Chapter 27: The Man and the Sword Betrayed by Friends
As for that copy of the 《Twelve-Layered Pagoda》, Shan Xu took it over and opened it. It was in his handwriting.
It was the sword technique he had personally transcribed and given to Ye Qiandeng.
“Brother Shi also understands swordsmanship?” Shan Xu suddenly asked.
“I don’t. ”
“I saw Brother Shi’s finger sword earlier, it was quite methodical. I thought Little Brother also knew swordsmanship!” Shan Xu said.
“Just a means of self-preservation, not worth mentioning. ” Shi Feizhe said perfunctorily.
“Indeed, when one roams the Jianghu, they do need some means of self-preservation!” Shan Xu sighed, then tossed the 《Twelve-Layered Pagoda》 to Shi Feizhe: “I have nothing of value on me, and I have no way to repay your life-saving grace. This 《Twelve-Layered Pagoda》 is a gift for Brother Shi!”
“Oh!” Shi Feizhe caught it. He had actually looked at this swordsmanship manual earlier, but he couldn’t understand it. It was better to just give it back to Shan Xu.
If it were an internal energy cultivation method or a visualization technique, he could still understand a bit.
Swordsmanship, he truly couldn’t understand. The terminology of swordsmanship was completely different from the cultivation methods he had learned before!
“Wait for me to adjust my breath for a moment, and I will explain it to Little Brother. The 《Twelve-Layered Pagoda》 is quite demanding in terms of comprehension and talent. If Brother Shi cannot learn it, don’t blame me for keeping secrets!” Shan Xu said with a smile, and then began to adjust his breath.
How is that possible? I’m a martial arts genius!
As long as you tell me, there’s nothing I can’t learn!
Shi Feizhe was very confident in his martial arts talent. It was truly a case of planting willows unintentionally and reaping shade. He never expected to encounter someone willing to teach him swordsmanship.
Shan Xu took a long time to adjust his breath, so long that Shi Feizhe had time to prepare more dry rations and build a fire, and the sky had darkened again. During this period, Shan Xu’s body was steaming, his face turning green and purple, and he swallowed several pills.
Finally, with a “wah” sound, he vomited a mouthful of black blood, and his complexion improved considerably.
Seeing Shan Xu wiping his mouth, Shi Feizhe asked, “Old Brother Shan, have you forced out all the poison?”
“It’s not that simple. Bone-Eroding Heartbreak Powder is a deadly poison. I’ve been fleeing for my life, and I’ve already missed the best time for detoxification. The poison has penetrated my internal organs. Even if there were an antidote, I would still need to recuperate for several days. Now, without an antidote, I’m afraid it will take several months to recover. ” Shan Xu shook his head.
“But it’s already much better. I’ve recovered about thirty to forty percent of my strength!” Shan Xu stood up and said, “Now, I’ll explain the 《Twelve-Layered Pagoda》 to Brother Shi.”
“Why don’t you rest a bit more? There’s no need to rush!” Shi Feizhe said, looking at his swaying and unsteady figure.
“I learned this sword technique after I saved someone by chance.”
“Later, because of this sword technique, I had a falling out with a friend. Then, I was saved again, met a new friend, and taught him the sword technique. Then, I had a falling out with this new friend!”
“Brother Shi is the sixth friend who saved my life!” Shan Xu said slowly.
？？?
Shi Feizhe was full of question marks. What kind of strange sword technique was this?
There’s even this kind of “betrayed by friends” causal effect?
Similar to the 《Green Hat Saber》?
From what Shan Xu said, after he was taught the sword technique, he was betrayed by five friends in a row, and also saved by five friends in a row.
The friend who saved him became the friend who betrayed him, and the cycle continued.
“Is it possible that it’s your own problem?” Shi Feizhe couldn’t help but say after hearing Shan Xu’s words.
Don’t blame everything on the sword technique. Maybe it’s your own problem!
Can’t you people find some reason in yourselves?
Never take responsibility for anything!
“Only by truly passing on the 《Twelve-Layered Pagoda》 can I possibly avoid being betrayed by friends!” Shan Xu muttered to himself, looking down.
“It’s obviously because you’re not careful in choosing your friends!” Shi Feizhe said. “Friends are meant to be betrayed, brothers are meant to be sold out! Can’t you just make fewer friends!”
“But in this Jianghu, without a few friends, without a confidant, to be alone and isolated, how lonely it is!” Shan Xu lamented. “The world is vast, and in this Jianghu, there is only you.”
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“No one cares about you, no one understands you, and no one knows you. It’s as if the Jianghu is the Jianghu, and you are you.”
“In this lifetime, how lonely is Xu!”
“Brother Shi is probably young and doesn’t understand this feeling yet.”
I understand my ass! You’re just bored and lonely!
“Why don’t you find a cute girl, and you won’t be lonely anymore!” Shi Feizhe advised. “Stop making friends, all the friends you make want to kill you!”
To deal with this kind of bored person, besides 996 blessings, the best solution is to find a woman.
“How do you know I haven’t befriended any female heroes?” Shan Xu suddenly retorted.
“Then…”
“They hit even harder!”
“…”
It’s not the sword technique’s problem, it’s probably you!
You’re bad at judging character, meet the wrong people, easily trust others, and you happen to be skilled in swordsmanship, making you a target of envy.
It would be strange if people didn’t harm you!
“Brother Shi, listen carefully! The sword is the blade of the heart, the heart is within the sword…” Shan Xu drew his long sword, explaining and demonstrating the sword technique as he went.
Swordsmanship is different from ordinary cultivation methods, or rather, swordsmanship, spear techniques, saber techniques are all different from ordinary cultivation methods.
Ordinary cultivation methods are all about training the physical body and breaking through the “Blood and Qi Barrier”; visualizing deities and perfecting the “Essence and Spirit Barrier”. Finally, “Blood, Qi, Essence, and Spirit” unite to “See the Truth” and generate True Qi. True Qi has different attributes depending on the visualized deity.
The martial arts practiced, empty-handed is fist and foot techniques, with weapons is weapon techniques, very flexible.
If that’s the case, why are there separate sword techniques? Because sword techniques are different from them.
Take the 《Twelve-Layered Pagoda》 for example, it is through several sets of sword techniques, to train the physical body and break through the “Blood and Qi Barrier”. Then visualize the sword in your heart, hone the sword in your heart, turn the “spirit” in your heart into a shining long sword. This way, “Blood, Qi, Essence, and Spirit” unite, body and spirit merge, man and sword become one, and that is true “swordsmanship”!
Man is the sword, sword is man!
True Qi is Sword Qi, Sword Qi is True Qi!
Different weapons symbolize different personalities and temperaments, and can fully embody the cultivator’s “spirit”, no less than a deity.
For example, the sword, an ancient sacred object, supreme and noble, revered by both gods and men.
Techniques like the 《Great Heavenly Demon Saber》 and the 《Fire Phoenix Blood Cry Spear》 follow the same principle.
After understanding this, Shi Feizhe had a new understanding of the 《True Origin Sword Finger Formula》 he was cultivating. Was the so-called Sword Stance about making the body like a sword, transforming the body into a sword? That’s why the True Qi within the body could be transformed into Sword Qi.
“Brother Shi, come dance the sword with me!” Seeing Shi Feizhe so engrossed in learning, Shan Xu was overjoyed. He decided to teach Shi Feizhe well!
Only after having someone personally teach him did Shi Feizhe experience the difference. Before, he was just guessing and trying to cultivate. He practiced many things he didn’t quite understand in a superficial way.
Now, Shan Xu not only explained the details of the 《Twelve-Layered Pagoda》, but also pointed out the details of the sword techniques and movements after Shi Feizhe practiced them, making Shi Feizhe’s swordsmanship more standard. Shi Feizhe truly benefited greatly.
One was willing to teach, the other was willing to learn. By the time the moon was high in the sky, Shan Xu had finished teaching everything.
“As long as Brother Shi practices diligently in the future, he will surely achieve great things in the 《Twelve-Layered Pagoda》!” Shan Xu looked at Shi Feizhe and said with satisfaction.
After teaching someone the 《Twelve-Layered Pagoda》, he would never be betrayed by friends again!
Is it the person or the sword technique that has a problem? It must be the person!
