Chapter 58 : Radiant Sword Heart

Chapter 58: Radiant Sword Heart

When Li Yunqing saw the Sword Saint of Cangshan, she was naturally also taken into his sight.

The young girl wore a light purple long dress, her black hair draped over her shoulders. Holding a medicine box in her hands, she slightly raised her head and stood at the doorway.

Gentle and serene, carrying a clear and ethereal temperament, yet her eyes shone brilliantly.

Looking at the girl, it felt as though he was gazing upon a tranquil sea, reflecting a clear, bright moon.

“A clear mind, bright eyes, without the slightest doubt.”

“She knows what she wants and is firmly moving forward.”

“Is this really a fifteen-year-old girl?”

For a moment, a trace of astonishment flashed through the eyes of the Sword Saint of Cangshan.

He had seen many extraordinary women in this world.

But a fifteen-year-old girl who not only possessed superb medical skills but also such a clear heart was exceedingly rare.

Or rather, in his forty years, this was the first time he had encountered such a girl.

As for her appearance, though she possessed beauty capable of toppling cities and nations, as the one who had pioneered the path of the Sword Heart, what he cared about most was the heart.

“Greetings, Hall Master Liu, Sword Saint of Cangshan, Young Master Lu.”

Li Yunqing gave a slight bow, her tone gentle and polite, flawless in etiquette.

Yet listening to that tone, the Sword Saint of Cangshan clearly sensed a distance.

Not close, not distant—polite and gentle, maintaining just the right measure of separation.

Such a woman—her politeness, greetings, even concern—were likely merely part of her way of conducting herself.

It gave the feeling of: I will do what I should; how others act is none of my concern.

“Greetings, Miss Li.”

The Sword Saint of Cangshan and Lu Xingzhou responded one after another, while Hall Master Liu simply nodded casually.

After the few of them sat at the table, Li Yunqing lifted the teapot, pouring tea for each of them in turn before taking her seat on the opposite side.

In her mind, she began considering the matter of consultation fees.

The Sword Saint of Cangshan—a consummate master at the peak of the Qi Realm, on the verge of stepping into the Profound Realm, with extraordinary combat strength, likely far surpassing Jiang Jing.

For such a figure, her consultation fee naturally required careful thought.

“Take it out!”

At that moment, the Sword Saint of Cangshan turned his gaze toward Lu Xingzhou.

Without hesitation, Lu Xingzhou took a book from his robes.

The Sword Saint of Cangshan accepted it and directly placed it before Li Yunqing.

“The Cangshan Sword Canon—this is?”

Looking at the book before her, Li Yunqing voiced her confusion.

She would certainly accept sword techniques, but she had not yet decided on the full consultation fee.

“A gift!” the Sword Saint of Cangshan said, his tone crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation. “Innate Sword Bones—born for the sword.”

“I hope the sword path I created can be of help to you.”

Hearing this, Li Yunqing looked at him with some surprise.

She already understood the weight of a legacy.

But for the Sword Saint of Cangshan to gift such a legacy upon first meeting—wasn’t that a bit too generous?

“One does not accept rewards without merit.”

Li Yunqing glanced at the Cangshan Sword Canon with clear desire, yet without hesitation pushed it back.

This caused Hall Master Liu at the side to widen his eyes slightly. Just a few days ago, this little girl had been asking whether she could obtain a legacy without joining the Mingyu Sect.

Now that someone was offering it for free, she refused instead?

“Rest assured, there are no conditions—even if you cannot cure the poison in my body.”

The Sword Saint of Cangshan spoke, seemingly having seen through Li Yunqing’s thoughts.

“The poison—I can cure it!”

Li Yunqing’s tone was extremely certain. Cultivating the Medicine King Scripture, there was no poison or illness in this world she could not treat.

But she knew that what was free was often the most expensive.

Especially for someone like her, who still had a measure of conscience.

Moreover, she adhered to the principle of repaying kindness and killing enmity.

She could accept it as part of a transaction—but to take it for nothing would naturally leave a sense of indebtedness in her heart.

It had nothing to do with anything else; it was simply how she conducted herself.

Toward enemies, she could be unscrupulous—even burning, killing, looting, ruthless and vicious—because it was a life-and-death opposition.

But only toward enemies.

The Sword Saint of Cangshan once again pushed the sword canon toward Li Yunqing and said, “I do have a request.”

“You should have heard of my path of the Sword Heart.”

“To cultivate the sword, one must first cultivate the heart—discipline oneself and condense a Sword Heart suited to oneself.”

“For example, my disciple’s path of utmost sincerity—sincere to the sword, sincere to the heart, nothing else.”

“Or like my own path—unyielding and unbending, no compromise, no detours. Once the sword is drawn, it would rather break than return.”

“My sword path was, in fact, created in imitation of Innate Sword Bones!”

“Since I cannot possess the talent of Innate Sword Bones, I will forge a Sword Heart through acquired means.”

At this point, the Sword Saint paused slightly. “I wish to know the gap between the sword art I created and Innate Sword Bones. Thus, I ask you to take a look.”

Hearing this, Li Yunqing vaguely understood—this Sword Saint had likely encountered someone with Innate Sword Bones before, and perhaps even suffered a loss.

“Alright!”

She nodded in agreement, not being pretentious, and began flipping through the sword canon, page by page.

For a time, the entire courtyard fell silent.

After a full half hour, Li Yunqing finished skimming through the canon.

After pondering for a long while, she finally spoke solemnly, “Those with Innate Sword Bones cultivate quickly, but the Sword Heart requires time to settle.”

“Innate Sword Bones are a talent—they will never shatter. But the Sword Heart can.”

“However, in my view, bones have limits, while the heart is boundless.”

Hearing Li Yunqing’s words, Hall Master Liu, the Sword Saint, and Lu Xingzhou all paused, their gazes falling upon her.

Such understanding and insight were completely unlike that of a fifteen-year-old girl.

“What if one with Sword Bones also condenses a Sword Heart?”

The Sword Saint of Cangshan spoke, his eyes filled with anticipation as he stared directly at Li Yunqing.

At this moment, he had completely ignored her age, treating her as an equal in discussing the Dao.

This was also the fundamental reason he had given her the sword canon.

He, too, wanted to know what level someone with Innate Sword Bones who also formed a Sword Heart could reach.

Li Yunqing lowered her gaze, thinking slightly, and spoke calmly, “That depends on how strong that heart is.”

“If the heart is strong enough, then there will be no opponent left in the world.”

Upon hearing this, a trace of fervor flashed across the Sword Saint’s expression as he stared at Li Yunqing. “I will wait for you!”

Li Yunqing: “???”

After a moment of confusion, she suddenly froze—was this Sword Saint waiting to duel her?

Was he a sword fanatic?

But he didn’t look like one at all!

Rather, he seemed more like a refined scholar.

“My apologies, refining a heart for ten years is too slow!”

Understanding his meaning, Li Yunqing slowly shook her head.

She possessed Longevity—her time was limitless—but this world was far too unfriendly. Before she had the power to control her own fate,

she did not wish to waste even a single moment.

Cultivating immortal arts and martial paths, growing stronger quickly—that was what she needed most.

“No. For ordinary people, ten years to refine a heart—but you are different!”

“Your mind is clear, and you possess Sword Bones.”

At this point, the Sword Saint looked again into Li Yunqing’s bright eyes. “In your heart, there must be something you would never change in this lifetime.”

“Is that not itself a radiant Sword Heart?”

“Radiant Sword Heart?”

Li Yunqing suddenly paused.

Yes—she was willing to give for her family and loved ones, willing to treat others sincerely as friends.

She was also willing to repay those who treated her well, within her means.

Because of her past life, she was unwilling to kill indiscriminately. The cruelty and malice in her heart would only ever be directed at enemies.

But if it came to something unchangeable—it was that in this lifetime, she never wanted to be touched by a man.

However, in such an era, to achieve this, she would need unmatched power.

Even the power to oppose imperial authority, demons and evil gods, and all beings under heaven.

Seeing Li Yunqing fall into deep thought, the Sword Saint of Cangshan spoke softly, “Since your heart holds something firm, why not wield the sword to cut down all that stands in your way?”

Though it was a gentle voice, when it fell into Li Yunqing’s ears, it was like a thunderclap.

In an instant, she sank into even deeper contemplation.

Men and women differed; their thoughts naturally differed. Each had its own reasoning—none could be generalized.

“If I were a man, I would fully enjoy this world—three wives and four concubines, beauties in abundance, failing neither myself nor my kin and friends.”

“But I am, after all, a woman!”

“Even if my heart resists, without the power to push all this away, I can only struggle step by step under this world.”

“This is absolutely not what I want!”

She thought of her past life, and of everything in this life.

The betrothal gifts, the engagement—those scenes remained vivid.

Personally agreeing to marriage, personally putting on the wedding dress—these were, to her, the greatest pain and torment in this world.

Yet she still did it.

Because she had the Longevity Panel, she maintained the belief that “though the road is difficult, there will eventually be a tomorrow,” enduring while silently accumulating strength.

She did not wish to abandon everything for a moment’s impulse.

Now, the Sword Saint’s words truly struck like thunder.

What if her past life, and everything in this life, had been tempering a Sword Heart all along?

Did she truly still need ten more years to refine it?

“I need to break all these shackles and overturn this world that disgusts me!”

“I want freedom in both body and mind.”

“Then… what should my Sword Heart be?”