Ten Directions Sword Master

"Are you here to demand an explanation from me?"

With a clang, Shen Qing drew his long sword an inch from its sheath, radiating a chilling aura of ferocity.

She practices a very niche martial art, using both long and short swords, combining offense and defense, known as the Yin-Yang Reversal Sword and Saber Dual Mastery.

Although it is not as famous as the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique, it is no less difficult to learn.

The long sword is like the sun, fierce and domineering, primarily for offense.

The short sword is like the shadows, agile and unpredictable, primarily for defense.

This is equivalent to simultaneously practicing two completely opposite martial arts techniques, and also requires proficiency in swords and sabers. Only when they are properly combined can they produce an effect greater than the sum of their parts.

Only those who are naturally capable of multitasking without affecting each other are suited for this Yin-Yang Reversal Sword and Blade Technique.

However, compared to the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique, it seems insignificant.

"It would be wonderful if Senior Sister Shen were willing to offer her guidance."

Lu Li subconsciously reached for the Sun-Covering Sword, but found nothing.

Yan Ri stayed in the Nebula Hall. His Hundred-Refined Green Steel Sword was damaged in the last competition, and since it was located inside the White Deer Academy, he had forgotten to replace it with a new one.

Having been away from the real world for too long, I was stimulated by the unpredictable changes in the Great Kang world and forgot that leaving the Compass World does not necessarily mean safety.

In the past, he would never leave his sword behind, even when he went to a restaurant.

As for the fierce aura that Shen Qing deliberately unleashed, it was like a gentle breeze to Lu Li, causing no ripples whatsoever.

The life-or-death battles he experienced were perhaps unmatched even by the older generation of scholars at Bailu Academy.

The swordsman from the floating island possessed an aura far surpassing even that of a Refining Spirit expert.

A martial artist who had just entered the Foundation Establishment Realm was even a little eager to try and see just how much he was lacking.

"You have some courage. I hope your sword is as tough as your mouth."

Seeing that Lu Li was calm and composed, showing no fear whatsoever, Shen Qing sheathed his long sword, slightly surprised.

During this period, she was allowed to enter the first level of White Deer Cave to hone her martial arts skills and saw those bizarre puppets.

She was able to master all sorts of martial arts techniques, and her reaction speed was so fast that even she, after she had mastered the basics, could barely keep up. She would also change her moves and improve.

Tireless, surrounded by wheels, and under immense psychological pressure even knowing they wouldn't die.

This extreme environment forced Shen Qing to constantly optimize his swordsmanship and saber techniques, eliminating many redundant variations that he had previously overlooked, making them simpler and more efficient.

He had accumulated a murderous aura solely to fight his way out of the first level of White Deer Cave.

This is why she couldn't help but mock Lu Li's words when she heard them outside the academy; she would never have lost her composure like this under normal circumstances.

As a result, his murderous aura was wasted, and Shen Qing could not possibly attack his fellow disciples at the academy gate.

Without a valid reason, bullying the weak and attacking fellow disciples is a serious crime in the Confucian Four Academies, which place the utmost importance on human relations and ethics. The academy rules will not make an exception just because you are at the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Her resentment is so strong; it seems she doesn't just dislike me, but that I truly threaten her vital interests..."

Lu Li watched Shen Qing walk away, certain that a battle between the two was inevitable sooner or later, and it wouldn't be long before they clashed.

"She couldn't possibly know my hidden strength, or foresee that my position as the number one disciple of my generation was unstable... That person was someone I might take away from me, and she cared about and valued him greatly, hence she regarded me as an enemy."

"We only know that she is skilled in both swords and sabers, but we know nothing about what she comprehended after she was enlightened, or what her strengths are... This deficiency is too great, and we need to find a way to make up for it."

Lu Li secluded himself to practice swordsmanship, traversing the Compass World; his life basically followed this cycle.

The only source of information about the academy was Luo Pangzi.

Although Fatty Luo comes from a distinguished family, his cultivation level and aptitude limit him, preventing him from participating in events like the Four Academies Competition.

So much so that even after all this time, he still doesn't know the specifics of the battle that day.

"If we want to use the academy's resources to accelerate our progress, we must make changes in the future and show our skills to attract some disciples. Otherwise, if we do everything ourselves, we'll even have a headache just finding out our opponents' moves. How will we have time to properly cultivate the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique?"

Lu Li returned to the Scholars' Building, retrieved two items, and headed towards the Ziyang Courtyard, where the instructors and teachers resided.

This time, I didn't forget to stop by the sword-making hall and get a brand new hundred-refined green steel sword.

He spent all the credits he accumulated at the academy over the years on sharp tools, without exchanging them for elixirs, without exchanging them for previous practitioners' cultivation manuals, and without asking tutors for extra lessons.

"Master Gu, the silverfish roe that your disciple sent from home has come in quite a lot. I'll share some with you."

Lu Li, familiar with the place, pushed open the courtyard gate he frequented and placed a bag of fish roe on the table.

In the courtyard stood a middle-aged scholar, dressed in scholar's robes, with graying temples and wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, intently writing calligraphy.

After a full incense stick's time, he put down the brush, admired the paper several times with satisfaction, then lit an oil lamp and burned the entire sheet of Xuan paper.

"Just find a seat yourself. Do I have to offer you one?"

Gu Jingyu wiped his hands clean, swept the remaining ashes into a brocade pouch, and then pressed it into a drawer.

The entire set of movements was casual and unrestrained, without the slightest affectation, exuding an indescribable elegance.

"Huh, kid, you've broken through to the late stage of Qi Refining... Did your family distribute a few pills, or did you stumble upon some good fortune outside?"

"You have such good eyesight, you noticed it so quickly."

If Lu Li's close friendship with Fatty Luo was due to their shared misfortunes, then his becoming a close friend with Gu Jingyu despite their age difference was purely because Lu Li's swordsmanship talent caught his eye, and the two were compatible in temperament.

Without activating internal energy or engaging in combat, it is not easy to distinguish the levels of cultivation within a region.

Anyway, Lu Li often made mistakes in assessing cultivation levels, but he had his own set of standards for perceiving strength.

"If you can't see it even with your eyes open, you're wasting your eyesight."

Gu Jingyu pushed over a pot of cold tea, but took out a long, thin gourd, took a big sip, and the aroma of the tea filled the air.

"This disciple knows that you are quite knowledgeable about materials for sword forging, and I would like to inquire about two things... Have you heard of Gengjin and Qingmingjinsha? Do you know where they can be purchased?"

Lu Li was preoccupied with upgrading the Sun-Covering Sword into a treasure weapon, so he came up to ask this important question first.

"Are you crazy? You're even scouring for the materials for a treasure-level weapon. You're starting preparations way too early."

Gu Jingyu was both amused and exasperated, muttering as he said, "Geng metal can be molded into all shapes and is also known as the mother of all metals. Only the eye of a ten-thousand-year-old metal vein located at the deepest part of the vein can possibly shed a drop of it."

"No matter what kind of weapon it is, adding a piece of Geng metal during the forging process can greatly improve the success rate of forging and give it a touch of toughness... Even high-grade treasures cannot do without it."

"Two years ago, I acquired a piece that weighed a little over one ounce, which cost me three thousand gold beads."

Lu Li sank straight down; it seemed that the path of buying it with money was blocked at such an expensive price.

"Azure Nether Gold Sand is quite common. It's a fine particle floating in the clouds that happens to collide with a meteor and merge together, producing tens of thousands of particles at a time. When refining the spirit, mixing in a few particles can reduce the weight of the sword without diminishing its sharpness... There's just one drawback: apart from a True Person Realm Grandmaster, no one has the ability to enter and exit the Azure Nether and retrieve the Azure Nether Gold Sand by riding the gale."

Gu Jingyu stared at him with a half-smile.

"Now tell me, who told you that you need to find these two things to forge a sword?"