The sword is the straightest path, while techniques are the most winding road. Which path will you take?
[Night · Dongyun Academy · Quiet Courtyard]
The moonlight slants down, its cold radiance lighting the shoulders of tendo. This is the oldest area of the academy, known as the "Quiet Courtyard," said to have once been a training ground for the first generations of the Magic and Swordsmanship Departments. Now, it lies in ruins, its ground covered with fallen leaves and the remnants of broken spells. Ye Jian Cang stands quietly on the central stone slab, gazing at the moon with his hands behind his back. "Why did you call me here?" tendo's voice isn't sharp, but it carries significant weight. Ye Jian Cang turns, his eyes seemingly hiding a cosmos of stars. His tone is gentle yet enigmatic. "Because your sword lately has been too noisy." "What did you say?" tendo asks.
Ye Jian Cang steps closer and points to his heart. "The heart of a swordsman should be in quietude. Your sword has been disrupted at its core by the breaking technique. If you continue on this path, you'll lose your way in the 'breaking.' "I can save you." tendo scoffs, "With magic?" Instead of getting angry, Ye Jian Cang smiles and gently waves his hand. The next moment, the broken stone patterns surrounding them light up and spell sword phantom forms appear in the air. Blade after blade of emptiness weaves in and out of the courtyard. "This is an old technique from the Magic Department — the Quiet Blade Technique." "It's not meant to slay enemies, but to 'wash the blade.'" tendo is taken aback. Ye Jian Cang's eyes flicker, and he earnestly says, "If you come here and sheathe your sword for three days, I can help you restore your true heart." Aren't you afraid that the technique will stain your sword?" Jingyi shakes his head. "I'm not afraid. "What I fear is never seeing the person who held onto the sword for me without letting go again."Ye Jian Cang smiles. "So you have someone like that, too." Silence. The wind passes through the spell swords, and light flows. tendo finally raises his head and says, "In these three days, I will come."
[The Second Day · Magic Department Back Hall · Sword Washing Heart Ceremony]
tendo sat cross-legged with his bare hands clasped together and his eyes tightly closed. The surrounding "sword flow corridor," constructed from spells, continuously attacked the remnants of sword intent in his heart. Night View Cang personally controlled the sword-washing technique. The incantation was murmured like a stream: "Forget the style, forget the force; only the heart guards the blade." Images of Lin Shiyu, Baichuan, and the Heishen Blade appeared in tendo's mind. One sword shadow after another slashed toward him, intending to disturb his heart. He gritted his teeth and remained as unmoving as a mountain. Suddenly, a familiar yet mournful voice echoed in his mind: "tendo... if you stop, who will cut through the darkness for me?"
It was the voice of the Heishen Blade. His hand trembled for a moment. Cang's gaze sharpened, and the spell patterns in his hand suddenly transformed into the "Inverse Pattern Guidance Technique," which forcibly stabilized tendo's mind. "Still one step away." "You must break free from the 'fear of the sword.'
" [The Third Day · Conclusion of Sword Washing]
The flow of swords came to a halt. tendo slowly opened his eyes. His brow was like a sword, and his eyes were no longer chaotic. He spoke softly, "I understand now." Cang asked, "What do you understand?" tendo: "I don't use the sword to win." "I grasped the sword so that someone could 'put down the sword.'" Cang nodded. "Very good." "Now, you can return to the true starting point of the tendo Flow."