Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Sword Dao Domain

The Legacy Space had finished charging. At this pace it would fill once about every three days, and once full, you could stay inside up to ten days in a row. Ten days inside equaled one day outside.

She had another match tomorrow, so she definitely could not stay the whole time. Li Shuang counted the hours; this time she could stay in the space for about five days.

Last time, she had trained sword work day and night in the space for ten days. When she came out, her mind was overflowing with insight into swordplay. Later, a few fellow disciples from Emotionless Peak discussed sword with her, and those insights slowly became real skill in the Way of the Sword. On the daytime stage, even without that leap in insight she could have won, but the result would not have looked so shocking.

This time, Li Shuang could not wait to meet Senior Su Mu again.

With a flash of light, Li Shuang’s body entered the Legacy Space.

This time, in the pure white space, Su Mu was already waiting there.

She was just about to speak, saying, “Senior, I…,” when Su Mu’s long sword left his hand and flew at her; Li Shuang dodged on instinct. The next instant, Su Mu was behind her with a blade in hand, thrusting at an impossible angle toward her back.

[It already started?] Li Shuang steadied her mind and met the strike with her own sword.

After a few exchanges, a barely there smile touched Su Mu’s lips. Good. She had already absorbed most of the Way of the Sword insights from last time. He had waited so many years and had finally met a genius in the Way of the Sword. And Li Shuang was still an uncut gem. It was plain she had not received much guidance in this area. Most of her swordplay, she had explored on her own, which made her sword lively and free, sometimes even startlingly original. Not being drilled early in rigid forms was, for Li Shuang, a blessing. A genius like this should walk her own road; if bound by set moves too soon, it would be hard to step onto the true Way of the Sword.

Many thoughts flickered through his mind. Su Mu’s sword grew sharper, while he said coolly: “Continue.”

He pressed her with a taunt, saying, “You bragged so boldly before, so why do you look out of strength now?”

He added: “Emotionless Sword Art is not something anyone can learn. Knock the sword from my hand, and I will give you a chance to challenge the first move of it.”

“Otherwise, go practice those trash sword moves of yours.”

Li Shuang looked at Su Mu calmly, saying, “Senior, I cultivate the Supreme Emotionless Art.”

Su Mu raised his brows and said without expression: “I only wanted to scold you. I did not expect you to have any reaction.”

He did know that cultivators of the Supreme Emotionless Art almost never produced negative emotions. Li Shuang nodded, met his blade, and said evenly, “So, Senior, you have not spoken to anyone for a long time, have you?”

Su Mu fell silent.

Li Shuang said softly, “It is all right, next time I will focus on keeping Senior company.”

Su Mu shot her a look, his teeth creaking. [Do Sword Cultivators have to be this blunt?] [A little annoying, yet oddly heartwarming.]

His sword sped up at once. Li Shuang slipped past by a hair, her face growing more and more solemn.

In the vast Legacy Space, only the ringing clash of blades echoed. In that extreme focus, Li Shuang slipped into a strange state. Senior Su Mu truly was a fearsome swordsman. The moment she showed even the tiniest opening, his sword would stab without mercy. Being seen through a beat ahead forced her to move faster and faster, pressed her to make every technique more and more complete. Messy insights into the Way of the Sword surged up without end. Inside the Black Abyss Sword, a transparent Sword Spirit flickered with faint light.

By now Li Shuang was fully immersed in the Way of the Sword. She fixed her gaze on Su Mu’s sword momentum.

Why? Why could Senior Su Mu always sense a step ahead where Black Abyss would land? Why could she only be dragged along?

There had to be something she did not know. [There must be!]

Li Shuang stared at Su Mu’s every move, refusing to miss even the tiniest twitch of muscle.

A subtle curve touched Su Mu’s lips. He thought highly of Li Shuang, but rules were rules. He lifted his sword; light flared; the plain-looking blade fell from the side at a very strange angle.

In that moment, Li Shuang had no time to think. Her hand moved on its own. Black Abyss Sword rose to the perfect spot and caught the falling blade.

“Oh?” Surprise flashed in Su Mu’s eyes.

Li Shuang did not stop. She seized the opening and countered at once. Through it all, her eyes were closed.

Su Mu’s smile deepened.

Li Shuang finally understood. People look at things with their eyes. A swordsman does not have to look at a sword with eyes. Eyes can fool you. A clear sword heart never does.

With her eyes shut, she actually saw everything more clearly. The path of the sword, the landing point of the next move, all of it became bright and plain in her heart. As Black Abyss swept out, a small field formed around Li Shuang, with her at its center.

This was the Sword Dao Domain.

Normally, it took a long time to grow a Sword Dao Domain from first spark to true shape. But now Su Mu tirelessly helped Li Shuang break down forms and firm up her Way of the Sword. The small field steadily spread, and all the insight Li Shuang had gathered over the years became fuel for this Sword Dao Domain.

No one knew how long it took. Li Shuang poured every insight into the field. Its range widened to a radius of ten meters, then stopped dead. Ten meters was the limit of her Sword Dao Domain for now. To push further, she needed more insight.

With a thud, Li Shuang struck Su Mu’s wrist. His long sword flew free. Su Mu’s sword hit the ground.

Li Shuang snapped her eyes open. Joy shone in them as she bowed carefully to Su Mu, saying, “Thank you, Senior.”

She knew very well that knocking Su Mu’s sword away did not mean she had surpassed him. The gap between them was like the bright moon and drifting dust. Su Mu had suppressed who knew how much of his own Way of the Sword to spar with her. The reason she could condense a Sword Dao Domain at all was because he had guided her from the side. Anyone who could help a Sword Cultivator form a Sword Dao Domain was terrifying in the Way of the Sword.

Su Mu accepted her salute with ease, then smiled and said: “Someone outside is calling you. Go for now. Next time you come, I will teach you the first move of the Emotionless Sword Art.”

“Yes.” Li Shuang had barely answered when she was sent out of the space.