"Swords can raise humans…!" Lin Feng was amazed after hearing that. It was as if he had just heard an incredible secret.
"Sword cultivators have to focus on two sorts of cultivation practices, the first one is to understand abstruse energies on their own, the second part is to understand swords. Then they can raise swords, imbuing them with some abstruse energies, and when a cultivator's soul fuses together with the sword, the sword becomes similar to a human being and can teach the cultivator in return."
"People's views on cultivation are often limited, so being able to understand all sorts of abstruse energies is incredible, even without practicing sword cultivation." thought Lin Feng. Of course, Lin Feng couldn't imagine what it was like. He had so many options on the path of cultivation. The second method was like becoming a sword. It was also a chance at learning abstruse energies.
"The path of cultivation is complex and it becomes even more complex as you progresses. Apart from natural abilities, a cultivator also has to rely on his spirit sometimes. Those who come from better families have better spirits. A cultivator's personality is important too. The stronger a cultivator becomes, the more he has to rely on himself. If you obtain an abstruse crystal, but you don't understand what it is, then it's useless to you. Understanding abstruse energies isn't so simple. So studying several types of abstruse energies is even harder. Those who rely on themselves, study hard and understand things are actually gifted."
"What about spirits?" asked Lin Feng.
"You inherit your spirit at birth and it has an impact on your cultivation. If you have a silver spirit, you can move faster and it allows you to understand wind intent a lot better, then wind abstruse energy. If you have a shadow spirit, you can understand shadow abstruse energy better. The spirit itself is also a powerful tool. It can even help you understand several types of abstruse energies. Some powerful spirits can even grant you a special body!" explained the old man patiently.
"Little friend, do you want to learn how to raise swords?" asked the old man smiling. Lin Feng was incredulous. Raise swords? Teaching a sword how to use abstruse energies and then use them for himself. Of course, that was extremely beneficial!
"If you are willing to teach me, I am, of course willing to learn." replied Lin Feng respectfully.
"Alright, relax, I'll transmit a technique to you." said the old man. Lin Feng nodded. The old man opened his third eye and a light appeared. It moved towards Lin Feng's third eye.
Lin Feng closed his eyes and said nothing. He slowly inspected what the old man had transmitted to him. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes again. His mouth was hanging wide open. He smiled at the old, speechlessly.
"Do you still want to study?" asked the old man with a smile yet not a smile.
Lin Feng was staring back at the old man. He smiled wryly and nodded firmly, "Of course!"
"You use your soul to raise a sword. If you want your sword to learn how to use lightning abstruse energies, you must prepare it for that. You need to strike the sword's soul, using your own soul, five times with thunder to make it understand thunder abstruse energies. Of course, during the process, the sword will release sword abstruse energies. The process is very painful, do you think you can withstand the pain?"
"If you want to teach your sword how to use fire abstruse energies, you'll be attacked by fire. That will burn your soul, and then your sword will know how to use fire abstruse energies. I'm sure you can imagine how painful it is?"
"Each time you teach your sword how to use a new abstruse energy, you first have to bear the pain. Back then, Emperor Wu Tian Jian spent ten years raising swords while traveling around the continent. He looked for the best fire, the best thunders, he sensed the best energies. That is how he became an emperor, through lots of suffering. Could you bear that much suffering?" the old man asked Lin Feng. Lin Feng's heart was suddenly filled with an indomitable will as he nodded.
"You must take great efforts on the path of cultivation, you must defy the laws of the universe. There is no easy way down this path. To create the best abstruse energies, you have to pay the price. Besides, you gave me an opportunity to become stronger, so I will cherish that opportunity." said Lin Feng standing up.
He bowed in front of the old man. He now had a sword raising technique. He would have to defy the laws of the universe to practice it. He would need to be struck by lightning, to be burnt directly by fire.
The old man smiled, shook his head and sighed, "Poor Jiange's people. Emperor Wu Tian Jian left so many incredible spells and techniques for them and nobody practices them. They just want to get his sword."
Lin Feng remained silent. There was a saying, wealth never survives three generations. It was a philosophical theory which didn't imply that rich people's descendants were incompetent, it was just that they were too dependent on their families. Jiange was no exception. Emperor Wu Tian Jian was their ancestor, so they were proud. The emperor had left so many things for them and in the end, they neglected the fundamentals and concentrated on the materials.
"Master, why don't you teach all those things to the people of Jiange?" asked Lin Feng.
"If they showed interest, I would. I am willing to teach anyone if they feel like it. But they've never shown any interest. Besides, for them, I am just a sick old man whose job is to clean, that's all." said the old man sighing and shaking his head.
"Master, does it only have a sword soul?" asked Lin Feng. According to the memories he had received, the sword's soul had been created using the emperor's soul because he wanted to raise it, now the sword had grown up. Lin Feng was wondering if a sword needed several souls to possess several abstruse energies.
That sword's soul seemed so simple though.
The old man smiled and shook his head, "You also noticed. That little boy doesn't have a soul now, he has already grown up and changed. Now he's a wise spirit."
"What exactly is he then?"
"A sword spirit!" said the old man in a solemn way. "He has a spirit, a life, he's still young for a spirit though, so he's still immature!"
A sword with a spirit, like an animal.
"Do you want him to stay with you?" asked the old man smiling. Lin Feng didn't know what to say!
He scratched his head and said, "Naturally."
"Little boy." the old man looked at Lin Feng and smiled wryly, scratching his head, "Even though he's young, the fusion of many souls gave birth to his spirit. He's both aggressive and naughty, he won't listen to you. If you could control him, that would be great for your cultivation, but right now he is useless to you."
"I can just keep him, I don't need to use him. He can protect me if things ever get too bad."
"Protect you?" the old man scratched his head and looked at Lin Feng smiling, "Alright, you say you can use him to protect your life. I'll tell him to listen to you three times in protecting your life. Then, I'll make him come back to this grave."
Lin Feng's eyes twinkled. He was thinking about many things. That sword had a wise spirit and could control abstruse energies, even if he didn't use it, he could still try to make friends with it!