In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 332

There was no sharp sword energy piercing the air, no massive burst of internal energy; only a silent yet omnipresent feeling of "touch" permeated the air.

It was as if an invisible immortal had truly reached out a gentle yet irresistible hand, caressing everything in that space.

The wind was soothed, the clouds were calmed, and the restless energy of heaven and earth was soothed and calmed down.

Immediately, the wind continued to blow and the clouds continued to flow, as if nothing had happened.

But Gu Shaoan knew that everything was different now.

The second stage of swordsmanship has been achieved.

However, as Gu Shaoan successfully entered the second realm of swordsmanship, the state of "having a sword in hand but no sword in heart," Gu Shaoan did not stop wielding his long sword.

His sword techniques continued to flow from the Heaven-Slaying Sword in his hand.

Sometimes it is the "Sunset Sword Technique" of Emei, sometimes the "Willow Catkin Sword Technique", and sometimes it transforms into sword moves from the "Emei Sword Manual".

Just like before, the movements were all light and smooth, filled with an indescribable sense of natural fluidity.

Sometimes it resembles the solemn and slow opening stance of the "Sunset Sword Technique," where the sword tip trails with an invisible "momentum," as if it could truly pull at the twilight glow on the horizon.

At times, it suddenly transforms into the ethereal and elusive "Willow Catkin Sword Technique," with sword light flashing like willow catkins dancing in the sky in late spring, disappearing with the wind and arising with a thought.

A moment later, the sword moves in his hand returned to the style of the "Emei Sword Manual".

No matter how the moves change, the sword techniques are all light and smooth, without any trace of fire or the fierceness of fighting.

Like a bamboo branch protruding into the water, it gently moves with the rhythm of the current, yet it already creates indescribable ripples.

The mountain winds blowing in from the cliffs were constantly stirred by the changes in Gu Shaoan's sword moves.

But after confirming that he had entered the second realm of swordsmanship, Gu Shaoan was completely immersed in this profound and mysterious state of enlightenment.

His eyes were not completely closed, but they were unfocused, his gaze hazy, as if piercing through the cliff and sea of ​​clouds before him, and projecting into a void where only the essence of the sword existed.

All the sounds of the outside world—the wind, the sound of the clouds, and the faint sound of the pine trees in the distance—gradually faded away, eventually becoming a silent background.

Only the almost imperceptible sound of the Heaven-Slaying Sword cutting through the air in his hand, and the internal resonance of his body, which was like a babbling brook, as his internal energy flowed with the sword intent, resonated clearly in the deepest part of his perception.

Sometimes he wields his sword with effortless grace, mastering a set of sword techniques with ease and fluidity; other times he suddenly pauses, standing motionless in a peculiar posture, like a swordsman statue, with only his clothes and hair fluttering slightly in the wind.

That pause was not an interruption, but rather the extreme condensation of a flash of thought in an instant, an ultimate reflection and deepening of a certain technique, a certain method of exertion, a certain intention, and the resonance with the sword.

The surrounding天地势 (heaven and earth forces) were sometimes affected by the long sword in Gu Shaoan's hand, and occasionally invisible humming and vibrations echoed from the air.

In this state of complete absorption, time lost its usual measure.

This was also because Gu Shaoan's actions were too obvious.

Not only Zhou Zhiruo, Yang Yan, and Mei Jiangxue, who were originally in the back mountain, noticed the situation at the cliff edge, but even Abbess Miejue, Juechen, and Juejue, who were originally in the front mountain, were startled by the commotion coming from the back mountain and quickly rushed back to the back mountain.

Standing ten feet away, watching Gu Shaoan sometimes wielding his sword and sometimes standing still like a pine tree on the cliff edge, Abbess Wujue looked at Mei Jiangxue and asked, "Jiangxue, how long has your senior brother been cultivating here?"

Mei Jiangxue replied, "It seems that Senior Brother started cultivating on the cliff edge about two hours ago."

Upon hearing this, Abbess Wujue murmured, "It's been two hours and it's still not over. Could it be that Shao'an has comprehended something again?"

However, when it came to the question of insulation, not only Zhou Zhiruo and the other two women, but even Abbess Miejue and Abbess Juechen couldn't answer it.

Today, Gu Shaoan's personal strength and martial arts level have far surpassed theirs.

This also means that even Abbess Miejue and Abbess Juechen are currently unaware of what Gu Shaoan is cultivating.
Just as the group was keeping watch over Gu Shaoan from a distance, a figure rushed into the back mountain like lightning and stood next to Abbess Miejue and the other two.

Turning to look at Gu Santong beside her, Abbess Miejue and the others took the initiative to greet him.

After Gu Santong gave the signal, Abbess Miejue said, "I didn't expect that Senior Gu would also be attracted here."

Gu Santong said irritably, "How could we not notice the power of heaven and earth that this kid has stirred up?"

As he spoke, Gu Santong looked up at Gu Shaoan, who stood motionless in the distance, sword in hand, like a statue.

After waiting for a while, Gu Shaoan, who had been standing still, raised the Yitian Sword in his hand once again.

Where the sword's edge struck, the mountain wind ceased.

Feeling the natural fluidity of Gu Shaoan's swordplay and the way his movements flowed, Gu Santong exclaimed in surprise.

The playful and nonchalant look on his face immediately faded by more than half.

After watching for a while longer, Gu Santong suddenly gasped.

"Good heavens, the second realm of swordsmanship? When did this kid's swordsmanship improve so much?"

After pondering for a moment, Yang Yan asked, "Senior Gu, what exactly is so special about the second realm of swordsmanship?"

In response to Yang Yan's question, Gu Santong glanced at Gu Shaoan in the distance and then said, "The way of the sword is divided into the way of swordsmanship and the way of sword intent."

"Among them, swordsmanship refers to what your Emei disciples often call soft swords, sharp swords, wooden swords, and heavy swords. As a martial artist improves their swordsmanship skills, the power they can unleash when using a sword will also vary."

"The way of sword intent lies in the state of mind and the sword spirit."

After thinking for a moment, Gu Santong found a metaphor: "It's a bit like a martial art. From the beginner level to the point of being able to achieve mastery, that's the form. And the level after mastery is the power."

"The swordsmanship that we masters in the martial arts world talk about is the swordsmanship of intent."

After a moment's thought, Gu Santong continued, "When a martial artist enters the first realm of swordsmanship, sword intent will be condensed in their heart."

“A swordsman, from learning the first sword technique to mastering dozens or even hundreds of sword techniques and understanding countless sword principles, all of these things are originally scattered and complicated.”

"The condensation of 'sword intent' is to fuse all these scattered knowledge, experience, and insights together and forge them into an incomparably hard 'refined steel,' which is the 'monument to the sword' in his heart." "Before the sword intent is born, it is like imitating a cat or a tiger; all sword moves are dead. Only after the sword intent is condensed can one achieve the point where the sword moves are as free as one's will."

"The second realm is called 'Having a sword in hand, but no sword in mind.' This 'no sword' means to integrate the sword thought into oneself and make the sword thought an instinct."

"Before reaching this level, when a swordsman draws his sword, he still needs to think about the method of drawing the sword and the way of using the sword in his mind. But this change of mind ultimately requires a process and time."

"But after reaching the second level of swordsmanship, drawing and using the sword becomes almost instinctive."

"Just like that kid, when the wind comes, the fog comes, and the moonlight shines, his sword is already there."

"This doesn't mean he's lost his sword intent; rather, it means his sword intent has become an instinct, as natural as his breathing and heartbeat, which unconsciously increases his sword speed."

"Secondly, after reaching the second level of swordsmanship, one's control over swordsmanship, as well as the power and angle of the sword when wielding it, can be greatly improved."

"Enough to increase a martial artist's strength by more than 30%."

At this point, Gu Santong changed the subject, saying, "And most importantly, after a swordsman's swordsmanship enters the second realm, the sword intent within his body will be continuously nurtured and increased."

"If one can reach the third realm of swordsmanship, the state of oneness between man and sword, one can condense the sword intent within one's body into a sword seed, and not only can the sword intent become a tangible energy like spiritual energy to defend against enemies, but one can also manipulate the power of heaven and earth with every move."

After listening to what Gu Santong said, Abbess Miejue finally understood why Gu Santong reacted so strongly after discovering that Gu Shaoan's swordsmanship had entered the second realm.

A mere breakthrough in a single realm was enough to increase one's strength by a full 30%.

This is no less significant than the change a martial artist experiences when their internal energy cultivation advances from the Acquired Realm to the Return to the Innate Realm.

After explaining the three realms of swordsmanship to the others, Gu Santong couldn't help but mutter, "Damn it, I'm still only at the first realm of swordsmanship, and this kid is already at the second realm."

Sensing the sour undertone in Gu Santong's words, Abbess Miejue and the others smiled knowingly.

He then remained standing in place, quietly watching Gu Shaoan in the distance.

This wait lasted for several hours.

The bright afternoon sun gave way to a bright, high-hanging moon.

At the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), when the stars and moon gradually disappear,

The thick darkness, like splashed ink, swallowed the last ray of moonlight and starlight.

The world was a pure, heavy black, so dark that even the outline of the cliff face, which was right next to us, was blurred and indistinct.

The mountain breeze seemed to become cold and sticky because of the darkness.

However, Gu Shaoan remained steady, and his swordplay continued. In the darkness, the sword light was almost invisible; one could only faintly hear the extremely subtle sound of air being cut, and sense a perfectly integrated and solid "domain" flowing quietly around him.

In the distance, by the light of the surrounding lanterns, Gu Santong looked at the figure still standing silently on the cliff edge and yawned, saying, "What on earth is this kid trying to comprehend? It's taken him so long!"

It wasn't just Gu Santong who had this problem; Abbess Miejue and the others also had it.

It should be noted that when Gu Shaoan comprehended the Emei Sword Manual on Mount Wudang, a martial art that even Zhang Sanfeng found astonishing, it did not take him this long.

This also increased the curiosity of Abbess Miejue and the others over time.

early morning.

The sky and earth did not suddenly brighten, but were first shrouded in a hazy, milky-white mist.

The chill of the night and the warmth of the morning meet in the valley between the cliffs, giving birth to this dreamlike thick fog.

The mist surged, sometimes crashing like ocean waves, and sometimes wisps of it clung to Gu Shaoan's clothes and sword.

The mist dampened his hair and robes, bringing a refreshing coolness, but Gu Shaoan himself seemed oblivious, still standing quietly on the edge of the cliff with his sword in hand, letting the mountain wind howl as it came.

Just then, in the eastern sky, deep within the thick clouds and mist, a faint yet incredibly resilient glimmer of dawn appeared.

Immediately afterwards, a ray of golden light, like the sharpest carving knife, suddenly pierced through the clouds and fog.

The sky was just breaking through the darkness!

The brilliant and warm morning light instantly pierced through the sea of ​​clouds, dispelled the misty fog, and poured down on the cliff that had been silent all night.

The light illuminated the rust-colored rocks, the gnarled ancient pines, and the figure that seemed to have merged with the cliff, standing there for a long time.

The golden light bathed Gu Shaoan's gold and white robes, creating a halo of sacred light.

His eyes, which had been vacant for who knows how long, flickered slightly as the morning light entered.

As he gazed at the first rays of dawn piercing the earth, a sudden brightness shone in the depths of Gu Shaoan's eyes, like stars refined through a long night.

As the sunlight streamed down, illuminating this corner of the world, Gu Shaoan's eyes were clear and bright, reflecting the endless clouds and sky beyond the cliff.

It was at this moment that Gu Shaoan suddenly moved.

Under the gaze of Gu Santong and Abbess Miejue in the distance, Gu Shaoan's right arm swung back naturally, and the Yitian Sword, which he held tightly in his right hand, drew a flawless arc and slid into the scabbard that his left hand had been holding loosely.

However, as the Heaven-Slaying Sword was sheathed, Gu Shaoan's right hand remained on the hilt and did not loosen.

When he closed his eyes again, the internal energy and yin and yang energies within his body no longer flowed as freely as when he was wielding his sword. Instead, they suddenly accelerated and began to circulate wildly in a mysterious and unpredictable manner.

Instead of raging outwards, they were extremely restrained and compressed, flowing along specific meridians like rivers flowing into the sea, all rushing towards his right arm resting on the sword hilt, finally converging in his palm and fingertips, forming a silent yet close connection with the cool and ancient sword hilt.

Almost simultaneously, an indescribable aura began to emanate from Gu Shaoan.

Under this powerful aura, the entire back mountain seemed to be filled with a solemn atmosphere.

　I've been thinking about a new move name for ages and still haven't come up with one, so it's a bit late!

　
(End of this chapter)