The great river was vast. Zhaang Ye swam swiftly, like a great fish. Every stroke of his arms propelled him nearly ten feet, and in the blink of an eye, he was over a hundred yards away.
After reciting the "The highest virtue is like water" passage from the *Tao Te Ching*, Zhaang Ye developed an unexpected sense of familiarity with water. In the river, he was like a fish, free to swim in any direction he pleased. The feeling of absolute freedom was exhilarating.
He swam to a concealed patch of reeds and silently climbed ashore. Glancing back in the direction of Zhaang Fang and Zhaang Dashu, he swore to himself, 'That was a close call. Dangerously close. Zhaang Fang, Zhaang Dashu, you two actually tried to destroy my Cultivation. I'll remember this. Once I'm strong enough, I'll be sure to repay you tenfold!'
After suppressing the rage in his heart, Zhaang Ye found his bearings and headed straight for the waterfall some twenty miles from Three Rivers Town.
Strength reigns supreme; that is the law of this Barbaric World. 'In that case, I will become one of the strong and escape this fate of being attacked and oppressed forever!'
...
RUMBLE...
After trekking cautiously through the dense forest for two days, Zhaang Ye finally arrived at the foot of the great waterfall.
After two days of walking through the forest, Zhaang Ye's clothes were in tatters, making him look like a vagrant. Fortunately, the waterfall was hidden deep within the woods and rarely visited, so he had no need to worry about his appearance.
Zhaang Ye had gathered medicinal herbs in the mountains since childhood and had extensive wilderness survival skills. Furthermore, his awakened memories also contained a wealth of survival experience. Before long, he found a small, dry cave near the waterfall to serve as his shelter. He gathered a few large stones to partially block the entrance, and just like that, he was settled.
Next, Zhaang Ye cleared a small, half-submerged stone platform beneath the waterfall to use for his training.
With all his preparations complete, Zhaang Ye opened the Incomplete Saber Manual and began to immerse himself in comprehending the Saber Moves contained within.
The Incomplete Saber Manual contained only a single Saber Move, but its requirements were exceedingly high. Zhaang Ye studied it for a moment, then picked up his saber and went through the motions. He couldn't help but shake his head. 'My foundation is decent,' he thought, 'but cultivating this nameless Saber Move is still too much for me. It looks like I'll have to practice my Basic Saber Technique for a while longer. I'll master it to the Great Success Realm, and only then will I attempt to learn this move.'
His mind made up, Zhaang Ye set aside the Incomplete Saber Manual, took up his Thick-Backed Saber, and went to the waterfall. Standing beneath the torrent, he began the arduous task of practicing the Basic Saber Technique.
The waterfall dropped from a height of over a hundred feet, crashing into the pool below with a roar like muffled thunder. Although Zhaang Ye had chosen a smaller tributary, the force of the water cascading down was still immense. At first, even when using the Iron Bridge Stopping River Formation, he found it difficult to keep his footing, let alone practice his saber.
After more than ten days of practice, Zhaang Ye's Iron Bridge Stopping River Formation achieved another breakthrough. He had faintly grasped the profound mystery of finding motion within stillness. His feet became as steady as a boulder, while his body, using a subtle technique, would tremble slightly to dissipate the force of the current.
And so, Zhaang Ye could finally stand firm beneath the waterfall.
SWISH, SWISH, SWISH! Zhaang Ye swung his saber relentlessly, each slash sending a shower of white spray into the air.
Practicing the saber in water was completely different from practicing on land. The water's resistance was far greater than the air's, and unpredictable eddies would form, affecting the blade's angle and direction. One could say that a single slash in the water was more difficult than ten slashes on land.
Slash, recover. Slash, recover again.
Beneath the waterfall, Zhaang Ye practiced these two simple movements over and over.
'The highest virtue is like water. Water is good; it benefits all things and does not compete. This is the virtue of humility. Thus, the rivers and seas can be the kings of a hundred valleys because they are skilled in staying low. Nothing in the world is weaker or more yielding than water, yet for attacking the hard and strong, nothing can overcome it. This is the virtue of softness. Thus, the soft overcomes the hard, and the weak overcomes the strong. Because it has no substance, it can enter where there is no space. From this, I know the benefit of teaching without words and of action without striving.'
The longer he practiced his saber in the water, the deeper his understanding of this passage became. Water is the softest thing in the world. On the surface, it appears weak and humble, yet it can wear through mountains and stone, flood fields and destroy homes. Nothing, no matter how hard, can stand in its way. This profound, Supreme Truth of Heaven and Earth left Zhaang Ye deeply shaken.
Zhaang Ye had a faint feeling that if his saber could attain the miraculous Realm of "The highest virtue is like water," his Saber Technique would undergo a fundamental breakthrough. He would become unmatched among the Younger Generation. He might even become invincible within the borders of a nation and be able to challenge the Innate Realm.
Slashing and recovering, Zhaang Ye practiced like this for over two months.
After more than two months of practice, Zhaang Ye's once-gentle features had grown sharp and defined. His gaze became as sharp as a blade, his movements as precise as a blade, and his entire being became like an unsheathed saber—incisive and aggressive.
The waterfall crashed against his face, his body, and his saber, yet it could not move him an inch.
SWISH!
Zhaang Ye slashed, and the waterfall split apart.
SHIING!
The saber was back in its sheath, as if it had never moved.
The motions of drawing and sheathing the blade were utterly fluid, as if second nature.
"Heh. To have trained the Basic Saber Technique to this level means I've reached the Great Success Realm. Training under the waterfall was incredibly difficult, but the rewards were immense!" Zhaang Ye caressed his Thick-Backed Saber, unable to suppress a surge of pride.
To reach the Great Success Realm in the Basic Saber Technique in just two short months... no one would believe it if he told them. But Zhaang Ye, relying on his astonishing willpower and his unique Computation Power, had done just that.
Not only had he mastered the Basic Saber Technique to the Great Success Realm, but he had also brought his Iron Bridge Stopping River Formation to the same level.
Now that his Basic Saber Technique had reached the Great Success Realm, a single, simple slash possessed immense power. And with his Iron Bridge Stopping River Formation also at the Great Success Realm, once he assumed the stance, it was impossible to break unless his opponent's strength far surpassed his own.
By mastering these two techniques—one for offense, one for defense—to the Great Success Realm, Zhaang Ye had finally gained some ability to protect himself.
'With my current power, defeating Zhaang Dashu, who's at the Mid-stage Second Layer of Martial Arts, shouldn't be a problem. But it's probably not enough to defeat Zhaang Fang at the Peak of Martial Arts Second Layer. What's more, Zhaang Fang could break through to the Third Layer of Martial Arts at any time. The power of the Third Layer far surpasses the Peak of the Second Layer. Even with my Basic Saber Technique at the Great Success Realm, I'd be no match for him! I need more power! I need to be stronger!' Zhaang Ye assessed his own abilities. He knew that while his current strength was respectable among the Younger Generation of the Zhaang Family, he was still no match for someone as exceptionally talented as Zhaang Fang.
'If my strength is not enough, then I'll just have to raise it.' Zhaang Ye took out the Incomplete Saber Manual once again, preparing to master the Saber Move within in one fell swoop.