Chapter 417: Human and Blade in Harmony

According to the notes in the blade art insights, Third Senior Brother Xiao Xinghe uses a spiritual weapon that is also a blade, but it's an exaggerated greatsword, a different type from Lu Ye's Mountain-Shattering Blade. Consequently, many of Xiao Xinghe's blade art training experiences are not applicable to Lu Ye. However, there are also many universal aspects, as everyone is practicing blade arts, regardless of the weapon's specific form. These universal training experiences are undoubtedly what Lu Ye needs most right now. Even the non-universal ones can offer some valuable insights, embodying the saying, "Stones from other mountains can polish jade."

To be precise, Lu Ye's cultivation path is incomplete. Ever since he opened his spiritual aperture, he has largely explored cultivation on his own. Within his sect, neither Shui Yuan, the Sect Master, nor Madam Yun could offer him much assistance. This was particularly true for blade arts, as no one had ever taught him in a systematic or comprehensive manner. Normally, when a cultivator joins a sect, instructors would guide their training. For instance, if Lu Ye wanted to practice blade arts, a skilled blade art instructor would pass on various experiences. However, the Blood Sect simply didn't have the resources for that. When Lu Ye joined the Blood Sect, there were only two other members. Including him, there were three in total: Shui Yuan, a medical cultivator, and the Sect Master, a spell cultivator. None of them used blades.

His proficiency in blade arts was entirely self-taught through countless battles. He lacked a complete system or any powerful techniques, instead simply adapting whatever was most effective for killing and defeating enemies. While this purely lethal fighting style wasn't necessarily bad—allowing him to quickly dispatch weaker opponents—it lacked burst killer moves. This made it challenging to contend with enemies of equal or superior strength. This lack of killer moves was Lu Ye's major shortcoming. His previous battle with Shi Guang brought this weakness to light. Since then, he had been diligently practicing the "Flash Blade Art," but he still hadn't managed to perfect it.

The blade art insights sent by Third Senior Brother Xiao Xinghe undoubtedly provided him with significant inspiration, which was exactly what he needed most at that moment. Had it not been for the sudden eruption of the Primordial Magnetic Roar, Xiao Xinghe had intended for Lu Ye to travel to Qing Emperor City for personal instruction. However, the Roar severed teleportation between Kyushu and the Spiritual Stream Battlefield. With no other option, he had to entrust Xiao Changhe to deliver these insights to Lu Ye.

On the third floor of the wooden house, Lu Ye sat cross-legged, his hands clenched into fists, palms facing upwards, with the Mountain-Shattering Blade resting in his palms. He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, focusing on the long blade in his hands with each breath. This was a specific cultivation method. Spiritual weapons possess a spirit, especially those that have long accompanied their masters through countless battles, having drunk the blood of enemies. Such a weapon ceases to be merely an artifact; it becomes a companion in whom its master can place their life. Through this unique cultivation method, Lu Ye could forge a wondrous connection with the Mountain-Shattering Blade—this was what was known as "man-blade resonance." This was what was written in the Third Senior Brother's blade art insights.

However, Lu Ye always found this concept a bit mystical. After all, spiritual weapons are inanimate objects; how could they develop a connection with him? Approaching it with a "let's just try it" mindset, Lu Ye decided to cultivate this way for a few days to see the results. If it proved ineffective, he would find another opportunity to consult his Third Senior Brother later. The Mountain-Shattering Blade was undoubtedly well-suited for this purpose. Since embarking on his cultivation path, Lu Ye had only ever used three spiritual weapons: Manager Yang's sword, and a blade acquired from defeating enemies in Qingyun Mountain. The latter's design was almost identical to the Mountain-Shattering Blade, but its quality was too low, and it was destroyed during the Battle of Golden Light Peak. After the Battle of Golden Light Peak, Lu Ye purchased the Mountain-Shattering Blade from the Heavenly Secret Treasury. At that time, he was only at the fifth level of cultivation. To this day, this long blade had been with him for over a year, during which it had been used to defeat countless enemies. This blade was incredibly comfortable for Lu Ye to wield. He even planned to seek out other long blades of the same design in the future, even if his cultivation advanced and he replaced it with a higher-quality spiritual weapon.

Inside the wooden house, Lu Ye's chest and abdomen rose and fell with each breath. Initially, he felt nothing unusual, but as time passed, a subtle sensation emerged: the Mountain-Shattering Blade in his hand seemed to be breathing with him, inhaling and exhaling in sync with his own respiration. This sensation was faint at first, but it gradually grew stronger. The long blade seemed to have a life of its own! Then, at a certain moment, a cold gleam flashed in the dim wooden house, accompanied by the clang of a blade being drawn. Lu Ye was suddenly startled awake. He looked down and realized that, without knowing when, he had unsheathed the Mountain-Shattering Blade. At this moment, the Mountain-Shattering Blade felt different to him. It was no longer a mere inanimate object used for killing enemies. Gripping the hilt, Lu Ye felt as if it were an extension of his own body.

He drew the Mountain-Shattering Blade and swung it a few times. It felt much smoother and more natural than before. It was like his arm directing his finger. Yes, that was precisely the feeling. So, this was the fabled "man-blade resonance"? Lu Ye marveled, astonished that what was written in his Third Senior Brother's blade art insights was actually true. He had only approached the cultivation with a "let's just try it" attitude, yet he had achieved it with such ease. Although his cultivation level hadn't increased and he hadn't opened any additional spiritual apertures, Lu Ye knew he had taken a huge stride forward in his blade art cultivation.

There seemed to be something else as well. Lu Ye pondered for a moment, then sheathed his blade. Closing his eyes, he casually tossed the Mountain-Shattering Blade some distance away, then resumed his breathing exercises. Since he had thrown the blade with his eyes closed, he didn't know its exact location. Yet, even with his eyes still shut, he could vaguely sense the Mountain-Shattering Blade's presence. He stood up and walked forward step by step. After seven paces, he bent down and reached out, his hand closing around it! The Mountain-Shattering Blade was in his hand! The first step in blade art cultivation was complete!

Lu Ye hadn't realized how much time had passed until hunger gnawed at his stomach. Only after asking Hua Ci did he discover that three days had already flown by. Lu Ye almost suspected Hua Ci was misleading him, as he had felt no passage of time whatsoever. However, after sending a message to verify with others, he confirmed that Hua Ci hadn't lied; three days had indeed passed. Perhaps Lu Ye's evident distrust triggered a playful mood in Hua Ci, who then prepared a table of truly dreadful-looking food for him. Under Hua Ci's smiling gaze, Lu Ye gritted his teeth and ate everything on the table, while Amber watched with a sympathetic expression.

Having eaten his fill, Lu Ye returned to the third floor, sat cross-legged, held the Mountain-Shattering Blade in both hands, and closed his eyes to resume his breathing exercises. Achieving "man-blade resonance" was not the end; rather, it required consistent effort to deepen the connection with his blade through this method. The stronger the bond between man and blade, the greater the power of their attacks. Lu Ye decided that whenever he had the opportunity, he would dedicate an hour each day to this form of cultivation. Since his cultivation didn't require conscious breathing, he could conveniently allocate that time to this practice.

An hour later, Lu Ye descended from the third floor and went to the small courtyard outside. Hua Ci was nowhere in sight; the woman must have hidden somewhere to cultivate again. Lu Ye was actually quite curious about her cultivation method, as her progress had been remarkably swift ever since she arrived at the Myriad Poison Forest. By now, Lu Ye strongly suspected she was not far from reaching the Heavenly Nine stage. Standing in the small courtyard, Lu Ye drew the Mountain-Shattering Blade, held it in his right hand, and assumed a stance. Following the guidance in his Third Senior Brother's blade art insights, Lu Ye felt his blood and qi surge throughout his body. As he willed it, a vast amount of blood and qi gathered in his blade-wielding right arm, and then he delivered a powerful downward slash!

Since his internal spiritual energy couldn't be activated, the power of this particular slash wasn't immense. However, Lu Ye clearly felt that it was faster and stronger than his usual swings. So that was it! He had been unable to perfect the "Flash Blade Art" before because he always felt something was missing. After reviewing his Third Senior Brother's blade art insights, he finally understood what he lacked: the effective application of his own blood and qi energy! Previously, when wielding his long blade, he relied on his innate physical strength combined with spiritual energy infused into the weapon. The former was a physical endowment, the latter an instinct. This was because cultivators typically relied on their spiritual energy in battle; a cultivator without spiritual energy was merely an ordinary person with a stronger physique. Only now did Lu Ye realize he had overlooked a crucial aspect. He had been too reliant on his spiritual energy and too negligent of his own physical strength.

If the power behind his previous "Flash Blade Art" strikes were considered ten parts, then spiritual energy contributed at least eight, while his own physical strength accounted for only twenty, or even ten, percent. This imbalance meant the "Flash Blade Art" remained incomplete. The power behind the strike was insufficient, preventing him from fully controlling it. If he could increase the proportion of his own physical strength to forty or even fifty percent, the "Flash Blade Art" would be perfected, and its explosive lethality would significantly increase. How could he more effectively unleash his own physical strength? By circulating his blood!

The source of strength was blood and qi. This was why body cultivators generally possessed greater power than those of other factions; their blood and qi were more abundant. Lu Ye’s strength surpassed that of typical body cultivators precisely because his blood and qi were even more vigorous. Yet, he possessed this treasure trove of power but didn't know how to wield it, effectively squandering his vast blood and qi energy. The Blood Circulation technique was designed to address this very issue. It must be said that Third Senior Brother’s decision to send his blade art cultivation insights at this particular time had, in an unseen way, greatly aided Lu Ye.

Moreover, this was an ideal time to practice the Blood Circulation technique. The primordial magnetic field was currently chaotic, natural spiritual energy was suppressed, and even the spiritual energy within cultivators' bodies could barely flow. The only thing Lu Ye could rely on was his own blood and qi energy. In such an environment, he could better and more intuitively perceive the flow of blood and qi. Immersing his mind, he diligently concentrated his blood and qi energy into his blade-wielding right arm. In a short time, his entire right arm turned red, and its temperature even increased. Only when Lu Ye felt he could no longer sustain the concentration did he unleash a single slash! Suddenly, a blood-red blade gleam flashed and vanished. This was not a sign of spiritual energy attachment, but rather the manifestation of surging blood and qi. The power of this strike had increased by at least fifty percent compared to the previous one!