Chapter 1088: Advancing Triumphantly with Heart Sword Technique, Qi Deviation in an Instant

He immediately cultivated "Mu Xia Shen Fo"...

Xiao Kongdong listened from the side, amused, knowing this was just Master Mei Yiren's playful remark.

How difficult was "Xin Jian Shu" to master? The style he practiced, inherited from Teacher Ba Zun An's lineage, placed "Xin Jian Shu" almost at the very end of the sequence. It required waiting until one's ancient sword cultivation had fully matured before even attempting it.

The reason was straightforward: human imagination is limited by "eye view" and "cognition." If you ask a child to start practicing swordsmanship with "Xin Jian Shu" from a young age, what could they possibly visualize? Likely just some vague, ethereal oversized toys.

But once someone achieves the level of a sword immortal, they can visualize their own "Mu Xia Shen Fo," offering far more choices and customizations for their "true self" than before!

However, nothing in the world is absolute, as exemplified by Master Mei Yiren. Even in the previous era of sword cultivation, where over 99 percent of sword cultivators placed "Xin Jian Shu" at the end of their training, there were exceptions like Mei Yiren, who began directly with it. There's a saying: "The most exalted can visualize the mightiest 'Mu Xia Shen Fo,' but the most naive and unknowing might, by chance, visualize the most wildly imaginative 'gods,' 'demons,' or even forms unbound by these two."

Because the latter's imagination isn't constrained by "cognition" or "eye view," allowing for complete self-expression.

Of course, the probability is extremely low. It's roughly one in a billion among that small fraction outside the 99 percent of normal sword cultivators' paths, where the visualized result isn't just "toys." Master Mei Yiren is the example!

Though, he's the only one...

Xiao Kongdong didn't object to Mei Yiren's teaching because he knew that Mei Yiren's style differed from his own. Once something is visualized, it can't be changed, and the only way to break through is through heavenly dissolution.

This old sword immortal's "Mu Xia Shen Fo" has multiple stages. Initially, one might only visualize "primordial chaos," then refine it further as swordsmanship advances, eventually perfecting it to completion.

That's why Mei Yiren started with "Xin Jian Shu," even without knowing the other eight of the nine great sword techniques, yet still managed to condense a "Jian Xiang" that encompassed all aspects of swordsmanship in its terrifying form.

His "Jian Xiang" evolved with his practice, incorporating the various elements he encountered from the other sword techniques, leading to its current state of integration with the nine great sword techniques, stepping into the realm of perfection!

In simple terms...

Xiao Kongdong's "Xin Jian Shu" style is a "variant awakening type," while Mei Yiren's is a "self-evolving type."

The two are equals, with no superiority; it all depends on the depth of one's personal realm and the essence of their "true self."

"Mu Xia Shen Fo..."

On the other side, Xu Xiaoshou listened with his heart racing. He had thought Master Mei Yiren would start by guiding him through the three thousand sword paths step by step.

But those seemed to offer minimal boosts to his combat strength.

The nine great sword techniques and eighteen sword streams were different—they were abilities that, upon reaching the first realm, could immediately allow one to surpass their level in battle.

However, even with "sword technique mastery" as a foundation, Xu Xiaoshou knew his own comprehension was truly lacking.

What if everyone expects too much from me, and I fail to deliver, shattering those expectations? What then?

Xu Xiaoshou thought about this, feeling a bit awkward, and asked, "So, Master Mei Yiren, how exactly do I perform this 'visualization'?"

"There are no specific steps."

Mei Yiren held his paper fan and paced forward, stating firmly, "Starting with 'Xin Jian Shu' is all about freeing your 'true self intent' from fixed cognitions, letting your imagination soar to visualize the most impossible, unrealistic 'Mu Xia Shen Fo.'"

"Even if the imagery you visualize is too intense, resulting in only a 'primordial chaos' form in the end..."

"But that's fine—our style has plenty of time to refine it later."

Mei Yiren stopped and turned, smiling as he added, "So, don't be bound by reality, don't let your cognitions limit you. Just visualize to your heart's content. The strength of your inner self and your swordsmanship talent—I can glimpse that from what you visualize."

This all sounds so abstract.

Xu Xiaoshou felt a bit deflated listening to it, thinking, Master Mei Yiren, have you forgotten that I'm a complete beginner in ancient sword cultivation? All my past experiences were just me copying others. You need to give me something more concrete, or I won't understand a thing.

"What about the cultivation steps and such?" Xu Xiaoshou hesitated before asking again.

Cultivation steps?

Mei Yiren paused, took a breath, thought for a moment, and replied uncertainly, "Don't you just cultivate as you normally do? Why do I need to teach you that?"

The problem is, I don't normally cultivate at all—it's all passive through sleeping and breathing... Xu Xiaoshou felt a toothache coming on and shook his head seriously. "That definitely won't work."

"Why not?"

"There's no why—it's just not going to work."

Mei Yiren thought to himself, I'm a proper ancient sword cultivator, and now I have to teach a half-refining spirit master, half-ancient sword cultivator about refining spirit cultivation methods?

But seeing Xu Xiaoshou's earnest expression, Mei Yiren took it as the young man wanting the full ancient sword cultivation method of their school.

I don't have that... Mei Yiren felt a pang of distress, paused, his gaze grew a bit unfocused, and then he tried his best to describe it: "Close your eyes, meditate, clear your mind, start imagining... Once the imagining is done, open your eyes?"

"Pfft!"

Xiao Kongdong couldn't hold back from the side and burst out laughing.

You could say "Xin Jian Shu" is profound—it truly is, dealing with ethereal, mysterious things. But you could also say it's ordinary—it really is, because the cultivation method is as straightforward as Mei Yiren described.

If you complete the process and manifest the visualization, it's a success. If not, it's like daydreaming—the kind that's embarrassing to admit and would make people laugh.

Xu Xiaoshou is just too hard to teach... Xiao Kongdong shook his head.

How can something as abstract as "Xin Jian Shu" be described with concrete words?

These things are meant to be understood intuitively, not explained. How could he expect Mei Yiren to break it down with simple terms?

I'm even feeling embarrassed for Mei Yiren...

As he thought this, Mei Yiren glared at him angrily, and the "Jian Xiang" behind him turned its head as well.

"Ah!" Xiao Kongdong was startled and quickly composed himself, returning to a calm, expressionless face, like a well-behaved student in class.

"Is that all?" Xu Xiaoshou waited a while, but there was no follow-up.

"That's all!" Mei Yiren's tone grew heavier. What more do you want?

I just struck you with a sword to give you the ultimate life-and-death experience, helping you break through your limits.

Now, with this description added, isn't that enough? What else could you possibly need!

For a moment, Mei Yiren even suspected that Xu Xiaoshou might be toying with him...

"Passive value +2 from being slandered."

"Passive value +2 from being reproached."

"That sounds way too simple!" But Xu Xiaoshou didn't find these descriptions mystical, shameful, or inexpressible at all. He was just clueless about how to begin. Now, with Mei Yiren's straightforward explanation, he knew exactly what to do.

The normal process of closing his eyes and cultivating—wasn't it just like that!

The cultivation of "Xin Jian Shu" could be described as very simple, yet incredibly difficult. Xu Xiaoshou wasn't foolish enough to think those basic steps were the entirety of it. He knew the key was manifesting the "intent," not just the actions of closing and opening eyes.

As for "intent"...

Although Xu Xiaoshou had never truly attempted this level of cultivation before, he wasn't entirely unfamiliar with it.

The practice of "Ten-Stage Sword Finger" involved the unity of body, mind, and intent; and the countless times he had used "Qi Swallowing Mountains and Rivers" to bluff his way through were also about condensing "presence" and "intent."

Such foundational practices had, with the emergence of "Qi Swallowing Mountains and Rivers" as a passive skill, become ingrained in his very bones.

What's more, he had "sword technique mastery," which already gave him knowledge of "Xin Jian Shu"—he just didn't know how to utilize and unleash it.

"I'm starting now."

Under Mei Yiren's watchful gaze, amid the pressure of the "Jian Xiang," and with Xiao Kongdong's anticipation, Xu Xiaoshou sat cross-legged on the spot and slowly closed his eyes.

"Clear your mind and enter meditation."

Although Mei Yiren acted indifferent, his steady voice seemed to resonate like the sound of the great dao, gently helping Xu Xiaoshou quickly settle into a state of focus, free from distractions.

"Mind, intent, sword..."

Influenced externally, Xu Xiaoshou soon entered a realm of pure clarity, feeling the world fade away and vanish completely.

All things ceased to exist; heaven and earth left only himself, formless and illusory.

"Sword techniques have names; the way of the mind has no gods, no buddhas, no laws, no heavens."

Suddenly, that earlier instruction on swordsmanship echoed in his mind, rippling through Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts—it was a seed Mei Yiren had planted in advance, now taking root and sprouting.

No gods, no buddhas, no laws, no heavens...

These eight words truly captured the essence of "Xin Jian Shu."

Xu Xiaoshou had entered meditation under the influence of Mei Yiren's "Jian Xiang," and he had witnessed the "Mu Xia Shen Fo" displayed by Ba Zun An in the Eight Palaces.

Unlike most beginners of "Xin Jian Shu," who were naive and unknowing, Xu Xiaoshou had his own perspectives and cognitions.

Even if he were ignorant, he had seen enough.

Apart from the foremost of the seven sword immortals, Yu Cha, whose "Xin Jian Shu" might bring surprises, the other sword immortals likely didn't specialize in it.

And Yu Cha had gone missing ages ago, possibly even fallen...

So, even without seeing the "Mu Xia Shen Fo" of other sword immortals, Xu Xiaoshou knew that what he had seen before was probably the strongest in the world!

What he needed to do now was surpass that strength and achieve even greater heights!

What constitutes greater strength?

In a world of chaos, with Ba Zun An's "Mu Xia Shen Fo" on one side and Mei Yiren's supreme "Jian Xiang" on the other, Xu Xiaoshou struggled to visualize anything that could exceed them.

But precisely because it was impossible to imagine, he had to try.

"Greater..."

"What is 'greater'?"

The two mountains loomed before him, crushing him until he could barely breathe, causing his head to throb as if it might explode.

Yet at that moment, the colossal giant he had seen in the illusion of "Qi Swallowing Mountains and Rivers" appeared in the distance, taking a step forward.

"Boom!"

Xu Xiaoshou felt his mental world shatter under that step, rippling violently like Pangu splitting heaven and earth—purity rising, turbidity sinking.

Light poured in from afar.

The light silhouetted the illusory giant, passing through the narrow gap between the two mountains formed by his sword predecessors, illuminating Xu Xiaoshou's "true self."

"Mu Xia... Shen Fo..."

Xu Xiaoshou opened his eyes in a daze and clearly saw the two mountains before him.

He suddenly realized: these were his heart's "god" and "buddha"—existences he felt he could never surpass in his current state!

It came from Ba Zun An; it came from Mei Yiren!

But the true meaning of "Xin Jian Shu" was to transcend current cognitions, shatter the gods and buddhas in one's heart, and reach a state of true lawlessness and heavenlessness!

Audacious, defiant, disdainful of all, ruling the world...

"Get out of my way—"

Xu Xiaoshou felt an overwhelming surge of heroic spirit, soaring upward.

He wasn't a naive beginner; he had the necessary foundation.

Without even drawing on other powers, as his current "intent" and "presence" perfectly aligned with the state of "Qi Swallowing Mountains and Rivers"...

There was no hesitation—Xu Xiaoshou rose fiercely, like a lowly ant daring to stand before a deity and face it head-on!

Bang, bang!

The two mountains—the "Mu Xia Shen Fo" and "Jian Xiang"—were abruptly forced back in his mental world, teetering as if unable to withstand the crushing aura of a world ruler.

Xu Xiaoshou pressed forward relentlessly, advancing step by step, matching the distant giant's stride, and stamped down hard.

"Kneel before me—"

The distant giant's step brought the bright moon into the sky, day and night cycling, as the world's phenomena began to unfold and clarify.

And the two mountains before the insignificant ant became the perfect stepping stones.

As Xu Xiaoshou moved forward, they could no longer resist the command of the world ruler, crashing to their knees with a thunderous boom, lifting Xu Xiaoshou's spiritual form toward the heavens in worship.

"That's the feeling!"

"Free to seek vengeance, unbound by anything!"

The exhilaration of dominating the mental world almost released all the pressures Xu Xiaoshou had accumulated along his journey.

He had faced thrones from the acquired and innate realms, and from grandmaster to sword dao throne, he had confronted Taixu and even semi-saints.

When reality offered no resistance and one was at the mercy of others, anyone would crave freedom.

And now, this desire for "freedom" became the perfect catalyst in cultivating "Xin Jian Shu"!

What is "extreme adversity leading to prosperity"? This was it!

Singing aloud, he charged forward, surpassing the two mountains, finally about to meet the backlit giant.

He felt that if he could shatter this giant in the illusion, he might achieve the realm of "no gods, no buddhas, no laws, no heavens."

Yes!

Xu Xiaoshou not only wanted to crush the two mountains of sword dao; to form his "Xin Jian Shu," he also had to overcome that non-sword dao barrier.

Everything must be suppressed!

A soldier who doesn't aspire to be a general isn't a good soldier.

Xu Xiaoshou's ambitions were vast. Since he was cultivating "Xin Jian Shu," he aimed to condense the strongest "Mu Xia Shen Fo"—not just the strongest in his own cognition or beyond, but something that would make any sword cultivator under the heavens, even a single refining spirit master, tremble in fear at the mere mention or sight of it!

But just then, as he rampaged through his mental world, everything flowing smoothly, with "presence" and "intent" at their peak and about to break through all shackles to reach the first realm, a notification flashed—a message that didn't belong in this world, shouldn't appear here, but was forcibly defined by Xu Xiaoshou's self-cognition as something that, no matter where he was or what state he was in, demanded immediate vigilance, even at the cost of using the Saint Emperor Dragon Scale to alert him...

"Passive value +2 from being observed."

At that instant, his mental world began to chaos, and his "perception" transmitted images from the real world: two faces filled with ecstatic joy.

And the one who should have been in deep meditation, free from all distractions, Xu Xiaoshou, upon seeing these sudden faces, had their information flash through his mind instantly.

"Xie Lao? Gui Po?"

"These assassins from the Central Domain are watching nearby, wanting to kill me?"

The thought had barely formed when demonic energy invaded, erupting from his spiritual form—it was the sign of distractions interfering and qi deviation!

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Chapter 1070: Surging Ahead with Xin Jian Shu, Qi Deviation in an Instant! Free reading.