True Solution of the Sword Dao
Chapter 273: Volume 4 - 261 Nostalgia 1

Chapter 273: Volume 4 Chapter 261 Nostalgia 1

Lin Fei had booked a room for Lin You in a hotel near the first airport. They settled in with one person and one cat. She then gave Lin You more than a thousand yuan as spare cash and directly went to the school.

In the hotel room

Lin You sat on the soft big bed, leaning against the headboard and watching TV.

"Hey, little You," Feil, nestled in her arms, transmitted his voice.

"What’s wrong?"

"Your brother is quite nice to you. Why do you dislike him so much?" Feil asked.

Lin You scoffed, "That’s because you haven’t seen him when he’s angry."

"But he’s still reliable in crucial times, isn’t he?" Feil said softly.

Lin You blushed, "What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing, just suddenly felt something," Feil said suddenly in an aged tone.

"Felt something my foot! This trip to the Capital City has been a complete waste of time and effort, and in the end, we still have to rely on... still have to rely on..."

"On your brother to get back, right?" Feil lay in Lin You’s arms, his tail swaying. "Forget it, I don’t want to argue with you."

"It’s not about arguing!" Lin You said indignantly.

******************

Sword Canon Space

Lin Fei sat cross-legged in the center of the space. On his knees rested the Black Demon Sword in a black scabbard. This sword had, by now, faintly started to emit streams of black aura. Obviously, after many killings, it seemed to have developed a trace of sentience and an intimidating presence.

"The Black Demon Sword originally came from the Shi Family, according to the legendary method of forging the Blood Demon Sword. This replica should also have the ability to grow stronger with more killings," Lin Fei slowly drew the sword, examining it closely.

The silver blade was chillingly white, giving a faint stench of blood despite its clean and shiny appearance. It was as if a handkerchief had just wiped off the blood a moment ago. Moreover, the blade had become even sharper.

"The Star Shattering Sword Art comprises four divisions: Comet Level, Planet Level, Star Level, and Star Shattering Level. I have initially stepped into the real Planet Level. However, I increasingly feel that the inherent power of the Black Demon Sword seems to resist the flow of my True Force. But it’s temporarily suppressed by me. It seems I still need a sword that truly belongs to me," Lin Fei gently closed the Black Demon Sword.

The Sword Imbuing Technique requires the True Qi Realm to be used, and right now, he is just in the True Force Realm. However, because of the copious amounts of True Force continuously coming his way, his Qi Cultivation progress is advancing rapidly, completing the Second Layer and now entering the Third Layer defensive practices. The first realm’s third layer in the Qi Cultivation specifically focuses on enhancing bodily resistance.

Lin Fei had now fully cultivated the first diagram. With an ample amount of True Force, coupled with the foundational nature of the Qi Cultivation, such a cultivation speed was naturally unsurprising, directly using copious amounts of True Force to build up his physical capabilities.

However, Lin Fei was puzzled why no Divine Beast powers appeared in the Second Layer, and it might also be possible in the Third Layer.

Initially, at the First Layer, he had unintentionally triggered some condition that granted him the special ability of the Divine Beast Midge, the Blue Flame. Now, he couldn’t replicate that triggering condition. This probably was why no Divine Beast powers emerged in the Second Layer.

"These are all external pathways. In the Second Layer Planet Level of the Star Shattering Sword Art, I have reached the limit of the True Force Realm. To advance further, I must condense True Qi and enter the True Qi Realm, but the best method is still the Qi Cultivation path. After cultivating through the fifth layer, to directly condense a trace of True Qi and ascend into the True Qi Realm." Even though the Star Shattering Sword Art also includes a subsidiary Qi Cultivation path, according to Ye Yuhua’s explanation, Lin Fei also roughly understood that this subsidiary Qi Cultivation path appears to be significantly inferior to the Qi Cultivation path appendix in the Sword Canon. The Star Shattering Sword Art focuses heavily on strength and the amount of True Force, so its Qi Cultivation path only has two layers, one layer to cultivate bodily strength and another to establish the foundation of the total amount of True Force. Then, one needs to condense a trace of True Qi and enter the True Qi Realm. Compared to the five-layered journey in the Sword Canon’s Qi Cultivation path, it is undoubtedly much inferior.

Moreover, as Ye Yuhua had mentioned, this reinforcement of two types of physical qualities is already considered extremely rare and powerful. Many Qi Cultivation paths only enhance one type of quality, and most do not enhance any quality at all. Such ordinary materials only differ in how True Force drives the effect of sword techniques’ power.

"It’s better to complete the Sword Canon’s Qi Cultivation path before stepping into the True Qi Realm," Lin Fei had made up his mind. Although he could use the Star Shattering Sword Art’s Qi Cultivation path to condense a trace of True Qi and enter the True Qi Realm at any time, it would undeniably make a poorer foundation for future cultivation.

"Now, it’s time to figure out what that sudden Space Evolution Degree was last time." Lin Fei clearly remembered a thing called Space Evolution Degree suddenly appearing in the last prompt of the Sword Canon. He linked it to how the Sword Canon Space had evolved from previously uniform white to now having sky, white clouds, and grassland.

"Sword Canon, how does this space evolution benefit me?" Lin Fei asked directly. He didn’t need to worry about Ye Yuhua or those in golden clothes suddenly coming in and overhearing; everything here, as long as he wishes, remains unseen and untouchable by others. It’s as if everyone has their own independent space, without interference.

Perhaps because the question was a bit vague, the Sword Canon didn’t answer with a voice.

Lin Fei changed the way he asked: "What is the function of the Space Evolution Degree?"

"To strengthen the Sword Canon Space, to expand the area range. To unlock the next phase."

Expand the area range?

"Does that mean, as the Space Evolution Degree increases, the range of this space will also expand? Then what use is the expanded area to me?" Lin Fei pursued.

"Establish a Sect." Sword Canon unexpectedly answered the question.

"Establish a Sect?" Lin Fei was stunned.

"Sect levels from low to high will have the opportunity to choose the Resurrection Sword Technique sects as vassal sword sects. Obtaining a revered title can grant one the relics left by the former Sword Master and others. Appointing roles within the sect will confer special faction-enhancing abilities to them..."

At this, Lin Fei was completely startled, a chain of information flooding into his mind in an instant.

Although he had now found a way to completely operate independently from the Sword Canon, these pieces of information still involuntarily stupefied him for quite a while.

In the data transmitted by the Sword Canon.

Establishing a sect required certain conditions, but once established, all sect members, from low to high, would receive different degrees of enhancement depending on the effects of the sect Sword Art and the evaluation grade of the sect, as well as the corresponding roles of the members. This was tantamount to granting enhanced power to those who joined the sect; those members would undoubtedly be stronger than those who hadn’t. It was a way of indirectly boosting strength.

"Perhaps this is the real purpose of the Sword Canon." Lin Fei realized in his mind, "There are so many advantages to establishing a sect. Clearly, it encourages the Sword Master to establish one, which can both enhance personal strength and grow a loyal subordinate force. No matter what adverse situations one faces, there won’t be a problem. Given that this is said to be the top-level Sword Canon from the Royal Court, the real goal of the Sword Dao True Solution might actually be inheritance." But Lin Fei reconsidered, "What then was that black substance from before? If it had to do with inheritance, it shouldn’t have involved such petty tricks."

From the beginning until now, in every interaction with the Sword Canon, Lin Fei had not detected any signs of intelligence; it seemed merely like a set piece of software equipped with specific functions and abilities, beyond which it remained utterly lifeless.

"If the purpose of the Sword Canon really is heritage, then thinking from another angle, that black substance that I handed over to Sulan Bei’er, the top fighter in Australia, also met the upgrade standards of the Sword Canon, which implies that this black material might just be a type of test. Or maybe it’s a by-product of some side effect. The Sword Canon doesn’t care how I deal with it; as long as I resolve it, it considers the conditions fulfilled," Lin Fei mused carefully. He increasingly felt his conjecture might be getting closer to reality.

"So what conditions are needed to establish a sect?"

"Creating your own set of Sword Techniques, at a minimum reaching an Intermediate Level."

Lin Fei no longer spoke; the sheer difficulty of creating one’s own Sword Techniques was undoubtedly unquestionable. He wasn’t a gold-robed individual with such strong aptitudes and will; he was merely a common man who had practiced swordsmanship for just a few years. Only by obtaining the Sword Dao True Solution, the Holy Canon of the Royal Court, had he gotten a chance to change his life. Now, while the Qi Cultivation Chapter had changed his physical qualities in many ways, his state of mind was still that of Lin Fei and not of the corresponding physical qualities and strength. To put it another way, the Sword Dao, in his view, still fell merely within the scope of Sword Techniques and Swordsmanship.

In Lin Fei’s definition, the concept of the sword remained centered on its use against enemies. The sword was merely considered a weapon for combat, nothing special, while Sword Techniques and Swordsmanship were just the skills and accumulated experiences of using a sword to kill enemies.

Regarding the spirit of the Sword Dao and similar concepts, Lin Fei had no profound understanding. To him, Swordsmanship was simply a method of killing.

However, regardless of which Sword Technique Lin Fei learned, whether it was the high-level Star Shattering Sword Art, intermediate Sword Technique, or even low-level Basic Sword Technique, these Sword Techniques seemed to contain a unique flavor and style within them.

"With such understanding, he absolutely cannot reach the highest level," Lin Fei murmured. Suddenly, a thought slowly arose from the bottom of his heart.

In a sense, he wasn’t prioritizing the sect guidelines in the Sword Canon, but he did gain a bit of enlightenment from them.

****************

Night, Near the Airport, Inside a Hotel

Lin You and Feil were both leaning over a table, carefully observing a black spherical object placed on it. This sphere resembled black crystal and was covered in minute, densely packed facets, very smooth as if pre-polished like a multifaceted black crystal.

"Everything else has already been confirmed to be fake. This is all that’s left," Feil was saying as he circled around the black crystal.

"The man said it’s worthless, so it definitely isn’t valuable!" Lin You asserted.

"Well, maybe not necessarily. Maybe that person simply misjudged it, thinking it was synthetic crystal worth just a few tens of dollars," Feil shook his head, "Anyway, I feel like I’ve seen this thing somewhere before."

"Really?" Lin You rubbed his eyes, "Well then, I’m off to sleep. You keep recalling."

"You go ahead and sleep. I’ll keep looking," Feil nodded.

Lin You directly went to the washroom, finished, and then stripped off his outer clothing and climbed into bed. Within a few minutes, he was sound asleep in the United States. His breathing became very steady.

Only Feil continued to lean over the black crystal, vividly recalling. His cat-like eyes firmly fixed on the black crystal. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to visit qidian.com to vote for recommendations, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)