Chapter 111: Great Gains
A Sword Saint is a peerless expert who has reached the Martial Saint level in the Dao of the Sword.
However, in the current era, it has been a long time since a being of the Sword Saint’s caliber has been born. The Great Yan Martial Saint is not known for his swordsmanship. Ning Qi speculated that the incomplete Sword Saint Legacy obtained by the Divine Sword Elder must have been left behind by a Sword Saint from a very long time ago.
Zhuang Chen began to recall what the Divine Sword Elder had taught him. Ever since he stepped into the Inner Yuan Realm, the Divine Sword Elder had begun to teach him bit by bit the Sword Saint Legacy he had obtained. During their escape, he had imparted all the remaining essence.
Fortunately, Zhuang Chen was born with a Sword Bone and possessed a unique comprehension of the Dao of the Sword, which allowed him to remember everything.
At this moment.
After organizing his thoughts, he slowly began to speak:
“The Sword Saint Legacy obtained by First Master was passed down from a senior named Azure Edge Sword Saint. It includes several cultivation secret techniques such as Azure Peak Sword Force, Azure Peak Sword Qi, and Azure Peak Secret Record. In addition, there are some secret techniques for combat and the Dao of the Sword.”
He first gave a general overview of the contents of the Sword Saint Legacy and then began to explain the Azure Peak Sword Force.
Ning Qi listened attentively.
His understanding of the Dao of the Sword deepened immediately.
The True Martial Sect also possessed supreme sword arts, but they were clearly not as exquisite as this. This perfectly filled the knowledge gap in Ning Qi’s understanding.
A long time ago, Ning Qi knew that not everyone who wielded a sword could be called a swordsman. In fact, a considerable number of people in the Martial World were not qualified swordsmen. The key lay in Sword Force and Sword Qi.
Strictly speaking, only martial artists who had reached Major Accomplishment in the Inner Yuan Realm and had successfully cultivated Sword Force could be considered swordsmen.
After reaching Major Accomplishment in the Inner Yuan Realm, one could undergo Strength Transformation. Those who had refined Sword Force possessed incomparable sharpness in their attacks, far surpassing ordinary sword users. Sword Force was an extremely powerful characteristic of Inner Strength, and this Azure Peak Sword Force was particularly outstanding in the path of sharpness.
“It embodies the meaning of a three-foot Azure Peak, directly pointing to the essence of a sword’s sharpness. It is indeed a Sword Saint Legacy.”
Ning Qi gained insights simply by listening.
The Gang Qi within his body transformed, now carrying an unparalleled sense of sharpness. For Ning Qi, learning pre-existing knowledge was extremely simple. He had already known other methods of Sword Force and Sword Qi, and now, by incorporating the essence of Azure Peak Sword Qi, his transformation became even more adept, and its power became even greater.
Without a doubt.
If Ning Qi were to use secret techniques like the Heavenly Sword Technique in the future, his power would increase further.
A smile appeared on his face.
After Zhuang Chen finished explaining the Azure Peak Secret Record, a supreme technique for the Heavenly Human realm, he still felt a sense of unfinished business and couldn’t help but ask:
“Did this Azure Edge Sword Saint leave behind any Martial Saint cultivation methods?”
Including this current Legacy, Ning Qi now had three Heavenly Human Legacies, but his understanding of Martial Saint methods remained at a rudimentary level of description.
Zhuang Chen scratched his head sheepishly.
“First Master told me before that the Sword Saint Legacy he received was only this much, and the most crucial part had been erased.”
Ning Qi frowned slightly.
However, he quickly came to terms with it. This was normal. If there were complete Martial Saint cultivation methods, even a single leak of information would be enough to cause the Divine Sword Sect to be destroyed dozens of times over.
“However, First Master said that at the end of the Azure Peak Secret Record, there was a note stating that to achieve Martial Saint, one needs to incorporate the power of Heaven and Earth for one’s own use.”
Ning Qi’s eyes lit up.
This coincided with the direction of his previous deductions.
The Heavenly Human realm cultivates the Three Flowers of Essence, Qi, and Spirit. When the Three Flowers Gather at the Apex, one reaches Heavenly Human Perfection. Further advancement might involve incorporating the power of Heaven and Earth into one’s body. This was a direction he had considered, but he couldn’t verify it yet. He would have to slowly deduce it after reaching the Heavenly Human realm.
“However, why was this note added after the Martial Saint cultivation method was erased?”
“If they didn’t want the Martial Saint methods to spread in the world, this note would be superfluous. If they wanted to leave behind the Martial Saint methods, why erase them? This seems to imply some entanglement.”
“Could it be that ascending to Martial Saint involves some unknown crisis, causing previous Martial Saints to be unwilling or unable to pass down Martial Saint methods?”
Ning Qi’s mind was filled with speculations, but he didn’t dwell on it too much.
When he gradually approached that realm in the future, he would naturally come to understand it slowly.
“Ninth Senior Brother, shall I continue explaining the other secret techniques?” Zhuang Chen asked.
Ning Qi came back to his senses and nodded with a smile.
Zhuang Chen continued:
“Besides the cultivation secret techniques mentioned earlier, the rest are supreme secret techniques used for combat.”
“For example, the Divine Sword Step. This footwork uses the human body as a sword. Each step is like a sword thrust, moving forward with unstoppable momentum…”
Zhuang Chen slowly explained.
Several of these secret techniques made Ning Qi’s eyes light up, greatly increasing his foundation.
But the one that most captivated him was the last secret technique Zhuang Chen mentioned.
Zhuang Chen’s expression turned slightly somber as he said:
“The last secret technique is the Sword Core Disintegration Great Law. It involves nurturing the Core Elixir with Sword Qi daily to form a Sword Core. At a critical moment, it can unleash several times the combat power, but it is a life-or-death technique. That day, First Master used this secret technique to help me escape…”
Ning Qi sighed softly and simply patted his shoulder.
Night had already fallen.
The Sword Saint Legacy contained a great deal of information. Zhuang Chen was only explaining the essence of it to Ning Qi for now. When Zhuang Chen had free time later, he would copy it into scrolls and place it in the Scripture Depository.
Zhuang Chen returned to his room to rest.
Ning Qi, on the other hand, savored the Azure Edge Sword Saint Legacy he had just obtained.
“Although it is only an incomplete Legacy, a Sword Saint is still a Sword Saint. They have their own unique insights into the path of cultivation, which are very helpful to me, and it is better than the Dragon Tiger Eagle Legacy I obtained from the Iron Ridge Three Fiends before.”
“Especially this Sword Core Disintegration Great Law is very interesting.”
Ning Qi was very intrigued.
Undoubtedly, this was a power-boosting secret technique that could increase combat power several times when used at a crucial moment.
However, the price was quite high.
“If the price can be reduced, it might become one of my major trump cards.”
Although Ning Qi pursued longevity, he would not dislike having too much combat power. Moreover, the world was becoming increasingly chaotic, and having sufficient martial strength to protect his path provided a greater sense of security. Although Ning Qi already possessed strength comparable to the top of the Heavenly Human Ranking, it was still not enough.
“I have not yet advanced to the Core Elixir Realm, so even if I wanted to use this secret technique, I couldn’t for now.”
“But it’s not impossible. My Fake Core still has seventy percent of its energy. Can it be used to replace the Core Elixir? Or, can I construct a ‘Virtual Sword Core’ specifically for power-boosting?”
Ning Qi’s mind sparked with inspiration.
In the blink of an eye, he had two lines of thought.
Ning Qi’s current strength was already considerable, and the amplification from the Fake Core had diminished significantly for him. Unless he replaced it with a more powerful Fake Core, he would not regret using this Fake Core as a substitute for the Sword Core Disintegration Great Law.
Furthermore, Ning Qi’s own Gang Qi was exceptionally vast, far exceeding that of ordinary people.
Cutting out a portion to condense a ‘Virtual Sword Core’ would not affect him, something others could not achieve.
Ning Qi felt that both options were feasible and became deeply engrossed in deduction with great interest.
……
Time passed.
Dragon Mountain Daoist secretly investigated from below the mountain, maintaining constant contact with True Martial Mountain. Ning Qi was also very patient, knowing that it might not be something that could be investigated in a few short days. Even with a direction, it would take waiting for the other party to reveal their flaws.
However, he was not worried. Judging by the conduct of the people here, they would definitely not wait too long.
It was only a matter of time before they were caught.
Ning Qi continued to grow, not letting this matter hinder his progress. It was merely a minor interlude on his path of seeking the Dao.
During this period.
After Zhuang Chen recovered from his injuries, he moved out of the Seeker’s Courtyard.
This was normal. After all, every True Disciple of the True Martial Sect had their own independent courtyard. Just as they had built the Seeker’s Courtyard for Ning Qi back then, all the Senior Brothers also helped Zhuang Chen build a small courtyard.
Zhuang Chen named it the Sword Inquiry Courtyard.
He was indeed deeply devoted to the Dao of the Sword, hoping to constantly question his sword heart and forge ahead in the Dao of the Sword.
The Sword Inquiry Courtyard and the Seeker’s Courtyard were very close. After all, Zhuang Chen and Ning Qi had the best relationship. He held Ning Qi in adoration. Before joining the True Martial Sect, Ning Qi had taught him a sword technique and the Innate Sword Body Secret Technique.
This brief close proximity with Ning Qi this time made him even more aware of his Ninth Senior Brother’s unfathomable depth. He secretly set Ning Qi as his goal and vowed to strive to catch up.
However, this process was bound to be long. His Sword Bone still needed some time to recover. After that, he would have to start cultivating from scratch. But with his previous foundation, re-cultivation would be much faster.
After Zhuang Chen moved out.
The Seeker’s Courtyard became much quieter again. White Ape would often go to find Zhuang Chen and familiarize him with every blade of grass and tree in True Martial Sect. Without realizing it, the relationship between the man and the ape grew closer day by day. However, Ning Qi often saw them bickering and arguing, which made him smile.
In the blink of an eye, over a month had passed.
The Jade Liquid Sea within Ning Qi’s body had become even stronger. His so-called slow cultivation was only relative to himself. But compared to others in the Jade Liquid Realm, he was progressing at an astonishing rate, even thousands of miles a day.
At this moment.
Through Zhuang Chen’s unremitting efforts, the Sword Bone within his body had completely recovered.
Ning Qi was examining him.
Strands of Gang Qi, controlled by Ning Qi, moved flexibly without any trace of aggression. Only the Myriad Manifestations True Gang could achieve this level of control, leaving no corner unchecked.
After a moment.
Ning Qi smiled.
“Tenth Junior Brother, your Sword Bone has completely recovered. You can continue practicing martial arts.”
Upon receiving Ning Qi’s affirmative reply, Zhuang Chen’s previously nervous mood completely relaxed. His excitement was evident. Only he himself knew how anxious he had been during these past days.
If he could truly no longer cultivate, he didn’t know where his path would lead him.
Luo Wentian and Ye Qinghe, who had gathered around, also laughed heartily.
The genuine joy from everyone made Zhuang Chen even more emotional.
After everyone finished laughing, Luo Wentian spoke:
“Little Ten, you can now continue cultivating. Master instructed me before descending the mountain to have you practice the Ya Zi Stance, one of the True Martial Nine Stances, to build your foundation.”
Hearing this.
Everyone’s expressions turned slightly complex.
The Ya Zi Stance was what Qin Yun learned back then. After Qin Yun left the True Martial Sect, the True Martial Nine Sons were missing one, and the beautiful hope of ‘Nine Heavenly Humans Battling Martial Saints’ was completely dashed.
This had always been a knot in Dragon Mountain Daoist’s heart, which was why he had not taken any new disciples.
It was only when the Divine Sword Elder entrusted Zhuang Chen to him on his deathbed that Dragon Mountain Daoist was indirectly able to overcome this inner conflict.
However.
Everyone likely understood their Master’s thoughts. Regarding Qin Yun, it was more about self-reproach than disappointment with Qin Yun. From the fact that they had now accepted Zhuang Chen as the Tenth True Disciple, everyone could infer something. The position of Eighth True Disciple had always remained vacant.
Fortunately, with Zhuang Chen’s admission now, the Ya Zi Stance had an inheritor again.
Zhuang Chen quickly nodded.
“I will listen to Master.”
He had also heard about the Eighth Senior Brother. He was not stupid, and seeing the situation of his Senior Brothers and Sisters now, he could roughly understand some of it.
Ning Qi smiled, breaking the silence:
“I know the Ya Zi Stance. I’ll teach it to you later. If you want to learn the other stance techniques of the True Martial Nine Stances, that’s also possible. As for the Azure Edge Sword Saint’s Legacy, you can also cultivate it. The two do not conflict.”
Ye Qinghe also laughed.
“Indeed, Little Nine has to teach it. We only have a superficial understanding of the Ya Zi Stance. Now that Master is not on the mountain, only he can teach it.”
Everyone recalled Ning Qi’s monstrous talent when he first learned the stance techniques, and they smiled knowingly.
In the blink of an eye.
That had been six years ago.
Everyone couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.
Zhuang Chen, not understanding, just scratched his head with a foolish smile.
Ning Qi looked at the jiggly fat on Zhuang Chen’s body and suddenly thought that he couldn’t let Zhuang Chen continue cultivating the Dreaming Gluttony secret technique like this, or he would become a mountain of flesh in the future, which would be quite unsightly. Zhuang Chen wasn’t his Junior Brother before, so he was too lazy to bother. Now that he was giving Zhuang Chen some optimization, it would be better.
Later, he could also have Zhuang Chen cultivate the Sleep Dream Skill together.
……
Zhuang Chen had high comprehension.
He quickly gained entry into the Ya Zi Stance and then became proficient.
Retracing his steps, Zhuang Chen’s cultivation speed was very fast.
And after Zhuang Chen’s cultivation had completely entered the right track, Ning Qi continued to deduce a more optimized version of the Sword Core Disintegration Great Law.
During these days.
Apart from cultivation and reading scriptures, Ning Qi had dedicated a significant portion of his energy to this secret technique.
He was now close to completion.
Inside Ning Qi.
The Jade Liquid Sea was churning and roaring, occasionally sending up a splash, all of which was extremely pure Gang Qi.
“The two possibilities I deduced before are both good, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. However, using the Fake Core to replace the Sword Core is more difficult. I will first try to condense a Virtual Sword Core. Afterwards, using the Fake Core for power-boosting will only require minor adjustments.”
With a thought, his Myriad Manifestations True Gang circulated. A portion of the Gang Qi within his body transformed into sharp Sword Qi. After integrating the characteristics of several sword Qi methods, primarily Azure Peak Sword Qi, this Sword Qi was very powerful.
Strands of Sword Qi shot up into the sky and, under Ning Qi’s control, gathered above the Jade Liquid Sea.
It also incorporated some of the cleverness from the Heaven and Earth Millstone Gang Tempering Method. The strands of Sword Qi began to condense, and after a short while, they formed a spherical shape.
Then, it continued to condense, condense, and condense.
Finally.
It transformed into a perfectly round Sword Core.
This Sword Core was naturally not comparable to the Core Elixir that Ning Qi would eventually achieve, but it would far surpass that of ordinary Core Elixir Realm experts!
Ning Qi observed himself internally.
The Sword Core hung high above the Jade Liquid Sea, resembling a great sun.
He could feel the powerful strength within it, but the greatest effect of the Sword Core was in power-boosting. Once it detonated, it would stir up the Jade Liquid Sea, allowing Ning Qi to instantly unleash doubled power!
Ning Qi smiled with satisfaction.
Thus, this Virtual Sword Core Disintegration Great Method was considered complete.
Although its power was somewhat lesser, it was mainly because Ning Qi’s foundational strength was too immense. And the price was much smaller than the original Sword Core Disintegration Great Law. After detonation, it would only result in minor internal injuries that could be healed with time, far from the extent of a Core Elixir shattering and leading to death.
