Immortal Soaring Blade

Everyone, welcome to 2021!  2020 has been an absolutely horrid year for many people on many levels, and I think many (most? all?) of us are glad to leave it behind.  With that said, I wanted to give everyone a preview for some of the things that are coming up in the coming few months for Wuxiaworld.

Front-End Site Redesign - This one has been a long time coming!  Historically, we've focused more on incremental changes and feature build-out rather than overhauling the site itself, but for quite a few months now...

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Zhao Jiuge’s hands were trembling, but he could not hide the shock in his eyes. He looked at the wooden sword in his hand and he couldn’t believe it. At that moment, he had vaguely touched the level of Elucidation.

His heart was still beating rapidly. Zhao Jiuge felt like his cheeks were a bit hot from excitement. It took him a long time to calm down. If he remembered correctly, today was the beginning of the month, the day that he could ask Instructor Zhou questions.

Zhao Jiuge looked around. He found that Luo Xie had run off again. Zhao Jiuge had no way of controlling this friend who lived with him. He spent all day cultivating or studying the Sword Energy Elucidation Chapter. In contrast, Luo Xie would disappear during the day, and when he came back at night, he would only cultivate for one or two hours before falling asleep. If this continued for three years, it would be very difficult for Luo Xie to enter the inner sect. He had spent a lot of time lecturing Luo Xie on this, but Luo Xie still did his own thing. Zhao Jiuge finally gave up and let Luo Xie do his own thing.

Zhao Jiuge looked around for a bit. Luo Xie, who was still in the room earlier, had run off while he was gaining enlightenment practicing the sword. Zhao Jiuge had no idea where he had gone off to play and felt a bit helpless. He was filled with excitement and had doubt in his heart, and planned to discuss this with Instructor Zhou later.

In the past, when faced with the stern-faced Instructor Zhou, even Zhao Jiuge wouldn't dare to speak up. However, during the fight against the youth with the scar, Zhao Jiuge had unexpectedly found that Instructor Zhou smiled kindly at him. This caused Zhao Jiuge’s impression of Instructor Zhou to change drastically. It seemed Instructor Zhou was pretty good to him.

After arriving at the teaching hall, Zhao Jiuge was shocked to find that the 30 or so seats were mostly empty. He was surprised that so few people had come to the once-a-month teaching session. He was unfamiliar with the several people here—most of the people he knew were in the other two teaching halls.

Although Zhao Jiuge didn’t know why the two youths were grinning at him, he returned a friendly smile. While he was thinking, he saw two or three youths sneering at him in disdain. Zhao Jiuge frowned slightly and was confused, then he suddenly understood why.

Seeing how they had extraordinary auras, Zhao Jiuge sneered in his heart. Although he had won the battle one month ago, his crazed words had completely offended all the disciples from good families. Right now, all of them held a lot of hostility toward him.

In an instant, Zhao Jiuge’s expression returned to normal and he was as calm as water. He no longer cared about the gazes of others.

After waiting for a long time, he still didn’t see Luo Xie’s friends, and no one else came at all. Zhao Jiuge felt like this was very strange. Once he headed back, he would have to ask what Luo Xie was doing.

Instructor Zhou had long arrived and was patiently waiting for the other disciples while he stroked his beard. Time slowly passed. Even he became impatient and his sternness returned. He looked at the seven or eight people here and said in a voice filled with anger, “Hmph, it looks like everyone has been studying the Sword Energy Elucidation well this month. Is everyone about to reach the level of Elucidation? So many people didn’t even come, is no one having problems?”

Instructor Zhou naturally had an imposing aura while he spoke. This caused the people here, including Zhao Jiuge, to become nervous. They didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly while they attentively listened to Instructor Zhou.

“Instructor Zhou, I came here today to ask for advice. I seem to have touched the realm of Elucidation, but I’m still a ways off. I have some doubts in my heart that I would like to ask you to clear up.” Zhao Jiuge’s voice was soft, obedient, and respectful. He was not afraid to speak out even though Instructor Zhou was angry.

“Oh, then tell me about it.” When the imposing Instructor Zhou saw someone speak and that the person was Zhao Jiuge, his eyes lit up.

“It’s that when I practice the sword art according to the Sword Energy Elucidation chapter, I think that the most important part is not how beautiful the sword strike looks, but how close it is to the concept of the sword art. Just like the first sword art, one strike is like a lonely boat tumbling through the vast ocean. It seems dangerous, but it's not afraid of anything and advances through the waves.” Zhao Jiuge carefully looked at Instructor Zhou’s face, and when he saw that there was no anger and that Instructor Zhou was nodding frequently, his courage grew. Even his voice became louder and clearer.

“However, after I carefully studied it for a long time, I could only reach this point, with no sign of improvement. I have already tried my best to understand the Sword Energy Elucidation. This junior is dumb and I hope Instructor Zhou can teach me how to practice the sword art so I may reach the Elucidation stage one day. Then break through to the Foundation Realm.” After stating his doubts, Zhao Jiuge became more relaxed even when facing the imposing Instructor Zhou. He began to speak more and more.

Instructor Zhou carefully listened to Zhao Jiuge’s doubts. He noticed how this child’s voice went from low at the beginning to much more relaxed later on. Zhao Jiuge was even using his hands to make gestures. Instructor Zhou smiled, and when he heard Zhao Jiuge’s account, he was shocked. He hadn’t expected that among the 30 some disciples he was teaching, there would be someone who vaguely touched the gate of Elucidation. It has to be said that upon reaching the level of Elucidation, you can use it to break through to the Foundation Realm and it can help you form your foundation formation.

Even he didn’t notice that there was such a genius at wielding the sword. However, some geniuses dazzled at the start but fell later on, while others with mediocre talent became amazing with the passage of time. Instructor Zhou originally only saw Zhao Jiuge as someone with ordinary talent, he hadn’t expected him to have such a high level of comprehension with the sword. 

“Not bad, not bad, not bad. Your description of the domain is very right, but you have just comprehended it. Domain is something that can be comprehended but not explained in words. All I can tell you is that your direction is not wrong. As long as you continue to understand with your heart, you will reach the level of Elucidation. As your comprehension of sword intent increases, the stronger the sword energy will become. All I can tell you is to study the chant of the Sword Energy Elucidation chapter and practice with the domain you comprehended. When your comprehension reaches a certain level, everything will fall in place. Your sword energy and domain will change. This is very good, you’ve shown vague signs of touching Elucidation in just a month. Go back and practice hard, then come ask me about anything you don’t understand next month.” Instructor Zhou didn’t hide his admiration for Zhao Jiuge.

Instructor Zhou had kindly instructed Zhao Jiuge and was not as harsh as he was the others. The people watching were all shocked.

When Zhao Jiuge raised his doubts, the seven or eight youths all had different expressions as they secretly listened to Instructor Zhou’s explanation. Although they didn’t understand, they all listened attentively and remembered it in their hearts.

The doubts in Zhao Jiuge’s eyes became clear. After hearing Instructor Zhou’s words, he was a little eager to try it out. Now he just wanted to head back and practice his sword. He smiled respectfully and said, “I understand, Instructor Zhou, I’ll go back and try it out.”

Instructor Zhou nodded, then he looked at Zhao Jiuge and kindly asked, “Do you have any other doubts?”

“No, Instructor Zhou.” Zhao Jiuge shook his head. He continued to recall every word Instructor Zhou had said.

After seeing Zhao Jiuge’s reaction, Instructor Zhou withdrew his gaze and slowly scanned the other youths. “Do the rest of you have any doubts? Is there anything you find difficult about the Sword Energy Elucidation chapter?”

Instructor Zhou didn’t have such a good attitude toward the other people. He had addressed everyone with a loud voice while having a rigid and gloomy expression.

Those youths were all terrified and uneasy. They wanted to express their doubts like Zhao Jiuge and obtain Instructor Zhou’s praise. However, they had made no great progress this month, so they simply couldn’t bring up any doubts at all. The atmosphere of the entire room became a bit oppressive, and everyone remained silent.

How could Instructor Zhou not see through their thoughts after seeing their expressions? He let out a cold snort. His expression became even more impatient, changing to gloomy and scary. He angrily shouted, “Could it be that among the 30 of you, only Zhou Jiuge has doubts? Is he the only person stupider than you? Are you all so talented that more than half of you didn’t even come? Very good, I want to see if all of you can enter the inner sect in three years. If you have nothing to say, scram. If you have the ability, don’t come next month!”

At the end, Instructor Zhou completely erupted, and the more he talked, the more annoyed he became. Before the seven or eight youths could react, Instructor Zhou disappeared from the teaching hall. The questioning at the beginning of the first month ended like this, but Zhao Jiuge didn’t care about others. Since he had resolved the doubts in his heart, he was happy. Others may have become laxed after entering the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect, but he couldn’t. He quickly returned to his residence to try out the method Instructor Zhou had told him about.

This left the seven or eight people looking at each other. They only dared to relax after Instructor Zhou left. They no longer looked nervous.

“What kind of situation is this? Why are so many people missing?” Although Instructor Zhou had already left, a thin young man still spoke quietly and looked at the door nervously.

“Who knows? However, that Zhao Jiuge is indeed worthy of his fame. He has already reached the point of Elucidation. I think he should be able to enter the inner sect in three years. Ah, we are not even worthy of being envious of him. Constantly comparing oneself to others will only make one angry,” the youth next to the thin youth said with a gaze filled with envy, then he sighed.

“Hmph, is Zhao Jiuge that good? Senior Brother Mu Zijun is much better than him. I don’t like how Zhao Jiuge pretends to be cool.” The young man that sneered at Zhao Jiuge had a look of disdain. When he heard other people praising Zhao Jiuge, he couldn’t stand it anymore and stood up to retort.

After hearing someone begin a dispute, the thin young man immediately stood up. Seeing that the situation was not right, the youth beside the person that spoke up immediately gave him a quick pull on the sleeve.

“Let’s leave, we have serious business to take care of. Perhaps it has already started, we shouldn’t miss it.” The youth with the extraordinary temperament was about to continue when he saw his companion talk to him. He seemed to suddenly remember something and decided not to argue with the thin youth.

But when he arrived at the door with his companion, he suddenly turned around. He pointed at the thin youth and said, “Don’t get too arrogant, you bumpkins. Be careful so that you’re not dealt with today as well.” After he finished speaking, he arrogantly left.

The two angry youths were left behind. They seemed unwilling and quickly followed. It was as if something was going to happen today.

But Zhao Jiuge had already returned to his residence, and none of this had anything to do with him. His eyes were filled with madness and he only wanted to cultivate. One year from now, he would earn sect contributions, and in three years, he would enter the inner sect. He didn’t care about anything else.

He eagerly returned to return to his room and sat down on his bed to begin comprehending the sword art. Then he would go out to practice his sword and cultivate in the evening.

Time passed extremely fast when cultivating. Before he could even digest Instructor Zhou’s words, it was already afternoon. Most importantly, two uninvited guests had arrived in the room.

The person on the left was actually Leng Rufeng.

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