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The chilling brilliance reflected by the Sunlight Blade and Moonlight Sword made Lin Ning feel as if he were in a dream. Cong Jiang, with a serious expression, said to Lin Ning, "Ning'er, these Sunlight Blade and Moonlight Sword are relics left by Master Yuan and his wife. With these incredibly sharp weapons, killing that treacherous Yang Yan is just a matter of time. From today onwards, I will teach you the techniques from The Art of Sun and Moon. Once you master the skills in this manual, we will return to the Sun Moon Gang to settle accounts with Yang Yan."
Lin Ning nodded, and Cong Jiang took out a book wrapped in red satin from a hidden compartment at the bottom of the rosewood box. The title "The Art of Sun and Moon" was inscribed in large characters on its cover. Cong Jiang handed the book to Lin Ning, saying, "This manual contains the lifelong efforts of Leader Yuan and Shen Chen. Study it carefully, and if you have any questions, come to me."
Lin Ning treasured it like a precious gem, carefully placing The Art of Sun and Moon into his bosom. Cong Jiang then handed the Sunlight Blade to Lin Ning, saying, "You will practice the sword techniques from this manual with the Sunlight Blade. I will give the Moonlight Sword to Rong'er. When you two use Sword and Blade in Harmony together, it will greatly enhance the martial arts from The Art of Sun and Moon."
Lin Ning replied, "Yes, Uncle Cong."
After they retrieved the weapons, Lin Ning returned to the bamboo house but could no longer sleep. He took out The Art of Sun and Moon from his bosom and began to flip through it. The Art of Sun and Moon advocated for dual cultivation of men and women through Sword and Blade in Harmony. The book was divided into four major martial arts secrets: "Radiance of Sun and Moon," "Brightness of Sun and Moon," "Splendor of Sun and Moon," and "Time of Sun and Moon." The male protagonist practiced "Radiance of Sun and Moon" and "Brightness of Sun and Moon," while the female protagonist trained in "Splendor of Sun and Moon" and "Time of Sun and Moon."
Sword and Blade in Harmony shone brilliantly, sharp and unstoppable. The martial arts mastery within The Art of Sun and Moon was as unfathomable as an abyss, reaching an unparalleled height—truly a pinnacle of martial arts that had achieved perfection, leaving all other martial arts far behind! It was also the ultimate ideal that every martial artist dreamed of attaining.
Lin Ning drew out the Sunlight Blade and stood by the stream in front of the bamboo house, practicing the mantra of Radiance of Sun and Moon from The Art of Sun and Moon. The manual detailed various knife techniques such as chopping, slicing, striking, thrusting, shaving, cleaving, and sweeping, each requiring different strengths in the wrist. Lin Ning committed each of these mantras to memory. As the blade of the sword glimmered, the leaves rustled gently, and fallen flowers drifted downstream. It wasn't until the sun rose that colorful shadows danced through the tree branches and illuminated the valley. Exhausted, Lin Ning lay down on the bamboo bed and fell into a deep sleep.
He didn't know how long he had slept when a fragrant aroma of roasted frog wafted into his dreams, waking him up. He opened his eyes to see a steaming bowl of braised frog placed on the bamboo table. Lin Ning got out of bed and finished the bowl in no time. Just then, the door of the bamboo house was gently pushed open, and Cong Rong walked in with a bright smile on her face. She held a set of freshly made clothes and said to Lin Ning, "Big Brother, I noticed your old clothes were worn out, so I made you a new set. Hurry up and change into it!"
Lin Ning saw that the color of the new clothes matched perfectly with the light blue fabric Cong Rong had woven yesterday at the spinning wheel. Feeling a bit flustered, he scratched his head and said, "Rong'er, how did you finish making them so quickly?" Cong Rong smiled lightly and replied, "Yes, I stayed up all night to make these for you. You should try them on quickly to see if they fit."
Lin Ning looked down at his own clothes, which had a hole in the front, and he smiled awkwardly. Cong Rong stepped out of the bamboo house while Lin Ning quickly changed into his new clothes. They fit perfectly. Thinking about how Cong Rong had stayed up all night just to make them for him touched Lin Ning's heart. He picked a handful of wildflowers from the stream nearby and handed them to Cong Rong, saying, "Thank you so much, Rong'er, for working so hard to make these clothes for me."
Seeing Cong Rong's gentle smile was enchanting and made him think of Hu Xueyan. He wished Xue Yin's sister were here right now; he wondered how she was doing. Noticing his dazed expression, Cong Rong couldn't help but smile and asked, "What’s wrong? Big Brother is thinking about someone?"
Lin Ning snapped back to reality with an "Ah," then changed the subject. "Rong'er, could you go get the Moonlight Sword? Uncle Cong wants us to practice The Art of Sun and Moon together."
"Yes," Cong Rong replied. "I almost forgot; that's our most important task right now."
Cong Rong brought the Moonlight Sword and began practicing swordsmanship according to the techniques in "The Art of Sun and Moon" called "Radiance of the Sun and Moon." The book provides detailed explanations for thrusting, chopping, hacking, slicing, sweeping, cutting, and cleaving, emphasizing the use of softness to overcome hardness and emptiness to strike reality. "Radiance of the Sun and Moon" and "Sun and Moon Light and Shadow" emphasize using softness to overcome hardness and striking with emptiness. "Radiance of the Sun and Moon" and "Sun and Moon Light and Brightness" focus on the vigorous masculine energy and powerful force. The masculine is yang, and the feminine is yin. The masculine force is fierce and overbearing, while the feminine force is gentle and enduring, two completely opposite forces. The strength of Sunlight Blade complements the softness of Moonlight Sword, making up for each other's weaknesses, achieving harmony between sword and blade, unstoppable and sharp as a bamboo breaking.
Yuan Qingtian wrote in "The Art of Sun and Moon": The state of combining hardness and softness is the process of transforming from the force of hardness to the force of softness. Too much hardness will break; hardness turns into softness, and softness can overcome hardness. Hardness cannot be sustained for long, as it will easily break; softness cannot be held, as it will surely scatter. The so-called "using softness to overcome hardness" means that overcoming hardness, riding on hardness, and controlling hardness are the essence of softness. Softness can overcome hardness, and hardness can also overcome softness. The key lies in the issue of "degree," and "in the world of martial arts, only speed does not break." Lin Ning secretly admires Yuan Qingtian's ability to see through the essence of things. All sword and blade techniques have flaws, but by executing them too quickly, the flaws vanish in an instant, and the opponent cannot grasp them, or even see them at all. Defeating the opponent before they notice your flaws is the way of a true king.
From "The Art of Sun and Moon," Lin Ning can feel the seamless coordination of male sword and female swordsman, and sense Yuan Qingtian's heroic and righteous Hero image. She can also feel Shen Chen's heroic and chivalrous demeanor. She imagines the couple traveling the rivers and lakes, upholding justice, and helping the weak and oppressed. Lin Ning wishes she could have been born twenty years earlier to witness the magnificence of these two heroes. This is exactly:
"River City. blade of a sword Shadow of the Sword"
After ten years of slumber, now comes the light,
Sunlight Blade! Moonlight Sword!
Sword and Blade in Harmony, who dares to compete?
Thinking back to the days of the same school,
Swordswomen Love! Heroic spirit!
passionate and unrestrained Roaming the rivers and lakes,
Justice in Action! Displaying one's might!
daydreaming, reliving past bravery!
The blade of the sword cut through the long sky, leading to sophistication! Lin Ning, upon thinking of that treacherous Yang Yan who had caused the deaths of his two most admired heroes, felt a surge of sorrow and anger within him. All that remained were the poignant and stirring legends of the martial world. Lin Ning resolved to master the techniques in "The Art of Sun and Moon" to eliminate Yang Yan and avenge Master Yuan Gang and his wife.
Cong Rong's martial arts were all taught by Cong Jiang. Her internal strength foundation is good, coupled with her keen intelligence and high comprehension, and with the guidance of Lin Ning and Cong Jiang, she has comprehended the essence of the "Sun and Moon Brilliance" and "Sun and Moon Shadow" techniques. Together with Lin Ning's Sunlight Blade, their movements were as skillful as a butcher's knife cutting through meat, effortless and smooth. Watching Cong Rong display the feminine beauty in her swordsmanship, Lin Ning suddenly realized that the swordsmanship in "The Art of Sun and Moon" was deeper. It appears gentle and lingering, but in reality, it contains hidden sharpness, capable of delivering a soft yet devastating blow to the opponent. The principle behind the sword moves is that excessive rigidity leads to breakage, and excessive strength leads to fragility. If the word "soft" is used well, a small force can solve a big problem. Of course, the premise is to "use it well" and grasp the right measure. Excessive softness leads to weakness, and weakness cannot solve any problem. Just like Tai Chi swordsmanship, it is the easiest to learn but the hardest to master. Because being slow is easy, but being powerful while being slow is very difficult. Lin Ning felt that the swordsmanship in "The Art of Sun and Moon" was intricately related to the swordsmanship in the "Tai Chi Mystery" of the Enze Sect. Both adhere to the principle of using softness to overcome hardness, but the swordsmanship in "The Art of Sun and Moon" emphasizes the harmony of movement and stillness, the combination of strength and softness, emptiness and clarity, and the interplay of swiftness and slowness. "Tai Chi Mystery" focuses more on dispersing to become qi, gathering to form shape, using intention to move qi, and using intention to strike. If the two swordsmanship styles could be perfectly combined, it might achieve the way of the sword's mastery.
From then on, Lin Ning practiced the swordsmanship of "Sun and Moon Brilliance" and "Sun and Moon Brightness" during the day when the sun was rising and the yang energy was strong, and practiced the swordsmanship of "Sun and Moon Shadow" and "Sun and Moon Brilliance" as well as the swordsmanship in "Tai Chi Mystery" at night when the moon was rising and the yin energy was revealed. On a full moon night, with the moon occasionally appearing and disappearing behind thin clouds, Lin Ning gazing at the round moon suddenly gained infinite inspiration. The moon represents stillness, adapting to change without changing; the clouds represent movement, able to influence the moon's radiance. Clouds and the moon are the perfect combination of movement and stillness. Movement can influence stillness, and stillness can also affect movement. Lin Ning was greatly inspired and created the perfect combination of "Tai Chi Mystery" and "Sun and Moon Brilliance" and "Sun and Moon Shadow" swordsmanship, naming it "Tai Chi Brilliance and Shadow." The swordsmanship of "Tai Chi Brilliance and Shadow" emphasizes the importance of following the opponent's movements and using force to counter force, highlighting the ability to act at will, unity of body and mind, and the integration of form and spirit. If the opponent is fast, the speed of this swordsmanship also increases accordingly, and if the opponent is slow, the movements of this swordsmanship also slow down.
Cong Jiang learned that Lin Ning had created "Tai Chi Brilliance and Shadow" and asked Lin Ning to spar with Cong Rong's "Sun and Moon Shadow" and "Sun and Moon Brilliance" using the techniques from "Tai Chi Brilliance and Shadow." Although Cong Rong had practiced these two swordsmanship styles extremely skillfully, she still lost to Lin Ning's "Tai Chi Brilliance and Shadow." Cong Jiang couldn't believe that "Tai Chi Brilliance and Shadow" had such great power. He decided to challenge Lin Ning with the swordsmanship from "Sun and Moon Brilliance" and "Sun and Moon Brightness." After only five or six dozen rounds, Cong Jiang lost to Lin Ning. Cong Jiang said to Lin Ning, "Now let's spar using the swordsmanship from 'The Art of Sun and Moon'." The two used the same swordsmanship to fight, which was a test of who had learned it more thoroughly and had higher skill. They fought for more than a hundred rounds, using the fast-paced techniques from "The Art of Sun and Moon." In the end, Cong Jiang revealed a flaw first, and his broadsword was knocked away by Lin Ning's Sunlight Blade. Cong Jiang sighed, "I am ashamed. I have practiced 'The Art of Sun and Moon' for more than twenty years, yet in just a few months, you have grasped it more thoroughly." Cong Jiang knew that the essence of martial arts mastered by Lin Ning had already surpassed the scope he could reach.
Suddenly, Cong Jiang knelt before Lin Ning, causing her to gasp in surprise. She hurriedly reached out to support him, saying, "Uncle Cong, what are you doing? You are embarrassing me." Cong Jiang replied, "Ning'er, you must promise me one thing, or I will die right here in front of you." Lin Ning stammered, "Uncle Cong, whatever it is, please stand up and tell me!" Cong Jiang shook his head and said, "If you do not agree to my request, I will not get up."
Lin Ning quickly responded, "Uncle Cong has saved my life; I will agree to anything you ask." Cong Jiang's face lit up with joy as he bowed three times to Lin Ning and said, "Cong Jiang, disciple of the Sun Moon Gang, pays respects to the leader!" Startled, Lin Ning also knelt before Cong Jiang and exclaimed, "Uncle Cong, I am too inexperienced to take on such a heavy responsibility."
With a serious expression, Cong Jiang replied, "Through my observations during this time, I know that your character and martial skills are top-notch. If you lead the Sun Moon Gang, it will surely flourish!" Lin Ning said, "I only managed to win a few moves against you because I had the Sunlight Blade in hand. I truly cannot accept the position of leader!"
Cong Jiang suddenly spoke sharply, "Are you really unwilling to become the leader of the Sun Moon Gang? Do you want me to die right here?" He drew his sword as if to strike his own neck. Lin Ning quickly stopped him and said, "Uncle Cong, please don’t do this! I promise I will accept!"
Cong Jiang's face brightened with delight as he took Cong Rong's hand and bowed together towards Lin Ning. "Cong Jiang and Cong Rong pay respects to the leader!" Lin Ning helped both father and daughter up and said, "We are now fellow disciples; I will call you Uncle from now on!"
Cong Jiang nodded and said, "Your swordsmanship comes from The Art of Sun and Moon. This book was written by Leader Yuan and Shen Chen; they are like your mentors. You should refer to them as Master and Master’s Wife from now on." Lin Ning replied, "Yes, Uncle!"
Lin Ning stood before a large tree with the Sunlight Blade and Moonlight Sword planted in the ground. Kneeling respectfully, she bowed three times and said, "Master Master’s Wife, please accept this bow from your disciple Lin Ning. If you have spirits in heaven, please bless me to avenge you both by killing Yang Yan the traitor."
Cong Jiang added from the side, "Indeed! Our most important task now is to eliminate Yang Yan, that ungrateful scoundrel!" The three of them made up their minds and decided to set off immediately for the Sun Moon Gang to seek revenge on Yang Yan. Cong Rong prepared enough food and water to ensure they could safely traverse the desert.
The three emerged from the hollow of a withered Paulownia tree into an endless expanse of desert. Using a homemade compass for navigation, they traveled south without rest for three days and nights until they finally exited the desolate wasteland. Along the way, they frequently encountered families fleeing south with their belongings. Lin Ning stopped a middle-aged man and asked, "What is happening? Why are so many people fleeing?" The man replied hurriedly, "Young brother, don’t you know? The Later Jin army has captured Guangning in Liaodong! We have lost our homes and can only escape south." With that, he ran off in a hurry.
Lin Ning was taken aback. He understood that Guangning's geographical position was crucial; its fall meant that the Ming Dynasty had lost another natural barrier against Nurhaci's advance toward Beijing. Nurhaci had gained ground once again. Lin Ning couldn't help but worry about Xiong Yanbi's fate. The factions were already attacking each other under the guise of patriotism; now that Guangning had fallen, both sides would surely blame Xiong Yanbi for their misfortunes. His situation would become extremely perilous.
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