“This time’s semester examination” Bai Hua Fairy returned to the topic at hand, “we will choose the most suitable seeds among the lone cultivators and martial artists. As they’re accepted into the respective sects, they’ll receive the best resources and scriptures to quickly build themselves up”
“After the semester examination, all cultivators above a certain level will all join a great counter attack operation, hopefully we’ll be able to turn things around” Bai Hua Fairy said.
“Qing Shan, Xiuxiu”
“Yes”
“Yes”
“Since you’ve been accepted as my disciples, there is no need for you to take the examination, but since this is a thousands-year long tradition that have to do with Divinity themselves, so you still have to go”
Bai Hua Fairy looked at the two of them.
Gu Qing Shan looked like he was thinking about something, breathed out a sigh, but stayed calm.
Xiuxiu on the other hand is already panicking, she clenched her fists right, bit her lip and tense up her entire body.
Bai Hua Fairy quickly consoled Xiuxiu, smiling: “No need to worry, all you need to do is see the world and show up for the sake of showing up. Qing Shan, make sure to take care of Xiuxiu, you’ll leave tomorrow morning”
“Yes”
“Yes”
They both replied at the same time.
Gu Qing Shan glanced at the War God UI.
There was still ⅔ of sand left in the hourglass.
After they were dismissed and he’s done helping Qin Xiao Lou clean up, Gu Qing Shan once again went out to the empty field in front of the palace.
He pulled out Earth sword and continued his practice.
The sword was like a dragon or snake, flowing across the entire empty field, occasionally let out a blue arc of lightning.
Gu Qing Shan’s was already soaked with sweat, but still took every second he has to strengthen himself.
He didn’t awaken Lightning-elemental root in the past life, so he doesn’t have any experience with it.
This is a completely new ability and a new horizon for him. Even with his experience, he still has to seriously explore and experiment with the easiest method to use it.
One sword after another, connecting without stop.
Qin Xiao Lou and white goose has been standing there watching him for a while.
Then, Qin Xiao Lou suddenly said: “Junior brother’s swordsmanship really is excellent, but he gives me a strange feeling”
“What feeling is that?” white goose asked.
“Like he’s racing against time” Qin Xiao Lou said, contemplating, “he wants to become stronger before a certain amount of time is up”
White goose replied: “I also feel that way; he seems like he’s carrying some immense pressure on his back”
Qin Xiao Lou suddenly turned and walked away.
“Where are you going?”
“To cultivate”
“Wouldn’t you usually be sneaking off to some night bar in Xi Shan country to enjoy yourself around this time?”
“I’m not going now”
“Why?”
Qin Xiao Lou stopped his steps: “If one day, junior brother needs my help as a senior brother, and yet I can’t do anything to help. Even thinking about that is too much for me”
Saying so, he left.
White goose stopped there, as a smile appeared on his face.
“That’s good, at least he didn’t realize it too late, thanks to Qing Shan” He muttered.
White goose flapped his wings as he flew away.
Right after, Bai Hua Fairy appeared on the empty field.
“Shifu” Gu Qing Shan stopped his sword.
“Qing Shan, your swordsmanship has improved very quickly, but there are a few mistakes. If I don’t correct them, you’ll be going down the wrong path”
Bai Hua Fairy drew a slender and intricate sword for female use.
“Come, let us spar, I’ll show you where your weakness is” Bai Hua Fairy swung the sword as she said.
The Saint herself will teach him swordsmanship!
Gu Qing Shan was incredibly happy, bowed and said: “Shifu, then I’ll do my best”
Bai Hua Fairy smiled and replied: “If you hold back, you’ll regret it”
Gu Qing Shan swung his sword and advanced.
The sword turned into countless shadows, as all sorts of sword styles and Secret arts are attacking in a weave.
Gu Qing Shan’s swordsmanship is fierce as lightning, without a shred of hesitation or mercy. If another were to see this scene, they’d even have the illusion that Gu Qing Shan really wants to kill Bai Hua Fairy.
Bai Hua Fairy held one hand behind her back.
Holding her sword with just one hand, facing Gu Qing Shan’s numerous attacks, all she does it one strike here, a few thrusts there, carrying an incredible sense of ease.
One side was like a thunderous storm, while the other was an afternoon stroll. Two very different styles facing each other in battle makes for an indescribable sense of discord.
After about 300 strikes to and from, Bai Hua Fairy finally asked.
“Did you noticed? Your problem?”
“I was attacking too quickly?” Gu Qing Shan replied.
Bai Hua Fairy smiled then explained: “Normal sword cultivators that are self-taught are always very afraid that their strikes are too slow. Afraid that their attacks aren’t fierce enough. Afraid that they’ll be counter attacked. This is because they lack confidence”
Gu Qing Shan was stunned.
Bai Hua Fairy continued: “The path of the sword is like an open path. Walk on it grandly, walk openly, not too quick and not too slow”
Seeing Gu Qing Shan was still confused, she held her sword up: “Come, again!”
After another 100 strikes, Bai Hua Fairy suddenly shouted: “Whose life are you risking?”
She scolded him: “If every single strike is risking your own life, then sooner or later you won’t have any more life to risk! Do you understand?”
Bai Hua Fairy suddenly attacked, her sword slowly and lightly hit Earth sword’s shaft.
Clang!
Gu Qing Shan was pushed back 5 steps before stopping.
Bai Hua Fairy casually asked: “Did you see it? I didn’t have to risk my life, but why was my strike able to push you back?”
Gu Qing Shan’s mind felt like it was hit by a hammer, as his body stopped in place.
Touching the Earth sword, he closed his eyes and stood still.
“It’s not right, this isn’t the way, I understand now” he muttered.
There were no seniors or anyone to teach him how to cultivate in the past life. Everything he had he exchanged for with blood, risking his life to earn spirit stones, then exchanging those spirit stones for the sword styles he has. He only had himself, himself alone training, himself alone killing demons, finally carving out a self-taught path for himself.
Now, one of the 3 Saints, Bai Hua Fairy herself was teaching him, sparring with him, Gu Qing Shan’s talent for the sword was able to flourish for the very first time.
Seeing his blank expression, his non-reaction, Bai Hua Fairy knew his enlightenment has come.
She silently waved her hands, arranging layers on layers of formation around them.
Time passed, as Bai Hua Fairy stood watch for Gu Qing Shan, all the way until midnight.
Gu Qing Shan suddenly opened his eyes again.
Swinging the Earth sword, he was practicing his strikes one after another, his movement quicker and quicker.
The sword strikes were the same, the person was also the same, but he was emitting a completely different aura.
To compare, if he was a wild blood-thirsty wolf before, right now he was a tiger laying down under the sun, free and at peace.
Suddenly all the images of sword slashes disappeared.
Gu Qing Shan held the sword, then a normal, unimpressive thrust of the sword.
Seeing that thrust, Bai Hua Fairy finally smiled.
“Seems like I didn’t waste my time tonight, is there anything else?” She asked.
“Yes”
Gu Qing Shan’s sword stance changed, suddenly swinging at Bai Hua Fairy.
Bai Hua Fairy blocked it, then returned a strike.
Clang!
Gu Qing Shan also blocked it, but didn’t even retreat half a step and returned another thrust instead.
———-before, whenever Bai Hua Fairy retaliated, he would always be pushed back a few steps, but this time he was able to counter attack.
Bai Hua Fairy’s eyes glowed.
“Very good” she praised.
This strike was finally a true step forward for him.
“There’s still more” Gu Qing Shan said.
“There’s still more?” this time Bai Hua Fairy was a bit surprised.
The Earth sword was thrust forward again, this time, just for a second, a blue arc of lightning was on the sword.
Lightning is the power of the world, its main purpose is to destroy.
But this arc of lightning was silent, and didn’t contain any power.
As the two swords crossed, only silence was heard as the arc of lightning flashed.
The arc of lightning followed the slender sword, easily repelled by Bai Hua Fairy.
But her mouth slightly lifted, praising him loudly: “Very good!”
Another clang.
Both swords crossed again, and separated again.
The lightning once again disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Bai Hua Fairy smiled brightly and gave Gu Qing Shan a look of approval: “With such swordsmanship, you’ll definitely become a Sword Saint, possibly a real Saint as well”
If anyone else were to hear Bai Hua Fairy’s evaluation here, they’ll definitely be shocked.
Her eyes are famous for being the highest in the world, receiving such praise from her is nothing short of amazing.
Gu Qing Shan clasped his hands and bowed, thanking her: “Thank you Shifu for teaching me”
Bai Hua Fairy nodded, saying: “I can’t teach you too much about the sword, from now on, you’ll have to look for your path yourself”
“Yes” Gu Qing Shan replied.
Bai Hua Fairy left.
After she left, Gu Qing Shan looked again at his War God UI.
Just now, he saw something flashed on the War God UI, but since he was sparring with Bai Hua Fairy, he didn’t bother to look.
Now, he clearly sees that there’s a line of text on War God UI, dead in the middle.
“All sword styles that won’t lead to the user’s soul vessel collapsing has been awakened”
“Total sword styles awaken: 1106. Detailed list below”
…
Gu Qing Shan quickly read through them all, noticing that asides from his Secret Arts, the basics has all been awakened.
Looking at his Soul Points, it hasn’t decreased one bit.
All this wasn’t thanks to the System, but purely because of the effort of his two lives finally paid off.
But Gu Qing Shan isn’t sad or happy, he isn’t the least bit happy about getting back his skills from memory.
He was calm and steady.
He’s very sure that himself right now, standing in front of Bai Hua Palace, has already surpassed his past self in the way of the sword.
As his cultivation increase and he once again become a Sword Saint, he’ll definitely shine much brighter than he ever did in the past life.
