The largest chamber in the valley resembled a modest palace; though small in scale, its grandeur inspired a sense of insignificance upon entering.

Hu Chu occupied the seat at the center, with the remaining dozen or so individuals arrayed in two rows extending forward. Li Muzhan was seated in the foremost position on the left.

“Esteemed colleagues, our Sword Sect welcomes another talent today,” Hu Chu declared with a smile, surveying the assembly. “I accept this disciple on my master’s behalf—Junior Brother He Zudao!”

Li Muzhan rose, cupped his hands, and smiled.

Immediately, all eyes turned toward him, filled with surprise and curiosity.

“Sect Master, this seems inappropriate…” A square-faced middle-aged man stood up, frowning. “Young Hero He is so young, his…”

Hu Chu showed displeasure. “Xiao Huang, I went to great lengths to bring Junior Brother He into the Sect. He is a genius in the Way of the Sword, far surpassing you!”

“Sect Master, I may not equal Young Hero He, but…” the square-faced man persisted, “this doesn’t adhere to the established rules, does it…?”

Hu Chu waved a dismissive hand, annoyed. “What nonsense rules! How can we be so rigid with a genius? Very well, it is settled!”

“Without rules, there can be no order…” the square-faced man tried to argue, but Hu Chu cut him off with another wave. “Enough, Xiao Huang. Am I breaking sect regulations by taking a single disciple?!”

“You haven’t technically broken any rules, but…” The square-faced man’s disapproval was evident.

Hu Chu impatiently waved again. “Then it is settled!”

Seeing his resolute stance, the square-faced man could only shake his head in resignation and sigh, finally sitting down. The others exchanged smiles, assessing Li Muzhan.

“Everyone here is familiar with Junior Brother He, and even those who haven’t met him have heard his name—a reputation like thunder in their ears, wouldn’t you agree?” Hu Chu asked with a sly smile.

The others nodded gently, their gazes keenly fixed on Li Muzhan. They had indeed long admired the name He Zudao; since his inclusion, the Hidden Sect had gained considerable standing, rarely challenged by outsiders. Now, he had joined the Sword Sect. They were intensely curious.

Hu Chu continued, “Junior Brother He is deeply devoted to swordsmanship, and we possess the Sword Canons—texts normally inaccessible to non-sect disciples. That is why Junior Brother He has joined us!”

A pleased smile touched their lips. The Sword Canons were the pride of the Sword Sect disciples, supreme treasures passed down through millennia—arguably the finest among the Nine Sects, unmatched in the world. He joined the Sword Sect out of love for the blade, seeking the Canons. At first hearing, it sounded mercenary, yet they felt no resentment, for they had harbored similar ambitions themselves. The Sword Sect was no longer at its peak; those who joined did so not for fame or fortune, but purely for the sword techniques. Hearing that Li Muzhan was the same fostered an immediate kinship; they were all of one mind.

“Alright, everyone introduce yourselves. You are all family now!” Hu Chu chuckled. “Junior Brother He possesses extraordinary comprehension; all his martial arts were self-cultivated!”

This revelation brought forth even greater astonishment. They rose one by one to introduce themselves, stating only their names, with varying degrees of warmth or coolness in their demeanor. Li Muzhan memorized them all; Hu Chu had pre-briefed him, so it was merely a matter of fitting faces to names. Among them were six peers, four seniors, and six juniors.

Li Muzhan mused inwardly, surprised that the mysterious and powerful Sword Sect comprised so few members. While their mastery of the sword provided deterrence, they would surely suffer in a full-scale conflict…

“Big Brother, how is the Sword Sect?” Yi Xiaoru lay nestled in Li Muzhan’s embrace, her voluptuous body pressed close to his, raising her head to ask softly.

Li Muzhan lay gazing upward, his arm around Yi Xiaoru, his large hand tracing the smooth, soft expanse of her back. He nodded with a smile. “Quite good.”

“They haven’t made things difficult for you, have they?” Yi Xiaoru inquired.

Li Muzhan chuckled. “Why would they make things difficult? They are all sword fanatics, wholly focused on practice, with no other twisted thoughts.”

“They say the people of the Sword Sect are madmen; you must be cautious,” Yi Xiaoru warned.

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. “Perhaps they are too indifferent to worldly affairs, causing their actions to deviate from the norm. I, however, feel completely at ease among them.”

“That’s good,” Yi Xiaoru replied with a smile. “Big Brother, did you see the Sword Canons?”

Li Muzhan smiled back. “I have to wait until tomorrow.”

As he spoke, excitement flared within him. His hand naturally found the curve of her breast, and he turned, pressing her down, burying his head against the softness of her chest.

A sound of soft moaning arose instantly, like a plaintive cry.

The next day, Li Muzhan awoke refreshed. Attended by Yi Xiaoru, he quickly washed, ate breakfast, and proceeded to the Sword Sect’s valley.

He was assigned a small courtyard. Upon arrival, he found Hu Chu standing within, hands clasped behind his back, clad in a brown robe that lent him an air of unconstrained elegance. He bowed with cupped hands. “Senior Brother Hu.”

Hu Chu smiled. “Junior Brother He, come. I’ll take you to see the Sword Canons!”

Li Muzhan was overjoyed. He, too, had long admired the Sword Canons, their reputation thundering in his ears.

“Let’s go!” Seeing his eagerness, Hu Chu chuckled softly, secretly noting that despite his martial prowess, he was still young. He turned and led Li Muzhan out of the courtyard, ascending the path until they reached an unassuming stone hut. Pushing the door open, the interior was silent, completely empty.

Hu Chu gestured toward the stone hut, smiling knowingly. “Junior Brother He, this is the Canon Pavilion. The Sword Canons are stored here. You may come anytime you wish to study them.”

“Where are the Canons?” Li Muzhan surveyed the surroundings; he saw no scrolls or tablets—the room was bare and transparently empty.

“One moment,” Hu Chu replied with a smile.

He walked to the center and stomped his feet a few times. With a muffled boom, the walls shifted, and patterns appeared on the previously bare stone surfaces.

Li Muzhan stepped closer to examine them. They depicted figures—some holding swords, others empty-handed—striking various poses. Alongside the images were inscriptions, though the writing became sparser further along.

Hu Chu pointed around them. “This is the Sword Canon.”

Li Muzhan nodded, his eyes shining as he scanned the displays one by one. He quickly located the beginning and moved to the southernmost end to study intently.

Suddenly, Li Muzhan turned his head. “There’s even a core cultivation technique.”

Hu Chu sighed, shaking his head. “It’s a pity that no one has mastered the Yuan Sword Art (Primal Sword Art). Because of that, the later sword techniques cannot be fully utilized. Everyone only grasps the form, rarely the true essence.”

Li Muzhan nodded. The cultivation method for a sword art is vital. Certain movements are nearly impossible to execute correctly without it, and even if executed, they only achieve the form, lacking the spirit.

Hu Chu continued, “Junior Brother He, take your time studying. After you have looked them over, you can meditate here or return to your quarters. Just ensure nothing is divulged outside. Our Sword Sect is very free. You can stay in the valley to discuss sword insights with everyone, or you can travel. Better to travel a thousand miles than read ten thousand books. Seeing the sword styles of various masters broadens one’s perspective—a foreign stone can polish one’s own jade. That path is also excellent.”

Li Muzhan smiled. “Very well. I will decide after I’ve seen the Sword Canons.”

“Do as you wish; I’m leaving now,” Hu Chu said, waving a hand before turning and exiting the stone hut.

Li Muzhan first burned all the images into his memory before slowly beginning to appreciate them. The Canon appeared simple, devoid of flashiness, extremely unadorned. Even the Yuan Sword Art looked plain; at first glance, it revealed no profound subtlety. It comprised nine layers, with the core technique for each layer being almost identical, differing by only a few characters.

The Yuan Sword Art cultivation method was not inherently abstruse, but its practice was arduous. The first two layers focused on strengthening internal energy; the third layer onward involved compressing and purifying that energy. This continued until the eighth layer, which required six purifications. The ninth layer culminated in the external projection of sword energy (jian qi), using energy to replace the blade—the Yuan Sword Art would then be considered perfected.

Li Muzhan shook his head with a wry smile. Sword energy projection was not inherently difficult. However, in this world, it was extraordinarily challenging, more so than in his original modern world. His modern era was a period of waning Dharma; the world’s yuanqi was sparse, making external energy projection almost impossible. This world, however, was even more restrictive—internal energy could not leave the body. Yet, the Yuan Sword Art sought to break this constraint, attempting to condense internal energy into a sword—a violation of established rules, making its difficulty immense. Li Muzhan acknowledged that it was truly hard; no wonder no one had succeeded.

The Yuan Sword Art, though simple in appearance, was profoundly sophisticated in execution, yet incredibly difficult to practice. Li Muzhan paused to compare it with his original cultivation methods, finding the Yuan Sword Art slightly more refined. He decided to cultivate this technique, believing it to be the essence of the Sword Canons. It was unfortunate that it was so difficult, causing everyone else to abandon it in favor of studying the sword forms. However, many of those forms required the Yuan Sword Art to be activated; truly grasping the highest levels was nearly impossible. He shook his head and began examining the sword forms.

After studying for a while, he negated his previous decision. These sword techniques were exquisitely brilliant; they appeared ordinary at first glance, but the deeper he looked, the more inexhaustible flavor they revealed—the ultimate expression of simplicity masking complexity (da qiao ruo zhuo). Such techniques possessed boundless power but were exponentially harder for the practitioner to master. Comprehending their subtleties required progression layer by layer; a single sword move might take a lifetime to fully grasp. Every practice session yielded a realization of deeper understanding, yet even a lifetime of effort might not reveal its complete marvels.

Li Muzhan’s comprehension of swordsmanship far surpassed that of ordinary experts, yet facing these techniques, he still felt his own insignificance, realizing mastery required incremental effort. If he could comprehend these sword forms, even without practicing the Yuan Sword Art, he would be powerful enough to roam the world unchecked. No wonder everyone abandoned the Yuan Sword Art. Encountering the Yuan Sword Art only brought despair, whereas these sword forms offered endless fascination the more they were studied, pulling the observer into an inescapable vortex. No wonder the Sword Sect disciples became sword fanatics; the sword arts of the Canon were simply too seductive to resist.

He reconsidered and resolved to practice the Yuan Sword Art first, and then delve into the sword forms. Comprehending those forms was not a task for a day or a year; it might take a lifetime. However, once the Yuan Sword Art was mastered, he could command these sword forms, and in this world, sword energy projection would render him virtually invincible.

He reviewed the sword forms one last time, then turned and left the stone hut. Back in the main hall, Hu Chu was sparring with two elders; sword light flashed, and a biting cold permeated the hall.

“Two Martial Uncles, Senior Brother Hu, I wish to return and enter seclusion to practice the Yuan Sword Art,” Li Muzhan said, cupping his hands and nodding to the two elders in black robes.

“Junior Brother He, you intend to practice the Yuan Sword Art?” Hu Chu asked, surprised, retracting his blade.

Li Muzhan nodded, smiling. “I want to give it a try.”

“Very well, trying is fine,” Hu Chu agreed. “Everyone has tried; you may as well try too.”

Li Muzhan smiled. “Is it true that absolutely no one has ever mastered the Yuan Sword Art?”

“As far as I know, no one in any generation has succeeded,” Hu Chu shook his head. “The Yuan Sword Art is indeed an exquisite core technique; mastering just the third layer is enough to dominate the world, but what follows is almost mythical—wishful thinking, perhaps.”

Li Muzhan smiled. “The Yuan Sword Art greatly aids sword techniques.”

“Indeed, indeed. Practicing it enhances the power of your sword forms by several degrees,” Hu Chu nodded, smiling. “Junior Brother He, don't push yourself too hard. Master as many layers as you can; the sword forms are the foundation.”

Li Muzhan knew the Yuan Sword Art was the true foundation, but he did not argue, merely smiling. “Very well. I shall go into seclusion for a while.” (To be continued)RQ