Chapter 67: Shadow-Splitting Flash
The world snapped back into focus with a sharp intake of breath.
Su Tianhao's eyes fluttered open. The towering ancient oak loomed above him like a silent guardian, sunlight filtering through the dense canopy and casting fractured shadows over the worn stone tiles of his small courtyard.
"I'm back," he murmured softly, blinking in surprise.
It was still morning—still lotus position beneath the oak's shade. Time itself seemed frozen, as if the profound journey through his mother's teachings had existed entirely outside the flow of time.
But Su Tianhao wasn't thinking about any of that. His heart still pounded with the remnants of Yuexin's presence, the weight of her farewell pressing heavily on his chest. Loss and newfound purpose swirled inside him like opposing currents in a turbulent river.
Around him, the courtyard was quiet—peaceful, yet charged with an unspoken promise.
"It felt just like a dream," he muttered in awe, his gaze drifting across the familiar surroundings as if seeing them anew.
Then his eyes widened. "The technique!"
His mind snapped back to the Nine Heavens Sword Scripture. Just as he was about to delve into meditation once more, a sharp pain assaulted his head like a thousand needles stabbing through his skull—tearing at the very edges of his consciousness.
"AAAAAARGH!"
Su Tianhao cried out, hands clenching his temples as his back drenched with cold sweat. His agonizing scream tore through the desolate Fei Wu Quarter—fortunately, no one else lived in this abandoned section of the estate, or his blood-curdling cry would have caused a massive commotion.
The unbearable pain lasted only moments before knowledge, insights, and visions of the sword dao flooded into his mind in steady streams. Every piece of understanding arrived crystal clear yet profound, carrying an unfathomable weight that pressed against the boundaries of his comprehension.
"This is..." Su Tianhao muttered slowly, eyes widening with recognition.
"The sword dao insights Mother left for me!" Understanding dawned like sunrise breaking through storm clouds.
He rubbed his temples with a wry smile. "Mother said it would be painful—but I wasn't expecting that."
Even though the pain had subsided and the transfer was complete, a lingering numbness remained in his head—a phantom echo of the ordeal.
'If this much pain came just from unlocking a few sword insights...' Su Tianhao shuddered at the thought. 'Then what would happen if I tried to force the next layer of memories open? That would be suicidal.'
He wiped the sweat from his brow and took a deep, steadying breath. Settling back into lotus position beneath the oak's shadow, he closed his eyes and turned his awareness inward—carefully examining the unlocked insights and visions now residing in his consciousness.
And then he saw her.
In his mind's eye, Yuexin stood atop a quiet mountain peak, moonlight bathing her silver robes as they fluttered in the night breeze. Her expression was serene, her movements slow and deliberate.
She drew her sword.
A single slash parted the clouds above, revealing the full moon in all its brilliance.
Another vision emerged.
She stood amidst a raging storm, lightning cracking across the sky. Rain poured and wind howled—yet her blade danced calmly through the chaos, like a swan drifting through a hurricane. Each strike redirected the storm's fury rather than opposing it, flowing with nature's violence instead of fighting against it.
And another.
A battlefield soaked in blood. Demons surged from all sides like a dark tide. Yuexin moved like a ghost—her sword leaving arcs of silver moonlight wherever it passed. One slash ended ten lives. Another shattered the will of the survivors before they could even raise their weapons.
Yet even then, her eyes remained calm. Focused.
No rage. No hesitation.
Only clarity.
"This—" Su Tianhao's eyes snapped open. "So much truth... so many insights into the sword dao. To endure such agonizing pain for this..."
A smile broke across his face, eyes shining with a mixture of awe and determination.
"It's definitely worth it."
"With these insights and this foundation of knowledge, my sword dao path is completely set!" Confidence rang through his voice like the toll of a clear bell.
But he quickly suppressed his excitement as Lu Ruyi's figure flashed through his mind. She was the same age as him—yet by relying purely on her own talent she had already reached the Martial Adept Realm, comprehended Sword Sense, and was even approaching Sword Will.
Su Tianhao's smile turned wry. 'It's too early to celebrate. Celebrations must be earned through my own efforts, not just inherited advantages. I need to work harder.'
His eyes gleamed with newfound determination. 'I might have tremendous advantages from my inheritance... but my parents are simply too incredible. If I truly wish to surpass them, I need to evolve and break through my own limits—not just rely on what they've given me.'
With burning resolve blazing in his heart, Su Tianhao calmed his mind. His posture returned to perfect lotus position, spine straight as a sword.
He closed his eyes—not just his eyes, but all five senses withdrew from the external world, cutting off distractions and emotions alike.
Only focus remained.
Su Tianhao's consciousness delved inward into his vast inherited memories. In the profound tranquility of his meditative state, there existed only void—an endless expanse of empty space.
And in this void, there existed only one thing.
The Nine Heavens Sword Scripture.
With practiced efficiency, Su Tianhao reached toward the scripture once more. But this time, his mind held no confusion, no uncertainty.
Only clarity.
---
"Nine Heavens Sword Scripture"
An ancient sword scripture forged from tribulation, chaos, and eternal law. It is said that those who walk this Ninefold Path must sever all that binds them—from the physical to the divine.
The Scripture holds nine layers of sword dao ascension, each one more powerful and profound than the last.
To begin cultivating this scripture, one must first cultivate the heart and master the sword.
---
Su Tianhao read through the golden characters burning in his consciousness—but this time he thoroughly understood their meaning. Each word resonated with the insights his mother had left behind.
Without hesitation, he delved deeper.
This time the technique revealed itself—not as an overwhelming force or cryptic mystery, but as a vast and ancient gate slowly swinging open before him, inviting him to step beyond mortal limitations. Each line of the scripture glowed like etched starlight, illuminating his mind with fundamental truths.
Within the Nine Heavens Sword Scripture dwell Nine Sword Techniques of absolute power—from mortal foundations to supreme transcendence.
Su Tianhao absorbed the knowledge like a parched sponge submerged in crystal-clear water.
And there it was—the First Layer:
---
Shadow-Splitting Flash — Peak-grade Mortal Rank Technique
A lightning-fast sword art that embodies the essence of speed and precision. This technique focuses on executing a single, devastating slash so swift that it cleaves the very shadow from its source of light. At its peak, the enemy is cut before they even perceive the blade's motion.
---
Su Tianhao's breath caught in his throat.
His heart stirred—not merely with curiosity, but with genuine reverence.
'So this is it... the first layer of the Nine Heavens Sword Scripture. Shadow-Splitting Flash.'
Driven by determination and burning motivation, he immediately probed deeper into the technique with newfound focus.
The knowledge unfurled before his consciousness like a scroll being carefully opened:
Rather than relying on brute force or flashy movement, Shadow-Splitting Flash draws upon perfect timing, instantaneous acceleration, and unbroken focus. The strike is born from absolute stillness—there is no warning, no buildup—only the flash, and then the cut.
At its core, this technique trains the cultivator to compress their movement into a single breath, concealing all intent until the final instant. When executed at full proficiency, the opponent is struck before they even perceive the blade's motion.
Though its form appears simple, mastering it requires intense refinement of bodily control, reaction speed, and spiritual focus. Even the slightest hesitation or imbalance breaks the technique's rhythm and ruins its effectiveness.
'I see,' Su Tianhao murmured inwardly as his eyes slowly fluttered open.
'No wonder the scripture emphasizes cultivating the heart and mastering the sword. This technique doesn't just rely on speed—it touches upon fundamental principles of the sword dao itself.'
Understanding bloomed in his chest like a flower opening to morning light. The Nine Basic Sword Moves his mother had taught him—the foundation she'd insisted was essential—now made perfect sense. Shadow-Splitting Flash built directly upon those fundamentals, particularly the Draw Slash and its principle of transition from stillness to death.
Su Tianhao's lips curled into a quiet smile. His eyes shifted to Shadowfang resting beside him, its dark blade seeming to drink in the dappled sunlight.
His fingers brushed the hilt—calm, steady, purposeful.
"From this moment forward, my sword shall move faster than thought itself." His voice carried quiet conviction—a promise to himself and to the memory of his mother's teachings. "Severing form and shadow in a single flash."