Chapter 9
At the rear cliff of Qingyun Dao Sect.
Ye Ping’s attention was focused on the sword technique that he had just comprehended.
He had just been through a few hours of comprehension.
The set of sword techniques that Ye Ping suddenly comprehended consisted of a total of four different styles of sword moves but they could be combined into a set of sword techniques.
The first set was like thunder in spring; loud and accompanied by drizzles.
The second set was like thunder in summer; rumbled loudly and terrifyingly ferocious.
The third set was like thunder in autumn; silent and incredibly bizarre.
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The fourth set was like thunder in winter; shocking and destructive
The four sets of sword techniques were like thunder and each was unique with its own characteristics, making Ye Ping feel incredibly amazed.
Besides, in the beginning, Ye Ping only managed to comprehend 12 moves.
However, as time passed, he comprehended more and more sword moves.
Now, Ye Ping had already comprehended 144 sword moves.
How could Ye Ping not believe that Su Changyu was a peerless Sword Immortal?
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“There are actually such powerful sword moves hidden in a tiny sword mark. Eldest Senior Brother is really fierce.”
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“I wonder if my results are satisfactory.”
Ye Ping’s heart was full of shock. Firstly, he was amazed by how powerful and strong Su Changyu was, and secondly, he was very curious to know if comprehending a set of sword techniques in one day was considered satisfactory.
However, what Ye Ping did not know was that the Four Thunder Sword Technique was actually divided into four realms based on the number of sword moves comprehended.
After comprehending 72 sword moves, one would be considered a ‘Beginner’.
After comprehending 144 sword moves, one would reach the realm of ‘Perfection’.
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After comprehending 432 sword moves, it would be the ‘Greater Mastery’ realm.
After comprehending 1460 sword moves, one would reach the ‘Peak’ and be able to comprehend the sword momentum, and thus the sword intent.
Su Changyu took more than a decade to master 18 moves and was only a ‘Beginner’ at the Spring Thunder Swordsmanship.
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However, Ye Ping was different.
In just less than half a day, he comprehended the Four Thunder Sword Techniques and even reached the realm of ‘Perfection’.
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It was no longer about qualifying or not.
It would not be inappropriate for him to go out and call himself the best in the ten nations.
However, Ye Ping was completely clueless. He rested for a short while, and then continued to observe the sword mark on the ground.
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On the other hand, Ye Ping’s sword moves increased in number too.
He continued until late at night.
After having an epiphany and comprehending a hundred sword moves, he finally felt tired.
It was already midnight. Although Ye Ping had the intention to continue his epiphany, he was eventually still fatigued and thus got up and went back to rest.
Ye Ping had a nightmare that night.
He dreamed that he was expelled from the Qingyun Dao Sect because his aptitude was too poor and he could not qualify.
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Fortunately, Ye Ping was jolted awake in the end.
After waking up in shock, Ye Ping let out a long sigh of relief.
The dream was too realistic.
Ye Ping became rather melancholic.
To be frank, transmigrating was miserable enough for him, followed by his discovery that the world was an immortal martial world, which was three years late. Now that he had finally joined an immortal sect after various hardships, Ye Ping saw a glimmer of hope, especially since he thought that it was a sect that was secretly powerful.
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However, if he were expelled from the sect because of his inferior aptitude, Ye Ping would not be able to accept that outcome at all.
“No, no, shouldn’t sects that are secretly powerful favor disciples who lack aptitude? If I’m competent, why would I need to be trained? Wouldn’t I just need to have hands? If I can comprehend peerless sword techniques out of a random sword mark, why would I need to be taught?”
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However, Ye Ping soon felt that he had thought wrong.
He thought that sects that hid their powerfulness did not value qualifications, but diligence and perseverance, so he had to work hard.
Simply put, there were only two seasons for cultivators.
When a cultivator worked hard, it would be peak season.
When a cultivator slacked off, it would be off season.
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Thinking about this, Ye Ping washed up simply and scurried to the rear cliff.
Perhaps because of the nightmare, Ye Ping skipped breakfast again and immediately rushed to the cliff to begin his comprehension of the sword mark.
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He continued until noon.
A figure appeared on the back cliff.
It was Su Changyu.
He walked over with a plate and looked at Ye Ping in the distance, with a trace of guilt in his eyes.
Ye Ping had neither eaten nor drunk anything since yesterday as he had been constantly comprehending Su Changyu’s Sword Dao.
That made Su Changyu feel a little embarrassed.
To be honest, he was purely trying to keep Ye Ping in the sect longer but Ye Ping turned out to be a rash young chap.
He stubbornly tried to comprehend a single sword mark.
It would be fine to skip a meal but he couldn’t go all day without eating anything.
If he stayed behind but ended up dying, how awkward would that be?
Hence, Su Changyu walked over with the food.
“Ye Ping.”
Su Changyu walked towards Ye Ping and sighed softly.
In an instant, Ye Ping woke up from his epiphany.
“Greetings, Senior Brother.”
Ye Ping immediately behaved respectfully when he saw Su Changyu.
“You may be studious and diligent but you have to eat too. I heard that you haven’t eaten a bite since yesterday and that can’t go on. Have something to eat.”
As Su Changyu spoke, he placed a few plates on the ground. There were two dishes and some rice but it was a vegetarian meal with no meat.
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“Yes, Senior Brother.”
Ye Ping nodded and fell silent for a while as he looked at the food on the ground.
Sensing Ye Ping’s silence, Su Changyu seemed a little embarrassed but he quickly covered his gaze.
“Ye Ping, my generation of cultivators are vegetarian. Just like what I said before, grains and meat are detrimental to the body, so everyone in the Qingyun Dao Sect has always had a vegetarian diet. Don’t think too much of it.”
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Su Changyu quickly explained, worried that Ye Ping might discover something fishy.
He was definitely lying because they were actually just poor.
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However, it was not that they were too poor to afford meat but rather, they could not eat meat frequently and could only buy some meat every now and then.
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“Senior Brother, I didn’t think much about it, I’m just a little touched.”
Indeed, Ye Ping didn’t think much of it, he was just touched.
Upon hearing that, Su Changyu was somehow upset. Looking at the clean and good-looking junior brother of his, he suddenly felt a little guiltier.
However, it couldn’t be helped. For the sake of the sect’s development, they could only mistreat Ye Ping for the time being. They would make up for it once the Qingyun Dao Sect was promoted to a third-grade sect.
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That was what Su Changyu thought.
“Go ahead and eat.”
Su Changyu told Ye Ping to eat and did not say anything else.
The latter nodded.
He then picked up the bowl and chopsticks and started to eat.
Before eating, Ye Ping did not feel hungry but after taking the first bite, he was immediately struck by the hunger pangs and he couldn’t help but wolf down a few more bites of the food.
Ye Ping polished off a bowl of rice with two vegetarian dishes.
At last, he even poured some vegetable oil into the bowl and finished it with the last few mouthfuls of rice.
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After finishing off with a bowl of unknown hot soup, Ye Ping instantly felt energized.
“Thank you very much, Senior Brother.”
Having eaten and drunk to his heart’s content, Ye Ping put down his bowl and chopsticks, but did not forget to thank Su Changyu.
The latter, on the other hand, looked at Ye Ping who had wolfed down his food and felt even more upset.
However, he did not know what to say and could only ask a question.
“Ye Ping, have you comprehended any sword techniques from the sword mark?”
Su Changyu asked.
He wasn’t deliberately asking for the answer but was merely popping a casual question as a remedy to the awkward silence.
However, Ye Ping’s answer took Su Changyu aback.
“I have comprehended something but I’m too incompetent. I failed to comprehend the essence and only comprehended a little bit of the sword moves.”
Ye Ping nodded and said with some embarrassment.
Su Changyu was speechless.
‘Are you lying to me?’
‘You can comprehend some sword moves out of that?’
‘Do you think I’ve never practiced swordsmanship before?’
Su Changyu did not believe it at all.