Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
With the aid of the exaggerated amount of resources consumed every day, the practicing body Master Jiang Chen got the Thunderbolt Martial Soul. Aided by Wu Ming, the practicing body Lu Ping also got the Martial Soul of Sword.
However, the true body was still struggling in the Xuanji Army.
âLet me check your sword.â Wu Ming looked expectant. There were various kinds of the Martial Soul of Sword.
Jiang Chen nodded. Then he exerted his Martial Soul of Sword. It was a crystal-clear sword blade, seemingly semi-transparent with sharp edges. At first glance, it looked like a painting. As long as the sword was thrown over, the sword energy spread, not any worse than Jiang Chenâs practice just now.
âThis blade...â Wu Ming was pretty surprised. His brow was tightly knitted.
âAnything wrong?â Jiang Chen was kind of nervous. He thought it was because his Sword Soul was not good enough.
âDepending on its practitioner, the Martial Soul of Sword can be extremely various. Actually, there are so many that itâs even impossible to classify or rank them. However, some sword masters discovered what characteristics a dreadful Sword Soul usually has. The five characteristics are: strength, anger, excellence, heroism, and center. As long as oneâs Sword Soul has one of these characteristics, it will surpass most peopleâs Sword Souls. It would be fantastic to have two or three of these characteristics. Having four of them would make oneâs Sword Soul outstanding.â
Then Wu Ming turned serious. He threw Jiang Chen a profound look. âHaving all five, it would certainly be superb. The reason that the Four Great Sword Doctrines are called this is because those who get them will have a Sword Soul with all of these five characteristics.â
Jiang Chen recalled that he had heard of that indeed. Judging from his masterâs facial expression, he had a hunch that things were not so good for him. Then he glanced at his own Sword Soul.
âYour Sword Soul has strength and heroism,â Wu Ming told him straightforwardly.
Then Jiang Chen realized why his master had such a reaction. His master was eager to make the Immortal Doctrine of Sword the fifth great Sword Doctrine. It was certainly an unsatisfying result for him, although a Sword Soul with two characteristics was already pretty great. However, neither Jiang Chen nor Wu Ming would accept such a result.
âIs it...is it really an impossible thing? Have I been wrong all the time?â Wu Ming was always a calm person, but now he could not help but doubt himself. Even his look was not as confident as before. As the master, he must be responsible for such a result. Once the Sword Soul appeared, it could not be changed anymore. Jiang Chen was really very talented. However, his unrealistic dreams could have wasted this geniusâs time and energy. He was smitten by deep remorse.
âMaster...â Jiang Chen was frustrated too, but seeing how his master had taken the result, he wanted to comfort the latter.
âDonât call me master! I donât deserve to be your master. Ha, ha, ha, my efforts during all these years have turned out to be a joke. The Immortal Doctrine of Sword? Just a floating cloud.â Wu Ming was taking it very badly.. He almost lost his senses. Roaring toward the sky, he turned into a flowing light and disappeared.
Jiang Chen wanted to chase after him, but he could not find his masterâs traces at all.
âAm I just a jack of all trades, but master of none?â Jiang Chen murmured. He was a strong-willed man, but it was inevitable to be frustrated with such a result. He brandished his Sword Soul. Its crystal-clear semi-transparent quality had a great beauty. âStrength, anger, excellence, heroism, and center.â Jiang Chen murmured. It was impossible to get these five through practicing. The result had been destined as soon as the Sword Soul appeared. Jiang Chen could do nothing but accept the reality.
.....
âEh? Whatâs going on?â
All of a sudden, Master Luo Cheng, about to leave the Yaoguang Holy Land, gave off a magnificent sword energy, which shocked many people.
âMaster, have you seized your opportunity to get a Sword Soul? Please come with us.â Some men from the Yaoguang Holy Land hurried to catch up with him. They invited him to their air territory with respect. As soon as they arrived in the air, a sword blade was brandished across the sky.
âSomeone has got a Sword Soul.â
âThe Yaoguang Holy Land is packed with geniuses. First it was the Thunderbolt Martial Soul and now itâs a Sword Soul.â
âWho can it be? This person has the protection of our elders, so it must be a disciple here.â
âThe elders are taking this so seriously. Which apprentice elder brother can it be?â
âWell, Apprentice Elder Brother Chu Mu and Apprentice Elder Brother Ye Chen are sword geniuses in our sect. But both of them already have their Sword Souls. Could it be Apprentice Elder Brother Chen Yu?â
âApprentice Elder Brother Chen Yu went out on adventures not long ago. He hasnât come back yet.â
âWondering what this apprentice elder brotherâs Sword Soul will be like.â
âThere it is! It only has anger.â
âIt only has anger? What do you mean? Even though he only has one characteristic, he has already surpassed the majority of practitioners.â
âExactly. This apprentice elder brother is pretty great already. We should congratulate him.â
Master Luo Chengâs Sword Soul appeared during the discussions. Although it was not transparent, it was crystal clear, emitting a brilliant silver color.
âCongrats, Master Luo Cheng.â
âItâs a great surprise that your swordsmanship is so excellent. You are really a dark horse.â
The elders of the Yaoguang Holy Land congratulated him.
Jiang Chen smiled. After thanking them for their good intentions, he said, âI would like to ask Yaoguang to keep this a secret for me.â The elders were puzzled over his request, but they also thought it reasonable, so they agreed immediately.
So, that man wasnât the master. Xie Ting had been with Jiang Chen, so she knew the Sword Soul belonged to the master. As a result, she figured the Thunderbolt Martial Soul could not be his as well. That makes sense.
The Thunderbolt Martial Soul was really a dreadful thing. If it really belonged to Master Luo Cheng, it would be a great thing. Of course, it was also great to have a Sword Soul. Not to mention that it had one of the five characteristics.
.....
Back at her side, Jiang Chen looked pretty calm. However, he was delirious with joy inside. By then he had the Thunderbolt Martial Soul and a Sword Soul, and they did not conflict with each other. Most important, the characteristics of his Sword Soul were not one of the two the practicing body Lu Ping had. So, it meant he had three in total.
Almost at the same time, Jiang Chenâs true body in the Xuanji Army received a telepathic communication. His sword energy was on the verge of breaking out. If nothing went wrong, the Sword Soul of the true body would have the other two characteristics of the five. When the three turned to one, his Sword Soul would have all of the five characteristics.
âGo back!â However, Jiang Chenâs true body was not in a hurry, because he was in the process of working on a Martial Soul. Making a Sword Soul wait in a queue, it would sound like pie in the sky for others. However, Jiang Chen made it.
.....
âMaster!â The practicing body Lu Ping was looking for his master after learning the truth. He wanted to tell the latter what was really happening. However, he could not find his master anywhere.
Something suddenly occurred to him. He went back to the mountain behind the Sword Pavilion as soon as possible. As expected, he sensed his masterâs energy in that log cabin. He entered through the back door and saw something shocking.
Wu Ming was kneeling on the ground, with his hands in his lap.
âJiang Chen, I let you down. I wasted your talent. I actually could have taken you to the Sword Tower. As talented as you are, Iâm sure you would get the inheritance of one of the Four Great Sword Doctrines. But I was too greedy. I kept you with me for my own needs. It turned out to be a terrible result.â
âMaster!â Jiang Chen was so scared that he knelt down as well. He hurried to say, âThat being said, none of the Martial Souls before had expected anything related to sword. Master, why are you taking this so seriously?â
âThis is not the point. The point is your Sword Soul proved how stupid my wild ambition was.â Wu Ming sounded a little desperate.
âNo! Master, you are one of the greatest swordsmen Iâve ever seen.â Jiang Chen looked really serious. Then he told Wu Ming about Master Luo Cheng and the true body.
âReally?!â Wu Ming was pleasantly surprised to hear all about it. He kept staring at Jiang Chen. He burst out laughing after getting an affirmative answer.
âThere are rises and falls in life. How thrilling it is!â