Chapter 352: Void Condensation Sword Technique

Xu Xiaoshou retreated back to Yuan Fu.

Yet after upgrading "Jian Shu Jing Tong," the torrent of knowledge surged through his mind like crashing waves. It not only saturated his soul in an instant but also elevated his comprehension of the sword way to an extraordinary level.

"This is…"

The young man tilted his head, his eyes reflecting profound enlightenment mixed with deeper confusion. The Zongshi-level "Jian Shu Jing Tong" represented a fundamental leap from the innate realm. This single advancement unleashed a flood of sword energy, as if ten thousand swords converged upon him, stirring a sense of unchallenged supremacy in his heart: "The world holds no sword that I cannot master." The sword way principles in his mind were fully assimilated, compressed, and refined at that moment. Even the lingering mysteries in the "Guan Jian Dian" were suddenly unraveled. Along with it, the "Bai Jian Shu" that he had only glimpsed in the illusion seemed on the verge of revealing its full secrets.

But it failed!

Clearly, Zongshi-level sword intent was not enough to fully grasp this terrifying sword technique. Still, it filled Xu Xiaoshou with even greater anticipation. This sword skill, born alongside the "Guan Jian Dian," was so profound that even sword sect intent could not completely decipher it. If he could master even a part of it, wouldn't he gain the power to directly slay a sword sect master?

His gaze sharpened as Xu Xiaoshou stared into the void. Unconsciously, he employed the "Guan Jian" method. All the knowledge he had acquired before reaching Zongshi sword intent was now perfectly integrated. It was as if his eyes had been enlightened, with sword intent rising within them. Even this ordinary glance captured the essence of "Guan Jian." To observe the sword was to observe the heavens and earth!

In that seamless moment, the void stirred dramatically. Amid a chorus of resonant sword cries, the space caved in, transforming into over ten thousand swords of the void. These swords were delicate and exquisite, crystalline and translucent, existing in a state that was both real and illusory—emerging from space yet still within it. If one didn't look closely, this grand tableau of heaven-born swords appeared eternally etched in the cosmos, as if it had always been there.

But as Xu Xiaoshou's eyes shifted, a wind arose in the world.

"Shua!"

A crisp sword hum followed, and the ten thousand swords seemed to merge as one, aligning perfectly with his gaze and veering to one side. The surging sword intent concentrated at a single point, piercing through the chaotic space for a full zhang!

Chaotic mist roiled as waves of shock surged in Xu Xiaoshou's heart.

"Xukong Ning Jian Shu?"

He murmured, his voice laced with disbelief. The "Guan Jian Dian" recorded nearly all the supreme sword techniques of ancient sword cultivators, and "Xukong Ning Jian Shu" was one of them. According to the ancient texts, even those who had fully mastered Zongshi sword intent might not comprehend this technique. The author of the "Guan Jian Dian" must have been an audacious figure, setting extremely stringent standards for sword cultivators everywhere.

"Only those who have mastered 'Xukong Ning Jian Shu' can truly be called a sword sect!"

These were the original words from the ancient text, reflecting the author's personal view. In the eyes of the common people, "Wan Jian Gui Zong" was an essential skill for sword sect masters, achievable by anyone who had attained Zongshi sword intent. However, according to the author, this was insufficient. A true sword sect master should be able to perform "Wan Jian Gui Zong" without any existing swords at hand; otherwise, they would have to rely on external objects, like leaves or grains of sand. This was utterly unacceptable.

Xu Xiaoshou pondered this and tried to steady his emotions. He knew this was merely the author's opinion. "Xukong Ning Jian Shu" had been an elusive dream even for ancient sword cultivators in bygone eras. Gu Qing San was a perfect example of this. He had displayed Zongshi sword intent in front of Xu Xiaoshou but was mockingly compared to eight wriggling earthworms, highlighting his inadequacy.

Xu Xiaoshou, on the other hand, was different. He looked at the swords of the void before him.

"Chi!"

With a simple command, the ten thousand void swords responded like extensions of his own limbs, flying, drilling, or thrusting in every conceivable manner, bringing his wild ideas to life.

Suddenly, the swords paused and swirled around Xu Xiaoshou.

"Bai Jian Shi!"

He called out lightly. The void swords trembled with a buzz, their blades enveloped in white sword energy as they struggled to pull free from the space itself. It was as if ethereal swords were being drawn from endless mud, and in the next second, ten thousand sword energies howled through the chaotic space.

"Boom, boom, boom—"

The terrifying shockwave ripped up the ground. The chaotic mist was slashed back dozens of zhang, taking a long time to slowly drift back.

"Too strong!"

Xu Xiaoshou clenched his fists, his face flushed with excitement. In the past, he only had "Cang Ku," and drawing his sword was limited to a single style. Now, with his sword intent at the Zongshi level, he had not only freed that style from its dependence on spiritual energy but could also unleash it purely through "Wan Wu Ji Jian" and "Xukong Ning Jian Shu."

"A ten-thousand-fold Bai Jian Shi?!"

"Too powerful—who could withstand this?"

Xu Xiaoshou recalled the move "Qian Ye Liu, Bai Jian Shi, Hei Luo Zhan," which required "Cang Ku" and the black sheath to execute. Now, that was a thing of the past! He could perform it effortlessly.

"Urgh!"

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit him, and Xu Xiaoshou steadied himself with a hand on his forehead. He realized this technique wasn't without cost—it simply converted the spiritual energy drain into mental exhaustion.

But!

His mental strength, bolstered by continuous enhancements from "Guan Cha," was already formidable. This level of depletion wouldn't stop him; he could manage a dozen more strikes if he grit his teeth.

"Hahaha—"

Xu Xiaoshou laughed wildly, rubbing his forehead as he envisioned Zhang Tai Ying perishing under his single sword strike.

Impulsively, he drew "Cang Ku," casually flicking out a sword flourish before sheathing it with a clang.

"Keng, keng, keng…"

The shadows of ten thousand void swords followed suit, as if guided by a divine force, raining down from the sky and merging into streams of light that flowed into the black sheath.

A gust of wind whipped up, tousling Xu Xiaoshou's black hair and robes. The young man smirked, unable to hold back any longer.

"Wow, hahaha! That sword was incredible!"

"Have I finally achieved my dream of being a true swordsman?"

With a thought, he transformed the void swords into a dual sword formation, one high and one low, hovering in the air with a radiant glow, as if infused with sword spirits.

"Awakening skill, Beng Shan Lie Di Zhan… Wait, I think that's not the right name?"