Chapter 43: Your Seven Years

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 43: Your Seven Years

Profound Understanding in half a day. This was even more shocking news than the White Goat Cave disciples being able to attend the Green Vine Sword School's sword trial festival. However, this sudden commotion did not only occur inside the White Goat Cave.

Ding Ning, the one who caused this shock, only appeared on the paths of the White Goat Cave when the sun was already high in the sky.

“Is this a joke?”

On a mountain path not far from the library cave, Ding Ning looked at Li Daoji expressionlessly and said sullenly, “Yesterday, you told me I could use that spirit vein to cultivate. One night later, you tell me that the spirit vein belongs to the winner of the sword trial festival. Isn't this a change too fast?”

Li Daoji glanced at Ding Ning coldly and said, “There's still a month before the sword trial festival, and the spirit vein still belongs to you. If you think this change is too fast, you should have listened to my words yesterday and used all that time to cultivate with the spirit vein instead of returning to Falling Parasol. You've wasted so much time traveling.”

Ding Ning looked at Li Daoji with dissatisfaction in his eyes. “I wasn't idle on the way back. I was studying the Wildfire Sword Manual.”

Li Daoji said mockingly, “You memorized part of the Wildfire Sword Manual in such a short time?”

Ding Ning nodded.

A glimmer of anger flashed in Li Daoji's eyes, but he did not speak immediately. He cut a tree branch from the stone wall next to him and handed it to Ding Ning. Then he motioned for Ding Ning to step onto a round platform less than three meters in diameter. “If that's the case, demonstrate for me?”

“Alright.”

Ding Ning did not refuse. He grabbed the small branch, stepped onto the platform, and began swinging it.

The small branch in his hand looked ridiculous, with several tender leaves at the tip.

Li Daoji deliberately made it look ridiculous by not cutting the leaves.

Arrogance was unacceptable in cultivation. The Wildfire Sword Manual was more complicated than most of the sword manuals in the White Goat Cave. Many sword forms are made up of several movements linked together. Each sword form would have numerous variations. Even if he went to study the Wildfire Sword, he would not be able to memorize enough in a short day to comprehend and master them.

However, as Ding Ning began to move, lightning flashed across Li Daoji's disdainful eyes, and his expression froze.

The ridiculous-looking branch formed a crescent moon in front of Ding Ning. In the next moment, a snapping sound rang out.

The small tree branch transformed into countless tiny sword shadows that covered Ding Ning for several feet around him.

The shadows were densely packed, mostly gathered around Ding Ning's waist and below, like a lush grassland suddenly appearing before him.

Li Daoji's shock grew even more, and his eyes snapped upward.

He had never read the Wildfire Sword Manual, but he could tell that this should be the initial sword form of the Wildfire Sword. Although Ding Ning's sword form had many openings in his eyes, he could sense the true sword essence behind it.

He felt as though a wildfire on the plains was starting to burn from this initial sword move.

This was the aura.

His sword form was not perfect, and there were slight deviations in its position at all times. This could be changed through practice. However, the essence and aura of a sword could not be grasped through practice alone.

He was the strongest swordsman in the White Goat Cave besides Xue Wangxu. He knew that only a swordsman who possessed an aura could unleash the true power of the sword. In battle, they could let the sword follow the aura, so that the sword would always appear where it was supposed to.

What surprised him most was that the ridiculous leaves at the tip of the branch seemed to possess a unique aura. This made him feel a rapidly expanding aura that was completely different from the wildfire that burned the plains.

“Perhaps I should accept your cultivation method. From today on, if you leave, I will arrange a faster carriage for you.” He took a deep breath and looked at Ding Ning, who had stopped. He said nothing more and left.

“Thank you, Younger Sect Uncle Li Daoji.”

Looking at Li Daoji’s stoic back, Ding Ning thanked him sincerely.

His eyes did not show arrogance, but rather a strange coldness.

Yesterday, his cultivation in the White Goat Cave had gone very smoothly.

However, things were not as smooth as he had imagined.

Di Qingmei of the Green Vine Sword School had a falling out with Xue Wangxu and Du Qingjiao, as rumored. To satisfy the empress in the magnificent imperial palace and have her see his attitude, he had to take greater action.

“Actually, I wouldn't have interfered no matter how you fought with the White Goat Cave. I have a full wall… I don't have the ability to manage matters here. However, when it comes to my cultivation, yesterday I was given a spirit vein and the next night, you took it from me. I'm very unhappy.” Ding Ning threw away the branch in his hand and looked in the direction of the Green Vine Sword School as he thought seriously in his mind.

At this moment, he was truly unhappy.

He was unhappy with the many events that had occurred, and with the title that had frequently surfaced in his mind recently.

“Ding Ning!”

At this moment, he heard someone shouting at him.

Nangong Caishu ran towards him under the sunlight.

She saw Ding Ning looking into the distance from the platform. Her body was trembling slightly.

She ran in front of Ding Ning, her voice trembling slightly. “Ding Ning, you really are amazing.”

Ding Ning snapped out of his reverie. He saw her joyful expression and the completely changed look in her eyes as she looked at him. He knew that this young woman must have made great progress in sensing the primal energies of the universe.

So he asked calmly, “Are those two books useful?”

“I don’t know why you felt those two books would be useful, but they have indeed been helpful to me.” Nangong Caishu could not calm herself. She said tremblingly, “I should reach realm two soon.”

Ding Ning said quietly, “It’s my pleasure to be able to help you. You spoke up for me at the gate. That way, I won’t owe you anything.”

Nangong Caishu fell silent. Her eyes were filled with incomprehension, even a hint of anger.

“This isn’t the same!”

She stared straight into Ding Ning’s eyes, her face flushed. “What do you mean you don’t owe me anything? I only said a few things for you, how can it compare to this? A cultivation problem like this… the help you’ve given me could probably save me seven years, or even more!”

Ding Ning saw her excited state, frowned, and remained silent.

“Perhaps you feel that as a disciple of White Goat Cave, you should stay away from the disciples of the Green Vine Sword School. But I don’t care about that. Even if you don’t consider me a friend, I should thank you.” Nangong Caishu’s expression became serious. She even bowed slightly to Ding Ning. “You told me about your health problems. I know that your cultivation is more urgent than anyone else’s, so I hope that if there’s anything you need help with, you must tell me.”

Ding Ning’s brow furrowed even more. He thought for a moment and said, “If you really want to help me, promise me not to tell anyone that the two books I chose have helped you. Not even your master and your father.”

Nangong Caishu fell silent. She looked at Ding Ning in confusion and asked, “Why?”

“Rapid cultivation progress can cause unnecessary trouble,” Ding Ning said calmly. “If someone who advances quickly is also considered to have strong intuition and understanding of cultivation manuals, that will be even more troublesome. You know that I don't have much time. I don't have time to be taken advantage of by others. I need to spend all my time improving my cultivation.”

Nangong Caishu did not know what Ding Ning was really thinking, but she felt that Ding Ning's words were right.

She knew that those so-called geniuses would face more challenges and trivial tasks after their talents were discovered. Those people mostly aimed for a higher status in Changling. Those challenges and tasks would help them rise to higher positions in the future, and they had enough time to manage those things. But Ding Ning did not have that.

“I swear I won't tell anyone that the two books you chose helped me. I'll find another excuse.” Nangong Caishu nodded seriously, then stubbornly raised her head. She looked at Ding Ning. “But that’s not enough… is there anything else I can help you with?”

Seeing this young woman eager to help him, Ding Ning felt a headache, but he still considered it seriously.

He thought for a moment and said, “Are there any pill medicines that can increase cultivation?” Then he felt that he was being shameless.

Nangong Caishu fell silent. If it were anyone else, she would also find him shameless.

Pills that increased cultivation would have some detrimental effects in the long run. It was said that the effects were even greater when cultivators above realm seven experience breakthroughs. However, because they could rapidly transform a cultivator's body, increase their cultivation, and save time during breakthroughs, all pill medicines that could increase cultivation were among the most precious treasures in the world.

Pill medicines like these were treasures for cultivators from distinguished families like Nangong Caishu. They would use these kinds of pills on themselves if they had them rather than giving them to others.

However, Ding Ning's health made Nangong Caishu not consider him shameless.

She felt that this could help Ding Ning cultivate faster, equivalent to regaining some of his longevity.

“I will do my best.” She patted her chest earnestly and promised.

“Thank you.” Ding Ning's eyes revealed something different. He thanked her earnestly and then said softly, “Then can you tell me what the Green Vine Sword School's sword trial festival is… really like?”

 

Notes:

This novel is not my work... I just translated it from a Chinese web novel written by Wu Zui

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