Maoshan Cave

Following the direction he remembered, Nan Xu finally found the entrance to the cave thanks to his keen senses.

The entrance is piled with rubble and hidden by dense grass and vines, with only a small crack leading inside.

Nan Xu placed his hand on the pile of rubble and used his true energy to slightly shake it, causing the rubble to scatter and clear a passageway large enough for one person to pass through.

He snapped his fingers, lighting a small flame at his fingertips for illumination, then lowered his head and entered the cave sideways.

The entrance passage is narrow, and the space feels cramped when you first enter, but the deeper you go into the cave, the more open the space becomes.

Following the route in his memory, Nanxu wandered through the caves, making several turns, until he entered a deep, dark tunnel.

After walking down for a while, he suddenly heard the sound of rushing water through the rock wall.

Nan Xu's lips curled up slightly. Hearing this voice meant that his goal was very close.

He searched the surroundings carefully, occasionally tapping on a rock face to listen for its echo.

Finally, when he pressed his hand against a rock face, his face lit up with joy, and his heart began to beat slightly faster.

That's right, this is it!

Without hesitation, he channeled his inner energy into both hands and pressed down forcefully!

With a rumbling sound, the entire stone wall in front of them began to shake and rise upwards.

After the stone wall had completely risen, Nan Xu stepped into the dark cave revealed behind it.

After entering the cave, Nanxu made sure to close the stone door again to prevent being disturbed by anyone who might have wandered in.

After everything was ready, he let out a long breath and finally walked into the deep cave.

The temperature inside the cave was extremely low, the air was humid, and there was a faint flow of air.

The rushing sound of the underground river grew clearer in his ears.

After walking several dozen steps and turning several bends, a wide open space appeared before us.

Above the dome made of hard rock, stalactite columns hang down one after another. In the center of the cave is a bottomless cold pool. The water is as black as ink and as calm as a mirror, exuding a chill that goes straight to the bone.

Nan Xu's gaze passed over the icy pool and went straight to the end of the cave, where a skeleton sat cross-legged.

The skeleton was pure white, like jade, without a trace of decay, and a faint radiance flowed between the bones.

In front of the skeleton lay a long, narrow jade box.

The jade box was made entirely of thousand-year-old Xuanbing jade, crystal clear, and emitted a faint blue light that illuminated several feet around the skeleton.

Through the semi-transparent box walls, one could vaguely see a long, narrow, and gracefully curved sword lying quietly inside the Xuanbing Jade Box.

Even just a glance through the jade box sent a sharp, piercing intent straight to his brow!

Nan Xu felt a buzzing in her head and immediately looked away, but her heart couldn't help but pound.

That's right, this is it!

One of the purposes of my trip here is this weapon, or rather, this kitchen utensil, which can reach the fourth rank!

But the most important part is yet to come.

He suppressed his excitement and looked up behind the skeleton.

Under the dim blue light, a dense array of characters appeared on the stone wall behind the skeleton. These characters were sharp and angular, exuding a piercing edge.

"I started learning the sword at the age of seven, mastered it by the age of twelve, defeated all the masters in the prefecture by the age of eighteen, and entered the martial world at the age of twenty-three, using the sword in my hand to meet heroes all over the world."

"For thirty years, I have never been defeated by my blade, and I boast that no one in the world can surpass me in the art of swordsmanship."

"In the midst of his triumph, he came across a cook butchering an ox at the chopping board. With swift strokes of his knife, the flesh and bones separated as smoothly as flowing water. The knife entered the muscle without the sound of tendons and bones being chopped. In a short while, the whole ox was butchered, without a drop of blood on the knife or a scratch on its edge."

"I stood there watching, as if struck by lightning. I have roamed the world with my sword for thirty years, defeating all heroes. No one could withstand more than three of my blows. I pride myself on my unparalleled swordsmanship, but compared to this cook, I am truly ashamed of my inferiority."

"Upon in surprise, I inquired about the reason and learned that this person was a descendant of Cook Ding, whose ancestor Cook Ding had carved up an ox for Lord Wenhui. His knife remained as sharp as if it had been newly honed after nineteen years. This was not due to skill, but to the Way."

"For the next three years, I did not use my folding knife. I traveled to famous mountains and rivers, seeking the Dao and questioning my own heart. Later, I came to this cave and saw that the cold pool was like jade and stalactites hung from the sky. So I built a hut here and lived there, immersing myself in understanding the Dao. I recalled the old chef's skill in butchering an ox and reflected on myself. I practiced cooking to learn how to make connections with other things."

"In this cold pool live white fish, whose skin is far finer than that of an ordinary cow. So I condensed the pool water on the broken blade of my sword and made an ice knife. I used the white fish as a sacrifice and cut into it every day, observing the texture and following the natural flow. The knife went in smoothly and the flesh and bone separated on their own."

"At first, the blade would wear out with each fish cut, but after a hundred fish, one cut could cut ten fish without dulling it, and after a thousand fish, one cut could cut a hundred fish, and the blade would be as good as new."

"After ten thousand strikes, wherever the blade passes, it is like spring breeze melting snow, unobstructed and without hindrance. In an instant, ten thousand strikes can be made simultaneously, each one exquisite and profound, hitting the vital point directly. At this point, one will finally glimpse the path of the sword."

"I have been oblivious to the passage of time in the cave for decades, and I am aware that my time is up. I have no attachments in my life, but I fear that all the enlightenment I have gained will vanish with my death."

"Therefore, I sealed my personal sword, Suyue, in a Xuanbing Jade Box, and inscribed the sword techniques I have come to understand on this wall, leaving them for a destined person to come here, inherit my mantle, and pass on my swordsmanship."

"Those who inherit my legacy in the future should know that the ultimate essence of this swordsmanship lies not in fighting and killing, but in the kitchen and in everyday life. Remember this well."

This nameless swordsman did not leave his name, and Nanxu could not think of any corresponding historical figure.

He may have indeed amazed an era, but his name was quickly lost among countless geniuses and outstanding figures throughout history after he retired from public life.

However, this swordsman, who didn't even leave his own name, probably wouldn't care about such a thing.

Nan Xu slowly walked forward and respectfully bowed three times to the white, jade-like skeleton.

"Nanxu, a descendant of the lineage, is deeply grateful for the kindness of his predecessors in imparting their skills."

Then, he looked at the sword technique carved on the stone wall.

[Ding! You have viewed the fourth/third rank cooking skill "A Hundred Flowers in Full Bloom". Are you sure you want to spend 12000 experience points to try and learn it?]

"Confirm." Nan Xu made the choice without hesitation.

[Ding! Due to meeting the requirements for the first stage of comprehension, you have learned the fourth-grade culinary skill "A Riot of Flowers"!]

[Ding! Due to insufficient comprehension to meet the requirements for the second stage, you have been unable to learn the subsequent content of this cooking skill!]

A profound realization suddenly flooded Nan Xu's mind.

Nan Xu closed his eyes to process the new knowledge in his brain. After a while, he recovered from the dizziness and lightheadedness.

"As expected, 25 points of comprehension is still a bit of a stretch to learn a third-grade cooking skill..."

"But it's not a big problem. At least I've memorized the knowledge. One day, this cooking skill will be transformed into a third-grade skill."

Nan Xu suddenly opened his eyes, his whole body radiating a chilling sharpness as if a blade were penetrating his body.

Then, he walked straight toward the Xuanbing Jade Box in front of the skeleton.

"The treasured sword, Moonlit Blade... let me test its power!"