745 The Source of Calmness Part II (2/2)
He could not see, but his Psyche Power could clearly sense what the twig had done.
”Mr. Second does not need energy to wave his sword around, he is using the aura of Heaven and Earth to move the sword and uses it to help power it. This is not a Martial Arts cultivation or Dark Methods. But...their origins are the same.”
He suddenly looked up at the Verdant Canyon that he could not see. His voice trembled slightly as he said, ”This kind of Sword Taoism consumes the least amount of Psyche Power and physical strength. He can continue to kill!”
”You are both right and wrong.”
Liu Bai threw the broken half of the twig in his hand into the bonfire and said, ”You are right about what kind of method Jun Mo is using. But you are wrong because you still have not understood that he is not using heaven and earth to move the sword...”
”He is using heaven and earth to attack.”
All was silent beside the bonfire.
The Sword Garret disciples were silent and each had his own thoughts. They studied under the world's most powerful cultivator and practiced the art of the sword diligently. They had pride in their work, which is why they refused to bow to the Academy and were unimpressed by Mr. Second's pride. However, they had finally realized that Mr. Second had his own reasons to be proud.
Liu Bai asked, ”Where has the iron sword of Jun Mo been?”
A disciple thought and said uncertainly, ”The sword is in front of him when he does not hold it.”
Liu Bai asked, ”How far away is it from him?”
Nobody had noticed this detail.
Liu Bai said, ”I was the only one who noticed this because this was what Jun Mo showed to me. The sword had always been... one and a half feet in front of him.”
Everyone was shocked.
Because everyone knew that the Sword Sage, Liu Bai's, most famous concept was that the sword should be no more than one foot in front of a person.
One and a half feet was further than one foot.
Then was it more powerful?
Liu Bai knew how his disciples were feeling and he smiled and said, ”The cultivator must be confident, so pride is the most common outward manifestation of it. I have seen many proud people in my life. For example, Ye Su, or the old Priest of Judgement. But I have never seen a man prouder than Jun Mo.”
All his disciples remained silent.
”And pride will kill him.” Liu Bai stopped smiling and said nonchalantly, ”Because pride is an emotion, and a true swordsman cannot have any extra emotions.”
Finally, a disciple could not bear it any longer, he asked, ”When are you going to attack?”
”While the Divine Hall might be worrying, I am not. The destruction of the Tang Empire is not something that can be done in just a single battle.”
Liu Bai said, ”This battle of the Verdant Canyon is a great opportunity for you to learn from the Academy. Jun Mo is also my favorite opponent. Just as I have said earlier in the day, I will definitely wait until he is at his strongest before I strike.”
The disciples thought to themselves that Mr. Second had already caused blood to flow through the plains with his sword, and he had not retreated a single step. It was evident that he was very strong and seemed almost invincible. Could he become even stronger?
Liu Yiqing asked, ”When will he reach his strongest?”
”Jun Mo is an ordinary person, so he would act like an ordinary person. That is why he let you all live today. But when he holds his sword, he will no longer be ordinary. When he starts getting injured and tired, and when he discovers that his pride is being challenged and becomes truly angry... and when everyone thinks he is about to fail— that is when he will be strongest.”
Liu Bai stood up and looked at the quiet Verdant Canyon on the other side of the plains. He felt the warm aura coming from there, and slowly placed his hands behind his back, not speaking for a long time.
All the disciples of the Sword Garret stood up and looked at the place, not knowing what he was looking at.
”The army is mighty and the powerhouses have gathered. Yet they are still in the mood to cook carefully even faced with danger. Well, some of the rice is burnt, but the pickled vegetables smell really good.”
Liu Bai inhaled the scents brought by the night breeze and lamented, ”This is life. It is a process that cannot be affected by war or deaths.”
”Why can the disciples of the Academy be so calm? It is not because they are confident, but because they are doing what they want to do and doing what makes them happy, so that is why they have done it so confidently.”
”My sword can be like them too, but I cannot.”
Liu Bai looked at the Verdant Canyon with a smile and said, ”The Academy is really magical. It is a pity that the teacher is no longer there, otherwise I would really want to live in it for a few years.”
On the second day of the battle of Verdant Canyon.
It was gloomy and looked as if it was about to rain.
The stench of blood on the plains thickened.
The scent of millet porridge in the pot grew thicker too.
Everyone praised the pickles that Sangsang made back then at the back of the mountain, and began to slurp up their porridge.
They drank it loudly and well.
After finishing their porridge, they helped Second Brother into his armor.
Second Brother held his iron sword and walked out into the plains.
Seventh Sister did not sleep well last night. She rubbed her slightly sore eyes and said, ”Be careful.”
He was well fed and well rested today.
Everyting was going on well.