"In a Sword Dao duel, winning or losing isn’t always the point. The goal is to draw inspiration from crossing swords with a powerhouse."
Lin Shouyuan, who had been silent until now, chimed in. Lin Yan paused for a moment, then nodded. "You are right, Uncle Jiu."
"Dad, we didn’t come here for a lecture. Weren’t you going to teach me about choosing my next swordsmanship techniques?"
Lin Mingxi felt a little exasperated. ’Her father wanted to take Lin Yan as his disciple, but he was too afraid of being rejected to ask outright. Now he’d gone and adopted that preachy tone, instantly chilling the atmosphere.’
"Yes. After you’ve developed your first and second Sword Intents, the choice of the next two swordsmanship techniques is very important."
Getting to the matter at hand, Lin Shouyuan’s expression grew serious. He looked at Lin Yan intently. "Lin Yan, you cultivate the Four-Phase Condensing Gang Sword, so you should know about the existence of the Sword Pill within our bodies, which stores Sword Intent."
"Yes. I read about the Sword Pill in the manual for the Four-Phase Sword Aura. It’s described as the place where Sword Intent is stored, yet it cannot be perceived."
"It cannot be perceived because the Sword Pill is illusory. Once it transitions from illusory to tangible, you’ll be able to sense it."
’A Sword Pill can turn from illusory to tangible?’
"Uncle Jiu, then how can I make the Sword Pill turn from illusory to tangible?"
"By comprehending four Sword Intents to the Perfection Level, you can make the Sword Pill transition from illusory to tangible. However, it’s best if all four Sword Intents belong to the same category."
’Four Perfection Level Sword Intents of the same category?’
Lin Yan thought of his Martial Arts Tree and the distribution of the leaves representing his six swordsmanship techniques.
’The Flowing Cloud Thirteen Techniques and the Rain-Covering Swordsmanship should be in one category, while the Jinghong Sword Technique, Shadowless Swordsmanship, and Spirit Snake Swordsmanship are in another.’
"Uncle Jiu, how are Sword Intents categorized?"
"There are no concrete classifications. In theory, any Sword Intent can be fused with another, but that’s just a theory. Do you know why, even though you and Jian Sheng both have two Perfection Level Sword Intents, yours are stronger?"
Lin Yan considered this for a moment before answering, "My fusion of them is more perfect than his."
"Correct. And why were you able to achieve a more perfect fusion?"
Lin Shouyuan pressed on, but this time he didn’t wait for Lin Yan’s answer before continuing, "The more perfect the fusion of Sword Intents, the greater the power. Whether a fusion can be perfected depends not only on one’s own efforts to polish and combine them, but also on the Sword Intents themselves."
"The Flowing Cloud Thirteen Techniques and the Rain-Covering Swordsmanship you cultivate both stem from techniques created by Sword Dao powerhouses who observed the natural world. Their Sword Intents contain the Mental Realm of nature. In contrast, Jian Sheng comprehended his Flowing Water Sword Intent from observing water and his Seven Kills Sword Intent from slaughter. It is far more difficult for him to perfectly fuse those two than it is for you. And to make the Sword Pill tangible, you must perfectly fuse four Perfection Level Sword Intents."
At this point, Lin Shouyuan took two cultivation manuals from within his robes. "You cultivate the Flowing Cloud Thirteen Techniques and Rain-Covering Swordsmanship. Your most stable path forward is to cultivate two more swordsmanship techniques that also embody the essence of nature."
Lin Yan’s gaze fell upon the covers of the two cultivation manuals.
Mist Rain Swordsmanship
Pine Wind Swordsmanship
"I obtained these two swordsmanship techniques in a trade with a good friend. If you are willing to learn them, they are yours."
Lin Shouyuan looked at Lin Yan with a smile. "Although you can’t compare to those Sword Dao geniuses born with an Innate Sword Heart, if you can make your Sword Pill tangible and comprehend a few more Sword Intents in the future, you may yet catch up to them."
Lin Yan mused, ’So a Sword Pill is basically a poor man’s Sword Heart?’
But when he looked up and met Uncle Jiu’s gaze, he hesitated no longer. He stood up solemnly. "If you will have me, Uncle Jiu, I wish to take you as my master."
’Uncle Jiu had already gone to such lengths to take him as a disciple. There was no reason for him to keep being difficult about it.’
"Hahaha!" Lin Shouyuan burst out laughing. "Now that you are my disciple, I will teach you everything I know about the Sword Dao."
Hearing the phrase "teach you everything I know," Lin Yan’s eyebrow twitched. ’That phrase... He could barely stand to hear it now.’

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