Youth Must Be Seized Early; How Could One Remain Young Forever Chapter 134: The Elusive Sword Manual

"That will be all for today. Our next lesson will be in fifteen days, at this same location," Bai Qingzhou said, slowly rising to his feet.

The lecture had dragged on for six hours due to a barrage of questions, leaving his throat parched. He stood up and immediately declared the end of the session.

The disciples clearly felt there was more to learn, but with no other choice, they stood, bowed, and said in unison, "Farewell, Deacon Bai."

Bai Qingzhou gave a slight nod, cast a fleeting glance at a few familiar faces, and walked toward the door.

Stepping outside, he noticed several mortal servants waiting, including the four he had seen earlier that morning. Upon seeing him, they immediately bowed with cupped hands. Bai Qingzhou nodded briefly, then summoned his Immortal Wind Carving, a flight-capable artifact, and took to the sky. The maneuver drew a chorus of gasps from the mortals below.

Controlling the artifact, he returned to his small courtyard and leaped down from the air.

"Master, you've returned?" Ji Nian, who was embroidering in the gazebo, immediately greeted him.

Bai Qingzhou walked into the gazebo. Before she could bow, he said, "Brew some spirit tea."

"Right away!" Ji Nian responded, hurrying toward the kitchen.

Bai Qingzhou sat on a stone chair, feeling the scratchiness in his throat. He pondered, "I should probably bring a pot of spirit tea to lectures in the future. My throat can't take this otherwise."

He shook his head, and with a flick of his mind, a Spirit-Nurturing Pill appeared in his hand, which he promptly swallowed. "Time to clear my head with a pill..."

As the medicine settled, it transformed into a wave of potency that washed over his internal organs, steadily repairing his physical fatigue. However, the effect was far weaker than before; the medicinal power was nowhere near as potent, and his body’s response was significantly diminished.

Bai Qingzhou had noticed this trend. Since he had advanced to the late stage of Qi Refining, the efficacy of all first-tier pills had plummeted. The most severe case was the Qi-Refining Pill—whether due to overconsumption or its low quality, it now only offered a marginal boost to his meditation speed, a far cry from its previous benefits.

Feeling the sluggish effect of the Spirit-Nurturing Pill, Bai Qingzhou shook his head in frustration. There was simply nothing he could do to change this situation.

If he wanted better results, he would have to turn to second-tier pills. But those usually started at thirty spirit stones each—an expense his current wealth could not support if he wanted to consume them wantonly.

"Master, the spirit tea is ready." Ji Nian arrived carrying a teapot, set it steadily on the table, and nimbly poured him a cup.

"Good, you may go back to your tasks," Bai Qingzhou said with a smile, picking up the cup for a light sip.

He had bought these tea leaves while browsing the market. It was said they were transported from distant southern mountains, making them quite expensive—one spirit stone per catty. He had gritted his teeth to afford them. But quality came with a price; the spirit tea was effective, not only soothing his mind but also helping him achieve a state of inner calm.

Ji Nian had little else to do. Seeing that Bai Qingzhou had no further instructions, she sat nearby and returned to her embroidery, looking the picture of a refined young lady.

Bai Qingzhou didn't mind. He continued to circulate his energy to regulate his breath and slowly dissipate his remaining fatigue. The mountain gate was rich in spiritual energy, and the evening breeze was refreshing. He sat quietly in the gazebo, the wind occasionally stirring his hair.

Before long, Bai Qingzhou exhaled softly, feeling his fatigue had vanished. He stood up, downed the rest of his tea, and walked to the open space in the middle of the courtyard.

Watching his back, Ji Nian asked, "Master, are you going to practice your sword?"

"Indeed!"

As soon as he spoke, Bai Qingzhou summoned his White Sand Sword. His figure instantly blurred and vanished from where he stood, his presence becoming ethereal.

From Ji Nian’s perspective, she saw only a streak of silver light flickering incessantly in the courtyard—bright then dim, fast then slow. She could not catch sight of him at all. Even though she knew he was in the center of the courtyard, he remained invisible to her.

He was practicing the Ethereal Sword Manual, a high-grade Yellow-rank secret technique he had scoured from the market. This sword style was defined by its elusive, ghostly nature.

The author of the manual, Xu Yang, was the same person who had written the Bamboo Leaf Sword Manual Bai Qingzhou had previously practiced. Years of training had burned the Bamboo Leaf style into his muscle memory, so when he encountered the Ethereal Sword Manual, he mastered the first few moves instantly, without needing practice.

Although the initial descriptions were simple, the high-grade Yellow-rank manual lived up to its reputation; the subsequent sword techniques were remarkably ingenious, catching Bai Qingzhou off guard and filling him with excitement. It felt like the old days of practicing the Bamboo Leaf manual, and he was eager to study and refine this new set.

The Ethereal Sword Manual followed Xu Yang’s signature style: every strike aimed for strange, tricky angles, utilizing completely unexpected moves. It was extremely difficult to master, but fortunately, Bai Qingzhou possessed a natural talent for the sword, and his progress was steady.

After only a month of practice, he had already mastered the first nine forms. The entire manual consisted of eighteen, and he was now attempting to break through the tenth.

*Swoosh!*

The sword energy seemed to tear through the air, creating a sharp whistling sound that made Ji Nian, watching from the side, tremble with fear, worried that a stray blade of energy might strike her.

Her concerns were unnecessary; Bai Qingzhou’s control over his blade was precise, keeping the damage strictly contained and far from her.

After half an hour, Bai Qingzhou finished his practice and returned the longsword to his storage bag. The intense exertion left him drenched in sweat, steam rising from his body as he breathed heavily and walked toward the gazebo.

Before he even arrived, Ji Nian, who had been sitting still, jumped up. "Master, I’ll go prepare hot water for you right now!"

Bai Qingzhou nodded weakly, letting her go. He sat in his chair and began to slowly replenish the spiritual energy he had exhausted.

"Huff... the power has increased significantly, but I probably need a movement technique to fully unleash the potential of this sword style. And... practicing alone is still a bit slow," he mused.

Previously, he had always practiced with Ruan Xiuqi, but since the end of the funeral banquet, Ruan Xiuqi, Fan Tianhe, and Meng Li had all returned to the market to tend to their businesses. He had no one left to spar with.

"Wait..."

A spark of inspiration flashed through his mind.

"There is still one person who is free..."