Chapter 3: The Widow’s Gift

Since awakening the wisdom of his past life, Lu Chengfeng had discovered a unique talent within himself, known as "The Widow's Gift."

As long as he married a widow, he could tap into a profound, mystical power of causation, gaining certain abilities and fragments of memory from her late husband.

The primary reason he married Luo Suyi was to leverage this gift and obtain his master Zhao Changzhen's martial techniques, allowing his own strength to surge exponentially.

Even if it carried some risks, this was an opportunity he could not pass up.

Now, having achieved his goal, Lu Chengfeng sat cross-legged on his meditation mat, calming his mind as he connected with the golden glow at his brow.

In a trance, he felt an influx of memories flooding his mind, an overwhelming rush that made his forehead swell and throb as if it were about to burst.

Most of the memories belonged to the Bixiao Sword Manual and the Azure Sea and Sky Inner Cultivation Technique—two advanced martial techniques Zhao Changzhen had cultivated to a level beyond the twelfth tier, containing profound mysteries and complex subtleties.

Additionally, there were two extremely sinister techniques: one called the Soul-Crushing Claw, a lethal combat skill, and the other, Six Suns Seizing Yin, a dual cultivation technique for energy absorption.

Lu Chengfeng dared not delve into these memories too deeply at this moment. Instead, he held firm to his focus, letting the torrent of memories surge like waves. Only after an hour did they finally begin to settle.

As the golden light dimmed and condensed into a faint, darkened star suspended at his brow's spiritual center, Lu Chengfeng exhaled slowly.

"It worked!"

He opened his eyes, unable to hide the joy on his face.

"This talent is truly remarkable. With this, I, Lu Chengfeng, now have a path to ascend to the heavens, allowing me to cultivate at a rate far beyond that of others."

"People like Xue Dulong no longer pose any threat."

Lu Chengfeng stood up and quickly walked over to a wall, grabbing the sheathed sword hanging there. With a slight exertion, the blade slid a foot out of its scabbard, its edge gleaming coldly.

This was a trusty blade he had carried since childhood, named Cold Cicada. Forged from frigid iron, it was razor-sharp, its blade tempered countless times, bearing faint, wing-like patterns.

Hum! Accompanied by the sword's resonant hum, Lu Chengfeng unsheathed it, executing the nineteen moves of the Bixiao Sword Manual he had previously mastered. Sword light filled the room, as if a shower of starlight cascaded around him.

He found that every move flowed naturally. The subtle transitions between techniques, which had once been challenging, were now executed with ease.

"Twentieth move: Sword Soaring Through the Sky."

As he reached the peak of his swordplay, a surge of energy arose within him, suffusing the blade with a chilling aura, making the sword's edge even more menacing.

"Twenty-first move of the Bixiao Sword Manual: Sword Sweeping the Stars!"

The energy trembled, causing the sword to unleash a stream of cold light, resembling a frigid river descending from the heavens.

"I've finally reached the seventh tier of the Bixiao Sword Manual!"

Though he had anticipated this breakthrough, achieving it brought him profound joy.

In martial arts, there were two main disciplines: internal and external. Internal arts cultivated vitality, extending life and strengthening the spirit, while external arts focused on combat techniques and physical prowess.

The depth of a martial art's highest attainable level determined its caliber. Only techniques that could be trained up to the tenth tier or beyond were considered superior.

The Bixiao Sword Manual, with its seventy-two forms, gained one tier for every three moves mastered, reaching a maximum of twenty-four tiers—a rarity among top-tier martial arts.

Previously, Lu Chengfeng had been stuck at the sixth tier, having only mastered nineteen moves, a step away from the seventh tier. Now, with Zhao Changzhen's insights, he effortlessly comprehended the twentieth and twenty-first moves in the blink of an eye.

And this was far from his limit…

Lu Chengfeng immersed himself in the memories imprinted within his mind. The talent's feedback felt as if he himself had practiced the Bixiao Sword Manual for decades, each move ingrained deeply within him.

The more he practiced, the more exhilarated he felt. His progress was visible, and if others knew, it would surely drive them mad with envy.

In the neighboring room, Luo Suyi found it difficult to sleep. The recent events had left her feeling like a leaf adrift, her fate beyond her control.

Her decision to marry Lu Chengfeng, driven partly by an underlying fondness for her former junior martial brother, had given her a sliver of hope. Though it wasn't love, a hint of affection influenced her decision.

That night, with its mix of nervousness and inexplicable anticipation, she had hoped to distract herself from her fears and anxiety. But to her surprise, her new husband had left her alone on their wedding night to practice his sword techniques next door.

"That man… he's actually practicing swordsmanship?" Luo Suyi felt both amused and exasperated. She wondered if she had somehow lost her charm; otherwise, why would he abandon a beauty like her for such an untimely pursuit?

As she listened to the sound of his practice, an unexpected calm settled over her. The upheavals of recent days had deprived her of rest, and now, a wave of drowsiness overcame her. She yawned softly.

Stretching her slender waist, her curves even more prominent, she muttered, "Unappreciative man."

She removed her outer robe, leaving only a red satin undergarment, and slipped beneath the wedding quilt.

With the rhythmic hum of sword practice drifting from the next room, she soon fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Meanwhile, Lu Chengfeng practiced tirelessly throughout the night, not feeling the slightest fatigue. His internal cultivation technique, Azure Sea and Sky, resonated with the Bixiao Sword Manual, his internal energy rising like tides, constantly growing.

As dawn broke, he felt a slight mental fatigue, causing his sword movements to slow. He sheathed his sword with precision, the blade sliding smoothly into its scabbard.

"I've fully mastered the thirty-two moves of the Bixiao Sword Manual, reaching the tenth tier. I'm not far from the eleventh."

"Advancing from the sixth to the tenth tier in a single night—it's astonishing."

"If I hadn't experienced it myself, I would never believe such a miraculous thing could exist."

Lu Chengfeng himself felt a bit shocked. "To absorb decades of skill from others overnight without any loss of stability… it's as if I had trained for decades myself."

"This gift from Master's swordsmanship is not yet fully absorbed. With a few more days to refine and solidify, I should break through to the twelfth tier, matching my master's skill level."

"As for my internal cultivation, which balances essence, energy, and spirit, I've only reached the seventh tier. Progress there will require more time."

"Still, it's enough. Achieving the tenth tier in swordsmanship grants me the qualifications to seek the rank of sect elder, securing my position within the sect."

"The next step is to quickly apply for the elder's assessment. If Xue Dulong comes to Bixiao Peak as an elder, there will be no end of trouble."

With that decision, Lu Chen

gfeng picked up his sword and headed for the adjoining room, where his beautiful bride awaited him.