"Affectionate Sword Dao, Lifeless Sword Dao, why can't both be chosen?"
Zhou Yan frowned. He held the statue in his hand, looked at it for a moment, then suddenly raised his head and looked directly at his father.
"Choose both? Follow my old path? Remember, broad learning is not as good as specializing!"
Zhou Wangchen's gaze was calm, like a pool of dead water, without ripples. That unfocused gaze seemed to sweep casually across Zhou Yan's face, then silently fell on a new black iron block that had appeared in his hand at some unknown time.
His words were spoken in a low, deep voice.
Zhou Yan faced his father and was momentarily speechless.
Looking at his father's silent desolation and loneliness, Zhou Yan felt uneasy deep inside.
This man, this man who had once stood tall and proud in his memory, was now so dejected.
Zhou Yan didn't know what had happened to his father that had brought him to such a state.
Once a dazzling genius of unparalleled talent and fame, a 'True Man Level' genius whose combat power could break the shackles of realms, now a figure of ridicule in the entire Canglan City.
Zhou Yan stood there without speaking, only silently watching his father's series of actions with mixed feelings.
In his eyes, the originally complex actions seemed to simplify. He even vaguely felt that he, too, could achieve all of it!
Perhaps he could even do it best!
He harbored such thoughts but did not express them, merely observing silently.
Suddenly, he sensed that in a moment of fluidity, there was a hint of stagnation. His father's movements did not align properly, leading to a clash between the two Sword Intents, showing signs of collapse.
And at this moment, his father suddenly stopped his hands and spoke.
"Choosing one path and walking it steadily is the right way. Hmm... you finally broke through your own shackles."
The half-carved statue, as Zhou Yan expected, suddenly crumbled into powder with a puff.
This time, Zhou Wangchen failed to complete the fusion of the Affectionate Sword Dao and the Lifeless Sword Dao. It had ended just as it began, wasting a piece of high-quality iron material.
This scene was entirely in line with Zhou Yan's expectations.
Zhou Yan felt a tremor and was shocked but still did not voice his opinion, only pondering slightly: "Father, the Secret Techniques of the Affectionate Sword Dao and the Lifeless Sword Dao are your life's work. As your son, if I cannot inherit it, that would be your shame and a display of my incompetence!
"So, choosing the Affectionate Sword Dao and Lifeless Sword Dao is my determination, and there is no need for you to persuade me."
"You insist on this, yet you are being confused. Without achieving greatness, you will end up like your father, with accomplishments but ultimately bleak. First, seek power, and only then pursue and create in Sword Dao, do not put the cart before the horse."
Zhou Wangchen sighed, took out a jug of wine, and drank again.
His face, flushed from carving, turned increasingly pale due to the liquor, his red and white hues like soul and flesh about to be burnt out.
"There are three thousand paths of the Tao, all roads lead to the same end, whether it's Affectionate Sword Dao, Lifeless Sword Dao, or Bloodthirsty Sword Dao, Life-taking Sword Dao, Venomous Sword Dao, Geng Metal Sword Dao, Soft Water Sword Dao, Nihility Sword Dao, etc., they are all just Sword Dao. I cultivate the Sword Dao Great Path, without concerning myself with the characteristics of the Sword Dao itself."
Zhou Yan spoke from the experience of a Grandmaster's memory.
These words shook Zhou Wangchen profoundly!
At that moment, the jug he held dropped and shattered on the ground with a crash.
A pungent smell of wine flooded over Zhou Yan, causing his blood to feel inflamed as if his entire body was ignited uncontrollably.
Yet, his head felt starkly clear and icy!
This was an exceptionally peculiar state, Zhou Yan felt that his face, too, was probably extremely pale!
He was frightened, wondering what kind of drug was mixed in the wine that his father drank like water, but it was certain that it was a medicinal wine suppressing a certain ability in the head, and a very domineering one!
Dizzy, nauseous, he quickly concentrated and held his breath, circulating his budding Sword Qi through his body's meridians, neutralizing the imperceptible disruption of the wine.
At this moment, Zhou Wangchen did not notice this scene, instead, he fell into an inexplicable state of 'Sudden Enlightenment.'
Zhou Yan understood in his heart that his father had gained insight and understanding. Maybe his words had provided a kind of reminder, for his previous sentence originated from the experience of a warrior who had shattered the void through martial arts from that unknown 'Earth,' not a mere joke.
He waited for a moment, quietly pondering the so-called Affectionate Sword Dao and Lifeless Sword Dao, feeling that his Bishui Swordsmanship was nearly complete, the Eighth Form had been finished, and these two Sword Daos weren't that difficult.
As for comprehending that kind of Sword Intent, it wasn't something his current realm could grasp yet.
Without fully formed Sword Qi, Sword Intent remains an illusion.
Therefore, he did not force it.
About ten minutes later, Zhou Wangchen emerged from that meditative state, his spirit seemed improved.
He exhaled lightly, then seemed to notice the alcohol scent on the ground, furrowing his brows as the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes connected.
With a wave of his hand, an invisible energy swept out, extracting nearly all of the alcohol fumes from the air, so that the environment which reeked of liquor now bore no trace of that smell.
He completed this action, then looked deeply at Zhou Yan, his gaze concentrating slightly, and said: "It seems your talent is above mine, then I am relieved.
"What you said this time has deep meaning, whether it's your own understanding or hearsay. No matter what, I've had insights and have come up with a solution for myself, so I will leave for a while."
Zhou Wangchen spoke softly.
This was the first time his eyes held a human gleam while talking to Zhou Yan.
"Father, how are your injuries?"
Zhou Yan, seeing how adept his father was, knew that the 'useless' name attributed to his father was false. Yet, his status as disabled was something even his grandfather the Family Head had acknowledged, why was that?
"Using a little power occasionally is fine. Since you've unlocked your potential, Canglan City can no longer constrain you. If possible, go to the Zhou Family in Cangxiao City, train diligently, and, by the way, help your father retrieve the 'Heavenly Evil Sword,' which has been my lifelong wish."
Zhou Wangchen said as he turned around and walked outside.
"Father, I will accomplish all of that, rest assured! Also, Father, can you tell me about Mother's whereabouts?"
Zhou Yan couldn't resist asking.
He could tell that his father's love for his mother was deep, very deep.
"When you comprehend the Sword Heart, come inquire about this matter."
His father moved swiftly, leaving without looking back, his figure gradually fading.
Zhou Yan did not move, for he knew no matter what he did, he couldn't change anything. If he understood the 'Sword Heart' now, things wouldn't have come to this.
All of it, simply because he wasn't strong enough yet!
…
The statue in his hand was getting warm from being held for so long, the Sword Dao Secret Techniques, and the flowing swordsmanship aura etched on it, Zhou Yan had almost memorized.
Seeing it once, he understood and remembered it. After simulating it several times in his mind, even the so-called unfamiliar sensation in his body seemed to significantly diminish.
"Affectionate Sword Dao, Lifeless Sword Dao, these are the Life Sword and Death Sword. All things carry yin and embrace yang, their energies united in harmony, this is a kind of Great Path. These two swordsmanships complement and enhance each other, an invaluable and seamlessly matched swordsmanship.
"When things reach an extreme, they reverse, and when denial ends, prosperity arises. The extreme of life is death, and the extreme of death is life… this ironically is a very simple swordsmanship…"
Zhou Yan muttered to himself, looking at the statue in his hand.
…
Zhou Yan stood there for a long time, delving into the Sword Force and Secret Techniques of the Affectionate Sword Dao and Lifeless Sword Dao, understanding them thoroughly, with only the proficiency in application lacking.
This was akin to mastering the way to these two Sword Daos. Sword Dao prioritizes method, then comes the moves.
Just like the fundamental Bishui Swordsmanship, grasping the Sword Force comes first to begin cultivating its Sword Dao Secret Techniques, moves are merely a way to aid in comprehension.
Having mastered these, combined with the basic Bishui Swordsmanship maneuvers, Zhou Yan could further amplify the prowess of Bishui Swordsmanship greatly.
The ease of these insights made Zhou Yan even more eager for the Xingyi Dragon Form Swordsmanship.
Unconsciously, he returned to understanding this swordsmanship again, but once more, it was extremely difficult.
After less than an hour of insight, Zhou Yan felt exhausted, so he instinctively switched back to comprehending the Bishui Swordsmanship.
Indeed, once he switched swordsmanships, despite his fatigue, Zhou Yan felt a massive relief. Under such circumstances, he grasped the broken sword and practiced again without holding back.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—"
Nine consecutive Sword Forces, each breaking through the air, joined as one!
Bishui Swordsmanship, Ninth Form!
Nine budding Sword Qi gathered into a mass in the void, forming an invisible sword's shadow, suddenly piercing through the wall not far away like a bolt of lightning.
There, a sword-shaped opening appeared!
Retrieving the sword in his hand, though his face still bore some signs of youth, Zhou Yan couldn't hide his extreme astonishment!
Inexplicably, his Bishui Swordsmanship reached Great Perfection!
It seemed that as long as he tirelessly pondered the Xingyi Dragon Form Swordsmanship, other aspects of swordsmanship surged ahead as if invigorated!
This appeared to become an incredibly peculiar and indeed undeniable fact!
After a long time, he took a deep breath and worked to calm himself down.
At that time, a grey figure came rushing here at high speed.
"Zhou Yan, you're really here, quick, something terrible has happened!"
"Zhou Cheng, what's wrong?"
Zhou Yan raised a brow, with a hint of tension in his eyes.
"Your father had an accident, and when the Family Head Grandpa arrived, he was already beyond help. The Family Head Grandpa was also seriously injured by an unknown enemy! Now your father wants to see you one last time!"
Zhou Cheng said everything in one breath.
When he stopped, he was panting heavily, his face full of panic, lost, and pale.
"What!"
Zhou Yan was struck like a bolt from the blue, standing there dumbstruck.