Becoming a Martial Master: Starting as a Swordsmith

Suddenly, a hair-thin crack appeared on the smooth surface of the red lotus.

Immediately afterwards, more and more cracks appeared, spreading rapidly like a spider web, from the petals to the roots, and from the roots to the entire flower.

Click!

With a crisp sound, the entire giant red lotus shattered, turning into countless tiny fragments that drifted in the air like red snowflakes before turning to ashes and dissipating into the air.

The three elderly men who had been sitting cross-legged around the lotus also began to disintegrate as the red lotus shattered, turning into specks of dust and disappearing silently.

It was as if they had never existed.

At the same time, the blood-red light curtain that had enveloped the entire Changping County began to flicker violently.

The light flickered and swayed.

With a soft pop, like a bubble bursting, the Blood Lotus Seal that had trapped tens of thousands of people in the city completely dissipated!

The bright moonlight reappeared in the night sky, shining down on the streets of Changping County.

The resurrected puppets, who were fiercely fighting against Situ Aotian and the others, seemed to have all their power drained the moment the Blood Lotus Seal dissipated, and they all froze in place.

Then, like dominoes that had been toppled, they all fell to the ground one after another and became completely still.

Everyone was stunned.

A moment later, a deafening cheer erupted from the crowd.

"It's a success! It's a success!"

"The Blood Lotus Seal has broken! We're saved!"

"We won! We won!"

The disciples of the Longchuan Sword Sect raised their longswords and cheered, the students of Qingyang Academy hugged each other in celebration, and even the surviving civilians peeked out from their hiding places, weeping with joy.

Situ Aotian stood in the middle of the ravaged street, watching the dissipating crimson light curtain, then looked down at the large hammer in his hand, and let out a long breath.

She turned her head towards the county government office, a smile finally returning to her lips: "These guys... they're really something!"

......

Uncle Li stood there, stunned.

He still held the long sword in his hand, the lingering aura on the blade not yet completely dissipated.

He watched in stunned silence as the enormous red lotus before him turned to ashes and vanished into thin air.

He looked down at his sword, then looked up at the spot where Honglian had disappeared, his mind blank.

He clearly remembered that when he struck with his sword, the red lotus didn't budge at all, not even leaving a mark. How could it suddenly shatter?

Could it be that my power only activated after a while?

Or perhaps... my sword strike just now actually shattered its internal structure, and it only showed up after a moment?

While he was racking his brains trying to figure it out, Xu Zhibao beside him was already extremely excited:

"Senior! You're amazing!"

Seeing that his life had been saved, Xu Zhibao was so excited that his face turned red.

"When you struck with your sword just now, I thought it hadn't worked. Turns out it was your internal energy channeled, projecting power from a distance, that took so long to shatter the Red Lotus! I've never seen such skill before! I'm truly impressed! I'm utterly awestruck!"

Uncle Li opened his mouth, wanting to say something to explain, but Xu Zhibao didn't give him a chance to speak, continuing his endless flattery:

"Your sword strike not only shattered the Red Lotus but also saved the lives of tens of thousands of people in the city! Such merit is worthy of being commemorated with a monument! From now on, when the people of Changping County mention you, who won't give you a thumbs up? With a master like you in charge, how can the Longchuan Sword Sect not prosper?"

Uncle Li's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, but the words he was about to say were blocked by Xu Zhibao's string of flattery.

He looked at Xu Zhibao's sincere and excited face, then looked down at the sword in his hand, and the thought in his mind that "I didn't do it" gradually began to waver.

Could it be... that I really did it?

Perhaps that sword strike just now truly contained all my life's worth of skill, but the internal energy only erupted after circulating within the Red Lotus for a period of time.

This kind of thing is not without precedent. Our Longchuan Sword Sect's ancient books do indeed record that some masters can exert force from a distance and delay their burst of power...

The more Uncle Li thought about it, the more he realized it made sense. His expression gradually changed from confusion to confidence, and then from confidence to smugness.

He straightened his chest, coughed lightly, and waved his hand in feigned modesty: "Ahem, it was nothing, not worth mentioning. A mere red lotus is not even worth a glance from my Longchuan Sword Sect."

Seeing this, Xu Zhibao followed up with a string of flattery: "Senior is too modest! If such a method is just a matter of lifting a finger, then wouldn't we people not even have the right to raise a hand?"

Just then, footsteps came from outside the door.

Situ Aotian led a group of people from Qingyang Academy to the county government office.

She was covered in dust and blood, clearly having gone through a fierce battle. As soon as she entered, she saw Xu Zhibao giving Li Shishu a thumbs up, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Oh, what's wrong?" Situ Aotian asked with a smile.

Xu Zhibao rushed forward, excitedly saying, "Miss Situ! You've finally arrived! You have no idea, Senior Li just displayed incredible power, shattering that giant red lotus with a single strike! That's how the Blood Lotus Seal was broken!"

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed in Situ Aotian's eyes.

She glanced at Uncle Li, then at the spot where Honglian had disappeared, but quickly returned to normal.

Then she led the students of Qingyang Academy to Uncle Li, bowed respectfully, and said sincerely:

"I see! Thank you so much, Uncle Li, for your help in breaking the Blood Lotus Seal and saving the lives of all the people in the city. The entire Qingyang Academy is deeply grateful."

Uncle Li felt quite elated after being bowed to.

He felt as if he were walking on a cloud, his whole body light and airy, and every pore on his body opened up.

Suppressing his smugness, he adopted the air of a seasoned expert, slowly surveying the crowd before clearing his throat and saying:

"Ahem, everyone, there's no need for such formalities. Those who cultivate themselves are meant to help the world, and when they encounter such evil and heretical people, it is their duty to step forward and stand up for them."

He thought for a moment, then added:

"However, you all still need to practice diligently and strive to improve your cultivation. Only in this way will you remain calm in the face of great events and be able to defeat your enemy with a single sword strike, just like me. Do you understand?"

The disciples of the Longchuan Sword Sect stood tall and proud, their faces beaming with self-satisfaction, as if they themselves had delivered the blow.

Although the students of Qingyang Academy were somewhat resentful, they had no choice but to bow down in gratitude since they had received such a favor.

Just then, a voice came from behind Uncle Li.