Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

Chapter 356: Chapter 355: The Intent Is There, But The Heart Is Not

”Ling Fei defeated the Third Prince of Great Tang, Li Xun, back when he was in the Profound Pill Realm. Now that he’s entered the Celestial Pill Realm, can he contend with Junior Sister Lian Shuang?” The young people below the stage felt their blood boiling. As they stared at Ling Fei and Lian Shuang, a fiery light blazed in their eyes.

One was a Sword Dao prodigy.

The other, an Alchemy and Martial Genius.

When these two met, what kind of sparks would fly?

Lian Shuang had spoken, wanting to spar with Ling Fei, and had pointed out that he had already stepped into the Celestial Pill Realm.

This sent an uproar through the crowd. Those youths who originally didn’t have much confidence in Ling Fei were now also extremely eager to see the two of them clash.

Countless gazes fell upon Ling Fei, and everyone seemed to be waiting for his reply.

”Senior Sister Lian Shuang has a point. Since you’ve extended such a gracious invitation, I won’t be polite. I only hope you’ll show mercy when offering your guidance.” Seeing Lian Shuang’s earnestness, Ling Fei stood up, laughed heartily, and agreed to the spar. After all, this was a rare opportunity for him.

’After all, the one thing a cultivator fears on their path is having no worthy opponents.’

’Now that a peerless genius like Lian Shuang is here, why not take this chance to train with her!’

’As for winning or losing, that’s just for show. What’s important is whether I can gain some enlightenment from this spar.’

”Hehe, there’s no need to be modest, Ling the Pill Master. When the time comes, I hope you won’t hold back either.” Lian Shuang smiled. Although it was a faint smile, to outsiders, it was like an Ice Lotus blooming—so beautiful it made them wish this moment could last forever. Even Yuan Chong and the others couldn’t help but hold their breath.

Ling Fei simply smiled. He took a great stride forward and shot toward the dueling stage like a ferocious dragon.

Although he had stepped into the Celestial Pill Realm and the Profound Pill Essence Qi in his body was dense enough to allow a cultivator to briefly walk on air...

...Ling Fei’s control over his Mystical was still lacking, so he couldn’t stroll leisurely through the air like Lian Shuang. Thus, he simply chose to dash across.

WHOOSH!

As Ling Fei flew over, the gust of wind he stirred up was still incredibly tyrannical, causing the nearby Celestial Pill Realm cultivators to feel a sense of pressure.

”Ling the Pill Master’s aura isn’t bad at all!” many people whispered.

”But I wonder what his combat prowess is like.” A glint flashed in He Tianming’s eyes; even he was somewhat looking forward to seeing Ling Fei’s true strength.

After all, Ling Fei had defeated the Third Prince, Li Xun.

”Senior Sister Lian Shuang, your Swordsmanship is superb. It is truly my good fortune to be able to spar with you.” Ling Fei landed on the stage, clasping his hands in a salute as he smiled at Lian Shuang.

He was also quite looking forward to this spar.

After all, since breaking into the Profound Pill Realm and then the Celestial Pill Realm, Ling Fei had never truly sparred with anyone.

”Will you be using your sword, or...?” Lian Shuang gave a faint smile, but then her gaze sharpened, turning solemn as she stared at Ling Fei.

From the looks of it, she was clearly preparing to make her move.

Lian Shuang’s sudden change in expression stunned the people below the stage.

At the same time, they also understood that this junior sister of theirs was just as cold and aloof to everyone!

It seemed her smile from before was just to get Ling Fei onto the stage.

Some people felt that Ling Fei had been tricked.

Ling Fei, however, didn’t mind at all. He also wanted to see just how big the gap was between himself and Senior Sister Lian Shuang.

Only by doing this could he truly know his own strength.

”I have only just begun to condense my Sword Dao Mystical, and my control over the Sword Dao is still lacking. This is the perfect opportunity to ask Senior Sister Lian Shuang for some pointers, so I may learn what I’m missing,” Ling Fei said.

’Since this is a spar, I should use it to constantly test myself.’

’If I were to go all out from the start, it would be difficult to achieve that effect.’

”Very well. Then I will help you practice.” Lian Shuang nodded. The blue Long Sword in her hand twitched, and she said, ”You can make the first move.”

Seeing this, Ling Fei’s gaze focused. With a stir of his Heart Spirit, his Sword Intent immediately began to gather.

At the same time, he flipped his palm, and a top-tier Spirit Sword appeared in his hand.

It was a prize Ling Fei had won in a past battle.

Since it was just a spar, he didn’t use his Beiming Sword Shield.

After Ling Fei took out his Treasure Sword, Sword Essence coiled around Lian Shuang. She looked ready to condense a Sword Lotus at any moment; her defense was something few could match.

Seeing this, Ling Fei’s brow furrowed slightly.

From observing her last time, he had some understanding of Lian Shuang’s strength.

’Senior Sister Lian Shuang’s Five Elements Sword Lotus has an extremely strong defense. A normal attack can’t even get close to her. Furthermore, the Five Elements Sword Lotus’s offense is also incredibly swift. Once she attacks, her opponent will be killed with no power to resist. I have comprehended two Sword Dao Mysticals: one is the Celestial River Sword Intent, which is incomparably fierce, and the other is the Meteor Sword Intent, which is extremely fast.’

’My two Sword Intents combined are only about on par with He Tianming’s Mystical of the Blade. However, my control over Sword Intent is not as good as his.’ Before he had even made a move, Ling Fei was already analyzing his strengths and weaknesses, trying to understand his own power versus his enemy’s to find a breakthrough. Only by doing so could he overcome his opponent and secure victory.

’If we’re just comparing Swordsmanship, it will be very difficult for me to win right now... unless I incorporate my True Dragon Power.’ Ling Fei’s mind was as clear as a mirror.

’No matter what, I’ll strike first and test my Sword Dao Mystical.’ As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Ling Fei came to a decision.

Even if his Swordsmanship was a bit lacking, he would only know his own strengths and weaknesses by trying, and only then could he find where he fell short.

With a flicker of his will, a glint appeared in Ling Fei’s eyes. In his Dantian, a Mystical Technique Pattern began to flash.

SWISH!

The Long Sword in Ling Fei’s hand moved. He took a great stride forward and launched an attack at Lian Shuang.

Celestial River Nine Swords!

Ling Fei’s wrist twisted, and his Long Sword became a blur of shadows as he slashed toward Lian Shuang. As the sword fell, Sword Qi crisscrossed through the air, forming a Sword River.

The Sword River was majestic, like a great river ten feet wide, threatening to drown Lian Shuang. The Sword Qi that surged within it was like countless sharp blades, incomparably fierce.

However, for an expert at the Celestial Pill Realm, such an attack didn’t seem particularly rare.

”Ling the Pill Master is attacking just like that?” Below the stage, many people were dumbfounded. They felt Ling Fei was treating this too casually!

He was facing the Little Sword God, Lian Shuang!

Lian Shuang’s eyebrow twitched, but she remained unmoved.

With her strength, blocking such an attack was far too easy.

SWISH, SWISH!

Just then, Ling Fei’s wrist danced, and Sword Qi surged. In a mere instant, he had unleashed nine consecutive strikes.

His speed was countless times faster than when he was at the Small Primordial Pill Realm.

Each of the Nine Swords was stronger than the last. When all nine converged, it was like giant waves stacking upon each other, or a great river churning, rolling up a terrifying Sword Wave.

As the Sword Wave crashed down, the Void trembled. The attack was formidable.

”The power of these Nine Swords stacked together is not bad.” Seeing this, the spectators finally gave a slight nod.

”Your Sword Momentum is like a river, but you have only scratched the surface.” Across from him, Lian Shuang appeared nonchalant as she evaluated Ling Fei’s Swordsmanship.

Golden Sword Lotus!

As her words fell, she raised her jade-like hand. Sword Patterns condensed on her blue Long Sword, and a Golden Sword Lotus bloomed from its tip.

WHOOSH!

The Sword Lotus whistled through the air, growing larger and larger in the Void as it shot toward Ling Fei’s Celestial River Nine Swords.

The Sword Lotus spun, its petals crisscrossed with Sword Qi. Like a grinder, it tore the majestic Sword River before it to shreds, piece by piece.

Then, Ling Fei saw the Sword Lotus plunge directly into the Sword River he had created, breaking through it and surging upward to attack him.

The Sword Qi blooming from the Sword Lotus was sharp and piercing, like tangible blades that sent a chill through Ling Fei’s Heart Spirit.

Immediately, Ling Fei’s body shot backward in retreat.

As Ling Fei retreated, Lian Shuang did not press her advantage, appearing for all the world as if she were simply practicing with him.

’So strong. Why was my Sword River so easily broken?’ As he stabilized himself, Ling Fei looked up at Lian Shuang in front of him, a look of astonishment on his face.

Although he had long known that Lian Shuang was strong, he never expected his Celestial River Nine Swords to be so fragile.

He knew that his Celestial River Nine Swords was no longer as simple as the Nine Waves Sword.

When the Nine Swords were unleashed, they swept forth like a great river. Ling Fei had already gained initial control over the momentum of this great river, and the power of his sword technique had multiplied as a result.

But even so, his nine strikes had been shattered with ease by Lian Shuang.

”Your sword is like a river, vast and surging with momentum. But you have the intent without the heart, and thus you have not grasped the true Mystical of the Celestial River.” Lian Shuang sheathed her sword. Her gaze lifted to Ling Fei as she spoke calmly, but her words set off waves in Ling Fei’s heart.

”’Intent without the heart?’” Ling Fei’s gaze sharpened, and he murmured the words under his breath.

”You have just entered the Celestial Pill Realm, so you have yet to comprehend its inner Mystical,” Lian Shuang said.

Initially condensing a Mystical Technique Pattern is considered entering the Celestial Pill Realm.

However, even after entering the Celestial Pill Realm, there are still higher and lower levels within the realm.

With each step of improvement, one’s strength would take a great leap forward.

”’Intent... and heart?’” Ling Fei muttered to himself and fell into deep thought, pondering his own sword.

To master Sword Intent, one must first comprehend the Sword Heart.

At that point, the sword moves with the heart.

However, Sword Intent is only the initial manifestation.

The Sword Dao Mystical that Ling Fei currently controlled was clearly much more profound.

Sword Intent is one’s own intent.

But a Sword Dao Mystical is a mystical of the heavens and earth, which one must fuse with and make one’s own.

This is creating something from nothing; it is not something one intrinsically possesses, making it even harder to control.

’My sword is like a river—is that the intent?’ Ling Fei’s thoughts raced, and various images from the Celestial River Sword Wall surfaced in his mind.

’What is the heart?’

’When the heart moves, the Mystical moves!’

On the dueling stage, Ling Fei stood in a daze, lost in contemplation of the Sword Dao Mystical.

Lian Shuang didn’t move either, simply waiting for him.

”Is Ling Fei having an epiphany about the Sword Dao Mystical?”

”Junior Sister Lian Shuang only said a single sentence, and it triggered him?” The cultivators below the stage discussed amongst themselves.

”This guy, he’s even seeking enlightenment in the middle of a match. What if his opponent took this chance to attack?” someone else said, exasperated.

If his opponent had attacked, Ling Fei would have died countless times over by now.

”Hehe, can’t you see Junior Sister Lian Shuang is acting as Ling Fei’s training partner? I’m so jealous! To have such a peerless beauty as a training partner.” Yuan Chong’s face was filled with envy.

He had originally thought Lian Shuang was going to crush Ling Fei and embarrass him.

But now it seemed that Junior Sister Lian Shuang wanted to use this opportunity to guide Ling Fei!

”How wonderful would it be if I could receive guidance from Junior Sister Lian Shuang!”

”If I could receive guidance from such a beauty, I would have no regrets in this life.”

...

For a time, a thick sense of envy permeated the venue.

You have to understand, it was a rare occasion for these people to even exchange a single word with Lian Shuang, let alone receive her guidance!

Even He Tianming frowned, his face a mask of envy.

He had also sparred with Lian Shuang just now, but she hadn’t deigned to say much to him, let alone offer any guidance.

In that moment, the difference in treatment between Ling Fei and an ordinary genius was clear at a glance.

”Do you think Junior Sister Lian Shuang is going to all this trouble because she’s actually taken a fancy to Ling Fei?”

”I think it’s possible.” The sound of hushed whispers was endless.

”If Lian Shuang and Ling Fei could become Dao companions, it would be a blessing for our Lingyun Sect.” On the high platform, Sect Leader Yuan stroked his beard and smiled.

”That depends on whether Ling Fei can capture the beauty’s heart,” a few Elders chuckled.

They too were extremely eager to see sparks fly between these two peerless geniuses.

If that happened, once these two had fully matured, the Lingyun Sect would surely enjoy a period of great prosperity.