Chapter 16: The Burning of the Soul
[Burn spiritual energy to assist learning?]
The message that flashed before his eyes was brief, but the substance within was enough to fill Zhou Yan with delight.
Spiritual energy, aside from being used to replenish the durability of his life equipment, actually had this kind of use as well?
Then, what would the effect be?
Zhou Yan glanced at his spiritual energy—nearly a thousand units...
He focused his mind and gave the command.
[Yes]
The instant the command was given.
Zhou Yan felt his mind clear in a flash. Everything around him—the sights, the sounds, even the errant thoughts within himself—seemed to recede into the distance.
It was as if his mind had become as calm as a mirror reflecting still water.
All his attention was now centered entirely on Luo Xuan, who was demonstrating the Southern Light Sword Technique before him.
At that moment, Luo Xuan had just completed a move and turned to him, speaking softly, “The ‘Eagle’s Strike’ sequence mainly imitates the posture of raptors swooping down, attacking from a high position with a downward thrust or slash…”
Zhou Yan didn’t answer. He listened quietly to her explanation of the key points, then swiftly recalled the motions Luo Xuan had just performed.
Her movements were carved into his memory as if etched with blade and chisel.
Without hesitation, he began to act.
He poised himself like an owl ready to spring, body shifting from utter stillness to sudden movement. With a twist of his wrist, he thrust his wooden sword forward!
It carried the momentum of an eagle diving from above.
His form was already seven or eight-tenths as precise as Luo Xuan’s demonstration.
Luo Xuan noticed and her eyes flickered with surprise.
‘Has he had a breakthrough?’
She studied Zhou Yan’s bright eyes thoughtfully but said nothing more.
Instead, she simply continued, demonstrating move after move.
One taught without reservation, the other learned without fear.
In this state of burning spiritual energy, Zhou Yan’s rate of learning was astonishing. Almost as soon as Luo Xuan had demonstrated and explained a move, he could perform it himself, with only slight deviation from the standard.
With Luo Xuan correcting his posture and pointing out the critical points of exertion, by his second attempt the execution was nearly indistinguishable from her own.
Eagles, harriers, kites, buzzards, hawks, vultures, ospreys…
The “Eagle’s Strike Sequence,” the main offensive form of the Southern Light Sword, was named for various raptors of the order Accipitriformes, each motion embodying the fierce, downward-slashing force of a bird of prey.
When he’d completed the Eagle’s Strike Sequence, Luo Xuan saw that Zhou Yan remained energetic, and so began teaching him the “Falcon’s Assault Sequence”…
Then, the footwork—“Sparrow Step”…
Zhou Yan set his mind to the task, wholly immersed in his study.
*
More than an hour passed.
[Southern Light Sword (Initiate)]
The information that popped up before his eyes made Zhou Yan’s pupils contract, even as he remained absorbed in his intensive learning.
He immediately broke out of the state.
Then checked his spiritual energy.
[Spiritual Energy: 947 → 874]
In just over seventy minutes, he had consumed seventy-three points of spiritual energy.
And the effect—was remarkable.
In a little over an hour, he had already reached the introductory level of the Southern Light Sword, a set of techniques many times more complex than basic short weapon forms!
On the other side, after Zhou Yan finished performing the Eagle’s Strike Sequence again and suddenly stopped, Luo Xuan looked at him with curiosity.
“Why did you stop?” she asked.
Zhou Yan paused.
After the Eagle’s Strike Sequence came three moves named after falcons…
He thought silently.
The next moment, he resumed the owl’s stance, gathered himself for a breath, then began to move.
First, he leveled the wooden sword beside his face, pushed off and lunged forward in a fierce, rapid thrust.
Like a kestrel swooping in for the kill—swift and sudden.
Falcon’s Assault—Red Thrust!
He spun, his body as light as a dancing crane.
Another push off, this time leaping vertically, reversing his grip in midair to slash downward.
Like a white falcon diving from the sky—Azure Peck!
The moment he landed, Zhou Yan’s knees barely moved. Only his ankles flexed, driving him into a series of zigzagging leaps across the floor, just like a sparrow hopping in quick succession.
Sparrow Step!
In the next second, Zhou Yan swept across with his sword, his form like a peregrine in flight.
He spun rapidly, swinging the wooden sword in a hooked slash—Green Sickle!
After completing the three moves, Zhou Yan drew back his sword, then instinctively tapped his toes, rotating to loosen his ankles.
The other moves were manageable, but the series of “Sparrow Steps” before “Green Sickle” put a great deal of stress on his ankles.
Though he had learned the moves, his body was barely able to endure the demands.
“Not bad!”
Luo Xuan’s eyes shone as she watched Zhou Yan’s crisp execution of the three “Falcon’s Assault” forms.
Her tone carried a hint of admiration. “To be able to grasp the ‘form’ of the Southern Light Sword to this degree in just over an hour… You could be called a genius.”
“It’s because you teach well.” Zhou Yan shifted the sword in his hand somewhat awkwardly.
Only he knew he wasn’t any kind of genius.
He’d simply relied on burning spiritual energy to enter a state akin to “a mind like still water,” casting aside all distractions and greatly improving his learning efficiency.
Without the aid of spiritual energy, he might not be dull, but at best he would be above average—not a prodigy.
Thinking this, Zhou Yan looked to Luo Xuan. “Shall we continue?”
Luo Xuan glanced at the clock on the wall and shook her head. “It’s ten o’clock—let’s stop for tonight. Starting tomorrow, you’ll join the others and formally study at the sword hall.”
“All right. But I’ll need to help deliver meals during lunch.”
Zhou Yan replied, following Luo Xuan’s glance to the clock.
He took the opportunity to scan the whole training hall and noticed that Luo Ke was no longer there.
Although he’d been utterly focused while burning spiritual energy, he hadn’t forgotten everything else that happened during that time.
He recalled that after watching them practice swordsmanship for half an hour, the little girl had gone back to her room to rest.
On the other side, Luo Xuan nodded after hearing his answer, gave him a silent look, and turned to leave.
Zhou Yan hesitated, then called out to her, “Xuan, could you wait a moment?”
Luo Xuan paused and looked back at him. “What is it?”
Zhou Yan smiled. “Just wait here a second—I’ll be right back.”
Without waiting for her reply, he dashed back to his room.
Half a minute later, he reemerged, holding out his hand in front of Luo Xuan.
“This is for you, as a gift for becoming my master.”
In Zhou Yan’s palm lay a small, chubby, upright plush toy, holding its head in its hands, resembling a duck. It lay there obediently, its vacant gaze meeting Luo Xuan’s eyes.
“What is this…” Luo Xuan looked down, her gaze shimmering.
“It’s another plush I made, called Psyduck,” Zhou Yan said with a smile. “See, isn’t it a little silly, a little cute?”
Luo Xuan stared at the toy, her voice calm. “Do you think I’m like it?”
Zhou Yan was a bit embarrassed. “I mean, this Psyduck is silly and cute.”
Seeing the tall, composed swordswoman’s indifferent expression, Zhou Yan awkwardly began to withdraw his hand. “Maybe you don’t really like it…”
A fair, delicate hand gripped his wrist.
Zhou Yan could feel the faintly callused skin at the base of her fingers—the mark of years spent wielding a sword.
Luo Xuan took the plush from his palm, her gaze lowered. “I’ll take this.”
Without waiting for Zhou Yan to respond, she turned to leave.
At the back door, she paused.
“Could you make another of that yellow mouse you gave Ke? I’d like one too.”
Zhou Yan was momentarily stunned, seeing she hadn’t looked back but was clearly waiting for an answer.
He couldn’t help but smile.
“Of course!”
***