"Azure Veil Blade, what a fine name. Show me your blade technique," Quinn Windflower praised, his spirits visibly lifted.
With such a senior guiding him, how could Joe Di hold back? The Azure Veil Blade transformed into a blue haze, cleaving out with a force that seemed capable of tearing the very space apart.
The air turned icy, and the aura of Blade Intent reminiscent of 'the wind is bleak at the Yi River' exploded through the space. At this moment, anything standing in the path of his blade would be reduced to nothingness.
Joe Di began with the Bleakwind Blade—the technique he had comprehended on his own.
"Boom!" The blade carved a blue scar into the floor of the Nightfall Ruins. Though the momentum ceased, the mark lingered in the void for a long time before finally dissipating.
Joe Di was very satisfied with his strike. Before the blue scar in the void had faded, he cupped his fists and said, "Senior, please advise me."
Quinn Windflower let out a sigh. "Such Blade Intent... such Blade Intent..."
After those seven words, he shook his head and sighed again. "It's a pity. You have only scattered Blade Intent, without true momentum. If you continue like this, it will be difficult to condense your own Blade Momentum. Scattered Blade Intent is like fireworks—beautiful, but fleeting."
Joe Di was startled. The Bleakwind Blade, Riftblade, and Skyveil Blade were his proudest techniques. Though he had not yet demonstrated the latter two, the Bleakwind Blade alone represented his highest understanding of the blade. His grasp of Blade Intent was strong—how could it be called scattered?
Quinn Windflower's strength was indeed far above his own, but to call his Blade Intent scattered and liken it to mere fireworks—wasn't that too disparaging?
Joe Di, still unconvinced, said, "Senior, please watch my Riftblade and Skyveil Blade..."
As he spoke, the Azure Veil Blade in Joe Di's hand swept out again, transforming into a continuous surge of blue waves crashing forth. Wave after wave rose higher, finally colliding with the void and sending countless blade lights splashing like spray. The Blade Intent burst forth with these splashes, filling the space with the aura of the blade.
Before the Riftblade had faded, Joe Di's Skyveil Blade descended. A curtain of blade energy fell from the void like a waterfall, sweeping outward with a hint of law-infused aura. The space echoed with explosive sounds, and it felt as though anything beneath that curtain would be torn to shreds.
"What does Senior think?" After unleashing the two blades, Joe Di asked again.
Quinn Windflower stared at Joe Di for a long moment before finally speaking. "You are the most talented blade cultivator I have ever seen, perhaps even the most insightful and gifted Dao practitioner. To have touched upon the laws at the Soul Ancestor Stage is truly astonishing."
Joe Di felt a surge of pride, yet he knew that his ability to touch upon the laws was not because he was truly smarter or more powerful than others, but because he possessed that gray stone and the golden lightning. That golden lightning was a natural source of countless laws.
Quinn Windflower sighed deeply again. "It is certain you can fight above your level, and even defeat ordinary cultivators at the Void Spirit Stage. Aside from your refined spiritual sense and true essence, your blade techniques are also key factors. Yet, what a pity... what a pity..."
This was the second time Quinn Windflower had said 'what a pity,' and Joe Di sensed something was amiss. Quinn Windflower was a powerhouse who could split a cultivation planet with a single strike—if someone of his caliber claimed Joe Di's blade path was flawed, he was probably right.
"Please, Senior, I ask for your guidance," Joe Di quickly bowed in respect.
Quinn Windflower's gaze grew solemn. "If I'm not mistaken, you never had a master, did you? You have cultivated Blade Intent and gained some insight into it, but do you truly know what Blade Intent is? When you wield your blade, you try to use your aura to condense Blade Momentum—so let me ask, do you know what Blade Momentum is? In other words, if your true essence wasn't so refined and your spiritual sense not so strong, your Blade Intent would seem as laughable as a child babbling to others. Such Blade Intent is only useful for teaching a lesson to some low-level cultivators on this broken continent. Once you leave here, you'll realize you're far behind the true geniuses."
Joe Di's expression changed. He knew his own situation well—cultivating the Starstream Technique had given him starry meridians, allowing him to condense true essence and spiritual sense. According to Quinn Windflower, if he hadn't practiced the Starstream Technique, he would be no different from an ordinary cultivator.
Sensing Joe Di's shift in mood, Quinn Windflower said, "Don't belittle yourself. My words were harsh, but without refined true essence and powerful spiritual sense, your Blade Intent truly doesn't amount to much. You could fight above your level, but at best you could challenge someone at the fourth layer of the Soul Ancestor Stage against the seventh. And you would never surpass the five major planets surrounding Nightfall. Now, tell me what you understand about Blade Intent and Blade Momentum."
Joe Di replied seriously, "In my opinion, Blade Intent is the mastery of the realm after striking, allowing one's blade to merge with the environment and become natural. Blade Momentum is the control over space achieved through Blade Intent and one's true essence."
Quinn Windflower nodded. "Your understanding of Blade Intent is profound, but I must tell you, your Blade Intent is at best only entry-level. If you don't grasp its deeper layers, your Blade Intent will struggle to advance as your cultivation grows. Someday, when you leave here, you'll find that your strength over others is limited, and you're not a true cosmic powerhouse."
What I understand about realms is that they are divided into entry, minor achievement, major achievement, perfection, and momentum condensation. Your Blade Intent is scattered, at most entry-level. The reason isn't your fault—without a master or a systematic blade technique, you've had to figure everything out on your own. No matter how talented you are, you can't summarize the essence that countless people have refined over countless years all by yourself."
"I am enlightened, Master." After hearing Quinn Windflower's words, Joe Di felt as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes. His learning had always been chaotic—whenever he found a good technique, he would cultivate and comprehend it, immediately integrating any sense of realm into his blade path, never knowing when he had trained enough or the importance of gradual progress. Quinn Windflower's guidance was akin to a master's instruction, and Joe Di's respect for him came from the depths of his heart.
Quinn Windflower continued, "I do not cultivate the blade, nor do I have blade techniques to offer you. But all realms in the universe are similar, whether it is Blade Intent, Spear Intent, Sword Intent, or even the Five Elements realm."
"Senior, does space and time also have such realms?" Joe Di quickly asked. He had always lacked a master's guidance.
In fact, even if he found a top-tier master on the Polar Night Continent, they might not be able to guide him on these matters.
Quinn Windflower shook his head. "I only heard from a senior that space and time are extensions of the realm. Once you comprehend true Blade Intent, I'll tell you about the so-called realms of time and space. For now, spend a month researching here. After a month, show me your blade techniques again, and I will point out your shortcomings."
"Yes." Joe Di did not hesitate for a moment. He found a quiet spot, sat down, and let his spiritual sense enter the Blade Sect's scripture library.
Quinn Windflower could not guide him in the blade path; Joe Di would have to seek it himself within the Blade Sect's scripture library.
Several days later, Joe Di indeed found descriptions of realms within the scripture library. However, in these texts, the highest level of realm was perfection; there was no mention of the momentum condensation Quinn Windflower spoke of.
At the same time, Joe Di studied many blade techniques and methods of cultivating the blade path. After reviewing them all, he began to feel embarrassed about his own six blades.
His Di Clan First Blade and Di Clan Second Blade were, at best, just ways of using true essence—they could not be called blade arts, much less blade techniques.
The third, the Whirlwind Blade, could be considered a blade technique, but it was clearly incomplete—he had only grasped its superficial aspects.
Just as Quinn Windflower had said, Joe Di had only entered the threshold of Blade Intent, but his approach was unsystematic and chaotic, making his strength unpredictable in battle.
Quinn Windflower watched Joe Di continually try various blade techniques. The blue haze of the Azure Veil Blade shifted from scattered to gradually gathering, until it finally formed a blue line—evidence of newfound order, achievable only through mastery of Blade Intent. Quinn Windflower sighed inwardly; Joe Di truly lacked a master, not even knowing the basics. But after today, his path would be much broader.
A month later, Joe Di stopped practicing his blade techniques. After sheathing his blade, he closed his eyes to reflect on the month's gains.
He had refined his six blades into three: the first was the Bleakwind Blade, the second the Riftblade, and the third the Skyveil Blade.
The first four blades had been merged into one—the Bleakwind Blade. No longer a single technique, it had become a group attack. Once unleashed, it pressed forward relentlessly; when engulfing a crowd of enemies, its Blade Intent formed a vortex of blade energy, sweeping through with an unstoppable force.
The second, the Riftblade, and the third, the Skyveil Blade, remained unchanged. Previously, their Blade Intent had been scattered, but after Joe Di's renewed insight, the intent became concentrated. With this cohesion, his combat strength and potential in the blade path both increased significantly. Combat strength was one thing, but the real gain was a clear direction for future progress.
A single conversation can be worth ten years of study—such was Joe Di's experience now. Had Quinn Windflower not guided him, Joe Di would have needed to suffer major setbacks before settling down to research his blade path, slowly piecing these insights together.
"Senior, please watch my three blades." After saluting Quinn Windflower, Joe Di once again demonstrated the Bleakwind Blade, Riftblade, and Skyveil Blade.
This time, as he performed the three blades, the Blade Intent was no longer scattered and chaotic. Instead, it faintly formed Blade Momentum, the blue haze everywhere, like tangible blade light cutting through space.