Chapter 640 - 24 Solar Terms Swordsmanship

“Twenty-Four Solar Terms Swordsmanship?”

A divine light glittered in Ma Ruoxi’s eyes; she was incredibly excited.

‘Her master’s skill in the Sword Dao was practically divine. But ever since he reached the Nascent Soul Realm, he had been traveling abroad, giving her few opportunities to serve by his side and listen to his teachings.’

‘Fortunately, this time, by borrowing the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword, she had successfully reached the realm of Refining Sword into Silk.’

‘Receiving such an Exquisite Swordsmanship would give her plenty to study and master before she reached the Nascent Soul Realm.’

“Twenty-Four Solar Terms Swordsmanship…”

Lii Guizhen repeated the name, seemingly puzzled by it.

‘He was no longer the naive youth of yesteryear who had insisted on becoming Ancestor Bai’s disciple, determined to be a Sword Cultivator. He had long since recognized that his true strengths lay not in the Sword Dao, but in Thunder Skills.’

‘Over the years, Swordsmanship had merely become a pastime, a way to vent his frustrations during periods of secluded meditation and healing.’

‘Still, the fact that he was being taught this Swordsmanship proved that his master held him in no less esteem than his sister-disciple.’

“This Swordsmanship is very different from any other in the Cultivation Realm. It was inspired by the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Intent and brought toward Perfection by fusing it with Time True Intent… My aim is for this Swordsmanship to embody the transformations of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, capable of expressing any celestial phenomenon. From the moment I first encountered the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Intent, through the long process of refinement, to finally establishing its framework and seeing it take shape in the last couple of years—all told, it has been over two centuries.”

Bai Zichen didn’t expect his two disciples to learn this Swordsmanship right away. Even he himself had only just developed a concrete concept for it.

In essence, the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Intent couldn’t compare to the Time True Intent, nor even to the Heaven-Opening Sword Intent that he had acquired at the same time.

But in terms of complexity and potential for divergent variations, it far surpassed the others.

The “Twenty-Four” Solar Terms was just an approximation. Through various combinations, there were actually thousands of possible variations. In its ultimate form, it could be called the most intricate and complex Swordsmanship in the world.

Even with the inspiration from Sword Intent, the blessing of Time True Intent, and the nourishment from the True Enlightenment Sword Technique—a veritable encyclopedia of Swordsmanship—it had still taken all this time. Only during his battle with Qu Yang did a moment of sudden insight grant him a major breakthrough.

One could say the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Swordsmanship had limitless potential. Only as Bai Zichen’s own Sword Dao grew stronger—for example, upon reaching the Fifth Realm of Sword Dao—would this Swordsmanship’s destructive power reach its conceptual peak.

By combining twenty-four types of Sword Intent with Time True Intent, no matter what kind of opponent or environment one faced, nothing could exist beyond the boundaries of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Swordsmanship.

This Swordsmanship could be considered Bai Zichen’s first original creation since embarking on the path of Cultivation, not something inherited from his predecessors.

By teaching it to his disciples, he was also leaving his mark on the Cultivation Realm. Regardless of whether he could achieve Ascension to the Upper Realm, this Swordsmanship, created by the Time Sword Monarch Bai Zichen, would be passed down through the ages.

As long as people in later generations studied it, they would think of him.

Just as one thought of the Taibai Sword Monarch whenever the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Demon Extinguishing Sword Formation was mentioned, his name would become unavoidable among Sword Cultivators.

“To lower the difficulty of learning this Swordsmanship, I drew inspiration from the solar terms and divided it into twenty-four sections. You can practice them in order, or you can start with any section you like.”

This inspiration to simplify the Swordsmanship’s difficulty naturally came from the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword.

Otherwise, he truly couldn’t imagine how many Sword Cultivators in the entire world—let alone his own disciples—would be able to even grasp the rudiments.

Even Bai Zichen himself had to master the entire Swordsmanship through meticulous study, one section at a time.

No matter how famous it became, if it were merely shelved away like some sacred offering, it would defeat his original purpose.

“But you must remember: go with the flow and do not force it… Progress in this Swordsmanship does not come from diligent, arduous practice. A hundred years of ceaseless training is worth less than a single flash of Spirit Light. Do not become too obsessed with it. Even I can only be considered a beginner at this Swordsmanship right now, and I won’t achieve Great Success for several centuries.”

Though Bai Zichen addressed both disciples, his gaze remained fixed on Ma Ruoxi.

Of the two, Ma Ruoxi was certainly the one more passionate about the Sword Dao. If anyone were to become obsessed, it would most likely be her.

He couldn’t bear the thought of his disciple neglecting her Cultivation for a single Swordsmanship and completely losing her chance to reach the Nascent Soul Realm.

For Core Formation Cultivators, a Swordsmanship like this, involving the complex fusion of True Intents, was no different from a Celestial Book. It was excellent for broadening their horizons and expanding their knowledge, provided they only tried to integrate the parts they could understand into their own Sword Dao.

But trying to achieve something significant all at once would be nothing but a waste of time.

“We will heed our Master’s teachings.”

Seeing Bai Zichen’s solemn expression, his two disciples took his words to heart and readily agreed.

This was especially true for Ma Ruoxi. She had originally hoped to study it diligently, inherit her master’s mantle, and bring this Swordsmanship to glorious new heights.

But when she heard that it would take even someone of her master’s aptitude several centuries to truly master it, she immediately abandoned any grand notions.

Two dazzling Sword Lights ignited in Bai Zichen’s hands. As ethereal as a dream, they formed two palm-sized halos that instantly captured one’s gaze, making it impossible to look away.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

The halos spun rapidly, blurring into solid wheels of radiant light. Lii Guizhen and Ma Ruoxi grew nauseous, feeling as if they were about to pass out.

Before they could even react, they sensed a halo appear within their Sea of Consciousness, as if it had existed there for all time.

Just by touching it lightly with their Divine Sense, information about the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Swordsmanship would surface. They could even select any of the solar terms to observe and study at will.

“Thank you, Master, for bestowing this technique upon us!”

The two were ecstatic. Even a brief inspection was enough for them to grasp the extraordinary nature of this Swordsmanship.

It contained not only the method for practicing the Swordsmanship but also a way to comprehend and touch upon True Intent itself.