Chapter 862
Insights
"No rush," Shen Qingyun said. "Let me look around first."
He walked around the cave area, carefully observing the layout and formations of each cave.
Zheng Yi followed behind him without disturbing him.
About half an hour later, Shen Qingyun finally stopped.
“Mr. Dark Night,” he turned to Zheng Yi, “I have a suggestion.”
"Please speak, Senior Shen."
"The defenses of this cave are rather weak," Shen Qingyun said. "If someone wanted to force their way in, they only needed to break through the guards at the entrance to get right in. Such defenses simply couldn't stop a true master."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Yi felt a chill run down his spine.
He had indeed overlooked this problem before. Although there were guards at the entrance to the cave, their strength was limited and they were no match for experts above the Great Ascension Realm. If the Lu or Li families sent people to attack the cave, those guards would be completely ineffective.
“Senior Shen is right,” he said. “I was indeed negligent. Do you have any suggestions, Senior?”
"I can leave a wisp of sword intent at the entrance," Shen Qingyun said. "With my sword intent guarding it, those petty villains won't dare to approach easily."
"Sword intent?" Zheng Yi's eyes lit up. "Senior Shen is willing to do this?"
“Since I’ve promised to help you, I won’t just talk the talk,” Shen Qingyun said. “Leaving behind a wisp of sword intent is nothing to me.”
"Thank you so much, Senior Shen!" Zheng Yi said excitedly, bowing with his hands clasped in gratitude.
"No need to be so polite." Shen Qingyun waved his hand. "Let's go, let's get out of here first. I need to find a suitable stone to contain my sword intent."
The two emerged from the cave and returned to the surface.
The entrance to the cave was a spacious courtyard, where several huge blue stones were placed for decoration. Shen Qingyun walked around among the stones and finally chose the largest one.
"This one will do," he said.
The bluestone was about ten feet high and three feet wide, with an irregular oval shape. Its surface was smooth and flat, and it gleamed with a faint blue light in the sunlight.
"This stone is hard enough to bear my sword intent," Shen Qingyun said. "Placing it at the entrance of the cave will serve as a deterrent."
“Alright, I’ll have someone move it over right away,” Zheng Yi said.
He summoned several workers who moved the bluestone to the entrance of the cave and placed it next to the gate.
Shen Qingyun stood in front of the bluestone, closed his eyes, and began to gather his sword intent.
Zheng Yi and the workers stepped aside and watched quietly.
A faint sword aura began to emanate from Shen Qingyun's body, swirling around him like invisible threads. His expression grew increasingly focused, and his breathing slowed, as if he had merged into the world around him.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes, raised his right hand, and pointed his index finger at the bluestone.
There were no fancy moves, just a simple point.
But this very point contains boundless sword intent.
With a soft "hum," a faint mark suddenly appeared on the surface of the bluestone. The mark was only a finger's width wide, yet it exuded a sharp sword aura that made people afraid to look directly at it.
"Alright." Shen Qingyun withdrew her finger, her face somewhat pale.
Zheng Yi stepped forward and carefully examined the mark.
The mark looked faint, but the sword intent it contained was terrifying. He only glanced at it, but felt an invisible pressure bearing down on him, as if an invisible sword was hanging over his head, ready to fall at any moment.
“This is the essence of swordsmanship,” he murmured.
"This sword intent can exist for a hundred years," Shen Qingyun said. "Within a hundred years, anyone with ill intentions who approaches this place will be injured by this sword intent."
"Thank you very much, Senior Shen!" Zheng Yi bowed again in thanks.
With this sword intent guarding the cave, its safety was guaranteed. Those petty scoundrels no longer dared to approach easily.
"Senior, you don't look well. Are you too tired?" Zheng Yi asked with concern.
"It's nothing, just a bit of exertion," Shen Qingyun said. "I'll be fine after a rest."
“Senior, please return to the City Lord’s Mansion to rest,” Zheng Yi said. “I will have some Qi-replenishing pills prepared.”
"No need," Shen Qingyun shook his head. "I can regulate my own breathing."
The two returned to the city lord's mansion, and Shen Qingyun went back to his courtyard to rest.
Zheng Yi then went to the council hall to discuss the next steps with Guo Tianyou.
"Senior Shen left a sword intent at the entrance of the cave," he said. "With this sword intent guarding it, those petty villains won't dare to approach easily."
"That's wonderful!" Guo Tianyou exclaimed excitedly. "With the sword immortal's sword intent guarding our cave, our place is even safer."
“Yes,” Zheng Yi nodded, “but we can’t let our guard down. If the Lu and Li families really join forces, they probably won’t be deterred by a single sword intent.”
“Sir, you’re right.” Guo Tianyou nodded. “So, what should we do next?”
“Continue to strengthen defenses, and at the same time gather intelligence,” Zheng Yi said. “I need to know every move the Lu and Li families make.”
"I understand."
For the next few days, Shen Qingyun rested at the City Lord's Mansion to recover his energy.
Zheng Yi would visit him every day, chatting and drinking tea with him. The two talked about everything from swordsmanship to cultivation, and from cultivation to life, gradually becoming close friends despite their age difference.
That afternoon, the two sat under the ginkgo tree in the courtyard, sipping fragrant tea and enjoying the warm autumn sun.
A gentle breeze blew, and a few golden ginkgo leaves drifted down, swirling in the air before finally landing on the stone table. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the ground.
"Senior Shen, your swordsmanship has reached its pinnacle," Zheng Yi said. "I'm very curious, how did you embark on this path in the first place?"
Shen Qingyun picked up her teacup and took a small sip.
"It's a long story," he said. "When I was a child, my family was poor, and my parents died early. I was raised by an old beggar. Although that old beggar was a beggar, he was skilled in swordsmanship. He taught me swordsmanship, and he also taught me the principles of being a good person."
"An old beggar?" Zheng Yi was somewhat surprised.
“Yes, an old beggar.” Shen Qingyun smiled. “Don’t you find it strange? How could a beggar be proficient in swordsmanship?”
"I am indeed quite curious."
“Actually, that old beggar was originally a master swordsman,” Shen Qingyun said. “In his youth, he was a disciple of a major sect, but he offended a powerful figure within the sect and was expelled, ending up on the streets as a beggar. “Although he became a beggar, he never gave up on the sword. He practiced swordsmanship every day, rain or shine. I grew up by his side, and through his influence, I gradually came to love the sword as well.”
"And then?"
"Then he died." A trace of sadness flashed in Shen Qingyun's eyes. "Before he died, he passed on all his life's knowledge to me. He said that the highest realm of swordsmanship is not killing, but saving. A true swordsman should use his sword to protect the weak, not to oppress them."
"I've remembered those words my whole life."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Yi felt a surge of respect.
He never imagined that Shen Qingyun's background was so arduous. An orphan, raised by an old beggar, eventually becoming the top swordsman in the Tianyuan Domain. Only Shen Qingyun himself could truly understand the hardships he endured.
“Senior Shen, your master is a true swordsman,” he said.
“Yes, he is the person I respect most,” Shen Qingyun said. “Throughout my life, I have been practicing his teachings. Although I now live in seclusion in the mountains, detached from worldly affairs, I will still intervene if I see injustice.”
"Is this why you agreed to help me?" Zheng Yi asked.
"I suppose so," Shen Qingyun nodded. "Your opposition to the Lu and Li families isn't for power or profit, but to protect your friends and businesses. I admire that approach."
"Thank you for your understanding, Senior Shen," Zheng Yi said.
The two continued drinking tea and chatting, the atmosphere harmonious and pleasant.
After a while, Zheng Yi suddenly remembered a question.
"Senior Shen, you've been living in seclusion on Qingfeng Mountain for over a decade, constantly trying to break through the bottleneck of the Tribulation Transcending Realm. I wonder how your progress is?"
Upon hearing this question, Shen Qingyun gave a wry smile.
"To be honest, I'm ashamed to say," he said. "I've been stuck at the peak of the Mahayana Realm for over thirty years, unable to break through the bottleneck of the Tribulation Transcending Realm. Over the years, I've tried various methods, but none have worked."
"More than thirty years?" Zheng Yi was somewhat surprised.
“Yes, more than thirty years.” Shen Qingyun sighed. “My swordsmanship has reached its peak, but I have been unable to break through to a higher realm. I don’t know where the problem lies.”
"Perhaps it's a matter of mindset?" Zheng Yi guessed.
"State of mind?" Shen Qingyun was slightly taken aback.
"I've heard that after reaching a certain level of cultivation, simply increasing one's power is no longer useful," Zheng Yi said. "True breakthroughs require a leap in mental state. Perhaps Senior Shen's mental state hasn't yet reached the requirements of the Tribulation Transcending Realm?"
Shen Qingyun listened and fell into deep thought.
He recalled his more than 30 years of cultivation experience and realized that he had indeed been pursuing the improvement of his skills, but had paid little attention to the cultivation of his mind.
“You make a good point,” he said. “Perhaps I have indeed neglected the cultivation of my mind.”
“Senior Shen, I have a suggestion, but I’m not sure if I should say it,” Zheng Yi said.
"you say."
"Senior Shen has lived in seclusion in the mountains for over a decade. Although he has distanced himself from the hustle and bustle of the world, he has also distanced himself from human affairs," Zheng Yi said. "Perhaps he should have interacted with more people and experienced more things to temper his mind."
"Meet more people, experience more things," Shen Qingyun murmured, repeating this phrase over and over.
He gazed at the ginkgo tree in the courtyard, watching its golden leaves fall in the wind, and a sense of enlightenment dawned on him.
For the past ten years or so, he has been cultivating on Qingfeng Mountain, spending his days practicing swordsmanship and meditating. He thought that staying away from the hustle and bustle of the world would purify his mind, but he never expected that it would instead trap him in a state of isolation.
True spiritual cultivation is not about escaping, but about facing reality. Only through trials and tribulations in the world can one's state of mind be truly elevated.
"Mr. Dark Night, your words have greatly benefited me," he said. "I understand now. The reason I couldn't break through was because I had been running away from it."
"Senior Shen, you flatter me," Zheng Yi said. "I was just speaking casually; I didn't expect..."
“No, you’re absolutely right,” Shen Qingyun interrupted him. “All these years I’ve been pursuing the pinnacle of swordsmanship, but I’ve forgotten its true essence. Swordsmanship isn’t something to be escaped, but something to be faced.”
“My master once said that a true swordsman should use his sword to protect the weak. But for the past ten years or so, I have lived in seclusion in the mountains. How many times have I witnessed injustice but failed to intervene? I thought I was cultivating my mind, but in reality, I was running away.”
He stood up, gazing at the distant sky, his eyes sparkling with a bright light.
“Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Dark Night,” he said. “I finally understand what I should do.”
Zheng Yi looked at Shen Qingyun, somewhat surprised.
He hadn't expected that his casual remark would evoke such a profound understanding in Shen Qingyun. Judging from Shen Qingyun's expression, it seemed he had grasped something important.
"What did Senior Shen realize?" he asked curiously.
"I've grasped it," Shen Qingyun paused, "I've grasped the true essence of the sword."
"The true essence of swordsmanship?"
"The true essence of the sword is not killing, but protection," Shen Qingyun said. "Over the years, I have been pursuing the power of the sword, but I have forgotten its true nature. The sword is for protection, not for escape."
"The reason I cannot break through is because I have nothing in my heart that I want to protect. I live alone in the mountains, without friends, without family, without any attachments. How could such a person possibly break through the bottleneck of the Tribulation Realm?"
Zheng Yi listened and nodded thoughtfully.
Although he wasn't a sword cultivator, he could understand Shen Qingyun's meaning. After reaching a certain level of cultivation, simply increasing one's power was no longer enough. A true breakthrough required a leap in one's state of mind. And a leap in one's state of mind often came from one's attachment to and protection of certain things.
"Senior Shen, is there anything you want to protect right now?" he asked.
Shen Qingyun looked at Zheng Yi, a slight smile playing on her lips.
“I’ve got it,” he said. “I’ve decided to protect Hongyun City and its people.”
Zheng Yi was somewhat moved by "Senior Shen".
"No need to say more," Shen Qingyun waved his hand. "I need to go into seclusion for a while to properly digest today's insights."
“Alright, this junior will not disturb you any longer, senior.” Zheng Yi stood up, bowed to Shen Qingyun, and then left the courtyard.
Shen Qingyun sat alone under the ginkgo tree, closed his eyes, and began to reflect on what he had learned that day.
Zheng Yi's words and his own cultivation experience over the past few decades kept replaying in his mind.
He recalled his master's dying words, his youthful ambitions, and his years of seclusion.
He finally understood that the reason he couldn't break through was because he had lost his original aspirations.
When his master taught him the way of the sword, he told him that a true swordsman should use his sword to protect the weak. He had done just that; he had slain demons, rescued people, and punished evildoers. (End of Chapter)