Chapter 330: Chapter 177: Azure Sea, Rising Tide
The figure, though so small it was nearly invisible, seemed to hold sway over the vast green sea.
This was the Daoist Master Watching the Green Sea Tide Ebb and Flow.
Honestly, Chen Cheng stared at the Fundamental Diagram, utterly captivated by the Daoist Master’s presence, his heart stirring for a long while!
"Hahh!" Chen Cheng closed the book and let out a long breath. ’This Daoist Master who created the Green Wave Sword Technique was really something!’ he thought.
Seeing his expression, Mu Xiaowan, Shen Qingyao, and Shen Qingshuang all breathed a sigh of relief.
’Surely Chen Cheng will finally settle down and practice the Green Wave Sword Technique now?’ they thought.
But to their surprise, Chen Cheng merely glanced at the three beauties drinking tea at the stone table, gave a faint smile, and once again opened the Secret Manual to study it intently.
Shen Qingshuang’s brow furrowed. ’That scoundrel Chen Cheng... he’s not actually going to spend an entire hour reading the Secret Manual, is he?’ she thought.
"Xiaowan, let’s get back to our practice."
Shen Qingshuang said, sounding rather vexed, and called for Mu Xiaowan to resume practicing the Green Wave Sword Technique.
Cultivating the Martial Dao requires gradual progress. Chen Cheng’s study of the Green Wave Sword Technique had only just begun.
Every single move and stance of this sword technique was endlessly mutable, flowing one into the next without pause.
Surging Tides!
The sword moves are like nascent tides, light and swift. They use a continuous flurry of attacks to distract the opponent and probe for weaknesses.
It’s somewhat similar to sword techniques like Immortal’s Guidance, but more intricate—both a probe and an attack.
If an opponent is unwary or too slow to react, they will often be defeated by this one move: Surging Tides.
Jade Waves Tornado! The user moves rapidly, their longsword a blur of swift changes, unfurling like a vortex. When they strike, it’s as if a blade of water has shot out from the vortex, aimed straight for the opponent’s vitals.
This move is intended to follow Surging Tides, capitalizing on the opening created by the initial probe.
Simultaneously, the intricate, vortex-like nature of the sword technique conceals the user’s own openings, preventing the opponent from discerning their true position.
The opponent knows they are vulnerable but can’t figure out how to defend or counter-attack.
It is a technique that excels in both offense and defense.
Thousandfold Green Waves! The sword technique is like stacking giant waves, each strike more powerful than the last. It’s as if a thousand layers of Power are being superimposed, with the final blow possessing the might of a tsunami.
It is a true finishing move!
Vast Green Waves! The sword technique is ethereal and indistinct, yet intricate and detailed. Like a vast ocean of green waves, it prevents anyone from discerning its true depth.
When engaged in a prolonged fight, all it takes is for a single flash of the blade to emerge from within the Vast Green Waves to slay the opponent, making it utterly indefensible.
Green Tide Ruins! The sword technique is one of condensed power, held back but omnipresent. Once unleashed, it is unstoppable...
This series of sword techniques is formed from the permutations and combinations of over one hundred fundamental stances, making it both intricate and complex.
Not only does it excel at both offense and defense, but it ultimately leads toward the more powerful Green Wave Sword Stance, and beyond that, the Gui Water Realm.
A quarter of an hour later, Chen Cheng closed the Secret Manual again. As he replayed the moves of the Green Wave Sword Technique in his mind, he couldn’t help but sigh with admiration.
’This Green Wave Sword Technique... its intricacy and detail are pushed to the absolute limit. It must be a rare sight even when compared to all other forms of Swordsmanship.
To master this swordsmanship would require immense effort; it would be difficult to achieve any real success otherwise.
However, when it comes to intricate and detailed techniques, I’ve already cultivated the Deer Cutting Saber Technique and mastered the even more nuanced Qingfeng Sword Technique. So they’re more or less the same principle!’
Putting away the Secret Manual, Chen Cheng moved, his body flowing into the stances of the Green Wave Sword Technique in the courtyard.
Compared to the Flame Sun Sword Skill, which relied heavily on innate talent, the Green Wave Sword Technique was more focused on pure skill. Thus, Chen Cheng’s initial proficiency after his first practice run was a bit lower, reaching only the nascent Great Success Level.
However, Chen Cheng’s own skill was exceptional. As he practiced a second time, then a third, his sword techniques grew more refined with each pass, and his progress was incredibly fast.
Surging Tides!
Jade Waves Tornado!
Thousandfold Green Waves!
Vast Green Waves!
Green Tide Ruins!
...
[Green Wave Sword Technique Cultivation Progress increased.]
...
[Green Wave Sword Technique Cultivation Progress increased.]
...
Notifications from the panel appeared one after another.
Another quarter of an hour passed. Chen Cheng felt a flash of insight and faintly sensed the existence of the Green Wave Sword Stance. He immediately sheathed his longsword and stopped his practice.
He summoned the panel to check his status.
[Skills: Green Wave Sword Technique (Perfection) (Green Wave Sword Stance 15/100,000)]
’The Cultivation Progress was a little slow, but the Green Wave Sword Technique still reached the Perfect Level. That’s not too bad.’
He thought to himself, a faint smile gracing his lips.
Suddenly, he realized the courtyard had become unnervingly quiet. So quiet, in fact, that he could clearly hear the sound of slightly ragged breathing.
Then he saw four pairs of eyes staring at him, filled with utter disbelief.
"Looks like my sword practice today went over the allotted hour."
Chen Cheng gave a relaxed smile, offered a casual salute with cupped hands, and walked briskly toward his own courtyard.
’In any case, my current Cultivation has to prioritize the Iron Armor Skill and the Qingfeng Saber Intent. I absolutely cannot afford any delays.’
...
「Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, more than half a month had gone by. It was now the beginning of the ninth lunar month; the Double Ninth Festival was just two days away.」
During this time, Chen Cheng remained focused on cultivating the Martial Dao.
As for the situation outside, ever since Shen Qingshuang moved into the Zheng Martial Arts Hall, her maid, Xiaoxing, had been bringing her daily reports.
This meant that even without going to the Demon Suppression Department himself, Chen Cheng could get a general idea of what was happening from Shen Qingshuang.
The drought in the counties under Linji Prefecture’s jurisdiction was growing more severe. The fields in several counties were parched and cracked, grain production had fallen, and the harvest was less than half that of previous years. There were already signs of an impending famine.
The situation within Linji Prefecture itself was relatively stable. In a year of major disaster, the Government Office would always collect funds and grain for relief efforts, setting up shelters and distributing thin porridge in the hardest-hit areas to ensure the common folk didn’t starve.
The source of these funds and grain? They were largely levied from the various wealthy households.
The Four Great Clans of the Inner City, each with their own territories, would also dispatch funds and grain from their clan treasuries to maintain stability in their domains.
The Shen Family controlled two counties: Qingyuan County and Moshan County.
Comments