Luke had not expected the man to notice anything through the concealment of his Stealth Arts.
"Wuju sword intent?"
He feigned confusion, then released a faint trace of Wuju sword intent from his body. "Are you talking about this? I happened to comprehend it by chance."
Everyone present sensed the sword intent that emerged in that instant. Akali realized it was yet another form of sword intent, but fortunately, she had already grown accustomed to such things.
Anyone unfamiliar with Luke might refuse to believe such an outrageous humblebrag, but she believed him completely.
After all, this guy could comprehend sword intent while lying around doing nothing.
Wukong froze. The sword intent felt strangely familiar. He could recognize sword intent, and this one seemed remarkably similar to the aura surrounding Yi.
Yi's expression filled with shock, and he could no longer maintain his usual composure.
Wukong had known him for a long time, yet this was the first time he had ever seen Yi make such an expression.
"You comprehended it by chance?"
Disbelief entered Yi's voice. He stared at Luke as though looking at something beyond all reason. "Are you saying you had never encountered Wuju before?"
"I had never even visited Ionia before this," Luke replied. "I'd never heard of Wuju either."
The atmosphere seemed to freeze.
Yi fell silent, uncertain how he should react.
Wuju Swordsmanship had been passed down through the school for centuries. Throughout that time, the school had remained secluded deep within the mountains. There was no possibility that its teachings could have spread outside.
More importantly, this was sword intent. Even among the school's disciples, very few were capable of comprehending it.
Yet someone who had never encountered Wuju had somehow comprehended Wuju sword intent?
No matter how long Yi considered it, he could not find any reasonable explanation. Nevertheless, it had undeniably happened.
He could not possibly have mistaken the sword intent Luke had released.
It was genuine Wuju sword intent.
Wukong scratched his head in confusion. "If you'd never encountered Wuju, how did you comprehend its sword intent?"
"It happened on a pleasant, sunny afternoon. I was relaxing in a rocking chair in my courtyard..."
Luke spoke slowly.
When he did not continue, Wukong could not help asking, "And then?"
Luke looked at him. "Then I comprehended it."
Wukong stared at him.
Everyone fell silent.
The atmosphere froze once again.
Akali sighed. Fortunately, she had already tempered her patience. Otherwise, the way this guy talked would have made her punch him long ago.
What did he mean, he simply comprehended it?
Did the first half of his story have even the slightest connection to that conclusion?
Ahri merely blinked her large eyes, thinking that Luke sounded extremely impressive.
Yi's expression went blank as Luke's words battered everything he believed he understood.
Yi had always considered himself extraordinarily talented.
Everyone in the school had thought the same. It had taken him only ten days after entering the Wuju School to awaken sword intent.
He had been praised as a genius who appeared only once in a century. After one year of training, his sword intent reached initial mastery. Two years later, he achieved greater mastery.
At only twenty-four years old, he had already been known within the school as a young master.
Yet he had never relaxed for a single moment while reaching that point. He held himself to strict standards every day and trained harder and more diligently than anyone else.
If this man had comprehended sword intent while lying in a rocking chair, without ever having encountered Wuju before, then just how extraordinary was his talent?
Wukong looked at Luke suspiciously. "You're not lying to us, are you? I don't believe you."
Luke smiled. "There's no way for me to prove it. I can't exactly recreate that moment."
Akali spoke in a distant voice. "Take my advice and believe him."
"That somehow makes it sound even more suspicious!"
Wukong scratched his head again, then apparently decided he could not be bothered to think about it anymore. He stood and pulled a collapsible enchanted staff from his back, planting its end against the floor.
"If you're really that amazing, then you must be strong. Come outside and fight me. Let me see what you're really made of!"
If this man was as extraordinary as he claimed, then he had to possess considerable strength.
If he could not even defeat Wukong, then he was nothing more than a third-rate poser who talked big without having the strength to back it up.
Comprehending sword intent while lying around, with someone else supporting his claims from the sidelines, all that boasting was nothing but meaningless nonsense.
Luke merely shook his head calmly. "Forget it. You're not my opponent."
"How would you know before we fight?"
Wukong grew annoyed. His enchanted staff glowed with golden light, and a sudden gust swept toward the three travelers, causing sparks to dance from the fire.
"Wukong, don't be rude."
Yi stood and placed a hand on Wukong's shoulder, suppressing his agitation.
"Why are you stopping me? It's only a spar. I'm not going to hurt him!" Wukong stared challengingly at Luke. "After talking yourself up so much, don't tell me you're afraid of me."
Yet all he saw in Luke's eyes was calmness.
It differed from Yi's calmness. Yi's tranquility radiated outward from within. Even if a mountain collapsed before him, his expression would not change. It was the discipline he had cultivated since childhood.
Luke's calmness, however, came from confidence.
Wukong's provocations had not caused even the slightest ripple in his emotions. Luke seemed not to care at all, as though Wukong's words were no more significant than a raindrop landing on his clothes.
Wukong had never been dismissed like this before.
He was not weak. In fact, he was extremely strong. Throughout his hundreds of spars with Yi, he had even managed to win a few times.
Luke's gaze only intensified his competitive spirit. Had Yi not been holding him back, he would have charged over to discover what Luke was truly capable of.
"Please forgive my companion."
Yi stepped in front of Wukong and bowed slightly in apology to the three travelers. He then straightened and looked at Luke.
"I have one more question, and I'm extremely curious to hear the answer. What level has your sword intent currently reached?"
At the very least, Yi was certain that Luke was someone born to practice Wuju.
As for his sword intent, after some thought, Yi decided Luke had probably only just crossed the threshold.
That would still be understandable.
Akali frowned at him. "You've asked us plenty of questions. Shouldn't you introduce yourselves as well?"
"I come from the Wuju School, and I am the last master of Wuju. The sword intent this gentleman just released was the Wuju sword intent of our school. That is why I have so many questions."
Yi did not conceal anything and briefly introduced Wuju.
The moment Akali first heard the name Wuju School, she had searched her memory but could not recall ever hearing about it.
Then again, Ionia had many secluded schools.
The more important question was how Luke had managed to comprehend the sword intent of someone else's school.
However, this guy could not be judged by ordinary logic. Unable to think of any explanation, Akali simply emptied her mind and decided to let events unfold.
"So you're a master of Wuju."
Luke rose and released his Wuju sword intent. "I happened to comprehend this sword intent by chance. It has now reached perfection."
As his words fell, the faint sword intent he had released moments ago suddenly began surging in power.
The intangible will seemed to become solid. An immense wave of sword intent swept through the entire temple. At the moment it was fully unleashed, even the rain outside seemed to pause for an instant.
Everyone within that powerful sword intent felt the air become heavy, making it difficult to breathe.
This was perfected sword intent, a level that only an extremely small number of people ever had the opportunity to reach.
As the unmistakable presence of perfected Wuju sword intent filled the temple, Yi completely lost his composure. His eyes widened in overwhelming shock, and everything he believed he understood came crashing down.
Wukong's expression also changed. He felt tremendous pressure coming from Luke, even greater than when he faced Yi directly.
He had never seen Yi release perfected sword intent.
Unexpectedly, the first time he experienced it was from someone else.
Luke withdrew his sword intent. "That is the sword intent I comprehended."
"Perfected. It's actually perfected..."
Yi seemed not to hear him. He murmured to himself before raising his head. When he looked at Luke again, a burning intensity had appeared in his eyes.
He had never encountered Wuju, yet he had comprehended perfected Wuju sword intent.
An innate Wuju constitution.
It was not impossible.
Wuju itself was a state pursued by countless people.
Wuju meant the absence of ego, form, appearance, sound, color, beginning, end, limits, and boundaries. It was the origin of all things, and at its foundation, it could be found within everything in life.
Anyone could potentially comprehend Wuju. The probability was never truly zero.
Otherwise, how had the first founder of the Wuju School originally comprehended it?
However, someone who directly comprehended perfected Wuju sword intent had most likely never appeared before and would never appear again.
Yi knew he had encountered an extraordinarily rare opportunity.
He carried the responsibility of restoring Wuju. As its last successor, he could not allow Wuju to disappear from the world.
He had to bring this man into the Wuju School and teach him everything he knew.
Yi made his decision. He looked at Luke as though he had discovered a priceless treasure and was unwilling to let him leave under any circumstances.
After reorganizing his thoughts, he spoke. "To tell you the truth, only my disciple Wukong and I remain of the Wuju School. You comprehended Wuju sword intent on your own, which demonstrates extraordinary talent. Would you be willing to join Wuju? If you agree, I will teach you everything I know about Wuju Swordsmanship."
Luke's eyes lit up.
He had been showing off for so long precisely because he had been waiting to hear those words.
Wuju Swordsmanship was something he had wanted for a very long time.
After thinking briefly, he said, "I'm willing to join, but Wuju doesn't have too many restrictive rules, does it? I have no intention of letting anyone control my life."
"In the past, disciples of the Wuju School were forbidden from leaving the mountain. They were expected to spend their entire lives in seclusion. Now, however, only the two of us remain. Those rules have long since become meaningless."
Yi sighed, and a trace of loneliness crossed his eyes.
"Your temperament differs greatly from Wukong's impatience. He will still need many years before he can truly comprehend Wuju. With talent like yours, your strength may not be inferior to mine. Once you join, I will merely be passing down our predecessors' swordsmanship on their behalf.
"My only reason for doing this is that I want Wuju to survive."
Too few practitioners of Wuju remained, and the tragedy was ultimately Yi's fault.
When war had engulfed the land, he had been unable to stand aside. He violated the school's laws, descended from the mountain, and drove back the enemy.
Inspired by his actions, many of his fellow Wuju disciples also left the mountain, but that drew the enemy's attention.
Then came an inferno of alchemical flames, a force that no sword could stop. The culture of Wuju was completely annihilated.
When Yi returned home, all he found were ruins and a lifetime of regret.
He had done everything within his power except the one thing that mattered most.
He had failed to protect his school.
For a time, he had wanted to end his own life. Had Wukong's unyielding determination and refusal to surrender not inspired him, there would no longer be anyone named Yi in this world.
From that moment onward, Yi understood what he had to do.
He had to restore the culture of Wuju.
All of Wuju's greatest treasures remained preserved within his mind, and for that, he had his younger, endlessly diligent self to thank.
Now Luke's appearance had shown him tremendous hope.
It was as though Yi's fallen predecessors and fellow disciples had sent him a blessing, allowing him to finally see that his persistence had not been in vain.
Luke no longer hesitated. He pressed his palms together and bowed.
"I, Luke, am willing to enter the Wuju School."
Wuju Swordsmanship was something he had wanted to learn for a very long time.
Master Yi was also a hero he deeply respected.
There was no need to pretend otherwise.
Akali blinked. After thinking for a moment, she also stood and bowed.
She was Luke's student, after all. If Luke joined Wuju, then it seemed she had been dragged into joining as well.
Of course, she had no objections.
Wuju sounded quite impressive.
Yi and Wukong bowed to them in return, completing the greeting between members of the same school.
"From now on, we may address each other as senior and junior brothers," Yi said after straightening. "I will teach you everything Wuju has to offer."
"In that case, let's begin immediately," Luke said eagerly.
"Immediately?"
Yi was briefly taken aback. He was not in such a hurry himself, but after considering that they had nothing else to do, he nodded.
"Very well. I will begin by teaching you Wuju Swordsmanship. Let us move outside the temple."
Wukong still had not figured out how Luke had suddenly become one of his seniors within the school. He watched in bewilderment as the two walked outside.
Rain was still pouring heavily.
Ahri, Akali, and Wukong sat near the temple entrance, watching the two men face each other in the downpour.
Upon closer inspection, they noticed that no matter how heavily the rain fell, it seemed to strike a faint barrier around the two men and could not touch them.
Akali narrowed her eyes and extended a hand outside.
The rain immediately soaked it.
She knew her current level was still far from theirs.
"Before we begin, I have another question," Luke said as he stood in the rain, using his Righteous Aura as a raincoat. "We only met today. Are you truly comfortable teaching me your swordsmanship so easily?"
"Under ordinary circumstances, I would probably observe you for a long time first."
Yi used Wuju energy to keep off the rain, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
"However, the moment I first saw the three of you, I knew you weren't evil. Those who possess a Spirit's Blessing are rare even in Ionia. You are worthy of inheriting Wuju."
The Seven Lenses of Insight allowed him to see many things.
Naturally, he had also seen the Spirit's Blessing carried by all three of them.
It was proof that they had earned the recognition of this land. Ordinary people could not possess such a blessing, and evil people were even less likely to receive one.
Although theirs was only a basic Spirit's Blessing, it was still extraordinarily precious.
Luke nodded slightly after hearing the explanation. "I see."
This was one of the benefits of receiving a Spirit's Blessing.
In the strange land of Ionia, it was essentially a built-in charm that immediately improved people's impressions of its bearer.
Without the Spirit's Blessing, no matter how monstrous Luke's talent appeared, Yi probably would not have decided so easily to teach him Wuju Swordsmanship.
"I will begin by teaching you the foundations of Wuju Swordsmanship. With your talent, diligent practice should allow you to master them."
Yi drew his sword, preparing to teach Luke carefully from the very beginning.
Luke nodded and observed him seriously.
Yi's steps became light, and his body began to move. He seemed to dance with his sword in the rain, every motion graceful and natural. He blended perfectly with the downpour, displaying a simplicity that could only come from complete mastery.
Just from watching his sword dance, Akali knew Yi was anything but ordinary.
Luke immediately saw that Yi's comprehension of Wuju Swordsmanship had most likely reached its absolute peak.
The Yi performing before him was one of Ionia's genuine powerhouses, a warrior among the land's highest level combatants.
He had once defeated an entire Noxian legion by himself and escaped unharmed.
His strength was unfathomable. Even with Luke's current abilities, he was not confident he could reliably defeat Yi in a contest of pure swordsmanship.
"The essence of Wuju lies within the state of mind. The body and mind must become one. You must remain peaceful at all times, neither arrogant nor impatient, and approach everything with sufficient patience. Once your heart becomes steady, your sword will naturally become swift."
As Yi spoke, his movements accelerated.
His sword moved so quickly that it dazzled the eyes, as if every individual raindrop could be sliced in half.
Every motion displayed the presence of a true master.
After completing the demonstration, Yi came to a steady halt and looked at Luke.
"I believe you will comprehend Wuju Swordsmanship very quickly. If there is anything you don't understand, you may ask me freely."
"I don't have many questions. We can begin the actual training."
Luke drew his longsword and entered a rare state of complete seriousness.
Seeing his expression, Yi felt reassured and began earnestly teaching him Wuju Swordsmanship.
As the night grew darker, the two practiced their swords beneath the moon and rain.
Luke's extraordinary aptitude revealed its full effect at that moment. His comprehension of Wuju Swordsmanship began improving at astonishing speed.
[Congratulations, Host. You have learned Wuju Swordsmanship LV1.]
[Congratulations, Host. You have learned Wuju Swordsmanship LV2.]
[Congratulations, Host. You have learned Wuju Swordsmanship LV3.]
Only half an hour passed before Yi's emotions were disturbed once again.
Luke's sword movements were becoming increasingly skilled, while his actions grew more fluid and natural.
He had clearly already grasped the fundamentals.
How much time had passed?
Yi did not know that this was only the beginning.
"Next, let's spar. Practical combat is the fastest way to improve."
Luke gripped his longsword and looked eagerly at Yi.
Yi nodded. "Very well."
The two began sparring in the rain.
At first, to the three people watching from the temple entrance, it resembled an adult toying with a child.
Luke could not block Yi's sword at all and was forced to retreat step by step.
Naturally, Luke used only the Wuju Swordsmanship he had just learned. He did not employ any of his other related abilities.
Under those conditions, he found Yi's sword astonishingly fast and extraordinarily steady. Every strike placed considerable pressure on him.
Yi was clearly not using his full strength either.
Under such pressure, Luke's improvement was visible to the naked eye.
Akali and the others watched as Luke went from barely managing to defend himself to gradually keeping pace with Yi's rhythm.
[Congratulations, Host. Wuju Swordsmanship has increased to LV4.]
[Congratulations, Host. Wuju Swordsmanship has increased to LV5.]
Two more system notifications sounded within Luke's mind.
His mastery of Wuju Swordsmanship had already reached an advanced level.
From beginning to end, it had taken him only one hour.
Yi's shock was visible on his face. Luke's Wuju Swordsmanship had already reached a level comparable to the average disciples of the school.
It was already practical enough to be used in real combat.
What kind of talent was this?
What sort of monster was he?
Even Yi, who had spent his entire life cultivating his state of mind, could no longer remain calm. Enormous waves surged within his heart.
Had he not personally watched Luke's swordsmanship progress from nothing to its current level, he would have suspected that Luke was a disciple secretly trained by one of the school's former masters.
It was utterly inconceivable.
He had raised his swordsmanship to this level in such a short amount of time.
Luke could now withstand Yi's offense, but he noticed his progress beginning to slow.
Without hesitation, he used two Intermediate Skill Upgrade Cards from his system inventory.
"Upgrade!"
[Skill Cards successfully used.]
[Wuju Swordsmanship has increased to LV7.]
Countless new insights immediately appeared within Luke's mind, and he absorbed them rapidly.
Yi instantly sensed Luke's swordplay becoming even sharper. His proficiency had already reached an impressively high level.
Was this actually real?
Yi could not calm himself at all. Forget maintaining inner peace, it was already an accomplishment that his composure had not completely collapsed in Luke's presence.
Wuju Swordsmanship was naturally difficult to learn, and the school had only ever selected talented disciples.
Even so, many of its students had become trapped at various stages of their training.
Yet those bottlenecks seemed not to exist for Luke.
His skill had already reached a level that was not inferior to most of the school's former disciples.
"You can start taking this more seriously now," Luke said with a smile as he began increasing his strength.
Even Yi felt a slight amount of pressure and became more serious as well.
"I never expected you to improve this quickly. In that case, neither of us needs to hold back as much."
He still did not use his full power, but he was now fighting seriously.
His sword suddenly accelerated, and his body vanished from where he stood.
Like a streak of light, he appeared directly in front of Luke.
Luke immediately raised his sword and blocked the strike.
Both men fought using Wuju Swordsmanship. Their bodies wove through the rain in a blur, and their movements were so fast that they dazzled the eyes. Emerald light flashed intermittently around them. The force of their swords created a barrier that split the falling rain around the battlefield.
Wukong's eyes widened.
He had fought Yi hundreds of times, so he understood better than anyone how monstrous Luke's improvement truly was.
He suddenly felt ridiculous for having wanted to challenge Luke earlier.
Akali watched Luke's astonishing transformation and sighed. She had grown numb enough to accept it.
Ahri watched with wide eyes, becoming even more convinced that Luke was incredible. Her gaze remained intently fixed on him.
Finally, after their blades collided once more, the two separated.
Luke pressed his palms together and bowed. "Thank you for the instruction."
Yi looked at Luke and unconsciously smiled. He withdrew his sword energy, allowing the rain to fall upon his body.
He could no longer remember how long it had been since he had experienced the feeling of sparring with a fellow member of his school.
He missed it terribly, yet the memory also brought him tremendous pain.
Teacher, perhaps your spirit can see this.
Wuju finally has a future.
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