I Can Copy the Talents of All Creatures

Yu Fei said with a wry smile, "In that battle, I got greedy and reckless. I managed to kill a tough enemy, but I was severely injured in the process. My teacher and the others were very worried, so they warned me not to be so reckless in the future..."

Before he could finish, Kong Sheng’s expression turned stern. He snorted coldly, "Hmph! What the hell does Yan Sea know about Sword Cultivators? Since when are there Sword Cultivators who cling to life and fear death? If there’s even a one-in-ten chance of victory, you must give it twelve-tenths of your effort to seize it! A Sword Cultivator must remember one thing: life and death are decided *after* the sword is drawn, not weighed *before* you draw it..."

Seeing the suddenly furious Mr. Kong directing his anger at Yan Sea, Yu Fei couldn’t help but explain in a small voice, "My teacher didn’t mean it like that. He just wants me to be a bit more prudent..."

Who knew this would make Kong Sheng even angrier. "Prudent my ass! Your teacher is an old man, of course he has to be prudent. But you’re just a young man! A young man should be full of spirit, acting as his heart desires—flicking his sword and singing aloud! Slaying enemy chieftains, drinking fine wine, chasing pretty... ahem, ahem."

Kong Sheng had almost let it slip. He quickly changed his tone, speaking gently to Yu Fei. "You don’t need to overthink it. Remember, only through pure dedication to the sword can you achieve mastery. When it comes to life and death, follow your heart’s fighting spirit. The moment you start weighing pros and cons, your sword grows dull, and you become more likely to die."

Yu Fei nodded seriously. "I have learned my lesson. Thank you, Senior."

"Haha, it’s a small matter. I hope we’ll have the chance to spar and compare our Sword Intent one day. I imagine it would be a truly wonderful experience."

"By the way, I’ll be teaching at Yuqing for the next couple of years. Are you interested in learning the sword from me? Although you walk the path of the Seizing Sword lineage, you can still incorporate the strengths of all schools. I don’t have any sectarian biases."

Yu Fei immediately looked troubled. He had already decided to apply to Shenhan University. It wasn’t for any other reason than the name "Shenhan" itself, which constantly occupied his thoughts. He wanted to find out for himself if it was truly the "Han" from his memories.

He had only just met this strange Grandmaster, but the man’s admiration for him was irrepressible, his goodwill so intense it felt as scorching as a tungsten lightbulb. Moreover, he had observed that Mr. Kong possessed a red-level talent—the highest he had ever seen.

’But... that’s *Han* we’re talking about...’

After a moment’s thought, Yu Fei firmed his resolve.

"My apologies, Mr. Kong. I still intend to apply to Shenhan University. It’s been my dream since I first stepped onto the path of martial arts. I hope you can understand."

Kong Sheng sensed the young man’s determination and felt even more pleased. Daring to reject a Grandmaster’s offer to his face was proof enough of his firm will. In that moment, he subconsciously overlooked the fact that the boy’s own teacher was also a Grandmaster.

"Good, good. A good man should serve his country. Shenhan is the top-ranked military academy, after all. You’ll have to work hard, little guy."

Only Han Qiubai’s expression dimmed slightly. This meant she wouldn’t be getting her thousand points. However, the battle in Tianning County had been extremely intense and difficult, and the points for wiping out the cultists had been increased, so it wasn’t a total loss for her.

Mr. Kong gave Yu Fei one last, deep look, then took out a memory card.

"This is a set of foundational swordsmanship that I developed with several other Sword Dao Grandmasters, based on traditional Sword Dao. It hasn’t been made public yet. While you already possess an impressive Sword Intent, your application of swordsmanship is absolutely atrocious. Study this well after you’ve recovered. Don’t disappoint me the next time we meet."

A look of pleasant surprise appeared on Yu Fei’s face. "Thank you, Mr. Kong! I will definitely study it well."

"Good! We’re off. See you!"

With that, he turned and left crisply with Han Qiubai. Yu Fei could clearly see she wanted to say something more but could only shut her mouth awkwardly.

’Can I get a copy of the swordsmanship too?!’