Chapter 56 — A Thrust in the Dark
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 3
The young patriarch's face turned strange. That arm-thick qi of Shen Mu's — was that what one called a thread of qi? Was there such a thing as a qi thread so thick? A qi thread of such ferocious power? And what did it mean, that his qi was not yet strong enough? Never had he seen anyone at the Spirit Fetus realm with such a mighty cultivation of qi! This youth of Hidden Maim Village had pierced a bucket-thick wooden post with one thrust, and split mountain stone two feet thick with another; the power hidden in his qi threads already surpassed that of countless sword cultivators at the Spirit Fetus realm! The village head smiled faintly and gave Shen Mu a pointer: "That is it. You had not mastered the most basic motion in swordsmanship — the thrust. What if all your strength could be gathered into that single motion of thrusting? What if you could bring out every last ounce of your power?" Shen Mu could not believe it. He shook his head. "Riding the flying sword with qi only means using qi threads to command the blade. Qi threads are too soft — how could they ever bring out all one's strength?" "It can be done." The village head said unhurriedly, "You must make the sword a part of you, like your own hand. Now — raise your hand. Imagine a sword gripped in it. Your index and middle fingers rest against the blade. When your hand thrusts forward, the sword thrusts with it!" "A part of my own body?" Puzzled, Shen Mu once more curled his arm-thick qi threads around the precious sword. His right hand closed in an empty grip, thumb pressed over ring finger and little finger, index and middle fingers extended as though laid along the blade. He thrust forward. With a soft hiss, his qi threads carried the sword forward too; the keen blade sliced the air and gave out a shrill whistle! He could not help but be startled and delighted. Before, when he rode the flying sword with qi, the power stored in the blade had been at most a tenth of his own; now he felt the power within the sword double and redouble! The young patriarch laughed. "That is called the Sword Pinching Sign — the opening stance in the cultivation of swordsmanship. A moment ago, without even using the sign, you could already pierce through mountain stone. It seems the abundance of your qi surpasses even mine in my day!" The village head shook his head. "But it is not enough. The Sword Pinching Sign alone cannot overcome a master who has steeped himself in the sword way for decades. Shen'er — let your qi burst from your palm, and try again." Shen Mu obeyed. Qi threads coiled from his palm around the precious sword; he roused his qi and thrust forward once more, two fingers joined. Whoosh — His thrust raised a whirlwind, and within it the keen sword shrieked, harsh to the ear! The young patriarch's eye twitched. He at once perceived that the power of this thrust had risen by about a tenth over the last, and that this old cripple before him had, with a mere two sentences of instruction, brought Shen Mu such an enormous advance. Truly fearsome, truly worthy of respect! The village head barked, "The qi threads are not wound around the sword — they take root within it. The sword is part of your body, and your qi is part of your body; both are your flesh! Try again!" Shen Mu's qi merged with the keen sword, soaking into it, and all at once he felt as though he had grown another hand. At this thrust, he felt his strength like a great flood finding its outlet: seven or eight parts of his power gathered in the keen blade and drove toward the village! Wind howled through the village, and suddenly the wooden stake the butcher so often stood upon split in two with a crack! Shen Mu was stunned. His sword had never touched that stake — it was the sword wind that had split it in two! The young patriarch sighed in admiration. This old cripple had, with a few scant words, made Shen Mu erupt with terrifying potential; his attainments in swordsmanship were indeed exceedingly high. "Still not enou