Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 145 - 141: Sought Out

Chapter 145: Chapter 141: Sought Out

Under the plum blossom tree, the two practiced their sword techniques, with no Sword Aura emitted—only the presence of Sword Intent.

Li Fan had comprehended the Wind and Thunder Sword Intent. Each strike of his sword moved with exceptional speed. Lu Yuan, on the other hand, wielded the Cold Ice Sword Intent, her sword sweeping forth with a biting chill that froze the very air.

Lu Yuan’s swordsmanship employed the Surging Tide Sword Technique. When her Sword Aura surged, each strike grew stronger than the last. As her blade traced past Li Fan’s figure, frost began to form between his brows.

Her attacks were fierce, yet the clash of their Sword Intents was perilous only between the two of them, never spilling into surrounding areas. Naturally, both were confident in their ability to control this precision at will.

Lu Yuan’s swordsmanship relied on aggressive assault, while Li Fan seemed to possess only one technique—a swift blade. Yet every strike was timed perfectly, slicing through the sword power Lu Yuan generated and interrupting her Surging Tide Sword Technique.

Lu Yuan appeared to grow genuinely agitated, determination etched into her delicate features. Her attacks grew even more ferocious, reflecting her utmost seriousness.

"Yang Qingshan, do you only have one sword technique?" Lu Yuan asked.

"Fine," he said.

Li Fan replied curtly, launching his Wind and Thunder Sword strike to sever the momentum of her attacks. It was a Clean Cut Strike.

Lu Yuan rotated swiftly, her sword power surging anew, crashing upon Li Fan like tidal waves.

This time, Li Fan’s sword did not merely end; as its light fell, his body leaned forward, his arm sweeping across, and the sword light gleamed like a blade of farewell—heartbreakingly poignant.

Ji Xue stood off to the side, watching intently. At that moment, she found herself involuntarily suppressing her thoughts, focusing entirely on the duel.

Such domineering swordsmanship.

Li Fan stopped defending and began pressing forward, each strike seemingly infused with the momentum of the previous one.

The sword howled. Its light was cold and dark, laden with sorrowful farewells.

Plum blossoms fell, fluttering in midair—a mesmerizing spectacle.

"Exceptional swordsmanship," Qu Qingfeng quietly praised as he observed from a distance, Aunt Mei standing beside him.

"This swordsmanship seems to carry emotion, as if it’s expressing grief from parting, wrapped in resolute determination," Aunt Mei murmured thoughtfully. Although she did not practice swordsmanship, she could feel the emotion woven into the blade.

"Indeed, the creator of this sword technique must have experienced a deeply profound encounter," Qu Qingfeng responded. "Moreover, his earlier strike should have been an independent technique—one form, one swordsmanship—but it seamlessly connected with the subsequent sword techniques. It felt like merely the beginning of what was to follow. Utterly exquisite."

The sound of a blade cutting through echoed, and Li Fan and Lu Yuan separated.

A part of Lu Yuan’s sleeve fell to the ground. She glanced down at it briefly.

The sword stopped, yet their Sword Intents still permeated the space around them. The plum blossoms on the tree continued to fall, accentuating the sense of melancholy created by the previous sword movements.

Lu Yuan’s beautiful eyes turned toward Li Fan. To her knowledge, Li Fan had inherited three swords from Sword Valley. This swordsmanship must be one of them, imbued with the essence of farewell.

Li Fan’s sword contained emotion; his understanding of the blade ran deep, as if he had infused his very feelings into the weapon.

*So, is he also sorrowful about parting?*

Li Fan’s thoughts surged as well. The Li Hen Sword—it carried the meaning of farewell.

*The most extraordinary swordsmanship hides emotion within the blade. That is the true essence of Sword Intent.*

*He couldn’t help but think of the Old Blind Man, his senior brothers and sisters.*

*How was the Old Blind Man doing? Without his care, would he be uncomfortable?*

*How was Senior Sister faring after returning to the Imperial Palace?*

*Had Senior Brother settled into Chi Xiao City? Was everything going well for him?*

"Why are there two distinct sword techniques, yet they seamlessly align with one another?" Lu Yuan asked.

"The creators of these two sword techniques were mentor and pupil. The former was the teacher, who instructed the latter in the Sword Dao. Later, the master abandoned the disciple, who then crafted this sword—the Farewell Sword," Li Fan explained.

Li Mountain’s historical events from long ago—likely even among those at Li Mountain, only a handful still knew of these stories.

He was able to uncover this history only because he received the transmission of the Sword Dao from two predecessors.

Someday, when the time came for him to truly become the "Li Mountain Sword Master," he would inscribe the deeds of these predecessors upon a monument, so that future disciples could revere and remember them.

"I see," Lu Yuan whispered. She had not been aware of Li Mountain’s legacy from its forebears.

Still, the swords she inherited also held stories within them. Yet, even today, she had barely scratched the surface of the predecessors’ Sword Dao passed down to her.

The Sword Dao—it consisted of just two simple words but represented the lifelong pursuit of a Sword Cultivator’s understanding of the way.

No matter whether it was her or Li Fan, for now, both merely followed in the footsteps of those before them. In the future, they would need to forge their own Sword Dao—that was what it meant to become a truly preeminent Great Sword Cultivator.

"Marvelous."

Qu Qingfeng stepped forward, his face alight with a smile.

"You flatter me, sir," Lu Yuan said with a respectful bow toward Qu Qingfeng.

"In the future, whether we raise our heads or lower them, we’ll meet again. There’s no need to be so formal. If you don’t mind, think of me as a friend—albeit one much older than you," Qu Qingfeng said with a smile, his gaze shifting toward Li Fan. "This Sword Dao appears to be a blade devoid of emotion, yet brimming with feelings at the same time. The sword is emotionless, but the person wielding it has feelings. Anyone who can comprehend this Sword Dao is bound to become a top-tier Great Sword Cultivator."

Li Fan nodded. Qu Qingfeng was a Sixth Realm cultivator—a Great Practitioner—and his insight was beyond question.

Li Fan even suspected that Qu Qingfeng might have discerned where he and Lu Yuan had come from.

But Qu Qingfeng’s warmth was palpable, and it was for this reason that Li Fan chose to reside here.

"A sword is a weapon meant for killing—a thing devoid of emotion. But those who wield it carry feelings." Qu Qingfeng turned his gaze toward the dancing plum blossoms. He lifted his hand, his palm rotating lightly, and a gentle breeze rose, sending the blossoms into a swirling dance through the air.

With another wave of his hand, the swirling plum blossoms suddenly exuded an overwhelming killing intent. Each petal seemed to transform into a blade, hurtling toward Li Fan and Lu Yuan in spirals.

The two felt as though they were thrust into a hopeless situation. But with another sharp motion, Qu Qingfeng formed the spiraling blossoms into a single sword that whirled around them before flying upward into the sky, where it burst spectacularly, scattering as an array of petals raining down.

"Such a beautiful sword," Lu Yuan thought to herself, gazing at Qu Qingfeng. In that sword of plum blossoms, she could sense Qu Qingfeng’s longing for beauty and his deep affection for the world.

"All things in heaven and earth are lifeless, but because of humanity, imbued with sentiment, heaven and earth gain soul. A sword is no different. You are not just practicing swordsmanship; one day, your emotions will permeate your sword, and it will possess a soul. Then, you will truly be Great Sword Cultivators."

Qu Qingfeng’s voice was warm and deliberate.

Li Fan and Lu Yuan listened attentively, while Ji Xue nearby also found herself deeply absorbed. Even Liu Ji raised her head to quietly listen.

"Sword Soul!"

Li Fan recalled how the Sword Soul had manifested when he inherited the Sword Dao.

A sword, endowed with emotion, gave birth to a Sword Soul.

So, that was what it meant.

Li Fan and Lu Yuan simultaneously bowed to Qu Qingfeng. Though there was no formal master-disciple relationship, Qu Qingfeng had imparted profound insight to them.

Furthermore, they could feel the depth of Qu Qingfeng’s compassion for all things in this world.

Perhaps precisely because of that, he possessed the magnanimity to reach his current cultivation realm.

Every Great Practitioner, aside from innate talent, bore virtues that set them apart.

The Fifth Realm to Sixth Realm—it was surely a formidable threshold.

"Mr. Qu."

A voice suddenly called from outside, and Qu Qingfeng said, "Enter."

A student from the academy stepped into the courtyard, glancing briefly toward Li Fan and Lu Yuan before addressing Qu Qingfeng. "Sir, someone outside the academy seeks Yang Qingshan, claiming they want to spar with him. Many people from White Deer Street have caught wind of this and gathered outside the academy."

"Oh?" Qu Qingfeng extended his Divine Sense outward, surveying the commotion beyond the academy walls. "Who is this ’someone’?"

"Xiao Qiang, daughter of the Immortal Extreme Sect’s Master Xiao Yu from Yun Meng City," the student replied. "She says she wishes to join the academy and has sought out Yang Qingshan for a sparring contest."

"The Immortal Extreme Sect." Qu Qingfeng remarked lightly, evidently familiar with the sect’s name. Nonetheless, the academy traditionally refrained from meddling in external affairs, focusing solely on its teachings.

Qu Qingfeng turned to Li Fan and said, "You may decide for yourself."

Li Fan felt somewhat exasperated. Fame was a troublesome thing; now that Yun Meng City had heard of him, incidents like this would likely become recurrent.

As for the Immortal Extreme Sect, he neither knew nor cared much about it.

"I’ll go take a look," he said.

Li Fan stepped outside, with Lu Yuan accompanying him while Ji Xue followed closely behind.

The area outside Bai Lu Academy had grown boisterous. Xiao Qiang’s arrival from the Immortal Extreme Sect had caused a considerable stir, attracting a crowd from White Deer Street, all eager to see the unfolding events.

Although most doubted Xiao Qiang was qualified to challenge Yang Qingshan, they were nonetheless curious to witness Yang Qingshan’s prowess firsthand.

It was said that he wasn’t even eighteen years old—a youth unparalleled in talent and grace.

Many students from Bai Lu Academy had come to watch as well, including Yun Zhiqiu, who stood amongst the crowd, his expression deeply conflicted. At this moment, he was well aware that he’d been deceived before.

Yet, he couldn’t understand what the Immortal Extreme Sect sought to achieve.

Why were they deliberately gathering information on Yang Qingshan, then spreading such news? Now Xiao Qiang herself had come to challenge him—their motives eluded him.

Xiao Qiang scanned the crowd, her gaze never lingering on Yun Zhiqiu for even a moment, as though she didn’t recognize him in the slightest.

Though he knew he’d been duped, Yun Zhiqiu was nonetheless aggrieved. Xiao Qiang’s indifference humiliated him, stoking a flame of anger within. The Immortal Extreme Sect was undoubtedly mocking him.

"Yang Qingshan has arrived."

"Miss Xiao, what is your cultivation realm to dare challenge Yang Qingshan? Aren’t you just trying to get close to Yang Qingshan?"

"Is the Immortal Extreme Sect scouting for a son-in-law?" several people jested.

"It’s doubtful they have a chance. Look at who’s standing beside Yang Qingshan."

"Lu Yuan."

Li Fan and Lu Yuan reached the gathered crowd, their eyes falling on Xiao Qiang. The young woman radiated an air of fortitude, her gaze aggressive and probing as it examined Li Fan.

"So, you’re Yang Qingshan?" Xiao Qiang inquired directly.

"Does the young lady seek me for something?" Li Fan asked.

"I wish to spar with you," Xiao Qiang replied.

"Apologies. I’m not interested," Li Fan said.

The moment his voice fell, an intense sharpness enveloped him. Xiao Qiang vanished from her spot, reappearing with her sword poised for a direct thrust at him.

"Ah..." A chorus of gasps erupted from the onlookers. The Immortal Extreme Sect’s heiress was nothing if not bold.

However, Li Fan felt displeased; such behavior crossed the line of courtesy.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.