The Melody of the Sword

The six young elites from the Ji Clan’s Ancestral Manor disembarked from the boat. On the other side of the island, four figures approached. At the head was a plainly dressed but beautiful woman, followed by a young man in green robes, and behind him, two Crimson Armored Guards. The island was garrisoned by a full hundred Crimson Armored Guards, personally arranged by Ji Jiuhuo.

“You must be the steward Qiuye,” said the leader of the six, Ji Mo, as a roll of beast-hide appeared in his hand, covered in writing. “We have been sent by the command of our Prefectural Lord of the Ancestral Manor to pay our respects to Lord Ji Ning.”

“Oh?” Qiuye accepted the beast-hide and examined it.

Qiuye managed all matters, large and small, on Brightheart Island. She was the head steward appointed by Ji Ning.

She read the beast-hide carefully, then looked up with a smile. “We received word earlier that six outstanding young talents from the Ancestral Manor would be visiting. Please, follow me.”

“We have come to pay our respects to Lord Ji Ning. May we know when he will see us?”

The six youths followed Qiuye as they spoke.

Qiuye replied, “Please don’t be impatient. You will certainly see him today.”

She led them to a quiet, secluded guest residence. Qiuye then instructed the two maidservants nearby: “These six are honored guests from the Ancestral Manor. Attend to them well.”

“Yes,” the two maidservants replied.

“Everyone,” Qiuye said, smiling at the six, “as soon as my young master has time, I will immediately come to inform you. You must be tired from your journey; please rest for now.”

Having said this, Qiuye departed with Qingshi and the others.

“What a big-shot attitude!” the tall, burly Ji Tongzhan huffed, his eyes glaring. “On such a quiet island in the middle of a lake, what could this Lord Ji Ning possibly be so busy with? And that female steward saying ‘when my young master has time’—really, she doesn’t put us six in her eyes at all.”

“The Ancestral Manor sent word ahead that we were coming. Not only did this Lord Ji Ning not come out to greet us, he hasn’t even given us a time for the meeting. He just leaves us here waiting like fools.”

These youths were all proud sons of heaven.

Although they believed that this Ji Ning was a cut above them, they were still peers of the same generation. Being treated so dismissively… it riled them up.

“Hold your tongues!” Ji Mo, who was seated, said in a low, commanding voice. “We have come to pay our respects. So we wait obediently until Lord Ji Ning summons us.”

“It’s just infuriating.”

“Exactly. Everyone says how incredible Lord Ji Ning is, but none of us have ever seen it. He’s only sixteen this year. How strong can he really be?” The young men spoke amongst themselves, and even Ji Mo, who remained seated, harbored the innate arrogance of a genius deep within his bones. Hearing is not seeing.

Having never witnessed Ji Ning’s methods with his own eyes, a fire of discontent burned fiercely in Ji Mo’s chest.

…

The setting sun was about to vanish, its dying rays painting the western sky a brilliant tapestry of twilight clouds. Beneath the sunset’s red glow, the surface of Winged Serpent Lake was as beautiful as a painted scroll. In the distance of this lake-bound painting, a single small boat rocked gently, drifting across the water.

“It’s the young master’s boat.”

“It’s the young master.”

Some maidservants spotted it and immediately reported to the steward Qiuye. Qiuye and Qingshi soon appeared on the sandy shore, gazing into the distance at the small boat.

Inside the boat.

Ji Ning lay comfortably, eyes closed. The lake around him was utterly silent, a still and tranquil painting. He faintly sensed the presence of many distant people. His eyelids trembled, then opened.

“We’re here.” Ji Ning rose directly and stretched.

He was still dressed in a set of beast-hide clothes, though these were actually manifested from a magic treasure armor. After all, the beast-hide garments his mother had sewn for him were limited in number, and if he wore them constantly, they would wear out. Ji Ning cherished them too much for that, so he kept them stored away. Having his magic treasure armor transform into the appearance of beast-hide clothes felt most comfortable to him.

“Whoosh!” The boat’s speed suddenly surged, cutting through the waves as it raced directly toward the distant island.

Ji Ning stood on the boat, smiling as he looked at Qiuye and Qingshi waiting to welcome him.

Just as the boat approached the sandy shore of the island, it vanished into thin air. Ji Ning, meanwhile, stepped directly onto the shore, walking atop the water’s surface.

“Young master.” Qiuye smiled as she came forward to greet him.

“Brother Ji Ning!” Qingshi also ran over excitedly. “Six young people from the Ancestral Manor arrived today! Looking at them, it seemed like their eyes were growing on top of their heads. They’re so arrogant.”

Ji Ning nodded thoughtfully. “Oh? The most outstanding juniors of the Ancestral Manor’s younger generation?”

“Mm,” Qiuye confirmed. “They arrived at noon.”

“Have them come to the Sword Practice Ground,” Ji Ning said with a smile. “Since the Ancestral Manor sent them to me, it’s so that I can give them a proper training.”

“Understood. I’ll go fetch them immediately.” Qiuye hurried off.

…

The Sword Practice Ground.

It was a wide-open area, about a hundred zhang in front of Ji Ning’s residence, where he normally practiced his swordplay.

“I’ve already downed five jars of water, and it’s almost dark. Finally, they’re seeing us.”

“Everyone talks about how legendary this Ji Ning is. I wonder what he’s really like.”

The six youths, three men and three women, spoke to each other in low voices, their excitement palpable. They were all incredibly curious about the legendary Lord Ji Ning. Qiuye led the way and soon arrived at the Sword Practice Ground. “The young master is over there. You may go to him.”

Ji Mo and the other five all looked closely.

In the distance, a youth in beast-hide stood with his back to them. His silhouette wasn’t very tall, still the height and build he’d had when he broke through to Xiantian. But somehow… the way he stood, it was as if he had become one with everything around him. The entire scene seemed like a painting.

The beast-hide-clad youth suddenly turned around, emerging from that state of being a figure within a painting, as if he had only now become a real person. The truth was, Ji Ning had just been in a state of spirit merging with heaven and earth, comprehending the Dao. Ever since moving to Winged Serpent Lake, particularly by lying in his small boat each day, drifting freely across the surface of the lake, his spirit had become incredibly calm and utterly in harmony with the natural environment.

At the same time, his sword arts had advanced by leaps and bounds. With his realm continuously improving, he had now reached the point where he could even enter a state of ‘spirit merging with heaven and earth’ to comprehend the Dao at any time and place. Although it wasn’t as deep as total immersion, like his enlightenment by the pond, this kind of constant insight was already astonishing. His sword realm had reached an extremely profound level.

“Come over here,” Ji Ning said.

The six, including Ji Mo, all observed this Lord Ji Ning. His features were delicate, like a young man, but his temperament emanated a natural, cultivated air—a quality forged only through rigorous refinement of the heart.

“Greetings, Lord Ji Ning.” Ji Mo and the other five stepped forward respectfully.

“I’ve heard that the most outstanding junior of the Ancestral Manor’s younger generation is named Ji Mo. Which of you is he?” Ji Ning got straight to the point. When giving a lesson, targeting the strongest one first was naturally the most effective approach.

“I am he.” Ji Mo spoke, his gaze sharp.

Ji Ning nodded. “What do you practice?”

“The Myriad Sword Melody!” Ji Mo’s eyes were filled with confidence. “I’ve just reached Grand Completion. I hope Lord Ji Ning can offer some guidance.”

“Grand Completion?” Ji Ning nodded. “The Myriad Sword Melody is a supreme clan secret art, incredibly profound. Draw your sword… unleash your strongest sword technique against me. Let me see just how far you’ve come with the Myriad Sword Melody.”

“Very well.” A cold, intimidating longsword appeared in Ji Mo’s hand, faint runes inscribed upon its blade. It was clearly a Sword-type magic treasure. “Lord Ji Ning, please be careful.”

Whoosh!

In an instant, his sword transformed into an endless illusion. Countless hazy sword-shadows appeared, blanketing the area as they converged on Ji Ning.

Ji Ning stood there, simply watching. As the dense, hazy sea of sword-shadows closed in, he raised a finger and tapped lightly. “Break!”

Instantly, all the illusory sword-shadows vanished, revealing the true blade. Ji Ning’s finger struck the flat of the sword. The high-speed blade, suddenly deflected, flew out of control due to its own inertia, tumbling through the air.

“This… this…” Ji Mo stared, dumbfounded. The other five were just as stunned. He had flicked away a strike imbued with the power of heaven and earth with just a finger? And he didn’t even seem to be moving that fast!

“How is that possible? My sword?” Ji Mo couldn’t believe it. “Your strength wasn’t even that great. How did you instantly redirect my force and send my sword flying?”

“Let me ask you,” Ji Ning barked. “How many stances does the Myriad Sword Melody have?”

Ji Mo quickly answered, “The Myriad Sword Melody has three stances: ‘A Single Sword, Ten Thousand Shadows’, ‘Ten Thousand Swords, One Return’, and ‘Myriad Sword Melody’. The ‘Myriad Sword Melody’ is the ultimate killing technique. What I just used was that very move!”

Ji Ning said, “‘Myriad Sword Melody’. ‘Myriad Sword Melody’… the key is not the ‘myriad swords’. The key is the word ‘melody’!”

Over the past few years, Ji Jiuhuo had specifically arranged for various sword and saber techniques from the Ji Clan to be sent to him. Ji Ning had gone through them all. At his current level of comprehension, he could even create such techniques himself. All he needed was to grasp their essential meaning.

“Melody?” Ji Mo was taken aback.

“Watch closely.” Ji Ning condensed a sword-light on his fingertip and swept it across the air.

Instantly, it transformed into a sky full of sword-shadows. Countless hazy sword-shadows filled every inch of space, seemingly identical to the ‘Myriad Sword Melody’ Ji Mo had just performed. But these countless shadows were like individual musical notes, each subtly distinct, yet all together they formed a single, soaring melody.

Exhilarating!

Joyful!

Ji Mo and the other five were all stunned. They could actually feel a sense of joy emanating from that infinite sea of sword-shadows. The shadows themselves seemed to have come alive.

“Watch again.” Ji Ning spoke and swept his sword-light out once more, again transforming it into countless hazy sword-shadows. Those countless shadows resonated with each other. Each one seemed independent, yet they were all linked together… an infinite number of notes, forming a single song. But this time, it was filled with boundless killing intent—a chilling murderousness that made their blood run cold.

Each sword-shadow was like a soldier. Countless soldiers, roaring and charging forward in a tide, the killing intent soaring to the heavens.

Ji Mo and the others, their faces pale, involuntarily staggered backward.

“Do you see now?” Ji Ning said, the sword-light at his fingertip vanishing. “This is the ‘melody’. It is the soul of the entire sword art! No matter what kind of soul it is—with a soul, your ‘myriad swords’ can become one, transforming into a true and awe-inspiring sword melody!”

The other five were shaken.

But Ji Mo, who had a deep understanding of the Myriad Sword Melody, was utterly conquered. With a thud, he knelt directly before Ji Ning. “Please, accept me as your disciple!”