National Division

Chapter 113 Shen Xian: Like a ray of light, illuminating the long night! (10,000-word update, please vote!)
On the competition stage—

As Lu Ziling was hung on the erected flagpole, Cui You's expression also turned ashen, and he began to look directly at his opponent.

However, Cui You was not afraid.

Without cultivating martial arts will and comprehending the essence of martial arts, one is ultimately worthless and nothing more than a pseudo-grandmaster!

"Scholar Shen, you've just been through a battle, do you need to rest?" The eldest princess revealed herself and asked.

Lu Ji said, "Scholar Shen, according to the rules you can rest. Besides, you should also allow the guests to eat and rest for half an hour."

Because Shen Xian finished the battle relatively quickly, it was only just past noon.

Shen Xian waved his hand and said, "No need, I still need to go back to Qilin Pavilion to work later."

After finishing his business in the capital, he will go home.

Lu Ji also turned his gaze to the young man and said, "Scholar Shen, according to the rules you should rest, and you should also allow the guests to eat and rest."

The onlookers might go to relieve themselves or take care of personal matters in the middle.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian paused for a moment, then said, "If that's the case, then let's rest."

He was actually fine; he had only used very little of his true energy in martial arts, and his fighting style was more about having a vision that surpassed Lu Ziling's martial arts.

Lu Ziling is clearly a hothouse flower, having experienced too little life-or-death battles.

The ranking of the Qilin List is problematic. Many masters who have fought to the death are not allowed to be listed and make a name for themselves, but these scions of noble families are included.

So he wasn't just showing off; the Qilin Ranking really does need to adjust its approach.

While it objectively resulted in showing off, there was no subjective intention to do so.

This competition was more of a political move to diminish the prestige of the Cui and Lu clans.

Just like the Zhurihe Red Army brigade exercise, it itself is an opportunity to seek military reform.

The crowd watching from below had different thoughts, their expressions complex as they looked at the exceptionally handsome young man.

Lai Jing's gaze darkened slightly, and his smile became forced: "What does Lord Zhou think of this Scholar Shen?"

Clearly, Lai Jing harbored some hostility towards Shen Xian, the Empress's favored minister who had suddenly risen to prominence in the capital.

Zhou Liang said, "I don't know much about martial arts. After all, no matter how powerful a military general is, he is just a lamb to the slaughter in the Dali Temple's prison."

Even Zhou Bo was humiliated by a scribe; sometimes, martial arts are indeed inferior to the pen.

"I'm just watching the show." Lai Jing's small eyes flickered, and he smiled, "But this Scholar Shen is truly cunning."

Different people see things differently; Lai Jing only saw a cunning and treacherous competitor.

"This Scholar Shen is not a martial artist," Zhou Liang remarked.

Whether it was hanging on the flagpole or supervising the handling of Qilin Pavilion affairs on-site, it gave Zhou Liang a refreshing political perspective.

Is this really how officials can be?
He just now displayed the competence and composure of a senior court official, with the demeanor of a prime minister!
In fact, this may have become quite common in later generations, with online political participation being a frequent occurrence.

But in this era where political maneuvering is not very sophisticated, new ideas and new paths are indeed not something that just anyone can come up with.

Lady Han picked up a cup of fragrant tea and said with a smile, "This Scholar Shen is indeed quite skilled, much better than that pretty boy from the Lu family."

Lady Zheng, with a charming smile on her beautiful face, said, "I found the fight quite exciting and even quite entertaining."

Women generally don't enjoy watching fights, but Shen Xian's story, full of twists and turns, kept this beautiful woman glued to her screen.

Because it's quite entertaining.

Lady Yang Simin of Wei looked at the young man, her eyes flickered, and she nodded secretly.

My aunt was right to use this person to check and balance the powerful families.

……

……

Time flies, and half an hour has passed in the blink of an eye.

As Lu Ji reappeared, he looked at the two of them and announced that the competition would continue.

Cui You remained calm, his gaze shifting slightly as he looked at the young man. Suddenly, his three-foot-long sword was drawn from its sheath, its light flashing as it twirled in a graceful arc.

He had just realized that the other person's martial arts skills had reached a state of perfection, which was why Lu Ziling was no match for him. If he did not want to repeat the same mistake, he had to take the initiative.

Suppress with sword intent!
With his mind on this, Cui You's eyes seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept over him, and he could hear the rustling of pine trees and the drifting of clouds and mist.

Cui You's sleeves fluttered as if he were about to drift away.

It is the Seventy-Two Styles of Cui Family Cloud Concealed Sword Technique!

The essence of the Cloud Concealment Sword Technique lies in the ethereal nature of clouds, hence the sword technique is exceptionally graceful and beautiful. Of course, since the clouds are hidden without a trace, the sword technique also possesses a degree of danger and subtlety.

"Is this... artistic conception?"

Shen Xian raised an eyebrow, a strange light appearing in his eyes.

Facing the essence of martial arts head-on, the initial spark of understanding in my heart has rapidly expanded.

"rub……"

The Ink Rain Blade in his hand was drawn with a "whoosh," its blade flashing, and a vast amount of true energy was poured into the deep yet graceful Ink Rain Blade.

The blade's edge flickered and shone brightly.

"prick!"

But then a figure flashed into view, a cold light already close at hand, stabbing towards Shen Xian's neck.

"Ok?"

The three-star divine weapon, the Ink Rain Longsword, was thrust out, its blade gently deflecting the snake-like sword's tongue.

As Shen Xian took a sidestep, he dodged the ghostly sword thrust from his waist.

Then he quickly channeled his true energy into his feet, and as his toes left the ground, he vanished backward.

It can be said that at this moment, Shen Xian's movement technique has reached the wonder of the dragon's transformation. Even though Cui You's four-star divine weapon, the Wind Shadow Sword, is sharp and unpredictable, it still cannot catch up with Shen Xian's figure.

But it was indeed extremely dangerous, and incredibly close.

The longsword flashed out, unleashing the Wildfire Hundred Slashes.

"Dangdang..."

The sharp energy of Geng metal crisscrossed and intertwined with the fire waves stirred up by the fire element's true essence, while the master's true essence already carried the characteristics of localized physical attacks.

"Young Master Cui, you have a four-star divine weapon in your hand!" a sharp-eyed martial artist in the crowd exclaimed.

"Scholar Shen's divine weapon is only three stars."

"We're at a disadvantage in terms of divine weapons."

"Why doesn't the Qilin Pavilion possess a high-grade divine weapon?"

Everyone was now impressed by Shen Xian's composure and had taken his side as if they were watching a game.

Clearly, he has already become a fan of Shen Xian.

Xue Zhihua's eyes were also filled with worry. She thought to herself, "I thought my cultivation would be enough for a while, but who would have thought the situation would change so quickly?"

However, the Samsung weapon is sufficient.

At this moment, Shen Xian felt that it was enough. The three-star divine weapon, the Ink Rain Blade, seemed to have developed a touch of spirituality. Under the stimulation of true essence, the blade light was dazzling and the dark light was radiant.

With his exceptional dragon-like agility, he moved like a fish, strolling leisurely, under Cui You's seventy-two forms of the Cloud Concealment Sword Technique.

To outsiders, because Shen Xian rarely retaliates, he still uses the "Wildfire Hundred Cuts" technique with a nonchalant demeanor, so they still think Shen Xian is testing Cui You.

Cui You's face was ashen. Movement techniques are difficult to master, especially combat movement techniques. In many ways, they are more like a talent and intuition for combat. In this respect, he was indeed a step behind Shen Xian.

Thus, due to Cui You's disadvantage in movement techniques, coupled with Shen Xian's Wildfire Hundred Slashes, the battle remained undecided for a short time.

Yang Youxing frowned and said, "Master, this is the end of it. I'm afraid that if this goes on for too long, Shen Xian will be no match for him."

Fa Ming nodded and said, "Your Highness, Cui You has, after all, comprehended the power of intent and has more experience in dealing with enemies than Lu Ziling."

Xue Zhihua, standing below, looked at the young man with a worried expression.

The Shen family members, such as Shen Lin, Shen Qian, and Shen Zheng, looked on with deep concern. Shen Qian, in particular, stared intently at the young man with his fierce eyes, secretly sweating.

As for Shen Zhai, he was also staring at the young man, his eyes unfathomable, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

Just then, some dark raindrops suddenly condensed in the air above where Shen Xian stood. This was the image of night created by Shen Xian's Grandmaster True Essence driving the Ink Rain Blade to perform the Night White Blade Technique. Shen Xian was now unleashing the Night White Blade Technique, and his swordsmanship had reached a state of divine perfection.

"Scholar Shen has changed his swordsmanship," someone exclaimed in surprise.

Shen Xian's two distinctly different sword techniques left a deep impression on the martial artists among the onlookers.

“Yes, it doesn’t look like the Wildfire Hundred Slashes from before,” one of the warriors said.

"A completely new sword technique, the moves seem even more mysterious."

"I don't quite understand it." A martial artist at the Innate Realm wanted to steal a move or two, but only felt annoyed and nauseous.

It is clearly a high-grade Xuan-level martial skill, beyond the comprehension of low-level martial artists.

"Brother Huan, who do you think will win?" Zhou Kuan asked.

Huan Yanfan frowned and said, "It's hard to say at the moment. The Cui family disciples have already grasped the power of intent in their martial arts, while Scholar Shen has not integrated the power of intent into his swordsmanship. The unusual movements around him are due to the true essence being infused into the divine weapon in his hand, which is caused by his own spirituality."

Zhou Kuan said, "Isn't it going to end in a draw?"

"One possesses unparalleled martial arts skills, while the other has grasped half of the sword intent; they are evenly matched and equally matched," Master Kuang nodded.

However, just as the three were speaking, a sudden change occurred.

At this moment, Shen Xian suddenly found that the treasured sword in his hand was almost impenetrable under the stimulation of his true essence.

The glimmer of understanding in my heart expanded rapidly like a point of light, eventually illuminating my ventricle.

artistic conception……

I think I understand.

It can be said that in the process of fighting Cui You, Shen Xian faced the Cloud Concealment Sword Intent directly and was able to feel the cloud's graceful flow, its unpredictable gathering and dispersal, and its perilous and turbulent nature.

I have come to a deep understanding of the ever-changing nature of the hidden realm in the clouds.

The sky, which had been covered with dark clouds, had suddenly become filled with low-hanging leaden clouds. Then, a light drizzle began to fall, landing on the eaves and streets, turning the world into a vast expanse of gray.

"It's raining."

Upon seeing this scene, some spectators around the stands opened their umbrellas, while some martial artists used their internal energy or true essence to shield themselves from the rain. The servants beside the dignitaries in the stands also opened their umbrellas to protect their esteemed guests from the wind and rain.

"Yebai..."

Shen Xian stood in the wind and rain. The sky was covered by dark clouds, and the capital city seemed to have become a little darker.

"When the blade rises, it startles the wind and rain; when it falls, it makes ghosts and gods weep. The long night descends, and the night is illuminated by the dawn." A sudden realization welled up in Shen Xian's heart.

The swordsmanship he had been practicing in the Evergreen Tower, which had left him almost dizzy and disoriented, was now being overlaid with memories in his mind, mixed with fragments of past memories.

In Guhe County, at Qingyang Temple, the scene of arguing with Daoist He Shou, the unwavering determination to exorcise the demon, and the resolute commitment to keeping one's promise...

All obsession with the righteous path ultimately merges into a single thought.

The night is white, and if there are no torches afterward, it will be like a ray of light, illuminating the long night!
Do what others cannot do, do what others will not do, and do what others will not do!

He had known all along that the will to fight is nothing more than a manifestation of a person’s beliefs and will, while the artistic conception of martial arts is merely a superficial appearance.

Thinking of this, her eyes, which had been open, slowly closed.

A profound and mysterious martial arts aura emanated from his body, possessing both the swiftness and fortitude of the Seven Forms of Breaking the Army, representing the charging general, and the wisdom and composure of the commander-in-chief, representing the Hundred Cuts of Wildfire.

Gradually, a sense of joy and sorrow, of the lower-ranking soldiers struggling to survive and risking their lives, emerged, along with a grand belief hidden deep within their hearts.

Contemplating the vastness of heaven and earth, I am overcome with sorrow and tears stream down my face.

Shen Xian's figure almost merged with heaven and earth; this was a brief state of oneness with the universe when he comprehended the artistic conception.

"Is that the unity of heaven and man?" a martial artist exclaimed in surprise.

"It's not about achieving harmony between man and nature; Scholar Shen is trying to comprehend the essence of the art."

The martial artists watching the spectacle below exchanged bewildered glances, too astonished to blink, lest they miss an opportunity to learn from and verify their martial arts insights.

"This is a breakthrough in the heat of battle!" a martial artist suddenly remarked.

"So the reason you fought with the Cui family members for so long just now was because?"

"Are you stupid? Scholar Shen must be using the Cui family's sword technique to comprehend the essence of the sword."

"To comprehend the essence of martial arts in battle, this person is truly a martial arts prodigy, one in a million!"

Yang Youxing, listening to the discussions of the onlookers below, frowned deeply, his face filled with shock. He leaned forward slightly in his chair, gripping the armrests tightly with both hands, his eyes fixed on the young man wielding the knife.

In battle, he borrowed his opponent's martial arts to prove his own. This person's martial arts talent was truly astonishing.
Faming narrowed his eyes and looked at the boy who was blocking with his sword with his eyes closed.

Each strike appears unintentional, yet it contains hidden principles.

Upon seeing this, Cui You was filled with fear. His Cloud Concealment Sword Technique suddenly changed, and he attacked Shen Xian with deadly force.

The swordplay is continuous, like the perilous Mount Hua, with misty, ever-changing cliffs. The swordsmanship, infused with artistic conception, has transcended ordinary skills to a certain extent.

However, although Shen Xian was meditating with his eyes closed, he entered a mysterious and profound state. With a casual slash, he subtly conveyed the profound mysteries of the sword path, seemingly able to accurately capture the trajectory of the enemy's sword energy.

A blade rose from his palm, its light forming clusters like bolts of lightning. The blade's momentum was like a cage, swift as lightning, and it even formed a bright, shining white sphere.

Yebai...

"boom……"

The rain in the sky seemed poised to fall heavily, but when it landed on Shen Xian, it strangely curved in an arc, as if it held some kind of awe.

This scene filled Cui You with inexplicable fear. The spiritual energy shield that he used to shield himself from the rain swayed slightly and became somewhat unstable.

"Is this the power of artistic conception? It can alter the phenomena of heaven and earth..." someone exclaimed in surprise.

One of the martial artists chuckled and said, "It is said that when a Martial God condenses his Martial Soul, his attacks are accompanied by extraordinary phenomena of heaven and earth, and his power is no less than that of the fifth realm of the Immortal Path, the Divine Illumination Realm."

This in itself is the basis for the confrontation between martial arts and immortality.

Having cultivated martial arts to the level of a Grandmaster, one also begins to explore the realm of spiritual power.

At this moment, the rain intensified, and the world became increasingly vast and hazy.

Meanwhile, the Ink Rain Blade in Shen Xian's hand was jubilant, receiving a mysterious and profound Night White Blade Intent, and being infused with the vast true essence of a Grandmaster at the peak level. It even slightly altered the celestial phenomena within three feet of Shen Xian.

The rainwater turned black, pitch black as ink, carrying a thick, viscous killing intent that corroded the Songyin Sword Intent surrounding Cui You.

Cui You's heart trembled violently, and the Seventy-Two Styles of Pine Concealment Sword Technique that had been fiercely attacking Shen Xian in his palm began to become somewhat chaotic.

The boy in the rain stood in mid-air, shielded from the wind and rain, yet the wind and rain could not get close!

This scene, like an unforgettable image, was reflected in the eyes of everyone around the stands.

Zhou Kuan exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Huan... Scholar Shen's artistic conception is truly remarkable."

“The Cui family disciples have cultivated 50% of the sword intent, while Scholar Shen has cultivated 10% of the saber intent.” Huan Yanfan’s gaze was solemn, and his tone was one of surprise.

"This... this one-tenth actually suppresses fifty-tenths." Kuang Shili frowned, puzzled, "What kind of sword intent is this? How can it be so powerful?"

“Scholar Shen’s sword intent is of a higher quality and purer.” Huan Yanfan stared intently at the young man.

Artistic conception, like style, naturally varies in quality and level.

Zhou Kuan asked with a look of doubt in his eyes, "Could it be slaughter and destruction? Just now, Scholar Shen used the Seven Forms of Breaking Army?"

Slaughter and destruction are common martial arts principles cultivated by military generals, who fight to the death, wage war, and defend their homes and country.

"No, it should be a higher quality sword intent." Huan Yanfan was overjoyed at the sight of the sword intent and wished he could switch places with Cui You on the stage to experience it up close.

Kuang Shili said quietly, "I'm afraid this level of artistic conception will be difficult to improve upon later."

Huan Yanfan's gaze fell on Shen Xian, and he said, "The higher the quality of the artistic conception, the more difficult it is to condense. If it lacks resonance, it is almost like a castle in the air. I was just guessing that this Scholar Shen, who submitted the memorial 'On the Security of the State,' is a minister who is concerned about the country and the people. Could it be that he has comprehended a similar artistic conception?"

Because Shen Xian is a civil official, a civil official with political ideals, not simply a military general.

If your ideal is a grand vision of universal harmony, but you are not an emperor or a saint, then your ideal is empty and lacks the support of experience and emotion; it is just hypocrisy!

Only when Confucian sages witnessed the struggle for supremacy among nations and the decline of the people's livelihood could they exclaim that oppressive government is more ferocious than a tiger.

Cui You's Cloud Concealed Sword Intent stems from his noble lineage within the Cui family. He only needs to become a wealthy immortal, physically in officialdom but with his heart set on the path of immortality.

Yes, trying to profit from both sides.

Shen Xian's martial arts will and artistic conception are also his personal feelings. Although they are still immature at this moment, they are indeed supported by his experiences in both his past and present lives.

The grand narrative depicts the sweeping tides of the times and the fluctuating fortunes of ordinary people, as well as their joys and sorrows.

(End of this chapter)