Chapter 4: Add Points
Ji Qing was carrying a woven basket, with Ji Yao sitting inside the woven basket already asleep.
After several days of long travel, Ji Qing had long since fled the territory of Liang City.
Now the sky was gradually darkening, and there were still dozens of li to the nearest city. Ji Qing was both tired and thirsty.
Even if he could endure it, Ji Yao could not.
Therefore, Ji Qing planned to rest his feet in the small town ahead, recuperate for the night, and continue the journey tomorrow morning.
This small town was called Mule and Horse Inn.
It was located at a key transportation hub, with many passing merchants and travelers. The town had many horse inns for mules and horses to rest and for travelers to lodge, hence the name.
Ji Qing found an inn with relatively few people.
He led his horse forward, patted the table, startling the shopkeeper who was dozing off.
“Guest, how many in your party?”
“One, give me an upper room, fetch a bucket of bath water, and bring the food to the room.”
“Yes, guest.”
Ji Qing was wearing a cloak, carrying a woven basket, holding a long saber, and looked like a jianghu martial artist. The shopkeeper didn’t dare ask too many questions and immediately sent the waiter to make arrangements.
It was now dinnertime, and there were many guests in the inn’s main hall.
Ji Qing’s gaze swept lightly and discovered there were quite a few people in the inn dressed as jianghu martial artists.
At this moment, several martial artists were chatting about the hottest recent event in the jianghu.
“Hey, have you heard? A major case happened in Liang City: patricide, matricide, and arson that wiped out an entire family. The government has issued a wanted poster with a bounty of a thousand taels of silver to capture the culprit. Who knows which lucky person will get the bounty?”
“The one who committed such an unforgivable crime is called Ji Qing. I heard he even had the title of xiucai scholar once. Tsk tsk tsk, who would have thought a xiucai who studied the classics of sages and worthies would be so heartless, killing his parents and burning down the entire Ji Residence.”
“For such a heartless scoundrel, even without the bounty, if our brothers encounter him, we will definitely chop him down with our sabers!”
“Three great heroes, regarding that major case in Liang City you mentioned, I’ve also heard about it. They say this Ji Qing coveted his stepmother’s beauty, and when she refused, he committed this heinous crime…”
Some merchants and travelers also joined the discussion.
Moreover, everyone added fuel to the fire with rumors passed around several times, distorting the whole matter beyond recognition.
And “Ji Qing” became a heartless, fickle, unethical, shameless villain whom anyone could rightfully kill.
Ji Qing’s expression was somewhat unsightly.
The rumors about him were simply too outrageous, piling all sorts of blame on his head.
Now his reputation was notoriously bad, like a street rat that everyone wanted to beat.
However, this was within Ji Qing’s expectations.
He had become a wanted criminal; how could he come forward to explain and clear his name?
Ji Qing ignored these people’s discussion and went straight upstairs to the room.
The waiter soon brought hot water and food.
“Ji Yao, wake up.”
Ji Qing woke Ji Yao up.
Ji Yao rubbed her eyes, and upon seeing the steaming hot food, immediately turned into a little glutton and pounced on the table.
After all, the two had been fleeing for days without proper rest, eating only dry rations on the road at most, and were long since tired and hungry.
After the two had a hearty meal, Ji Qing first helped Ji Yao wash up, put her to bed to sleep, and then Ji Qing sat alone in the tub, comfortably soaking in a hot bath.
Taking advantage of the bath time, Ji Qing concentrated his spirit and opened the Demon Record in his mind.
Ji Qing: Third-Rank Martial Artist
Jadeite Art: Minor Accomplishment（Third-Rate Martial Arts）
Thirteen Fast Blades: Major Accomplishment（Third-Rate Saber Technique）
Origin Point: 4 points
Now with ample origin points, Ji Qing no longer hesitated and silently recited in his mind: “Improve Jadeite Art.”
“Consume one origin point, Jadeite Art reaches Major Accomplishment!”
Scenes of “practicing” appeared in Ji Qing’s mind.
He practiced Jadeite Art diligently day after day for years.
Hard work pays off, and finally one day, his Jadeite Art reached Major Accomplishment!
For a martial art to reach Major Accomplishment is actually the highest realm.
However, Ji Qing remembered that his martial arts school master had once said that if by chance and high compatibility with a martial art, it might be possible to cultivate it to “transcendent perfection,” the legendary “Perfection” realm.
At that point, the martial art would undergo inconceivable changes.
Ji Qing saw that Jadeite Art seemed like it could still be improved.
Thus, he decided to give it a try.
“Continue improving Jadeite Art.”
“Consume one origin point, Jadeite Art reaches Perfection. Your Jadeite Art has reached transcendent perfection; you have comprehended Internal Energy Burst! Maximum amplification of internal energy might by three-tenths!”
Scenes appeared once again in Ji Qing’s mind.
His Jadeite Art had already reached Major Accomplishment, but he continued cultivating. One day, he seized an opportunity and comprehended the method of Internal Energy Burst from the Jadeite Art circulation route.
It could instantly increase internal energy burst by three-tenths.
However, Internal Energy Burst placed a heavy load on the meridians and could only be used a few times in combat.
If used too much, the meridians could be damaged.
“Jadeite Art is ultimately just an ordinary Third-Rate Martial Arts. Even at Perfection, a three-tenths amplification of internal energy isn’t that impressive. Not to mention matching a Second-Rank Martial Artist, it’s not even top-tier among Third-Rank Martial Artists.”
“The martial arts school master once said that for a martial artist to break through realms, one either relies on profound and mysterious cultivation techniques or stacks several low-level techniques. If I had a Second-Rate technique, I could immediately break through to become a Second-Rank Martial Artist, but I don’t have any Second-Rate techniques now. Perhaps I can try practicing several Third-Rate techniques to accumulate internal energy.”
Ji Qing estimated that about three Third-Rate techniques should be enough to break his internal energy through to Second-Rate.
Since Jadeite Art could no longer be improved, Ji Qing improved Thirteen Fast Blades.
Ji Qing’s Thirteen Fast Blades had already reached Major Accomplishment but could still be improved further.
“Improve Thirteen Fast Blades.”
“Consume one origin point, Thirteen Fast Blades reaches Perfection, comprehend ultimate move ‘First Line of Sky’.”
Scenes immediately appeared in Ji Qing’s mind of him practicing Thirteen Fast Blades day after day.
Thirteen Fast Blades emphasized a single word: “fast.”
No superfluous flourishes; the faster, the better.
At this realm, Thirteen Fast Blades was no longer bound by specific moves for Ji Qing. He could execute them casually, effortlessly, with every saber technique flowing naturally!
Moreover, through years of saber practice, Ji Qing gained a spark of inspiration from Thirteen Fast Blades and comprehended an ultimate move called “First Line of Sky.”
One saber strike, blade light brilliant, speed as fast as a startled swan!
“Saber Technique at Perfection actually comprehended an ultimate move? This move ‘First Line of Sky’ is truly terrifying; caught off guard, it can kill the enemy with one saber!”
On the Demon Record, Ji Qing’s information had undergone great changes.
Ji Qing: Third-Rank Martial Artist
Jadeite Art: Perfection（Internal Energy Burst, three-tenths amplification）
Thirteen Fast Blades: Perfection（Ultimate Move First Line of Sky）
Origin Point: 1 point
Ji Qing’s martial arts were fully maxed out, with one origin point left, which he could only save for now.
Seeing both martial arts at “Perfection,” Ji Qing was very satisfied.
For ordinary martial artists, reaching Major Accomplishment in a martial art was the limit.
As for Perfection?
Unless it was a once-in-a-generation martial arts genius who, by lucky opportunity, might cultivate one or two martial arts to Perfection.
Otherwise, absolutely impossible!
But Ji Qing could cultivate every martial art to Perfection.
This was his greatest advantage over other martial artists!
“Pa.”
Ji Qing was squinting his eyes in thought.
Suddenly, his ears twitched slightly, hearing a faint sound from above.
“Who?”
Ji Qing opened his eyes, grabbed with one hand, and his clothes and saber immediately fell onto him.
He crouched slightly with both feet, then fiercely kicked off, flying straight up from the bath tub and bursting through the roof.
On the roof, Ji Qing immediately spotted two black-clothed masked men.
