The World of Mei

Chapter 31 The Secret of The Five Moves of Wind Floating Sword

"I can also live up to the state of forgetting myself. When I was practicing Flying Dragon Thirty-Six Sticks, I felt I was a soaring butterfly and that was a state of freedom. Aren't them in the same state of mind?"

Mu Qianmei was confused at Ye Suifeng's reply.

"They are familiar indeed. However, the wind is different from a butterfly because it can't be seen or touched but can be felt."

"Of course, if you go beyond skills, you will find that despite all apparent changes, the essence remains invariable. All the swordsmen can get access to the field of sword law when they have completely mastered their sword skills."

"Even so, introduction to sword skills is important. Sword skills, as a kind of skill, differ from one another. Sword skills are good and bad, subtle and rough, efficient and inefficient. If one learns a wrong sword skill in the beginning, one would probably never reach the peak of the field of sword skills, let alone step into the realm of sword law.

"So, everyone must be careful when choosing initial sword skills. You don't have to choose the best sword skill, but you must choose the one most suitable for you. Only in that way huge progress will be made."

"Take Flying Dragon Thirty-Six Sticks as an example. It's an excellent stick skill, but it is not for you. No matter how much time and energy you spend practicing, you'll progress slowly or even stagnate, and you will never reach the peak of this stick skill."

"Unless you can create a suitable martial art skill out of it. Do remember that only what suits you is the best."

Ye Suifeng advised seriously.

"Only what suits you is the best?"

Something suddenly occurred to Mu Qianmei but she didn't grasp it. The inspiration disappeared like a drop of water melted in the sea.

She frowned and thought about it over and over, trying to find the trace of the inspiration again.

Unfortunately, she failed.

Ye Suifeng waited for her patiently for a while. Realizing that Mu Qianmei had failed to work it out, he replied to her,

"You can't always get the answer by thinking. The saying goes that a canal is formed when water comes. You will figure it out in due course, so there's no need to cudgel your brains. You've just comprehended something. That's good! Haha... Don't get hung up on it. Go as the way things are."

"Impatience does no good to practice. It only backfires. I suggest you enjoy the scenery and relax in Sword-Free Mountain with Feng. Try to reach a state of natural peace and put the discussion tomorrow."

He finished and left with the art of lightness before Mu Qianmei spoke. His figure, which seemed moving slowly, disappeared from their view in a blink of an eye.

"Sword-Free Mountain? Feng, is that the name of this mountain? Hahaha... The Great Sword Master dwells as a recluse in Sword-Free Mountain. How strange it is!"

Mu Qianmei talked with Liu Tingfeng curiously.

"Yes. Master said this is an unknown mountain at the border of Nantang and Xichu, far away from the ordinary world. He found it by accident when he was traveling around and considered it quiet and charming and suitable for cultivation, so he stayed here. He practiced sword skills all his life, but he knew that being free of swords is the stage he wants to reach. Then he named the mountain Sword-Free Mountain."

Liu Tingfeng answered.

"Being free of swords? Isn't it the stage that the sword is not in his hand but his mind?"

Mu Qianmei asked closely.

"Master told me that being free of swords means the sword is not in his hand Neither his mind, but it is everywhere, and one cannot feel where exactly it is. This is the highest stage."

Liu Tingfeng told Mu Qianmei what his master had explained to him, which he could not totally understand.

"Then which stage are you in now?" Mu Qianmei asked, smiling.

"I've just broken through the first stage of Wind Floating Sword Skill, the sword is in my hand." Liu Tingfeng answered at once.

"Oh? How long did you take to break through the first stage?" Mu Qianmei asked.

"I have been taught by my master since childhood. I began to practice the sword at the age of three. Now I am just over thirteen. I've been practicing sword for ten years." Liu Tingfeng replied to her honestly.

"Ten years for the first stage. It is the same speed as my progress on Flying Dragon Thirty-Six Sticks." Mu Qianmei eased up.

"Yes. So I used to wonder why my master always praises my good gift. My progress is not fast. Sister, you have learned so much, but you are excellent in your stick skill in the meantime. I think you are more talented than me."

Liu Tingfeng was a little bewildered.

They were at the top of Sword-Free Mountain. Mu Qianmei looked forward and saw a wonderland seeming far away from the earth. There was a superb panorama of high peaks rising above swathes of thick cloud and green forest wreathed in mist.

"What suits you is the best. You suit Wind Floating Sword Skill, so you are the best one to learn it! Well... I do envy you." Mu Qianmei smiled.

Then Mu Qianmei pulled Liu Tingfeng to a rock to sit. They rambled and no longer discussed sword skills and martial arts.

She tried to quell her anxiety and impatience and come to a peaceful and natural state of mind.

They appreciated the beautiful scenery with the breeze caressing their cheeks and had a relaxed and casual chat. Mu Qianmei naturally calmed down at last.

The next day, in the morning light.

The sun was rising. Dew flickered in the breeze.

Ye Suifeng took Mu Qianmei and Liu Tingfeng to the top of Sword-Free Mountain again.

They didn't talk at first but looked at the beautiful scene of Sword-Free Mountain as they had been indulged in it.

"They will be gone with the wind after all."

Looking at the cloud and mist, Mu Qianmei couldn't help speaking in a low voice.

"Well... The scenes we see every day seem the same, but they are completely different. Yesterday's fog has been blown away by the wind. Today's fog will soon be dispersed as the sun rises, and tomorrow there will be a fresh fog here. It's the same with human lives. Everything shall pass."

"So we don't have to be too attached to the things we encounter. We take life as it comes, and then we can have our way."

Ye Suifeng continued.

But then he asked curiously,

"It took me more than a hundred years to realize this. How could you, a girl of fourteen, have the same thought?"

Mu Qianmei answered him after thinking for a while,

"I have lived to the brink of death twice. It's just like I have two lives. That's why I'm thinking about it."

"Well, the near-death experience is indeed a silver lining. It's your most valuable asset. The experience of being on the brink of death is vital to one's growth and understanding of life."

"A lot of people only experience it once. They learned something, but never get a chance to reach it again. You're really lucky!"

Ye Suifeng said.

"Yes, fate brought me there. No one goes through such life experiences on purpose!"

Mu Qianmei said.

Ye Suifeng looked at the scenery before him and said slowly,

"You are calmer than yesterday, but you become sentimental. I wonder if you have a carefree childhood. How did you learn so much at such a young age?"

"It's better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books. I've been begging with the old guy, so I have experienced more about the fickleness of human nature and the way of the world than peers."

Mu Qianmei felt that keenly.

"I thought a lot about you last night. Although you cannot learn Five Moves of Wind Floating Sword Skill, I think a sword skill that is suitable for you can be created out of Five Moves of Wind Floating Sword Skill, combining your foundation of Flying Dragon Thirty-Six Sticks and your understanding of martial arts."

Ye Suifeng said in a casual manner as if it had been a piece of cake to create a sword skill.

However, Mu Qianmei knew that it wasn't so easy as he had said. For example, when an accomplished calligrapher wanted to write, he (she) couldn't make an ideal piece of calligraphy without previous design, inspiration, the right mood of writing, and optimum state.

So she replied to Ye Suifeng in respect,

"Sorry for troubling you, master. I wish to cultivate a martial art skill that suits me well. I thought about it, and I understand that what you had said makes sense. The best martial art skill is the skill that suits me. I believe the new sword skill you create out of Wind Floating Sword Skill must be a martial art skill that surpasses the past and future!"

Mu Qianmei looked forward to the sword skill sincerely.

"Now that it will be created from Five Moves of Wind Floating Sword, you must know the essence of Five Moves of Wind Floating Sword Skill!"

"When I created Five Moves of Wind Floating Sword, I was inspired by my name and the wind in nature. The wind in nature is the east wind, south wind, west wind, and north wind corresponding to the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Then I perceived the spirit of the wind and created the fifth move. There are five moves in all."

"I'm going to explain it to you as I demonstrate."

Ye Suifeng took a sword that Liu Tingfeng handed over and laughed, "I haven't used a sword for decades except when I taught Feng. Haha..."

Then his smile faltered and was replaced by seriousness. He grasped the hilt of the sword in his right hand and raised it slowly, preparing to demonstrate it in a very formal manner.

"The first move of Wind Floating Sword Skill, Vernal Breeze Caresses Cheeks. It starts gently and agilely. The key point is to make no sound and no influence. The aura of your sword permeates through the air before your sword attacks. This move seems casual but flexible and uncatchable in practice. Your opponent cannot defend this move because he has been besieged by your sword aura."

"The next is to act swiftly. Keep a close watch on the vital parts of your opponent, seize the weak points and make a sudden stab. Generally, opponents of the same level or lower than you cannot completely dodge. Thus, the advantage is caught."

"Even if you cannot control your opponent within one move, you have gained the initiative and a good foundation for the following attacks."

Ye Suifeng instructed in detail while demonstrating.