Chapter 65 – Dao Master Jiuchen

In no time, half an hour passed, and Dao Master Jiuchen stopped his lecture.

"Now, if you have any questions, feel free to ask," Dao Master Jiuchen said.

The disciples immediately began to ask questions, and Dao Master Jiuchen answered them one by one.

After a while, seeing no more questions, Dao Master Jiuchen turned his gaze to Su Xin.

"Newcomer, don't you have anything to ask?" Dao Master Jiuchen smiled.

"I..." Su Xin frowned, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke, "I didn't understand anything Dao Master just taught, not even the essence of the sword intent you mentioned."

Su Xin was honest and straightforward.

He knew very well that lying in front of Dao Master Jiuchen, pretending to understand when he didn't, would be foolish.

His words made the disciples of Heavenflame Palace pause, and then they all burst into laughter.

"Haha, definitely a newcomer."

"Another rookie who knows nothing about the way of the sword."

"Don't laugh, most of us were just like him when we first came to Heavenflame Palace, knowing nothing."

Though the disciples of Heavenflame Palace were laughing, there was no mockery in their tone.

Most of them had experienced the same situation as Su Xin before.

"What's your name?" Dao Master Jiuchen looked at Su Xin.

"Disciple Su Xin," Su Xin replied.

"So you're Su Xin?" Dao Master Jiuchen raised an eyebrow. "Just yesterday, a friend of mine mentioned you to me."

"Dao Master's friend?" Su Xin's expression shifted.

Given Dao Master Jiuchen's strength, his friend must also be a Nirvana Realm expert, right?

"Alright, everyone can leave now." Dao Master Jiuchen waved his hand, and the disciples of Heavenflame Palace stood up and left.

"Su Xin, come with me." Dao Master Jiuchen stood up.

Su Xin obediently followed Dao Master Jiuchen, staying silent along the way.

Dao Master Jiuchen led Su Xin to the only tower in Heavenflame Palace.

This tower was the Trial Tower that Palace Master Qingyang had mentioned before, used by the disciples of Heavenflame Palace to test their strength.

After entering the tower, Su Xin and Dao Master Jiuchen arrived in a spacious trial space.

"Su Xin, it's just the two of us here," Dao Master Jiuchen smiled at Su Xin. "I heard from my friend that you were the most dazzling talent in this year's Imperial Capital Hunt of the Heavenflame Dynasty. Your swordsmanship is quite impressive. Why don't we have a swordsmanship match here in the Trial Tower?"

"A swordsmanship match? With you, Dao Master?" Su Xin was taken aback.

Dao Master Jiuchen was one of the top experts in the Nirvana Realm, and he specialized in swordsmanship. He was responsible for teaching swordsmanship in Heavenflame Palace.

How strong must his swordsmanship be?

"What, you don't want to?" Dao Master Jiuchen asked.

"Of course, I do," Su Xin nodded repeatedly.

It was a rare opportunity to spar in swordsmanship with a top expert like Dao Master Jiuchen. How could Su Xin not want to?

"Alright, draw your sword and give it your all," Dao Master Jiuchen said with a casual smile, his hands behind his back.

Su Xin, however, did not underestimate Dao Master Jiuchen's casual demeanor.

He gripped his sword with one hand and dashed forward in an instant.

Since it was just a swordsmanship match, Su Xin didn't unleash too much power, not even using his bloodline power, but his swordsmanship was pushed to the limit.

Whoosh!!

The fierce and swift sword shadows slashed out overwhelmingly, with sword intent rising around them.

"Thunderfire Volume?"

Dao Master Jiuchen still smiled faintly. Just as the overwhelming sword shadows reached within half a foot of him, he slightly shifted his step.

With a casual sidestep, he perfectly dodged the sword shadows.

Su Xin continued his assault, each sword strike carrying an endless force of thunder and fire.

But as these sword shadows slashed towards him, Dao Master Jiuchen still kept his hands behind his back, dodging them as if strolling leisurely, each time making Su Xin feel as if his sword was about to hit Dao Master Jiuchen, but always missing by just a hair.

"Thunderfire Arcane Secret Technique!"

"Heavenly Thunder Descends, Sword Dao—Kylin!"

With a fierce shout, Su Xin unleashed his ultimate move.

As the long sword swung out, the sword intent surged, carrying a violent thunderfire force, pressing towards Dao Master Jiuchen from all directions.

This oppressive force could greatly affect the opponent's speed, and if faced with weaker opponents, they might even be immobilized under such pressure.

But against Dao Master Jiuchen... Dao Master Jiuchen's comprehension of sword intent was far beyond Su Xin's, and this oppressive force had no effect on him.

He simply took a step forward, causing Su Xin's sword to strike empty air.

"Dao Master, I have one more sword move," Su Xin said, his eyes filled with a burning determination as he looked at Dao Master Jiuchen.

"Come on," Dao Master Jiuchen gestured with his finger.

Su Xin immediately executed his strongest ultimate move... A Thousand Miles in One Line.

The silent sword light swept out, crossing the void in an instant, appearing before Dao Master Jiuchen as if it had teleported.

"A Thousand Miles in One Line?"

Dao Master Jiuchen chuckled lightly, then pointed his finger forward.

Clang!

Dao Master Jiuchen used the same level of power as Su Xin, without employing any other protective techniques.

With just a finger, carrying a faint trace of sword intent, he directly blocked Su Xin's strongest ultimate move.

"This..." Su Xin was a bit stunned.

"Let's stop here."

Dao Master Jiuchen withdrew his hand and smiled, "Your comprehension of intent is clearly not that high, yet you can execute the third form of the Phantom Volume. Your talent in swordsmanship is indeed extraordinary, no wonder my friend praised you so highly."

"Dao Master, may I ask who your friend is?" Su Xin inquired.

"His name is Gaimon," Dao Master Jiuchen replied.

Su Xin showed a look of confusion.

"You don't know him?" Dao Master Jiuchen looked over, "My friend is from the Crimson Dragon Tower. He said he noticed your talent more than two months ago, before the Imperial Capital Hunt even took place, and immediately recommended you to Heavenflame Palace. However, for some reason, Heavenflame Palace didn't give you a special recruitment quota."

Hearing this, Su Xin immediately realized who Gaimon was.

"He is the senior from Crimson Dragon Tower who helped me!" Su Xin was excited.

When he first challenged the Dragon-Seeking Tower, the senior guarding it noticed his talent and personally went to Heavenflame Palace to recommend him.

Although, in the end, for some reason, Heavenflame Palace didn't give him a special recruitment quota, Su Xin had always remembered this kindness.

He just never knew the senior's real name, but now he did.

That senior was named Gaimon, and he was friends with Dao Master Jiuchen.

"It seems you know him."

Dao Master Jiuchen noticed Su Xin's expression and said, "My friend's strength is not much weaker than mine, but he is quite aloof and rarely takes a liking to anyone. Yet he holds you in high regard and even went out of his way to praise you to me."

"Although he didn't say it outright, I understand his intention. He wants me to look after you in Heavenflame Palace, and even suggested that I take you as a disciple."

"Gaimon senior wants you to take me as a disciple?" Su Xin was shocked.

"Unfortunately, since my personal disciple was killed right under my nose forty years ago, I've sworn never to take another disciple in this lifetime," Dao Master Jiuchen said, his voice heavy.

"So, taking a disciple is out of the question. The most I can do is give you some extra guidance and as much direction in swordsmanship as possible."

Su Xin was overjoyed.

He never hoped to become Dao Master Jiuchen's disciple.

But even just guidance in swordsmanship was very important to him now.

After all, his understanding of swordsmanship, including his comprehension of intent, had always been something he explored on his own, with no one to help him.

In the Su Family, the only one who could guide him was his father, Su Baichen, but his father wasn't skilled in swordsmanship.

And relying solely on his own exploration couldn't compare to having a complete guide in swordsmanship.

Dao Master Jiuchen immediately began to explain.

"In swordsmanship, at the beginning, it's about integrating intent into your swordsmanship to form sword intent. The higher your comprehension of sword intent, the stronger your swordsmanship will naturally be."

"And comprehension of sword intent starts with the essence of sword intent."

"The so-called essence of sword intent is about breaking down the complete sword intent into simpler, more understandable components, like a person eating a steamed bun. You can't swallow the whole bun in one bite, but if you break it into pieces and chew it slowly, it's much easier to swallow."

"The essence of sword intent is like the chewed-up pieces of the bun..."

Su Xin listened intently.

"Initially, when warriors comprehended intent, there was no concept of the essence of intent. It wasn't until ten thousand years ago that it's said a dozen of the world's top experts came together to analyze the intents of various fields, simplifying them to the extreme, creating various essences of intent."

"As the saying goes, 'The predecessors plant the trees, and the successors enjoy the shade.' This is why we can now comprehend intent more easily through its essence."

"For example, sword intent has been broken down into three levels, with a total of three hundred and eighty-one essences of sword intent."

Su Xin was deeply shocked.

To break down the complete intent and simplify it—what an incredible feat.

"Su Xin, you won first place in this hunt, so you must have a lot of fire points, right?" Dao Master Jiuchen looked over.

"I have ten thousand fire points," Su Xin replied.

"Ten thousand fire points, that's quite a lot," Dao Master Jiuchen chuckled, "But according to the usual style of the three Palace Masters, many things in Heavenflame Palace won't be explained to you directly. You'll have to figure them out on your own."

"Yes," Su Xin nodded, a bit helpless, "I've been in Heavenflame Palace for two days now, but I still haven't figured everything out, and I don't dare to use my fire points recklessly."

"Indeed, fire points are very important, and it's wise not to use them carelessly," Dao Master Jiuchen nodded, then smiled, "Su Xin, I can give you some advice on how to use your fire points. Would you like to hear it?"

"Of course, I would," Su Xin was overjoyed.

He was worried about not knowing how to use his fire points.

Dao Master Jiuchen, a peak expert in the Nirvana Realm and a master of swordsmanship, had such a high perspective.

If he was willing to give advice, Su Xin would be over the moon.