Above the Galaxy
Chapter 275 - 184: There’s a Thief! _3

Chapter 275: Chapter 184: There’s a Thief! _3

The first Sword Qi couldn’t be suppressed, making him shine brightly at Phoenix’s coming-of-age ceremony. He defeated one of the Seven Stars, Qin Jianyi, and became the most dazzling man at the evening party.

If Shen Xinglan, that show-off, hadn’t arrived riding a bird...

The second Sword Qi was fearless, granting him the ability to defend himself and counterattack when ambushed by the top assassin, Ling Yunxiao, and he narrowly escaped with his life.

Tang Fei used to be ignorant, and that hadn’t changed much even now.

But he knew in his heart that the Sword Manual bestowed by the Evil God brother was indeed powerful, perhaps a rare and exquisite swordsmanship in this world...

At least up to this moment, he hadn’t heard of anyone or any family practicing this Sword Manual.

Thinking of the Evil God brother streaking in the cave, the pain in Tang Fei’s heart was piercing.

If he ever had the chance to return to the Old Land, he must bring a few clothes for Evil God brother to cover his body.

Tang Fei had been stubbornly tackling the third Sword Qi in the Netherworld Scroll recently.

He had watched the sword movements countless times and memorized them thoroughly, yet when he tried to execute them himself, he always felt restrained.

Tang Fei was not discouraged and continued to practice day after day, night after night.

While Tang Fei was practicing swordsmanship at the Star-picking Platform, Xuanyuan Mingjing came over with his hands behind his back.

The Star-picking Platform was just behind the grape courtyard of Xuanyuan Mingjing, a place where one could sever clouds with a single strike.

Tang Fei hadn’t expected it to have such a poetic name, but he felt it indeed possessed that kind of imposing aura.

With hands that could pluck the stars, he dared not speak loudly, for fear of startling the celestials above.

Knowing that his master was watching behind him, Tang Fei practiced with even greater diligence.

Over and over again...

Until he was drenched in sweat and gasping for air, he stopped, thinking his master would praise him with, "What a diligent and hardworking young man."

Unexpectedly, Xuanyuan Mingjing just glanced at him indifferently and said, "Idiot."

"..."

Tang Fei felt deeply hurt.

If you ignore my heartfelt performance...

To ignore is one thing, but to then insult me with words?

Tang Fei knelt down with a thump and said, "Master, please enlighten me."

He had often asked Xuanyuan Mingjing questions before, and Xuanyuan Mingjing always told him to practice more.

Now that he had taken the initiative to ask, Tang Fei would not let this opportunity pass.

"When you strike with that sword, don’t you feel as if your body is stiff, your Sword Intent hard to resonate, and your Yin Yang Qi blocked and unflowing?" Xuanyuan Mingjing couldn’t be bothered to help Tang Fei up from his kneeling position; if he wished to kneel, then let him kneel properly.

"Yes, Master. I always feel that my body, the sword moves, and the Yin Yang Qi are three separate entities, not interfering with each other, difficult to integrate... I have the sword technique but not the Sword Qi. With both the sword technique and Sword Qi, my body struggles to perform that action... And even when forced, it’s extremely strenuous."

"What do you think is the problem?" asked Xuanyuan Mingjing.

"I do not know," Tang Fei answered.

If I knew what the problem was, wouldn’t I just find a way to solve it?

"I have seen the first two swords of this Sword Manual. They emphasize constancy, being fast, fierce, and dark, direct and straightforward, with one strike defeating the enemy. But this one focuses on ’innumerable changes’..."

"Innumerable changes?"

"Yes. Influenced by the first two swords, you are too focused on the technique, and then you forget ’to change’..."

Xuanyuan Mingjing extended his hand, and the long sword in Tang Fei’s grasp fell into his hand.

He waved it casually and said, "Like the wind, like lightning, as if commanding one’s own limb... Following the sword, the sword follows the heart... Is this sword technique contrary to your heart’s intent?"

"Yes, it felt comfortable to me to move in a certain way, but its technique takes another, more tricky and strange approach... Master, are you saying there’s a problem with this sword technique?"

"No, it’s your problem."

"???"

"The sword move I just mimicked was your last one, do you feel anything uncomfortable about it?"

"No, it’s like a fish in water, moving with ease..." Tang Fei, with astonishment on his face, looked at Xuanyuan Mingjing and asked, "Master, why is that? When I use it, it feels awkward, yet when you use it, there’s no discomfort at all?"

"Because I am the Great Grandmaster."

"..."

"Do you think I’m just bragging?"

"The disciple dares not, it’s just that I... don’t understand..." Tang Fei was on the verge of tears.

Master, can you just tell me clearly?

If you keep talking in such a roundabout way, I’ll get dizzy.

"All methods converge to one, use innumerable changes to respond to the unchanging... Try removing the process of changing moves and see?"

"Remove the changing process?" Tang Fei asked incredulously.

Xuanyuan Mingjing nodded and said, "I don’t know where this Sword Manual of yours comes from, but it is indeed profound and difficult to fathom, a marvel in this world... This sword should only be truly understood upon entering the Grandmaster Realm..."

"But since you’ve practiced up to this point, give it a try... Ask yourself, what is it that you really want with this strike?"

Xuanyuan Mingjing plunged the sword in his hand into the rock-hard ground and walked back to his grape courtyard, hands still behind his back.

Tang Fei sat down with a thud, feeling like he understood something, yet also as if he still didn’t quite get it.

"If I remove all the myriad changes, is this still the same sword move?"

"When I release this sword strike, what exactly is it for? What for?"

"To kill? To injure the enemy? To follow my heart’s desires?"