HSSB115: What you can do, I can too; what you can’t do, I can also do
“The variations of the Big Dipper Sword are mysterious and profound. It is a sword art that moves from complicated to simple.” Yan Zhaoge said as he faced off against Lu Wen.
As the two clashed, they continually advanced and retreated. In an instant, the position of the North Star had already changed hands numerous times.
As the one occupying the position of the North Star was pushed back by his opponent, the North Star position was taken over by that opponent, causing the initiative to be lost.
“Concentrating on the essential points is not wrong, but if you truly want to achieve them, transforming the crucial points recorded within the book to something that you yourself can really do, acc.u.mulation is key.”
As Yan Zhaoge said this, he moved, subst.i.tuting a sword with his fingers as sword shadows flew.
As he pointed out, seven sword shadows flickered within the air, resembling the seven stars of the Big Dipper.
“The acc.u.mulation of combat experience as well as the acc.u.mulation of your understanding towards the dao of the sword is what can allow you to have it at your fingertips, wielding it as you will.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled towards Zhao Ming, “The seven stars converging, the north sky hanging high. It sounds simple, but how does one achieve this?”
“That’s why I said earlier that, you’re in for much training this time.”
As Yan Zhaoge said thus, he strode out, occupying the North Star position once more, before seven sword shadows flashed together, pointing towards Lu Wen.
Lu Wen’s features were silent as he actually performed the exact same movement at this moment, similarly taking a single stride forward, seven swords flying in unison.
The toes of both of their right feet directly touched!
Within the air, the sword shadows flickered, resembling the real clash of swords as the sound of metal on metal was actually faintly emitted.
The two retreated as soon as they met. After having met in that exchange, they retreated simultaneously, then both rushed forward again immediately!
Only clas.h.i.+ng in the variation of their stances, not truly exerting force, the Martial Repository seemed completely unmoved.
But as sword met sword time and time again, Broad Creed Mountain’s two greatest figures of the younger generation had already displayed the profundities of the Big Dipper Sword to the point of perfection.
One of the sword stances was dense and profound, resembling the eternally s.h.i.+ning night sky.
Another’s complexities resembled the mysteries of the infinite s.h.i.+fting sky of stars.
After clas.h.i.+ng for a moment, Yan Zhaoge’s gaze flickered slightly, having gained a greater understanding of Lu Wen’s path in the dao of the sword.
While Lu Wen, his gaze flickering, was also filled with confidence.
As the two flashed about with their movement techniques, their battle for the North Star position began once again.
Having battled it out to this point, the two’s sword-intent had been already pushed to their maximum level as the fight reached its most crucial stage.
This time, whoever occupied the North Star position once more, the other would be hard pressed to wrest it back, henceforth being placed at the absolute disadvantage.
This side which controlled the North Star, controlled the battle!
Subst.i.tuting a sword with his fingers, Yan Zhaoge shouted out, the power of his sword rising, in high spirits as he finally released that stifled breath that had been stuck within him for so many years from having always been suppressed by Lu Wen in the Big Dipper Sword.
The Big Dipper Sword shadows flickered in mid-air, toppling mountains and expelling oceans, resembling a meteor shower descending which attacked in the direction of Lu Wen.
Big Dipper Wors.h.i.+ps North!
The strongest stance of the Big Dipper Sword!
“It seems that you have never really forsaken the Big Dipper Sword all these past years, for you to have such attainment in it.”
Lu Wen said mildly, “Being able to be at a stalemate with me for so long, you indeed already surpa.s.s others in the area of the Big Dipper Sword.”
“If you had been at this level that year, you would not have needed to go ponder on whatever Coiling Dragon Sword.”
As he said thus, Lu Wen similarly went forward with his own seven swords, executing a Big Dipper Wors.h.i.+ps North to clash head-on with Yan Zhaoge.
The two sword-auras whittled down at each other once more. Seeing that Yan Zhaoge’s had been exhausted, Lu Wen’s sword-aura actually suddenly changed, his figure also moving.
“However, while you’ve improved, I too have improved, and even more than you too.”
Subst.i.tuting his sword with his fingers, Lu Wen’s sword-aura shook as it suddenly switched from seven swords to six swords.
This was not just any ordinary Big Dipper Sword; rather, it had integrated within it Lu Wen’s own understanding and variations in the dao of the sword!
The seven stars of the Big Dipper and the six stars of the Milk Dipper, at this moment, simultaneously shone!
The Big Dipper presides over death; the Milk Dipper presides over life.
Lu Wen’s Big Dipper Sword, originally already having performed all possible variations, actually birthed a new variation!
Completely without having to take respite from his old exerted force that had just dissipated fully, a new force was actually suddenly born.
As Lu Wen struck out with his sword, he strode out, directly occupying the North Star position!
Zhao Ming was watching dumbfounded by the side, completely not having predicted that such a change would actually come over this battle situation!
As one of their Eight Extreme Arts, the Big Dipper Sword had experienced countless polis.h.i.+ng and research by Broad Creed Mountain’s past experts, getting rid of its impurities whilst preserving its essence.
Making yet further progress in this area-how unthinkably hard would that be?
And now, Lu Wen had actually managed to birth some new variations.
Although it was still very immature, currently still only being in its embryonic form, at this moment, Zhao Ming seemed to vaguely see from him s.h.i.+ Tie’s shadow.
That s.h.i.+ Tie who had cultivated the Vajra Body to a point unheard of throughout all of history, also continuing to improve upon it unceasingly.
If Lu Wen continued on this path of his, arriving at s.h.i.+ Tie’s current cultivation realm, would he also be able to get the Big Dipper Sword up to a whole new level?
Although he and Lu Wen were from different factions, at this moment, Zhao Ming couldn’t help but acknowledge him within his heart.
Looking worriedly towards Yan Zhaoge, he instead saw the hint of a smile appearing on his face!
On the fourth floor of the Martial Repository, an old man who had been dozing off all along suddenly snapped his eyes open at this very moment, gazing downwards with a gaze that seemed like it could penetrate the floorboards all the way down to the third floor.
The old man’s gaze was directed not towards Lu Wen, but, rather, Yan Zhaoge!
As Yan Zhaoge’s sword-aura was exhausted and he saw Lu Wen birth a new variation in his swordplay, seizing the initiative, another variation actually also appeared in his own swordplay!
Amidst the numerous sword shadows, Yan Zhaoge, rather than advancing, retreated!
The Lu Wen who was currently striking out with his sword suddenly experienced an extremely uncomfortable feeling as he felt that led by the flow of qi, his sword stance was actually also affected by Yan Zhaoge!
As their two sword stances met at this moment, they actually seemed to form a strange resonance.
It was as though they were not trying to kill their opponent, instead resembling two people working side by side to launch an attack on another enemy.
Affected by the flow of qi, the two Big Dipper Swords actually merged into one.
But as Yan Zhaoge retreated, the position of the North Star shockingly changed!
This forced Lu Wen to have to take a further step forward or resign himself to standing there helplessly watching the North Star position fall to Yan Zhaoge.
While knowing in his heart that things were far from good, Lu Wen could only grit his teeth and take a step forward, reclaiming the initiative.
But just as his body moved, the Yan Zhaoge who had originally already taken half a step back, abruptly took a step forward!
The speed of Yan Zhaoge’s advance was much faster than had been the speed of his retreat, as though he had never actually intended to retreat from the start, originally already being prepared to advance.
Switching between a speedy retreat and a speedy advance in an instant without any buffer time in between whatsoever, yet seemingly having achieved it with great ease, without evoking any feeling of dullness at all.
With this advance of his, yet another stance of the Big Dipper Sword was executed.
Lu Wen stared. At this moment, it was as though his entire person was taking his own initiative to propel himself onto the tip of Yan Zhaoge’s sword!
“That’s all.” Yan Zhaoge dispelled his sword and stood there, not looking at Lu Wen, instead swivelling his head over as he smiled at Zhao Ming.
Zhao Ming opened his mouth wide, yet was unable to utter a sound.
Quite some time pa.s.sed before he finally gave a bitter laugh, “One is a genius, the other a genius who surpa.s.ses geniuses!”
It was only that he had not thought that the Yan Zhaoge who had never been able to win against Lu Wen in the Big Dipper Sword in the past, while seemingly having switched to cultivating in other sword arts, had at the end of the day had still endured silently and nursed his vengeance, coming back to stand up from wherever he had fallen.
Staring fixatedly at Yan Zhaoge, Lu Wen said in a dry voice, “You predicted that ‘from death to life, from nothing to something’ final variation of mine?
Yan Zhaoge glanced at him, then, with a casual sweep of his hands, subst.i.tuting a sword with his fingers, executed yet another stance of Big Dipper Wors.h.i.+ps North in mid-air. As the sword-aura neared its end, it suddenly transformed into a sword of the Milk Dipper, new force appearing from nothing as the old force reached its end.
Seemingly having gone out all out, whilst actually still possessing more than sufficient reserves.
“Because I can do it too ah,” Yan Zhaoge spread his hands apart matter-of-factly.
Lu Wen shut his eyes.
Yan Zhaoge’s final variation that had obtained him victory, was something he couldn’t do.