Chapter 563: 563
Zhang Ruochen was pondering if he should disclose the secret that he had unlocked the Space-Time Sacred Mark to Elder Xuanji .
Just then, the elder continued, "Do you know the difference between a sword practitioner and a mere swordsman?"
"Is there a difference between a sword practitioner and a swordsman?"
Zhang Ruochen gave a slight start and immediately stood up, bowing to the elder . He said, "Your disciple do not know . Please enlighten me, Master . "
Elder Xuanji looked at Zhang Ruochen with a glance that was pregnant with meaning and said, "A sword practitioner practices the sword, while a swordsman practices merely sword techniques . "
"And what is the difference between the sword and sword techniques?" asked Zhang Ruochen curiously .
Elder Xuanji replied, "In this world, countless warriors and Monks wield swords as their weapon, yet very few can be called real sword practitioners .
"Admittedly, some subtle sword techniques can unleash infinite power once you succeed in mastering them . But by simply practicing sword techniques at the Ghost Level, or even the King's Stage, do you think you would be regarded as a sword practitioner? Those who practice such techniques are still merely swordsmen .
"In the face of a true sword practitioner, the sword technique that a swordsman is so proud of would not be able to withstand a single strike . Even a sword technique in the King's Stage can be defeated in one move . "
"Even a sword technique in the King's Stage can be defeated in one move . " Had this sentence been uttered by anyone else, Zhang Ruochen would surely have regarded that person as arrogant .
Even a sword technique at the Ghost Level was quite abstruse and unique . Such techniques could cleave mountains and break up streams in one sword strike .
Let alone a sword technique in the King's Stage!
If a sword technique in the King's Stage were to make it into this world, even a Saint would probably try to seize it . Getting hold of one strike of this King's Stage sword technique would mean that you would rule the martial fraternity with this technique that you had mastered .
Yet the person who said this was Elder Xuanji, one of the Three Great Sword Saints of the Eastern Region . Zhang Ruochen had now no other choice but to re-evaluate the truth of this statement .
"Can a sword practitioner really defeat a King's Stage sword technique in one strike?"
Elder Xuanji continued, "Saints abound in the entire Eastern Region, and many of them are swordsmen . Why do you think your Master has become one of the Three Great Sword Saints, while other sword Saints haven't?"
Zhang Ruochen pondered and replied, "Could it be because Master is a true sword practitioner? What you practice is the sword, and not merely sword technique . "
"You are right . "
Elder Xuanji nodded and continued to ask, "Do you know how sword practitioners practice their sword?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head .
Elder Xuanji asked again, "Have you heard of the Wordless Sword Manual?"
Zhang Ruochen's eyes lit up, and a look of yearning could be seen on his face . He said, "Yes, I've heard a little about it . Legend has it that the Wordless Sword Manual is the supreme sacred manual of the Taiji Sect . It is kept in the Holy Land of the Tao of the sword, the Sword Pavilion .
"No one knows the origin of the Wordless Sword Manual . All that is known is that it has been kept at the Sword Pavilion since the inception of the Taiji Sect . It is said that a person could become invincible if he could uncover all of its profundities .
"However, I have heard that only a person who has achieved an extremely high realm in the Tao of the sword can truly understand the sword skill within the Wordless Sword Manual . And every sentence of this sword skill is so hard to grasp . Even a Half-Saint might not understand it . "
Elder Xuanji nodded and said, "What sword practitioners practice is the Wordless Sword Manual . "
Zhang Ruochen said, "But . . . isn't the Wordless Sword Manual the sacred manual of the Taiji Sect? How did it end up circulating in the external world?"
Zhang Ruochen was truly in the dark about the fact that sword practitioners practiced the Wordless Sword Manual . Although he was Emperor Ming's son in his last lifetime, knowledgeable and extremely well read, his cultivation was too low for him to enter the periphery of sword practitioners .
He had only heard a little about the Wordless Sword Manual and had not seen it with his own eyes .
Elder Xuanji smiled and said, "You certainly wouldn't know . In fact, the Taiji Sect holds a Sword Technique Conference every century and invites all swordsmen to converge at the Sword Pavilion to try to discuss and uncover the profundities behind the Wordless Sword Manual . The Taiji Sect wants to pool together all the wisdom of humanity to try to crack the mysterious sword skill behind this Wordless Sword Manual .
"But only Half-Saint Class swordsmen are eligible to be invited . How would you juniors ever know about the conference?
"It is simply owing to the Sword Technique Conference that the sword skill within the Wordless Sword Manual has been circulating outside . "
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Since the sword skill within the Wordless Sword Manual has been circulating outside, why have so few people attained the level of sword practitioners?"
Elder Xuanji sighed and said, "How can anyone hope to understand it, even if they get hold of the Wordless Sword Manual? And even if they do succeed in understanding it, how many could reach the beginner level?
"In today's world, what swordsmen are pursuing are the power of sword techniques and the ingenuity of sword moves . How many are willing to spend long hours studying the Tao of the sword itself?
"Ruochen, you are extremely gifted, and your comprehension ability is also excellent . You would be the best candidate to practice the Tao of the sword . I also wish to bring you as my disciple for the next Sword Technique Conference to demonstrate your innate talents before the world's swordsmen—just like that legendary Sword Emperor of the past, Xue Hongchen . You will amaze the world with your sensational skills .
"Therefore, you mustn't go astray and pursue those sword techniques emphasizing one move and one style, forgetting the roots of the Tao of the sword . "
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