In the small courtyard pavilion, the two sat facing the crimson glow of the setting sun, the haze painting their faces red. The scent of tea curled endlessly within the small kiosk.
Master Nun Zhuzhao’s pale, jade-colored monastic robes remained utterly spotless. Her willow brows were furrowed, and her shell-like teeth bit lightly on her crimson lips.
“What in the world is this Thirteenth Stance? It’s utterly bizarre!” Master Nun Zhuzhao raised her willow brows and snorted, clearly exasperated.
They were stalled by the Thirteenth Stance, having expended considerable effort yet failing to decipher it. The movements of this stance were simple: one foot firmly planted, the other slightly withdrawn, one left and one right; the hands formed dual sword fingers pointing toward the sky.
The posture looked less like martial arts and more like the execution of some Daoist sorcery—peculiar, baffling, and compounded by the equally strange accompanying heart mantra.
“Let intent transform into a sword, let the sword transform into intent. When sword intent merges, forge intent into a sword. The sword shatters the firmament; Lieque forges it. Operate as the mind wills, covering a thousand li in an instant.”
Li Muzhan chuckled, “Master, isn't this the Sword-Stationing Art?”
“Sword-Guiding Art?” Master Nun Zhuzhao instantly lifted her spirits, her apricot eyes widening as she stared back.
Li Muzhan smiled faintly, “The Sword-Stationing Art is said to be a profound Daoist technique, used to control a longsword from afar—strike whomever you wish, commanding it at will.”
“Is there truly such a fantastical thing?” Master Nun Zhuzhao laughed and shook her head.
Li Muzhan asked, “Father never mentioned it?”
“Hmph. It’s just a jest among common folk. How could such a thing exist!” Master Nun Zhuzhao shot him a sidelong glance and shook her head repeatedly.
Li Muzhan countered, “Master, the world is vast, full of wonders. Just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. In my view, this Sword-Stationing Art might very well be real.”
Master Nun Zhuzhao pursed her lips and smiled faintly, “If this Sword-Stationing Art existed, it would have made its reputation known throughout the world long ago. It wouldn't be left for the two of us to discuss.”
Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head repeatedly. He tried the stance again, mimicking the motion, intending it as a joke but still testing it; there was no effect.
“Master,” Li Muzhan frowned, “Nie Wangqiu’s Flying Immortal Sword Art also seems to only have twelve stances. Could it be that Nie Wangqiu also reached this point and made no further progress?”
Master Nun Zhuzhao nodded emphatically, “Yes, very possible. This Thirteenth Stance is too difficult, too inexplicable. He might have pondered it for half his life without achieving anything.”
Li Muzhan sighed, “Nie Wangqiu is a clever man. If he couldn’t grasp it, we are certainly in a tight spot. In my opinion… Master, perhaps we should pause for a while, set it aside, and not force the issue. Haste won't help.”
“I refuse to believe we can’t do it!” Master Nun Zhuzhao glared, her apricot eyes flashing.
Li Muzhan quickly soothed, “If we put it down, perhaps a sudden flash of inspiration might lead to sudden enlightenment. Trying to force it now is likely counterproductive, don’t you think?”
Master Nun Zhuzhao furrowed her willow brows, let out a sigh laced with deep reluctance, and slowly nodded.
…………………………………………………………
A month passed in the blink of an eye. The two had given up only after a month had gone by. Li Muzhan had remained deeply immersed in the sword art, devoting himself entirely to it.
Regarding this Thirteenth Stance, Li Muzhan vaguely felt that what was being trained was not the sword itself, but the sword intent—it was training the spirit. However, this method felt somewhat unbelievable, so he didn't tell Master Nun Zhuzhao, choosing to practice it himself first.
Having grasped some subtle points, he carefully examined the movements in the painting, scrutinizing every minute detail and absorbing its profound meaning.
One crisp morning, he stepped out of his dwelling. After a night of deep contemplation, he felt he was ready.
He arrived at the center of the small courtyard, separated his legs, planted his feet according to the proper positions, and formed dual sword fingers with his hands, pointing upwards. He slightly closed his eyes—appearing closed yet not quite, appearing open yet not quite. A sliver of peripheral vision illuminated his fingertips, imagining sword energy piercing out, soaring straight toward the clouds.
The sword energy sliced through the cloud cover, piercing the heavens until it reached an infinite distance, drawing down a bolt of lightning that circled the energy, moving like a dragon rising through mist and clouds.
Maintaining this visualization, time flowed relentlessly onward, unnoticed by him. Only when the area between his brows tightened and felt a faint ache did he slowly withdraw from the visualization.
He performed the concluding movements, closed his eyes, and then opened them again. A brilliant light flooded his vision; the surrounding colors were distinct, layered, and crystal clear. The entire world seemed vastly more vibrant.
He blinked, slowly returning to normal, and a slight curve formed at the corner of his mouth—a smile.
He understood. This was a sign of greatly enhanced spiritual power. It seemed this Sword-Forging Stance indeed had an effect, and its cultivation benefits were comparable to the Heavenly Observation Divine Illumination Scripture.
He immediately entered a state of meditative introspection, examining himself for a while before slowly opening his eyes again.
This Sword-Forging Stance certainly increased spiritual power, yielding excellent results, but it was not equal to the Heavenly Observation Divine Illumination Scripture. The two were entirely different methods, separated by a considerable gap in their hierarchy.
The Heavenly Observation Divine Illumination Scripture focused more on improving both spirit and body, offering gradual advancement, and most importantly, possessing restorative functions; even the gravest injuries could be healed as long as death was averted.
This Sword-Forging Stance was different; it was an extreme path, focusing solely on enhancing the mind and spirit. It was like boiling soup over a raging fire—the effect was potent, but the consequences were unpredictable.
This required profound stillness of mind. Those with weaker mental fortitude would inevitably suffer from rampant illusions, risking deviation into madness, or in severe cases, death.
The Sword-Forging Stance offered miraculous effects but was fraught with danger and lacked stability; practicing it was akin to gambling with one's life.
The Heavenly Observation Divine Illumination Scripture progressed step-by-step. Although difficult to begin and hard to cultivate, it at least offered the chance to save life, placing it far beyond the reach of the Sword-Forging Stance.
However, he still chose to cultivate the Sword-Forging Stance. Given that he practiced the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art and the Great Bright King Sutra, coupled with the solidification of his Sarira, his mental fortitude was already exceptional, far surpassing that of ordinary people—his heart was truly like bedrock, his stability like cast iron.
For an average person, practicing this Sword-Forging Stance would be incredibly perilous, but for him, the chances of success were higher.
Li Muzhan sighed inwardly. Nie Wangqiu’s failure to comprehend this stance was actually a blessing for him. Otherwise, if he had started practicing it—being someone not of the Buddhist path, and not specialized in refining the mind—he would certainly have run into trouble practicing the Sword-Forging Stance.
He then entered a seven-day seclusion for practice. He emerged mentally invigorated, his spirit greatly enhanced, and his entire being suddenly sharp and piercing like a sword eager to be drawn, his aura oppressive.
……………………………………
One morning after waking, he remembered he hadn't practiced the Dragon-Slaying Hand for a while. He formed the hand seals and entered meditation. Soon, a brilliant light filled his vision before slowly fading, replaced by increasing darkness until three cold stars appeared. The starlight descended, coalescing into a mass that flowed into his meridians, resembling liquid mercury.
He slowly refined this mass of starlight; his inner force grew increasingly pure, dense, and weighty, as if substance itself. The power of the Dragon-Slaying Hand naturally increased by another measure.
He opened his eyes, a flash of joy crossing them—he had unexpectedly illuminated the third star. Of the Big Dipper’s seven stars, he had now lit a little over a third. He wondered what strange phenomenon would occur if all seven were illuminated.
This Sword-Forging Stance truly was marvelous; in just these seven or eight days, his spirit had indeed grown immensely.
With a slight creak, Master Nun Zhuzhao arrived gracefully, bringing with her a faint scent of sandalwood. She entered the pavilion and sat down, fixing her gaze on Li Muzhan.
“Master,” Li Muzhan said as he opened his eyes.
“Little brat, you seem to have mastered it, haven't you?” Master Nun Zhuzhao examined him with her apricot eyes, clicking her tongue in admiration. “What a sharp aura!”
Li Muzhan slowly retracted his imposing presence, returning to normal, and smiled, “Any news of Senior Sister?”
Master Nun Zhuzhao shook her head, “Not yet. Don't worry, they won't be in any danger… Have you comprehended the Thirteenth Stance?”
Li Muzhan nodded, “Yes.”
“As expected of Zhanran!” Master Nun Zhuzhao beamed, shaking her head, “How on earth did your little head get wired, you rascal!”
“It’s all thanks to your guidance, Master,” Li Muzhan replied with a smile.
Master Nun Zhuzhao gave him a sidelong glance, “I certainly don't possess that ability; you earned it yourself through your diligence!”
Li Muzhan rubbed his nose, “Without your guidance, Master, I’d still be at the Mei Estate. Master, this Thirteenth Stance is not easy to practice.”
“Tell me about it,” Master Nun Zhuzhao said, her interest piqued.
Li Muzhan meticulously explained the crucial points of the Thirteenth Stance, concluding, “Master, this Sword-Forging Stance is truly perilous. By my estimation, any ordinary martial artist attempting it would surely die.”
“Oh?” Master Nun Zhuzhao raised her willow brows.
Li Muzhan elaborated, “The Sword-Forging requires the mind and spirit to be like a sword—solid and pure—but this technique is far too fierce, like boiling soup over an inferno. It’s too easy to injure the spirit, leading to delusion, madness, or death—a certainty of demise, truly a sword stance that kills the practitioner!”
“That severe? Certain death?” Master Nun Zhuzhao sounded skeptical.
Li Muzhan shook his head, “I suspect this Flying Immortal Sword Scripture was created casually by some martial arts master, based on conjecture and without verification.”
He continued, “That person’s spirit might have been strong, but the spirit of an average person lacks the necessary resilience to withstand such a ferocious method. The harder they practice, the faster they die!”
…………………………………………
Master Nun Zhuzhao pursed her lips and smiled, “Little brat, when all is said and done, you simply don't want me to practice it, do you?”
Li Muzhan pondered for a moment before nodding, “It would be best if Master did not take this risk.”
“Then how is it for you?” Master Nun Zhuzhao inquired.
Li Muzhan stated, “Master, my meditative absorption skills are profound; naturally, my experience is different.”
“Just because you have meditative absorption, I don’t?” Master Nun Zhuzhao snorted lightly, shaking her monastic robes.
Li Muzhan smiled, “Master, for the sake of prudence, let’s forgo it for now. I will think about it further and see if I can find a way to refine it.”
“Enough of this nonsense. I intend to try it!” Master Nun Zhuzhao shot him a look.
Seeing this, Li Muzhan could only nod helplessly, “Then this disciple must stand guard and protect you during the process!”
“Fine, as you wish!” Master Nun Zhuzhao waved her small hand dismissively.
She did as she said instantly. She rose, settled into the posture, slightly closed her apricot eyes—appearing closed yet not quite, appearing open yet not quite—letting her peripheral gaze rest on her fingers, visualizing sword energy soaring toward the sky.
An hour passed swiftly. She slowly relaxed her hands and opened her eyes.
Li Muzhan frowned in thought, trying to understand why his Master had failed to succeed. He quickly realized: her spiritual power was insufficient.
This Sword-Forging Stance was fundamentally about refining the spirit with spirit. If the spirit was weak, the fire would not blaze strongly, and the power would be negligible. The stronger the spirit, the hotter the intensity, and the greater the power.
With Master’s current level of spirit, she would need quite some time of dedicated effort to even approach the threshold of the Sword-Forging Stance; it was impossible in a short period.
He considered this, then said, “Master, allow me to lend you a hand!”
Master Nun Zhuzhao, who had been feeling downcast, suddenly brightened upon hearing this, her face beaming, “Do you have a method?”
“I will use the essence infusion method and see what effect it has,” Li Muzhan said, extending his right hand, fingers formed into a sword, and slowly pointed it toward the center of Master Nun Zhuzhao’s brow.
Master Nun Zhuzhao trembled and immediately closed her eyes.