Chapter 6: New Entry: Solitary Swordsmanship
“Ding, the daily entries have been refreshed.”
“Today’s entries: Double Experience (White), My Sword Like the Wind (Green), Solitary Sword Cultivation (White).”
Double Experience (White): For the next seven days, you are favored by the God of Martial Arts; any cultivation will yield twice the progress.
My Sword Like the Wind (Green): Your sword strikes will be faster than others, with each attack gaining an additional layer of power.
Solitary Sword Cultivation (White): Jack-of-all-trades is inferior to a master of one; cultivating any art other than swordsmanship will slow your progress by fifty percent, but your swordsmanship cultivation speed will increase by fifty percent and your damage will rise by five percent.
The system interface floated before Yang Le’s eyes—three white entries.
A wave of joy surged within Yang Le.
Though these three entries were of somewhat modest grade, each possessed tremendous practicality and potential for growth.
What was rarer still was that the latter two entries enhanced his growth attributes.
Growth-related entries…
Their value was self-evident.
In that moment, Yang Le truly wanted to say:
“Children make choices; I want them all!”
But alas, only one could be chosen, and Yang Le had already made up his mind.
Double Experience was the first to be discarded. While doubling cultivation speed was undeniably powerful, it was a temporary buff.
Yang Le’s martial cultivation had just reached the ninth rank; even with double experience, breaking through within a week was impossible.
Moreover, his combat strength did not rely solely on cultivation but on the sword in his hand.
Double Experience—rejected.
Between My Sword Like the Wind and Solitary Sword Cultivation…
Had it not been for the Swordmaster Transcendence entry, Yang Le might have hesitated.
My Sword Like the Wind was more stable, but its benefits paled compared to Solitary Sword Cultivation.
With Swordmaster Transcendence, however, Solitary Sword Cultivation was essentially a must.
“Ding, congratulations, host, your choice is confirmed. You have obtained the Solitary Sword Cultivation entry…”
“Ding, congratulations, host. Swordmaster Transcendence bonus activated; the effects of Solitary Sword Cultivation have changed…”
The system’s voice faded, and the selection interface closed.
Solitary Sword Cultivation now appeared in Yang Le’s entry repository.
[Solitary Sword Cultivation: Jack-of-all-trades is inferior to a master of one. Cultivating any art other than swordsmanship reduces speed by fifty percent, but your swordsmanship cultivation speed doubles and your damage increases by ten percent.]
Instantly, under the blessing of the Swordmaster Transcendence entry, the effects of Solitary Sword Cultivation were enhanced.
Suddenly, a glimmer of enlightenment stirred within Yang Le.
The little sword, once shrouded by mist in his dantian, became clearer.
---
“The Seven Sword Techniques feel different now—once stiff and awkward, now flowing effortlessly…”
In his mind, Yang Le recalled how his execution of the Seven Sword Techniques had been somewhat clumsy, with slight gaps between moves.
He knew this was due to his unfamiliarity.
But with the Solitary Sword Cultivation entry chosen, that awkwardness vanished instantly.
In its place was an unparalleled smoothness; when to thrust, parry, or strike was crystal clear, as if second nature.
“Ding, congratulations, host. Your proficiency in the Seven Sword Techniques has reached: Beginner level.”
This system prompt resolved the doubts in Yang Le’s mind.
“So this is still just the beginning…”
Sheathing his sword, Yang Le gazed into the distance, his figure concealed in a corner of the martial arts arena.
He had thought himself already immersed in the Way of the Sword, but this was merely the entrance.
...
“Everyone newly enrolled in the Martial Arts Camp, this is no longer a mere gathering of wandering fighters. I, Chang Sunji, will now explain the rules of this camp.”
As Yang Le’s mind wandered, the once noisy camp fell silent the moment Chang Sunji and his guards arrived.
Today, for some reason, Chang Sunji’s aura was even more domineering; a voice like a resounding bell and a bellowing ox crushed the crowd’s spirits.
Yang Le, cultivating the Way of the Sword, his mind clear with many entries bolstering him, focused his sword heart and looked toward Chang Sunji.
Behind him, a cloud of blood gathered, thick with violent qi, intertwining with Chang Sunji’s martial momentum.
He seemed no longer human, but a demon.
“Yesterday, this blood qi and crimson mist were not present; today…”
Among the many martial cultivators watching, Yang Le seemed the only one to discern the strangeness in Chang Sunji.
He retreated two steps and melted into the crowd: “Chang Sunji is acting strangely; today is no time to show our full strength.”
Immediately, Yang Le made a decision—to conserve his power, to play the fool while hiding his might.
“Outside the city, the White Lotus Sect numbers over ten thousand. Their martial cultivators outnumber us several times over. If you wish to survive, so do I, Chang Sunji. That is why I want you to cultivate the Spring and Autumn Technique and join the Martial Arts Camp. The first rule here: the strong live, the weak die.”
Seeing hundreds of cultivators switching to the Spring and Autumn Technique, a flicker of joy flashed in Chang Sunji’s eyes, but it quickly faded to clarity.
“This county martial hall is the testing ground. Those who remain in the camp after one day will enter as official martial soldiers, receive a daily body-tempering pill, and join the Great Qian Army. The rest will be assigned to the Death Squad and sent out tomorrow as the first wave to investigate the White Lotus Sect beyond the city.”
Chang Sunji’s words sent shock through the assembled cultivators.
“Sir, you previously said that just cultivating the Spring and Autumn Technique would grant entry to the camp. Does this rule mean…”
“Do you want us martial cultivators to kill each other?”
“Joining the Death Squad is a suicide mission!”
None among them were fools. Chang Sunji’s words made it clear: he intended to cull the group through chaos, selecting only the elite survivors.
They understood the true meaning of “the strong live, the weak die.”
The victor in this chaotic battle would become a formal soldier, enjoying a daily body-tempering pill—stronger still.
The weak would be sent to the Death Squad, doomed when the first wave ventured beyond the city.
“This is essentially a fight to the death. Why would Chang Sunji impose such brutal rules at such a critical moment?”
“Damn, I thought I could slip by quietly here, but this place is truly a battlefield.”
Upon hearing Chang Sunji’s rules, Yang Le’s brow furrowed.
Recalling the strange apparition behind Chang Sunji earlier, a hint of reluctance stirred in him.
Body-tempering pills were invaluable to martial cultivators.
Yet for Yang Le, especially after choosing the Solitary Sword Cultivation entry, these pills held little allure.
Even the Spring and Autumn Technique was of little use to him, but for now, he had no alternative cultivation method and had to temporarily practice it.
Chang Sunji’s cultivation resources held no attraction for Yang Le.
“May we withdraw?”
“We refuse to cultivate the Spring and Autumn Technique!”
“If this place won’t have me, I’ll find another!”
Among the crowd, many shared Yang Le’s thoughts and stepped forward, ready to leave the Martial Arts Camp.
“Unauthorized departure from the camp, desertion in the face of battle will be punished by death!”
But before any could leave the county martial hall, Chang Sunji’s subordinate, Li Bing, struck.
Several were slain outright; their heads fell to the ground.
“Do you think the Martial Arts Camp is a place you can enter and exit at will?”
Scorn blazed in Chang Sunji’s eyes. Once inside, leaving so easily?
Dream on.
“Looks like it’s time to draw my sword…”
Sensing the tension, Yang Le’s long sword half unsheathed.
He had already anticipated what would follow.
Under such nearly Battle Royale-like rules, human nature would be utterly overwhelmed by greed.
Yang Le’s resolve was simple.
Since he could not evade this crisis, he would carve a path to survival with his sword.