The process of repairing the little broken sword was extremely complicated, and it looked like it couldn't be finished within a few days.
During these days, Jiang Kai temporarily stayed at the Azurecloud Guild's station.
The Azurecloud Guild had fewer than a hundred members. When they met, they all addressed each other as senior brother or junior brother. In reality, they all belonged to the same sect.
Zhou Chu also hadn't made Jiang Kai's identity public. For now, Jiang Kai was still staying in the guild under the identity of Han Yi.
There was also a martial arts training ground inside the Azurecloud Guild.
Jiang Kai discovered that the disciples of the Azurecloud Guild—from the elders all the way down to the ordinary disciples—would practice martial arts on the training ground every day.
On this day, Elder Wan was doing his morning training. He happened to see Jiang Kai standing to the side, watching the others train, so he walked over with a smile.
"Yi'er, you left the Azurecloud Sect for ten years. Why do you look like you've become a bit unfamiliar with the sect?"
Jiang Kai stammered, "Uh… maybe I've been gone too long, so there are a lot of things I can't remember clearly."
Elder Wan nodded. "That's true. You left the Azurecloud Sect for ten years, and before that you were bedridden for two years. I remember you often had high fevers that wouldn't go down and were delirious at the time. Back then, we were all afraid your brain would get damaged. Later you followed your parents to the capital for treatment, and I thought you'd never come back… Fortunately, not only did you return, but you didn't forget the most important Ninefold Heaven-Slaying Sword, and you even made a breakthrough. Uncle Wan is happy for you."
Jiang Kai felt guilty for deceiving Wan Changchun, but now he was riding a tiger and couldn't get off. He could only force himself to thank him.
Seeing the disciples on the training ground working hard, Wan Changchun's eyes were full of relief. He laughed and said, "In the past, ancient martial arts declined. Our Azurecloud Sect had as few as seven or eight people at its lowest point."
"Aristocratic families were doing a little better—they have blood ties, and you can't just leave whenever you want. But countless sects around the country fell apart."
"Who would've thought that the rise of Huaxia's ancient martial arts would actually be thanks to the Ghost Star?"
"Look now—our Azurecloud Sect has 113 disciples, more than twenty more than when you left!"
Jiang Kai frowned. "Uncle Wan, since ancient martial arts is rising, why not recruit more people?"
In ten years, only a little over twenty new people joined. That kind of growth could only be called slow.
Wan Changchun said, "You make it sound easy. Growing from seven or eight people to over a hundred is already difficult!"
"You also know Huaxia ancient martial arts stresses a solid foundation. Without more than ten years of training, one can't truly count as an ancient martial arts successor."
"First, not everyone can endure that kind of hardship. Second, not everyone is suitable to become a successor of ancient martial arts."
Jiang Kai nodded. In novels he had read before, ancient martial arts masters were always picky about disciples, requiring things like extraordinary bones. It showed that learning ancient martial arts indeed required certain physical conditions.
"Then Uncle Wan, how do ancient martial arts integrate with Ghost Star skills?"
Wan Changchun thought for a moment and said, "Mainly by combining ancient martial arts techniques with special-effect attacks. As long as ancient martial arts successors grasp special-attack methods, then even without learning Ghost Star skills, they can use ancient martial arts techniques to form a kind of self-created skill."
"You know that powerful skill books have extremely low output. Most people use job skills, but ancient martial arts successors have a great advantage here."
"The military is cooperating with major ancient martial arts forces in this area. They want to use inherited ancient martial skills to solve the scarcity of Ghost Star skill books."
"In the past, sects were closed off, but the times are different now. Many have made concessions. Many of the general skill books in the War God Hall come from the ancient martial arts community."
"Of course, each sect still guards its most core skills. The military understands that."
Jiang Kai nodded again and asked, "What are the main differences between ancient martial arts skills and Ghost Star skills?"
"Differences? It's strange—there aren't as many differences as we imagined. Some skills are even a bit similar to our ancient martial arts techniques…"
Jiang Kai froze for a moment.
Moonlit Immortal-Trace Sword and the Ninefold Heaven-Slaying Sword were perfect examples!
"Hey, Yi'er, among the younger generation in the ancient martial arts circle, aren't there two circulating theories?"
"What theories? Uncle Wan, I've been out of the circle too long."
"Mm, true… One says that Huaxia ancient martial arts might have originated from the Ghost Star."
"No way…" Jiang Kai widened his eyes. Huaxia's ancient martial arts had a thousand-year heritage, while the Ghost Star had appeared only for a few years.
"I also think it's absurd. The timeline doesn't match. But the Ghost Star itself is unreasonable… The other theory is that the Ghost Star stole the essence of Huaxia ancient martial arts, but that doesn't make much sense either. The Ghost Star has few skill books, but they cover everything. Here in Huaxia we focus on qi, while the West focuses on elements and magic power. Also, the powerful skills on the Ghost Star are stronger than the manuals we know… If it stole from us, then it really surpassed the original."
Jiang Kai shook his head. These two theories in the ancient martial arts circle still had no conclusion even now. As an outsider, it was even harder for him to judge.
"Ghost Star, oh Ghost Star, just who created you? We've explored for more than fifty years and only uncovered one ten-thousandth. I really wonder what kind of result we'll get when we finally see the full picture." Wan Changchun gave a long sigh, then laughed at himself. "Anyway, I won't live to see it."
"Han Yi, go spar with these junior brothers and sisters. I watched your battle. You've broken through the Ninefold Heaven-Slaying Sword, but as for the basics, I can see you've forgotten almost all of them."
"It just so happens they also want to learn from you."
How could Jiang Kai dare guide them? He didn't know any of the Azurecloud fundamentals at all.
But under Elder Wan's repeated urging, Jiang Kai had to bite the bullet and walk over.
When the young disciples saw Jiang Kai approaching, they all gathered around.
"Senior Brother Han Yi! You really made our Azurecloud Sect proud in that match!"
"Senior Brother Han Yi, did you really unleash the One Sword Shattering the Nine Heavens? When will you show us again?"
"Senior Brother, I'm still confused about the Azurecloud Sect's Azure Luan Sword Technique. Can you guide me?"
The junior brothers and sisters enthusiastically surrounded Jiang Kai, asking all sorts of questions, and Jiang Kai's head throbbed.
People say that once you tell one lie, you need your whole life to cover it up. Now he was walking the path of covering it up, step by step…
But then again, the atmosphere in the Azurecloud Sect was actually really nice. These young disciples were eager to learn, and the older ones were all very kind.
After Jiang Kai explained that he had forgotten many things, they all rushed to demonstrate the Azurecloud Sect's basic training to him.
With the help of these fellow disciples, Jiang Kai learned with great interest.
"Battle Across Eight Wastelands has only eight steps, but if combined with Azurecloud's Cloud-Ascending Steps, then during low-threat situations, you can use Cloud-Ascending Steps to link them, allowing Battle Across Eight Wastelands to last longer."
"My Moonlit Immortal-Trace Sword only has its final strike with real threat, but if combined with the Ninefold Heaven-Slaying Sword, I can add many feints, creating better conditions for the final strike."
"In the past, when I used a sword, I either blocked or thrust, but the Azurecloud Sect's sword techniques have far more variations. In close combat, they can greatly enhance my fighting ability!"
Jiang Kai probably never expected that after spending just over ten days in the Azurecloud Sect, he would become so deeply interested in ancient martial arts.
Every day, he was working hard learning ancient martial techniques and enriching his combat skills.
He even hoped Zhou Chu would take longer to repair the little broken sword…
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Kai had already stayed in the Azurecloud Sect for 40 days!
During these forty days, he immersed himself in ancient martial arts, even forgetting that his original purpose was to pursue Chang Siyiao.
At the same time, through this period of study and combined with his extremely high stats, Jiang Kai's progress was incredibly fast. Every move he made already had a bit of refined flavor.
Zhou Chu said repairing the Demon-Slaying Sword would still take 20 more days, and Jiang Kai wasn't anxious at all. Instead, he told Zhou Chu to rest more so he wouldn't overwork himself.
On this day, while Jiang Kai was training with the others, a disciple rushed in from outside the courtyard. When he saw Jiang Kai, he hurriedly ran over.
"Senior Brother Han Yi, great news!"
"Hm? What is it?" Jiang Kai asked, puzzled.
"Some time ago, Junior Sister Siyiao ran away in secret and was later brought back by Kunlun. According to the rules of the duel-marriage contest back then, in the end, Junior Sister Siyiao has to choose three suitors to have dinner with."
"Ah, Junior Sister really has quite the temper… but never mind that."
"Anyway, she didn't want to do it, so she ran away. But now that she was brought back, she couldn't refuse anymore. In the end, both sides compromised, and Junior Sister Siyiao chose just one person to have dinner with."
"And do you know who that person is?"
Only now did Jiang Kai suddenly remember—he had come to confess to Chang Siyiao. How did he end up becoming addicted to ancient martial arts, practically becoming an Azurecloud disciple…
"Ahem, who did she choose?"
"Of course she chose you!" the disciple said excitedly.