Chapter 2: Learning from the Best, Only Achieving the Middle

## Chapter Two: Aim High, Achieve Moderately

Morning. In the training grounds of Mirror Lake Meng Manor, Liu Qiyue was practicing archery, while Meng Chuan was practicing his saber technique in a corner.

“Whoosh, whoosh.” His saber technique was elusive, uncanny, and difficult to grasp. Moreover, its speed was extreme. This was the most advanced fast-saber technique available to mortals, called “Falling Leaf Saber.”

At six years old, he passed a family test, confirming his exceptional talent for fast saber techniques, which he also most enjoyed practicing because… they were fast enough!

After two years of practicing basic saber techniques at home, his father, Meng Dajiang, sent him to Mirror Lake Dao Academy, one of the eight major academies in Dongning Prefecture, when he was eight years old. Although the academy’s head, Ge Yu, had an ordinary character, he was the foremost master of fast saber techniques in all of Dongning Prefecture.

By age nine, Meng Chuan had mastered basic saber techniques, building a solid foundation. This allowed him to be taught the superior saber technique, “Wind Chasing Saber.”

At eleven, he perfected “Wind Chasing Saber,” and the head personally taught him “Falling Leaf Saber,” the pinnacle technique he excelled at.

By thirteen, “Falling Leaf Saber” had reached the realm of great accomplishment, and he became a member of the Landscape Tower at Mirror Lake Dao Academy. The Landscape Tower was exclusively for the most outstanding among the thousands of disciples at Mirror Lake Dao Academy. Even now, there were only twenty-two disciples in total in the Landscape Tower.

He was now fifteen.

“Unfortunately, my Falling Leaf Saber is still only at the realm of great accomplishment, not yet perfected,” Meng Chuan said, stopping. He looked at the saber in his hand, frowning slightly. “How can I comprehend the secret technique of Falling Leaf Saber and reach the first major realm of saber technique, the ‘Unity Realm’?”

Saber techniques, sword techniques, spear techniques, and all other skills.

The first major realm is the ‘Unity Realm,’ referring to the unity of body, mind, and technique, which allows one to unleash incredible power.

The second major realm is called ‘Momentum.’ Heaven and Earth possess great momentum! Mountains have their momentum, and water has its momentum. Those who wield saber techniques should embody the momentum of heaven and earth, mountains and water, wind and fire – they should possess saber momentum. Those who use swords should have sword momentum! That would be an even higher major realm.

However, Meng Chuan had remained in the foundational stage for all these years. Of course, his foundation was already extremely robust, and his saber technique was just a hair’s breadth away from the ‘Unity Realm.’

But that final step… was the most difficult!

“Even in the entire Dongning Prefecture, very few people can achieve the Unity Realm in saber, sword, or other techniques,” Meng Chuan knew this well. “Only by reaching the Unity Realm can one be considered a true master. Otherwise, they are merely ordinary practitioners.”

Ordinary practitioners, even with abundant inner energy, were just targets with greater strength and speed.

In front of a true master, they would be struck down in an instant.

“According to the description of Falling Leaf Saber, it consists of eighty-one forms. As long as one cultivates all eighty-one forms to the realm of perfection, they will naturally grasp the secret technique ‘Three Autumn Leaves,’ thereby reaching the first major realm of saber technique, the ‘Unity Realm,’” Meng Chuan said, feeling somewhat helpless. The entire book contained only this small passage about the Unity Realm.

There were no further descriptions, not even what the moves looked like.

The phrase “‘will naturally grasp the secret technique’” seemed too mystical. He had achieved great accomplishment in "Falling Leaf Saber" two years ago and practiced diligently every day, yet how had he not "naturally" comprehended the secret technique?

“Mortal cultivation is divided into five stages: Foundation Building, Inner Refinement, Marrow Cleansing, Rebirth, and Flawless. To reach the Flawless Realm from the Rebirth Realm… one must achieve the Unity Realm in saber or sword techniques. Only with ‘the unity of body, mind, and technique,’ truly integrating all the power of the Rebirth Realm, can one break through to the Flawless Realm,” Meng Chuan mused. “In large clans, with ample elixirs and treasures provided, becoming a Rebirth Realm practitioner is not difficult. However, very few manage to become Flawless Realm practitioners!”

Meng Chuan began Foundation Building at six.

He entered Inner Refinement at nine, Marrow Cleansing at twelve. According to Meng Chuan’s estimation, he should reach the peak of Marrow Cleansing and enter the ‘Rebirth Realm’ around June this year. This speed was considered normal among core disciples of godfiend families. Those like Yun Qingping, who were lax in cultivation, only reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm at fifteen, even after consuming many elixirs and treasures, which was considered quite slow.

The five major realms of mortal cultivation are: Foundation Building, Inner Refinement, Marrow Cleansing, Rebirth, and Flawless.

Beyond these is the ‘Godfiend’ realm.

Transitioning from the Flawless Realm to Godfiend is akin to crossing a chasm!

Becoming a Godfiend is incredibly difficult; only a handful of people in Dongning Prefecture have achieved it over the past century.

“I swore an oath before my mother’s grave that in this life, I would become a Godfiend, slay demons, and avenge her,” Meng Chuan said, stopping his saber practice and looking at the blade in his hand. As a child, he hadn’t fully understood, but now he realized how incredibly difficult it was to become a Godfiend. No matter how hard, he would not give up. “I must quickly master the first major realm of saber technique, the ‘Unity Realm,’ and in the future, I will need to master the second major realm, ‘Momentum,’ to have any hope of becoming a Godfiend.”

Suddenly—

“Chuan’er.” A stout figure walked in through the training ground gate.

Meng Chuan turned his head: “Father.”

The smiling, stout middle-aged man before him was his father, Meng Dajiang, who owned a restaurant! Naturally, it was the top restaurant in Dongning Prefecture. He was also the designated next patriarch of the Meng family.

Meng Dajiang possessed extraordinary strength, ranking among the strongest practitioners below Godfiends. He also cultivated saber techniques and was a Flawless Realm expert who had mastered ‘saber momentum.’ However, at forty-seven years old, his hope of becoming a Godfiend was growing increasingly slim!

“Uncle Meng,” Liu Qiyue also walked over.

“The Demon Slaying Grand Event at Jade Sun Palace is on the third day of the third month, isn’t it? Qiyue is a divine archer, so Scorching Sun Dao Palace will certainly grant you a spot,” Meng Dajiang said. Liu Qiyue nodded happily. Meng Dajiang then looked at his son, “Chuan’er, what about you? Your Mirror Lake Dao Academy only has three slots for Marrow Cleansing disciples. Do you have a good chance?”

“No, I don’t,” Meng Chuan replied with self-awareness. “The top ten Marrow Cleansing disciples at our Mirror Lake Dao Academy are not much different from each other. I have some hope of competing, but I might also fail. If I could comprehend the secret technique of Falling Leaf Saber, then I would definitely be confident. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to grasp it. Father, do you have any special tips for cultivating secret techniques?”

“Haha, your academy head is the foremost fast-saber master in Dongning Prefecture; he will teach you what needs to be taught,” Meng Dajiang chuckled. “As for secret techniques, I believe it’s just a matter of practicing more. The more you practice, perhaps you’ll comprehend it.”

Meng Chuan secretly felt helpless.

There was no shortcut.

“Don’t overthink it,” Meng Dajiang smiled. “Among your generation of Marrow Cleansing practitioners in the entire Dongning Prefecture, no one has comprehended a secret technique. I, your father, am the most outstanding of this generation of the Meng family, and I only comprehended my secret technique at nineteen.”

“But the Old Ancestor of the Zhang family, it’s said, mastered a secret technique and reached the Unity Realm in swordplay at just thirteen,” Meng Chuan said with emotion.

“The Old Ancestor of the Zhang family was the only one in Dongning Prefecture over the past century who could enter Mount Yuanchu. The Zhang family, because of him, became the head of our Dongning Prefecture’s five great Godfiend families,” Meng Dajiang explained. “Don’t rush yourself either. Our Meng family’s Old Ancestor Yushan, five hundred years ago, comprehended his secret technique at eighteen and still became a Godfiend by eighty, didn’t he? Late bloomers can still become Godfiends.”

Meng Chuan, of course, knew this.

When he was a child, his mother would tell him many stories of Godfiends growing up, and he would often pester both his mother and father to hear stories!

Besides drawing, listening to stories was his favorite childhood pastime.

His parents had bought many biographies of historically renowned Godfiends, specifically to read to him.

“Mother, one day, I will also become a Godfiend,” Meng Chuan thought silently.

That afternoon, Meng Chuan arrived at Mirror Lake Dao Academy for a saber technique class personally taught by the academy head. Given his position, the head only lectured once every five days.

The one-hour saber technique class concluded.

“Still no breakthrough.”

“I really don’t know when my saber technique will reach the Unity Realm.” Meng Chuan walked through the academy, having been obsessively contemplating the ‘Falling Leaf Saber secret technique’ almost every day for the past two years, nearly to the point of madness.

As he passed an open area, he heard angry shouts.

Meng Chuan looked over.

Instructor Ma of the Dao Academy was vehemently scolding a group of young men, spitting as he spoke.

“‘Aim high, achieve moderately; aim moderately, fall short.’ Do you understand?” Instructor Ma roared. “I want you to learn from the best, not from the worst. Learning from the worst… will only make you more reckless! If you can’t cultivate to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, you’ll be useless your entire life. If you can reach the Marrow Cleansing Realm, you’ll have to serve in the military at twenty and fight demons. If you don’t sweat now, you’ll bleed then, and lose your lives. Barely half of those who serve in the military return alive! Do you want to die on the battlefield, or return alive and glorious?”

“Look, that’s Meng Chuan from the Meng family. He achieved great accomplishment in Falling Leaf Saber at thirteen and entered our Mirror Lake Dao Academy’s Landscape Tower, taught personally by the head! Achieving great accomplishment in saber techniques has no shortcuts, only diligent study. I heard Meng Chuan practices for several hours every day at home. What about you? Look at yourselves!”

“‘Aim high, achieve moderately.’ Meng Chuan is who I want you to learn from, understood?”

Under Instructor Ma’s furious shouts, the group of young men didn't dare to breathe loudly.

While yelling, Instructor Ma also smiled at Meng Chuan, who was passing by nearby. Meng Chuan returned a polite nod, but his eyes lit up, and he quickened his pace toward home.

Back in the manor, Meng Chuan immediately headed to the study.

“‘Aim high, achieve moderately; aim moderately, fall short.’ If you’re going to learn, you should learn from the best!” Meng Chuan murmured to himself, his eyes growing brighter and his excitement increasing. “If you’re going to learn, learn from the strongest Godfiends! Learn from the most powerful beings in history. That is what ‘aim high’ truly means!”

“Many invincible powerhouses whose names are etched in history have long since returned to dust, but their biographies continue to circulate, passed down for thousands of years!”

“Their biographies contain records of them.”

Meng Chuan looked up at the books on the shelves. “Father and Mother read me many stories from Godfiend biographies when I was little. They bought so many books.”

As he spoke, he casually took down a book.

He opened it and began to read.

This book recounted the story of Deng Feng, a Godfiend who dominated an era. The biography stated that Deng Feng lived in the deep mountains since childhood without a renowned teacher. His only relative taught him a single move, the ‘Saber Draw,’ before passing away. He lived alone in the deep mountains, focusing solely on the Saber Draw… spending four hours a day, drawing his saber ten thousand times. He learned no other saber forms.

Yet, alone in the deep mountains, he practiced for four hours a day, drawing his saber ten thousand times, for twenty years.

When he left the mountains and entered the human world, still naive, he—with only Marrow Cleansing Realm strength—slayed a Flawless Realm expert with a single Saber Draw… His saber technique had reached an inconceivable level. News of this spread, and he was immediately sought out by the legendary ‘Mount Yuanchu,’ becoming a disciple there and thus embarking on the path to Godfiendhood.

The book was quite long, documenting many deeds of Deng Feng after he became a Godfiend, inspiring reverence in later generations.

There was little about his cultivation, only the mention of ‘four hours a day, ten thousand saber draws, for twenty years.’

For Meng Chuan, that single sentence was the most important part of the book.

“Even if a master practices saber techniques slowly, drawing the saber ten thousand times in an hour would be easy,” Meng Chuan frowned. “But he spent four hours a day, which means each draw involved building momentum and was executed with great focus. One draw after another… each building momentum and then unleashing, thousands of times, which is why it took four hours.”

“Focus? Practicing the same move? An extremely high number of repetitions?”

Meng Chuan took up a brush at his desk to note this down, then went to look through another Godfiend biography.

He needed to find as many ‘common points’ of powerful Godfiends as possible from their biographies.

Aim high, achieve moderately; aim moderately, fall short.

If you’re going to learn… learn from the strongest!

Learn from those Godfiends who were invincible throughout history!

“Uncle Qian,” Meng Chuan suddenly called out.

“Young Master,” a voice replied from outside.

“Take two people and go buy all the Godfiend biographies available on the market! Also, get copies of the family precepts of some powerful Godfiend families, and be quick!” Meng Chuan instructed.

“Alright, I’ll go right away,” Uncle Qian quickly responded.