Chapter 1088: High-Velocity Heart Sword Technique, A Moment of Bewitchment

He had just cultivated his "Present God-Buddha."

Kongtong chuckled nearby, realizing this was Master Yiren's jest.

How incredibly difficult was the "Heart Sword Technique" to cultivate? In the lineage he followed, taught by his master, Eight Revered Ones, the "Heart Sword Technique" was almost at the very bottom of the cultivation sequence; one had to wait for ancient sword cultivators to mature before beginning to practice it.

The reason was simple. Human imagination is limited by "vision" and "cognition." If you were to have a child practice swordsmanship from an early age, starting with the "Heart Sword Technique," what could they possibly visualize? Probably just some ephemeral, large toys. However, after becoming a Sword Immortal, if one were to then visualize their own "Present God-Buddha," the options for what "true self" they could choose and refine would be far, far greater!

Yet, nothing in this world is absolute, as exemplified by Master Yiren. Even in the previous era of sword cultivation, while 99% of sword cultivators placed the "Heart Sword Technique" at the bottom of their practice sequence, there were still those like Master Yiren who began with it. There's a saying: "The most supreme can visualize the most powerful 'Present God-Buddha,' but the most ignorant and naive individuals have a chance to visualize the most wildly imaginative 'God-Buddhas,' 'Demons,' or even forms unrestricted by these two." This is because the latter's imagination is not constrained by "cognition" or "vision," allowing them to fully unleash their true selves. However, the probability of this happening is very small. Among that small fraction of people outside the normal cultivation path followed by 99% of sword cultivators, there's a one-in-a-billion chance that what they visualize isn't a "toy." Master Yiren is an example! However, he is the only example...

Kongtong didn't object to Master Yiren's teaching because he knew Master Yiren's lineage was different from his own. In his own lineage, once a visualization was formed, it couldn't be changed, and further breakthroughs required heavenly intervention. This elder sword immortal's "Present God-Buddha" was divided into multiple stages. Initially, one could only visualize "Chaos," then refine it further as their swordsmanship improved, eventually perfecting it to completion. This is why Mei Yiren, despite starting with the "Heart Sword Technique" and being unfamiliar with the other eight of the Nine Great Sword Techniques, could still ultimately condense a "Sword Image"—a terrifying monster encompassing all of swordsmanship. His "Sword Image" was gradually refined as he cultivated and later came into contact with the various other aspects of the Nine Great Sword Techniques. Only then, by today, could he integrate the Nine Great Sword Techniques and achieve the realm of perfection!

In short, Kongtong's own "Heart Sword Technique" lineage belonged to the "Variant Awakening type," while Master Yiren's belonged to the "Self-Evolution type." Neither of these two types was superior or inferior; their effectiveness depended entirely on the extent of "true self" manifested, which was determined by the individual's cultivation realm.

"Present God-Buddha..."

On the other side, Xu Xiaoshou was also greatly stirred. He had originally thought Master Yiren would proceed step-by-step, perhaps starting with the Three Thousand Sword Paths. However, Xu Xiaoshou felt that those methods would offer negligible improvement to his combat power. The Nine Great Sword Techniques and Eighteen Sword Flows were different; these were extremely powerful abilities that allowed one to immediately fight above their level upon reaching the first realm. However, although he had "Swordsmanship Proficiency" as a foundation, Xu Xiaoshou knew his comprehension wasn't particularly good. What if everyone, including himself, had too high expectations for him, and they were ultimately shattered? What then?

Thinking this, Xu Xiaoshou asked sheepishly, "So, Master Yiren, how exactly does one perform this 'visualization'?"

"There's no specific method."

Mei Yiren, holding a paper fan, paced forward and stated definitively, "The point of starting with the 'Heart Sword Technique' is to free your 'true self' from fixed cognitive limitations, allowing you to unleash your imagination and visualize the most impossible, most unrealistic 'Present God-Buddha'." He continued, "Even if the profoundness of your visualization is too strong, in the end, you might only be able to visualize a 'Chaotic Form'... But that's alright; in our lineage, we have plenty of time to refine it in the future." Mei Yiren stopped and looked at him, smiling as he added, "So, don't be constrained by reality, don't let your cognition limit you. Just try your best to visualize. From what you visualize, this old man will be able to glimpse how strong your inner heart is and how much talent you possess in the way of the sword."

All of this sounded very vague. Xu Xiaoshou also felt quite lost listening to this, thinking, "Master Yiren, have you forgotten that I'm truly a beginner on the path of ancient sword cultivation? All my previous attempts were just superficial imitation. You have to give me something more practical, otherwise, I won't understand at all."

"What about the cultivation steps and so on?" Xu Xiaoshou hesitated before asking again.

Cultivation steps? Mei Yiren paused, took a slight breath, thought for a moment, and then asked uncertainly, "Can't you just follow how you usually cultivate? Does this old man still need to teach you?"

*The problem is I don't usually cultivate; I rely on sleeping and breathing to cultivate automatically...* Xu Xiaoshou felt a headache, shaking his head very seriously, "Definitely not."

"Why not?"

"No why, but it definitely won't work."

Mei Yiren thought to himself, *I'm a proper ancient sword cultivator, and I'm supposed to teach you, a half-Spirit Refiner, half-ancient sword cultivator... the method of Spirit Refinement cultivation?* But seeing Xu Xiaoshou's earnest expression, Mei Yiren could only assume that the other party wanted the complete cultivation method for their own lineage of ancient sword cultivation.

*This old man doesn't have it...* Mei Yiren's heart sank. He paused, his gaze becoming somewhat distant, then he tried his best to phrase a description: "Close your eyes, meditate, empty your mind, start imagining... When you're done imagining, open your eyes?"

"Pfft!" Kongtong, standing nearby, couldn't help but be amused, bursting into laughter. If you claimed the Heart Sword Technique was profound, it truly was! Because it dealt with ethereal and mysterious concepts. But if you claimed it was simple, it truly was! Because the cultivation method for the Heart Sword Technique was as straightforward as Master Yiren had described. If you completed this process and could materialize your "visualization," it was a success. If not, it was akin to "daydreaming"—and the kind of dream so embarrassing to mention that it would make people laugh till their jaws dropped!

Xu Xiaoshou was truly difficult to teach... Kongtong couldn't help but shake his head. How could something as abstract as the "Heart Sword Technique" be described with concrete language? How could he ask Master Yiren to interpret something so profound, something that could only be understood intuitively and not expressed in words, using simple vocabulary? *Even I feel awkward for Master Yiren...*

Just as he was thinking this, he saw Mei Yiren glaring at him angrily from the side, his Sword Image also turning its head. "Oh dear!" Kongtong was startled and immediately composed himself, returning to a calm expression, looking like a well-behaved student in class.

"Is that all?" Xu Xiaoshou waited a long time, but there was nothing more.

"That's all!" Mei Yiren couldn't help but emphasize his tone. *What else did he want? Just now, I struck you with a sword, giving you the maximum life-or-death experience so you could use that "upper limit" to break through further. Now, with these "descriptions," it's still not enough? What more do you want!* At one point, Mei Yiren even suspected Xu Xiaoshou was teasing him...

"Under silent criticism, Passive Points, +2.""Under condemnation, Passive Points, +2."

"That's too simple!" Xu Xiaoshou, however, never found these descriptions fantastical, embarrassing, or inexpressible. He simply hadn't known how to begin. Now, with Master Yiren's simple explanation, he immediately knew what to do. The normal process of closing one's eyes and cultivating... it was nothing more than that!

The cultivation of the "Heart Sword Technique" could be said to be both very simple and very difficult. Xu Xiaoshou certainly wasn't foolish enough to consider those simple "cultivation steps" as the entirety of the "Heart Sword Technique." He knew that the important thing was the materialization of "intent," not just the actions of closing and opening his eyes.

And as for "intent"... Although Xu Xiaoshou had never truly attempted cultivation at this level before, he wasn't entirely unfamiliar with it. The cultivation of the "Ten-Stage Sword Finger" was a combination of body, mind, and intent; the countless instances of bluffing with "Swallow the Mountains and Rivers" were likewise a condensation of "momentum" and "intent." Such foundational cultivation could be said to have been etched into Xu Xiaoshou's bones with the emergence of the passive skill "Swallow the Mountains and Rivers." What's more, he also possessed "Swordsmanship Proficiency," meaning he inherently understood the "Heart Sword Technique." He just hadn't known how to utilize and unleash this knowledge.

"I'll begin."

Under Master Yiren's gaze, the pressure of the Sword Image, and Kongtong's anticipation, Xu Xiaoshou sat cross-legged on the spot and slowly closed his eyes.

"Clear your mind of distractions, enter meditation." Mei Yiren feigned indifference, but as Xu Xiaoshou began, his gentle voice seemed to become the sound of the Grand Dao, helping Xu Xiaoshou quickly enter a meditative state and clear his mind of distractions.

"Heart, intent, sword..."

Under the influence of external forces, Xu Xiaoshou quickly entered a clear and transcendent state, feeling as if everything in the world began to fade, eventually disappearing. All things ceased to exist; only he remained in the heavens and earth, bodiless, all a void.

Suddenly, the sound of the sword teaching from earlier resonated in his mind. A ripple went through Xu Xiaoshou's heart, and he realized this was a seed Master Yiren had planted in advance, now beginning to sprout.

No gods, no Buddhas, no laws, no heavens... One could say these eight characters truly and thoroughly encapsulated the true essence of the "Heart Sword Technique."

Xu Xiaoshou had entered his meditative state under Mei Yiren's Sword Image, and he had also witnessed the "Present God-Buddha" displayed by Eight Revered Ones in the Eight Palaces. He was different from most ancient sword cultivators who started with the "Heart Sword Technique" and were still ignorant. Because no matter how ignorant he was, he still had vision and cognition. Aside from the "Heart Sword Technique" of the reputed leader of the Seven Sword Immortals, Old Master Youcha, which might bring surprises, the other Sword Immortals likely did not primarily cultivate the Heart Sword Technique. However, Old Master Youcha had gone missing an unknown number of years ago, perhaps even perished... Therefore, even without having seen the "Present God-Buddha" of other Sword Immortals, Xu Xiaoshou knew that the "Heart Sword Technique" he had witnessed was likely the strongest in this world! And what he had to do now was to surpass this strongest, to become even stronger!

What did "even stronger" mean? In a world of chaos, with Eight Revered Ones' "Present God-Buddha" on the left and Master Yiren's peerless Sword Image on the right, Xu Xiaoshou found it almost impossible to visualize something stronger that could surpass these two. But precisely because it was unimaginable, it needed to be imagined even more.

"More..."

"What is 'more'?"

Two great mountains pressed before him, making Xu Xiaoshou almost gasp for breath, his head throbbing as if he might drop dead on the spot. Yet, at this moment, the colossal giant he had once seen in the illusion triggered by "Swallow the Mountains and Rivers" appeared in the distance, its step landing with a thud.

"Boom!"

Xu Xiaoshou felt his spiritual world was about to be crushed, ripples spreading violently. This one step directly shattered the chaotic environment he was in, like Pangu separating heaven and earth: the clear rose, and the turbid sank. Light poured in from afar. The light, carrying the silhouette of the illusory giant, passed through the narrow gap between the two great mountains formed by the sword-path predecessors before him, falling upon Xu Xiaoshou's "true self."

"Present... God-Buddha..."

Xu Xiaoshou opened his eyes in a daze, seeing the two great mountains before him clearly. He suddenly understood: these were the "God" and "Buddha" in his mind, beings that his current self felt he could never surpass! They came from Eight Revered Ones, and they came from Mei Yiren! But the true meaning of the "Heart Sword Technique" was to transcend present cognition, to shatter the gods and Buddhas in one's heart, and achieve a truly "lawless and heavenless" realm!

Unrestrained, defiant, arrogant, dominating the world...

"Get out of my way—"

Xu Xiaoshou felt a surge of heroic spirit in his heart, soaring into the void. He was not an ignorant, fearless, or naive beginner; he already possessed a solid foundation. He didn't even need to use other powers. Once the "intent" and "momentum" within his heart perfectly aligned with the state of "Swallow the Mountains and Rivers"... Without the slightest hesitation, Xu Xiaoshou stood up furiously, like an ant before a divine presence, yet daring to rise and confront the deity directly!

Bang, bang!

The two great mountains before him, the "Present God-Buddha" and the "Sword Image," were abruptly forced back in Xu Xiaoshou's spiritual world, swaying precariously, seemingly unable to withstand the overwhelming aura of a world master. Xu Xiaoshou advanced relentlessly, taking every inch, and with a heavy step forward, he met the approaching footsteps of the backlight giant in the distance.

"Kneel before me—"

As the distant giant took a step, a bright moon hung in the sky, the sun cycled through day and night, and all phenomena in heaven and earth began to evolve, making the world gradually clear. And the two great mountains before the insignificant ant now became the perfect stepping stones. When Xu Xiaoshou moved forward in response, these two could no longer withstand the decree of the world master. With a crash, they fell to their knees, lifting Xu Xiaoshou's spiritual body heavenward in reverence.

"This is the feeling!""Uninhibited revenge and boundless freedom!"

The exhilaration of looking down upon the world in his spiritual realm could almost release all the pressure Xu Xiaoshou had encountered along the way. He had faced Thrones from the Post-Natal and Pre-Natal stages, and from the Grandmaster and Sword Dao Thrones, he began confronting the Void, even Half-Saints. When the real world offered no resistance and he could only be dominated by others, anyone would yearn for freedom. Now, this very yearning for "freedom" had become an excellent catalyst while cultivating the "Heart Sword Technique"! What was meant by "extreme sorrow turns to joy"? This was it!

Singing aloud, he pressed forward, Xu Xiaoshou passed over the two great mountains and was finally about to meet the backlight giant. He felt that if he could shatter this giant within the illusion, he might reach the realm of "no gods, no Buddhas," and "no laws, no heavens." Yes! Not only did Xu Xiaoshou need to crush the two great mountains of swordsmanship, but for his Heart Sword Technique to take shape, he also had to overcome the hurdle that didn't belong to swordsmanship. Everything had to be suppressed! A soldier who doesn't aspire to be a general is not a good soldier. Xu Xiaoshou's ambition was immense. Since he was cultivating the "Heart Sword Technique," he aimed to condense the strongest "Present God-Buddha." It wouldn't just be the strongest in his own cognition or beyond it; it would be so powerful that any sword cultivator, or even a Spirit Refiner, across the land would tremble in fear upon hearing of it and lose their soul upon seeing it!

But at that very moment, just as he was galloping unhindered through his spiritual world, with "momentum" and "intent" reaching their peak, and on the verge of forcefully breaking through all shackles to cultivate the first realm, the information bar popped up, displaying a jarring message, one that didn't belong to this world and shouldn't have appeared here, but which Xu Xiaoshou's self-awareness forcefully defined as requiring immediate vigilance wherever he was, whatever his circumstances, placing it first, even at the cost of using the Holy Emperor Dragon Scales, to warn himself. This message appeared...

"Under observation, Passive Points, +2."

At this moment, his spiritual world began to disrupt. His "perception" conveyed two ecstatic faces from the real world. Xu Xiaoshou, who should have been clearing his mind and meditating, impervious to any influence, instantly recalled information about these two abrupt faces when he saw them.

"Elder Xie? Ghostly Mother?""These are assassins from the Central Region. They're watching nearby, trying to kill me?"

As these thoughts barely flashed through his mind, demonic energy erupted from his spiritual body, clearly a sign of... mental interference and qi deviation!