My Swordsmanship Has No Upper Limit

The Heaven-Cutting Sword Dao made Zhong Ming think of an extremely famous major sect from his past life: the Jie Sect.

Of course, while the Jie Technique Zhong Ming was currently learning had some conceptual similarities with the Jie Sect, the difference between the two was like comparing a firefly to the moon.

The Great Dao is fifty, yet heaven circulates forty-nine. That Sect Leader could intercept the "one that escaped," leaving a sliver of a chance for all living things to achieve the Dao. This was a level of existence far beyond concepts like causality and fate, something Zhong Ming couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

For now, the Jie Technique he was learning was merely about observing the flow of all things, then striking their core points to induce chaos or collapse in a given area.

Though, that was still incredibly powerful in its own right.

’All things are in a state of flow. An enemy’s Swordsmanship, Magic Techniques, and even the circulation of their Magical Power are no different.’

’After learning the Jie Technique, if I can observe the trajectory of an enemy’s Swordsmanship and strike its vital point, I can easily break through their attack.’

’The same goes for an enemy’s offensive Magic Techniques and Magic Shields. Find the critical point in their flow, give it a light tap to block it, and the technique will collapse on its own.’

’And within an enemy’s body, if I can inject my Magical Power, I can block the circulation of their own. This would weaken their ability to resist by thirty to fifty percent, or even cripple them completely.’

The more he thought about it, the more Zhong Ming felt that this Secret Technique was incredibly useful.

Moreover, it could not only be used on its own but also in combination with the Longxi Swordsmanship, especially the Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique.

’The Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique is inherently a one-hit kill Swordsmanship with overwhelming attack power. If I use it together with the Jie Technique and strike a vital point, its power should increase by several times at least...’

’I have to practice this Cultivation Technique. I must master it, achieve Great Success...’

And as he was contemplating this, a series of system notifications chimed in Zhong Ming’s ears.

[You have gained some insight into the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique. Technique Progress +67]

[You have gained some insight into the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique. Technique Progress +74]

[You have gained some insight into the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique. Technique Progress +52]

[You have gained some insight into the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique. Technique Progress +61]

[...]

When the notifications stopped, Zhong Ming’s progress in the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique had reached [Second Realm: Insight (887/5500)].

His accumulated insight into the Flow of Water had transformed into fuel for the [Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique].

However, at this point, Zhong Ming’s brow furrowed.

By reading the Cultivation Insights for the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique, Zhong Ming discovered that further cultivation of this technique diverged slightly from the core principles of water and dragon of the Longxi Peak lineage.

It no longer focused on going with the flow, nor the rhythm of flowing water, and it didn’t even focus on the dragon anymore.

Its practice extended from the Flow of Water to the flow of all things, to the very breath (or vibration) of all things.

’Different Cultivators practice different Cultivation Techniques, and their attributes vary as well.’

’And since the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique is designed to sever an enemy’s Magic Techniques and defenses, and even block the flow of Magical Power within their body, I can’t just comprehend the Rhythm of Water. I have to extend my understanding from the Flow of Water to the flow of all things.’

’...’

Extending from flowing water to all things was already beyond the comfort zone of Longxi Peak’s cultivation techniques. To learn it, Zhong Ming would have to put in some serious effort.

But upon realizing this, not only was Zhong Ming not discouraged, his face instead showed a faint hint of excitement.

’A different direction... This means that when I advance to the Third Realm, the trait I comprehend will likely no longer be the Flow of Water, but something else.’

’What’s even better is that it extends from the Flow of Water, and in the Third Realm, its difference from the Flow of Water isn’t too great. This also means that once the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique reaches the Third Realm, it can still fuse with the other five "Flow of Water" techniques, allowing me to comprehend the Water Dao Rhyme.’

...

The prospect of a different trait made Zhong Ming feel quite excited and joyful.

After his bout of excitement, Zhong Ming began his training to advance the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique from the Second Realm to the Third Realm.

This time, the training didn’t require Zhong Ming to perform many actions; he just needed to observe.

He observed the babbling streams, the gentle breeze, the unfurling mist, the growing plants, the rising sun and falling moon, the changing of the seasons...

Because Flowing was manifest everywhere in the world, Zhong Ming could observe any of the myriad scenes of the mortal plane and, through careful contemplation, feel the flow and transformation within them.

After understanding the specific training method, Zhong Ming’s first thought was:

’This is way too abstract. No wonder the seniors of Longxi Peak placed it on the third floor, and neither Senior Brother Qi Hong nor Senior Brother Yang Chen ever practiced it. This Cultivation Technique really isn’t easy to train.’

When it came to Cultivation, the hardest techniques to practice were never the ones with concrete Sword Techniques or those that required diligent and arduous training.

Even techniques that required resources weren’t the most difficult.

After all, those types of techniques all had clear training steps. As long as one followed them, progress was possible, no matter how difficult.

But techniques with abstract descriptions were different.

They tell you to observe, but it’s not about just looking.

You must gain some insight.

And this required a Cultivator to have extraordinary comprehension or be exceptionally talented.

Without that Talent, you could sit blankly for a year and you would have truly just been sitting there, comprehending nothing.

This kind of training method, where one couldn’t even figure out how to begin, was the most frustrating of all.

Without a doubt, training the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique from the Second to the Third Realm was exactly this type.

’For a disciple of average talent, practicing this technique would be a complete waste of time. Placing it on the third floor of the Hidden Gold Pavilion, out of reach of ordinary disciples, was the right call.’

’Fortunately, I’m not ordinary.’

Possessing Heaven Rewards Diligence, as long as Zhong Ming trained hard, he could continuously make progress.

Although, most of the time, the "hard training" for Heaven Rewards Diligence required Zhong Ming to complete a full cultivation session, and its requirements grew higher as his Cultivation Method Realm increased.

But Heaven Rewards Diligence rarely presented conditions that Zhong Ming couldn’t meet.

Take the Reading skill, for example. To advance it from Fourth Realm Proficiency to Fifth Realm Master, Zhong Ming not only had to finish a book but also comprehend its True Intent. This might seem very difficult, but it actually wasn’t.

At the Fourth Realm, Zhong Ming had obtained the Mind Reading trait. As long as he activated it, he could comprehend a book’s True Intent. The existence of this trait was the very reason the condition for the Reading skill had changed.

Right now, his Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique was only at Second Realm Insight, so its requirements were even lower. As long as Zhong Ming sat down and focused on feeling the flow of the wind and water, the growth of the plants, and the movement of the sun and moon, his technique progress would increase bit by bit. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

[You observed the flow of water and gained some insight into the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique. Technique Progress +3]

[You saw a leaf fall and thought of how it returns to its roots to become spring soil... You have gained some insight into the Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique. Technique Progress +2]

[You saw the clouds and mist and thought of the transformation between water, cloud, and mist. You have gained some insight into the flow of all things. Your Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique progress +4]

[You saw the Sun rise and the world’s temperature increase, gaining a new understanding of the flow of all things. Your Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique progress +13]

[...]

Sitting in one place and observing everything between heaven and earth—this method of cultivation worked.

Naturally, cultivating in this way meant the technique’s progress increased very slowly.

Fortunately, Zhong Ming had a way to cheat.

’Mind Reading, activate!’

BUZZ!

After activating Mind Reading, a clear-headed Zhong Ming treated the tree before him as a book and began to read it with his full concentration.

To Zhong Ming’s surprise, this kind of "reading" actually worked.

As Zhong Ming stared at the tree, it was as if he was seeing its entire life.

He saw a small sapling absorb sunlight and water to grow strong, saw birds build nests in its branches, and saw it scatter its seeds to distant lands.

’A tree absorbs sunlight and water to grow. This is a form of flow...’

’A tree scattering its seeds is also a form of flow...’

’If I wanted to cut off the tree’s growth, the best way would be to sever its roots and leaves, preventing it from absorbing sunlight from the sky and nutrients from the earth...’

[You have observed a tree and gained a new understanding of the flow of all things. Your Spirit Stream Finger - Jie Technique progress +73]

...

After activating Mind Reading, Zhong Ming was like a comprehension genius with a deep affinity for nature, personally experiencing the growth of all things and feeling the flow and transformation of the world.

And while he was calmly perceiving the True Intent of the Daoist Skill, the effects of Zhong Ming defeating Xie Yuzhu and comprehending Dao Rhyme also began to ripple outwards on a small scale.

The first to be affected by this matter was, naturally... the Xie Family.