Chapter 54: The Sword Light Takes Shape

At this moment.

Within Jiang Min’s perception, she seemed to become a sharpened sword, standing between heaven and earth.

Her fingers were swords; her limbs, swords. Even her body was a sword.

What had once been limited to her hands now unfurled, as she stepped forward and executed her sword forms with full confidence. Each move was fierce, and soon the sound of wind rushing and whistling emanated from her fingertips. Gusts swept through the air, slicing leaves from the branches in their wake.

“So it’s truly like this.”

“At this moment, I… am the sword.”

Swish!

A sharp sword light burst forth, cleaving into the ground and leaving a deep scar, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Jiang Min’s brows arched in a gentle smile, lips curving as she pressed on, continuing to perform her sword forms without pause.

“Again!”

Swish, swish, swish!

Three more rays of sword light sprang from her fingertips, slashing toward the black iron boulder set aside for testing, leaving three deep grooves.

Seeing this, Jiang Min laughed lightly. Now, unlike before when sword energy would sometimes condense by chance, she could summon it at will. Only in this way could she prove to He Liang that she had truly mastered the art of condensing sword light.

Her bright eyes shifted, and she tried to channel the power of thunder and fire within her, merging it with the subtle sensation of sword light.

Thunderfire Ten Thousand Swords Technique, second layer.

The Thunderfire Sword Light Sensing chapter reads:

"Calm the mind and gather qi, the sword is born. In a single thought, I am void, as is all else. Thunder and fire refine truth, conceal the shell; true breath flows freely, coming and going. Heart’s thoughts arise and vanish; the sharp edge manifests with form and force. Fire rises, thunder descends, sword radiance ignites; trust that the way of heaven and earth is one with me."

Hiss!

With a thought, Jiang Min summoned a sharp sword light entwined with thunder and fire, bursting from her fingertip. It shone brightly in the night, slashing at the black iron stone.

The block of black iron instantly split in two, its cut surface scorched and charred.

Only then did Jiang Min stop, approaching the stone and once again drawing thunderfire sword light across its surface, easily carving another scorched crack.

“The power of thunderfire sword light truly surpasses spell arts by far.”

She smiled in satisfaction.

Black iron is an exceptionally hard ore, often used by cultivators to forge magical implements. Jiang Min had purchased a large piece to serve as her testing stone in the backyard.

With her current cultivation, even if she exerted all her strength with the Golden Radiance Spell, she could at best leave a crack on the iron, but nowhere near the effortless power of thunderfire sword light, which could slice iron as if it were mud, splitting the stone cleanly in half.

Jiang Min reckoned that now, in a contest of spells, she could instantly break through the defenses of any cultivator below the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, and even those above the tenth layer could face her in battle.

Raising her head, she gazed into the deep night.

The moon hung high among the stars, a gentle night wind stirring.

“Tomorrow morning, in swordsmanship class, I’ll report this to Elder He…”

To condense sword light with bare hands was to earn a place in the sword debate.

Though it meant drawing attention, which went against her usual principle of keeping a low profile, she had to seize this opportunity for fortune. This spot—now it was hers.

…

Deep into the night, Jiang Min was not the only one practicing swordsmanship.

Crane Call Mountain.

This was also a gathering place for outer disciples, not far from Peach Blossom Slope.

Qi Yan, along with several fellow disciples, had laid out a lavish spread in the courtyard, sitting together late into the night discussing swordsmanship.

“Sword light is the extension of sword force…”

At the table, Qi Yan was somewhat drunk. Mumbling to himself, he formed his fingers into a sword. Years of sword practice allowed him, even inebriated, to slip quickly into a training state. He raised his hand, waving it at random, imagining himself immersed in swordplay. Half-dream, half-awake, a gleam flashed at his fingertip, lightning-quick and impossible to grasp.

“Hm?”

“Hm???”

Qi Yan’s drunken haze cleared halfway. Had he just condensed sword light? Even if it lasted only a moment, it was real sword light.

He quickly shook his half-drunk brothers awake, asking, “Did you see it? Did you see it?”

One of them, uncertain, replied, “Brother Qi, just now—wasn’t there a flash of light at your fingertip?”

“Yes, that was sword light! I’ve condensed sword light!”

All traces of intoxication vanished—Qi Yan leapt up, trying again to condense sword light between his fingers.

But the sword light from moments before seemed an illusion. No matter how he tried, it would not appear again.

Looking at his companions, he urgently said, “You all saw it, right? I’m the first disciple to condense sword light!”

He didn’t know that if even such fleeting sword light counted, Jiang Min had achieved it half a month ago.

Though Qi Yan could no longer recreate the sword light, his achievement sparked excitement among the others, who shook off their drunkenness and showered him with praise: “Brother Qi, truly formidable! Congratulations on earning your place in the sword debate.”

“Tomorrow, you can show Elder He your sword light. Then, the opportunity to debate at the Myriad Sword Sect will surely belong to you…”

Buoyed by their compliments, Qi Yan’s spirits soared. To condense sword light meant he had finally stepped onto the path of the sword, and it meant he could claim the coveted opportunity that all envied!

Yet, try as he might, he could not recapture the feeling from his drunken state, even forgetting how the sword light had formed…

“Brothers, tomorrow you must bear witness for me.” Qi Yan raised his cup to them. “If all goes well, I’ll treat everyone to drinks at Immortal Drunk Pavilion!”

The Immortal Drunk Pavilion was the most expensive tavern in Purple Cloud Mountain’s market—far beyond what ordinary outer disciples could afford.

Hearing this, everyone laughed and raised their cups. “Brother Qi, don’t worry. We will vouch for you.”

…

The next day.

Changqing Mountain, swordsmanship class.

All disciples had just assembled when He Liang emerged from the Martial Arts Hall, about to address the group. Standing in different spots, Qi Yan and Jiang Min simultaneously stepped forward: “Elder He, disciple—”

Before they could finish, they looked at each other.

Qi Yan glanced at Jiang Min, a sense of foreboding rising. He hurried to speak first, “Elder He, last night I successfully condensed sword light!”

Jiang Min’s brows knit briefly. Competing for the chance? She clasped her hands and said, “Yesterday, I also succeeded in condensing sword light. Please inspect, Elder He.”

At their words, the disciples erupted in surprise.

Both had condensed sword light at the same time?

But there was only one spot!

Qi Yan was well known among them, the most likely to condense sword light first. But who was this female disciple? She had studied swordsmanship for only a few months, and none had taken notice of her—clearly she was new to the sword path.

Qi Yan’s gaze grew sharp as he looked at Jiang Min, demanding, “How can you prove you succeeded yesterday? I have fellow disciples who witnessed it. Last night, I truly—”

“Enough, one at a time. Show me your sword light, and I’ll judge if it qualifies.” He Liang’s cold voice interrupted Qi Yan’s explanation.

On hearing this, Qi Yan’s eyes flickered with hesitation, falling silent.

He had truly succeeded last night, but after that, he spent the whole night trying and failed to condense sword light again.

Now—how could he prove his swordsmanship on the spot?

Jiang Min observed his retreat with keen eyes, then made a gesture of invitation, smiling lightly, “Brother Qi, would you like to go first?”

Qi Yan took a deep breath, gritting his teeth, his voice laced with determination as he addressed Jiang Min, “Whatever happens, I was first. The spot is mine.”

He closed his eyes, focusing his mind, trying to recall the feeling of practicing while drunk and enter that mysterious state again…

Time passed.

The disciples were so quiet, a pin drop could be heard. A flock of black crows flew overhead.

They waited and waited, but Qi Yan remained standing, eyes shut in contemplation, fingers twitching as if preparing, yet the sword light never appeared.

“Qi Yan?”

He Liang frowned, speaking in a low voice.

Qi Yan, eyes still closed, replied anxiously, “Elder He, I’m almost there—please give me a little more time.”

Just one more step!

He had nearly touched that state again, but still fell short.

While all the disciples held their breath, waiting for Qi Yan’s success—

Jiang Min raised her hand casually, and with a single thought, a ray of sword light formed at her fingertip, its sharpness almost painful to the eye, lingering for a long moment.

Her modest words rang clear and bright to all disciples and He Liang:

“This is my sword light, Elder He. Please advise.”