Lin Yun watched Dong Jian wield his sword in the air with unwavering focus, afraid to miss even the slightest detail.
Dong Jian also slowed his movements, displaying the essence of the swordsmanship as clearly as possible for Lin Yun.
About ten minutes later.
Dong Jian came to a halt.
“What I just demonstrated, you should comprehend it well. How much you can discern and understand depends on your own ability,” Dong Jian said to Lin Yun.
After speaking, Dong Jian returned to the thatched hut.
Lin Yun remained standing in place, replaying in his mind the scenes of Dong Jian’s sword dance just now, as well as the images that had appeared when he drank the tea earlier.
These two sets of images needed to be combined; otherwise, viewing either one alone would be useless.
This did indeed provide Lin Yun with some insights, but there was a difference between insight and mastery, and it was a process.
Next, Lin Yun needed to transform these insights into his own, truly integrating them into his swordsmanship.
After standing in place for a moment, Lin Yun began to wield his treasure sword, attempting to incorporate the recent insights into his own swordsmanship and make them his own.
…
Seven days later.
Dong Jian in the thatched hut looked towards Lin Yun in the distance: “This fellow’s comprehension speed is quite fast; he has shown clear progress during this period. However, over the last two days, he has entered a bottleneck in his improvement. It seems I need to give him another push.”
After speaking, Dong Jian stood up directly and approached Lin Yun.
“Senior Dong Jian.” Lin Yun stopped wielding his sword and clasped his fists towards Dong Jian.
“Have you hit a wall?” Dong Jian asked.
“Yes, Senior Dong Jian. Some things I can understand the principles of through your previous demonstration, but I cannot execute them myself.” Lin Yun gave a wry smile.
Dong Jian walked directly behind Lin Yun and grasped Lin Yun’s sword-holding wrist.
“Next, I will teach you hands-on, once. Feel it carefully,” Dong Jian said.
After speaking, Dong Jian held Lin Yun’s wrist and began to wield the treasure sword.
This hands-on teaching allowed Lin Yun to clearly sense the subtleties within.
To put it bluntly, Dong Jian infused into the sword all the insights and gains from his eighty-seven thousand years of studying the way of the sword.
“So that’s how it is!” Lin Yun instantly felt a sense of sudden enlightenment, his heart filled with uncontainable joy.
The blocked train of thought suddenly smoothed out, just like solving a long-pondered problem, bringing an indescribable relief.
Dong Jian continued the hands-on sword instruction for Lin Yun, and Lin Yun could feel how Dong Jian produced that marvellous soft yin force, or how he balanced hardness and softness.
After two consecutive rounds of hands-on teaching, Dong Jian released his hand.
Yet the sword in Lin Yun’s hand did not stop.
Lin Yun continued to move according to the sensation Dong Jian had just imparted, but now it was Lin Yun wielding it himself.
Even without Dong Jian’s assistance, Lin Yun could maintain that feeling, balancing hardness and softness as the soft yin force continuously emanated from the treasure sword.
“Not bad, good comprehension.” Seeing Lin Yun succeed, Dong Jian nodded in affirmation.
After wielding the sword through several cycles, Lin Yun finally stopped.
“Thank you for your guidance, Senior Dong Jian!” Lin Yun, with a joyful smile, clasped his fists and bowed to Dong Jian.
“You have just learned to use it this way; there is still much room for improvement. Enhance it gradually in the future,” Dong Jian said.
“I understand,” Lin Yun replied promptly.
Lin Yun had previously sparred with both Dong Jian and Xiao Nuo.
The same soft yin force, when used by Dong Jian, was clearly on a much higher level than Xiao Nuo’s.
Even when Lin Yun fought Dong Jian, he felt as if his fierce power struck cotton, which showed how skilfully Dong Jian wielded it, dissipating much of the force from Lin Yun’s attacks.
“After all, you are not my direct disciple. What I can guide you on and give you is limited to this,” Dong Jian said.
The meaning of Dong Jian’s words was clear: his guidance for Lin Yun ended here.
“Senior Dong Jian, for providing so much instruction, this junior is already endlessly grateful. I will remember this kindness in my heart,” Lin Yun bowed to Dong Jian once more in thanks.
Though it seemed like mere guidance, it contained Dong Jian’s eighty thousand years of painstaking effort.
Without Dong Jian’s instruction, it would be unknown how difficult it would be for Lin Yun to comprehend it on his own, or how much effort it would take.
Lin Yun was not greedy; Dong Jian had taught him so much, and Lin Yun was already very satisfied.
These gains in swordsmanship would be of great help to him in practising and improving any sword technique in the future.
“I was willing to teach you so much because your talent for sword practice is indeed excellent,” Dong Jian said.
If Lin Yun had not defeated Xiao Nuo at the beginning, or if his later performance had not been good enough, Dong Jian might not have taught him anything, or perhaps only a portion.
“Come, return to the hut and have another cup of tea.”
After speaking, Dong Jian walked back towards the thatched hut, and Lin Yun quickly followed.
Upon returning to the hut.
Xiao Nuo looked at Lin Yun with a complex expression.
During this period, he had been watching Lin Yun practise his sword; Lin Yun’s rate of progress left him shocked.
“Lin Yun, sit,” Dong Jian gestured for Lin Yun to take a seat.
