Ten Directions Sword Master

"Come in."

A hollow sound came from all directions.

Lu Li pushed open the door and entered. The huge forestry school was eerily quiet, almost the size of the entire Jiange.

Deep inside sat a man in a red robe, his eyes half-closed, with an ancient longsword lying across his lap.

It's hard to tell his age; he's in his early thirties, too young, but he has a noticeably aged appearance.

If she is around fifty years old, the youthful vitality she exudes is not commensurate with her age.

This is an aura that doesn't need to be faked; it flows naturally.

"Greetings, Dean Yu."

Facing the Refinement Realm expert and the academy's higher-ups, Lu Li showed sufficient respect.

The real people come and go without a trace, and since the Heavenly Ranking is not open to the public, many people have lost a concrete concept of the power of the real people.

On the contrary, in the realm of spiritual cultivation, one or two individuals can always be found in each state or region. Once they open their spiritual platform and possess spiritual power to draw upon spiritual energy, they can create all sorts of extraordinary phenomena in the world with a single move.

For the general public, the deterrent effect of a master cultivator is more direct.

"You've mastered the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique?"

Without beating around the bush, Yu Ziqi went straight to the point.

"Yes."

Since it was being used publicly, Lu Li had no intention of hiding it. It would be good if the academy would pay more attention to it and allocate more subsidies.

"How many styles should it be modified?"

Yu Ziqi stroked the longsword, which resembled a volcano, containing astonishing heat.

"Reporting to the Dean, only the Autumn Equinox and Frost's Descent verses are available."

After thinking for a moment, Lu Li truthfully told Bai Lu about the progress he had made before yesterday, concealing the fact that he had just completed Bai Lu in the Northern Wei world.

"Two years of sword training?"

For the first time, Yu Ziqi's expression changed as he opened his eyes and looked her up and down.

"Gu Jingyu told me about a promising talent, but I didn't pay much attention to it. Now that I see it, I realize I've missed out."

"Didn't you ask around? Do you know that to even begin learning the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique, you need a diagram of the seventy-two pentads of the lunar calendar?"

Lu Li was completely confused. Because he had entered the hospital through the back door and kept a low profile, only Gu Jingyu in the school treated him well.

However, Gu Jingyu himself did not practice the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique, so he always buried himself in his studies.

Judging from Yu Ziqi's tone, it seems that he has missed a very important part of this sword technique.

"Without looking at the lunar calendar chart, are you just pointing randomly, learning whichever style you see?"

Yu Ziqi's tone was unreadable, as calm as a still well.

"Reporting to the Dean, after reviewing everything, I feel that I am in harmony with the Six Swords of the Autumn Division... I will start with whichever style I feel comfortable with."

To be honest, Lu Li's swordsmanship was entirely due to his own efforts, and he didn't benefit much from the Nebula Compass.

"Are there really people in this world who are so perfectly suited to the Twenty-Four Solar Terms sword technique?"

Yu Ziqi stared intently, as if he had seen a rare treasure.

"Five days make a 'hou' (候), three 'hou' make a 'qi' (气), six 'qi' make a 'shi' (时), and four 'shi' make a 'sui' (岁)... After the creation of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique, it became too sophisticated and few people dared to try it."

"Until three hundred years ago, when Wu Cheng, a senior from Shigu Academy, traced the ancient meaning and observed the changing seasons, he drew a lunar calendar with seventy-two mythical beasts, which lowered the threshold for cultivation."

"By referring to the lunar calendar chart, you can clearly see which divine beast has triggered your understanding, and thus determine which style you should start with, simplifying the comprehension process considerably."

Yu Ziqi tossed out a long scroll made of animal hide, with images of peach blossoms, cicadas chirping, wild geese calling, and so on.

There are animal images, changes in vegetation, and even celestial omens.

He glanced at it briefly, and a flood of thoughts arose in his mind. He wished he could practice the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique from the beginning to prove what he was thinking.

"Thank you for informing me, Dean. Otherwise, I would still be like a blind man touching an elephant, knowing what it is but not why it is."

Lu Li's sincerity demonstrates the influence of a renowned master from the sect.

Without guidance or reminders, it's normal to waste ten years without knowing how to get started.

If one were not a disciple of one of the four great academies, even if one possessed the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Manual and had exceptional swordsmanship talent, one would never imagine that there was also a matching scroll of the Seventy-Two Seasonal Phenomena.

"It was my oversight. If I had seen you sooner, you wouldn't have gone astray..."

Yu Ziqi was suddenly speechless, realizing that Lu Li was the fastest among the young disciples even without the Moon Order Diagram, and probably hadn't even noticed any wrong path.

Fortunately, Lin Ruoxu's comments yesterday reminded him of Gu Jingyu's past recommendation, and today he suddenly became interested in meeting him.

In Yu Ziqi's view, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique is the most perfect sword technique in the ideal world, created by the combined efforts of the seniors of the four academies.

However, many places pursue perfection to the extreme, tolerating no flaws, making it more like a castle in the air, flashy but impractical.

Until the Lunar Calendar Chart appeared out of nowhere, although Senior Wu Cheng himself was not skilled in swordsmanship, his understanding of the Way of Nature was unprecedented and perfectly matched the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique.

The lunar calendar chart is always fresh and new; only by comparing the two can one truly understand the profound mystery of the changing seasons.

Before today, Yu Ziqi never imagined that someone could comprehend the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique without using the Lunar Calendar Diagram and achieve such success in a short period of time.

Adding the lunar chart would be like adding wings to a tiger, making it unstoppable.

"This scroll of the Monthly Calendar is copied from the stone carvings of Shigu Academy. It captures nine-tenths of the original's essence. I'll give you a month to study it carefully... If you want to learn a new sword style in the future, come back here to see me."

"Thank you for your guidance, Dean!"

Lu Li estimated that having the Lunar Calendar Chart by his side would have an effect similar to taking Bodhi Heart.

Perhaps it can be combined with the World-Avoiding Talisman to master both techniques in one go.

"Also, what Dean Lin said wasn't deliberately targeting you; it's what he's upheld for nearly a century... Although our views clash, it doesn't stop me from admiring his character. Don't worry about him making things difficult for you behind your back."

Yu Ziqi then explained to Lin Ruoxu that it seemed the rumors outside were a mix of truth and falsehood, and could not be entirely believed.

It is also possible that Yu Ziqi was maintaining his public image and wanted to project this magnanimous attitude in front of his disciples.

Lu Li didn't want to delve into the truth.

Even if Lin Ruoxu had no intention of doing so, he couldn't resist the fact that his subordinates took the initiative to show their support by suppressing and scheming against him.

The possibility is not small, and we must be on guard.

This statement set a bad precedent, giving his peers, teachers, and students a legitimate excuse to target him.

In any case, Lu Li always held the idea that it was best to have the academy's resources, but he would ignore them if they weren't available.

If no one provokes us, we can all live in peace.

If someone crosses the line, don't blame him for being ruthless.

I took the opportunity to ask Yu Ziqi a few questions about swordsmanship; it was a rare chance.

Especially since he was a senior who practiced the same sword technique, although not from the Aki family, the principles were the same.

"I have a piece of advice for you: Observe the changes of the four seasons, understand the principles of prosperity and decline, and know the opportune moment for advancement and retreat..."

Yu Ziqi said calmly, completely calming the turmoil in his heart.

"When your cultivation level is higher, you will understand that the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique is not only a sword technique, but also a profound principle of martial arts. It is the key to breaking down the barrier between the physical body and the primordial spirit and forming a Dharma body."

"You've gone too far. What you know now is more harmful than helpful... Remember, don't force things, especially practicing against the natural order."

"Many arrogant and exceptionally talented swordsmen, after being tricked by the sequence of seasons time and time again, became impatient for quick success, which led to disordered internal energy and damaged meridians."

Yu Ziqi's last few words were deeply moving.

Lu Li humbly accepted the advice, realizing that his own cultivation level was still shallow and he had never encountered situations like being stuck or having the seasons out of order.

After Lu Li had been gone for a while, a long sigh echoed through the forestry school.

"His cultivation level is too low, so he won't gain any benefits even if he goes to the secret realm... Oh well, let's still ask for a spot so he can broaden his horizons."

Yu Ziqi raised a finger, and a wisp of sword energy, like a newly sprouted willow branch, twisted back and forth, concealing vitality.

"It's a pity that his physical constitution is too ordinary. Even at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, it seems that he relied on the power of elixirs."

"It's rare to encounter someone whose swordsmanship talent is so perfectly matched. It's impossible to be perfect... Let's wait and see in a few years. If there's hope for refining one's spirit, I can also break free of my shackles."

The forestry school returned to tranquility, occasionally broken by muffled thunderclaps that aroused suspicion among passing disciples.

It wasn't the season for thunderstorms, the sky was clear, so where did the thunder come from?