175: Chapter 175 Enlightenment of the Sword

After achieving Foundation Establishment, the speed of cultivation noticeably slowed down.

Li Changsheng had long been prepared for this.

But what he didn't expect was how stubborn the Bottleneck at the Foundation Establishment Stage would be.

That day, as usual, he was regulating his breath and cultivating. Spirit Liquid flowed slowly within his body, attempting to impact the next minor Realm.

But no matter how hard he tried, that stream of Spirit Liquid could never coalesce into a more powerful form, as if blocked by an invisible barrier.

Once, twice, thrice...

He tried countless times, failing each time.

True Lord Xuan Yun had written in his insights:

"The Foundation Establishment Initial Stage is like a newly formed stream; the water, though clear and shallow, already has an Origin."

"The Foundation Establishment Middle Stage should be like a river, its flow gradually increasing, surging ceaselessly."

"The key at this stage lies not in quantity, but in purity of quality."

"For every fraction Spirit Power is refined, the Meridians widen by an inch; for every inch the Meridians widen, future achievements rise by a fraction."

He closed his eyes and began regulating his breath.

Within his Dantian, that small pool of pale cyan Spirit Liquid lay quietly, emitting a soft glow.

That was the Origin of Spiritual Power he had condensed upon successfully establishing his Foundation.

He took a deep breath and continued, following the Mind-Cultivation Technique, to guide the flow of that Spirit Liquid.

One cycle, two cycles, three cycles...

The Spirit Liquid flowed through his Meridians, yet the Meridian walls remained as firm as Mount Tai, showing no sign of widening whatsoever.

Gradually, an indescribable anxiety welled up in Li Changsheng's heart.

Why?

He had clearly been working so hard.

Rising before dawn every day to practice the sword, cultivating late into the night.

The experiences from the great battle had made him even more eager to grow stronger.

He wanted to protect those around him, to possess enough strength to face those unknown crises.

So why couldn't he Breakthrough?

He stood up and paced back and forth within the narrow Tool Storehouse.

The lamp flame flickered, casting his elongated shadow.

Outside the window, moonlight flowed like water.

He suddenly remembered his Master's words.

"Cultivation is like planting a tree; only with deep roots can the foliage flourish."

But now, his roots seemed unable to take hold.

On this day, he was practicing the sword again.

Just as his irritation was becoming unbearable, a communication talisman landed beside him.

Li Changsheng picked up the talisman, infused it with spiritual power, and True Lord Three Swords's voice entered his ear:

"Come to the back mountain."

Li Changsheng's heart tightened. He hurriedly tidied up and flew towards the back mountain on his sword.

The back mountain was the Sect's Forbidden Ground; usually, few Disciples were permitted entry.

When Li Changsheng reached the mountain's base, he saw a white-haired elder standing with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the distant sea of clouds.

True Lord Three Swords.

Li Changsheng descended, his sword light dissipating, and bowed respectfully.

"Disciple Li Changsheng pays his respects to the True Lord."

True Lord Three Swords turned around and looked at him. That gaze was as profound as an abyss, seeming to see through everything.

"Follow me."

He turned and walked up the mountain path.

Li Changsheng quickly followed.

One after the other, the two passed through a bamboo grove, skirted a cliff, and arrived at a secluded valley.

The valley was not large, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with only a narrow passage for entry.

Within the valley was a bamboo grove; bamboo leaves rustled, emitting a faint, refreshing fragrance.

Deep within the grove, the vague outline of a simple thatched hut could be seen.

True Lord Three Swords stopped at the edge of the bamboo grove and looked back at Li Changsheng.

"Do you know why I summoned you here?"

Li Changsheng hesitated before speaking.

"This Disciple does not know."

True Lord Three Swords looked at him and said slowly.

"These past few days, have you encountered a Bottleneck in your cultivation?"

Li Changsheng was stunned.

How did True Lord Three Swords know?

True Lord Three Swords seemed to perceive his confusion and said calmly.

"Your aura is unstable, and there is anxiety between your brows. These days, you must have been desperately trying to Breakthrough."

Li Changsheng lowered his head and said.

"The True Lord sees clearly."

True Lord Three Swords was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked.

"Do you know why you cannot Breakthrough?"

Li Changsheng raised his head and looked at him.

True Lord Three Swords said.

"Because you are too impatient."

Li Changsheng was stunned once more.

True Lord Three Swords continued.

"After the great battle, you experienced too much, saw too much."

"You want to become stronger, to protect those you wish to protect, to confront future crises. There is nothing wrong with that."

"But you have placed all this pressure onto your cultivation."

He paused, his gaze profound.

"Cultivation is not about charging forward desperately under pressure. It is about accumulating slowly, in tranquility."

Li Changsheng fell silent.

True Lord Three Swords looked at him and spoke slowly.

"Cultivation lies not only in the Cultivation Technique, but more so in Heart-Nature. If the heart is disturbed, even the best technique cannot be mastered."

He took out a thin booklet from his robes and handed it to Li Changsheng.

It was an ancient-looking booklet. On the cover was written:

"Qinglan Sword Art, Volume Two."

Li Changsheng took the booklet, his heart shaking.

He had already completed the first volume; he never expected there to be a second.

True Lord Three Swords said.

"This sword art is one I used in my youth. It contains my annotations, which will be useful to you."

He paused, his gaze turning solemn.

"Li Changsheng, remember this one sentence."

Li Changsheng said respectfully, "Please speak, True Lord."

True Lord Three Swords said, word by word.

"Do not let ambition blind you; hold fast to the original heart of the sword Dao."

True Lord Three Swords looked at him and said.

"The current Qinglan Sword Sect is no longer the Qinglan Sword Sect of before. What the Sect Master wishes to do, I cannot control."

"But you... you must guard your own heart."

He turned and pointed deep into the valley.

"There, lies Jingxin Cliff. Go stay there for a few days and think things over properly."

Li Changsheng looked in the direction he pointed.

Deep within the bamboo grove, the vague outline of a steep cliff face could be seen.

He took a deep breath and clasped his fists solemnly.

"Many thanks, True Lord."

Jingxin Cliff was a steep cliff face about ten zhang high, standing at the deepest part of the valley.

The cliff face was smooth as a mirror, covered in moss.

Below the cliff was a flat bluestone slab, just right for sitting cross-legged.

Surrounding it were dense bamboo groves; the rustling of leaves was refreshing and pleasing to the spirit.

Li Changsheng sat down on the bluestone, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

Fresh air filled his lungs, carrying the scent of bamboo leaves and the smell of earth.

He recalled True Lord Three Swords's words.

"Cultivation lies not only in the Cultivation Technique, but more so in Heart-Nature."

"If the heart is disturbed, even the best technique cannot be mastered."

He opened his eyes and looked at the cliff face before him.

On the cliff face, faint, blurry etchings could barely be discerned.

Those etchings were ancient, almost eroded beyond recognition by wind and rain.

But vaguely, the outlines of some runes could still be made out.

Li Changsheng paid them no mind, simply sitting quietly.

He began to recall.

Recalling the people he had seen, the events he had experienced during the great battle.

The look in Zhou Yuan's eyes before his death, the Elder Matriarch Pavilion Master's figure burning herself, the decisiveness of the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley's palm strike, Lin Jingyun's farewell smile, the tear-stained face of the little boy from Qingfeng Gate, the tragic scene of Jinyang Sect Disciples slaughtering each other, the news of the new Pavilion Master of Qingxin Pavilion turning against the Qinglan Sword Sect.

And those who fell on the battlefield, those innocent people rescued, those survivors weeping amidst the ruins.

He remembered the words Zhou Yuan had said.

"In the face of Opportunity, how can there be any reason to retreat?"

Remembered the words the Elder Matriarch Pavilion Master had said.

"My Qingxin Pavilion has stood for over two thousand years; we have never bowed our heads to evil heretics."

Remembered the words True Lord Three Swords had said.

"Guard your own heart."

He closed his eyes and let those images flow slowly through his heart.

Not struggling, not resisting, simply watching quietly.

After an unknowable amount of time, he suddenly realized that the anxiety in his heart had, at some point, vanished.

Replacing it was a sense of peace.

A profound peace.

He opened his eyes and looked towards the cliff face.

Those blurry etchings now seemed somewhat clearer in his eyes.

He stood up, walked to the cliff face, and examined it carefully.

Those etchings were indeed runes.

Very ancient runes.

He reached out and gently touched the etchings.

The moment his fingertip touched the stone wall, a strange sensation flooded his heart.

That feeling was ancient and desolate, as if it had traversed a thousand years of time, resonating with some distant existence.

He abruptly withdrew his hand.

Those runes... bore some resemblance to the runes on the qingshuang sword.

They also somewhat resembled the runes on the Blood Fiend Sect's altar.

He took a deep breath, stepped back a few paces, and re-examined that cliff face.

"How long has this cliff face existed here?"

"Who carved these runes?"

"What is their connection to the Qinglan Sword Sect?"

"And what is their connection to the Blood Fiend Sect?"

He did not know.

But he knew that this cliff face was not simple.

He returned to the bluestone and sat down again.

But he did not look at the cliff face again; he merely closed his eyes and continued his quiet meditation.

Some things, if he couldn't figure them out now, he wouldn't dwell on them.

"First, do well what is before me."

"Cultivation is like planting a tree; only with deep roots can the foliage flourish."

Li Changsheng's heart was taking root.

Three days later, Li Changsheng left Jingxin Cliff and returned to the Hundred Herb Garden.

His aura was more steady than it had been three days prior.

The anxiety between his brows had completely vanished without a trace.

He stood beside the Spirit Tea Tree, looking at the tree he had planted with his own hands, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

The tea tree had grown taller, its branches and leaves even more lush.

The Jade Dew Ginseng nearby was also thriving; a new batch could be harvested soon.

He crouched down and gently stroked the tea tree's trunk.

"Thank you," he said softly.

The tea tree was silent, its leaves gently swaying in the wind as if in response.

He stood up and gazed into the distance.

The Bottleneck remained, but he was no longer impatient.

Cultivation is like planting a tree; only with deep roots can the foliage flourish.

His roots were growing deeper.

Someday, the tree would grow taller and taller.

He tightened his grip on the sword in his hand, turned, and walked towards the Tool Storehouse.

Behind him, in the direction of Jingxin Cliff, that ancient stone cliff stood quietly.

The runes upon it flickered faintly in the sunlight.

As if waiting for someone to come and unravel its secret.