Chapter 60: The New Store
This time, half of the students in the class failed the annual exam. With crying faces, they had no choice but to accompany the swords for another year. As for the others, they were finally able to leave the sword pavilion, waiting for Qin-zhenjun to teach them new sword Dao and techniques.
Everyone was looking forward to it but Qin-zhenjun happened to be a good instructor who preferred giving ‘surprises’ in a forceful manner.
At this moment, he was standing right in front of the dojo arena, saying aloud, “In addition to knowing the sword, the next priority for a sword cultivator is to raise the sword.”
Many people were excited, thinking that Qin-zhenjun was going to tell everyone about his sword raising experience. Who wouldn’t want to raise a sword to develop a consciousness or even a sword spirit?
As for the sword soul—let’s leave that as a dream.
Qin Yanzhi, “I believe everyone is no stranger to raising the sword. But the swords of the world are just like the people in the world—there are no duplicates. Even if there are similarities, each one is unique. Therefore, there are billions of methods to raise a sword. No one can point you to the ultimate correct path, but only with your heart.”
Everyone was stunned. They were not going to be taught how to raise the sword after all…
Qin Yanzhi, “If you think of recognizing the sword as the root, then raising the sword can be regarded as the stem, while the different types of sword techniques are the green leaves and flowers.”
Some people looked happy, thinking that Qin Yanzhi was going to impart some sword techniques, but he said instead, “Hence, the basic foundations of all sword techniques—slash, cleave, stab, slit, prod, thrust, swing—these 7 styles are the branches. The leaves fall easily but the branches are hard to wither. These seven styles seem ordinary, but they are the origin of sword Dao and encompass the laws of heaven and earth.”