novelapdf Chapter 119 Your disciple!
Chapter 119 Your disciple!
Chapter 119 Your disciple!
As the heavy sword was revealed, the junior brothers surrounding Shen An all gaped in astonishment.
This—is a sword?
Not to mention the newly initiated disciples, even Tang Ying'e, who had spent his entire life with his sword, widened his eyes in surprise, and his three carefully groomed long beards trembled slightly involuntarily.
He was momentarily at a loss for words, his brow furrowing as he looked at the "heavy sword".
When he saw Shen An carrying this item, which was wrapped in a coarse cloth, he assumed it was some kind of long, narrow bag containing scrolls of calligraphy and paintings to present to his master.
Tang Ying'e never imagined that it was a sword!
The Songshan sword technique is known for its profound and vigorous style and majestic momentum. The longswords used by the disciples are mostly heavier than those used by ordinary martial artists, but—it is by no means as exaggerated as this!
He had always focused on the affairs of his sect and did not care much about the affairs of the martial world. Although he had heard a little about Shen An's actions at the sword-testing competition, he thought that the so-called amazing heavy sword was just a rumor.
When Shen An was near Hengyang, the version he heard from the bodyguards of Fuwei Escort Agency was that he had split the earth open with a single sword strike. He didn't even dare to imagine what would happen if the story reached Songshan.
It's no wonder Tang Ying'e didn't believe it.
"Uncle Tang," Shen An said, holding the heavy sword in one hand, the tip of the sword hanging down naturally, tapping lightly on the bluestone slab. "When I was in Hengyang, I had some fortuitous encounters, which increased my strength a bit. I was no longer able to use my previous sword properly, so I specially forged this heavy sword."
Tang Ying'e's face darkened further.
He was already somewhat displeased, but having already spoken, he couldn't go back on his word in front of so many disciples. He could only say with a stern face, "I'd like to see how good your Songshan swordsmanship is now!"
Shen An sensed the dissatisfaction in his uncle's words, but did not argue.
He bent his knees slightly, lowered his center of gravity, and stomped his left foot backward!
Then, with a low shout, he raised the dark, heavy sword in his hand high above his head and slashed it down at the open space in front of him.
The first sword strike: Mountains crumble and peaks collapse!
That's right, it's the same trick I used to deal with the old man.
This sword strike wasn't fast; in fact, it appeared somewhat slow and clumsy to the onlookers. But as the sword passed, the air emitted a muffled "whoosh" sound, like muffled thunder, and the gust of wind it generated even caused the clothes of the new disciples a dozen steps away to flutter wildly.
"boom!!!"
The heavy sword struck empty air, shattering the solid bluestone slab into pieces. Shards mixed with dust shot into the sky, causing the entire training ground to tremble slightly.
The new disciples stared wide-eyed, dumbfounded. They had never seen such unreasonable and brutal swordsmanship before.
Even Tang Ying'e's pupils contracted sharply. Although he disliked this brutal style, with his keen eyesight, he could naturally see the terrifying power and pure internal energy contained in this sword strike.
He knew this move was no random strike; Shen An had merged his entire being with the sword, embodying the essence of "mountain collapse and mountain fall" in the most direct and effective way.
The next two sword strikes were still "Jade Dragon from Beyond the Heavens" and "Upside-down Heavenly Peak," one sweeping and one flicking.
After performing the three sword strikes, Shen An sheathed his sword and stood still. The tip of his heavy sword rested on the ground, his chest rose and fell slightly, but his breathing remained long and even.
The entire training ground was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, except for the rustling of the mountain wind through the treetops.
"good!!"
It's unclear who was the first to snap out of their shock and shout.
"That's amazing! Senior Brother Shen is awesome!"
"This is the true Songshan Swordplay! Domineering! Invincible!"
"I want to learn this! Martial Uncle, I want to use a greatsword too!"
The new disciples were completely excited, and their eyes were now filled with admiration as they looked at Shen An.
At their age, what moves them most is undoubtedly this pure and unadulterated power and domineering presence.
However, amidst the thunderous cheers, Tang Ying'e's expression was not good, his brows furrowed so deeply they seemed to drip water.
This wasn't the initial feeling of complete dissatisfaction, but rather that he genuinely didn't know how to judge the situation.
This kid—well, let him be a headache for the senior brother, he's his disciple after all.
Tang Ying'e coughed loudly, his authoritative voice drowning out all the noise: "Shut up, all of you!"
The room fell silent instantly.
He first reprimanded the noisy disciples, and after the room quieted down, he looked at Shen An, remained silent for a long time with a complicated expression, and then slowly said: "Your three adapted moves have indeed grasped the essence of the original, and you have also found a path that suits you based on your own characteristics."
It was already extremely difficult to get him, a rigid and dogmatic man, to admit this.
But his tone shifted abruptly, becoming incredibly stern, his gaze sweeping across the group of new disciples like lightning: "But! Listen carefully! This is Shen An's own path, not yours! Your foundations are not yet solid, your sword principles are not yet understood. If you try to imitate him like this, you will only end up with a poor imitation, damaging your bones and disrupting your internal energy, becoming a laughingstock in the martial world! All of you, behave yourselves and practice the most standard moves meticulously, do you hear me?!"
"Yes, Uncle-Master—" The disciples fell silent at his shout, replying dejectedly.
After reprimanding his disciple, Tang Ying'e turned to Shen An, his tone softening slightly: "Although you have developed your own path, you must not deviate from the fundamental principles. You must not forget your roots. Otherwise, you will be like water without a source or a tree without roots, and you will not go far in the end."
Having said that, he untied the long sword from his waist, drew it with a "clang," and casually tossed it over.
"With my sword, I'll demonstrate the Seventeen Forms of Songshan Swordplay to them from beginning to end, in perfect form! Let them see that only those with a solid foundation can talk about innovation!"
Shen An took the longsword and felt its lightness. He nodded, placed the heavy sword on the ground, and stood still in the center of the field, holding the longsword.
He began with the move "Ten Thousand Mountains Paying Homage to the Ancestor," his swordplay deep and powerful, displaying a myriad of magnificent forms; then came "Eternal Dragon," "Layered Greenery Floating on Azure," and "Jade Well Heavenly Pool"—each move was perfectly balanced and harmonious, as standard as a textbook example.
Every turn of the sword, every bit of force, was just right, perfectly showcasing the majestic, upright, and expansive charm of the Songshan swordplay.
If the three heavy sword techniques just now were the process of a mountain collapsing, then the seventeen sword techniques at this moment are the majestic mountains themselves, steady, solid, and with an unbreakable foundation.
The new disciples watched with rapt attention, and Tang Ying'e's expression finally brightened, with satisfaction and gratification gradually appearing in his eyes.
That's right, that's how his most prized disciple should be!
After completing a swordplay demonstration, Shen An sheathed his sword and respectfully handed it back to Tang Ying'e.
Tang Ying'e took the sword, and this time the look in his eyes when he looked at Shen An was completely different.
He first let his disciples practice swordsmanship freely, then pulled Shen An aside and became unusually talkative.
They inquired about everything from swordsmanship to the progress of internal energy cultivation, and then about the local customs and traditions of Hengyang and the history of the martial arts world, as if they were having a long, intimate conversation.
In the end, it was only after Shen An repeatedly insisted that he go to Junji Zen Temple to see his master that he was reluctantly allowed to leave.
Before leaving, Tang Ying'e put on a stern face and gave a word of advice: "Remember, avoid arrogance and impetuosity. The path of martial arts is endless."
"Disciple understands." Shen An bowed again, picked up the heavy sword from the ground, and turned to leave.
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