Chapter 100: The Inevitability Born of Coincidence (6)

"Hmm."

How long had he been like that?

The clothes that had repeatedly gotten wet from the dew and dried again had become limp. His hair, drenched in sweat and disheveled, indicated that he had been sitting in that position for a long time.

A state of self-forgetfulness. For a full four days, Yan Zhiping had sat in that spot, immersed in his cultivation, his eyes as calm as a still lake.

Yan Zhiping smiled faintly.

A moment later, his expression suddenly contorted.

"It's over... da-da-da-da! Ouch, my legs!"

Yan Zhiping, who had uncrossed his legs, began to massage them, groaning.

Rumble.

Hastily channeling his inner energy, he soon felt a numbing white aura spreading through his stiff legs.

Flash!

A sharp aura surged like a bolt of lightning.

It was a completely different kind of inner energy from the Biyan Qi. While the Biyan Qi created a gentle green glow, this inner energy boasted a cool, white aura like a divine sword or a precious saber.

Sharp, yet at the same time, pure and radiant. It seemed to guide Yan Zhiping on the path he should take as a swordsman.

"Hmm, it's done."

The energy that had been released from his legs surged through his entire body in an instant.

His body, which had stiffened to the extreme, relaxed in a flash. Although his joints still felt a bit stiff, he quickly felt better after moving around a few times.

Yan Zhiping clasped his hands in front of his chest and focused his energy.

Rumble.

How much time had passed?

The energy that had been expelled from his body gathered and formed a faint white light.

Joy spread across Yan Zhiping's face.

"It's done!"

He had emitted the inner energy from his body, precisely controlled it, and compressed it, fixing it outside his body.

Such a level of energy control was impossible without a deep understanding of inner energy. It was a realm that should not be achievable at the age of sixteen.

A remarkably clear and noble energy.

It was one of the Five Great Skills of the Yan family, Jianjisi Qi (Sword Apex Thought Energy).

Whoosh!

He absorbed the energy he had created in front of him.

His entire body seemed to be filled with energy. A sense of satisfaction made him smile involuntarily.

"Hehehe."

Yan Zhiping, who had been chuckling to himself, soon cleared his throat and crossed his arms.

"No, I shouldn't be satisfied here."

He thought of his brother, Lian Hozheng.

"Brother never felt satisfied after achieving something."

His brother was always looking up, striving for more.

In fact, this attitude did not align with Yan Zhiping's nature, at least not with his current self.

However, as a martial artist, there was much to learn from his brother's attitude. If his efforts over the years had brought him to his current position, he should strive even higher after solidifying his foundation.

Perhaps all martial artists in the Jianghu lived this way, constantly refining themselves to achieve greater strength and higher realms, a destiny of those who lived by the sword.

Yan Zhiping picked up the long sword he had left in the corner of the training ground.

Swish.

"Ah!"

The blade was still sharp, but it had lost some of its luster compared to before. As it was just an ordinary iron sword and not a precious blade, it was inevitable that it would lose its shine after a few days without maintenance.

Yan Zhiping quickly wiped the blade with his sleeve, making sure no one was watching.

Of course, a few wipes with his sleeve wouldn't restore its luster. In the end, Yan Zhiping stroked the sword with a pained expression.

"Sorry, I'll clean you properly after I finish practicing."

It was the first real sword he had ever received. He had wielded this sword for over a year. It was special to him.

"Alright."

Lowering his stance and positioning the sword low, Yan Zhiping's face, which had been full of smiles, suddenly turned expressionless.

Paf!

The footwork he used to dash forward was fast and agile.

It was the Tianluo Shenbu, a secret footwork technique of the Yan family. This world-class footwork, though the practitioner was young, demonstrated the talent of a genius who could achieve results beyond his training.

Yan Zhiping, who had been weaving through the entire training ground with his fantastic footwork, finally began to wield his sword.

Swoosh! Bang!

A powerful burst of energy erupted from the tip of the sword.

It was strong yet sharp. In an instant, it fiercely disrupted the air in front of him as Yan Zhiping swung his sword at a terrifying speed.

The sword technique, which cut through the air like a net, was unexpectedly brutal and fast. He was performing the Chaolian Dalian's Luan Jian Shu (Chaos Sword Technique).

'Huh?'

Swish.

Yan Zhiping, who had just released the sword technique, suddenly straightened his posture.

'What is it? It feels different from before.'

He couldn't pinpoint exactly what had changed, but something was definitely different.

And because of this change, he felt it was better not to use the sword technique for now.

"Hmm, maybe I should focus on physical training."

Rumble.

"Let me eat first, though."

Swish!

"Ah! I need to maintain the sword too! I'm busy, busy."

Yan Zhiping quickly disappeared, hugging the sword.

A short while later, Lian Wei and Lian Hozheng appeared in the empty training ground.

Lian Wei glanced at Lian Hozheng.

"How is it?"

Lian Hozheng whistled.

"When did that kid grow so much?"

"Even you think he's quite impressive, don't you?"

"Quite impressive? Who could possibly achieve such a high-level sword technique at Zhiping's age?"

Lian Wei's eyes sparkled.

"Sword technique. You have a good eye, indeed."

Lian Hozheng shook his head.

"It's not just a matter of physical growth. Zhiping's sword has already reached a certain realm. However, if he continues to practice martial arts this way, the gap between sword principles and his physical body might lead him astray."

"True."

"But he realized it and stopped practicing. He felt that his enlightenment had surpassed the level of physical training with just a few sword swings. It means he has a clear understanding of his own growth."

Lian Hozheng couldn't help but marvel at his brother's talent.

'A genius who can grasp everything with his senses. Even in the Black Imperial City, there was no such genius.'

Although it was just a few sword swings, Lian Hozheng could accurately gauge the path his brother's sword was taking.

What Yan Zhiping had realized was the sword of the Middle Way.

It was also the path that his father, Lian Wei, pursued. That's why it was the way of the sword. It was the correct path, not leaning towards any one side.

"The most important thing for a martial artist is to know what kind of training is needed to grow from their current position. In this aspect, Zhiping is a natural-born talent."

"He will become strong faster than anyone else. Perhaps even more than me."

"However, I am worried. Although he will grow rapidly, the higher one goes in martial arts, the more difficult and challenging it becomes. I've seen many geniuses who had never experienced setbacks before, but when they hit a wall, they often fall apart."

Lian Hozheng smiled.

He was still looking at the spot where Yan Zhiping had disappeared.

"Zhiping will do well. He won't go astray like me."

Lian Wei looked at Lian Hozheng.

The eldest son was smiling. There was no other emotion in his eyes when he looked at his brother, just pride and joy.

It was like the expression of a parent who is proud of their child's growth. It was clear that he genuinely welcomed his brother's progress.

A small smile also appeared on Lian Wei's face.

'You haven't gone astray either.'

There might have been a period of deviation, but Lian Hozheng had overcome it and grown to this extent.

In the end, Lian Hozheng had also grown straight and strong, without going astray. His repentance for his past mistakes and his new focus on the world were, in some sense, even more surprising than his younger brother's growth.

Lian Wei looked up at the sky.

Was it because the eldest son had returned? He suddenly thought of his wife.

A warm light flickered in his usually indifferent eyes.

'Thanks to your watchful eye, our children have grown up so well.'

Lian Wei genuinely felt that he had done nothing.

He thought that his late wife, watching from heaven, had given strength to his two sons, which was why they had grown up so well.

Although he had done little for his children until now, he decided to give them everything he could from now on.

"Let's go up."

"Yes."

Father and son stood in the center of the training ground.

As soon as they stepped onto the training ground, the atmosphere around them changed.

Lian Wei looked at the axe Lian Hozheng was holding.

"You've become quite rough."

Lian Hozheng tapped the axe blade.

"It needs some attention. After clashing with many experts, the blade has become quite damaged."

"It doesn't just look damaged."

"Yes. It's still usable, but there's a problem with the handle too."

Lian Wei shook his head.

"No matter how intense the clash of martial arts was, it would be difficult for such a large weapon to be damaged this quickly."

"Yes."

"It's evidence of your extremely powerful inner energy. A purely strong aura inevitably puts a strain on the body. If your inner energy control was perfect, it wouldn't have been damaged to this extent."

"I understand."

Zhuque, Baihu, Xuanwu.

He had obtained the energies of the Four Divine Beasts and could control them perfectly.

However, this meant that he had no issues with controlling the inner energy. He hadn't taken the time to refine the inner energy itself, thinking it would naturally improve.

However, unless he wielded a precious weapon, any weapon he used would have a short lifespan.

"Let's visit Master Xin tomorrow."

"Understood."

Swish.

Lian Wei drew his sword.

It was not the practice broadsword he had used against Lian Hozheng in the past, but a three-and-a-half-foot-long iron longsword.

Lian Hozheng's face naturally stiffened.

Rumble.

A terrifying sword aura was naturally carried by the wind.

'Serious.'

He didn't draw his beloved sword.

But he was serious. This was not a sparring match at his level, but a confrontation as the head of the Wall Mountain Yan family and a judge of the Ming Shu.

"Show me everything you've learned today."

"Understood."

"I don't want to hurt my son. However, be aware that you might get hurt if you don't use your full strength."

Bang!

The entire training ground seemed to shake.

Sssss.

With an even more powerful stance, Lian Hozheng swung his axe downward.

Lian Wei's eyes sparkled.

'Amazing aura!'

A white aura seemed to rise like smoke from under Lian Hozheng's feet.

The aura was incredibly strong and cold. It would be hard to find such an aura anywhere in the world.

The most aggressive energy of the Four Divine Beasts. The Metal God of the Year of the Metal Tiger, the ruler of the wind, Baihu, was roaring.

Rumble!

The wind from all directions converged at the tip of Lian Hozheng's axe.

Lian Hozheng opened his mouth.

Lian Wei could see the remnants of a white storm spreading from his son's open mouth.

"I still have a lot to learn..."

Whoosh!

The momentum alone was enough to pressure the opponent before the attack even began.

The momentum of the White Tiger, based on the Bila Zhen Qi, spread endlessly.

Crack!

The ground around Lian Hozheng cracked in a circle. The solid ground of the training ground could not withstand the pressure of the surging aura.

Surprise spread across Lian Wei's face.

'How is this possible?'

The realm where one can influence external objects with aura alone.

He had never expected that his son's realm had reached a level where even a senior elder of a major sect would find it difficult to match, in just a few months.

"I will use my full strength."

Bang!

It was an extremely combative stance.

With the powerful stance, Lian Hozheng swung his axe with a storm-like momentum.

Boom!

He swung it so powerfully that it seemed the steel rod would bend.

Surprisingly, his target was Lian Wei's collarbone. The momentum to split the body diagonally was a sign that he saw his opponent as just another martial artist, not his father.

In an instant, a strange excitement spread across Lian Wei's face.

This fighting spirit, this pressure.

How long had it been since he, as a swordsman, had felt such pressure? As the head of the Yan family, thinking of the words 'life and death' now, he felt more boiling fighting spirit than tension.

'Good!'

Lian Wei's sword moved like lightning.

The two weapons clashed head-on.

Crash!