My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion

At that time, I asked the Mad Scripture Master and the Western Region Monk, what is "intent"?

The two monks answered one after another, speaking so clearly that even Yin Tingxue could understand. Yet I still could not, failing to grasp its essence.

It was not until I reached that Practice Tower of the Six Desires Heaven, and exchanged three glances with the female crown, that I finally understood what "intent" truly was…

So, the villagers here, despite being well-versed in the Buddhist Law, have not yet found liberation. Could it be because they have not yet realized the meaning of "intent"?

At this thought, Chen Yi caught onto a flash of inspiration like lightning and began murmuring to himself,

"Intent, intent…"

Beside him, Dong Gong Ruoshu looked at him curiously and asked,

"What intent?"

The sudden question interrupted Chen Yi's train of thought.

He had been on the verge of realization, but was abruptly derailed. Recognizing a small glimpse of Dong Gong Ruoshu's sharpness, Chen Yi took a deep breath in resignation.

"My intent—the intent of the Killer's Blade," Chen Yi replied casually.

When it came to martial arts, Dong Gong Ruoshu immediately perked up. She exclaimed eagerly,

"I also have an intent—the intent of the Killer's Sword."

Chen Yi cast a sidelong glance at her and, drawn by curiosity, asked,

"Let's hear it?"

Perhaps it might benefit his own path of martial arts.

Dong Gong Ruoshu coughed twice, clearing her throat before she began,

"This intent, my master once explained to me. He said I was born with a childlike heart, naturally predisposed to the Killer's Sword. So before I even reached the Sixth Rank, I had already comprehended 'intent' in advance."

As she spoke, she casually picked up a fallen leaf.

Chen Yi watched as she placed the leaf onto the Yanling Saber.

Without any surprise, she flicked her finger lightly, and the leaf shattered into bits.

This was exactly the same as Zhou Yitang's demonstration back then. The Killer's Sword—supremely hard and powerful, standing tall among the trees, yet it breaks the wind in its defiance!

"My master once said, a true sword intent can cut two ounces of wind."

Dong Gong Ruoshu spoke proudly, then turned her head toward Chen Yi and added,

"You should try placing your finger on my blade."

Chen Yi's brows furrowed slightly.

"Don't worry, your finger won't shatter like the leaf. I'm not that strong yet,"

Dong Gong Ruoshu quickly reassured him.

Trusting her this once, Chen Yi placed his fingertip on the smooth, sharp edge of the Yanling Saber.

He secretly applied the Copper Bone Skill, making his fingertip as hard as iron.

This cultivation technique, so useful even in intimacy when teasing Yin Tingxue on the bed, where his strength like iron made the little fox who called him by his very name, plead and cry out "Husband" countless times.

Dong Gong Ruoshu flicked her finger against the blade.

A deafening ringing erupted!

Chen Yi's finger was wracked with searing pain, the sound of metal clashing and splitting resounding in his ears. His fingertip, as hard as iron, now bore a half-inch crack, blood flowing freely.

Chen Yi gritted his teeth in pain, glaring fiercely at Dong Gong Ruoshu, his heart filled with shock.

To think, at his Fourth Rank cultivation, this Dong Gong Ruoshu, only at the Seventh Rank, could wound him despite his mastery of the Copper Bone Bow.

Was this the intent of the Killer's Sword…

Tsk. If, in bed, this absent-minded Dong Gong girl invoked her sword intent, wouldn't that be…

The mere thought sent a chill down Chen Yi's groin.

Dong Gong Ruoshu also froze for a moment. Somehow, she had failed to control her strength just now.

She flashed Chen Yi an innocent yet apologetic smile, then lowered her voice to explain,

"This is the Killer's Sword: it wounds through shock, kills through cutting, the exact opposite of the Living Sword."

"So… what's the difference from the Killer's Blade?"

Feeling the cold, sharp intent of the sword, Chen Yi withdrew his finger, blood still dripping.

The wound showed no signs of healing.

Unbeknownst to him, the wisp of sword intent left by the Broken Swordsman within his disciples had split in two, and half of it had infiltrated Chen Yi's body through his fingertip.

This was Zhou Yitang's first request.

Hearing Chen Yi ask about the difference between the Killer's Blade and the Killer's Sword, Dong Gong Ruoshu replied,

"The two are very similar, but the blade has only one edge, while the sword has two."

"And so?"

"One edge kills the body; the other, strikes the heart," Dong Gong Ruoshu said slowly.

Chen Yi's eyes widened slightly.

Perhaps to make amends, Dong Gong Ruoshu continued, her voice clearer as she elaborated:

"The Killer's Blade kills the body only; the Killer's Sword, however, not only kills, but also strikes the heart.

My master once encountered someone he could not kill, so he broke his sword into a blade and further cultivated the swordsmanship for killing.

In the Jianghu, there are far too many people one cannot kill, and far too many who cannot be killed. Thus, the Killer's Sword is used to strike the heart.

My master once said: a true sword intent can cut two ounces of wind. The world deems this less imposing than Zhou Jianjia's swordsmanship, capable of tearing through eight hundred gusts of wind on earth. But they have never considered why the ranking critiques by Daoist immortals claimed my master's Killer's Sword was sufficient to break ten thousand methods with a single strike.

Why is it that something as intangible as 'method' can be broken by a single sword?

It merely aims to strike the heart and tear down the inner foe.

After all, methods, like the wind, are unseen and untouchable."

Chen Yi narrowed his eyes slightly as he listened.

He had once told Zhou Yitang that "a grieving heart must heal to move forward."

It bore a subtle resemblance to the heart-striking nature of the Killer's Sword.

No wonder Zhou Yitang thought he was suited for the Killer's Sword.

At this moment, Dong Gong Ruoshu continued, "My master always said I was heartless, born for the Killer's Sword."

Tsk, how fitting.

Chen Yi silently mocked to himself.

Come to think of it, they did share the same surname of Chen.

"Then how do you strike the heart and tear down the inner foe?" Chen Yi pressed on.

After some thought, Dong Gong Ruoshu replied,

"My master once told me a Zen story—the One Finger Zen.

There was an enlightened monk. When others asked him what Buddhist Law was, he simply raised one finger. Seeing this, his disciple began mimicking him and also raised one finger. The disciple believed that this one finger represented Buddhist Law.

One day, the monk learned of this, so he called the disciple over and asked, 'What is Buddhist Law?' The disciple raised one finger."

"And then?"

"Then, the monk cut off the disciple's finger in one stroke,"

Dong Gong Ruoshu narrated, mimicking a sharp slicing motion as she spoke.

Still puzzled, Chen Yi asked further,

"What happened after?"

"The disciple cried bitterly, ready to leave. At that moment, the monk raised his finger once more and asked again, 'What is Buddhist Law?' Seeing the monk's raised finger, the disciple instantly achieved enlightenment."

Dong Gong Ruoshu continued,

"The disciple had mistakenly believed that the one finger was Buddhist Law itself, blinded by his misconception. When the monk severed the finger, he also severed that misconception, allowing the disciple to truly grasp the essence of Buddhist Law."

Chen Yi suddenly seemed to gain some clarity.

So,

if someone cannot be killed by force, they should not be killed at all.

Then what should one rely on?

One must strike the heart!