Chapter 55: World's Number One Swordplay

"I am the Hall Master of the Rain Hall of the Sacred Cult, known as the Little Rain Master. How fares your cultivation of the mystic arts?"

Qin Mu stepped into the adjacent chamber. Within stood a woman, her face adorned with peculiar纹样 (wén yàng - patterns), her head crowned with feathers and a headdress. In her hand, she clutched a bamboo staff, its twenty-four sections, corresponding to the twenty-four solar terms, bound with the tail of some unknown beast. With a laugh, the woman declared, "In this chamber, we shall test the mystic arts!"

Qin Mu shook his head. "I know nothing of mystic arts. Can those of the Spirit Embryo realm even cultivate them?"

The woman laughed heartily. "Why not? Vital energy is the very essence of mystic power. With it, one can perform spells. The Cult Leader's wife is the paramount figure in our cult when it comes to mystic arts. Did she not impart any knowledge to you? I, in the Spirit Embryo realm, already roamed the jianghu, performing spells to conjure rain for the common folk. Whenever drought struck, the common people would invite me, and they called me 'witch'. Later, as my cultivation deepened and my fame grew, I was known as the Little Rain Master. By the grace of the Cult Leader, he held me in high esteem and appointed me as the Hall Master of the Rain Hall. Yet, I am still far inferior to the Cult Leader's wife. In the past, she was chosen as the Saintess; I was not."

Qin Mu's brow furrowed in confusion. "How does one fight using mystic arts?"

The Rain Hall Master brought a hand to her forehead and sighed. "How can you be so utterly ignorant? Since ancient times, the conflict between mystic arts and martial skills has been unending. Those who cultivate mystic arts and those who cultivate martial skills have often engaged in deadly battles, each considering the other a heresy that must be extinguished. Now, everyone meets with a semblance of cordiality, but in the past, if you encountered a mystic arts cultivator and declared you cultivated martial skills, you would be sliced into pieces in the blink of an eye! The combat prowess of the mystic arts lineage is far beyond your imagination!"

Qin Mu's curiosity was piqued. "Does the sword control technique belong to mystic arts?"

"It does not," the Rain Hall Master shook her head. "The sword control technique was originally a part of martial skills. Later, the divine ability practitioners of the sword control technique deemed themselves the orthodox path, proclaiming themselves the 'Divine Ability School.' They declared that cultivating martial skills and mystic arts were the ways of evil demons and heretics, and that they must be eradicated. Thus, there was the grand assembly convened by the Yan Kang National Teacher, who challenged the martial skills experts of the world with his sword, crippling the martial skills lineage. Did the Cult Leader's wife not tell you any of this?"

Qin Mu frowned. "Why are they always in conflict? Martial skills, sword techniques, and mystic arts – are they not all divine abilities? Would it not be better to combine the strengths of all three?"

The Rain Hall Master could neither cry nor laugh at his naivete. "A person's energy is limited. Where would they find the time to cultivate all three schools to profound depths? Researching even one will exhaust a lifetime's time and wisdom, and still it is difficult to cultivate to the extreme. Since everyone cultivates different things, there will inevitably be disputes of superiority and inferiority. Each is convinced of their own path, and thus they naturally engage in battles to the death."

Qin Mu's spirit was invigorated. "Sister, show me your mystic arts! I have never seen them before!"

The Rain Hall Master lifted her slender jade hand, her five fingers pointing downwards. With a single flick and shake, mist surged forth within the chamber, followed by a gentle drizzle.

Qin Mu observed carefully. The rainwater, upon reaching the ground, flowed upwards along the walls, circulating in a continuous loop.

The Rain Hall Master waved her hand, and the rain lines became clearly distinct, like strings. The Rain Hall Master spread her ten fingers and plucked the rain lines. Within the chamber, the resonant sound of a zither filled the air. Amidst the zither's melody, the rainwater transformed into a roaring water flood dragon, surging towards Qin Mu!

Qin Mu extended his hand, pinching the water flood dragon at its seven-inch mark. With a 'pa' sound, the water flood dragon shattered into countless droplets.

The Rain Hall Master was startled. Both her hands rapidly plucked the zither strings. The rainwater actually transformed into knives, spears, swords, and halberds, attacking Qin Mu from all directions. Their speed was incredibly fast, and the air temperature rapidly plummeted, causing the rainwater to freeze. The transformed knives, spears, swords, and halberds became even more powerful!

Qin Mu's ten fingers flicked continuously, shattering the attacking knives, spears, swords, and halberds. "So this is mystic arts," he said. "Sister, is this move of mine also considered mystic arts?"

His hands suddenly burst into blazing flames. Using his hand as a blade, he continuously chopped, sending the Rain Hall Master flying.

The Rain Hall Master tumbled into the courtyard, her voice filled with surprise and anger. "You… you heretic of the martial skills lineage, using martial skills as mystic arts…"

Qin Mu walked into the next chamber. Within, he saw a burly, bearded man, half-kneeling and half-sitting. Beside him lay a long, rectangular sword box, secured tightly with bronze fasteners.

"I am the Hall Master of the Sword Hall," the big man said, not rising from his half-kneeling, half-sitting posture. "You carry a sword pouch; you should also understand sword arts. Today, we shall test our sword arts."

Qin Mu shook his head. "I have not learned sword arts."

The Sword Hall Master lifted his head, surprised. "You haven't learned sword arts? Then why do you carry a sword pouch? Has the Cult Leader's wife not taught you sword arts?"

Qin Mu shook his head. "Grandma says there is a person in the village who possesses the world's foremost sword arts, so she cannot pass on the Heavenly Demon Cult's sword arts to me, lest the other person not teach."

"The world's foremost sword arts?" The Sword Hall Master's tiger eyes glared round, his gaze remarkably sharp, like two sword lights piercing directly into Qin Mu's heart. He let out a cold laugh. "Who dares to boast so? Learn one move of sword arts from him, and I want to see how much the so-called world's foremost sword can surpass our Sacred Cult's!"

Qin Mu blinked. "I have also learned other things, like the Thunder Sound Eight Styles, the Steal Heaven Divine Leg, the Kill Pig Knife Art, and I've learned spear arts, painting, hammer arts…"

The Sword Hall Master gently stroked the sword box beside him and said coldly, "I only wish to see your so-called world's foremost sword arts! The rest is all nonsense!"

Helpless, Qin Mu could only leave the wooden building and return to Cripple Old Village to explain the situation to Granny Si.

Granny Si fumed. "That dead stiff-minded Sword Hall, he doesn't know how to be flexible! And you, Mu'er, use your knife to chop him! Chop this fellow to death with a flurry of chaotic knives, that's fine!"

Qin Mu stammered, "Victory… victory is not martial."

Granny Si led him by the hand to the village entrance. There, the Village Chief and the Apothecary were still boiling tea, and the young Ancestral Master sat opposite, the three of them drinking together.

"Village Chief, the Sword Hall Master insists on competing in sword arts with Mu'er," Granny Si said, her eyes narrowed in a smile. "How about you teach him a couple of moves?"

The Village Chief frowned and shook his head. "In a short time, even with my guidance, it will be very difficult to surpass the opponent. After all, the Sword Hall Master has been immersed in sword arts for who knows how many years and has achieved his own mastery. For you to ask me to teach him a couple of moves and expect him to surpass the Sword Hall Master is pushing things a bit too far."

"However, fortunately, Mu'er is the Tyrant Body, isn't he?" Granny Si blinked her eyes and said.

"Tyrant Body…" The Village Chief's eyelid twitched. He felt a pang of regret, his intestines turning green with it.

After all, Qin Mu was the Tyrant Body that he had "determined with one bite." He knew the root of the matter. Qin Mu awakening his Spirit Embryo was already beyond his imagination, but to expect Qin Mu to cultivate his sword arts to the level of contending against the Heavenly Demon Cult's most outstanding sword arts expert in a short period of time was still pushing things too far.

Granny Si had thrust this task upon him, and yet he couldn't refuse.

The Village Chief pondered for a moment. "Mu'er, recite the Danxin Jue that you learned from Gu Linuan to me."

Qin Mu immediately recited the Danxin Jue. The Village Chief nodded lightly and praised, "The Yan Kang National Teacher has gathered the world's sword dao experts and indeed achieved some success. The sword control technique of the Danxin Jue does possess unique secrets."

The young Ancestral Master opposite him also praised, "The Yan Kang National Teacher is a genius."

The Village Chief said, "How did Gu Linuan explain the Danxin Jue to you? Tell me."

Qin Mu recounted Gu Linuan's explanation. The Village Chief pondered for a moment, then laughed. "Gu Linuan concealed some things."

He pointed out the errors within the explanation. Qin Mu immediately tried the places he had modified. Then, controlling his sword with qi, he felt that controlling the sword was even easier, and his sword strikes were faster. In his heart, he greatly admired the Village Chief.

The young Ancestral Master's eyes lit up, and he laughed. "Gu Linuan didn't conceal anything; rather, his comprehension was limited, far inferior to yours, Dao Brother. You have only listened once, yet you have thoroughly comprehended all the wonders of the Danxin Jue, while he has cultivated it his entire life, yet still practiced incorrectly."

"Dao Brother is too kind." The Village Chief looked at Qin Mu and said unhurriedly, "I will not teach you sword arts. I will only teach you one simple action: thrust."

"Thrust?" Qin Mu was momentarily startled. Thrusting was not a simple action? Controlling a sword with vital energy and thrusting it forward – did that still need to be taught?

"Using a sword to thrust is not as simple as you imagine. You may not know sword arts, but as long as you learn this one action of thrusting, among the Spirit Embryo realm's sword arts experts in the world, there will be few who can surpass you."

The Village Chief said, "Use an ordinary sword and control it with qi. Try to thrust through the pillar of the meat shop."

Qin Mu activated the Danxin Jue. Threads of vital energy as thick as his arm curled around a treasure sword from his sword pouch and thrust towards the pillar of the village's meat shop.

Thud.

Qin Mu's sword pierced through the meat shop pillar. The sword tip emerged from the back of the pillar. Then, the herding boy turned his head and looked at the Village Chief.

The Village Chief's expression stiffened. He coughed once and said, "Try to thrust through this rock."

Qin Mu rolled his vital energy, pulled the treasure sword out of the pillar, and with a 'ding' sound, the sharp sword pierced through a mountain rock in front of the Village Chief. The herding boy again turned his head, looking innocently at the Village Chief's stiff expression.

The young Ancestral Master was both surprised and amused. He could only suppress his laughter to avoid being rude.

"I forgot, this boy's vital energy cultivation is extremely deep. His sword arts are awful, but his vital energy is incredibly abundant. With vital energy bolstering his strength, his power multiplies." The Village Chief was embarrassed, coughing continuously to cover it up. He said, "Now, try to thrust through your pig-slaughtering knife."

A crisp 'ding' sound echoed. This time, Qin Mu did not pierce through the pig-slaughtering knife.

"Good that he didn't pierce through it, otherwise there would be no way to teach him…" The Village Chief secretly relaxed and patiently guided, "When you thrust that sword, what did you feel?"

Qin Mu thought carefully, then his eyes brightened. "I felt my vital energy was not strong enough. When controlling the sword with qi, the sword tip slightly obstructed my vital energy, and I could no longer continue, as if I had a body full of strength yet was using a hair to strike people. The vital energy threads are too soft and cannot bear all of my strength."