The Source of the Secret Art

Those who complained did not know the truth about the elder who had created this sword technique. In his prime, during a Jianghu battle, an opponent had inadvertently crippled his profound internal energy, leaving him permanently unable to cultivate true qi ever again.

Fearing a sharp decline in his standing within the sect, the elder revealed nothing of this matter to anyone. Instead, from that day forward, he deliberately acted as though his martial power had greatly increased and become unfathomably profound, deceiving everyone in the sect, from the highest to the lowest.

But the fact remained that he was now without any means of self-defense. From that point on, he kept a low profile, rarely venturing out. Relying on his exceptional wit, he somehow managed to avoid detection.

That era was precisely the golden age when the Seven Mysteries Sect dominated the entire Jingzhou region.

When the elder finally realized that his cultivation truly could not be restored, he fell into despair. Yet, using his authority, he secretly concealed his actions from the other power-holders and dispatched his subordinates to launch surprise attacks on many unknown and hidden minor sects.

From these sects, he forcibly seized numerous shady martial arts manuals, desperately seeking any supreme technique that could be used without internal energy.

After several years of plundering, he did indeed unearth many incredible secret arts. However, among them, there was none suitable for him.

He was bitterly disappointed.

This elder was also a man of extraordinary talent and peerless intelligence. In his moment of utter dejection, an audacious thought struck him: why not synthesize the many secret arts in his possession to create a unique martial art tailored specifically for himself?

The very notion of this filled him with excitement. To create a unique martial art was the lifelong dream of every martial artist. From that moment, he was unstoppable, throwing himself entirely into the endeavor, tirelessly researching and testing his various ideas. Finally, fearing worldly distractions, he even entered a state of seclusion, ceasing to involve himself in the sect's external conflicts.

Creating a martial art was an exceedingly difficult undertaking. The one he sought to create was even more constrained: it had to be usable without true qi, while also encompassing numerous secret arts to become a profound and supreme technique.

This unprecedented creation was far more arduous than he had ever imagined. But he was also a man of immense perseverance. After nearly half a lifetime of painstaking effort, a lengthy process spanning decades from start to finish, the Blinking Sword Art manual was finally brought into the world.

The elder was ecstatic. When he eagerly went to share the good news with the others in the sect, having just achieved success in his martial art, he was shocked to discover that the Seven Mysteries Sect had completely declined. The entire sect was under siege by a multitude of large and small gangs, teetering on the verge of total annihilation.

The elder, now well past his prime, was both shocked and enraged. In this moment of crisis, he unleashed his newly mastered, uncanny sword technique. With overwhelming power, he killed one formidable enemy after another, cowing the remaining masters. He single-handedly cut a bloody path through the重重 encirclement, leading the sect to safety and earning immense merit for the Seven Mysteries Sect's survival.

Unfortunately, no sooner had they escaped danger than the elder's time came to an end. His final order was to place his life's work, the sword manual, into the Seven Peaks Hall. Then, he passed away.

What made it even more regrettable was that, in the generations that followed, not a single disciple—right up until Han Li—had ever attempted to cultivate this art. This gem had been left to gather dust, hidden from the light of day.

Han Li knew nothing of these past events. In truth, even if he had, he would not have been moved. For him, the fact that this sword technique was suitable for him and might allow him to keep his life in Doctor Mo's hands was enough. As for its origins, or who created it, Han Li had absolutely no interest. He was a very practical man; he would not waste his time on matters that offered him no benefit.

In his own room, Han Li lit an oil lamp and spread it on the wooden table. In the dim light, he continued leafing through the pile of manuals.

He did not intend to actually copy them down. Instead, he planned to rely on his extraordinary memory to sear them all into his mind. This way, it was safe, secure from loss, and required no worry about leaks.

He still maintained the highest vigilance towards Doctor Mo. He was not foolish enough to believe the man had no surveillance on him at all. If copies of so many manuals appeared in his room, wouldn't that expose everything, putting Doctor Mo on his guard?

The orange-yellow lamp flame popped as a small burst of light emerged from the wick, reminding Han Li that much time had passed and he should rest.

But Han Li paid it no mind. He was completely immersed in the world within the manuals. The bizarre techniques described in the pages held his entire focus prisoner.

As one lamp flame after another split and flickered, his shadow, cast upon the wall, swayed and danced, changing in size. Han Li himself sat motionless, not a single shift in his posture. This contrast between movement and stillness created an eerie yet strangely harmonious spectacle.

Time ticked by, quarter-hour after quarter-hour. The shadow behind Han Li gradually sharpened, then blurred, and slowly faded into nothingness as the sky outside turned fully bright.

Han Li had unconsciously read throughout the entire night.

With a final pop, the last large lamp flame burst, and the oil lamp extinguished completely. Han Li was finally startled out of his trance.

He looked up at the spent lamp, then glanced at the daylight streaming through the window, a wry smile spreading across his face.

He had never imagined that he would one day become so obsessed with studying the art of killing. He truly was a different person from before.

Han Li sighed for a long moment, then stood up, twisting his neck and flexing his limbs, making his joints crack and pop. Turning, he pushed open the door and stepped outside. Drawing a basin of cold water from the nearby well, he washed his face thoroughly, refreshing his spirits. Then, he circulated the Eternal Spring Art through his body once, letting the practice erase all traces of the night's fatigue.

After a full night of reading and study, Han Li now understood that to completely master this martial art and integrate it into his own style would require, at the very least, a decade or eight years of bitter training to even contemplate. Even with his innate talent in this area, it would take two or three years just to achieve a minor level of accomplishment.

Time, however, was not on his side!