Chapter 38: Villain Ranking In Turmoil! Lunar New Year’s Day, Departing The City Amid Wind And Snow!
Can one achieve Saber Technique by “piling” them up?
After deep contemplation, Ji Qing felt it was feasible!
As long as he could pinpoint the core of a Saber Technique and improve around that core, it would definitely work.
What is the core of Ji Qing’s Saber Technique?
Undoubtedly, it is speed!
With Ji Qing’s current attainment, cultivating a Third-Rate Saber Technique would allow him to reach Major Accomplishment quickly on his own.
He only needed one Origin Point to elevate the Saber Technique to Perfection, and at that time, not only would the fused Saber Technique’s might greatly increase, but he would also gain a ultimate move.
Thinking of this, Ji Qing decided to give it a try and see what the effect would be.
He selected a fast saber technique called “Gale Slash” from the Library.
It was just a very ordinary Third-Rate Saber Technique.
On the first day, Ji Qing achieved Minor Accomplishment.
Three days later, Ji Qing achieved Major Accomplishment.
Ji Qing’s cultivation speed for “fast saber” techniques was simply too fast.
After all, all fast saber techniques were similar, with variations stemming from the same source, so Ji Qing could cultivate them so quickly.
But Perfection was different.
Perfection required comprehension from the Saber Technique.
This required an opportunity.
Some people might comprehend the opportunity in a day.
But some might need decades to comprehend the opportunity.
Ji Qing naturally would not waste time comprehending the opportunity.
A Major Accomplishment Saber Technique was almost impossible to fuse.
It must be elevated to Perfection!
“Elevate Gale Slash to Perfection.”
With the consumption of one Origin Point, scenes emerged in Ji Qing’s mind.
He practiced Gale Slash day after day.
Seeking to grasp a sliver of opportunity from Gale Slash and comprehend something.
Time and again, Ji Qing seemed about to seize the opportunity, but failed at the last moment.
Finally, one day, Ji Qing felt a gentle breeze brushing past.
Inspiration struck, and he comprehended it instantly.
“Whoosh”.
Ji Qing slashed out with one saber. This slash seemed to merge with the wind, its speed surging dramatically.
“Gale Slash Perfection: Your Gale Slash has reached divine mastery. You have comprehended the ultimate move Airflow Propulsion! Wherever there is wind or air, your Saber Technique can accelerate along the airflow!”
“Swish”.
Ji Qing opened his eyes.
His Astonishing Swan Saber had incorporated another Saber Technique, Gale Slash.
He had even comprehended the ultimate move “Airflow Propulsion”.
In the future, he could accelerate his saber speed based on changes in air and environment.
Now, under the ultimate move Airflow Propulsion, Ji Qing’s Astonishing Swan Saber’s speed was even faster.
This also proved Ji Qing’s previous deduction: his method of “piling” with Third-Rate Saber Techniques was completely feasible!
Astonishing Swan Saber improved at divine speed!
Ji Qing still had three Origin Points, allowing him to cultivate three more “fast saber” techniques.
The Library of Hundred Battles Sect had many Third-Rate Saber Techniques, including plenty of “fast saber” ones.
This was why Ji Qing had stayed in the Hundred Battles Sect Library all along.
Even in the future, he would continue cultivating Saber Techniques and incorporating them into Astonishing Swan Saber.
But each Saber Technique would yield one ultimate move.
The specific effects had no intuitive numbers.
Ji Qing thought for a moment; the information on the Demon Record needed to be changed.
His Saber Technique focused mainly on speed, with power as secondary.
Then, base it on ordinary Third-Rate Saber Techniques.
Show the amplification each Saber Technique provides to saber speed with specific numbers for clarity.
Thus, Ji Qing carefully comprehended them.
Thirteen Fast Blades: saber speed amplification 30%, absolutely a very strong fast saber technique.
Hundred Battles Saber: saber speed amplification 10%, power amplification 20%, more focused on power.
Drawing Sword Technique: saber speed amplification 30%, great amplification to saber speed.
Gale Slash: saber speed amplification 20%, slightly weaker saber speed amplification.
These were the Saber Techniques Ji Qing currently mastered: total saber speed amplification 90%, power amplification 20%. No wonder Ji Qing’s Saber Technique was unbelievably fast—a 10% saber speed amplification could already decide life and death, let alone nearly double!
That was completely another level of Saber Technique.
“Continue.”
Thus, Ji Qing continued searching for Third-Rate “fast saber” techniques to cultivate.
In the blink of an eye, more than ten days passed.
Ji Qing stopped.
He faintly heard the sound of firecrackers outside.
Calculating the time, Lunar New Year’s Eve was approaching.
“Lunar New Year’s Eve… a year has passed…”
In this year, Ji Qing had gone through a lot.
He opened the Demon Record to check his own information.
Ji Qing: Second-Rank Martial Artist（ Two Extraordinary Meridians unblocked）
Supreme Yang Pure Yuan Internal Breath Art: Perfection（ Supreme Yang Internal Energy, Internal Energy Burst three-tenths amplification, Internal Energy Purification, Internal Energy Reversal）
Astonishing Swan Saber: Perfection（ Saber speed amplification 150%, power amplification 40%）
Grass on Flying: Perfection（ Ultimate move Borrowing Strength from the Void）
Origin Points: 0 points
Origin Points were completely consumed.
He had cultivated three more fast saber techniques, all reaching Perfection realm.
After incorporating the three Saber Techniques into Astonishing Swan Saber, its saber speed and power both greatly improved.
Now, Astonishing Swan Saber had fused a total of seven Saber Techniques, with saber speed far exceeding twice that of ordinary Third-Rate Saber Techniques!
At this point, Ji Qing was extremely confident: by “piling” ordinary Third-Rate Saber Techniques, he could definitely “pile” out a stunning First-Rate Saber Technique!
However, for First-Rate Saber Techniques, especially First-Rate fast saber techniques, just how fast they were, Ji Qing did not know.
After all, Ji Qing had never seen a First-Rate Saber Technique.
However, every First-Rate Saber Technique in the Jianghu was considered a pinnacle of saber techniques!
Every appearance of a First-Rate Saber Technique was enough to stir turmoil in the Jianghu.
Any First-Rate Saber Technique or martial art was enough to be passed down for a thousand years!
Therefore, Ji Qing estimated that First-Rate Saber Techniques, especially fast saber ones, amplified at least tenfold!
This was Ji Qing’s estimate.
He temporarily set tenfold saber speed as his goal.
By that standard, his Astonishing Swan Saber was still far off.
But as long as there were enough Origin Points, Ji Qing was confident he could “pile” Astonishing Swan Saber to tenfold amplification!
“Great Hero Ji, on Lunar New Year’s Eve we made dumplings. Please grace us with your presence and join us for some dumplings.”
At this moment, Lie Yingniang’s voice came from outside the room.
“Good! I’ll go out first and return in the evening.”
Ji Qing left Hundred Battles Sect and arrived outside Zhao Mansion, watching Ji Yao from afar.
Ji Yao was accompanied by several maidservants.
The clothes she wore were all very new.
Several children from Zhao Mansion were playing together, not isolating Ji Yao.
Ji Qing saw the smile on Ji Yao’s face.
Clearly, Ji Yao was living happily.
It seemed sending Ji Yao to Zhao Mansion was the right choice.
Ji Yao did not belong in the Jianghu.
Ji Qing returned to Hundred Battles Sect, ate dumplings with the Hundred Battles Sect people, and spent Lunar New Year’s Eve.
This year was over.
The next day, a new year, a new day.
Ji Qing braved the wind and snow to the Listen to the Wind Tower Tea House.
Today was the day Ling Xiao Pavilion updated the Jianghu Ranking.
All Jianghu Ranking lists would be updated.
Thus, Listen to the Wind Tower Tea House was packed with Jianghu people early on.
“It’s out.”
“Rookie Ranking first place has changed…”
“And Swordsman Ranking, Saber Ranking…”
“Villain Ranking is out too. Huh? Fifth on the Villain Ranking, Heartless Saber Ji Qing’s Jianghu title has changed to Astonishing Swan Saber?”
“Astonishing Swan Saber is more fitting—a glimpse of the astonishing swan, and the head falls…”
“Look at Villain Ranking Eighth, Poison Demon Ouyang Bo. He was Villain Ranking Twenty-Third before; how did he jump to eighth?”
“Poison Demon Ouyang Bo, to test a mysterious poison, poisoned to death the entire Da Huai Village in Huangling County on the twenty-sixth of the twelfth lunar month in Yongchang Year Ten, total 281 people, none survived!”
“This Da Huai Village caused a stir in the Jianghu a few months ago. It was said a giant rat, as big as a calf, was killed in Da Huai Village. Huangling County Yamen paraded the giant rat corpse through the county town for a month. Many saw it with their own eyes and thought it was a rat demon.”
“Boom”.
Ji Qing had been casual, but upon hearing “Huangling County Da Huai Village” and “giant rat corpse,” his mind buzzed.
Ji Qing’s gaze instantly turned to the Villain Ranking.
Under “Poison Demon Ouyang Bo,” he read every word carefully.
Entire village 281 people, none survived!
Black words on white paper, every character clear.
But in Ji Qing’s eyes, every character seemed to flow with blood!
“Clack”.
Ji Qing set down the teacup, ignoring the wind and snow outside, and turned to leave.
On the first day of the first lunar month in Yongchang Year Eleven, Ji Qing spurred his fast horse and left An Yang City, heading straight for Da Huai Village in Huangling County!
Hearing is false, seeing is real.
He had to see it with his own eyes!
