Upon entering the palace, he took a basic martial technique manual and began to study it. These types of skills focused on energy control paired with fluid, firm movements; in just a few hours, he had already grasped all the basics.
He headed out to the training field. In the center stood a massive rock made of an extremely resistant material that dispersed energy upon impact. For this reason, all schools used it for their practice.
Li Yi positioned himself before it in a combat stance. In a second, he mobilized his fist using the studied technique; his hand glowed as the energy flowed, and upon impact, the entire area shook, alerting the apprentices and cultivators of the school.
Li Yi withdrew his hand from the surface, where the mark of his strike remained engraved, though the rest of the rock was intact. He was surprised: it felt incredible that the material withstood his strength using barely 10% of his energy. He was also amazed that the technique had boosted his power by 300%; now he understood why everyone said martial techniques were so important.
By that time, many people had already gathered. They stood in awe at the mark on the rock, remembering that in training, Director Leng Lubai only managed to leave a few scratches. However, a single blow from the Honorary Elder had left a deep hole.
Li Yi noticed their presence but only observed them for a second before retreating to his palace. The other cultivators watched him walk away with profound admiration.
Upon returning, he took another manual for a basic sword technique. As he sat to study it, he noted that while it taught stances and movements, it focused more on a philosophy to awaken the so-called "Sword Intent." It explained that a cultivator wishing to master it must form a "sword heart" so sharp it could cut through anything.
He spent several hours comprehending the technique. He seemed to understand it, yet he couldn't grasp the deep meaning; it was like a fog blinding his intent. After a day of contemplation, he decided to return to the training field. Facing the rock, he unsheathed his sword and raised it, making his energy flow. He closed his eyes, visualized that sensation, and upon opening them, launched a slash that once again shook the entire school.
The students, feeling the thunderous sound, ran to watch. Li Yi remained before the rock, which stayed intact, leaving no mark like the one before. He launched several more slashes, trying to feel his intent in wanting to cut, but he couldn't achieve it.
Suddenly, a voice arrived from afar:
"Fellow Li Yi, the sword intent is that which you use to face the world."
The crowd made way for Leng Lubai, who looked nearly recovered from his injuries. Li Yi observed him for a few seconds and then closed his eyes. Leng Lubai had been watching for several minutes, since he heard the first crash.
"Sword intent is usually the greatest obstacle for a cultivator. Many remain stuck for years trying to understand it, and others never succeed," Leng Lubai thought.
Even he had taken years to understand his own sword intent; he knew it wasn't something achieved overnight. Therefore, he decided to retreat so as not to interrupt.
However, Li Yi kept his eyes closed, contemplating those words within him:
"What is the world, if not that which stands before my eyes? What is the destiny that tries to guide my steps? If I seek to be above all, what will become of my path if I allow destiny to decide it?"
He raised his weapon and imbued it with energy. Suddenly, the sky turned dark and lightning began to condense among the clouds; it was as if the world feared the intent forming in Li Yi's sword.
Leng Lubai, who was already walking away, stopped dead in his tracks upon observing the strange phenomenon. An overwhelming intent covered the area. Turning toward Li Yi, he saw a sharp glow enveloping his body. Around that radiance appeared shadows of chains representing the laws of the world, trying to restrain the sword, but the glow repelled them with violence. Seeing this, Leng Lubai's body trembled with incredulity.
Li Yi opened his eyes. His gaze was different: he seemed to observe existence itself. He appeared indifferent to everything, ignoring the dense clouds and lightning covering him, as if the world's resistance were irrelevant.
Then, he opened his mouth to speak. At that instant, a bolt of lightning that made the mountains tremble fell from the sky, attempting to silence the words he was about to pronounce.
"The world is what my sword divides, and destiny is annihilated before my Dao.
Sword against heaven and earth... Fall!" he shouted.
A blinding light erupted from the blade. Although those present closed their eyes, the clarity pierced through everything. Even the falling lightning bolt was erased and dispersed along with the clouds. The world seemed to turn upside down for a few seconds until the light dissipated.
An absolute silence filled the area; neither wind nor birds could be heard. Everyone looked at the rock: it was split in half, and a massive gouge extended through the earth, cutting across the school and the town to an indefinite distance.
Leng Lubai was shell-shocked. "This boy hasn't just awakened his intent; he has created his own technique. What level must he be to have terrified the heavens and provoked a tribulation of divine punishment?" he thought.
Li Yi observed the split rock. Approaching it, he noticed it wasn't a simple cut; wherever the energy passed, the material had been annihilated and it left a slight crack in the space barely thinner than the thickness of a hair, but it extended to an indefinite distance
He was pleased. He knew awakening intent usually took years, and having achieved it in hours was something wonderful.
Leng Lubai approached with a face full of wonder.
"Do you know what you just did?" he asked.
"It seems I have awakened my sword intent, and it is quite powerful," Li Yi responded simply.
Leng Lubai shook his head quickly.
"Not just that. You have created a technique that could be called 'divine against heaven.' I have only heard of skills that generate such rejection in nature, and yours is the closest thing to that."
Li Yi was astonished. "Are you saying I've created a technique comparable to that of a god?"
"Not at the level of a god, but close to that of the Saints. At that level, any glance can kill you because skill is useless against pure power. But if you ever reach the rank of Emperor or Sage with your celestial body, you could face a Saint directly with a technique like this. A high-level King or a low-level Emperior who receives this attack with your current power would die or be gravely wounded."
Li Yi fell into deep thought. He looked at the remains of the rock, imbued energy into his sword, and attacked again. This time, the impact only left a mark slightly deeper than that of his fist.
"Your normal power is firmly in the realm of a low-level King," Leng Lubai commented.
Li Yi nodded. "I still have much to learn. Aside from this move, I only know basic techniques."
"When you master all the basics, you will be able to practice higher-level skills with more ease," the Director explained.
Leng Lubai thought of something and asked Li Yi to follow him. Both flew off quickly, while the spectators retreated, murmuring about the Honorary Elder's extraordinary technique, wondering if such a technique belonged to the school.