What is Swordplay?
“Zhuang Yuanlang, you mastered the old geezer’s techniques thoroughly, huh?” Wanwan giggled.
Zhuang Yuanlang pretended he didn’t hear Wanwan and said to Mu Yu, “You were bound to be defeated. Sheet Shadow was designed to counter your swordplay. I know every technique in your arsenal as well as the back of my mind because I studied them when I learnt Sheet Shadow. My shifu eventually abandoned Sheet Shadow because he deemed it inferior to Celestial Swords Nine Summons. Evidently, he overestimated Celestial Swords Nine Summons.”
Xie Bulao was the individual who created all of the discipline the unorthodox faction wielded. His later disciplines were all revolved around how to counter Dustfallen Swordplay. After deeming them unsatisfactory, he let his disciples learn them. Nonetheless, those were the very disciplines that made them notorious.
“Sheet Shadow beats Celestial Swords Nine Summons? Should I consider learning it, then? I’ll be able to beat Lie Shang if I do, huh? He’s the only one I’ve yet to beat,” mumbled Ximen Buxing.
Ximen Buxing always tried to get close to Lie Shang to find out any opening the latter might have. Unfortunately, Lie Shang always had Ximen Buxing around his finger.
Zhuang Yuanlang, smiling subtly, declared his victory with a paper choreography.
Mu Yu’s mind was still in disarray. He contemplated, Celestial Swords Nine Summons has never been defeated because of its sheer power, yet I lost to Zhuang Yuanlang?
“Mu Yu, that jerk’s Celestial Swords Nine Summons isn’t that weak. You haven’t used its full potential,” verbalised Ku Mu.
Mu Yu shuddered. Ku Mu prompted a memory recall.
“Shifu, I have already grasped the essence of Dustfallen Swordplay, haven’t I?” Mu Yu proudly asked because Feng Haochen praised his progress.
Feng Haochen didn’t reprimand Mu Yu for being conceited. Caressing his beard with a smile, he replied, “What do you think is the best strength of Dustfallen Swordplay?”
“Regenesis. It combines all the prior techniques into a single simple strike and is difficult to counter.”
Feng Haochen nodded. “Simplifying is certainly the essence of Dustfallen Swordplay and its best strength. My question to you is, what’s the point of the simplification?”
“Mm… To replace complexity with simplicity?”
Feng Haochen acknowledged he heard with a shoulder pat. “Correct, it means getting rid of numerous complex techniques. One thing you must bear in mind is that, the more simplistic a technique is, the more powerful it is. Having said that, it also means the risk associated is also greater. It requires an unhesitant strike, holding nothing back. Because of its simplicity, you sacrifice its ability to attack and defend for a fully-committed strike.
“All that being said, the nine techniques don’t exist just to execute the last technique. Each technique addresses different changes. Each technique can be used to dismantle different attacks. While you think there are only nine techniques, there is more to it. Since you know the potential of Dustfallen Sword, do you know what makes Dustfallen Mental Cultivation special?”
“Dustfallen Mental Cultivation? I’m not sure. I thought it was purely to train us to wield multiple flying swords simultaneously. Didn’t you say we’d be able to wield nine flying swords at once upon reaching a certain point?”
“Once you do control them, you will find that, even though you can wield nine flying swords at once, you won’t be able to maximise each sword’s technique. Only once you grasp Dustfallen Mental Cultivation, will you truly understand Dustfallen Swordplay and that it’s best strength isn’t just the nine techniques but all sword techniques.”
Mu Yu didn’t understand the message when he heard Feng Haochen’s response, and that was as far as Feng Haochen explained. Sword techniques required one to grasp its essence. Merely grasping one of the nine techniques would allow one to execute it to an extreme degree. For that reason, Feng Haochen was satisfied with the depth of Mu Yu’s comprehension at the time.
Mu Yu’s defeat indicated he only learnt the tip of the iceberg of Celestial Swords Nine Summons.
“Dustfallen Swordplay’s best strength isn’t just Regenesis but also the nine techniques,” Mu Yu muttered under his breath, replaying the nine techniques as originally taught.
Mu Yu needed to figure out why he wasn’t able to use Dustfallen Swordplay’s full potential, not worry about how innovative and clever his foe’s techniques were.
Mu Yu struggled to put his finger on why he couldn’t wield all nine swords perfectly using Dustfallen Mental Cultivation. He could resolve nine different scenarios simultaneously. Having said that, he couldn’t execute the techniques as proficiently as if he wielded just a single sword. He started to ponder if that was the extent of Dustfallen Mental Cultivation.
“You never grasped the true nature of Dustfallen Mental Cultivation?”
Mu Yu juddered upon hearing Lie Shang’s voice from behind. It shouldn’t have been surprising for Lie Shang to be around whenever Ximen Buxing was around.
Mu Yu vividly remembered how Lie Shang pulverised the fiend at Eight Grass Village without even requiring his sword. Mu Yu presumed Lie Shang used his fire-control ability to pull it off. The fact that Lie Shang could use the ability and get away with it in front of the likes of Cang Wanzi made a statement about his skills.
Mu Yu didn’t turn around to Lie Shang and continued mulling over Dustfallen Mental Cultivation.
“Shifu mentioned to me that you had the most comprehensive understanding of swordplay. Unfortunately, you come up short when it comes to fathoming the concept behind sword techniques to the appropriate extent due to your personality. In my opinion, you put Dustfallen Swordplay, in other words, Celestial Swords Nine Summons, to shame,” Lie Shang calmly expressed.
Mu Yu didn’t like Lie Shang. Likewise, Lie Shang reciprocated the dislike in kind. It was hard to blame Lie Shang when he was forced to clean up for Mu Yu over and over. Still, as Mu Yu’s senior, he didn’t want to let Mu Yu embarrass himself and their mentor.
“Do you know what makes Dustfallen Mental Cultivation special?” Lie Shang questioned. Since Mu Yu kept his head down in silence, Lie Shang chided, “Shifu said you had the potential to surpass me. All I see, however, is that you’ve failed to meet his expectations. Your defeat is none of my concern. Howbeit, I cannot watch you embarrassing Shifu’s swordplay.”
Lie Shang summoned Sky Scorcher, warming the breeze. He continued, “Dustfallen Mental Cultivation isn’t just about manifesting nine swords simultaneously but also being able to wield the nine at one time. Now, watch me.”
Mu Yu raised his head to meet Lie Shang’s gaze. Lie Shang wasn’t doing anything, but Mu Yu gradually saw nine Lie Shangs, each able to utilise Celestial Swords Nine Summons. Lie Shang’s swordplay had more intent and power behind them. Fighting Mu Yu was just fighting Mu Yu. Fighting Lie Shang, conversely, was fighting nine Lie Shangs.
The pinnacle of Dustfallen Mental Cultivation wasn’t wielding nine swords at once but spawning eight extra replications of oneself. Mu Yu was only able to manifest six swords and three replications.
“You two think looking into each other’s eyes will magically fix the weaknesses of Celestial Swords Nine Summons?” scoffed Zhuang Yuanlang.
“When did I lose?”
Mu Yu cracked a smile. Lie Shang stepped aside. Lie Shang wasn’t afraid of any of Xie Bulao’s pupils. In his opinion, Mu Yu was a failure if he couldn’t even win against Zhuang Yuanlang.
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