The Demon Lords

Chapter 984 - 226: Starfall

The sword maid felt her worldview had been refreshed once again.

And it was replaced personally by her master.

It wasn’t until this moment

that she truly realized

the difference between her former master, Yuan Zhenxing, Qian State’s second sword, and the Sword Saint of Jin State before her.

It’s not that the second sword isn’t formidable; it’s certainly powerful, but the first can no longer be merely described as "formidable."

Initially, the sword maid thought that if her master hadn’t been so clumsy, hadn’t foolishly tried to break the ice on the Bian River, he wouldn’t have been shot to death on Zheng Fan’s command.

In a one-on-one duel, even if he couldn’t defeat Baili Sword or the Sword Saint, at least he could lose gracefully.

However,

when the Sword Saint drew a sword from his forehead,

equivalent to pulling out his Ninth Rank cultivation base,

she suddenly realized

the level that her current master’s cultivation had truly reached.

"Master..."

"It’s just because you’ve recently advanced and just reached Ninth Rank, I can still draw it out now. If your cultivation goes higher or becomes more solid, I would be helpless."

"Master, what technique did you use just now?"

"Actually, everything starts simple and becomes complex, but after reaching a certain level, it begins to simplify again.

Some principles and insights, if I tell them to you now, you wouldn’t understand. It might even lead you astray, trying to run before you can walk often doesn’t end well."

"Come on, master, your disciple has a sense of measure."

"Then I’ll tell you, and you listen?"

"Alright, master."

"Back when Jin State still existed, I advanced to Third Rank and had a duel with Lord Jingnan, Tian Wujing, outside the capital city. In my eyes, swordplay was only three moves.

One move: Draw the sword;

One move: Release the sword;

One move: Sheathe the sword."

The Sword Saint reached out, broke off a dried branch from a nearby tree, and continued:

"I thought at the time, that all sword cultivation in the world essentially boiled down to these three moves, with its countless variations merely extensions of them.

The three moves mark a beginning and end, embodying profound truth.

The move of drawing the sword speaks of the arrival of Sword Energy and entering my thoughts; the move of releasing the sword speaks of the eruption of Sword Energy, like breaking floods and opening waterfalls; the move of sheathing the sword refers to the return flow of Sword Energy, perpetual and unending.

After battling Tian Wujing, I lost because he was more ruthless and decisive than I was. What I envisioned and pursued was too perfect and rounded.

It was after that defeat that I realized a fundamental truth, that fighting and warfare are similar in essence, which is fundamentally about killing your opponent. Everything else is secondary.

So, the third move became unimportant; if your opponent is dead, whether you sheathe the sword is up to you. Besides, planning a retreat before striking can weaken your momentum and determination."

The Sword Saint reached out and patted the sword maid’s head and continued:

"When at the Snow Sea Pass, I held the flag for Zheng Fan; at the time, Zheng Fan told me that if I killed the wild commander named Geremu, the wild people’s siege power could be halved.

When I followed Zheng Fan to the frontline, I saw that Geremu had the face of a Jin person, which made me angry.

At that time, home was gone, state was ruined, everything ended in embarrassment, to put it bluntly, I had a reckless mentality.

So I thought, killing Geremu would at least settle things for myself and Jin State.

In that battle, I abandoned the second move, releasing the sword.

Because whether the sword was in hand didn’t matter anymore, the so-called sword was no longer tangible.

In the moment of breaking through to Second Rank,

it wasn’t really me controlling the sword,

but a force from beyond guiding the sword, thus enabling me to instantly kill Geremu with a single stroke.

When your sword is indifferent to being released, the so-called distance and length cease to bind you."

The Sword Saint then led the sword maid to the doorstep and said:

"As for extracting your cultivation as Sword Energy earlier, it was drawing the sword. Sword is one, encompassing all things, so drawing the sword doesn’t necessarily mean using a sword?

My sword can be all laws and objects, all laws and objects can be my sword."

"Master, it sounds quite simple."

"Qian State’s literary examination is just about a few books, yet many people are blocked at the scholar’s level their entire lives."

"Yes, master, I understand."

"Understand, then forget it and continue building the foundation. The sword doesn’t leave its sheath; once unsheathed, it sings."

"By the way, master, have you recovered now?"

"I’ve recovered, yet it’s not quite a recovery."

"Then is it...?"

"Ultimately, we swordsmen have physiques far inferior to martial cultivators. While the realm has broken through and the spirit has elevated, this body can only sustain for a short while but inevitably tires.

The aura is present, but no matter how grand an aura is, right now it’s like a rootless duckweed. If you ask whether I can fight... I myself don’t know."

"Don’t know?"

"Because ordinary clowns can’t enter the Earl’s Mansion, Zheng Fan isn’t supporting me just to have me guard the door.

But those daring to forcibly enter the Earl’s Mansion, I can intimidate them, but if they want to come in desperately, life-and-death combat, I’m still not capable enough now.

I am like you, with a fragile physique, and a long road ahead, it’s best to take one step at a time.

This body needs proper care, can’t rush it, slowly nurture it and recover. Perhaps it can progress even further, but rushing, fast-tracking, will leave too many hidden troubles.

You should go back and rest, take it easy for a few days, and once you feel you’ve recuperated well, return here to practice the sword."

"Yes, master."

After parting with the Sword Saint, the sword maid entered the Earl’s Mansion, but couldn’t find Fanli who had entered first. She guessed he must have gone to the back kitchen for food.

The sword maid headed straight to the rear courtyard, from afar hearing the children’s "giggling" laughter.

She opened the door and entered, seeing the young lord standing there, who could already walk on his own, wearing a red cotton jacket, and a tiger-head hat on his head, looking very adorably clumsy.

A round stone on the ground, the young lord walked over and kicked it. The stone rolled away, then shortly rolled back.

"Come on, let sister hold you."

The sword maid came over and embraced the young lord.

In the past, after practicing swords with her master, she would also come by to see the children.

The young lord seemed quite friendly towards this naturally gifted sword embryo sister, proactively opening his arms and even patting the sword maid’s back.

He originally intended to pat her shoulder, but he was too short to reach, so he settled for the next best thing.

A mass of black mist appeared, revealing an infant’s face.

The sword maid found this unremarkable, while Mo Wan wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about her, yet never objected when the sword maid came to play with the young lord.

Because this was an exception, having expended too much earlier, left behind by my lord, normally when her father goes out, he’d definitely take her along.

So, to avoid Tiantian being bored when she’s not around, having another playmate isn’t bad.

After holding the child, the sword maid, still somewhat weak, sat on the ground, watching Mo Wan and Tiantian continue kicking the ball, which was actually Mo Wan’s stone.

The two children were having a great time,

occasionally, the "ball" would roll towards the sword maid, and she’d toss it back.

No idea how long she watched,

the sword maid eventually fell asleep while watching.

Tiantian noticed and stopped playing, pointing at the sleeping sword maid,

"Mm... sleep... sleep..."

Mo Wan manipulated his stone body to lift the sword maid from below, letting her float, then placed her into the cradle.

Though the cradle was large, the sword maid, being a young girl, felt it was small, with her arms and legs hanging out, looking rather amusing.

But she must have traveled too long, combined with losing her cultivation base just now, so she slept deeply.

Tiantian tiptoed out the door, followed by Mo Wan.

After leaving the room, the two children arrived in the courtyard.

The small courtyard had a slide and swing, when Tiantian grew older and walked on his own, Zheng Fan specifically had Xue Three make some toys for him.

Tiantian climbed onto the slide but didn’t slide down, choosing instead to sit atop it.

Moonlight illuminated, revealing Mo Wan sitting beside Tiantian.

Tiantian reached out, difficult to raise his arms due to wearing too much clothing.

"Mm... star... star..."

Mo Wan sat beside him not to watch stars, but quietly accompanied Tiantian preventing him from falling off the slide.

"Mm... star... star... falling..."

Seeing Tiantian grow more excited,

Mo Wan silently raised his head,

looking towards the sky,

tonight’s weather was good, stars filled the sky,

one star shone very bright,

and,

grew increasingly brighter,

finally drawing a long tail and crashing down.

"......" Mo Wan.

...

In the neighboring home,

Da Hu sat earnestly practicing calligraphy in the living room, the thrifty woman used her son’s calligraphy light to sew shoe soles.

The Sword Saint sat in the small courtyard chopping wood with a small axe, originally the woman was reluctant to have him do these chores, she worked in the workshop during the day and was quite strong, adept at chopping wood and fetching water.

But the Sword Saint insisted on doing something himself, claiming it’s good for his body to stay active.

After chopping some wood,

The Sword Saint silently picked up a freshly chopped log, pondering its grain.

Then,

he chuckled to himself.

Actually, tonight he didn’t tell his disciple that his three styles involved Tian Wujing, Geremu, and this small courtyard;

though in truth, all three relate to Zheng Fan.

Though Zheng Fan didn’t know sword techniques, being a martial cultivator wielding a blade,

he still profoundly influenced and guided him in sword cultivation.

Perhaps,

that’s the whims of fate, realizing truths of eternity.

Just like the grain of wood in his hand, until split, no one knew its path inside.

Just like the stars above, some shine brilliantly today only to dim tomorrow.

Thinking this,

The Sword Saint looked up,

his gaze suddenly intensified,

as,

a star indeed fell!

————

Thanks to Princess Leaving becoming the 114th leader of "Descending Demons"!

The transitional Chapters should end soon, and I’ll strive to make them more exciting.

Requesting a monthly vote, if anyone has some, please cast them for us.

Good night.