Chapter 12: Strength Surges!
It was late at night, and Steward Jin had already gone to bed.
Suddenly, the maidservant hurriedly came and woke Steward Jin: “Master, the great heroes have returned, and they carried back a corpse of a giant rat…”
Steward Jin jolted awake.
“Giant rat?”
“Quickly, help me change clothes…”
When Steward Jin hurriedly changed clothes and arrived at the front hall, he found the front hall already crowded with people.
He immediately saw a giant rat corpse lying on the ground, as big as a calf.
The corpse was covered in blood, with a ferocious and ugly appearance.
Steward Jin was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed to the five martial artists who did rat extermination: “Thank you, five great heroes, for eliminating harm for the people. You have finally killed the Rat King and cleared the rat infestation!”
Ji Qing remained composed and accepted the bow openly.
The four sect martial artists, however, looked embarrassed and all turned aside, not daring to accept the bow.
“Someone, bring the silver!”
Steward Jin immediately had someone bring a thousand taels of silver.
The thousand taels of silver gleamed white under the firelight, tempting to behold.
The four sect martial artists still cared about their reputation and took the initiative to clarify: “Steward Jin, this time for rat extermination, only Young Hero Li acted alone. It was his merit alone. We have no contribution and cannot accept reward without merit. We absolutely cannot take this silver.”
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.
Steward Jin was also surprised. Clearly, the five had gone together into the mountain for rat extermination.
He had only thought that the five had jointly killed the Rat King, but unexpectedly, only Li Mu acted?
“Da Niu, what exactly happened?”
Steward Jin asked the hunter Da Niu.
Da Niu’s face was flushed with excitement as he said: “Steward Jin, the Rat King was indeed killed by Great Hero Li alone. You didn’t see the scene at the time. This Rat King was truly a rat turned demon, even inhaling and exhaling essence toward the moon…”
Da Niu recounted in detail everything he saw of “Li Mu” doing rat extermination.
Only then did the crowd realize in shock that the rumors were true; this Rat King was indeed a rat turned demon.
Some even used a saber to cut the Rat King corpse, but surprisingly, they couldn’t cut it at all. It was truly impervious to saber and spear.
Such a bizarre, terror-inducing Rat King that was even impervious to saber and spear had actually been killed by “Li Mu”?
Clearly, “Li Mu” was the true great hero and expert in the jianghu!
“Great Hero Li, the matter is now clear. It was indeed the great hero who killed the Rat King alone, so this silver naturally goes to Great Hero Li.”
Steward Jin’s address to Ji Qing had changed from “young hero” to “great hero”.
With a wave of his hand, a servant carried the silver to Ji Qing.
Ji Qing did not act coy.
Walking the jianghu, how could one go without silver?
Moreover, this was silver he earned with his own ability.
Ji Qing directly accepted the silver.
“Steward Jin, where is Ji Yao?”
Ji Qing asked.
“Great Hero Li, rest assured. Ji Yao is sleeping with Suo’er, attended by a maidservant, so there is no issue.”
“The great heroes must all be tired. I will have someone prepare wine, food, and rice. After the great heroes have eaten and drunk their fill, you can go rest.”
Ji Qing nodded; he was indeed somewhat tired.
“Then we won’t stand on ceremony.”
The four sect martial artists also did not refuse. Although they didn’t get the silver, they could at least eat a meal.
After the group had eaten and drunk their fill, they went to rest.
As for the Rat King corpse, they would discuss it tomorrow morning.
Ji Qing was still somewhat uneasy.
He went to the room where Ji Yao was sleeping to check. There was indeed a maidservant attending, so he finally felt at ease and returned to his own room to rest.
The night passed uneventfully.
Early the next morning, Ji Qing sat cross-legged under a large tree in the courtyard.
The view here was excellent, even allowing him to see the rising sun in the east.
However, Ji Qing did not cultivate the Rising Sun Art as usual.
His attention was on the Demon Record in his mind.
Yesterday, after killing the rat demon, he obtained 10 origin points. Now was the time to use them.
“Elevate Rising Sun Art to perfection!”
Ji Qing’s Rising Sun Art was currently only at beginner level, with minor accomplishment, major accomplishment, and perfection as the remaining realms, thus requiring three origin points.
As the three origin points were consumed, various scenes emerged in Ji Qing’s mind.
Every morning, he cultivated the Rising Sun Art facing the morning sun.
Day after day, year after year.
After about thirty years, his Rising Sun Art finally reached major accomplishment!
Another twenty years later, Ji Qing seized an opportunity from the Rising Sun Art, elevating it to a transcendent level and comprehending supreme yang internal energy!
After transforming into supreme yang internal energy, the internal energy became even purer, more fierce and domineering, with greatly increased poison resistance and restraining effect against some yin-cold internal energies.
“Supreme yang internal energy’s quality far surpasses the previous Rising Sun Art internal energy. As for Jadeite Art internal energy, it is even further inferior…”
Ji Qing now had both internal energies at perfection, so he had to proceed to the next step: merge.
For ordinary martial artists, merging internal energy happens naturally without issues.
But Ji Qing was different.
Both of his internal energies were at perfection.
Once merged, could the characteristics of both internal energies be preserved?
For example, Jadeite Art at perfection granted the internal energy burst characteristic—could that be retained?
Ji Qing weighed it for a long time but ultimately chose to merge.
Only by merging the internal energy would there be a chance for breakthrough.
“Merge.”
Ji Qing began merging his internal energy.
As the internal energies merged, Ji Qing discovered that the process was actually one of refining away the dross and retaining the essence.
The original internal energies were merely from ordinary third-rate martial arts.
The internal energy was abundant but loose, with purity far from sufficient.
If facing a third-rate martial artist who cultivated a top third-rate technique, in a clash of internal energy, Ji Qing would definitely suffer a great loss.
Now, with the fusion of the two internal energies, especially the supreme yang internal energy gradually taking dominance.
The originally loose internal energy began integrating into the supreme yang internal energy. In this process, a large amount of internal energy was “refined” anew, with the newly born internal energy’s purity far exceeding the previous.
Finally, the internal energy fusion completed, and all internal energy became supreme yang internal energy.
Ji Qing sensed the supreme yang internal energy.
“Hm? The internal energy burst characteristic is still there? It can still amplify internal energy by three-tenths!”
Ji Qing was delighted.
The supreme yang internal energy in his body was already very strong, whether in purity or depth, far surpassing the previous two internal energies.
If adding internal energy burst, his supreme yang internal energy would be even stronger!
With seven origin points remaining, Ji Qing continued to elevate his lightness skill “Grass on Flying”.
Although this lightness skill was very common in the jianghu, it was indeed very practical.
Currently, Ji Qing’s Grass on Flying was only at minor accomplishment.
“Elevate Grass on Flying to perfection!”
As two origin points were consumed, scenes of long-term lightness skill practice emerged in Ji Qing’s mind.
From minor accomplishment, it slowly elevated to major accomplishment.
But after major accomplishment, Grass on Flying seemed to have no further progress.
After a full twenty years, Ji Qing finally seized an opportunity, comprehending the ultimate move “Borrowing Strength from the Void”.
This move “Borrowing Strength from the Void” was extremely miraculous.
It allowed one to forcibly draw another breath in the void, as if borrowing strength from the void, leaping upward again.
This was somewhat unbelievable.
“Whoosh”.
Ji Qing opened his eyes.
He immediately leaped up, his body light as a swallow, instantly jumping into the void.
“Borrowing Strength from the Void.”
Ji Qing executed the lightness skill ultimate move. His internal energy circulated in an extremely special way under his feet, then he stomped fiercely in the void, surprisingly rising another zhang or more into the air.
Such lightness skill was simply shocking to the world.
“I didn’t expect a third-rate lightness skill could comprehend such a terrifying ultimate move?”
Ji Qing now knew that martial arts at “perfection” often allowed comprehending some ultimate moves.
But which ultimate moves were comprehended varied by individual.
It completely depended on the martial artist’s comprehension.
The saber technique ultimate move and lightness skill ultimate move that Ji Qing had comprehended were both quite practical and powerful.
At this moment, on the first page of the Demon Record, Ji Qing’s information had greatly changed.
Ji Qing: Third-rate martial artist
Supreme Yang Rising Sun Art: Perfection（ Supreme yang internal energy, internal energy burst amplifies three-tenths）
Thirteen Fast Blades: Perfection（ Ultimate move First Line of Sky）
Grass on Flying: Perfection（ Ultimate move Borrowing Strength from the Void）
Origin points: 5 points
The two internal arts merged, forming a new martial art called “Supreme Yang Rising Sun Art”.
Currently, Ji Qing was still a third-rate martial artist.
But he was only one third-rate internal art away from second-rate!
Although he spent 5 origin points, Ji Qing’s overall strength had surged greatly!
“Still 5 origin points left. Currently need to find a third-rate internal art. Perhaps also need a saber technique focused on power burst to deal with physically strong demons.”
Just as Ji Qing was deep in thought, a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside.
A group of constables suddenly burst into the courtyard.
