After giving Jun Shu the spirit birds, Jian Xingzhi headed to the garden where he and Qin Wanwan had agreed to meet the night before.

Arriving at the garden entrance, he stopped and looked down to examine his clothes.

Very good, nothing out of place. After confirming his appearance, he happily walked into the garden, ready to start this beautiful day.

But as soon as he entered the garden, he saw Qin Wanwan and Xie Gutang exchanging sword moves. Hearing the sound of Jian Xingzhi entering, Xie Gutang was first to sheathe his sword. He turned to look at Jian Xingzhi and bowed happily: “Senior.”

Qin Wanwan had just finished a sparring match and felt quite exhilarated. Most of last night’s anger had dissipated. She turned to look at him and smiled magnanimously: “Morning.”

Jian Xingzhi couldn’t smile anymore. He looked at Xie Gutang coldly, then turned to look at Qin Wanwan, pointing at Xie Gutang and asking: “Why is he here?”

Without needing Qin Wanwan to speak, Xie Gutang answered himself: “Miss Qin said Senior has a secret realm that can train sword intent. I shamelessly came over, hoping to request that Senior give me a chance to see such a divine treasure.”

“You…” Jian Xingzhi looked at Xie Gutang’s frank expression and, after holding it in for a long time, only said: “Can’t I show it to you alone another day?”

You can study anytime—why did you have to pick the time when people are trying to cultivate their relationship?

Xie Gutang was stunned. Qin Wanwan pressed: “Can we do it today?”

Jian Xingzhi froze. He waved his hand irritably and resigned himself: “Fine, today works too.”

With that, he said no more. Raising his hand, he recited an incantation, and a black vortex appeared in the air. Jian Xingzhi tucked his hands into his sleeves and stepped inside: “Let’s go.”

Qin Wanwan and Xie Gutang exchanged glances and followed Jian Xingzhi into the vortex. Once inside, the three discovered this place was like an endless black hole. They stood on a floating rock, and all around them was darkness—no visible end, no ceiling above, no left or right boundaries, and no bottom. It was like being in a universe without stars.

Directly in front of them, they could see three yellow lines of light tracing out three paths. The paths seemed to be separated from each other by a layer of transparent membrane. A red line was before them, and beyond the red line, figures rushed toward them.

“These figures are all enemies,” Jian Xingzhi pointed out to them. “If you kill them, you can move forward. The further forward you go, the harder the opponents become. These people’s moves all come from the sword techniques on that stone wall. Observe carefully, study and learn. One month in here equals one hour outside. I’ve already set it for three months. Try it out first.”

“Thank you, Senior!”

Hearing about such a divine artifact, Xie Gutang immediately got excited. He was first to step forward, chose a path, drew his sword, and charged ahead.

Jian Xingzhi glanced at Qin Wanwan. Qin Wanwan coughed lightly: “Then… I’ll go?”

“Take that path.” Jian Xingzhi jerked his chin toward the path at the far edge.

Qin Wanwan had originally been standing in the middle and was going to take the middle path. Seeing Jian Xingzhi specifically designate one, she found it a bit strange but didn’t ask further. She took her sword and went to the side path.

Jian Xingzhi walked to the middle path, drew his sword, observing Qin Wanwan on one side while casually and carelessly slashing at opponents.

Xie Gutang had long since charged far ahead. Qin Wanwan fell behind, with Jian Xingzhi leisurely following her. Discovering only two people were left, he finally smiled and turned his head to stare at the rushing figures.

As Qin Wanwan observed the movements of these people rushing toward her, she learned from them. Her learning ability was strong. Within a few days, she had learned all these sword techniques and began using them to fight her opponents.

Jian Xingzhi watched from the side, blocking the people on his side while giving Qin Wanwan pointers.

After two months, the stages became increasingly difficult. Qin Wanwan began to stagnate at one position, finding it very hard to advance.

Jian Xingzhi observed Qin Wanwan.

At this position, simply using cultivation level or techniques made it very difficult to advance further.

In sword cultivation training, spiritual power and cultivation level were the foundation of internal energy. Spiritual consciousness strength was soul power. Techniques were like the “incantations” in spell cultivation, used to communicate with heaven and earth. What truly allowed sword cultivators to fight above their level was actually sword intent.

Sword intent was a sword cultivator’s comprehension of the sword and their conviction—why they wielded the sword, the path their heart pursued, and what direction it took.

Most sword cultivators’ sword intent was in killing, in their obsession with defeating opponents, in their insistence on never losing—this was the foundation of a sword cultivator’s sword intent.

Qin Wanwan was too willing to retreat, too tolerant, so her sword intent rarely appeared.

The only two times it appeared were once when someone stepped on her face, and the other time…

Recalling it, Jian Xingzhi suddenly realized with surprise it was when confronting Ning Wenxu—that strike behind him, filled with vigorous life force.

And that strike’s sword intent was different from any sword cultivator he’d seen before.

Other sword cultivators, including himself, focused on killing, on death.

But when Qin Wanwan struck that blow behind him, the sword intent it carried was life force.

Jian Xingzhi turned to look at Qin Wanwan, looking at her sword, suddenly feeling something indescribable.

He watched her, saw her remain stuck in place, and coughed lightly: “Hit a bottleneck?”

Qin Wanwan didn’t speak. Anyone who kept losing would feel uncomfortable.

Jian Xingzhi gave her guidance: “Try this—think about why you draw your sword. Think about the spell techniques you’ve learned. If you expressed them with sword moves, what would they be like?”

Spell techniques were the language of spell cultivators. Sword moves were also the language of sword cultivators.

Qin Wanwan’s movements paused. Jian Xingzhi thought for a moment, then stepped through the transparent light membrane and came behind her.

He reached out from behind and gripped her sword-holding hand. The moment he gripped her hand, he hesitated briefly, then inconspicuously pulled up his sleeve, using it to cover the back of Qin Wanwan’s hand before placing his hand over hers.

Qin Wanwan didn’t notice these details. She only felt the scorching breath behind her and grew nervous: “What… what are you doing?”

“Don’t talk.”

He reminded her: “Close your eyes and feel this strike.”

Qin Wanwan knew Jian Xingzhi wanted to teach her, so she steadied her mind, did as he said, and closed her eyes.

Then she felt the wind move. Jian Xingzhi, gripping her hand, moved it upward.

The most basic sword stance. Yet at the moment of swinging the sword, Qin Wanwan suddenly felt a tremendous conviction crash into her.

Win.

Just this simple, pure conviction—yet like a tsunami, it washed over all her perceptions. When the huge wave slowly subsided, she gasped for breath and slowly opened her eyes, only to discover all the figures ahead had been cut down with a single sword strike.

“This is my sword intent.”

Jian Xingzhi held her hand, his voice very calm: “I cultivate the Way through battle. For me, losing is equivalent to death. A sword cultivator’s sword intent, as long as it’s pure enough and firm enough, is strong enough.”

Listening to his words, Qin Wanwan turned to look at him: “You won’t go undefeated your whole life.”

“If a cultivator loses,” Jian Xingzhi found this strange, “doesn’t that just mean death?”

Qin Wanwan was speechless. Jian Xingzhi only said: “Alright, don’t overthink it. Close your eyes. I’ll swing the sword, and you feel the sword intent.”

Qin Wanwan closed her eyes, feeling Jian Xingzhi pull her along as he swung the sword through the air, reminding her: “Trace where it comes from, where it goes, and then think about yourself—where is your sword intent?”

Where is your sword intent?

Qin Wanwan pursued this question, feeling the flow of spiritual power in Jian Xingzhi’s every move, every detail of his actions, where he gathered his strength, how his force changed, how he used his sword to express everything he was.

Their robes chased and tangled together. She vaguely felt as if her soul was lightly touching the sword, as if through these sword moves she could lightly touch Jian Xingzhi’s soul.

She observed this person, then like a mirror, looked back at herself.

Before she finished sensing it, she heard “ding-ling-ling” ringing around them. Qin Wanwan abruptly opened her eyes and discovered she was already back in the garden. Xie Gutang looked at them while gasping for breath. Jian Xingzhi calmly withdrew his hand and coughed lightly in explanation: “I only set it for three hours. Tomorrow Wanwan still has her competition. What she learned today should be enough. We’ll train again another day.”

“Senior’s consideration is correct.”

Xie Gutang unconditionally praised all of Jian Xingzhi’s decisions. He thought about it and couldn’t help but add: “Senior, this junior has an unreasonable request.”

“Speak.”

Jian Xingzhi put away the illusion. Then he heard Xie Gutang say somewhat embarrassedly: “Just now in the illusion, I saw Senior let Qin Wanwan feel Senior’s sword intent. This junior also wants to feel it!”

Jian Xingzhi’s movements froze. Xie Gutang looked up eagerly: “I wonder if Senior could instruct me a bit?”

“Sure.”

Jian Xingzhi spoke coldly, drew his sword backhanded, and before Xie Gutang could react, blasted him with a strike, directly smashing him into the decorative rock garden. He calmly sheathed his sword: “Feel that.”

With that, Jian Xingzhi turned and left.

Qin Wanwan looked at Jian Xingzhi’s retreating back, then went to the decorative rocks. She picked up a stone and looked with lingering fear at Xie Gutang buried in the rocks: “Daoist Xie, are you still alive?”

“I’m fine.”

Xie Gutang’s voice came from beneath the stones: “Wanwan, you go ahead. I need to contemplate!”

“Oh.” Qin Wanwan now thoroughly understood these sword cultivators’ way of thinking. She considerately put the stone back down. “You continue. I’ll go first.”

With that, she returned to the courtyard to chase after Jian Xingzhi, who had already walked far away.

“Jian Xingzhi!”

Qin Wanwan caught up. Following behind him, she asked happily: “Those things you just taught me—how did you comprehend them before?”

“Through fighting.”

Jian Xingzhi spoke casually: “How else would it come? Tomorrow is a perfect opportunity.”

Jian Xingzhi reminded her: “If the opponent is strong enough, in a life-and-death crisis, it’s easiest to comprehend the Way.”

Qin Wanwan nodded thoughtfully. Just as she was about to say something, she heard Nanfeng come running over: “Master, Daoist Jian, Daoist Ning asks you to come to the main hall.”

“What happened?”

Seeing Nanfeng’s urgency, Qin Wanwan quickly asked.

“That old man Nameless’s family has arrived!” Nanfeng spoke while catching his breath.

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi’s eyes lit up immediately.

They’re here, they’re here—the points have finally arrived!