In the Sword Washing Pool of Jin Nation Academy.
Everyone was stunned.
They knew that Ye Ping was strong, and they knew that Ye Ping was a demon.
However, they couldn’t just say that Elder Li Jiang’s Sword Dao was inferior, right?
No matter what, Elder Li Jiang was the best Sword Dao cultivator in Jin Nation.
Li Jiang, who was on the cliff, was dumbfounded too.
‘I’m standing here and teaching you everything I know for an entire hour. I even told you the things I’ve been keeping.’
‘Yet, you said that my Sword Dao is inferior?’
‘Ye Ping, you might be a genius, but you can’t smear my Sword Dao.’
“Ye Ping.”
“Tell me the insights that you have.”
Li Jiang, who was on the cliff, spoke up. He was not angry and was instead curious about why Ye Ping said that.
The fact that he could become the best Sword Dao powerhouse and a famous elder of Jin Nation Academy meant that Li Jiang was naturally not a narrow-minded person.
Of course, since Ye Ping said that his Sword Dao was inferior, he definitely felt upset.
However, Li Jiang could tolerate Ye Ping because Ye Ping was a genius and geniuses had the right to doubt. Li Jiang felt that he had to guide geniuses.
Below the cliff, Ye Ping knew that he had said something wrong.
However, he did not feel that what he said was wrong. It was just that he suddenly neglected that it was a world of immortal cultivation and hence spoke without thinking.
And hearing Li Jiang’s voice, Ye Ping instantly bowed and said,
“Please forgive me, I spoke without restraint, but I don’t have any evil intentions.”
Li Jiang was a senior after all, and hence, Ye Ping had to speak to him respectfully as a junior.
“It’s alright, I’m not that petty.”
“The Jin Nation Academy also advocates disciples to give their opinions. Ye Ping, you may voice your opinions, and if you’re right, I’ll be willing to accept it. But if you’re wrong, I’d be willing to give you some pointers too.”
Even then, Li Jiang still wanted to take Ye Ping as his disciple and could take the chance to let Ye Ping get to know him well. He would be killing two birds with one stone.
After hearing his words, Ye Ping was a little surprised and his opinion of the Jin Nation Academy had changed.
After all, it was rare that there would be an academy that could accept the opinions of disciples.
Thinking of this, Ye Ping decided not to hide anything more.
‘If this goes on, I’ll seem hypocritical.’
“Elder Li, I think…”
“The true Sword Dao is dependent on one’s competency and not the sword.”
“As long as one does not have any lustful desires, they can achieve greatness.”
“The words of the Sword Dao that you just said sound great and even the sword technique that you performed is really powerful too.”
“However, your emphasis on form rather than intention has fallen short.”
Ye Ping’s words were simple and clear.
However, the disciples were confused and couldn’t figure it out for a while.
However, Li Jiang, who was on the cliff, suddenly froze.
‘The level of Sword Dao is not dependent on the sword but one’s competency!’
‘Greatness can only be achieved when one is without lust!’
Li Jiang froze in shock. He did not understand those words in the beginning, but after thinking about it for a while, Li Jiang was stunned.
Ye Ping’s words were like a bolt from the blue.
In fact, the more Li Jiang thought about it, the more he felt that those words were full of Dao runes.
‘The level of Sword Dao is not dependent on the sword but one’s competency! Greatness can only be achieved when one is without lust!’
Li Jiang froze on the spot while those famous words about the Sword Dao resounded in his mind continuously.
Below the cliff.
Seeing that Li Jiang was not speaking, Ye Ping continued.
“I think that the true Sword Dao…”
“The emphasis should be on the intention and not form.”
“Be it one sword move, ten sword moves, a hundred sword moves, or even a thousand and ten thousand sword moves…”
“These are just variations in quantity. A true Sword Dao powerhouse does not focus on the variety of moves, but in the intention of the Sword Dao.”
Ye Ping stated his theory.
The theory was Ye Ping’s own theory of practicing the Sword Dao. Although he had mastered the Endless Sword Diagram and could reproduce countless sword moves, Ye Ping did not think that having many sword moves meant that a person was strong.
Sword moves did not represent high attainments in the Sword Dao.
It was the sword intent that determined everything.
However, the sword intent Ye Ping was referring to was not the Sword Dao intent, but the intent of sword moves.
The disciples’ faces were covered in confusion because they couldn’t understand what Ye Ping meant at all.
On the other hand, Mo Xuan, who was at the side, nodded and seemed to be deep in thought.
On the cliff, Li Jiang could not help but be a little confused. He looked at Ye Ping and seemed to have grasped something just now but not exactly.
It was as if a spiritual light had suddenly appeared in his mind and then vanished again. That made Li Jiang’s heart feel itchy and uncomfortable.
“Can you be more specific?”
On the cliff, Li Jiang spoke and looked at Ye Ping with bewilderment in his eyes.
That question made Ye Ping a little unsure of how to answer.
He remained silent while thinking about it.
In the Sword Washing Pool, the clear sky was cloudless.
Everyone could not help but look at Ye Ping, curious to hear what he would say.
At this moment, Ye Ping woke up from his epiphany.
He thought of what to say.
He decided to use what Su Changyu had taught him.
Ye Ping immediately spoke up. He was not loud, but his voice filled everyone’s ears.
“There are three realms to the Sword Dao.”
“The first realm is perceiving everything in the superficial sense.”
“A sword cultivator at the first realm would always think that the more the sword moves, the greater the power. Learning a large number of sword moves to the point of infinity is inferior.”
“The second realm is looking beyond the superficial sense of things.”
“A sword cultivator at the second realm does not care how many sword techniques there are. Instead, he believes that if a sword technique is powerful, one will be enough. So, they will focus on one sword technique for the rest of their lives.”
“In the third realm, one still is perceiving everything in the superficial sense.”
“This is the true supreme Sword Dao where everything is back to reality. Thousands of sword techniques can be transformed into one move, while one sword move can be transformed into tens of thousands.”
Ye Ping said the supreme sword technique that Su Changyu had once told him about.
However, when he saw that the people were still unclear, Ye Ping didn’t say much at this moment.
He took a step forward.
In an instant, a flying sword appeared in Ye Ping’s hand.
Boom!
With a groundbreaking sound, the flying sword in Ye Ping’s hand instantly transformed into 84,000 sword moves.
They were the sword moves deduced from the Endless Sword Diagram. Ye Ping had also read many sword manuals in Kṣitigarbha Pavilion and had also deduced many sword moves previously.
He now mastered 84,000 sword moves.
The terrifying sword shadow seemed to cover the sky.
At this moment, Ye Ping’s sword momentum gave out an incomparable might which shocked all the disciples present.
In particular, the third and fourth generation disciples.
They knew that Ye Ping’s physical body was extremely strong and he was like a True Dragon, but they didn’t expect Ye Ping’s sword technique to be that strong too.
“Supreme sword momentum!”
“He actually condensed the supreme sword momentum?”
“So many sword moves? What kind of a demon is he? Even if his physical body is strong, his sword technique attainment is actually so terrifying.”
“There are more than 80,000 sword strokes. So much for thinking that I had good attainments in the Sword Dao. I managed to comprehend 1,500 sword moves at such a young age, but when I compare myself to Ye Ping, I suddenly feel like a wastrel.”
“Stop it, I feel the same way.”
“The sword momentum is too strong. I somehow have an indescribable feeling. It’s as if I don’t even have a chance to draw my sword under this sword momentum.”
The people swallowed their saliva and looked at Ye Ping in astonishment.
They were shocked that Ye Ping’s sword momentum actually contained so many sword moves.
However, what made them even more shocked was…
When Ye Ping started performing with his sword, the entire Sword Washing Pool suddenly became riled up, and the terrifying sword shadows covered the sky.
The powerful sword momentum made Li Jiang dumbfounded.
However, in an instant, all the sword moves disappeared and were replaced by a white light.
The 84,000 sword moves were transformed into one sword move in an instant.
“I am looking beyond the superficial sense of things!”
Someone screamed, instantly associating it with the second realm Ye Ping had just described.
“100,000 sword strokes transformed into one.”
“Just now I felt that Ye Ping’s sword momentum was very strong and mighty, but now, Ye Ping’s sword move seems really terrifying.”
“Indeed, I felt I still had a chance of surviving under Ye Ping’s sword momentum previously, but now, I feel like I can’t. Is this the second realm?”
“It’s the same realm and the same sword moves, but the sword intent is different. The power exerted is actually so different. Is this… the second realm?”
“It’s really hard to imagine. It’s the same sword move and the same realm, but as the sword intent changes, it can actually be enhanced so much.”
Everyone looked at Ye Ping in shock.
Perhaps, they didn’t quite understand the triple realm Ye Ping was talking about previously but at this moment, they completely understood how terrifying this triple realm was.
However, at this moment, the sword momentum in Ye Ping’s hand metamorphosed once again.
Boom!
With the intense light of a sharp sword, one turned into two, two turned into three, and three turned into ten thousand.
The infinite sword moves directly erupted at this moment.
Various Sword Qi appeared above the Sword Washing Pool and its might was several times stronger.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sounds of thunder rang out and each Sword Qi exploded above the sky. The terrifying sounds exploded in their ears.
Everyone in the entire Jin Nation Academy heard the loud sound.
The sword momentum was so powerful that it even forced the Golden Core realm cultivator to strike. It made their hairs stand on end.
Everyone fell silent.
Everyone was astonished.
Dumbfounded, they looked at Ye Ping.
Ye Ping had given everyone a good lesson.
A real lesson of the Sword Dao.
He didn’t care about sword moves nor cultivation level, but only the sword intent.
Before that, they all thought that sword intent was not something that ordinary people could cultivate.
However, Ye Ping had changed their perceptions.
Anyone could condense the sword intent and master it, but that sword intent was not the other sword intent.
On the cliff, Li Jiang was completely frozen.
Ye Ping’s triple realm theory was a complete reversal of his lifelong perception of the Sword Dao.
All of a sudden, Li Jiang suddenly felt as if he was about to comprehend something, but he could not grasp the idea.
Feeling upset, Li Jiang frowned.
After thinking hard, Li Jiang finally looked at Ye Ping and seemed to be consulting him.
“Can you be… more specific?”
Li Jiang felt embarrassed. Indeed, it was a bit awkward and embarrassing for him, the best Sword Dao cultivator in the Jin Nation, to ask a newly matriculated disciple for advice.
Below the cliff.
Ye Ping fell silent for a while.
He looked at Elder Li Jiang before giving his answer.
“Elder Li, although you have mastered 360,000 sword moves, too much can be messy. You might as well forget everything and forget all sword techniques. You might have a different insight.”
That was Ye Ping’s advice to Li Jiang.
What could be done by learning more sword moves?
It would be better to forget about it all. Only by giving up on these sword moves and changing the concept of the Sword Dao could you embark on a different path.
Sure enough, once he said that, the disciples were all astonished.
Forget all sword moves? Li Jiang was the most proud of his sword moves.
However, Ye Ping wanted him to forget everything. Wouldn’t that be forgetting five hundred years of hard work?
Indeed, when Li Jiang heard Ye Ping’s words, his body couldn’t help but stiffen.
Forget all sword moves?
To him, it was a huge blow because he had cultivated hard for five hundred years to condense 360,000 sword moves.
It was what he was most proud of.
It was also his own Dao.
He couldn’t bear to give up on his own Dao.
However, after seeing Ye Ping’s clear eyes and thinking about Ye Ping’s triple realm theory, Li Jiang’s eyes were still filled with hesitation.
He couldn’t let go!
He couldn’t bear to let go!
Forgetting all his sword techniques was simply self-destruction.
He hesitated. He fell into a deep hesitation.
He was at a loss for what to do.
However, at this moment, a voice suddenly sounded.
It belonged to Ye Ping.
“Elder Li!”
“No pain, no gain!”
His voice was loud and clear, like a huge bell. He had the wisdom of a Buddha and it seemed to be the sound of the Dao.
His voice was like a bolt of lightning that flashed past Li Jiang’s mind. It was like a shocking thunderbolt that made Li Jiang quake.
“No pain, no gain!”
“No pain, no gain!”
“No pain, no gain!”
The words kept ringing in his mind.
He inhaled sharply.
At the next moment, Li Jiang’s eyes widened and he no longer hesitated. His unwillingness turned into shock.
Soon, Li Jiang took a deep breath.
He stood on the cliff and looked at the flying sword in his hand.
In front of everyone, Li Jiang slowly threw the flying sword onto the ground.
Clang!
As the flying sword landed on the ground, Li Jiang closed his eyes.
For a moment, the sword moves in his mind disappeared, bit by bit.
His 360,000 sword moves were disappearing continuously.
It was hard to learn, but for a cultivator like Li Jiang, it was even easier to forget.
In the Sword Washing Pool, everything was calm and quiet.
All the disciples were waiting for the elders’ instructions because they could not leave without the elders’ instructions.
An entire hour passed.
Above the dome of the sky, a mass of black clouds suddenly appeared.
The black clouds covered the sky and the Jin Nation Academy.
Huff!
Huff!
Huff!
At this moment, the wind was blowing and the sand was flying while there were rustling sounds coming from the ancient trees.
Under the cliff of the Sword Washing Pool, the disciples looked at Li Jiang with their eyes full of curiosity.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
At the same time, the sounds of swords clanging sounded.
The flying sword at Li Jiang’s feet was the first to tremble, and the sound of swords began to spread from it.
Soon, the flying swords in the hands of all the disciples below the cliff also began to shake.
It was the sound of contention.
It was the contention between swords.
At this moment, the sword moves in Li Jiang’s mind had completely vanished and he could not remember a single thing about the Sword Dao.
It was as if he was a beginner and was going back to the basics.
Boom!
Boom!
Above the dome of the sky, the black clouds loomed over the entire Jin Nation Academy and the capital of Jin Nation.
Amidst the dark clouds, the lightning flashed, and lighting intertwined, forming a terrifying might.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In an instant, all the sword weapons in the Jin Nation Academy began to contend with each other.
In the hall of the academy.
The elders were discussing some things.
However, at this moment, the swords of all the people in the hall began to vibrate, and the sound of swords filled the air too.
“What’s going on?”
“What happened?”
“Why did such a terrifying sword momentum suddenly appear?”
The elders were surprised and did not know what had happened.
However, soon, the Academy Master Li Mocheng suddenly stood up and hollered, his eyes full of shock.
“Elder Li is going to condense the sword intent!”
All the elders in the main hall froze in shock.
Condensing the sword intent!
That was not a small thing.
They knew what kind of Sword Dao Li Jiang was practicing and were aware that he needed to comprehend millions of sword techniques before he could condense his sword intent.
Besides, Li Jiang had bound his sword intent and realm together, so if Li Jiang condensed his sword intent, his cultivation level could directly break through to the Nascent Soul realm.
That wasn’t all. Everyone in the Jin Nation Academy knew that Li Jiang could have actually condensed the sword intent long ago, but he delayed the process.
It was because he wanted to condense a powerful sword intent, not an ordinary one.
That was also the reason why Li Jiang had been stuck in the perfected Golden Core realm for 200 years.
However, no one expected that he suddenly wanted to condense the sword intent.
The people even thought that Li Jiang might not be able to condense the sword intent in his lifetime.
However, they didn’t expect him to be about to condense the sword intent silently.
“Quick, go take a look!”
Li Mocheng then turned into a ray of light, pushed open the door, and rushed towards the Sword Washing Pool.
Soon, the other elders in the hall also rushed towards the Sword Washing Pool like a madman.
Their eyes were filled with shock.
In the next moment, in the Jin Nation Sword Washing Pool, dozens of elders appeared.
They quietly gazed at Li Jiang who was on the cliff.
Li Jiang was wearing a green shirt and his eyes were tightly shut, as if he was comprehending the Dao.
In the entire Jin Nation Academy, all the swords were clanging and the terrifying sounds were deafening.
The sky was as dark as ink.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared.
There was a terrifying wind on the ground and the sand was flying while the ancient trees were rustling and shaking.
Everyone was staring at Li Jiang at this moment.
Their eyes were full of curiosity and expectations.
However, the clouds on the sky dome became denser and darker.
Hundreds of feet of lightning flashed like a giant dragon, emitting an inexplicable terror and pressure that felt creepy.
However, at this moment, Li Mocheng’s expression suddenly changed drastically while people yelled behind him.
“Sword Intent Thunder Tribulation! This is not a phenomenon, it’s the Sword Intent Thunder Tribulation!”
As Li Mocheng spoke, the expressions of all the people changed.
Ye Ping couldn’t help but be stunned.
The so-called Thunder Tribulation.
It was the Thunder Tribulation that would appear only when a Sword Dao powerhouse was condensing a supreme sword intent.
As long as there was a Thunder Tribulation, the sword intent that was condensed could be considered a supreme sword intent.
Boom!
At the next moment, a bucket-thick Thunder Tribulation crashed down on Li Jiang.
