Sword Dao, Sword Cultivation

"Oh!" The handsome youth nodded his head and spoke "My name is Mo Xuan. What's yours?"

Seeing the polite manner of a handsome youth, Li Xian was surprised but didn't show it on his face. He calmed down his heart and said "My name is Li Xian. Li Xian thanks brother Mo for showing the direction."

Li Xian tried to be as polite and respectful as he can. He doesn't want to make enemies with everyone so he knows he must maintain proper behavior. Hearing his words, Mo Xuan was a little stunned. Suddenly, a gentle smile appeared on his face as he spoke "You don't have to be so courteous. Let's go!"

Saying so, he walked toward the tall building. On the way, many youths greeted Mo Xuan with courtesy. This made Li Xian doubt his identity in the Sword School. But he didn't ask. They took some stairs and reached the fifth floor of the tall building.

But suddenly, Mo Xuan stopped. He turned back and looked at Li Xian. He lifted his hand making Li Xian startled but surprisingly, he patted Li Xian's shoulder and said "Cultivation is lonely, many people can't bear it. Sword cultivation is all about enlightenment. Only a few have such talent and so many people can't be swordsmen."

"When you get the result of the test, don't cry, don't feel ashamed, and don't call yourself trash. In a single year, more than seventy thousand tests their talent here but less than ten thousand are selected. Some youths arrive here from different villages just like you in the hope to be a swordsman, but in just two minutes, their hope, their fate, everything can be changed."

"So, even if you failed to awaken, don't feel down. You can give up your sword and test your talent for Martial Artist or Spiritualist."

When Mo Xuan finished his words, he noticed some abnormalities in Li Xian. There was some unwillingness in his eyes, some unwavering determination, and some faith in himself. He gripped his sword hard and said "I can't give up just because I have no talent for it. I live sword. I can give up everything for the sword but I can't give up the sword."

There was sourness in his tone, filled with determination. When Mo Xuan heard his words, he shook his head and asked "Can you give up your parents for the sword?"

His question struck Li Xian to his heart. Once again, Li Xian remembered his mother's words 'Xian, in this world, swordsmen are born with an unwavering heart. If you think you are born of the sword, never give up on your original words. If you want to be ruthless, never be softhearted, if you want to be softhearted, never be ruthless.'

'In the world of swordsmanship, the original heart is everything. If you want to choose a ruthless sword, abandoning everything just for the sake of sword, then never feel softhearted and change your intention because once you do, you'll never be a true swordsman.'

'But if you choose an affectionate sword, never abandon your family, never abandon your loved ones, because once you do, you'll never be a true swordsman. So, in the future, if anyone asks you whether you would really give up everything for the sake of sword, answer what your heart feels and never back down.'

'No matter what you choose, your mother will always support you.'

Suddenly, a warm feeling burst out of his heart. The ruthlessness that he had to himself slowly disappeared. Instead, a determination flashed in his eyes as he straightened his chest and said "I apologize for showing my ugliness side, Brother Mo. I will never give up everything for the sword."

"Hahahaha" Suddenly, a burst of laughter rang out of his mouth. Mo Xuan felt his body had relaxed a lot. His laughter made everyone give them a glance. Suddenly, his laughter fades away with a gentle smile as he spoke "You are amazing. I never saw someone speaking with so much determination. It seems you have already set your heart in the passionate sword."

"But you still need to have talent." Suddenly, sourness leaked out with words. He felt he shouldn't pressurize Li Xian. Unexpectedly, Li Xian's words shocked him "No matter my talent, I will pursue Sword Dao."

"Alright, alright, let's move!" Mo Xuan caught his hand and pulled him towards the door. When he caught Li Xian's hands, Li Xian's body turned stiff. When he felt the skin of Mo Xuan's hand, he couldn't help but ask "....Brother Mo, are you really brother?"

"What?" Hearing his question, he hurriedly let go of Li Xian's hands and spoke "Are you surprised by the softness of my hand? Surprised?" He couldn't help but chuckle while asking Li Xian. Just when Li Xian was about to speak, Mo Xuan intersected his words.

"As long as you reach my realm, you can also maintain such skin."

Mo Xuan chuckled and took him inside the door. The room was very big, comparable to five thatched houses where he used to live. There were hundreds of students, some laughing, some crying, some had a complicated expression on their face.

There were nearly fifteen elders on each corner of the room. There was a huge stone near each elder. Most of them were old men with white beards and hair. Some were tall, some were short, but everyone was wearing a cloudy shirt and white pants. They had a sword sheathe hanging on their waist.

Unexpectedly, there was an elder among those fifteen elders where no one was standing. Mo Xuan pulled him and took him to that elder. This elder was a little short and chubby. He had a wrinkle around his eyes and a white beard.

He was sitting on the chair with a lazy expression. When both of them reached in front of him, that elder lifted his head and glance at Li Xian completely ignoring Mo Xuan, and said "You have a good talent for Sword Dao but you don't have a talent for sword cultivation. With the powerful Will you possess, you can easily awaken Battle Spirit, you should give up..."

"I can't!" Before the elder could finish his words, Li Xian interrupted him. Hearing Li Xian's words, elder eyes narrowed as he gave him a glance and listened to Li Xian's words.

"I am not born of the sword. But I have a dream that I want to reach. I want to pursue Sword Dao. Elder, please give me a chance." His voice wasn't loud but his actions were clear. Without any hesitation, he gave a bow to the elder asking with an earnest expression.

His left hand never moved from the hilt of his sword. A sword can't kneel but it can be bent. A sword is not arrogant, it just refuses to kneel. A swordsman only kneels in front of his parents, no one else.

"Boy, I know how you feel. You aren't the only one with such passion for the sword. I have seen lots of children like you who have the deepest compassion for the sword. But compassion, feelings, aren't enough to cultivate. You need talent. Even if you want to pursue Sword Dao, sword cultivation is required."

"Do you know long a person needs to understand Sword Dao? Hundred Years to scratch the surface, thousand years to hold the proper grip over Dao, and dies before he could continue forward. A sword needs thousands of beating before it can be a fine sword."

"Without strength, you can't achieve anything."

Elder's words were like sharp needles to him. Each needle was tearing his heart apart. But suddenly, the elder had a mischievous smile on his face as he asked "Do you remember the first sentence I told you?"

Li Xian had red eyes but he didn't cry. He was holding his sword very tight to the point if he a little bit of strength of the cultivator, it would've been broken. When he heard the elder's sword, Li Xian nodded his head.

"I don't know how long you took to comprehend Basic Sword Technique but now release everything you got from it." It was a little hard to understand his meaning for Mo Xuan. But Li Xian clearly understood his meaning.

5 years, he had practiced sword for five years. No spiritual energy, no talent, not a single cent of resources, only hard work. He had practiced Basic Sword Technique to the realm of Transcendence. He doesn't know what Transcendence means since his mother didn't tell him.

She only mentioned this realm as the realm that every swordsman in this world wants. Whether they are sword emperor or sword ancestor, everyone wants to reach this realm. Because once you reach this realm, you can awaken something.

She didn't tell him what it was, she only told him that he would be able to chase Sword Dao regardless of talent. Hearing elder words, Li Xian didn't hesitate to give his all to impress the elder. He took a deep breath and slowly pulled the sword hilt out.

Suddenly, a powerful energy wave burst out of his sword. It didn't come out of him rather his sword, but the source of this energy does lie inside him. It's just he can't manifest this energy from his body. But surprisingly, this energy was like a shadow, not real energy, not a fake either.

It was confusing to describe this energy. Because when it released, it covered Li Xian in a thin layer of blue aura.

"Sword Aura!" At this moment, the elder and Mo Xuan shouted in unison. Both of them had a shock in their eyes.