Chapter 120: The True Python Shadow Four Swords

Chapter 120: Chapter 120: The True Python Shadow Four Swords

This was a world where Sword Intent filled the heavens. It was a boundless, gray expanse with no distinction between sky and earth, only rampant Sword Intent.

Chu Fan’s Divine Sense drifted here. Whenever a wave of Sword Intent passed through his "body," he felt no pain, only immense pressure.

He wanted to dodge, but it was impossible.

He could only passively allow the streams of Sword Qi to pierce through his conscious form. A deep-seated tension sent his adrenaline skyrocketing.

Chu Fan couldn’t help but wonder, ’If I were to truly face this kind of Sword Intent in reality, could I even dodge it?’

Once the thought started, it was impossible to stop. He endured the tension and began to carefully observe the path, speed, and shape of each stream of Sword Intent.

After capturing each stream of Sword Intent, he would imagine himself in that situation, pondering what kind of Sword Form could produce such an effect.

Time passed without his notice as he captured one stream of Sword Intent after another, analyzing them. After more than ten, he was stunned to discover they were remarkably similar to the First Technique of the Python Shadow Four Swords.

Tucking this discovery away, he continued to capture the streams of Sword Intent.

After dozens more, he realized that all of this Sword Intent was indeed from the Python Shadow Four Swords, but with slight differences from the version he had practiced.

And it was these slight differences that made his Python Shadow Four Swords less than one-tenth as powerful as the Sword Intent he was witnessing.

It was only then that he suddenly remembered. After his Sword Dao had entered the Realm of Sword Intent Follows the Heart, he had focused only on practicing the Dream-Breaking Meteor Sword and the Fifth Technique of the Yifeng Sword Technique, completely forgetting to integrate his Sword Intent into the Python Shadow Four Swords.

But today, here, he discovered that the Python Shadow Four Swords might not be the least bit inferior to the Dream-Breaking Meteor Sword or the Yifeng Sword Technique.

Having confirmed this, he became even more enthusiastic about capturing the streams of Sword Intent.

As time went on, he even forgot how many streams of Sword Intent he had captured and analyzed.

In short, besides fully mastering and integrating the original Python Shadow Four Swords, he also encountered many Sword Techniques he had never practiced before.

Gradually, an epiphany dawned in his heart.

Sword Intent is like water, which has no constant form. It follows the heart, taking whatever shape is willed. It can be hard or soft, it can be a drop that pierces stone, or it can be a ferocious flood, a monstrous wave.

This was the Sword Intent he had comprehended before.

But today, he realized that the core of "Sword Intent Follows the Heart" was not the Sword Intent itself, but the "following the heart" part—the freedom to act as he willed.

What did it mean to "follow the heart"?

The sword follows the heart, not the heart following the sword.

Take ordinary Sword Manuals and Sword Techniques, for instance. Although every technique and every form has a fixed pattern, even incorporating Body Techniques, and each move seems to have requirements for its Sword Qi and Sword Gang, was that really the case once you’ve truly comprehended the Sword Manual?

A battle can change in an instant. A single hesitation, a moment of distraction, can turn victory into a fatal defeat.

What’s truly important is mastery over the Sword Techniques, or rather, mastery over the Sword itself.

It’s about not being bound by any particular technique or form. It’s about instinctively finding the most suitable Sword Technique when you strike, using your mastery over the Sword to inflict maximum damage on your opponent at the minimum cost.

This was the true secret of Sword Intent.

The moment Chu Fan came to this conclusion, all the rampant Sword Intent stopped and coalesced into a single sword shadow.

Then, he saw a white-haired, white-robed old man take hold of that Sword.

"Walking Dragon Sword Shadow, First Technique—Wind-Defying Cloud-Surging Dragon Shocking Technique!"

This strike was unmistakably the first sword of the Python Shadow Four Swords.

Python Shadow Four Swords was just a name Chu Fan had come up with himself based on the Sword Techniques. Only now did he realize its true name was Walking Dragon Sword Shadow.

In the old man’s hands, the sword shadow was no longer Sword Qi in the shape of a python, but Sword Intent in the form of a dragon.

Although it had a python-like shadow, darting left and right like a dragon entering the sea, the "Chu Fan" standing a thousand feet away could still feel the oppressive pressure from the Sword Intent.

It was as if he were truly facing a giant dragon from ancient times.

"Walking Dragon Sword Shadow, Second Technique—Windwalker Two Dragons Playing with the Pearl."

"...Third Technique—Windless March of the Leaderless Dragons."

"Fourth Technique—Gale Dragon Fighting in the Wild."

"Fifth Technique—Wetland Walking Mixed with Dragon and Snake."

"Sixth Technique—Fire-Walking Dragon Raising Clouds."

"Seventh Technique—Dry Thunder Roar of the Tiger and Dragon."

"Eighth Technique—Mist-Walking Divine Dragon’s Head."

"Ninth Technique—Wind and Thunder Accompany the Body, Dragon Returns to the Vast Sea."

The more Chu Fan watched, the more shocked and awestruck he became. He never knew Sword Intent could be used with such perfection. With every casual wave of the old man’s right hand, the resulting Dragon Shadow was not only incredibly lifelike, but every single Dragon Scale was clearly visible. And corresponding to each technique and form, the pressure emanating from the Dragon Shadow’s demeanor was different.

An expert sees the intricacies, while a novice only sees the show.

After watching the entire Sword Technique, Chu Fan only understood the first four forms. As for the latter five, although he could clearly see how the old man moved the sword, he couldn’t comprehend the reasoning behind the movements, much less how to control the Sword Intent.

The old man’s figure vanished, and the sword shadow once again dissolved into countless streams of rampant Sword Intent.

But Chu Fan’s mind was completely filled with the magnificent Sword Forms, and he was unable to tear himself away for a long time.

In truth, Chu Fan was utterly obsessed with the sword. The fundamental reason he was able to step into the Third Layer Realm of Sword Dao was his passion and obsession with it.

Chu Fan’s consciousness had been devoured by the character for "Sword" on the stone tablet. His body was frozen as if under an Immobilization Technique, his head tilted up to stare at the tablet, his eyes vacant yet tinged with a trace of shock.

And he remained in this posture for several days.

In fact, on the second day, Shen Yidu and his three companions had passed by. Seeing Chu Fan standing there, the four of them fled in a panic, filled with a bit of fear.

The four of them had bad luck. They got lost wandering the ruins and, a few days later, ended up back where they started. They wouldn’t have even known, except they saw Chu Fan still standing in the exact same spot, his posture unchanged. Only then did they realize they had been going in circles.

"What do you think that guy’s doing? It’s been, what, seven or eight days since we last passed through? Why is he still here?"

"To be precise, it has been eight days, three hours, and four quarters of an hour," Shen Yidu said indifferently.

"Forget the exact numbers. What I’m trying to say is, have you noticed his posture is identical to when we saw him here eight days ago? Do you think he’s under an Immobilization Technique?"

After hearing this, the others grew bolder and slowly approached Chu Fan.

When they were over thirty yards away, one of them shouted at Chu Fan, "Hey! What are you doing here?"

Seeing no reaction from Chu Fan, they became even bolder and walked right up to him.

The man asked Chu Fan again, "What are you doing here?"

Chu Fan still didn’t react in the slightest. Mustering his courage, the man waved a hand in front of Chu Fan’s face.

But Chu Fan’s eyes didn’t even blink.

They finally confirmed that Chu Fan really was under an Immobilization Technique. At this, all four of them were furious.

’Damn it! And to think we were almost scared into leaving this Secret Realm a few days ago.’

’He had us on edge for days!’

A smirk spread across Shen Yidu’s face as he laughed smugly. "See? Good thing you listened to me, right? He’s just a guy who was bluffing."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Yidu drew his Sword and thrust it toward Chu Fan...