What does it mean that they all lived with lifelong regrets?

The competition is over.

Lin Wuhua and Xie Jiexue won first and second place respectively in the Sword Sect Competition.

As soon as Lin Wuhua stepped off the stage, he was surrounded by people.

There were fellow disciples from the same year, several junior disciples who entered later than him, and even a few inner disciples he had seen from afar.

"Wuhua," a fellow disciple named Zhao Qian, who was on good terms with him, grabbed his shoulder, "Chief Lin? Why does that title sound so pleasant?"

"Forget it," Lin Wuhua glanced at Xie Jiexue, who was following the sect leader, "He's not exactly the top disciple, he's just lucky."

"Anyway, you're always the one teaching me," Zhao Qian said cheerfully. "It's only when the chief teaches me that I feel respected."

Lin Wuhua laughed then: "You're disgusting, aren't you?"

In the sect competition, the rewards for disciples are not that much, even for the first place winner.

But the first place winner has a special title—the top scorer of the same year.

Bai Wushu walked over, patted Zhao Qian's shoulder forcefully, and then pushed Zhao Qian away.

"Wuhua, you truly are a worthy disciple of mine. I've made you proud this time."

"The other day those old fogies were making sarcastic remarks in the council hall, saying that I was neglecting my duties and misleading the younger generation."

"Let's see what they say about me being irresponsible now."

Lin Wuhua: "In that case, has my dear master fulfilled his responsibilities as a master?"

He drawled, "Master, you don't want anyone else to know either..."

Bai Wushu tossed a token at him: "Shut up."

Lin Wuhua accepted it directly.

This is Bai Wushu's transmission elder's waist tag.

With this, you can read almost all the sword manuals and treasures in the forest, except for a few core techniques of the sword sect that are not in the library.

In terms of cultivation techniques, the authority of the Transmission Elder is second only to the Sect Master and a few Supreme Elders.

Bai Wushu snorted and turned to leave, but after taking two steps, he turned back.

But before leaving, Bai Wushu patted him on the shoulder.

"Jie Xue is in a bad mood." He said meaningfully.

He gave Wuhua a thumbs up.

"good luck."

Lin Wuhua raised his eyes and looked at Xie Jiexue.

She avoided looking at him.

......

Time goes by.

The results of the sect competition did not bring any changes to the lives of Lin Wuhua and Xie Jiexue.

Lin Wuhua also often spent time in the library reading all sorts of sword manuals.

He reads all kinds of people, whether they practice a lot or a little.

Because of this, he can speak on many people's swordsmanship, and often hits the nail on the head.

In fact, in the past six months, he has successfully reached the Great Perfection of the Body Forging Realm, reaching the same level as Xie Jiexue.

Xie Jiexue was still practicing his sword.

Her mastery of the "Frost Heart Sutra" and "Frost and Snow Sword" grew ever stronger, and she spoke less and less.

But it's not just about swordsmanship.

The chill permeated her aura, making her even more unapproachable, like a solitary crane.

Before the competition, she always had Lin Wuhua practice with her, and at least she would greet her fellow disciple.

But after the competition, because of their agreement, she almost never went to see Lin Wuhua anymore, and when she saw her fellow disciples, she would only nod.

However, she still hadn't reached the Condensation Realm and was stuck there for a full six months.

Because of this, fewer people discuss Xie Jiexue anymore; those who do occasionally do ask Lin Wuhua about their relationship.

"Is Senior Sister Xie... still bothered by the competition?"

Lin Wuhua always said, "It's alright, Jie Xue has her own way of thinking."

Six months passed like this, and then something happened that was neither too big nor too small.

One day, in the training ground, Lin Wuhua gently slashed with his sword.

Nothing happened, but a very deep, sharp dent appeared in the stone statue in front of them.

Then, the statue was first frozen, then scorched, and finally completely shattered into pieces.

But this is not all.

Even after the stone statue was broken, the marks of burning and freezing still remained.

"Wuhua, you have reached the Condensation Realm."

Lin Wuhua planted the sword in the ground, not feeling particularly happy: "Maybe, anyway, I feel the time has come."

Condensing the artistic conception.

After tempering their bodies in the Body Forging Realm, enabling them to withstand sword energy, sword cultivators begin to refine their will.

Specifically, it involves infusing one's own will into swordsmanship, forming one's own unique way of the sword based on one's own understanding, and condensing one's own independent sword intent.

The shift from "using the sword" to "using intention" represents a significant breakthrough.

The characteristic of this stage is that the sword intent will manifest along with the sword energy, forming an attack with unique self-attributes, and the resulting damage will last for a long time instead of disappearing after the attack.

He sheathed his sword and looked at his fellow disciples.

"Everyone, I have made some progress in my cultivation today, so I will be heading back now."

"We'll discuss matters concerning spiritual practice later."

......

Lin Wuhua returned to the Sutra Repository.

He closed his eyes, feeling the sword bone within him.

Although his progress to the Condensation Realm was somewhat sudden, he had actually anticipated it.

The six cultivation realms of the Sword Sect.

Body Forging Realm; Mind Condensation Realm; Sword Control Realm; Sword Domain Realm; Forgetfulness Realm; Supreme Realm.

Leaving aside the Supreme Realm, which no one has ever been able to achieve since the founding of the Sword Sect and is purely a legend, all other realms follow the same approach.

That is to tame the sword with your heart, and then tame your own heart.

He closed his eyes and felt his own sword bones.

The sword bone beat in unison with the heart, working in tandem with the sword in Lin Wuhua's hand.

He sheathed his sword and picked up a sword manual from the library.

This is the "Fire Spirit Sword." A junior brother surnamed Xiao asked him about it because he didn't know how to repair it.

Lin Wuhua pondered for a moment.

For some reason, he realized that his junior brother's cultivation method had gone wrong.

The requirement for the Fire Spirit Sword seems to be agility, not flame; that is, to be as agile as fire, rather than setting it ablaze.

He picked up a book called "Thunderfire Sword" and began reading the insights of his predecessors.

"The sword is like thunder and fire, with a lightning-fast edge... It strikes like a thunderclap and sheathes like extinguishing a fire. It is fast and steady, but it must not lose its fierce power..."

The goal is to be like thunder and fire, powerful and explosive, rather than graceful and agile.

Perhaps that junior brother surnamed Xiao should cultivate this.

Lin Wuhua continued reading several more books, especially the insights of cultivators, which he read very carefully.

For some reason, he realized something.

Those accomplished practitioners weren't necessarily the most precise in their cultivation, but most of them shared two key points:

Firstly, one's personality must be suited to the sword style one practices; this is called "harmony between man and sword."

Secondly: If it is not suitable, either change the method or practice according to your own understanding, which is essentially also changing the method;

No one who practices swordsmanship rigidly can master it.

Ultimately...

Lin Wuhua closed his eyes and once again felt his sword bones.

The sword's bones and heart beat in unison, sensing the sword in his hand.

Suddenly, he understood.

The sword bone works with his heart, not with his sword.

Man works with his heart, not with his sword.

In other words, he had to practice to develop his own sword, because his sword bone was his own, and no one else possessed such a unique sword bone.

In that case...

Lin Wuhua opened her eyes.

He got the answer: "Heart Sword Technique".

He pushed open the door, went out, and bumped into Bai Wushu.

"The beauty of nature".