Chapter 159: Forging a Sword, Practicing the Sword, and Enlightening the Sword
Next, Qingshi followed Qin Lian to learn the art of sword making every day, without leaving home, and declined all invitations from Qin Yutong.
Qin Lian did not teach Qingshi according to his aptitude. He didn't care that Qingshi's actual level was already very high. He only taught Qingshi from scratch according to the basic steps that his master taught him. Qingshi did not neglect the superficial content of his teachings and followed Qin Lian's requirements seriously. Finish.
Although Qingshi's forging level is far worse than Qin Lian, after all, he has practiced the art of weapon refining for more than ten years. The basic skills that Qin Lian needed to complete in two or three years back then were achieved by Qingshi in one or two days. In fact, apart from the slight adaptation and adjustment of techniques and steps, there is not much to learn. But it was these most basic techniques and requirements that made Qingshi realize that he had gained a lot.
After two months of this, Qingshi practiced basic training techniques. It was not until two months later that Qin Lian guided Qingshi to start making swords.
Refining, fusing, forging, quenching, shaping, and sharpening, the bluestone was repeatedly tempered, and finally the first sword was forged seven days later. And this sword was not a complete product. It was not that the bluestone could not be completed, but Qin Lian only asked for it. Just forge it like this.
From now on, a sword can be forged from bluestone in as little as half a day or as long as ten days. The materials used in these swords are not very good, but each one is different and has its own characteristics.
The quality requirements of these swords are not high, but Qin Lian requires Qingshi to devote all his heart and soul to forging each sword, and does not underestimate the casting itself because of its low material quality and low quality requirements.
Qin Lian's requirements are extremely high and often unconventional. Qingshi often meets Qin Lian's requirements but doesn't know why he does it. He also often knows the intention of doing it but can't do it no matter how hard he tries. Fortunately, the old man answers every question. Take the trouble. This cycle went on and on, and by the time the bluestone forged a hundred swords, it was already half a year later.
During this half-year period, Qingshi, in addition to practicing the Dahuang Kung Fu every day without interruption, spent the rest of the time practicing the art of forging without taking a break. Qin Yutong came to Qingshi several times for banquets and hunting, but Qingshi refused. Later, Qin Yutong was too lazy to come again. In his words: "Why is there another lunatic who makes swords? Now the old lunatic and the little lunatic are going crazy together." Got it!"
On this day, old man Qin Lian picked up the one hundred and thirty-fifth long sword that had just been forged by Qingshi. After careful observation and testing, he said: "Back then, I practiced the art of weapon refining with my master, and it cost me seventeen I completed the basic blacksmithing technique in 1998, and then forged swords with my master. It took another 16 years to obtain a hundred swords. These hundred swords have no merit in terms of grade and actual combat needs, but my master said that I Now that I have left the profession, I have nothing more to teach me about the art of sword-making. Today, I will relay to you what my master said to me back then."
"Yes!" Qingshi replied respectfully, "Thank you, senior, for your careful teaching. I will never forget the grace of teaching you!" Qingshi knew that he didn't have much to learn in the art of sword-making. In the future, his skill improvement would depend on his understanding and experience. thing.
"I practiced weapon refining with my master," the old man continued. "It took me thirty-three years to make hundreds of swords and none of them were usable. However, the other two senior brothers who became disciples of my master at the same time as me, At that time, there were no less than a thousand swords forged, and there were no less than a hundred swords forged as spiritual weapons. But the first sword I forged after I became a master surpassed all their achievements. My master said that I was very good. You are an ordinary person, so you teach me in an extraordinary way. I believe that my little friend is more talented than me, and your achievements in the future will definitely surpass that of the old man! Hahaha..."
Qingshi's ambition is not to make swords. Hearing Qin Lian's words, he couldn't help but feel guilty. He was worried that he would not study the art of sword-making deeply in the future and let down Qin Lian's expectations. He was also afraid that he would be too focused on the art of sword-making and take Qin Lian into consideration. However, his feelings affected his martial arts practice.
Old man Qin Lian didn't seem to notice Qingshi's expression, and said to himself: "Now that you have learned, you need to remember the four words of practice, thinking, knowledge, and enlightenment in the future and practice them. I won't explain it if you practice hard and think too much. Knowledge means to read more of other people's works and learn more about other people's skills to enrich one's own knowledge and improve one's own level; enlightenment means to understand the way of sword-making. There are all kinds of skills in the world, and enlightenment means to understand the technique. The ultimate source and principle, and then mastering it is the way to enlightenment. You naturally understand these principles, but there may be some things that you may not know. Even if you already know it, you may not truly understand it. "
Qingshi was stunned and felt that there was something enlightening in Mr. Qin's words, so he quickly said: "Senior, please give me some advice!"
"Well!" the old man said with a slight smile, "I know your ambition is not in the art of sword-making but in martial arts. The so-called swordsmanship, most people think of it as the art of handling swords, but in my opinion, swordsmanship encompasses everything related to swordsmanship. Regarding related content, think about it, are the way of making swords and the way of handling swords completely unrelated? I think that sword handling is kendo, sword making is also kendo, and kendo itself is martial arts. What I said is right. ?”
"Yes! What the senior said is absolutely true!" Qingshi suddenly woke up and said loudly: "It's relevant! It's very relevant!"
The two looked at each other and laughed for a long time.
Next, Qingshi bid farewell to Qin Lian, spent three days hunting and feasting with Qin Yutong, and then left, drifting away from Haisheng Kingdom.
After leaving Haisheng Kingdom, Qingshi entered Aobei Kingdom and wandered around aimlessly along the way.
Xiaopang often transformed into a beast or human form and followed Qingshi. After that attack, he wanted to spend less time sleeping and more time with Qingshi to prevent accidents.
Qingshi said nonchalantly: "It's not that easy to kill me. Besides, I'm not sure where I'm going. How can those killers have the chance to set up a killing trap to intercept me?"
Qingshi said this, but in his heart he was thinking about the last time Jiang Chenxiu intercepted and killed him, and why he was so well prepared.
However, Qingshi thought more about how to forge swords. He was thinking about it while walking during the day, thinking about it while resting, and when sleeping at night, even in his sleep, he seemed to be thinking subconsciously.
As time went by, the plan for making the sword gradually became complete and clear in Qingshi's mind. One day, Qingshi came to the shore of the sea and stood on a huge rock to watch the sea. On the fifteenth day, the huge full moon caused a magnificent wave. The turbulent waves hit the reef and stirred up waves dozens of feet high. As the waves surged, Qingshi sighed and admired the power of heaven and earth. Suddenly, he felt something in his heart. He immediately released the Xuanhu and ascended into the sky. After being invisible and alert, Qingshi entered the forging room and began to forge his own sword.
Seven days later, the sword is completed!
Qingshi walked out of the forging room and came to the deck. It was a cloudy day. Under the soft sunlight, the long sword in his hand was like a stream of autumn water. Qingshi rubbed the sword body and felt the wonderful connection between himself and the sword. Everything about this sword Everything, from the material to the characteristics, even the most inconspicuous details, is clear to Qingshi. This is what Jian Ruochen calls his 'own sword'.
Qingshi once again roamed the land of Aobei Kingdom. He carried the sword behind his back and never left it with him whether he was walking, sitting, eating or drinking. At night, he held it in his arms and fell asleep. Qingshi has to practice swordsmanship for more than six hours every day. Whether it is the low-grade yellow-level Qingfeng sword or the earth-level Xuan sword, he practices with this sword. They practice pure swordsmanship rather than attribute martial arts swords. Law.
After more than two months of this, one day, Qingshi was practicing swordsmanship, and suddenly felt that the sword in his hand seemed to have consciousness, becoming an extension of his arm and a part of his body.
This feeling is very strange. Qingshi knows that the purpose of following Qin Lian to relearn the art of sword-making, and then practicing swordsmanship with the sword he forged, is to achieve this feeling of being integrated with his own sword. Therefore, when this feeling appeared, Qingshi was mentally prepared. Although he was happy, he was not ecstatic.
Qingshi's heart was calm and he continued to practice this set of swordsmanship. This set of swordsmanship is a yellow-level low-grade swordsmanship. It is the basic and compulsory swordsmanship of Tianxuan Academy. Qingshi has already become familiar with this set of swordsmanship by heart. However, now he suddenly discovered some shortcomings in this set of swordsmanship and his own use of this set of swordsmanship. Whether it was the sword handling technique or the thrusting angle, strength and speed of some moves, they could all be improved.
Qingshi did this immediately. The sword technique was still the same, but at this time the Qingshi user came out, and the power of the sword moves immediately became several points stronger. When Qingshi's perception of the sword became as keen as his own body, Qingshi's understanding of swordsmanship, sword intention and even the way of swordsmanship reached a new level.
Qingshi did not stop and practiced all the sword skills he currently mastered from low to high. With the tireless practice, his perception of the sword continued to increase, and his understanding of the way of the sword continued to deepen. Qingshi practiced his sword skills over and over again for seven days without eating, drinking or resting.
Finally, Qingshi stopped the drill and stood up slowly. After standing silently for a while, Qingshi put the sword back into the scabbard and put it into the storage ring. He knew that he no longer needed to walk with the sword on his back and sleep with it in his arms. He had truly understood his sword, and he had begun to understand what a sword was. He knew that from now on, as long as he held this sword, it would be an extension of his arm and a part of his body. And he further understood that his ultimate goal was that no matter what sword was in his hands, it could become a part of his body. Only then can you truly master the way of the sword.
Qingshi named this sword Qinglian. As soon as Qingshi felt that it had become part of his body, he thought of giving it a name, and then the name Qinglian came up, perhaps because of his idol - the master of poetry, wine, and swordsmanship. Swordsman.
It is already winter, and the rivers in the North are already frozen and the ground is covered with snow. Qingshi did not return to the Immortal Sword Sect. He still needed to continue his enlightenment, so he was still wandering around, singing and drinking in small town wine shops, or lying in the snow and stargazing in the barren mountains. Qingshi no longer walks with the sword on his back, nor sleeps with the sword on his back, nor does he even practice sword practice much. The sword is gone in his hand, but the sword is always in his heart.
