Jidian.
Three days later, the morning light was in full bloom, casting a pale golden hue over the small courtyard in the west of the City.
Ling Qingshuang had already changed out of her tattered, bloodstained clothes and put on a plain white Daoist robe that Ye Chen had prepared for her.
The fabric was ordinary, but clean and neat, making her already delicate face appear even more beautiful, like frost and snow.
She stood in the courtyard, holding the Wufeng Iron Sword that Ye Chen had found for her.
The weight of the sword in her hand brought her a long-lost sense of solidity.
She was waiting for her “Sir”.
She immersed all her mind and spirit in perception, longing for the teachings that were about to arrive—teachings that could change her destiny.
She believed that the Sword Dao taught by Sir Chen, who could see through the “Innate Sword Heart” at a glance, must be earth-shattering.
Ye Chen’s footsteps were very light, but Ling Qingshuang still caught them instantly.
She immediately composed herself, standing straight with the sword, her posture respectful to the extreme.
Ye Chen walked up to her, said nothing, and simply reached out to gently grasp her sword-wielding wrist.
His fingers were warm and dry, the touch light, but carrying an undeniable, steady strength.
Ling Qingshuang’s body trembled slightly, her first instinct was to pull back, but she held still in the end.
“Focus your mind, feel the force I’m guiding you with.”
Ye Chen’s voice was calm, sounding right beside her ear.
“First form, thrust.”
As he spoke, he guided her arm to push forward slowly.
He didn’t use much force, but with his hand, he skillfully corrected the angle of her wrist, the height of her shoulder, and the subtle rotation of her waist and abdomen as she exerted strength.
“Don’t let your wrist go slack. The spine of the sword should be aligned with your arm. Power starts from the heel, passes through the waist and abdomen, goes through the shoulder, and pours into the sword tip. Imagine there’s only a single point before you, and all you need to do is send all your strength into that point.”
His words were simple and clear, reaching directly into her mind, allowing her to construct the outline of the movement with precision.
Under his guidance, an ordinary straight thrust was broken down into countless details.
Ling Qingshuang had never experienced such teaching.
In the Sect, sword instructors only emphasized the changes in techniques.
No one had ever taught her so meticulously where the strength of the most basic thrust came from, or where it should go.
“Second form, slash.”
Ye Chen released her wrist, then lightly supported her elbow, guiding her to raise the sword overhead and then bring it down with steadiness.
“It’s not about chopping with your arm. Use your body. Move with the sword, channel the weight of your whole body into the slash.”
“Third form, block.”
He guided her sword horizontally in front of her chest.
“Feel this angle—it’s the most stable. A little higher and you’ll leave yourself wide open. An inch lower, and you can’t protect your heart.”
When the three forms were complete, Ye Chen let go and stepped back two paces.
“This is what you are to learn today—the Guiyuan Three Forms.”
Ling Qingshuang stood motionless, gripping the sword, but her heart was surging with emotion.
Guiyuan Three Forms?
She knew this name all too well.
It was the most widely spread basic sword move on the continent—the starting point for all sword cultivators, but also a “dead end” with almost no potential for growth, proven by countless people.
Why?
Why would Sir teach her this?
A wave of confusion and disappointment washed over her like an invisible net.
Even the “Innate Sword Heart” within her instinctively rejected and questioned it.
It longed for profound sword intent, not this… child’s beginner’s lesson.
As if sensing her silence and doubt, Ye Chen’s voice sounded again, still calm as ever.
“You don’t need to pursue refined techniques right now. That won’t help you.”
He paused, then spoke words that shook Ling Qingshuang to her core.
“Your first priority now is to quiet your mind, temper your sword heart, condense spiritual power, and break through to the Jindan Stage. Only then can your Spiritual Sense Outflow, allowing you to perceive the world as if you saw it with your eyes.”
Jindan Stage…
Spiritual Sense Outflow…perceive as if you saw with your own eyes…
These words exploded in Ling Qingshuang’s mind!
Jindan!
The Sect she once belonged to had spent three generations of effort, and even the strongest Sect Leader had barely touched the threshold of the Zhuji Realm.
A Jindan cultivator was a legendary existence, a true powerhouse able to establish a Sect and command a City!
Within the entire Sect, no one had ever dared to hope for such a realm.
And now, her Sir had set this unattainable goal for her as if simply saying “walk to the gate of the courtyard”.
Moreover, he told her that as long as she reached that stage, her blinded eyes could see the world anew—through a different sense!
The shock instantly overwhelmed the disappointment and confusion the Guiyuan Three Forms had brought.
That’s right.
How could she possibly comprehend her Sir’s realm?
The path he walked was surely different from the world’s.
All she needed was to believe and follow.
In the face of the distant and unattainable “revenge”, the concrete and hope-filled goal of “seeing again” finally seemed within reach.
Ling Qingshuang took a deep breath, expelling all distracting thoughts from her mind.
Her restless sword heart returned to calm.
She bowed deeply toward Ye Chen.
“Student understands.”
Her voice was now steady as stone, free of doubt.
“From this day forward, Ling Qingshuang will focus solely on the Jindan Stage!”
“Good.”
Ye Chen replied, seemingly satisfied with her answer.
Ling Qingshuang straightened, hesitating no longer.
Recalling the sensations Ye Chen had just guided her through, she raised the iron sword and, with utmost precision, thrust out the first form of the Guiyuan Three Forms into the empty air before her.