Evergreen Immortal-Chapter 48: Sudden Enlightenment

"Untainted within, the body like withered wood, the will like cold ashes. All desires cease, the five aggregates become empty."

"Tame the heart’s monkey, bind the mind’s horse. Spirit withdrawn inward, the heavens nourish the self."

Li Rui slowly stood up.

With his right hand gripping the saber behind his back, his waist bent like a bow, his posture mirrored a dragon guarding its pearl or a hen brooding over its egg. He moved the saber gently, stepping forward lightly.

Each move flowed naturally and gracefully.

Boom!

A faint sound of wind and thunder echoed through the air.

His movements seemed born of instinct, and gradually, Li Rui entered the elusive realm of unity between man and blade.

Whoosh—

He sheathed the saber and exhaled a breath of turbid air. Only then did he realize that dusk had already fallen.

Unknowingly, a full hour had passed.

"Did I just... attain enlightenment?!"

He stared in disbelief at the long saber in his hand. After practicing for an entire hour, he felt no exhaustion at all.

It was said that during martial cultivation, a rare stroke of fortune could lead one into a mysterious state of sudden enlightenment.

In such a state, one's thoughts moved thousands of times faster than usual, and one’s progress in cultivation would be as rapid as galloping horses.

Some even stayed in enlightenment for days, emerging with their strength multiplied manyfold.

It was a serendipitous fortune that martial artists could only dream of.

Li Rui closed his eyes, focusing inward.

Sure enough—

During that brief moment of enlightenment, he had instinctively modified the White Ape Saber Technique into a version uniquely his own.

His heart pounded.

Though modifying an existing technique was not as difficult as creating one from scratch, it was still an incredible feat for someone new to martial cultivation.

"A great stroke of fortune!"

It wasn’t that the improved White Ape Saber was more powerful per se but it suited Li Rui far better.

The clumsy and awkward parts that had troubled him during previous practice had all become clear and fluid.

Moreover, as time went on, Li Rui was confident he could further refine this path until he completely transformed the White Ape Saber Technique.

It would be tantamount to creating his own martial art.

And self-created techniques often yielded far greater power.

"This is truly exhilarating!"

"Hall Master, what kind of saber technique is that?"

Liang He stared at Li Rui in surprise.

He had casually witnessed Li Rui's training, only to find his eyes unwilling to look away.

It wasn’t that Li Rui’s technique was particularly exquisite but it was slow.

So slow it resembled the morning exercises of a wealthy elder from the city, completely lacking in aggression.

He couldn’t make sense of it, not at all.

Li Rui raised both hands before his chest, palms down, exhaled slowly, and smiled faintly. "This is the Yin-Yang Nine Revolutions Art."

Naturally, the name was one he made up.

A smokescreen, to conceal the true identity of the technique and distinguish it from the White Ape Saber.

"Yin-Yang Nine Revolutions Art?"

Liang He frowned slightly. He had never heard of such a technique.

Li Rui didn’t elaborate further.

After the improvements, his version of the White Ape Saber had become so unrecognizable that even the Splendid Purity Sect wouldn’t be able to trace it back. That was why he dared to practice it openly in the courtyard.

"If you want to learn, I can teach you," Li Rui offered.

Liang He shook his head like a rattle-drum. "No, no need."

He wasn’t ready to enter a life of slow-motion elderly leisure.

Li Rui didn’t push him.

With Liang He's current mindset, he wasn't suited to the Yin-Yang Nine Revolutions Art anyway or rather, it was a technique best suited for the elderly. Few in the world could truly cultivate it.

Besides, Li Rui’s own version was still in its infancy, with much room for refinement.

"Not a moment of peace..."

Outside the Tianyi Hall.

Zhou Shulin leaned on a wooden sword, drenched in sweat.

"Ah He, you’ll definitely rank well in the upcoming examination. If you make it big, don’t forget about your brothers!"

He grinned mischievously at Liang He.

When a brother suddenly improves, there are two stages of emotional response.

First comes jealousy, twisting one's face in resentment.

As the saying in Qinghe goes, “One doesn't fear a brother's hardship, only his sudden rise.” Watching a bird-fighting companion suddenly soar above you hurts worse than a knife.

That feeling might only last a moment or, at most, a day.

Then comes the second stage, clinging to that brother’s thigh with unwavering loyalty, calling him "godfather" without hesitation.

Zhou Shulin had clearly entered stage two.

Liang He beamed. Ever since the Hall Master had guided him, though his martial realm remained unchanged, his combat power had soared. Among those beneath Ninth Grade, he now stood out as a top contender. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

He could even faintly glimpse the threshold of Ninth Grade.

With his strength growing, his temperament had also become far more composed.

"That won’t do, you'll at least have to call me 'godfather.'"

Liang He chuckled wickedly.

Without missing a beat, Zhou Shulin blurted out, "Godfather, your son greets you!"

Of course, he wouldn’t actually kneel.

But it did satisfy a man's vanity immensely.

After all, what could be more gratifying than a brother calling you "father"?

Just as the two were joking, Zhou Shulin’s peripheral vision caught sight of a familiar figure.

"Eh? Liu Tong, what brings you here?"

Liang He turned to see Liu Tong striding over.

"Senior Brother Liu," Liang He cupped his fists.

Liu Tong smiled warmly. "Junior Brothers Zhou, Liang."

Zhou Shulin sized up Liu Tong curiously.

Liu Tong had undergone a striking transformation. Where once he looked as though he'd been utterly drained, now he was glowing with health, practically a sunny, brawny youth.

Zhou clicked his tongue in amazement. "Senior Brother Liu, abstinence really works, huh? No wonder they say eunuchs make the best martial masters!"

Liu Tong burst out laughing. "My brother-in-law passed me the Tiger Valor Saber. I just recently reached minor success. Came today to pick up an internal cultivation manual."

Tiger Valor Saber!

Upon hearing the name, Zhou Shulin and Liang He were both startled.

If memory served, that was Deputy Branch Master Zhang’s signature saber technique.

No wonder Liu Tong’s transformation was so dramatic.

Clearly, after joining the Civil and Martial Hall, he had earned the trust of his deputy helm master brother-in-law.

By contrast, Zhou and Liang’s techniques suddenly felt second-rate.

Liang He kept a straight face. "Congratulations, Senior Brother Liu. I’m sure you’ll rise even higher in the examination."

Liu Tong waved it off modestly, then grinned roguishly. "Don’t say that, I know my own limits. But next time, drinks at the Flower Night Brothel are on me."

"For real?!"

Zhou Shulin’s eyes lit up.

Ever since his last visit to the Flower Night Brothel, he hadn’t been able to forget it.

"We're all brothers, think nothing of it," Liu Tong replied casually.

His good reputation in the Heaven-Earth Alliance was largely thanks to his generosity and willingness to spend.

"No time like the present. It's getting dark, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!" Zhou urged.

Liang He rolled his eyes.

He never cared for places of wine and song, he preferred righteous swordmaidens.

Liu Tong shook his head. "Not today. We lost quite a few brothers from the branch during a mission yesterday. I have to return and handle the aftermath."

Both Liang He and Zhou Shulin were stunned.

Tianyi Hall had little contact with the outside world, so they hadn’t heard of such a grave incident.

Liu Tong thought for a moment.

"Right, one of them had been here before, I think. His name was... Han Peng."

"Han Peng is dead?!"