Once the crack appeared, it was impossible to stop. It grew rapidly, and within two breaths, the entire character was covered in dense, spiderweb-like lines.
"What… what's happening?" Zhang Xu and the others jumped in alarm. It had been fine just a moment ago; why did it break?
"It was you?" Zhang Qin was the first to react, turning sharply to look at Zhang Xuan. This guy causes destruction wherever he goes. He just looked at the "sword" character for a moment, and it turned out like this. Besides him, it was hard to imagine who else could have done it!
Ignoring his skepticism, Zhang Xuan closed his eyes. A fierce sword qi within him soared straight towards the sky, growing stronger and stronger, as if it were about to pierce the heavens.
Buzz, buzz, buzz! The long swords on the weapon rack in the corner trembled ceaselessly, as if under immense pressure. They dared not move, filled with dread. Not only that, Zhang Hen and the others also felt their cultivated sword qi becoming uncontrollable, constantly converging towards the young man before them. It was as if a giant magnet inside him was continuously drawing in and subjugating the sword qi.
"Is it… the True Understanding of Swordsmanship?" Zhang Qin's face turned pale.
"We've all comprehended the True Understanding of Swordsmanship. How can it possess such immense power?" Zhang Hen was also startled. Being able to stand out among the many Zhang family disciples in swordsmanship indicated they had already grasped the True Understanding, no weaker than the older generation of experts. But when *they* comprehended it, it wasn't this terrifying! Thousands of swords submitting, sword qi feeling terrified, and even the "sword" character shattering… How could an ordinary True Understanding possess such power?
"It's… True Understanding Fusion!" Zhang Xu exclaimed, remembering something. His previously scarlet birthmark seemed to grow more menacing, whether from fear or shock, it was hard to tell.
"True Understanding Fusion?" The other two looked at him, completely puzzled.
"The True Understanding of Swordsmanship is divided into five types, which I'm sure you've heard of…" Zhang Xu explained.
Both nodded simultaneously. The five types of True Understanding of Swordsmanship—Strength, Defense, Agility, Speed, and Void—they had learned about these after comprehending their own.
"Of these five True Understandings, it's easy for those of us skilled in swordsmanship to comprehend one. Those with high talent might comprehend two, like the Family Head and Sword Saint Meng, who are said to have comprehended at least two!" Zhang Xu continued, his lips dry as he spoke: "However, some truly gifted super-experts can comprehend more than two. Once they reach three, the True Understandings gradually merge, resulting in True Understanding Fusion! Experts who achieve this experience rapid advancement in their comprehension of swordsmanship, reaching an incredible level…"
Zhang Hen and Zhang Qin staggered again, their faces filled with disbelief: "You mean he's comprehended three True Understandings?"
"How is that possible? He's only twenty! Even if he started learning swordsmanship in the womb, he couldn't achieve that…" They had spent countless efforts learning just one True Understanding. For a twenty-year-old to comprehend three… and even fuse them? Could such a formidable genius truly exist in the world? This was no longer just talent; it was terrifying!
"Other than that, I really can't think of what else it could be…" Zhang Xu shook his head, paused, and said: "If you don't believe me, keep watching. Although this 'sword' character has shattered, it will likely sense the correct aura and reform…"
"Reform?" The two were stunned.
"When our ancestor left behind this 'sword' character, although he had comprehended the True Understanding of Speed in swordsmanship, it wasn't perfectly flawless. So, he left instructions that if any descendant comprehended the 'Speed' True Understanding to a level surpassing his, the character would automatically shatter and be replaced by what that person comprehended… I only heard the patriarch mention this once, and I never expected it to be true!" Zhang Xu explained.
The ancestor left the "sword" character to make it easier for future generations to learn, but… was the ancestor necessarily the most correct? Not necessarily! Therefore, to put it plainly, this character merely provided a path, not a true True Understanding, much less something perfectly aligned with the Grand Dao. Otherwise, it wouldn't have developed such menacing cracks immediately after encountering True Understanding Fusion. If the Grand Dao was the greatest treasure in the world, then the True Understanding was the entrance to that place. From the entrance to the treasure, there was still an unknown distance to travel. But with an entrance, as long as one diligently moved forward, they would eventually find it… What the ancestor comprehended was an entrance, but a relatively narrow one. If someone comprehended something more expansive than his, it would naturally replace it.
Crash! As the three spoke, the cracks on the "sword" character could no longer withstand the pressure and tore open with a crash. As soon as the character shattered, a new sword intent surged skyward, once again pressing them immobile. Immediately after, the scattered sword qi throughout the room rapidly condensed, gathering straight onto the wall.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle! The aura surged like a tide. In the blink of an eye, a large character reappeared on the empty wall. Just like before, it was the "sword" character. From a distance, this character appeared identical to the previous one in form, size, and aura—not even a slight difference.
"What's going on?" Zhang Qin quickly looked at Zhang Xu, utterly bewildered. One was destroyed, and another appeared, with no discernible difference in aura. Could *this* character truly surpass the ancestor's?
"Don't look with your physical eyes; use your sword intent…" Seeing his confusion, Zhang Xu advised.
"Use our sword intent?" Zhang Qin and Zhang Hen exchanged glances, still perplexed.
"It means to sense the sword intent within you and allow it to perceive the character above!" Zhang Xu further explained.
"I'll try…" Zhang Qin, half-understanding, performed an inner introspection, sensing the sword intent he had comprehended within himself. He slowly controlled it to spread outward, and it soon made contact with the wall. In that instant, his entire body froze. The sword character on the wall seemed to impress itself directly onto his mind. Although it appeared identical to the previous one, it no longer possessed the same fierceness. Instead, it gave off a sense of being simpler and easier to integrate with the Grand Dao. It still elucidated the profound mystery of speed, yet this "sword" character pointed directly to the heart. It was as if the moment he "saw" it, his entire being transformed into speed, swimming freely in an ocean of sword qi.
"So… the True Understanding we've comprehended for so many years contained so many errors…" Zhang Qin's body trembled, and tears streamed down his face, unnoticed. To hear the Dao in the morning, and die content in the evening! This was precisely how he felt now. Only upon "seeing" this character before him did he realize how laughable his efforts over the years had been. If the ancestor's comprehension was likened to a narrow doorway allowing only people to pass, then the opponent's was a wide passage through which chariots and horses could freely rampage. If one cultivated based on this, their future progress would be at least twice as fast as before! A twenty-year-old, after merely looking for less than ten minutes, had comprehended something deeper than them… even surpassing the ancestor… Was he even human?
He looked towards the young man again, seeing him with his head slightly raised, lost in thought, an intense loneliness emanating from him.
[1 minute from now] Chapter 27: Humble Status
[20 seconds ago] Chapter 1784: The Goddess's Kiss
[27 seconds ago] Chapter 1790: Overstepping Boundaries
[4 minutes ago] Chapter 1783: Immortal Lord's Wife
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