were guards giving their greetings to Li Fu Chen.
This library is a place of importance to the Li clan, in it contains vast number of martial arts manuals. For regular disciples, an application has to be approved, with exception to Li Fu Chen of course.
Li Fu Chen snickered, "Why? Can't I be here?"
"Of course you can!", the guards followed up with an apologetic smile.
Once Li Fu Chen was in the library, one of the guards whispered, "Weird… Wasn't it the case that Young Master Fu Chen couldn’t cultivate? So why is he here? And Young Master looks different than usual, he looks jovial."
"Maybe he hadn't been here for a long time and wanted to behold it again.", the other guard replied with a pity feeling tone.
***
There are 3 floors in the library.
First floor were where all the yellow class low tier manuals are located, middle tier for the second floor and high tier for the third floor.
Advancing straight to the second floor, Li Fu Chen began to skim through sword arts manual.
Having cultivated 2 yellow class low tier sword arts. Other than Tiger Fang Cross Slash, there was also the Crescent sword style, which he already cultivated it to completion last year.
As Tiger Fang Cross Slash is much more complex, it took longer to reach completion state. This time he wants to see with his current perception, how fast can he learn the yellow class middle tier sword arts.
"Swift Breeze sword style: Overwhelming speed with domineering sword qi. One can only feel the breeze but the sword is nowhere to be seen."
"Soaring Eagle sword style: Eagle strikes from the sky, unmatched sword qi"
"Shao Shang sword style: Sword with strength filled to the brim, earth shattering power."
"Xiao Zhou Heaven sword style…"
"Drifting sword style…"
"Diving Fish sword style…"
"Octadic sword style…"
…..
Within the library, majority of the manuals are sword arts. Glancing through all the sword arts, for a split moment Li Fu Chen saw images of swordsmen rise and fall.
Ultimately, Li Fu Chen picked Swift Breeze and Shao Shang sword style.
Swift Breeze sword style gave the feeling of it being the most complex out of all the others and Shao Shang sword style was with staggering strength.
Finally, Li Fu Chen also pick the Cyclone Kick style.
This is a kick style that emphasized on speed. There was much worth to cultivate this as upon attaining sub-completion, not only will one have sharp kicks, it even raises one's velocity as well.
***
"Choosing 3 manuals in one go?
The elder protector of the library is Li Fu Chen's cousin grandfather, Li De Xing. With grizzled hair and furrowed brows, "Fu Chen, although I am not sure if you can peacefully cultivate now. Even if you could, learning so many styles at one time is not beneficial. The essence of martial arts is not by quantity, one must understand that being a jack of all trades will mean that you can be a master of none."
Li Fu Chen gave a nod of respect, "Yes Elder, I understand. It is just for me to take a look."
"If that is the case, I will not stop you."
The thought of Li Fu Chen not being able to cultivate, Li De Xing felt pity for him. A year ago, in terms of talent, Li Fu Chen's was not shy of the clan's current top genius Li Yun Hai. Such a pity…
***
The next morning, Li Fu Chen brought along a steel sword and once again came to the back of the mountain peak.
"Swift Breeze sword style, meticulous and unstoppable. Upon sub-completion, one can brandish 3 slashes in a blink of the eye. Once cultivated to completion, one can at least reach 6 slashes."
Before cultivating, Li Fu Chen tested his sword speed and realised he could only brandish 2 slashes at best. Even though 2 and 3 slashes is only 1 slash away, but this difference could impact the result of a fight with a stronger opponent.
Welcoming the wind, Li Fu Chen shut his eyes to experience the state of mind within Swift Breeze sword style.
No long after, Li Fu Chen opened his eyes and his body shook with force, the steel sword in his hands brandished with extreme speed.
With the wind blowing on endlessly, Li Fu Chen's sword inched on faster and faster. Gradually, as though enveloped in wind, wherever the wind was, the sword will follow. When Li Fu Chen settled, his qi emptied, Li Fu Chen was gasping for air and covered in sweat.
"As expected of Swift Breeze sword style, it uses quite a bit of qi."
As the class of sword arts gets higher, the consumption of qi is increased. With Li Fu Chen's current cultivation, it is quite exhausting to wield yellow class middle tier sword arts. If he were to use yellow class high tier sword arts, he may only be able to manage ten slashes before depleting his qi.
Once his qi replenished. Li Fu Chen continued cultivating and repeating the process.
***
Five days past
"He!"
With the breeze, Li Fu Chen executed hundreds of slashes. The speed of the slashes were instantaneous, it's almost as if it fused with the wind. Under the bright sun, there seems to be a mirage in front of Li Fu Chen.
"Four slashes in a blink of an eye", Li Fu Chen exhaled and return his sword to the scabbard.
Li Fu Chen was beginning to grasp the essence of the Swift Breeze sword style. In layman terms, it was to allow one's sword merge with the nature's wind. Let the sword become the wind, let the qi become the wind, let the sword, qi and wind unite as one.
Of course, it's easier said than done. If not for the pale green spirit and astounding perception, he would not be able to achieve sub-completion in two months.
Leaving early in the morning and coming back late in the evenings, the time past quickly.
***
On the tenth afternoon.
Pang!
With a strike of the palm on the tree, leaves rained in profusion.
With a flash of the sword.
Scattered…
The leaves that once covered his surroundings all broken into pieces. With that blink of an eye, Li Fu Chen flourished 6 slashes.
"Finally completion attained."
In the eyes of Li Fu Chen was a flash of truth.
The Swift Breeze sword style capitalizes quickness to win, as one's agility reaches an extreme, one can spot things which were previously impossible. Example like what is the fastest way to strike using different angles, stances and trajectories.
Speed is the truth, with speed, when others stand in front of you, weakness can be found everywhere. Speed is a principle and with speed, your sword strikes are without equals.
Li Fu Chen not only achieve completion for Swift Breeze sword style, but discerned an intangible many other swordsmen would kill for… the way of the sword.
To comprehend the way of the sword, one may or may not require excellent perception.
For some talentless individuals, with hard work and many years of cultivation, they could suddenly fathom the way of the sword and become the best swordsman. Yet those with exquisite talent, although should be able to grasp the way of the sword effortlessly, could never figure it out ever.
Comprehension and perception. With the ability to assimilate… thus will enable one to envision. With just perception, it's not going to work.
***
Returning to Li clan, Li Fu Chen passes by the training grounds. He noticed many Li clan's disciple sparring against each other, but in his perspective, all of the sword styles are full of loopholes. If given the chance, he could use a 100 different ways to triumph them.
Handily whipping one of the disciples, Li Yun He gaze landed upon Li Fu Chen, "Li Fu Chen, this time you aren't going to deny my challenge right!?" Li Yun He's smirked and looked at Li Fu Chen with disdain.
"You are not my match…", Li Fu Chen shakes his head.
"What did he say? Did I hear it wrongly?!"
"Now this is a show! Before Li Yun He was at fifth layer qi stage, Li Fu Chen was already not on the same level as him. Let's not even talk about now.. Who knows how will Li Yun He take care of Li Fu Chen."
In an instant, the whole training grounds' atmosphere was roused.
"Li Fu Chen, this is the worst joke I have ever heard. You think acting like a fool will help you?", Li Yun He sneered at Li Fu Chen, looking down on him completely.