Chapter 871: Expectations
Chapter 871: Expectations
In the days that followed, Matthew (formerly Mo Hua) was a bit distracted.
The experiences at the Sword Tomb were still vivid in his mind.
The pitch-black night, the desolate graves, the broken swords scattered everywhere, and the terrifying old ancestor—all these details often floated in his thoughts.
Of course, the most important thing was that this mysterious old ancestor had agreed to teach him the Divine Consciousness Sword Technique!
However, Matthew felt a bit uneasy.
He wasn’t sure if the old ancestor would really keep his promise and teach him the Divine Consciousness Sword Technique.
“Is the old ancestor just playing with me?”
“Probably not...”
Matthew shook his head. “He’s an old ancestor, at the Void Realm. He wouldn’t have the time to play with a mere Foundation Establishment disciple like me...”
“But what if he breaks his word...”
Matthew’s brows furrowed.
The Divine Consciousness Sword Technique was within reach, yet it seemed distant and uncertain.
The next few days passed with Matthew in a state of anxiety and anticipation.
Finally, on the seventh day.
Matthew tidied his attire and sat straight in the disciple’s quarters, waiting for the old ancestor to come and “grab” him.
But he waited and waited, and the expected spatial rift still didn’t appear.
Since it was still early, he decided to wait patiently.
Finally, as midnight approached, a terrifying wave of energy suddenly came.
The void was torn apart.
A spatial crack appeared, and a withered, large hand reached out.
This time, Matthew was prepared and didn’t panic. He obediently allowed the hand to grab him and pull him into the spatial rift.
The surroundings were dark and dazzling, the void flickering with unpredictable laws.
When he opened his eyes, the night was as dark as ink, the moon hung high, and the area was dotted with ancient graves and broken swords, the woods silent and dark.
It was the forbidden area behind the mountain.
The old ancestor, sealed by numerous arrays and chains, sat alone on the mountain.
Matthew breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed that this powerful old ancestor hadn’t broken his word and would really teach him the Divine Consciousness Sword Technique.
The long-bearded old man also looked at Matthew, recalling the events of seven days ago when the bamboo sword inscribed with "Matthew" returned to the tomb. The forbidden area was filled with sword energy, the broken swords hummed, and ancient sword intent awakened, forming a white mist that condensed into a sword cloud, a magnificent spectacle.
“The reason the Sword Tomb produced smoke... was because of this young boy?”
The long-bearded old man’s gaze was solemn.
Why?
This means... the inheritance of the Divine Consciousness Sword Technique should indeed fall to this child.
Is this a sign of the revival of the Void Sect’s Divine Consciousness Sword Dao?
Seeing the old man, Matthew bowed and said, “Greetings, Elder Dugu.”
The long-bearded old man slowly spoke, “My surname is Dugu.”
Matthew was taken aback and quickly clasped his hands. “Greetings, Elder Dugu.”
The old man nodded slightly, “Starting today, I will teach you the Void Sect’s secret and forbidden technique... the Divine Consciousness Sword Technique!”
Matthew’s spirits lifted, and he bowed deeply, respectfully saying, “Disciple thanks Elder for imparting the Dao.”
Elder Dugu nodded, his expression serious, and directly explained:
“The Divine Consciousness Sword Technique begins with the sword and ends with the divine.”
“Use the sword to refine your energy, use energy to nourish your heart, use your heart to enter your soul, use your soul to refine your divine consciousness, and use your divine consciousness to manifest sword intent, thereby enabling you to slay.”
“Once you achieve mastery, the sword, energy, and divine consciousness become one. Your flesh, spirit, and divine consciousness can all be used to cut, and no evil, demon, or ghost can stand against you...”
...
Nothing can be cut, nothing can be slain...
Matthew was shaken.
This sword technique seemed even stronger than he had initially imagined.
“Do you understand?” Elder Dugu asked.
Matthew nodded.
He memorized Elder Dugu’s words and, combining them with his own understanding of the Divine Consciousness Sword Technique, pondered for a moment before slowly speaking:
“Elder, the method of Divine Consciousness Sword Technique you mentioned, ‘using the sword to refine energy,’ does it mean using the sword, learning sword techniques, and condensing sword energy?”
“‘Using energy to nourish the heart’ means that after practicing with the sword for a long time, the sword energy becomes pure, and through daily practice, the heart naturally becomes imbued with the sword, this is nurturing the sword heart;”
“‘Using the heart to enter the soul’ means transforming your sword Dao into a mental image and integrating it into your divine soul...”
It’s similar to the Jisui Sect’s Seven Souls Blood Prison Eye technique, where a “prison image” is used as a mental image and integrated into the divine soul, allowing the cultivation of a powerful gaze that can intimidate others’ souls.
“Integrating the mental image into the divine soul is ‘using the soul to refine the divine consciousness.’”
“To fully unleash the power of the Divine Consciousness Sword Technique, one must ‘project the divine soul,’ transforming divine consciousness into sword intent...”
Matthew’s explanation was clear and logical.
Elder Dugu was surprised.
This child’s understanding of the divine soul and the transformation of sword energy into sword intent was so profound, almost instantly grasping the essence...
But at the same time, he couldn’t help but feel suspicious and asked Matthew, “Have you learned this before?”
Matthew’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly shook his head. “No!”
Matthew thought for a moment and continued, “Disciple has just... studied divine consciousness extensively and has also inquired and pondered on my own, thus gaining a basic understanding of the principles of the Divine Consciousness Sword Technique...”
Elder Dugu didn’t comment but didn’t press further.
“Since you understand, it saves me the trouble. You are on the path of divine consciousness, so learning to transform sword energy into sword intent, and eventually projecting the divine soul, should be easier for you.”
“Projecting the divine soul is more difficult, but it’s not something you can learn at your current stage. You need to reach the Golden Core Realm...”
Matthew actually wanted to say that he already knew how to project his divine soul, but he thought that his method was still rudimentary and might not impress someone at Elder Dugu’s level, so he kept quiet to avoid embarrassing himself.
Of course, the most important reason was that his evil fetus was parasitic in his divine soul, which he had sealed along with his divine soul.
His divine soul couldn’t project out now.
Elder Dugu, unaware of Matthew’s thoughts, continued:
“...Your foundation in divine consciousness is strong enough. The biggest challenge in cultivating the Divine Consciousness Sword Technique is not the divine consciousness but the narrow foundation in sword Dao, weak sword energy, and shallow understanding of the sword.”
Mo Hua whispered, "Ancestor, if one can’t cultivate sword qi, can they learn to transform divine consciousness into a sword?"
Dugu Ancestor countered, "Can someone who hasn’t learned to walk, suddenly learn to run?"
Mo Hua was taken aback, pondering for a moment before nodding in agreement. However, his situation was somewhat unique.
"But what if..." Mo Hua continued, "someone with a shallow understanding of the Way of the Sword and weak sword qi, managed to learn to transform divine consciousness into a sword?"
Dugu Ancestor frowned. He wanted to say "impossible," but with his vast experience and knowledge, he knew that in this world, nothing was truly impossible.
Achieving the mid-stage Foundation Establishment with nineteen peak divine senses was once considered impossible by him. Yet, he had seen it with his own eyes.
Considering this, if someone with a shallow understanding of the Way of the Sword managed to learn to transform divine consciousness into a sword...
It wasn’t impossible, though he had never seen it happen.
However, trying to learn to transform divine consciousness into a sword without mastering the basics of sword cultivation was like trying to fly without wings.
"Even if someone managed to learn to transform divine consciousness into a sword without mastering the basics of the Way of the Sword..." Dugu Ancestor said with a piercing gaze, "their transformed sword intent would inevitably be crude, and their divine consciousness sword techniques would be shallow. They wouldn’t be able to truly master the art or fully unleash its power."
Mo Hua felt a bit guilty. Ancestor Dugu was right on the mark. He had indeed learned the Sword Transformation technique, but as Ancestor Dugu pointed out, his transformed sword was indeed crude.
He had also learned the Spirit-Shocking Sword technique. However, this technique was a mixture of techniques from the Kui Water Sect’s eye techniques, and it was more of a "blind guess" rather than a truly refined technique.
Mo Hua sighed. The path of array formations was vast and profound, and the Way of the Sword was no less so. For any cultivator to achieve mastery in their chosen path, it required a great deal of dedication and hard work. It wasn’t something that could be achieved through casual effort.
Mo Hua felt more humble as a result. But then he thought, even with his rudimentary understanding and partial grasp of divine consciousness sword techniques, he had managed to wield considerable power in the divine realm.
What kind of power would he wield if he ever learned the true divine consciousness sword techniques?
Using divine consciousness that rivaled that of a deity, combined with the most orthodox Sword Transformation techniques of the Taixu Sect, could he even slay true evil deities?
Mo Hua’s heart raced at the thought. He couldn’t help but think of the evil fetus that dwelled within his life soul.
Dugu Ancestor looked at Mo Hua, his brow furrowing slightly. This child sighed, looked dejected, and then suddenly became spirited and full of anticipation, all in a matter of moments.
Do children who have enlightened their divine senses always have such lively thoughts? Is it because their divine consciousness is abundant, making their minds more active?
Dugu Ancestor fell silent.
On the other side, Mo Hua seemed to have come to a realization. He nodded, his eyes shining brightly. "Ancestor, I understand. Please tell me, what should I focus on now?"
Dugu Ancestor remained silent for a moment before speaking. "You should already know that true divine consciousness sword techniques are not just about divine consciousness alone, but the unification of sword, qi, and spirit. Only then can the greatest power be unleashed."
"There are four existing divine consciousness sword techniques: Sword Transformation, Spirit-Shocking, Spirit-Breaking, and Spirit-Slaying. But these techniques are too advanced for you at your current stage."
"Your biggest issue is your weak foundation in the Way of the Sword. Therefore, what you need to do now is to strengthen your basics, deepen your understanding of the Way of the Sword, and lay a solid foundation for divine consciousness sword techniques."
"I have a book called 'Introduction to the Way of the Sword.' It contains my insights and methods for refining sword qi, suitable for beginners. Take it and study it diligently. Try to cultivate your sword qi. In seven days, come back, and I’ll see how you’ve progressed."
Mo Hua reverently accepted the book, "Thank you, Ancestor!"
Dugu Ancestor nodded and then tore open a spatial rift, sending Mo Hua back to his living quarters. The forbidden area was left with only Dugu Ancestor.
He pondered deeply, "This child... his foundation in the Way of the Sword is weak, but his comprehension is high, and his understanding of the divine soul is profound. His Dao heart is also outstanding."
"Could the hope of the Taixu Sect’s divine consciousness sword techniques really lie in this child?"
Dugu Ancestor, who had been despondent, couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope. But this hope quickly began to wane.
Seven days later.
When he brought Mo Hua back to the forbidden area to assess his progress in the Way of the Sword, Dugu Ancestor’s face turned ashen.
Mo Hua’s knowledge and understanding of the Way of the Sword were impeccable. It was clear he had read and studied the 'Introduction to the Way of the Sword' thoroughly.
However, the sword qi he had cultivated was pitifully weak.
"Did you really practice?" Dugu Ancestor asked, frowning.
"I did," Mo Hua confirmed.
"How did you practice?"
"Exactly as described in the 'Introduction to the Way of the Sword.' I followed every step meticulously, practicing every day from morning to night, whenever I had the chance."
"Is this the result of your practice?"
Mo Hua looked serious, "I only did my best; the rest was up to fate. But clearly, fate has let me down..."
His seven days of practice seemed to have been in vain. No matter how he practiced, his sword qi barely improved.
However, this was somewhat expected.
His foundation was weak, his talent in the Way of the Sword was poor, and he had only practiced for seven days. It was no wonder he hadn’t made much progress.
Dugu Ancestor fell silent for a moment, then sighed, "Never mind, take your time."
He knew that mastering sword techniques and building a solid foundation in the Way of the Sword was not something that could be achieved overnight. He had been a bit too hasty.
Before the Grand Void Sect, only those who were true geniuses of swordsmastery, one in a thousand, or even one in ten thousand, had the privilege of being taught the Divine Consciousness Transforming Sword technique.
These geniuses of swordsmanship learned sword techniques extremely quickly.
Elder Dugu had always taught such geniuses of swordsmanship, so it was inevitable that he would misjudge the progress of ordinary sword cultivators.
Not to mention, Mo Hua was even worse than than than ordinary cultiv.
ordinary sword cultivators.
From the perspective of his spiritual root, Mo Hua could be considered a "novice" in swordsmanship.
If the Grand Void Sect were to recruit disciples based on swordsmanship,, Mo Hua wouldn this level of swordsmanship,, even the back mountain's forbidden area and the personal instruction from the elder, would be out of the question. He would not even be accepted to to sweep the streets at the mountain gate, learning a fragment of sword techniques.
Mo Hua was a bit perplexed.
He had studied and practiced, but sword techniques, especially the cultivation of sword qi, were something he simply couldn’t grasp.
He had no other options.
Elder Dugu silently glanced at Mo Hua, did not make things difficult for him, but patiently gave him a few more pointers before saying:
"Go back and keep practicing. In seven days, I will bring you over again."
"Yes, Elder," Mo Hua respectfully replied. However, after listening Elder D Elder’s explanation from Elder Dugu, his expression was still somewhat puzzled.
Elder Dugu was a Void Realm cultivator, his furnace of sword cultivation was pure and green, his mastery of swordsmanship was unparalleled.
In contrast, Mo Hua’s understanding of swordsmanship was very very very.
Even though Elder Dugu considered his explanation to be sufficiently "fundamental," it was still profound for Mo Hua, who found it challenging to comprehend.
However, Mo Hua did not become discouraged.
No one was born knowing everything.
Any difficult thing had to be learned.
Learning didn’t guarantee mastery, but not learning definitely meant no mastery.
.
Mo Hua then held the book "Introduction to Swordsmanship" and studied it on his own.
Only Elder Dugu remained in the mountain’s forbidden area.
He couldn’t help but sigh again.
"Can this child truly inherit the Divine Consciousness Transforming Sword technique…”
…
In the following days, besides learning array formation, Mo Hua continued to study the insights of swordsm and to cultivate sword qi.
His understanding of swordsmanship gradually deepened, but his control over sword qi still progressed.
That day, after the array Formation class, Mo Hua was thinking about sword(sword techniques, but was distracted by something and didn’t notice it.
Scholar Xun silently watched Mo Hua, suddenly asked:
"What are you thinking about?"
Mo Hua jumped, looked up to see Scholar Xun, and relaxed, shaking his head: "Nothing, I am considering the Array formation…"
Scholar Xun’s gaze narrowed.
He always felt that the current Mo Hua was somewhat different.
Something about him, whether it was "qi" or "cause and effect," seemed to have quietly changed.
Of course, Scholar Xun didn’t think too much about it.
Especially seeing Mo Hua, who looked somewhat weary, as if he had been diligently researching something without resting, he felt a bit of heartache.
Scholar Xun then gently reminded:
"Studying array formation, diligence and hard work are good, but you must also balance work and rest. Don’t overwork yourself, to avoid depleting your consciousness and harming your sea of consciousness."
Mo Hua felt moved, "Thank you, Scholar."
Scholar Xun nodded, then turned and left, as he had many things to do in recent days.
Just after a few steps, Scholar Xun suddenly remembered something, turned, and asked Mo Hua:
"By the way, your consciousness…"
Before he could finish, he seemed to sense the profound divine consciousness aura from Mo Hua, his expression changed.
Without waiting for Mo Hua to speak, he said solemnly: "Follow me."
Mo Hua followed Scholar Xun, left the teaching room, and went up the mountain path to the elder’s residence.
Entering the elder’s residence, Scholar Xun closed the door, sealed the array Formation, and activated the compass, isolating some of the cause and effect, before carefully asking:
"Your consciousness…"
His voice almost carried a thread of hope.
Mo Hua didn’t hide anything, nodding: "It has grown a bit stronger, already at the peak of nineteen Traces..."
Though his tone was humble, his eyes held a hint of pride.
Scholar Xun’s breath hitched, his hands trembling slightly inside his sleeves.
Nineteen Traces… Peak!
"You…" Scholar Xun paused, trying to calm himself, "Release your consciousness, let me examine it."
Mo Hua released his consciousness.
Scholar(Xun, with a heart full of anticipation, confirmed it, and after a moment, couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement, saying repeatedly:
"Good, good, good…"
He gazed at Mo Hua, his eyes welling with tears, the fatigue from his long efforts finally washing away away.
a moment.
The heavens had truly bestowed Grand Void Sect with a treasure!
Ancestors of the sect, protect and bless…
A turning point has finally come.
In this chaotic chess game of cause and effect, Grand Void Sect finally has a piece sufficient to turn the tide!
Scholar Xun said: "From now on, you will stay in the sect, go nowhere else, don’t take any bounties, and if you want to attend the sect-arranged classes, you may, but if you don’t, that’s fine."
"You only need to do one thing: Learn array formation."
"I will personally teach you, and within a year, you must master the basics of the formation, and the level."
"This matter is of utmost importance."
"Within a year, you must grasp the basics of the second-rank array formation, the most top-tier in the realm!"
Scholar Xun’s tone was incomparably solemn.
Second-rank array formation…
Mo Hua was a bit stunned and shocked.
He had never heard Scholar Xun speak with such expectation, nor seen such solemn expression on Scholar Xun’s face.
As if this matter truly concerned the sect’s survival and legacy…
Mo Hua Contemplated, his gaze serious, and nodded solemnly.
"Yes, Scholar!"
(End of Chapter)
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