Chapter 75: My Father Used to Make Me Wooden Swords

Wei Zhuang and Gai Nie stand on either side holding their swords and set out into their respective stances.

One is Horizontal, another Vertical.

Gu Nan frowns slightly. When she first started out learning swords, she had the feeling that the Horizontal and Vertical of Ghost Valley Master’s techniques are mutually exclusive.

She raised such question when she first learned them from the Ghost Valley Master. But he only told her with a smile that it is fine to learn the swordsmanship of both the Horizontal and Vertical as long as she does not touch the philosophies behind them.

Gu Nan only studied the swordsmanship and thus could practice both the Vertical and Horizontal. However, when she started to include breathing techniques into the practice of swords, she soon noticed the increasing opposition between the two.

Gu Nan internally frowns at the discovery. Martial arts within the same sect should originate from the same source, and therefore even though there could be minute differences among various approaches, they should fundamentally feel similar.

Yet, the two sets of martial arts under this sect are so drastically distinct from each other to the extent that Gu Nan almost suspected them to be from two separate sects hostile against each other.

Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang start to practice. Their swords are bright and exquisite, notable given their ages.

But Gu Nan only looks at them for a little while before she lowers her head and starts shaving wood using the Guardless.  

The Political Strategist…While shaving the wood, Gu Nan falls into thoughts about this sect with very few members.

*Political Strategist, in literal translation means the sect of the horizontal and vertical, where horizontal means rally up states against Qin, and vertical means connecting with Qin to protect oneself.*

Whatever, I will leave at it and ask the old man about it.

Thinking so, Gu Nan looks at the two people wielding swords in the field. Observing the differences in their techniques, she gradually cuts the wood into shape.

The swordplay lasts for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and the two pieces of wood by Gu Nan’s hand turn into a pair of ugly looking wooden swords.

The handles are askew, handguards not in a clear shape, and blades uneven and pitted.

Well, they still count as swords in her eyes.

From others’ perspectives, these two pieces of junk can barely be used as firewood.

Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang steps forward and stand in front of Gu Nan in bewilderment. “Senior sister, what is that for?”

They have already laid foundation of internal energy, so they are more endurant than average people and hence yet to feel tired practicing a set of swordplay.

From just moments ago, they saw Gu Nan grinding and carving two pieces of woods as if making something, and now the woods are turned into things they cannot recognize.

Realizing that what she just made is far worse than her imagination, Gu Nan purses her lips.

I won’t buy this nonsense…

That’s just two wooden sticks…

“That’s it for today. Come back here tomorrow. I have other works to do now!” After saying so, Gu Nan gets up and leaves.

Before she leaves, she even tells Xiao Lu to bring more of these woods to her room.

Even though depressed by such waste of firewood, Xiao Lu can do nothing but letting it be.

Only the painting fair sitting aside playing qin seems to notice something and secretly smiles covering her mouth.

She is still like this, so childish.

On the next day, by the time when Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang arrive at the courtyard, Gu Nan is already there with two wooden swords.

The styles of the wooden swords are roughly the same, but there are still differences in detail. They are a little bit smaller than the real ones but actually a good fit to Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang.

Although not well polished, the two wooden swords are much better than the first two. At least, they look like swords this time.

Gu Nan weighs the swords using her hands; they are too light for her but should be just right to the two children.

“Take them.” She tosses the wooden swords to the two.

“Your wrists are not fully grown yet, and the length and weight of bronze swords should be too much to you.”

Saying so, she points toward the wooden swords: “Try those.”

By Gu Nan’s tired looking expression, it seems that it took her a lot of time to make the two swords.

Wei Zhuang takes the wooden sword with a complicated expression, and mumbles: “Using a wooden sword is just like little children fooling around.”

After he swings it a little bit, he retrieves it back to his waist position where the bronze sword used to be.

Once upon a time, he used to be jealous of other kids whose fathers make them wooden swords. He could only look at them from far away until seen by them and waved away.

“It is easy to use. I will take it for now.”

For the first time, a sense of smile creeps up his always stern look face.

With a gloomy expression, Gu Nan knocks on Wei Zhuang’s head.

“Why do you hit me!”

“I just want to!”

Gai Nie holds the wooden sword, stupefied. After a while, he hangs it at his waist with a smile.

Not good at words, he says: “Thank you, senior sister.”

“Learn from your elder brother.”

“I am the eldest one!”

“Clap!” Another hit. This time, Wei Zhuang falls silent.

“Then, he still counts as your senior brother!”

The work in the barracks have been arranged these days. It is also Gu Nan’s assessment to let them train themselves. Afterall, she will check on their progress in a month.

It should have been a hard-earned leisure time, but she has to spend it on the kids at home, and that makes her feel really bad.

Wei Zhuang and Gai Nie are pretty much at the same place in terms of progress.

But it seems that Gai Nie who entered the sect earlier has a more solid foundation.

His sword is very similar to the Ghost Valley Master’s, as both pursue the realms in swords. In other words, his sword is more rigorous.

Wei Zhuang seems to want to make something of his own. But due to his lack of work in swordsmanship, his sword looks weird and nondescript.

Gu Nan gives them the advice to both go down the main path initially, and only decide where they want to go when they reach the crossroad.

Given their progress at the moment, they are far from even seeing the crossroad yet.

In fact, given the sword realm Gu Nan is in, it should be hard for her to see anything as well. However, since she only pursues quickness and the narrow path of life and death, her sword is pure and therefore she does not need to be concerned about realms.

To explain in the words of Five Swords, Wei Zhuang and Gai Nie should both be at the Sword realm, and it is hard to speed up their progress of insights in swords.

However, as long as the theory of Five Swords is practical in this world, her training method should be practical as well.

Chapter 75: My Father Used to Make Me Wooden Swords

Wei Zhuang and Gai Nie stand on either side holding their swords and set out into their respective stances.

One is Horizontal, another Vertical.

Gu Nan frowns slightly. When she first started out learning swords, she had the feeling that the Horizontal and Vertical of Ghost Valley Master’s techniques are mutually exclusive.

She raised such question when she first learned them from the Ghost Valley Master. But he only told her with a smile that it is fine to learn the swordsmanship of both the Horizontal and Vertical as long as she does not touch the philosophies behind them.

Gu Nan only studied the swordsmanship and thus could practice both the Vertical and Horizontal. However, when she started to include breathing techniques into the practice of swords, she soon noticed the increasing opposition between the two.

Gu Nan internally frowns at the discovery. Martial arts within the same sect should originate from the same source, and therefore even though there could be minute differences among various approaches, they should fundamentally feel similar.

Yet, the two sets of martial arts under this sect are so drastically distinct from each other to the extent that Gu Nan almost suspected them to be from two separate sects hostile against each other.

Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang start to practice. Their swords are bright and exquisite, notable given their ages.

But Gu Nan only looks at them for a little while before she lowers her head and starts shaving wood using the Guardless.  

The Political Strategist…While shaving the wood, Gu Nan falls into thoughts about this sect with very few members.

*Political Strategist, in literal translation means the sect of the horizontal and vertical, where horizontal means rally up states against Qin, and vertical means connecting with Qin to protect oneself.*

Whatever, I will leave at it and ask the old man about it.

Thinking so, Gu Nan looks at the two people wielding swords in the field. Observing the differences in their techniques, she gradually cuts the wood into shape.

The swordplay lasts for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and the two pieces of wood by Gu Nan’s hand turn into a pair of ugly looking wooden swords.

The handles are askew, handguards not in a clear shape, and blades uneven and pitted.

Well, they still count as swords in her eyes.

From others’ perspectives, these two pieces of junk can barely be used as firewood.

Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang steps forward and stand in front of Gu Nan in bewilderment. “Senior sister, what is that for?”

They have already laid foundation of internal energy, so they are more endurant than average people and hence yet to feel tired practicing a set of swordplay.

From just moments ago, they saw Gu Nan grinding and carving two pieces of woods as if making something, and now the woods are turned into things they cannot recognize.

Realizing that what she just made is far worse than her imagination, Gu Nan purses her lips.

I won’t buy this nonsense…

That’s just two wooden sticks…

“That’s it for today. Come back here tomorrow. I have other works to do now!” After saying so, Gu Nan gets up and leaves.

Before she leaves, she even tells Xiao Lu to bring more of these woods to her room.

Even though depressed by such waste of firewood, Xiao Lu can do nothing but letting it be.

Only the painting fair sitting aside playing qin seems to notice something and secretly smiles covering her mouth.

She is still like this, so childish.

On the next day, by the time when Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang arrive at the courtyard, Gu Nan is already there with two wooden swords.

The styles of the wooden swords are roughly the same, but there are still differences in detail. They are a little bit smaller than the real ones but actually a good fit to Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang.

Although not well polished, the two wooden swords are much better than the first two. At least, they look like swords this time.

Gu Nan weighs the swords using her hands; they are too light for her but should be just right to the two children.

“Take them.” She tosses the wooden swords to the two.

“Your wrists are not fully grown yet, and the length and weight of bronze swords should be too much to you.”

Saying so, she points toward the wooden swords: “Try those.”

By Gu Nan’s tired looking expression, it seems that it took her a lot of time to make the two swords.

Wei Zhuang takes the wooden sword with a complicated expression, and mumbles: “Using a wooden sword is just like little children fooling around.”

After he swings it a little bit, he retrieves it back to his waist position where the bronze sword used to be.

Once upon a time, he used to be jealous of other kids whose fathers make them wooden swords. He could only look at them from far away until seen by them and waved away.

“It is easy to use. I will take it for now.”

For the first time, a sense of smile creeps up his always stern look face.

With a gloomy expression, Gu Nan knocks on Wei Zhuang’s head.

“Why do you hit me!”

“I just want to!”

Gai Nie holds the wooden sword, stupefied. After a while, he hangs it at his waist with a smile.

Not good at words, he says: “Thank you, senior sister.”

“Learn from your elder brother.”

“I am the eldest one!”

“Clap!” Another hit. This time, Wei Zhuang falls silent.

“Then, he still counts as your senior brother!”

The work in the barracks have been arranged these days. It is also Gu Nan’s assessment to let them train themselves. Afterall, she will check on their progress in a month.

It should have been a hard-earned leisure time, but she has to spend it on the kids at home, and that makes her feel really bad.

Wei Zhuang and Gai Nie are pretty much at the same place in terms of progress.

But it seems that Gai Nie who entered the sect earlier has a more solid foundation.

His sword is very similar to the Ghost Valley Master’s, as both pursue the realms in swords. In other words, his sword is more rigorous.

Wei Zhuang seems to want to make something of his own. But due to his lack of work in swordsmanship, his sword looks weird and nondescript.

Gu Nan gives them the advice to both go down the main path initially, and only decide where they want to go when they reach the crossroad.

Given their progress at the moment, they are far from even seeing the crossroad yet.

In fact, given the sword realm Gu Nan is in, it should be hard for her to see anything as well. However, since she only pursues quickness and the narrow path of life and death, her sword is pure and therefore she does not need to be concerned about realms.

To explain in the words of Five Swords, Wei Zhuang and Gai Nie should both be at the Sword realm, and it is hard to speed up their progress of insights in swords.

However, as long as the theory of Five Swords is practical in this world, her training method should be practical as well.