Two precious books with bright yellow covers landed in An Le's hands.
"The 'Five Animals Body Tempering Technique' is considered a rather high-level technique in the Lin Residence. After all, you're not a disciple of the Lin Residence, so I can't give you the core Body Tempering manual of the Lin Residence, but it's enough. At least in the first five realms of Body Tempering, it won't be much different from a top-notch technique. If you have the opportunity in the future, you can choose a higher technique to replace it."
Madam Hua drank her tea and said calmly, "As for the Sword Waterfall Diagram, it's a top-notch mental cultivation technique for Spirit Refinement. It's a personal gift from me to you. If you have any doubts when you cultivate, you can ask me. When I was young, I also cultivated the Sword Waterfall Diagram. Although I've changed my mental cultivation technique now, I still have some insights."
"Of course, if you don't have any great opportunities in your life, the Sword Waterfall Diagram will be enough for you to temper your mind."
Madam Hua introduced the next two books to An Le.
Be it the Five Animals Body Tempering Technique or the Sword Waterfall Diagram, they were not books that ordinary forces in the outside world could obtain. It could be said that An Le had obtained a huge opportunity on this trip to the Lin Residence!
The Sword Waterfall Diagram was a mental cultivation technique that Madam Hua had practiced when she was young, so it was naturally extraordinary.
An Le was overjoyed and felt that this trip was not in vain.
"Alright, go through the books in the Water Pavilion first. I'll present your painting to the Matriarch. Whether you can stay in the Lin Residence will depend on her."
Madam Hua stood up and did not continue chatting with An Le.
An Le also stood up and bowed. When he found out that the painting was for the Matriarch to observe, he was still a little nervous and uneasy.
If he could stay in the Lin Residence, An Le would have endless opportunities.
There were many cultivators in the Lin Residence. Every day, when they went to the Lin Residence, they could give An Le some Age Qi.
If the painting was not chosen, even though Madam Hua said that he could come and ask her about the mental cultivation technique, without a proper identity, it would be embarrassing if An Le went to the Lin Residence every day.
"Ninth Sister, Zhuifeng, accompany Young Master An. I'll go to the Heavenly Wave Pavilion to meet the Matriarch." Madam Hua said.
Lin Zhuifeng and Lin Qingyin nodded.
Madam Hua wrapped up An Le's sketch and leisurely walked towards the Eight Treasures Heavy Eaves Waterdrop Heavenly Wave Pavilion that was emitting smoke.
"Young Master An, if you finish drawing for the young masters, can you also draw one for me and Ninth Sister?"
"We really like your paintings." Lin Zhuifeng grinned.
Perhaps it was because An Le had gained Madam Hua's recognition, Lin Zhuifeng's attitude became more familiar and friendly.
"Of course," An Le agreed with a smile. It was all thanks to Lin Qingyin's discerning eyes that he was able to come to the Lin Residence and obtain this opportunity. He naturally wouldn't reject it, nor did he have any reason to reject it.
"Thank you very much, Young Master An. Alright, Zhuifeng, we won't disturb Young Master An's reading of the books." Ninth Sister Lin Qingyin smiled.
Then, she pulled Lin Zhuifeng out of the main hall and strolled to the side of the pool. She took some steamed bun crumbs and teased the ornamental fish in the pool.
An Le retracted his gaze and took a deep breath to calm himself down.
He thought for a moment and placed the Five Animals Body Tempering Technique aside. He took the Sword Waterfall Diagram and slowly opened it.
...
...
Eight Treasures Heavy Eaves Waterdrop Heavenly Wave Pavilion.
In the building, the smell of sandalwood lingered, and the smell of burning cigarettes spread from the carved wooden window.
After Madam Hua went upstairs, she held the painting and knelt quietly on the futon, silently waiting for the old man in the room to recite the scriptures.
Perhaps sensing Madam Hua's arrival, the chanting slowly slowed down.
"Jiebing, have you chosen a painter?"
An old voice came from the room.
Madam Hua slowly raised her head, her long eyelashes trembling slightly as she looked into the room. She could see that behind the screen painting the ink mountains and rivers, an old woman with a hunched back turned his head and seemed to look over.
Even through the screen, Madam Hua could feel that heavy and deep gaze.
"Matriarch, it's chosen. This is the work of the artist. Please take a look." Madam Hua said softly.
Using her Primordial Spirit to control An Le's sketch, it floated into the room.
After the sketch landed behind the screen, the old woman held the sketch and slowly unfolded it.
The old woman's figure reflected on the screen froze slightly.
After a long time, a sigh sounded, "This artist… can actually draw so vividly. This charm is as if he had personally seen the final meeting between you and my son…"
"This artist is very special."
"Jiebing, this is enough. Let's choose him."
The old woman's voice was gentle.
Madam Hua pursed her red lips when she heard that. "Thank you, Matriarch."
The painting scroll floated out of the room and landed in Hua Jiebing's hand. She stood up, bowed slightly, and was about to turn around and leave.
"Jiebing."
Suddenly, behind the screen in the room, the old woman spoke again.
Madam Hua stopped and looked back in confusion. "What instructions do you have?"
The old woman in the room seemed to be silent for a moment before speaking slowly.
"His Majesty has chosen two gifts for the Hall Examination this time. Among them… my son's Golden Edge Saber, Storm Calming, is one of them."
As soon as the old woman finished speaking, Madam Hua's delicate body suddenly trembled.
After a long time, Madam Hua bowed. "I understand… I'll control myself."
With that, Madam Hua left Heavenly Wave Pavilion.
After a long time, a sigh came from behind the screen.
"Sigh, I'm really old…"
...
...
The first thing he saw was a complicated introduction. An Le read it silently.
"The ancient saints observed it in the sky, calculated it in numbers, examined it in ease, pushed it in speed, took it in person, proved it in theory, bent it to its principles, gathered in a group, and taught the people…"
After reading the introduction, he continued to flip through it. What he saw was the content of the Sword Waterfall Diagram, having both drawings and words.
In the first diagram, there was a sword. There were patterns on the sword, and the patterns were intertwined. An Le only took a look and felt that the sword seemed to come alive. His temples were slightly throbbing, and he felt as if he was being pricked by needles. It spread in his mind. Although it did not hurt, it made him uncomfortable.
An Le looked away and panted slightly after observing the diagram for a moment.
"The first diagram of the Sword Waterfall Diagram only has one sword. How can it form a waterfall? How sharp is the sword to form a waterfall? How can the mind withstand it? Wouldn't it be riddled with holes by this sword waterfall?"
An Le exhaled and closed his eyes to calm himself down.
Then, he opened his eyes and flipped through the pages. As expected, more and more sword diagrams were drawn on the subsequent diagrams. In the end, there were thousands of swords hanging on one diagram, descending like a waterfall from the nine heavens!
It was too terrifying. It was as if he had been cut into pieces.
However, if a person's mind could withstand the impact of such a sword waterfall, how powerful would it be?
At the thought of this, An Le's heart burned with passion.
The first realm of Spirit Refinement was Meditation.
There was also an introduction in the Sword Waterfall Diagram. When one looked at the diagram and entered Meditation, one's mind would be immersed. They would ignore the interference of external objects and enter the state of serenity. At that time, it would create the illusion that their body would become larger and larger, so large that it would fill the world.
When this phenomenon subsided, his mind was clear and he entered Meditation.
The Meditation method of the Sword Waterfall Diagram was to look at the Sword Waterfall Diagram and cut off the five distractions. Then, he would sense serenity and enter Meditation.
An Le naturally couldn't do it now. The piercing pain in his mind after looking at the painting made him unable to calm down.
However, An Le did not give up. He flipped back to the first page and continued to observe the sword diagram.
The Water Pavilion was quiet and the spring breeze blew gently. The young man sat upright on a sandalwood chair, holding a bright yellow scroll in his hand like a sculpture.
One breath, two breaths, three breaths…
The longer An Le observed the sword diagram, the longer he lasted.
He even felt like he was about to reach the Meditation state.
"Cultivation Genius Dao Fruit… and Sword Dancer Dao Fruit?"
An Le came to a realization.
The Age Dao Fruit [Sword Dancer] could enhance his comprehension of everything related to the sword. The Sword Waterfall Diagram was naturally related to the sword.
The [Cultivation Genius] Dao Fruit increased his speed during cultivation. With the support of the two, An Le was quickly approaching Meditation.
However, An Le was not satisfied.
The feeling of being stuck in Meditation but unable to do so was very uncomfortable.
Since that was the case, he had an idea.
A screen of light appeared in front of him.
...
[Name: An Le]
[Age Qi: 3 wisps]
[Age Dao Fruit: Cultivation Genius (0/10), Sword Dancer (0/10)]
[Cultivation Technique: Qi Drawing Breathing Technique (1 wisp), Sword Waterfall Diagram (0 wisp)]
[Skill: Zhao Zu's Long Fist (Incomplete) (1 wisp)]
...
There were still three wisps of Age Qi left. Previously, he had painstakingly extracted a trace of Golden Age Qi from Madam Hua. After that, An Le could no longer continue to absorb the Age Qi, even if he had to change partners.
An Le guessed that it had something to do with Madam Hua's powerful cultivation.
However, it was not a big problem. That was not what An Le cared about now.
He planned to use the Age Qi now, but he did not know which one to choose.
Enhance the Sword Waterfall Diagram? However, the enhancement of Age Qi only allowed An Le to familiarize himself with the operation of the Sword Waterfall Diagram faster.
It was not that An Le did not know how to operate. With the enhancement of the two Age Dao Fruits, he had already mastered the first diagram of the Sword Waterfall Diagram. The problem was that he was stuck at the bottleneck of Meditation.
Therefore, An Le decided to add all three wisps of Age Qi to the Dao Fruit [Cultivation Genius]. What he lacked now was a little comprehension!
One wisp, two wisps, three wisps!
[Cultivation Genius (3/10)]
Gray Age Qi burned in spirals, and images flashed past rapidly. There were scenes of Constable Huang practicing his saber in the rain, as well as Lin Zhuifeng playing with a stick in the snow. They were all scenes of them mastering martial arts and feeling a sense of accomplishment.
Every time the Age Qi burned, An Le felt that his entire body had undergone an imperceptible transformation.
He, who was originally stuck at the bottleneck of Meditation, naturally broke through the shackles, and a state of serenity appeared.
In his mind, he seemed to be getting bigger and bigger, so big that even the universe could not hide him!
The world fell silent.
In the Water Pavilion, the youth's breathing was long and soft.
The first diagram of the Sword Waterfall Diagram became clearer and clearer in front of him.
In An Le's mind, his mind floated and seemed to have transformed into a sword light that cut through the serene phenomenon and roamed the world.
At the Heavenly Wave Pavilion.
Madam Hua had just walked out of the door with the painting in her hand when she raised her eyebrows slightly and looked at the middle of the Water Pavilion through the large pool.
The young man seemed to be slashing at serenity with his sword…
He entered Meditation with a thought.