Chapter 295: Chapter 294: Understanding the Sword Heart (Part 1)
From that day on, Shi Xiaole took up residence in the Tidal Waves Garden.
There were numerous rooms in the Tidal Waves Garden. After receiving instructions, a servant personally chose a room for Shi Xiaole. Standing at the window, one could see the distant cliffs and sea waves, a sight that broadened one’s mind and spirits.
As for Lin Shaoyi, Shi Xiaole reckoned that he was still living outside in the city stronghold, not repaying the debt of his life yet, which probably meant he would not give up.
That night, after dinner with Tao Xingyu and Lan Xiaodie, Shi Xiaole sat in his room studying the Tidal Waves transmitted inspirations and thoughts.
"A unity of the heart, mind, body, and sword?"
First, he skimmed through the text, then began to read it carefully. Time flew by, and the moon hung overhead. Shi Xiaole’s eyes held a deep sense of revelation.
He had always believed he had a decent understanding of swordsmanship, but it wasn’t until he read Tidal Waves’ insights that he realized the gap between him and real swordsmanship masters.
The so-called heart, mind, and body are the spirit, consciousness, and the physical body. According to Tidal Waves, when these three elements unify with the sword, the power of swordsmanship can be maximized.
This principle is understood by all, but how many people can truly explore the impact of the heart, mind, and body on swordsmanship and even the ways to train them?
For many, distinguishing spirit and consciousness is a challenge in itself.
Shi Xiaole stayed in his room for two straight days consumed with the study. Before long, he put the book down and stepped outside.
"Little Shi, you are so blasted brooding."
Standing on the corridor enjoying the breeze, Lan Xiaodie bounced over like a butterfly, a playful smile on her face.
The Tidal Waves Garden was mostly occupied by Tao Xingyu of the same age, whose mature temperament inevitably made Lan Xiaodie feel lonely. She initially thought the arrival of Shi Xiaole would give her another companion, but he stayed holed up in his room for two days, and she couldn’t help but feel exasperated.
"Miss Lan, why are you here?"
Shi Xiaole smiled, suddenly realizing that he seemed to have grown indifferent to interpersonal relationships over the years due to his training. He wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
"Tidal Waves Garden is my home. I can come and go whenever I please. I say, Little Shi, why are you so melancholic? You’re cooped up in your room all day with no social interaction. You’ll never find a wife this way."
Lan Xiaodie snorted and then burst into giggles, her blue butterfly hair ornament swaying with her movements.
Helplessly, Shi Xiaole replied, "I have been studying the swordsman Tidal Waves’ insights."
Nonchalantly, Lan Xiaodie asked, "And what profound insights have you gained?"
She and Tao Xingyu had read that book, and had been forced to read it many times. They had gained some understanding, but the effects weren’t significant. She didn’t believe that Shi Xiaole could decipher anything more in just three days. She was merely teasing him.
Seeing Shi Xiaole hesitate, Lan Xiaodie’s smugness elevated, "Well, go on."
"Junior sister, don’t be rude!"
At that moment, Tao Xingyu walked over and said to Shi Xiaole, "Brother Shi, my junior sister doesn’t understand the basics of courtesy; I hope you won’t mind."
Lan Xiaodie scrunched up her nose.
Shi Xiaolie said, "Not at all, Miss Lan is straightforward and frank, which is good. I have indeed ascertained something from studying your master’s records; I hope you both don’t mind me sharing."
Shi Xiaole initially hesitated because he didn’t want to appear presumptuous. What the hell, he thought. He’s only stating his opinion. Why should he be excessively cautious?
"Oh? Let’s hear it, Brother Shi."
A glint of curiosity flashed in Tao Xingyu’s eyes, and he chuckled.
Like Lan Xiaodie, he didn’t think Shi Xiaole could produce any depth of insight. However, he was reminded of the test three days ago, which demonstrated Shi Xiaole’s exceptional talents. Perhaps he could provide some novel viewpoints.
Nodding, Shi Xiaole said, "Master Tidal Waves emphasizes the linkage of the heart, mind, body, and sword. As a sword is an external object, it is necessary to first achieve the unity of heart, mind, and body. The heart, mind, and body can be distinguished in levels and linked coherently."
"How do you link them?"
Tao Xingyu asked with interest.
"For instance, the direction of a horse-drawn carriage is ultimately decided by the horse, which can be compared to our bodies. However, the horse follows the commands of the chariot driver, who can be compared to our consciousness."
"However, the chariot driver isn’t the ultimate decision-maker. The actual decision-maker is the person hiding in the carriage. This person can be equated to our spirit."
"Although the heart, mind, and body seem to be three separate aspects, they are inherently one. Therefore, what we should strive for is not simultaneous operation but a systematic process that originates from the spirit and concludes with the body."
After finishing his monologue, Shi Xiaole noticed an unexpected silence. Upon looking up, he saw Tao Xingyu and Lan Xiaodie staring at him in astonishment, as if they had just seen a ghost.
After a long pause, Tao Xingyu suddenly clenched his fists in a gesture of respect and solemnly said, "Brother Shi, your words have unlocked my understanding. I rarely admire someone, but this time, I can’t help but concede to you."
The way Shi Xiaole explained it was simple yet resounding, like a thunderbolt that shattered Tao Xingyu’s long-standing confusion. At that moment, his perception of Shi Xiaole changed.
This man might be capable of challenging the Four Great Sword Marquises!
"This guy?"
Lan Xiaodie was also stunned. She considered his words. They were peculiar, but they made sense. How had she not thought of such a vivid metaphor before?
From a not-so-distant pavilion, a pair of eyes observed it all before disappearing into the shadows.
In the following days, after reading the insights multiple times, Shi Xiaole began to train specifically in accordance with his new understanding. His training location was, of course, the Reflection Wall.
The Reflection Wall’s test had three levels.
Shi Xiaole had completed the second level on that test day, which was equivalent to a martial artist proficient in the ninth layer of Xuan Qi.
This time, he was undergoing a first-level test. Under the influence of the Array System in the Reflection Wall, Lan Xiaodie’s swordsmanship had astonishingly reached the first level of the Spiritual-Passage Realm.
Boom boom boom...
The exceptionally fierce attack almost surpassed Shi Xiaole’s limit. His weakness was transformed into nothing, incapable of being exploited. In merely fifty breaths, he was forced three feet back.
Tao Xingyu, at twenty-three years old, had reached the sixth level of Xuan Qi, his strength surpassing Shi Xiaole’s. He endured for a full three hundred breaths.
In fact, he could have only held on for two hundred seventy breaths. A few days ago, after being inspired by Shi Xiaole, his swordsmanship skills had a massive increase.
At the fourth level of Xuan Qi, Lan Xiaodie had achieved seventy percent of her Sword Heart. Her performance was worse than Shi Xiaole’s, lasting only thirty-nine breaths.
"Easier said than done. To drive one’s mind and body, you must undergo long-term training. If you can reach a certain level, it may help me to understand Sword Heart more quickly."
Shi Xiaole was not in a hurry. For him, everything was just beginning.
In the following days, the Reflection Wall in the Tide-Listening Garden would regularly emit the sound of clashing swords. The sound of combat often came from the mountain cliff’s stone platform as well.
The whole Tide-Listening Garden seemed much livelier.
"Ever since the arrival of Young Master Shi, it seems to have stimulated Miss and Young Master."
"This is a good thing. The Miss was notoriously lazy before. Even the old master didn’t know what to do with her."
Seeing this situation, the three servants were naturally pleased.
For his first-first level test, Shi Xiaole lasted fifty breaths. Three days later, for the second test, he held on for only forty-seven breaths. By the third test, he was down to forty-two breaths.
"Why is he getting worse?"
Behind the Reflection Wall, Lan Xiaodie stopped practicing her sword dance.
Tao Xingyu in the distance seemed thoughtful.
To train the mind and body, humanity’s instinct is to slow down and keenly feel and fully understand.
So during the latter two tests, Shi Xiaole didn’t deliberately speed up. Instead, he used the pressure of the attack to experience the entire process.
However, gradually, Shi Xiaole noticed something wrong.
In times of crisis, the body’s movements are often faster than one’s thoughts. According to this theory, should we suppress our instincts?
"No, my thoughts are formless and invisible. I thought that my actions were faster than my thoughts. But in reality, in moments of life and death, my thoughts are too fast for me to perceive."
On the stone platform, in front of the cliff, and even on the large reef by the sea, Shi Xiaole’s figure could always be seen. Sometimes he was silent, and sometimes he danced with his sword, as if possessed.
"I don’t know where Brother Shi’s talent ranks, but he is the hardest working person I have met."
Tao Xingyu looked at the figure in front of him, his words filled with a sense of admiration.
"Where do you think he ranks compared to the Four Little Sword Marquises of his time?"
Lan Xiaodie couldn’t help but ask a question.
Geniuses are always harder to impress, but these days, both Lan Xiaodie and Tao Xingyu have been deeply impressed by Shi Xiaole’s performance.
The other party is a true genius, outstanding both in terms of talent and spirit.
"It’s hard to say. Junior Sister, you probably don’t know this, but just a few days ago, the Sunset Little Sword Marquis perfectly mastered Sword Heart, breaking the record set by our master," Tao Xingyu informed Lan Xiaodie, startling her. She wondered if she had heard wrong.
If she remembered correctly, the Sunset Little Sword Marquis was only twenty years old. He was a whole twelve years younger than her father when he achieved this. Was that possible?
"Geniuses cannot be measured by common standards. Master often says that there is always a higher mountain. Now I understand. Look at Brother Shi. At his current level, maybe by the time he is twenty, he will have a chance of comprehending Sword Heart."
"The Martial World this generation is filled with an unthinkable number of talents. Even the gift of the Sunset Little Sword Marquis is not enough to stand out in the Great Cold State. In other states, the situation is unprecedented, as if someone new emerges every moment," Tao Xingyu’s eyes filled with wonder.
"Junior Sister, we need to work even harder. After all, our Master is from the previous generation. It’s up to us to uphold the reputation of Tide-Listening Garden," Tao Xingyu encouraged.
Perhaps it was her Senior Brother’s words that touched her deeply. Lan Xiaodie showed a rare determination and reassured, "Senior Brother, I will work hard."
Days passed in their constant practice and cultivation.
Unexpectedly, on this day, three people arrived outside the Tide-Listening Garden.
The stout middle-aged man in the middle was wearing a brocade robe. His face was plain, but his striking hands were double the size of an ordinary person’s. Their powerful force could be felt from a distance.
"Master, this time you will definitely defeat the Tidal Waves Sword Marquis and become the number one swordsman in the Cold State."
The young man with a yellow face on the left flattered.
The stout middle-aged man smiled slightly, "As the Wind and Thunder Sword Marquis, I always aim to be the first. This time, besides me, you two will also compete with the two disciples of the Blue Tidal. Only by achieving all our victories can this trip be considered perfect."
"Rest assured, Master. We will not let down the name Wind and Thunder Sword Marquis!"
Both disciples bowed their fists in unison, their tone full of confidence.
The Wind and Thunder Sword Marquis, ranked seventeenth on the Dust Ranking List, was famous in the martial world for his Wind and Thunder Swordsmanship. He and the Tidal Waves Sword Marquis were famously referred to as the Great Cold Twin Swords.
