Martial Universe: Inherit the Future, Quickly Become a Martial Ancestor!

Ling Qingzhu's clear eyes lingered on Lan He for a moment. She could clearly sense that his aura was now much stronger and more refined than it had been half a month ago, indicating that he had made great progress in his seclusion.

At this moment, he took the initiative to ask for advice on swordsmanship. Although it was somewhat unexpected, his calm expression did not seem to be fake.

She hesitated for a moment, then did not refuse, but said in a cool tone, "Since this is your place, it is my presumption. I cannot offer guidance; since you have gained new insights, you can practice them."

That was an acceptance.

Lan He didn't stand on ceremony. He nodded slightly, took a few steps forward, and stood in the center of the open space. He didn't immediately draw his sword, but instead closed his eyes to concentrate and regulate his breathing. After a few breaths, he opened his eyes, a sharp glint in them!

Clang!

The Azure Scale Sword at his waist was suddenly drawn, emitting a clear and melodious dragon's roar!

With the sword in hand, Lan He's aura suddenly changed, as if he had become one with the three-foot-long sword in his hand.

Without the slightest hesitation, he poured his powerful Yuan energy, which was at the peak of the Creation Realm, into the sword. He operated it according to the unique mental technique of the "Taiqing Dividing Light Sword", and his sword intent instantly reached its peak!

"Please enlighten me, young lady!"

Before the words were even finished, the sword flashed!

Not just one, but at the same instant, six incredibly condensed, almost tangible, pale blue sword shadows emerged from the "Azure Scale Sword," like six azure dragons breaking through the air.

The six sword lights, some thrusting straight, some slashing diagonally, and some sweeping horizontally, were not isolated from each other, but rather formed a mysterious rudimentary sword formation, sealing off all directions. The sword lights intertwined, cutting the air with a hissing sound.

The bamboo leaves were affected by the invisible sword energy, falling silently and turning into dust the moment they touched the sword light.

"Six swords drawn simultaneously?"

Ling Qingzhu, who had been standing quietly by the sidelines, finally showed a hint of undisguised surprise in her clear, cold eyes the moment the Blue River Sword light split apart.

It should be noted that she was selected into the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace at a young age, possessing exceptional talent and receiving abundant resources. She also devoted herself to the path of swordsmanship. As an extremely profound and superior martial art within the palace, the "Taiqing Dividing Light Sword" has only reached the "Seven Swords" level after she has cultivated it day and night without ceasing.

The Lan He in front of her was younger than her. Although he came from a prominent Immortal Dynasty, his lineage was still inferior to that of the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace.

But he can actually... already wield six swords? You have to understand that before this, he could only split into four swords!

At this moment, Lan He was completely immersed in his swordsmanship. Under his exquisite control, the six sword lights sometimes converged on a single point, and sometimes dispersed and wandered around, making them agile and unpredictable.

After completing a set of sword techniques, the six sword lights, like weary birds returning to their forest, suddenly withdrew and condensed again on the "Azure Scale Sword".

Lan He sheathed his sword and stood there, a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead, but his breathing remained steady. He looked intently at Ling Qingzhu, awaiting her critique.

The bamboo grove was quiet for a moment, with only the rustling sound of the breeze through the bamboo leaves.

Ling Qingzhu remained silent for a moment, the surprise she had just shown vanishing completely, replaced by her usual cool demeanor. She looked at Lan He and spoke slowly, her voice still calm, but now with a hint of seriousness:

"With all six swords drawn simultaneously, the sword light is solid and unwavering, demonstrating an extremely solid foundation. Your understanding of the meaning of 'splitting light' emphasizes speed and change, with a fierce sword style and a strong offensive intent."

She paused, her slender fingers unconsciously stroking the scabbard of the sword in her hand, and continued, "However, the 'Taiqing Dividing Light Sword' passed down by my Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace places even greater emphasis on the word 'Taiqing'."

Her gaze fell upon the bamboo tips swaying in the wind not far away, and her voice became more ethereal: "Taiqing is supreme and pure. The sword light splits not to confuse the enemy, nor to increase power, but to enlighten the mind and see through illusion. Each sword light is like a clear mirror, reflecting the flaws of oneself and the enemy. When the sword is drawn, illusion is shattered, and the enemy retreats."

Her gaze returned to Lan He, her tone carrying a hint of cold sharpness: "Your sword is swift and sharp, focused on killing, but it lacks purity, showing no sign of enlightenment. If this continues, I fear you will have gone astray."

This commentary went straight to the heart of the matter. Although the tone was calm, it carried the unique authority of a true disciple of the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace.

However, after listening, Lan He did not show the look of sudden understanding or acceptance that Ling Qingzhu had expected. He frowned slightly, a hint of disagreement flashing in his eyes, and simply shook his head.

"I cannot agree with what Miss Ling has said."

The sound was clear and stood out particularly well in the quiet bamboo forest.

Ling Qingzhu was slightly taken aback. In her past experiences, whether in the palace or out in public, whenever she spoke, those who listened to her were always respectful and receptive; she had never been contradicted to her face before.

A faint sense of surprise swept through her mind, quickly transforming into a fleeting hint of anger in her cool gaze.

"Oh?" Her voice grew even colder. "You think the true essence of swordsmanship passed down in my Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace is flawed?"

Lan He remained calm, meeting the other's gaze with neither servility nor arrogance: "I dare not say that the true meaning is wrong. It is just that there are three thousand great paths, and the way of the sword is no exception. The true meaning of 'Taiqing' that you spoke of, which is to understand one's true nature and see through illusion, is naturally a righteous path and is incomparably profound."

He changed the subject, slightly raising the "Azure Scale Sword" in his hand, its blade reflecting the sunlight and bamboo shadows: "But in my opinion, a sword is ultimately a weapon of killing. The purpose of dividing the sword light is not to illuminate falsehoods, but to find gaps and weaknesses, and to deceive the enemy."

"Speed ​​seizes the initiative, deception confuses the enemy, and advantage decides life and death. Under the sword, only victory and defeat matter; how can there be any wrong path?"

"As long as we can defeat the enemy, it is not necessarily a wrong path."

Ling Qingzhu listened quietly, her gaze growing cold behind her veil. She had kindly offered advice, pointing out the flaws in his swordsmanship, but instead of appreciating it, he argued vehemently, questioning the legitimacy of the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace's lineage.

This "stubbornness" caused her displeasure to quietly grow.

"It seems you are quite confident in your swordsmanship."

Ling Qingzhu's voice remained calm, yet it seemed to carry the frost of bamboo leaves: "Since that's the case, there's no point in saying more."

She gently raised the seemingly simple three-foot-long sword in her hand, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground. A cold and aloof sword intent quietly spread out, and the surrounding temperature seemed to drop slightly.

"We both practice the 'Taiqing Dividing Light Sword,' but our philosophies differ. In that case, let's settle this with a fight."

Her cool gaze locked onto Lan He, and she said, word by word:

"Let's have a duel with our swords. Whoever wins will have a superior understanding of the way of the sword. What do you say?"

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the bamboo grove suddenly became tense.

This is no longer a simple exchange of ideas and consultations, but rather carries the implication of a clash of ideologies!

Lan He's eyes narrowed as he sensed the pure and cold fighting spirit rising from the other party. Instead of backing down, he felt a surge of heroic spirit.

He wanted to verify just how much of a difference there was between his newly broken "Six Swords" realm and the "Seven Swords" realm of the true successor of the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace, and which one was superior!

"That is indeed my wish, but I dare not ask!"

Lan He held his sword horizontally across his chest, his eyes burning with fighting spirit. "Please enlighten me, Miss Ling!"

……