Chapter 306: Sword Heart Initially Formed

Jiang Fan's lips twitched slightly. This old man was truly narcissistic about his swordsmanship. He found it difficult to discourage him. Cupping his hands, he humbly said, "Senior, your swordsmanship is profound and unfathomable; it's indeed difficult for a junior like me to comprehend it at once."

Xu Qingyang nodded slightly; this was within his expectations. "Don't be discouraged. It's normal to find it difficult. If you could comprehend it easily, I would suspect I gave you the wrong sword manual." He offered a word of comfort, then instructed, "For this swordsmanship, try to comprehend it once or twice more. If you still find it too challenging, give up. Remember not to get too engrossed in it."

Jiang Fan secretly shook his head, thinking, 'I was just being polite, and he's taking it seriously.' Not wanting to hear the old man brag any longer, he nodded and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior. I'll take my leave!"

Upon leaving the carriage, he saw Xu Yining looking at him with surprise. "Healed?" she asked. Jiang Fan nodded, "It wasn't a big problem."

Xu Yining thought it over and agreed. If it were a serious injury, it wouldn't have been healed in such a short time. She nodded her pretty head slightly, then asked curiously, "Did that senior give you anything good?" Since the old man was Ling Jinghu's friend, his status wouldn't be low. He wouldn't be so stingy as to give nothing after healing him, right?

Jiang Fan hesitated for a moment, then said, "He gave me half a cultivation technique." Xu Yining was greatly surprised. Who was that old man? To casually give away a cultivation technique for treating a minor injury?

In the Nine Sect Lands today, cultivation techniques were extremely valuable and rare, not easily passed on. She couldn't help but envy, "If I'd known, I would have learned some medical skills. Picking up an injured senior would make you rich."

Jiang Fan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Get rich? How? That swordsmanship didn't even have a name or a rank, and it was only half a scroll. He didn't even know what he had received.

Just then, Ling Jinghu also got out of the carriage and waved at Xu Yining, "Miss Xu, please come here for a moment." Hearing this, Xu Yining immediately stepped forward and respectfully asked, "Elder Ling, how may I help you?" Ling Jinghu looked at her kindly and said, "It's a pity you're already a disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect. Otherwise, I might consider taking you as my personal disciple." Xu Yining was overwhelmed with flattery. The person in front of her was a Grand Elder of the Joyful Union Sect! Her aptitude was ordinary; how could she be worthy of such favor? "Thank you for your kindness, Elder Ling. I am immensely grateful," she politely replied.

Ling Jinghu sighed repeatedly. Ultimately, she felt uncomfortable receiving Jiang Fan's favor for free. Otherwise, she wouldn't feel at ease consuming that priceless mid-grade Primordial Condensing Pill. Therefore, after much thought, she took out a jade slip she carried with her and said, "This is the cultivation method I've practiced for many years. It's a high-grade Profound-tier technique. I'll give it to you now."

Xu Yining was startled. A high-grade Profound-tier technique? In the Azure Cloud Sect, only elders were allowed to cultivate such techniques. Moreover, it was a very rare mind cultivation technique among all cultivation methods. She waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!" How could she accept such a tremendous gift without any reason?

Ling Jinghu pushed it into her arms, saying, "Don't be modest. Your friend healed my... friend's illness. When he was happy, he also gave me a treasure. I'll consider this favor repaid through you." Jiang Fan had intervened because he had protected Xu Yining. Repaying the favor through her was the best solution.

Xu Yining looked surprised: "Elder Ling, Shadow Guard Number One only healed a minor injury. Does your old friend really need to give such a valuable gift?" She found it incomprehensible.

Minor injury? Ling Jinghu was stunned for a moment, "Don't you know that your friend is a great divine physician?" Divine physician? Shadow Guard Number One? Xu Yining froze, murmuring, "How could he be a divine physician?" She had never heard of it!

Ling Jinghu said meaningfully, "It seems you don't know much about your friend! He is not only a divine physician but also one who inherited the Peerless Immortal Medical Arts." What? Xu Yining was utterly shocked. Looking at Shadow Guard Number One, who was leading a new carriage, her eyes were filled with awe and a sense of unfamiliarity. The friend with whom she had left Lone Boat City. When had he grown into a top divine physician in the Nine Sect Lands?

"Elder Ling, Yining, I exchanged for a new carriage from a tea customer. This one is newer and more comfortable. The senior is injured, so let him take this one." Ling Jinghu's eyes lit up slightly, and she praised, "You are indeed meticulous!" This was a good opportunity to make a good impression on Xu Qingyang. She hadn't thought of it, but Jiang Fan had. Saying this, she couldn't help but glance at the several thoughtless Joyful Union Sect disciples and reprimanded them: "Each of you is like a block of wood. Learn more from him! Understanding social graces can save you several years of struggle!" The innocent Joyful Union Sect disciples, who were caught in the crossfire, looked sullen. 'Who did we offend?'

Jiang Fan gave an embarrassed chuckle, "Stop talking, quickly arrange for the senior to be in the new carriage." How could he be thinking about the old man's injuries? He was worried about his purple sword and zither hidden under the carriage being discovered.

Soon, Xu Qingyang was settled into the brand-new carriage. Jiang Fan, driving his own carriage, followed not too far behind. With not only Ling Jinghu but also her old friend on this trip, there was no need to worry about safety. He rarely felt so relaxed. Hesitantly, he took out the half-scroll of swordsmanship the old man had given him and read it carefully.

"Cultivate sword qi externally, nurture sword heart internally; where the heart leads, the sword points..." Jiang Fan murmured. A strange expression appeared on his face: "Is this swordsmanship? Why does it feel so strange?" Pondering, he seriously perceived the wisps of sword qi within it.

An hour later, his gaze suddenly sharpened. He formed a sword with two fingers and pointed it skyward! "Rise!" With a low shout, the Sorrowfrost Sword on his back clanged and unsheathed itself in mid-air, without any external force! Because it was only a test, it only came halfway out before weakly falling back into its scabbard. "This..." Jiang Fan was startled: "What kind of swordsmanship is this? It can actually control a flying sword from a distance? Could it be the legendary Sword Control Art?" He recalled the scene outside Joyful Union City that day, where a mysterious expert pointed a finger, and a long sword flew like an arrow to kill an enemy from afar. Could what he was cultivating be a similar Sword Control Art? Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel excited. He quickly sat cross-legged and focused on cultivating according to the method he had comprehended.

In the carriage ahead, Xu Qingyang, who had been resting with his eyes closed to recover, suddenly sat up. A hint of surprise shot from his old eyes. Ling Jinghu, who was attending to him, was startled by his action and asked, "Senior Xu, what's wrong?" Xu Qingyang showed an uncertain expression and asked, surprised, "Someone was just performing the Sword Control Art."

Uh— Ling Jinghu was taken aback. In the Nine Sect Lands, aren't you the only one who masters the Sword Control Art? She comforted him, "Senior Xu, perhaps you misheard?" But Xu Qingyang suddenly stood up and said, "There's no mistake! I felt the fluctuation of a sword heart; someone has cultivated the Sword Control Art! Who is it?"