Xiao Chen put down his teacup and pricked his ears up. After some observation, he already understood that Bai Lang was an extremely proud person but not a flashy one with no substance. His speech would definitely contain many principles within it.
“This Bai cultivates a Saber Technique called the Profound River Wave Chop. The essence of this move is the word ‘wave.’ As the saying goes, when the wave surges to the sky, it can tear the heavens open. This is a representation of the might of waves at its peak, able even to tear through the sky. When one practices this Saber Technique, one uses this image as their target.
“I once went to the northern parts of the Chaotic Demonic Sea and observed the tide for three years without moving away. The largest wave that I saw felt very shocking, unforgettable in this lifetime. It was like a world rose before me and nothing could stop this power.”
Observing the tide for three years without moving away—when the crowd heard this, they could not help their astonishment. Bai Lang’s patience was truly admirable.
Bai Lang did not stop there. When he continued, the rumbling of waves resounded behind him. The sight of the waves and tides he saw in those three years materialized as he spoke, appearing very real. This gave a surging sense of vastness.
Things happened as they were spoken, which excited everyone. After a horrifying wave passed, Bai Lang said softly, “However, after being there for three years, I finally understood that no matter how big the wave was, that was just on the surface and not really what existed.
“When discussing the might of the wave, one drop of Profound Water from the Immortal Epoch’s Profound River weighed five tons. Just one wave would be able to shatter tall, majestic mountains. However, all this was not the essence of the wave.”
Bai Lang paused here, and the various scenes of tall and powerful waves all suddenly vanished without a trace.
Everyone was fascinated by Bai Ling’s speech, which stirred their imagination. No one spoke, waiting for him to continue.
“The essence of the wave truly lies in freedom and lack of constraint, freedom to do as it pleases without restraint. The thing that is the most inseparably close to heaven and earth is water. As long as water exists, they will reform together. As for why waves appeared, it is because of freedom. These waters are unwilling to be restrained. Only when you understand them…”
As Bai Lang continued, the scenes that disappeared previously came back with even greater intensity. Rumbling spread for five kilometers around in all directions. Everyone in the entire Heavenly Cauldron Plaza heard it extremely clearly like the waves were just beside one’s ears.
However, when one tried to look for it carefully, it was like the wind, untraceable and invisible. It was free and unconstrained like the wind.
There were principles underlying the principles. So that was it. Several people revealed expressions of understanding.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
Three of the eighteen stone pillars with ancient Saber Sovereigns carved on them glowed with resplendent white lights as Bai Lang spoke. Images of the ancient Saber Sovereigns sat down cross-legged atop these pillars, appearing to be listening carefully. Three vast saber intents surged into the sky, scattering the clouds for fifty kilometers around.
Bai Lang’s saber Dao could actually stir the resonance of the ancient Saber Sovereigns preserved in the pillars. Everyone revealed shocked expressions.
Only when Bai Lang finished did the images of the ancient Saber Sovereigns at the top of the stone pillars slowly fade away, leaving behind no traces.
“Clap! Clap! Clap!”
The applause resounded without end. Many people stood up in awe of Bai Lang’s excellent speech.
Bai Lang smiled faintly and picked up his teacup in a toast. “These are just some of my independent thoughts. Please excuse my poor explanations.”
“Brother Bai is being humble. Even the ancient Saber Sovereigns were moved, listening closely. How can your explanations be poor?”
“That’s right. When Brother Bai spoke, I did not even dare to interrupt. After I heard your speech, it was like floodgates opened; the world before me became broad and vast. This must be the so-called principle underlying principles.”
“This time, when the Saber School Ranking is refreshed, Brother Bai might be able to make it into the top ten, leaving your name in history.”
Everyone was effusive with praise for Bai Lang’s speech.
Bai Lang sat down and smiled. “You all show me too much regard. These great grandmaster-level Martial Sages will not be a match for me in ten years. However, there is little hope if I want to defeat them as I am now. The one that truly has a chance is my Senior Brother Wen Ziran. Unfortunately, he has something on and could not come.”
“This is indeed unfortunate. Wen Ziran is without a doubt the top bladesman of the younger generation in the Profound Domain. However, he is hard to track down and too difficult to meet.”
At this moment, Jiang Chengzi glanced at Xiao Chen, who had been silent all the while. He smiled mockingly and said, “Although Wen Ziran did not come, everyone, don’t forget that we have an even more famous person here, someone who even dares to fight with Di Wuque.”
Only now did people react to the fact that Xiao Chen was still here. If not for Jiang Chengzi’s reminder, they would have forgotten about him.
“Brother Xiao, you should say a few words too. Your nickname, the White Robed Bladesman, already spread everywhere, and I have long heard of it,” someone encouraged.
Jiang Chengzi said in a lukewarm tone, “He does not even have a saber anymore. What is the point of asking him to speak? Haha! To talk about close combat techniques?”
Xiao Chen looked at Jiang Chengzi. He wondered what this fellow’s problem was, why this fellow was always targeting him.
He gently put down his teacup and said calmly, “I would indeed like to speak about my recent comprehensions in my saber Dao. I also met with some bottlenecks. I hope that everyone will help me with them; perhaps you might be able to help. If you all don’t mind, then this Xiao will give it a go.”
Everyone immediately looked at Bai Lang. If he did not say anything, Xiao Chen would not be able to speak.
Bai Lang picked up his teacup and said to Xiao Chen, “Since you are here already, you might as well speak. After all, you were once a bladesman.”
Bai Lang’s attitude towards Xiao Chen was as cold and aloof as before. Clearly, he was opinionated against someone like Xiao Chen, who was only a “bladesman in appearance.”
Xiao Chen smiled and did not mind. The atmosphere of this tea party had already infected him.
A group of bladesmen discussing their Dao over tea without differentiating between sects and sharing their comprehensions without holding back, probing each other deeply and improving together.
Xiao Chen would not be able to find such an ideal environment anywhere else. If one remained isolated, they would never be able to improve. Now, he somewhat understood why the younger generation was so excited about this tea party.
Following the proprieties, Xiao Chen first took a sip of tea, refreshing himself; then he started preparing to speak about his Flawless saber Dao.
Xiao Chen had become rather famous in recent days. However, no one had seen him use his saber. Doubts over his identity as a bladesman already spread everywhere.
Hence, when the other guests saw that Xiao Chen was about to speak, they did not show much of a serious expression on their faces. They did not believe that someone who abandoned their identity as a bladesman would be able to speak of any profound principles.
Jiang Chengzi even showed disdain on his face. “The Young City Lord made things happen as he spoke, speaking of exquisite things and prompting three ancient Saber Sovereigns to manifest. You don’t even have a saber. It really is best that you don’t embarrass yourself any further here.”
Feng Xingsheng could no longer just keep watching. He said sullenly, “Jiang Chengzi, don’t break the rules of the tea party. This is not the time for you to interrupt.”
Jiang Chengzi glanced at Bai Lang, who was sitting in the middle. When he saw that Bai Lang showed an unhappy expression, he merely smiled and did not say anything more.
Xiao Chen casually sat down. When he saw that no one else spoke, he opened his mouth to begin. “I have a Dao that I would like to discuss with everyone. It is called the Flawless saber Dao and uses the body as a saber, the thoughts as a saber. With a thought, even hair can become a saber, clothes can become a saber, fist light can become a saber, the wind from a kick can become a saber.”
When Jiang Chengzi heard this, he could not help but scoff in a soft voice, “Bragging!”
However, after Jiang Chengzi spoke, he saw a stern and solemn expression appear on Xiao Chen’s face. Xiao Chen’s hair and clothes fluttered without any wind. A boundless saber intent buzzed and spread out from Xiao Chen’s body.
As Xiao Chen’s black hair fluttered, it felt like every strand of hair became a treasured saber, bright and resplendent. The exceptional saber intent made his fluttering clothes appear like countless treasured sabers moving endlessly.
In an instant, everyone, including Bai Lang, put away their scorn and hauteur, revealing serious expressions.
Extravagant things happened as Xiao Chen spoke, shocking everyone present.
“Raising the hand is just like unsheathing a treasured saber—an unparalleled glittering radiance. It is as if I am the most perfect treasured saber in the world.”
“Keng Qiang!”
Xiao Chen continued speaking. Crisp saber sounds rang out behind him, reverberating endlessly.
He released a bright saber light from his body, and it turned into a full moon hanging high in the sky and pouring down a dazzling radiance.
“Using my thoughts as a saber, I can shape whatever I want. Everything I see is a saber. Everything I look at has a saber pointed at it.
“Why Flawless? No one ever took this path before I did and no one ever will. It is flawless and perfect. No one can match it. Like the bright moon in the sky above, perfectly round and flawless, cold and beautiful. With the flip of the hand, day can turn into night.”
The full moon in the sky became increasingly resplendent. Everyone looked up to view it. At some point in time, night had ousted day. This bright moonlight eclipsed all the lights.
Bai Lang’s heart sank. What “no one ever took this path before I did and no one ever will”? He really dares to say anything.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
One by one, the eighteen stone pillars with the ancient Saber Sovereigns carved on them flashed with resplendent light. Images of the ancient Saber Sovereigns listening carefully to the Dao appeared once again.
However, this time was different from Bai Lang’s. Xiao Chen had not even completed half his speech, yet nine stone pillars had lit up, and the images of Saber Sovereigns appeared already. As for Bai Lang, only three stone pillars had lit up by the time he finished. Xiao Chen had nine, far surpassing Bai Lang.
Images of ancient Saber Sovereigns reappeared, their saber intents soaring into the sky. Everyone in the entire Heavenly Cauldron Plaza who saw this shocking scene once again gaped flabbergasted. They wondered what kind of outstanding talent appeared at the tea party.
“Flawless Four Seasons, peach blossoms bloom, the summer sun rises, the autumn wind blows, the winter snow drifts…”
Spring thunder roared, and peach blossoms bloomed for five kilometers around. A fragrance filled the land like the harbinger of spring. The blazing sun rose high, rendering the land arid and cracked, turning the air within a fifty-kilometer radius scarlet. This was the hottest day of summer.
The autumn wind blew mercilessly, sweeping through the land under the sky with strength. The world turned colorless for fifty kilometers around. All everyone saw was a land of snow.
Xiao Chen continued speaking about the Flawless saber Dao. Using the body as a saber was the foundation. As for how to fuse the Flawless saber Dao with the Martial Techniques that he had learned in order to truly materialize this saber Dao, that required more profound understanding and comprehension.
As Xiao Chen continued speaking, all sorts of mysterious phenomena flashed continuously. The rising bright moon, spring’s peach blossoms, summer’s blazing sun, the cold wind of autumn, and the great snow of winter, all moving in a cycle.
The eighteen stone pillars with the ancient Saber Sovereign carvings continuously flashed. The air filled with the sounds of sabers. As Xiao Chen spoke on, all eighteen stone pillars lit up, and their respective Saber Sovereigns materialized and listened.
All the outstanding bladesmen present gaped, their faces blank with shock. They had not expected Xiao Chen’s accomplishments with the saber to have reached such a deep and unfathomable level. He could prompt all eighteen Saber Sovereigns to materialize.