parentshiftbook Chapter 12 Such a pure and immaculate sword heart!
Chapter 12 Such a pure and immaculate sword heart!
The assessment ended, and the clamor of the crowd still echoed in the square, but the restless atmosphere had quietly shifted to a deeper undercurrent.
As Lin Mu left with Shi Tie, he could clearly feel countless gazes directed at him—some shocked, some curious, some questioning, and some greedy!
He ignored it, lazily yawning as he left, his steps still casual and unhurried.
Shi Tie, following beside Lin Mu, finally couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Master, what do you think of that classmate named Ling Chen? Could you teach him a thing or two?"
As early as when his master reminded him to be careful of this boy with the broken sword, he already had the idea of making the boy his junior brother!
He could not forget the fleeting loneliness and unwillingness in the boy's eyes when he drew his sword, nor could he forget the glimmer of hope that appeared in the boy's eyes when he looked at Lin Mu!
He understood that feeling perfectly! It was so similar to the feeling he had when he grabbed onto that straw that Lin Mu offered him in his desperate situation!
"He's excellent!" Lin Mu said calmly, "far better than I imagined! But taking him as a disciple can't be rushed. Don't worry, once I've set my sights on someone, they won't escape!"
Upon hearing this, Shi Tie nodded as if he understood, and then asked no more questions. He trusted his master's judgment! Similarly, he was also confident that Ling Chen would never refuse such an opportunity to become stronger!
……
When the two returned to the familiar open space behind the mountain, the sun had already set, leaving only a dark red ember on the horizon.
"How do you feel about today's battle?" Lin Mu casually sat down on a blue stone and asked Shi Tie in front of him.
Shi Tie carefully recalled his performance in today's match, then earnestly replied, "Master, I felt that everything went very smoothly when I made my move today. Xiao Chenyu's attack, in my opinion, was full of flaws."
"Moreover, when I throw a punch, I can clearly feel the spiritual energy in my body beginning to subtly merge with the intent of the punch. Although it is still very weak, it is definitely there."
"Yes, this is the formal introduction to the 'Mountain-Splitting Fist'." Lin Mu nodded slightly, then continued, "You must remember this feeling. The 'intention' of the 'Mountain-Splitting Fist' has been planted in your heart. You only need to practice diligently in the future, and it will naturally take root and sprout. However..."
Lin Mu changed the subject, looking at Shi Tie with a serious expression and asking, "Are you feeling proud of yourself today?"
Shi Tie was taken aback, and quickly bowed, explaining, "This disciple wouldn't dare! This disciple knows that if it weren't for Master teaching me immortal techniques and martial arts, I would still be a lump of mud at the mercy of others. How could I be proud? It's just that the unhappiness I've been suppressing for so long due to being bullied couldn't help but be released at that moment. This disciple knows his mistake and begs Master to punish him!"
"Hmm, good that you know." Lin Mu's tone softened slightly, then he continued, "I understand how you feel. I just want to tell you that the first level of Body Refinement is merely stepping into the gate of cultivation. The road ahead is long, so you must remain humble and prudent. Trash like Xiao Chenyu isn't worthy of being your opponent. You should set your sights on those top geniuses, understand?"
"Yes, disciple will remember!" Shi Tie said very respectfully.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Don't forget to continue your cultivation when you get back, and make sure to consolidate what you've learned today."
"Yes, Master!" Shi Tie bowed to Lin Mu and then turned to leave. He knew that his master had other important matters to attend to.
After Shi Tie's figure disappeared at the end of the mountain path, Lin Mu slowly stood up and turned his gaze to the secluded junk area in the southeast corner of the academy.
At this moment, the mark representing the "Geng Metal Star Position" in his mind was emitting increasingly clear and rapid resonance fluctuations. Who would have thought that the [Innate Dao Diagram], which was an external cheat, would be so impatient!
"The Immaculate Sword Body, one hundred percent innate compatibility..." Lin Mu muttered to himself, a rare solemnity flashing in his eyes. "Such talent is probably one in a million! It seems I have to make the trip myself."
However, accepting a disciple also depends on fate and timing, especially for a young man like Ling Chen who is proud and has closed himself off. If one were to rashly express one's purpose, it might backfire.
As night deepened, Lin Mu, like a wisp of smoke, silently disappeared into the darkness, heading towards the direction he sensed in his mind.
……
In a corner of the junkyard, Ling Chen was still sitting by the abandoned wooden crate, but this time he was no longer wiping the broken sword in his hand.
He simply kept his head down, gripping the sword hilt tightly with both hands, his mind replaying everything that had happened that day.
The scene of Ling Chen severing the opponent's martial soul with a single sword strike today left a deep impression on Shi Tie; conversely, Shi Tie's punch, as heavy as a mountain and as devastating as a tumbleweed, also shocked Ling Chen.
"That power..." he murmured, his voice hoarse, "It wasn't just simple soul power either; it had the same primal aura as the sword strike I unleashed today!"
For six years, he has been polishing the broken sword that accompanied his awakening day after day, feeling the faint, almost imperceptible connection between it and himself.
He even once thought that he might really be a complete waste, and that the broken sword was just a piece of relatively hard scrap iron.
And yet today, when Jiang Chao's iron rod, imbued with soul power, hurtled towards him, and when the long-suppressed resentment and despair in his heart were about to break through his reason—this sword actually moved on its own.
Yes, at that moment, it wasn't that he was controlling the sword, but rather that the sword was guiding him to swing it.
The feeling was mysterious and profound, as if another version of myself had pierced through the sword and unleashed the sword that severed the martial spirit! Deep within the sword, something that had been dormant for countless years seemed to awaken at that moment.
Now, that thing has fallen into a deep sleep again, and the broken sword is still covered in rust and lifeless.
"Could it really be because of... Lin Mu?" He suddenly raised his head and looked towards the dark back mountain.
That gatekeeper must possess a secret that could transform Shi Tie, and could that secret also illuminate his own stagnant pool of despair?
Once the flame of hope is ignited, it is hard to extinguish. Even knowing that he may face even deeper disappointment again, the temptation is like an abyss, drawing him slowly into it!
Just as his heart was surging with emotion, unable to contain himself—
"Clang!" A clear and melodious sword sound suddenly burst forth from the broken sword in his hand without warning!
This time, it was no longer a weak tremor as before. A dazzling white-gold light suddenly burst forth from the rusty sword!
The light was not dazzling, but it carried a chilling sword intent that could cut through everything and was unstoppable, instantly illuminating this dark corner!
Ling Chen stared in horror at the broken sword in his hand that seemed to have come alive. This white-gold light was not soul power, but it was far purer and more... nobler than any soul power he had ever seen!
Almost simultaneously, a calm voice, tinged with surprise, suddenly rang out not far behind him: "Oh? It can actually summon the innate Gengjin sword energy on its own? What a pure and immaculate sword heart!"
Ling Chen shuddered violently, turned around abruptly, and instinctively held the broken sword in front of him. The white-gold sword energy flickered erratically, casting a grim and murderous aura on his pale face.
A young man dressed in an old gray robe appeared out of nowhere, standing three zhang away, and was examining him with great interest... the sword in his hand.