Chapter 15- Sword Intent (part 1)
Within Longmin’s courtyard, Longwei could be seen standing in front of a tree in the training grounds.
His right hand was on the hilt of his sword while his left hand was holding its blue scabbard.
With closed eyes, he stood there calmly, his posture straight as an arrow.
A sudden gust of wind blew past causing his clothes and hair to flutter in the wind.
It also caused a dozen leaves on the tree to become detached from its branches and start floating down towards him.
Tightening his hand around the hilt of the sword, Longwei started emitting a sharp and fierce that soared to the sky.
Looking at him, he resemble a heavenly sword that was about to tear open the firmament.
An intangible force started to spread from his body to cover three feet in his surroundings.
Within that space, he became a ruler that could decide life or death.
The twelve leaves were all within that three feet space.
With a quiet swish, Longwei drew his sword from its scabbard causing a silver streak of light to dance in the air before disappearing less than a second later.
If someone was watching Longwei from distance, they would’ve missed his movements entirely. He had executed his sword skills with inhuman speed and returned to his original position of holding the hilt of his sword. To someone watching from a distance, he looked as if he hadn’t moved at all.
The twelve leaves that were falling from the tree had finally reached the ground, but as soon as they touched it a vertical line running through its center appeared, splitting them in two.
The two halves suddenly split again, resulting in the leaves separating into four symmetrical pieces.
However, that wasn’t the end.
The pieces became sixteen, then increased to thirty-two, then to sixty-four, all the way to numbers in the thousands.
After that, they scattered in the wind leaving no trace of their existence.
The sharp aura Longwei was releasing slowly faded away as he opened his eyes
Looking at the pieces of leaves drifting away, Longwei’s eyes were full of frustration.
“Dammit!”
Longwei shouted angrily.
His face then became bright red, followed by him stomping on the ground all while he let out more curses.
If someone looked at him now they would’ve assumed he was a brat throwing a tantrum because he didn’t get what he wanted.
Well, that wouldn’t be far from the truth.
Longwei was trying to comprehend Sword Intent, but despite his flashy display, he was unsuccessful.
Even though his achievement in the way of the sword could be considered deep and profound for someone his age and cultivation level, Sword Intent was an abstruse concept in nature.
Swordmasters that have said to reach the pinnacle of the Sword Dao were unable to step across that threshold to comprehend it, much less a young Longwei.
Longmin who was meditating some distance away looked over at his brother and shook his head. He then suddenly raised his hand and pointed a finger in his direction.
A red rune appeared on the tree three meters away, causing the sword Longwei was angrily slashing at it to rebound off.
The force of the rebound sent Longwei flying backward to land on the ground.
He slid for a couple of feet and came to stop in front of Longmin.
Looking at his brother, Longmin said.
“What did my tree ever do to you for you to want to cut it down?”
Longwei grunted as he sat up.
After dusting off his clothes, he turned to Longmin and spoke in a deadpan tone.
“That tree was obviously mocking me so of course I would teach it a lesson!”
Hearing that, Longwei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. His brother really had a thick face to be able to speak so unashamedly.
"If you're going to ruin my courtyard every time you're unsuccessful in your training, then go back to the Battle Pavilion mountain to practice in your courtyard and destroy it."
Longwei scrunched up his nose in displeasure but he didn’t say anything.
Longmin then closed his eyes and went back to meditating.
However, Longwei stared at his brother meditating for a while before he suddenly had a thought that made his eyes light up.
“Say, little bro, why don’t you tell me what I’m missing to successfully comprehend Sword Intent?”
Longmin didn’t open his eyes but his brows creased as he asked befuddled.
“How the heck am I supposed to do that?”
Longwei smiled and said coolly.
“Don’t you have those eyes of yours? It’s able to find the weakness of a person’s technique, that’s why you were able to stop my palm so effortlessly. Can’t you somehow use that aspect to find out what I’m missing to comprehend it?”
Longmin finally opened his eyes making his blue and gold pupils visible. He then put on a thoughtful look on his face while one of his hands went under his chin.
After some time he shook his head and said.
“That’s not possible for me. To find the weakness in a person’s technique is simpler than helping you comprehend Sword Intent. And most important of all I’m a Qi and body cultivator, not a sword cultivator like you.”
Longwei’s expression became downcast and his body deflated like a balloon onto the ground.
With a depressed tone, he began ranting.
"Why can't I comprehend Sword Intent? Father said that back at the training grounds I had unintentionally drawn the Spiritual Qi in the surroundings to me and that it was caused by a Sword Intent seed within my dantian that haven't yet bloomed. That was four months ago, and now I've already condensed my fourth Qi Pillar and stepped into the mid-stage of the Foundation realm, so why can't I make that Sword Intent seed bloom? In the Seven Continents Tournament that demoness Yuyan showed that she had comprehended blade intent, while she was also in the mid-stage of the Foundation realm."
Longmin looked at his brother’s bemoaning expression and sigh in his heart.
‘He’s just too impatient, if it were that easy to comprehend Sword Intent and blade intent then every sword and blade genius would’ve done it.’
If someone of the younger generation similar to Longmin's and Longwei's age were here and overheard their conversation, he or she would've looked between the two brothers with utter confusion written all over their faces. But if someone of the older generation was here they would've looked at the two brothers with horror.
One should remember that these twin brothers were only fourteen years of age. On the Daiyu planet, kids their age should be in the Qi Gathering realm, focusing on gathering the Qi of heaven and earth into their dantian.
But the concepts that were being thrown around so casually by them indicated that their intelligence and insights into cultivation techniques, and cultivation in general, were extraordinary for someone their age.
One reason might be because of their fortune to be born into a big clan such as theirs, but one cannot discard the fact that their natural talent was extremely high.
Longmin thought for a moment then said.
“Maybe the thing your missing is the right mindset.”
“What do you mean?”
Longwei asked, slightly puzzled.
Longmin stood from his sitting position and went to stand in Longwei’s previous position under the tree.
Turning towards his brother, Longmin began speaking.
"The cultivation method that father chose for you when you entered the Foundation realm was one the top three sword scriptures in our clan, the Heavenly Sword Scripture. I've read it before and have a basic understanding of its core focus, which is to transform all of the Spiritual Qi you've gathered in the nine Qi Pillars of the Foundation realm into pure Sword Qi. It also has a complementary technique, similar to my Emperor Tactics Manual’s Soaring Cloud Steps and Emperor's Fists, yours is the Everlasting Sword Art. Gaining comprehension of this sword art can lead to insights into Sword Intent, however, although it can give you insights it doesn't state how you can comprehend it. You being able to form a Sword Intent seed from those insights is already amazing."
Longwei waved his hand dismissively and said.
“I know all of that already, tell me something I don’t know.”
Hearing his brother’s shameless comment, Longmin frowned and glared at him before continuing to his main point.