Chapter 11: White Clouds Drifting

Legend has it that there is a sword technique that traverses the heavens: the Sky-Traversing Seven Swords!

When this sword technique first burst onto the scene, Patriarch You Tu, the strongest Sword Immortal of his time, beheaded the previous Hall Master of the Sacred Divine Hall with the Seven Swords. He then disappeared from the human world, and his tale became a widely told legend.

Later generations, by observing the "Sky-Traversing Seven Swords," created the "White Cloud Sword Technique."

Of course, its quality was lowered by dozens of ranks.

This was merely an ordinary acquired spirit technique!

The "White Cloud Sword Technique" was recorded in the Spirit Treasury Pavilion of the Sky Mulberry Spirit Palace, with a total of thirteen forms.

At that time, Xu Xiaoshou, whose aptitude was still ordinary, exhausted all his efforts and finally, within three years, learned the first form: "Floating White Clouds."

This was the first spirit technique he mastered in his life, and also the only one...

Well, to be precise, it was one-thirteenth of a single form!

As his mind was engulfed by darkness and he felt the heavens and earth tremble violently, Xu Xiaoshou saw "Cang Ku" whisk him up into the clouds with a whoosh.

He struck out with a sword, and the white clouds gracefully dispersed, then gracefully reformed.

Without beginning or end, immortal and indestructible.

In an instant, countless sword forms poured into his mind, and endless insights flooded in.

He recalled every moment he was startled awake at night, practicing diligently with his sword in the courtyard.

Thrust, horizontal cut, upward flick, chop...

Those were the most fundamental basic skills; they were blood and sweat. Every move, every form that had become instinct, seemed to coalesce and become fully understood at this moment.

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the white clouds before him and sheathed his sword.

At that instant, a slowly moving sword light appeared on the horizon, crisscrossing. It seemed to approach leisurely, yet in reality, it arrived in a flash.

The white clouds shattered into pieces, and the sky collapsed into dust.

"Whoa!"

Xu Xiaoshou abruptly woke up, breathing heavily. As he moved, his clothes disintegrated into fragments, falling before him, just like the white clouds in the illusion.

He looked down; "Cang Ku" was in his hand, seemingly leaping with joy, emitting a clear sword hum.

So...

"What the heck just happened?"

Xu Xiaoshou was dumbfounded. He had just inserted the passive key; the key vanished, and he entered that white cloud illusion filled with profound sword intent, which also dredged up the most painful memory from his heart.

After three years of practice, he had only mastered one-thirteenth of a single form of the White Cloud Sword Technique...

This was an acquired sword technique!

How abysmal must one's aptitude be to achieve such a difficult feat? How could that not be painful?

Xu Xiaoshou calmed down. He buried the memory deep and quickly looked at the information panel. This was definitely related to the passive key.

A new line had clearly updated:

"Acquired Master Passive Skill: Sword Mastery!"

Master type?

Sword Mastery?

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned. Was this what "Another Spoonful" produced?

Did he actually pull out a passive skill that might be the most awesome one? And one that came with its own entrance effect?

"Holy crap!"

Xu Xiaoshou finally couldn't help but curse out loud. Had the blessing of the "European Emperor" truly come to pass?

"Sword Mastery..."

Just hearing the name, it sounded incredibly impressive; it was several levels higher than things like "Strength" or "Sharpness."

Given how monotonous the naming convention for passive skills was in this system, for a passive skill with a name grander than everyday nouns to appear, it was easy to imagine how formidable "Sword Mastery" must be.

What's more...

Recalling the white cloud illusion, Xu Xiaoshou was so excited he began to tremble.

Could it be that he had already mastered the sword techniques and knowledge from that illusion?

Because it was a passive skill, every time it manifested, it did so silently and subtly. If Xu Xiaoshou hadn't deliberately pondered it, he would barely notice his own changes.

He looked at "Cang Ku" in his hand, which was humming.

It was very excited!

Xu Xiaoshou clearly and strongly felt that "Cang Ku," which was originally an inanimate object, was now extremely excited, even ecstatic!

Should he try it?

This thought flashed through Xu Xiaoshou's mind. He then closed his eyes and recalled the sword form from the illusion that had shattered the white clouds.

His breathing gradually quieted, and he felt light, as if he were ascending.

Ethereal, translucent, serene...

What a wondrous sensation.

The next moment, Xu Xiaoshou felt himself transform into a cloud, a floating white cloud, vast and picturesque.

As the summer wind arose, the white clouds dissipated!

Xu Xiaoshou felt he needed to strike with his sword.

So he struck out with his sword, an unconscious stroke, incredibly profound, yet it instantly traversed the entirety of its essence.

The sword moved gracefully, like a desolate evening wind sweeping away fallen leaves.

*Swish swish swish!*

The scene from the illusion reappeared: countless streaks of sword light drifted in, but instantly filled the room.

Although they were struck out at an extremely slow speed, they vanished into the sky with incredible swiftness.

Xu Xiaoshou opened his eyes.

*Boom!*

The house, built of redheart wood, disintegrated into fragments and scattered.

*Thump, thump, thump!*

He looked up, and countless fragments of redheart wood rained down on him, forming a wooden tomb that buried him within.

"Holy crap!"

"What's going on?"

In a narrow, cramped room, there was a round wooden table and three men.

Xiao Qixiu sat upright, though the sword usually on his back was now resting beside his knees. He shook his head earnestly, saying, "I don't drink! You all know that true sword cultivators don't get drunk on wine; they get drunk on the sword. Drinking only disturbs my mind, and if I continue like this, my sword will lose its precision."

Qiao Qianzhi snorted, spraying wine onto the old man's face opposite him, and immediately felt awkward. "Uh, sorry, I didn't mean to." He turned to Xiao Qixiu, barely suppressing his laughter. "You say that as if not drinking will lead to great progress in your swordsmanship?"

Xiao Qixiu smiled faintly, "I have indeed made some progress." He turned to the old man who was wiping his face. "Elder Sang, now that you're back, do you plan to stay for good?"

The old man still had a few blades of grass clinging to his head. He glared at Qiao Qianzhi, picked up his wine glass, and drained it.

"I'll stay a bit longer for now!" He looked at the empty glass and suddenly said, "You can be drunk on both wine and the sword!"

Xiao Qixiu was about to retort when the old man added, "It's a pity you can't do it, otherwise the Eighth Sword Immortal would be yours..."

Qiao Qianzhi couldn't hold back and burst out laughing, "Hahaha ha ha ha..."

Xiao Qixiu: "..."

Just then, the long sword beside his knees hummed and vibrated violently.

The three men exchanged glances, each seeing surprise in the others' eyes.

Xiao Qixiu grasped the humming sword and listened attentively. Images of everything nearby immediately appeared in his mind.

Sky Mulberry Spirit Palace, Outer Court.

A gentle evening breeze blew, as a disciple strolled along, carrying his sword and contemplating life. Suddenly, the sword in his arms began to stir restlessly, trying to break free. He was greatly alarmed and quickly pressed down on his sword, only to discover that everyone around him, as long as they were sword cultivators, was experiencing the same thing.

"Clang—"

Sword hums rose from all directions, surprisingly coalescing into a single, harmonious sound, resonating through half of the Outer Court.

"What's going on?"

All the disciples were dumbfounded.

"Sword hum for a mile, acquired sword intent?" the old man said calmly.

"Indeed!" Xiao Qixiu nodded, immediately stood up, and exclaimed in surprise: "I didn't expect another disciple in the Outer Court to have cultivated acquired sword intent. Coupled with the two innate spirit refiners and one innate body cultivator discovered earlier, the quality of this batch of Outer Court disciples is truly exceptional."

"Innate body cultivator?" The old man was surprised; he even put down his wine glass, seemingly pondering something. Then, he changed the subject, saying, "I recall the last time sword intent appeared, it was that girl Su Qianqian, right?"

"Yes, innate sword intent," he added.

Xiao Qixiu looked impatient, but still replied: "Su Qianqian is incomparable; she's a true genius. With one of the continent's twenty-one famous swords in her hand, even I covet it immensely."

"Stop pretending, go take a look!" Elder Qiao, who was beside him, also stood up. "You clearly can't hold back, yet you insist on lingering here."

Xiao Qixiu awkwardly scratched his head.

The old man chuckled, "Go on!"

The two rushed out the door.

"Tsk tsk..."

The old man remained unhurried, as if acquired sword intent was simply not enough to pique his interest. He drained the remaining wine from his flask, picked up the straw hat from behind him and put it on, took a walking stick from behind the door, and slowly departed.

After a long while, he returned, closed the door, and left once more.