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nTranslator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

nLegend had it that there was a sword technique that could move through the heavens—the Seven Swords of the Moving Heavens! When this sword technique suddenly appeared in this world, the most powerful Sword Deity, Old Man You Tu, killed the reigning master of the Holy Divine Palace with seven swords and then went into hiding and became a legend.

nThose who came after observed the Seven Swords of the Moving Heavens and created the White Cloud Sword Technique.

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nOf course, the level of this technique was dozens of levels lower than the original.

nIt was merely an ordinary Acquired-stage spiritual technique!

nThe White Cloud Sword Technique was kept in the Tiansang Spirit Palace’s Spiritual Library Division and had a total of thirteen strokes.

nIn the past, Xu Xiaoshou, who’d had average talent then, had put all of his efforts into learning the technique. It’d taken three years for him to finally grasp the first stroke—Fleeting White Clouds!

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nThat was the first stroke of a spiritual technique that he’d ever learned. It was also the only stroke he’d ever learned…

nYes, more accurately, it was one of thirteen strokes!

nWhen the darkness swallowed his mind in blackness, and the world started shaking, Xu Xiaoshou saw Hiding Pain coursing through the clouds, carrying him along.

nHe sliced down with the sword and parted the fleeting white clouds. The clouds then slowly gathered once again.

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nThere was no beginning, nor an end. It was undying.

nIn that instant, he had countless epiphanies, and an endless number of sword strokes came to mind as he recalled every instance where he had bitterly practiced, holding his sword in the yard at night.

nStab, slice, prod, cleave…

nThose were the fundamentals. Those strokes and movements had become his instincts through his blood and sweat. He felt those movements naturally come to him at this moment.

nXu Xiaoshou looked at the white clouds in front of him and kept his sword.

nIn that instant, the slow-moving glow of a sword suddenly appeared on the horizon. It swept horizontally across the surroundings. It looked slow and carefree, but it arrived in an instant.

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nThe clouds were shredded. The sky crumbled to dust.

n“Ah!”

nXu Xiaoshou was jolted awake. He was panting heavily. When he moved, his shirt disintegrated into shreds, just like the clouds in his dream, and fell into his lap.

nHe lowered his head. Hiding Pain was in his hands. It released a crisp hum, seemingly overjoyed.

nSo…

n“Darn it, what’s happening?”

nXu Xiaoshou was utterly confused. All he did was insert the Passive Key into the wheel. The key had disappeared and he’d entered the illusion with the carefree sword will and the clouds, which had even drawn out the most bitter memories that he’d hidden deep within his heart.

nThe White Cloud Sword Technique that he’d only mastered one stroke of out of the thirteen despite practicing it for three years…

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nThat was an Acquired-stage sword technique!

nHow unimpressive must one’s talent be to only achieve that after practicing for three years? How could he not be bitter?

nXu Xiaoshou calmed himself down. He buried the memories deep down and rushed to look at the notification panel. The Passive Key must’ve had something to do with this incident.

nA new line had appeared in the notification panel.

n“Obtained an Expertise Passive Skill: Sword Technique Expertise!”

nExpertise Passive Skill?

nSword Technique Expertise?

nXu Xiaoshou was dumbfounded. This was the item that the extra key had given him?

n“Did I really obtain this passive skill that could possibly be the best passive skill out there? And it’s even a passive skill that appeared with its own special effect?”

n“F***!”

nXu Xiaoshou could no longer stop himself from cursing. Had RNGesus really blessed him?

n“Sword Technique Expertise…”

nThe skill’s name made it sound powerful. Its name was a lot better than “Strengthen” or “Sharpness.”

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nGiven that the Passive System always used simplistic names, the appearance of a passive skill that had an unordinary name was indicative of how powerful Sword Technique Expertise was.

nFurthermore…

nXu Xiaoshou trembled with excitement when he recalled that scene in the clouds.

nCould it be that I’ve already mastered the strokes and knowledge of the technique in that illusion?

nSince what he had were passive skills, the effects often appeared in quiet and unassuming ways. If he hadn’t made the effort to observe the changes, he never would’ve noticed the transformation in his body.

nThe Hiding Pain in his hand was buzzing slightly.

nIt was excited!

nXu Xiaoshou could clearly and strongly sense that the non-living Hiding Pain was currently extremely excited. One could even describe it as exhilarated!

nA thought flashed through Xu Xiaoshou’s mind. “Should I test it out?”

nThus, he closed his eyes and recalled the sword technique that could shred the clouds to pieces with a mere stroke.

nHis breathing gradually became quiet. He felt himself become light as a feather and float into the air.

nEthereal, transparent, serene…

nWhat a marvelous feeling.

nThe next moment, Xu Xiaoshou felt like he’d turned into a cloud. He was a fleeting white cloud in a vast painting.

nWhile the summer wind blew and the clouds were shredded!

nXu Xiaoshou felt that he had to strike now.

nThus, he pulled out his sword and subconsciously sliced it through the air. He felt some resistance, but his sword followed the arc he wanted it to and struck down in an instant.

nIt was a carefree strike. The bleak evening wind blew all of the fallen leaves away.

nCreak, creak, creak!

nThe scene from the illusion appeared once again. Countless bolts of light from the sword carefully approached yet instantly covered the space in the room.

nXu Xiaoshou had moved the sword extremely slowly, yet it seemed to vanish into the horizon in an instant.

nXu Xiaoshou opened his eyes.

nBoom!

nThe house, which was made out of redwood, shattered into pieces and fell onto the ground.

nThud, thud, thud!

nXu Xiaoshou looked up to see a sky full of redwood fragments. They turned into sawdust and buried him underneath.

n“F***!

n“What’s going on?”

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nIn a narrow, cramped room. There was a round wooden table and three men inside.

nXiao Qixiu was sitting up straight. The sword that he carried around on his back was on his knees at this time. He shook his head and said seriously, “I don’t drink alcohol!

n“You guys know that a true swordsman would never get drunk on alcohol. They only get drunk on the way of the sword. Drinking alcohol would only mess up my mind and heart. And eventually my sword would no longer be accurate.”

nQiu Qianzhi erupted into laughter, the liquor in his mouth spewing all over the face of the elder sitting in the seat opposite him. He instantly felt embarrassed. “Hmph, that was unintentional.”

nHe turned to look at Xiao Qixiu as he clutched his belly, trying to hold in his laughter. “You talk as if your sword techniques have improved dramatically because you’ve never drunk alcohol.”

nXiao Qixiu smiled slightly. “My techniques have definitely improved…”

nHe turned to look at the old man who was wiping his face. “Do you plan on staying for long now that you’ve come back, Elder Sang?”

nThere were still a few blades of grass on the old man’s head. He glared at Qiao Qianzhi, then picked up his glass and downed the liquid within.

n“I’ll stay for a little longer for the time being!”

nHe looked at the empty glass and suddenly said, “You can both be drunk on alcohol and on the way of the sword!”

nXiao Qixiu wanted to say something in rebuttal, but the old man continued, “Unfortunately, you can’t achieve that. Otherwise, the title of the Eighth Sword Deity would already belong to you…”

nQiao Qianzhi couldn’t hold in his laughter anymore. He roared with laughter. “HAHAHAHA…”

nXiao Qixiu was speechless.

nAt this moment, the sword on his knees started to buzz and shake violently.

nThe three people looked at each other and all saw the look of shock in each other’s eyes.

nXiao Qixiu grabbed his buzzing sword and put his ear to it to have a listen. He saw what was happening nearby in his mind.

nAt the outer yard of the Tiansang Spirit Palace.

nThe evening wind was blowing slowly. A disciple was taking a stroll with his sword in hand as he reflected on life.

nSuddenly, the sword in his hand started to grow restless and attempted to free itself from his grip.

nHe was startled. He grabbed onto his sword in a hurry but realized that everyone around him who also trained in the way of the sword had met with the same predicament.

n“Clang…”

nThe crisp hums of multiple swords sounded, harmoniously connecting as they rang throughout the outer yard.

n“What’s happening?”

nAll of the disciples were dumbfounded.

n“A sword hum ringing throughout a one-mile area. An Acquired-stage Sword Will?” the old man said calmly.

n“Yes!”

nXiao Qixiu nodded and immediately stood up. He exclaimed in shock:

n“I didn’t expect a disciple from the outer yard to master the Acquired-stage Sword Will. Coupled with the two disciples who reached the Innate Stage in their spiritual cultivation and the one who has an Innate-stage physical body, this batch of disciples is extraordinarily good.”

n“Innate-stage physical body?”

nThe old man was shocked. He even put down his cup of wine, as if thinking about something.

nSuddenly, he changed the topic and said, “I remember the last time such a Sword Will appeared. It was that lass Su Qianqian, right!”

n“Yes, the Innate-stage Sword Will,” he added.

nXiao Qixiu looked a little impatient, but he still replied:

n“You can’t compare this to Su Qianqian. She’s a bonafide genius, a person who wields one of the 21 famous swords of this continent. Even I’m envious of her.”

n“Stop putting on an act. Let’s go have a look!” Off to the side, Elder Qiao had also stood up, “You clearly can no longer suppress your excitement, yet you still force yourself to stay here.”

nXiao Qixiu awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.

nThe old man smiled and said, “Go!”

nThe two of them bolted out the door.

n“Tsk tsk…”

nThe old man still looked calm and collected. It was as if an Acquired-state Sword Will wasn’t enough to interest him.

nHe polished off the remaining wine in the flask, then stood up and put the straw hat behind him on his head. He then grabbed the crutch behind the door and slowly left the room.

nSometime later, he returned to the room. He then closed the door before leaving once again.

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