One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

"These two," Nie Feng's voice rang out again, calm yet tinged with a hint of reminiscence and emotion, "are the 'Crossing the Demonic Heart' that I finally comprehended after slaying the dragon, experiencing life and death, and overcoming my inner demons. The other is the 'Easy Technique of No Desire' that my senior brother Bu Jingyun finally comprehended after witnessing the sword world and experiencing countless gains, losses, loves, and hates."

His gaze swept over the two shadows, his expression complex.

"Both can be considered unparalleled skills. One focuses on the 'mind,' while the other focuses on the 'realm.' One wields the power of the most evil, while the other aligns with the ultimate principles of heaven and earth. If one cultivates only one and reaches its peak, one will already be the most outstanding person in the world. If one cultivates both and integrates them..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Nie Lingfeng already understood.

That will be another path to the highest hall of martial arts!

Nie Lingfeng's mind trembled violently, his consciousness rippled slightly. Demon Heart Crossing! The Ease of Seeking Nothing! These two names represent the pinnacle of later martial arts in the original *Storm Riders* novel! One is Nie Feng's supreme mental technique, allowing him to completely control his demonic state and even borrow demonic power without backlash; the other is Bu Jingyun's ultimate state of "no desires, no wants, borrowing the power of heaven and earth" after breaking through his obsessions!

"Now that your demonic blade is complete, your bloodlust is deeply ingrained. Although the demonic thoughts in your heart are suppressed, they surge like subterranean fire, ready to erupt at the slightest carelessness." Nie Feng looked at Nie Lingfeng, his eyes becoming extremely serious. "If you were to directly cultivate 'Demonic Heart Crossing' now, it would be tantamount to throwing a spark into a boiling pot of oil. The sudden burst of demonic energy would completely devour your remaining rationality, dragging you into an abyss of no return."

He pointed his finger toward the ball of pure white light.

"Therefore, one should first cultivate the 'Easy-to-Seek Technique.' With this technique, one can clear one's mind, solidify one's foundation, and temper one's will. When one's mind is as calm as an ancient well, one's will as unwavering as a rock, and one has perfect control over one's own power, then with a 'desireless' heart, one can venture into the realm of the 'demonic heart,' and there will be a glimmer of hope."

Having said that, Nie Feng pointed a finger at the pure white light and shadow.

"call out--"

The pure white light scattered in response, turning into billions of tiny specks of light, like the Milky Way pouring down, or like spring rain nourishing all things, silently flowing into Nie Lingfeng's consciousness!

"boom!!!"

A massive amount of information exploded instantly!

That wasn't just a simple textual formula; it was a vast inheritance containing Bu Jingyun's lifelong martial arts insights, understanding of heaven and earth, and comprehension of the "no desire" realm! The torrent of information surged and almost overwhelmed Nie Lingfeng's consciousness!

He "saw" Bu Jingyun's enlightenment in the world of swords, his fall and rise after losing his beloved, his determination when he fought against powerful enemies with a peerless sword, and the moment when he finally let go of his obsession and achieved a sublimation of his mind after countless life-and-death situations and entanglements of love and hate!

Countless profound mental techniques, qi circulation routes, cultivation key points, and realm divisions... were deeply engraved into the depths of Nie Lingfeng's soul like a brand!

At the same time, Nie Fengping's calm yet powerful voice, like a resounding bell, guided him through the torrent of information:

"The secret to effortless enlightenment lies in three realms."

"The first level is 'non-attachment.' It means extinguishing human desires, letting go of attachments, and severing excessive ties to fame, fortune, love, hate, gain, and loss. The mind should be like a clear mirror, originally devoid of anything; where can dust settle? You have practiced the Heart-Cleansing Mantra for several months, cleansing your mind daily, and have gained a clear understanding of your own murderous nature and demonic thoughts, and can treat them with peace. You have passed the halfway point. However, 'non-attachment' is not heartlessness, nor is it numbness. It is knowing what to do and what not to do; it is accepting gains with equanimity and losses with indifference; it is walking in the world without being tainted by it. The perfection of this state requires you to slowly comprehend it in the years to come, through the trials and tribulations of life."

"The second level is 'Leveraging the Force.' It involves not being deliberate, not forcing, and not confronting the forces of nature, but rather going with the flow and borrowing their power. When the wind blows, you are the wind; when the rain falls, you are the rain; when a mountain collapses before you, you are the falling rocks; when the earth cracks beneath your feet, you are the gushing lava. Upon reaching this level, every movement carries the immense power of heaven and earth, every move harmonizes with the rhythm of nature. At that point, you won't need to consciously circulate your Qi; the energy of heaven and earth will naturally be at your disposal, and the force of an enemy's attack may become an aid to your counterattack. This level is the core manifestation of the 'Easy-to-Seek Technique's' combat power."

"The third level is 'Selflessness.' Without desire or self, heaven and earth are me, and I am heaven and earth. This realm is profoundly mysterious, almost reaching the realm of 'Tao.' I am no longer separate from all things; wherever my thoughts go, the laws follow. Wind, frost, rain, and snow are my breath; mountains and rivers are my body; the sun, moon, and stars are my eyes. This realm… even Senior Brother Jingyun only glimpsed its beginnings back then, unable to delve deeper. I have only heard of it, never seen its form. If you have the opportunity and the comprehension, you may be able to explore it yourself in the future. That will be… another world entirely."

Nie Feng's explanation, along with the influx of inherited information, mutually reinforced each other, allowing Nie Lingfeng's understanding of the "Wuqiu Yijue" to deepen rapidly. Those originally profound and obscure incantations became clear at this moment; those complex qi circulation routes seemed to have always existed in his meridian memory.

After an unknown amount of time—in the space of consciousness, time lost its meaning—the torrent of information formed by the pure white light and shadow was finally initially absorbed and sorted out by Nie Lingfeng. Although there was still a long way to go before he could fully understand and integrate it, at least the framework, direction, and key points of cultivation were now clear in his mind.

Nie Lingfeng's consciousness emitted a faint, ethereal aura, as if it were more in harmony with the surrounding space.

Nie Feng nodded slightly, his eyes showing even greater approval.

"Very good. Your comprehension is even better than I imagined." He said slowly, "Then next... is 'Crossing the Demonic Heart'."

His gaze shifted to the dark shadow, and his expression became extremely solemn.

"The Demon Heart Crossing is a supreme mental technique I finally comprehended after I was completely consumed by demonic possession, killed my beloved, and struggled to be reborn in endless pain and regret. It is specifically designed to control 'demonic' and 'mad blood'. It takes a completely opposite path to the 'Easy-to-Seek Technique,' yet at the highest level... different paths lead to the same destination."

He raised his hand again and pointed a finger at the dark light and shadow.

"The cultivation of this technique is extremely dangerous, and it consists of three steps. Each step is a life-or-death struggle with your inner demons, a direct confrontation with your own dark side. You must remember my words and never be careless in the slightest."

The pitch-black light and shadow trembled violently, then transformed into billions of black specks of light, surging towards Nie Lingfeng like a tidal wave! But unlike the gentle white light and shadow, these black specks of light carried a bone-chilling cold, a violent killing intent, and a frenzied restlessness! They were like living things; as soon as they touched Nie Lingfeng's consciousness, they frantically burrowed inside, trying to evoke his deepest, darkest memories and desires!

"The first step is to 'face' it."

Nie Feng's voice rang out from the black torrent, as steady as a rock, anchoring Nie Lingfeng's direction.

"Do not run away, do not deny, do not make excuses. Face the demon in your heart—that violent desire to destroy everything, that bloodthirsty thrill, that arrogant control over life and death, that mad bestiality deeply rooted in your bloodlust. Acknowledge its existence, acknowledge that it is a part of you, a part of your source of power, an inseparable shadow of your soul. This step requires immense courage and honesty. Many martial artists stop here because they dare not face the darkness within their hearts, preferring to deceive themselves, only to be unknowingly swallowed up by the darkness."

Black light surged wildly, and countless suppressed and forgotten dark memories were forcibly unearthed within Nie Lingfeng's consciousness! Shen Chong's wide-open eyes before his death, the blood gushing from Gao Ning's chest, the exhilarating feeling of tearing everything apart when the demonic blade was swung, and the secret desire deep within his heart for greater power and more absolute control... all were laid bare before "himself"!

Pain! Struggle! Resistance!

Nie Lingfeng's consciousness twisted violently and was on the verge of disintegrating!

But he gritted his teeth and forced himself to "see" it all, without avoiding or denying it, just "seeing".

"The second step is 'rule'."

Nie Feng's voice continued, carrying a peculiar, calming power.

"Based on a state of 'no desire,' and steered by unwavering will, one must harness demonic power, rather than be harnessed by it. Like a skilled rider guiding a wild horse, or a seasoned helmsman controlling a raging storm, one must make the power of demonic energy work for you, a sharp blade in your hand, rather than a ferocious beast that turns against its master. This step requires extremely high levels of mental cultivation and control. You must learn to 'communicate' with demonic energy, understand its 'demands' (destruction, disruption, release), and then guide it with your will, directing its violent power towards a 'goal' you deem acceptable. The slightest deviation in this balance can lead to disastrous consequences."

The surge of black light gradually became orderly. No longer colliding haphazardly, they began to construct complex networks within Nie Lingfeng's consciousness along some mysterious trajectory. These networks were the methods and paths to "control" the demonic nature. Nie Lingfeng endured intense mental pain, striving to memorize and understand the direction and key points of these networks.

"The third step is 'unity'."

Nie Feng's voice suddenly rose, carrying a magnificent, almost sacred quality.

"The demon's heart is my heart, and my heart is the heart of Heaven. At this point, the demon is no longer a demon, and the Tao is no longer a Tao. Killing is for the sake of protecting life, and cutting off karma is not for the sake of killing people. The demonic nature is no longer an 'external force' that you need to fight against or control, but an 'internal force' that is completely integrated with your true self. In one thought, you can be as compassionate as a Buddha, or as ruthless as a demon. But whether compassionate or ruthless, it all comes from your own choice, not from being driven by external things or internal demons. This is the ultimate control, and also the ultimate freedom. At this point, you are the 'demon,' and the 'demon' is you, with no further distinction. Your blade can cut off sins, and it can also protect all living beings, all depending on your heart."

The surge of black light reached its peak, then suddenly contracted inward! All the violence, coldness, and madness seemed to be grasped, compressed, and refined by an invisible hand, ultimately transforming into profound runes containing the essence of "demon," imprinted in the deepest part of Nie Lingfeng's consciousness.

At the same time, detailed methods, precautions, potential dangers, and countermeasures for the three-step cultivation of "Crossing the Demonic Heart" flooded in like a tidal wave.

Nie Lingfeng felt as if his head was about to explode! Two vast and completely different, yet subtly related, streams of inherited information collided and merged in his consciousness, bringing indescribable pain and chaos!

"Each of these three steps is like walking on thin ice, like standing on the edge of an abyss," Nie Feng's voice rang out last, his tone extremely solemn. "The slightest mistake will lead to a backlash from the inner demons, resulting in utter ruin, the destruction of both body and soul, and eternal damnation. Therefore, you must remember: with each step, you must repeatedly test it with the clear and tranquil mind cultivated through the 'Easy-to-Seek Technique,' to examine your true self. If your mind wavers, becomes unstable, or loses its way, you must never force a breakthrough! It is better to stagnate than to rush forward! Only when the previous realm is completely stable, your mind as firm as iron, without any flaws, should you attempt to touch the threshold of the next realm. Only by proceeding step by step, as if walking on thin ice, can you have the possibility of truly combining and integrating these two unparalleled techniques, 'Crossing the Demonic Heart' and 'Easy-to-Seek Technique,' into one!"

As the words fell, the torrent of information transmission finally subsided.

Nie Lingfeng's consciousness was almost exhausted, yet he felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment. The framework, mental techniques, and key points of the two supreme cultivation methods were deeply imprinted on him, waiting to be slowly cultivated, digested, and comprehended in the future.