Jian Chou had a rough idea of her own strength.

But back in the dungeon of the night sailing ship, she had also witnessed Wang Que in action. That sword strike under such dire and clear circumstances could be said to have been quite stunning.

Wang Que, the fourth disciple under True Master Hengxu.

Currently the first in the Fourth Heavenly Tablet, which meant the foremost among those in the Nascent Soul stage, just like when Qu Zhengfeng was still at this realm.

From their first meeting that day, Jian Chou had harbored the thought of testing his depths. Now that the troublesome matters of the Silver Tower had been settled, if she returned directly to the Central Region and back to Yashan, she would likely not find a chance to “spar.”

So her plan was quite clear: before leaving Xinghai, fight first.

Bai Yin said that he encountered Wang Que on the road, seeing him heading southeast.

She casually traced the directions in her mind and knew where his destination was—when they first met, it was at the Tiandi Retrograde Inn southeast of Broken Immortal City. Wang Que was probably returning there.

Moreover, Bai Yin had seen him coming down from a tavern, so he should still have some leisurely mood and not be in a hurry to leave.

So…

Jian Chou stared at the Human Emperor Sword in her palm for a moment, then smiled slightly. She was not in a hurry either, simply sheathing the long sword and sitting cross-legged in the room to meditate and regulate her breath.

Every battle brought her entirely new insights.

Though the Silver Tower battle had passed, the comprehension in Jian Chou’s heart was gradually deepening. She was calculating in her mind the various aspects of that day’s battles, from bystander to her own opponents…

Without realizing it, the long night passed and dawn was breaking on the horizon.

The end of the Tiger Hour.

Jian Chou opened her eyes again, slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, then stood up. She pushed open the door directly and walked along the interlacing corridors straight toward the outside of Jiexing Mountain Manor.

The dim early morning was heavy with mist.

Jiexing Mountain Manor was built on a mountain by the river after all. In autumn, the slightly cool water vapor, splashed up by the rushing river, flew to the mountain and enveloped this mountain manor.

For a moment, pavilions and towers, flowering trees and artificial hills were all shrouded in hazy obscurity.

Walking among them, Jian Chou momentarily felt as if she were ascending into a dreamland.

She didn’t think of going to bid farewell to Qu Zhengfeng. In any case, Bai Yin would go to take his leave shortly and explain her situation along the way. Whether she went herself or not didn’t matter much.

At this moment, all she was thinking about was the upcoming battle.

Leaving the manor gates, she transformed directly into a streak of light, heading toward the Tiandi Retrograde Inn in Broken Immortal City. Jiexing Mountain Manor was left behind almost instantly.

Beneath Jian Chou’s feet lay densely forested mountains, while ahead came the faint sound of waves.

It was the Lan River.

Following this rushing great river upstream, she would soon reach her destination, she knew. However, upon hearing these wave sounds, a strange palpitation suddenly made her slow down.

“Whoosh, whoosh…”

The sound of waves.

But was it merely the sound of waves? No, it wasn’t.

There was none of the chaotic noise of ordinary river water, but instead a subtle rhythmic beauty, like a master qin player casually plucking strings and naturally creating a segment of magnificent river music.

In harmony with nature, fitting the original heart.

The vast white mist covered most of the river surface, blurring the ancient and ethereal outline of the Drinking Snow Pavilion in the middle of the river.

Jian Chou slowly approached.

With this stone pavilion as the center, the surrounding river water flowed while the mist on all sides rolled as if it had come to life.

Through this dense mist, she could vaguely see the figure in the pavilion.

A figure wielding a sword.

The sword was just an ordinary iron sword, held in those slender hands, turning gently around the body and in the mist.

When the sword rose, it was like a dragon leaping from water, with a swift and decisive bearing; when the sword moved, it was like a startled swan gracefully leaving shadows, yet like a light feather, leaving no sound or trace; when the sword fell, it was like a hundred rivers flowing east to the sea, myriad torrents converging into one, clearly with magnificent momentum yet revealing no emotion…

This was…

The Sword Emperor’s sword.

Jian Chou’s figure involuntarily stopped.

Though she knew Qu Zhengfeng was merely practicing sword forms in this Drinking Snow Pavilion, certainly not using those moves he would use against enemies, and what she saw before her was only some ordinary slashing, chopping, lifting, and thrusting basic sword techniques, she could not withdraw her gaze.

Not just anyone practicing swords could be so naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

Clearly not using even the slightest bit of spiritual power, yet whether it was the river water around the Drinking Snow Pavilion or the dense mist over the river, all were drawn by the sword momentum, swirling and surging along with it.

What terrifying mastery must this be?

Even though Jian Chou didn’t understand swords very well, she could still discern the depth within.

Everyone said Qu Zhengfeng’s title “Sword Emperor” was because he wielded a divine weapon like the Yashan Sword, but based on what she now saw and her understanding of Qu Zhengfeng, this was probably not entirely correct.

Just as Yixiantian would not acknowledge cultivators with incomplete souls, how could the Yashan Sword willingly acknowledge an ordinary master?

She didn’t make a sound, just watched quietly like this.

Qu Zhengfeng naturally sensed someone’s arrival, but his eyes remained calm, and his sword-holding hand showed no intention of stopping.

Pivoting and wielding the sword, his body bore the transformations of dragons and serpents; drawing the sword with a light hum, there was the light of creation.

After a full quarter hour, he slowly sheathed his sword.

The wide black sleeves swept through the misty void, leaving a long shadow that seemed too deep and heavy in the gradually brightening sky.

“Are you leaving?”

Jian Chou was still on the riverbank. Hearing these words, she stepped forward, and when her foot touched down, she was already in the Drinking Snow Pavilion.

The figure that had been blurred in the mist suddenly became clear due to the shortened distance.

Qu Zhengfeng stood at the front of the pavilion, his back to her, the rushing river water beneath his feet, his eyes gazing at the distant prosperous Mingri Xinghai city across the river.

Jian Chou said, “The message that should be delivered has been delivered. I have been away from Yashan for many years, and my fellow disciples and elders have many concerns, so I cannot stay long. I was merely passing by and happened to notice someone practicing swords by the river, so I stopped to watch. I hope His Majesty the Sword Emperor will not take offense.”

His Majesty the Sword Emperor…

Qu Zhengfeng lowered his eyes to look at the ordinary sword in his hand. This was the one he had just finished sharpening yesterday, and it looked no different from the previous swords.

“Since Fellow Daoist Jian Chou has watched for so long, what are your thoughts?”

“The sword?”

Jian Chou was momentarily stunned, then smiled ruefully.

“In this way, I am completely ignorant. However, watching from the side, I felt the sword techniques were ordinary, but the sword momentum was extremely strong, able to harmonize with the surrounding qi. I suppose what people say about the Sword Emperor’s sword reaching the realm of transformation is not false.”

“You truly are completely ignorant.”

Any layman could say such seemingly plausible words. Hearing this, Qu Zhengfeng couldn’t help but laugh, turned to look her over, and shook his head.

“Yashan focuses on swords. The three essentials of swordsmanship are: sword forms, sword qi, and sword intent. Form is the surface, qi is the substance, intent is the spirit. Though you are a disciple of Yashan, you have never learned the sword, truly wasting this title of ‘eldest senior sister.'”

She would have liked to learn too.

But the incompleteness of her soul invisibly limited many things.

Jian Chou did not defend herself, only said, “Hearing His Majesty the Sword Emperor’s words, it seems you have the intention to instruct?”

Not having learned the sword was Jian Chou’s regret.

But there were thousands of paths in the Great Dao, all leading to the same destination. Whether sword or axe, fist or blade, in the end there was actually no difference.

Jian Chou didn’t care about many things, but this counter-question she asked really didn’t have much good will.

Qu Zhengfeng had already betrayed Yashan, and now to say so much more had somewhat the flavor of “meddling in others’ affairs.” Jian Chou was merely reminding him.

He could hear it.

However, “What if I say I indeed have the intention to instruct?”

The Lan River in the early morning, with waves flowing.

The aftermath of the Silver Tower incident had not yet settled, and Jian Chou now seemed to still smell the lingering bloody scent faintly drifting in the mist.

Now hearing Qu Zhengfeng’s seemingly real, seemingly false words, she only slowly raised her eyes to look at him.

These simple two words “instruct” only reminded her of that battle at Huanqiao Peak.

She still remembered they had once agreed to a battle after that.

But because Qu Zhengfeng betrayed Yashan, this battle never had the chance to be fulfilled. Looking at the current gap in their strengths, Jian Chou didn’t think she had the ability to battle him.

Qu Zhengfeng presumably understood this point too.

So his mention of “instruction” was worth pondering.

Jian Chou slowly smiled, but didn’t care whether Qu Zhengfeng’s words were serious or playful. When others offered a ladder, how could she not climb up a step?

“Oh? The Sword Emperor actually has the intention to instruct, that’s quite a coincidence. These past few days, Jian Chou has had a confusion in her heart related to cultivation.”

The smile at the corners of Jian Chou’s lips clearly carried a rare sense of cunning.

Qu Zhengfeng had only felt that Jian Chou’s previous words had stung him, so he spoke of “instruction,” but how could he have thought she would actually ask?

If it were anyone else, he wouldn’t want to bother with them at all and would mostly turn and leave.

But if it was this “eldest senior sister”…

Qu Zhengfeng turned sideways to look at her, pondered briefly, then asked with interest, “In the Silver Tower, that move you used to bluff Liang Tingyu?”

“…”

Jian Chou’s pupils suddenly contracted, and after a long while, she slowly relaxed.

“Worthy of His Majesty the Sword Emperor, observing so keenly.”

What troubled her now was nothing more than that move.

“Drawing the blade, drawing the blade—now I have only its form but find it difficult to bring out its artistic conception. It was a comprehension from that critical moment in the dungeon of the night sailing ship, but I have been trapped in it for several days, unable to find the way in.”

When Jian Chou battled Liang Tingyu that day, Qu Zhengfeng was watching from the private room.

He actually knew clearly how much ability Jian Chou had, from the Heaven-Flipping Seal to human-artifact body cultivation, to the Dijiang Wind-Thunder Wing Dao Seal.

The only thing that was unexpected was that half-executed move.

Jian Chou obviously didn’t know this move.

But it could scare Liang Tingyu into panic, causing him to lose all advantages and ultimately die at Jian Chou’s hands. One could imagine its fearsome power.

Jian Chou only knew the opening, but couldn’t continue with the latter half.

In others’ eyes, this was nothing more than bluffing, but in Qu Zhengfeng’s eyes, everything was very unusual.

Among all the myriad laws under heaven, when one law is mastered, all laws are mastered.

When the way of the sword is cultivated to the extreme, other things can be understood by analogy.

Qu Zhengfeng lightly bent down, resting the iron-cast ordinary sword in his hand against the rough stone pillar of the Drinking Snow Pavilion, then gazed at the distant river surface and suddenly asked, “Have you ever seen true sword-drawing?”

Drawing the blade.

Among the disciples of Yashan, everyone drew blades.

It could be said that from the day Jian Chou entered the sect, she constantly watched them “draw blades,” and was even one of them herself.

So she was by no means unfamiliar with the two words “draw blade.”

But regarding the “blade-drawing” in Qu Zhengfeng’s mouth, Jian Chou didn’t think she had seen it, so she said nothing and gave no answer.

Qu Zhengfeng didn’t mind either.

Or rather, when he asked this question, he actually had no intention of needing Jian Chou to answer.

The ordinary sword used for practicing earlier had been set aside.

Qu Zhengfeng merely extended his right hand toward the mist-filled void, and instantly, a deep ocean-blue whirlpool appeared!

“Whoosh, whoosh…”

The roaring sound of waves, crystal-clear and snow-white spray churning above the whirlpool, even the salty scent unique to sea tides permeating the air.

Qu Zhengfeng’s palm slowly clenched tight.

What he grasped was seawater, was spray, but as his palm slowly pulled out, the endless seawater in the whirlpool gathered toward his palm, gradually taking the shape of a long sword.

Dark blue.

Peaceful.

Yet giving one a sense of deeply hidden warmth.

What a strange and mysterious feeling this was!

At this moment, Jian Chou was situated within this whirlpool of sea-light sword, feeling all the acupoints around her body trembling under this aura, involuntarily wanting to approach it, to submit to it!

When hundreds of rivers flow east to the sea, when will they ever return west again!

This sword was undoubtedly Qu Zhengfeng’s famous sword from the past—Sea Light.

It was clearly not yet unsheathed, but that artistic conception of “the sea enduring for a hundred years, greatness lies in tolerance” had already covered a radius of ten li in this instant!

The cool morning breeze stopped.

The drifting mist ceased.

Even the magnificent Lan River ahead lost its voice at this moment!

No longer any flowing ripples, no more rolling waves, not a single hidden current to be found…

The entire world seemed to have been paused!

Everything before Jian Chou’s eyes was still, except for Qu Zhengfeng, except for Qu Zhengfeng’s Sea Light sword that was being drawn!

When he drew the sword, his speed was extremely slow.

Every inch of the sword body was condensed from the seawater in the whirlpool behind him, fantastic to the extreme, stunning beyond measure. When the three-foot blade was completely drawn out, the entire world seemed to collapse!

The long river rolled backward, fierce winds howled, dense mist roared, overwhelming from all directions!

Jian Chou was at the center of this storm, seeing only the sword that suddenly became clear, the Sea Light sword! And behind myriad sword gleams, Qu Zhengfeng’s eyes…

The sword is a weapon.

For those who cultivate the sword, when the sword is in the heart, the sword is the heart.

When the sword is in the sheath, it conceals its edge, hidden and unmanifested; but when the sword leaves the sheath, it should reveal its full sharpness!

“Without the heart to kill, do not draw the sword;”

“Without the heart to die, do not draw the sword;”

“Without the heart of absolute self, do not draw the sword.”

“Hide clumsiness deeply, seize the moment for decision; when the sword emerges the heart is settled, intent precedes the sword. Kill one person in ten steps, leave no trace for a thousand li—this is drawing the sword!”

So this was “drawing the sword.”

Jian Chou still had her eyes open, but could see nothing anymore. What she saw before her eyes was what she thought in her heart. Sometimes it was Qu Zhengfeng’s sword, sometimes it was Fudao Shanren’s “Heavenly River Sword Waves” at Kunwu back then.

Myriad blade lights and sword shadows wove together at this moment, breaking through the barrier that had always confined her heart.

Thus, the entire world became brilliantly radiant.

A great enlightenment illuminated her mind and heart.

Standing in the Drinking Snow Pavilion, Jian Chou’s figure remained perfectly still.

This standing lasted for three full days.