Chapter 1014: Chapter 113: Strength Progresses Again_1
In a garden not too large, yet equipped with pavilions, terraces, towers, artificial mountains, and green waters, stood a majestic golden eagle, towering over three zhang in height. The occasional sharp glance from its eagle eyes would make the Martial World experts guarding inside and around the garden bristle, daring not to meet its gaze.
Inside a wing-room near the garden.
Shi Xiaole slowly withdrew his hand, having put his last worry to rest.
This place was one of the secret bases that the Divine Sect had set up in the Daxia Dynasty. Initially, when Shi Xiaole was taken away by Han Yanfa, the Purple Wood Sword Emperor—who had been hanging on to his last breath—was arranged to be here.
After some investigation, Shi Xiaole easily determined that the Purple Wood Sword Emperor’s condition was very critical and he could die at any moment. It was fortunate that Han Yanfa timely employed the "Heart and Meridian Closing Great Method" to preserve the last bit of life force of the other party.
Moreover, judging by the physical condition of the Purple Wood Sword Emperor, someone must have been continuously feeding him precious spiritual medicines over the past half year, so all his qualities had been well maintained.
"Was that your doing?"
Shi Xiaole looked at Han Yanfa.
Han Yanfa replied with a wry smile, "Knowing his relation to Protector Shi, I commanded the sect’s followers to administer superior spiritual medicines to him every three days. Anything beyond that was charged to my account. If anyone in the sect held accountable, I alone would shoulder the responsibility."
Ignoring his attempt to take credit and curry favor, Shi Xiaole simply looked at the Purple Wood Sword Emperor, who was deep in slumber on the bed.
If it had been a year ago facing such a situation, he really would have been helpless. However, now he was somewhat confident in saving the Purple Wood Sword Emperor.
Of course, how long it would take was another matter.
The Purple Wood Sword Emperor’s injuries were even more terrifying than those of Uncle Wang’s martial arts fractures. The power of a person’s heart meridians is inherently weak, and the Purple Wood Sword Emperor’s heart meridian power was a hundred times weaker than that of ordinary people, like a candle in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.
For anyone else, this would be an inescapable death trap.
Carrying the Purple Wood Sword Emperor, the four of them sat on the back of the Heavenly Divine Eagle. With a piercing scream that cleaved through the sky, the Heavenly Divine Eagle quickly broke through the clouds and disappeared into the obscurity.
"To have such a wondrous mount, I really wish I could own one."
"Don’t even dream about it. This eagle is a rare sight in the world. It’s fierce by nature. If you dare to ride on it, it won’t rest until it has pecked a hole through you. Only a heaven-sent figure like the Sect Leader deserves such a creature."
"That’s true indeed."
Given that Shi Xiaole’s identity within the Divine Sect was a secret, the experts in the manor naturally assumed that the Heavenly Divine Eagle belonged to Mu Qianji.
In fact, Mu Qianji truly desired it.
The very first time she saw the Heavenly Divine Eagle, her eyes lit up. In Mu Qianji’s view, such a majestic, powerful, and awe-inspiring mount seemed custom-made for a showy woman like herself.
Especially after learning that the Heavenly Divine Eagle possessed the strength and speed of the Void Origin Realm, she became even more eager. On the journey, both openly and secretly, she repeatedly negotiated with Shi Xiaole for possession of the eagle, only to be rejected time after time.
"Protector Shi, I’m willing to exchange it for top martial arts, one set isn’t enough, I’ll give two," Mu Qianji said, standing on the eagle’s back, pointing at the lands below with a hand, feeling a thrilling sense of grandeur. Although she could fly on her own by exerting her cultivation, it was not as effortless as it was now.
Just imagine, if one day she had to engage in a battle of the ages, arriving upon an eagle amidst the stares of spectators would be both shocking and energy-saving. It perfectly combines aesthetics with practicality, fitting the style of the Divine Sect’s Sect Leader!
Therefore, Mu Qianji was fixated.
"Even more won’t be enough," Shi Xiaole still refused.
Grinding her teeth in frustration, Mu Qianji retorted, "Protector Shi, what exactly do you want? Do you really want me dead before you’ll be satisfied?"
Shi Xiaole couldn’t be bothered with her.
After getting used to her, he felt that the Sect Leader of the Divine Sect was just someone with adolescent syndrome. Everything from her dress to her behavior, even to her martial arts approach, prioritized style and flash over efficiency.
So, in several confrontations with Uncle Wang, she was thoroughly crushed every time.
"Little Eagle, how about following me from now on? I am Little Shi’s boss, and from now on, you can be on equal footing with him. You won’t have to take orders from him anymore," Mu Qianji attempted, in front of Shi Xiaole, to win over the eagle.
Gold Thunder (Heavenly Divine Eagle) looked straight ahead, making no sound.
"Little Eagle, whatever you like to eat or do, I can satisfy all your wishes. Believe in me, as long as you are loyal, one day all of this land will become your back garden, submitting under your wings," Mu Qianji boasted, gesturing downwards confidently.
"Aren’t you flying as usual now?" Han Yanfa meekly chimed in from the side.
"Get lost!" Caught off guard by someone spoiling her efforts, Mu Qianji kicked Han Yanfa away, sending him flying out of sight in an instant.
Such incidents happened several times every day.
Shi Xiaole was fully focused on his cultivation, sometimes flying away from the eagle’s back and disappearing for a long time. Only when treating Uncle Wang’s martial arts fractures did he step out of his cultivation state to exchange a few words with the others.
Nobody knew that his strength was once again rising at a speed unknown to others.
First was the "Saintly Spirit Sword Technique".
The meditation and training of these days had swiftly transformed Shi Xiaole’s previous insights into progress, and finally, on this day, he successfully reached the state of minor achievement.
Above the endlessly rolling sea of clouds, Shi Xiaole’s green robe fluttered as he swung his sword forward.
Whoosh.
The sword Qi that pierced the sky and earth easily split the sea of clouds in half, stretching to an infinitely distant place, resembling a tear in the sky that persisted for ages, with unsurpassed power.
However, what truly captured Shi Xiaole’s attention was the sword rhythm within it, unceasing and tender, like lovers nestled against each other, unwilling to part.
When the first eighteen moves of the Saintly Spirit Sword Technique were introduced, it was at the time when the Sword Emperor and Gongben Mili were deeply in love, thus, the sword technique could not help but carry profound affection.
Of course, this did not mean that the first eighteen moves were weak and powerless. On the contrary, this deep affection, in the eyes of enemies, turned into a net of swords, relentless and entangling, capable of crushing the enemy both in strength and will, the most terrifying.
Currently, Shi Xiaole had only mastered from "Sword One" to "Sword Eighteen." The subsequent forms, different in style and mindset, could do more harm than good if practiced rashly before fully understanding the first eighteen moves.
"The power of the first eighteen moves of the Saintly Spirit Sword Technique is slightly stronger than that of the Congenital Rupture Invisible Sword Qi, and with the continuous sword moves, it’s even more lethal one-on-one."
Shi Xiaole nodded in satisfaction.
Compared to the Saintly Spirit Sword Technique, the progress of the Sacred Heart Technique was much slower, not because it was more profound, but because it lacked the enhancement of the Great Achieved Heart Sword.
The Sacred Heart Technique is divided into Sacred Heart Four Technique and Sacred Heart Four Tribulations, accompanied by Flying Skill, spellcasting, and other methods. To fully learn it, who knows until what year and month.
To improve his strength more quickly, Shi Xiaole first chose Flying Skill and spiritual techniques, which were the "Ascending Immortal Step" and "Heavenly Palace Illusion."
As for the "Ocean Absorbing Sacred Heart Spell," which seemed to assimilate others’ Vigorous Air into one’s own and ensure the purity of one’s Vigorous Air, any assimilation cannot be 100% effective. To avoid affecting the future, Shi Xiaole decided not to practice it for now.
Among the white clouds.
Shi Xiaole took steps as if casually roaming in a leisurely court, ascending to immortality. His speed might not seem fast, but vast expanses of the void were left behind him, as if he were shrinking the earth to an inch.
"The truly complete Ascending Immortal Step is faster than the speed of sound, yet it doesn’t create a sonic boom. I’m still a bit short."
After all, "Crossing the River with a Single Reed" was only a top-tier Flying Skill, and it could no longer keep up with Shi Xiaole’s pace. Now that he had practiced the "Ascending Immortal Step," although it was only at the early stage, both speed and maneuverability had surpassed the previous one.
It was the spiritual technique "Heavenly Palace Illusion" that truly amazed Shi Xiaole.
Although he had previously grasped this move, he had never practiced it. Without trying, one wouldn’t realize its power could be startling. When Shi Xiaole used it, he directly controlled the minds of nearly ten thousand people.
To know, controlling minds is different from killing. The weakest Martial Emperor in the Void Origin Realm could easily massacre a city with hundreds of thousands of people, but couldn’t control the minds of thousands simultaneously.
Firstly, the user’s spiritual power isn’t strong enough, and secondly, such top-level mental secret techniques were rare in the Martial World, and even if available, they were difficult to learn.
But Shi Xiaole had surpassed the criteria in both aspects, which constituted his terrifying spiritual cultivation.
It could be said that Shi Xiaole’s martial arts strength was one aspect, and his cultivation on the Spiritual Path was catching up, and if used well, it could have a game-changing effect at a crucial moment.
And at this time, only a little over five months had passed since the blood battle at the imperial city.
Five months, for a Martial Emperor in the Void Origin Realm, was just a fleeting moment, and without a staggering opportunity, it would be difficult to make any progress. But Shi Xiaole had undoubtedly taken a significant step forward.
...
In the boundless sky, Mu Qianji, as usual, stroked the Divine Eagle’s head, attempting to win it over with a gentle approach, when suddenly he frowned and cast a sidelong glance at Shi Xiaole, "Hey, there’s a fly following us; do you want to go take care of it?"
"I’ll go."
Han Yanfa wanted to move, but was stopped by a fierce look from Mu Qianji.
"I could use a sparring partner; I’ll go meet him."
Seeing this, Shi Xiaole was unconcerned and leaped towards the back.
"Sect Leader, the person coming has a strong aura. Although Protector Shi might not be harmed, it’ll be difficult for him to defeat the opponent."
Han Yanfa expressed his concern.
Mu Qianji sneered, "That’s exactly what I want. I’ve been annoyed with that kid for a while; he needs to take a few knocks to realize the immensity of heaven and earth. Of course, if Uncle Wang is really worried, I won’t stop you."
Uncle Wang chuckled, "Master Mu, don’t provoke me. I won’t intervene for trivial characters. I believe Brother Shi wouldn’t want me to intervene either. Some grinding will be good for him."
In the buffeting Vigorous Air, the Fearful Martial Emperor hesitated for a moment before turning around and leaving.
It took a long time for him to find Shi Xiaole’s whereabouts, thinking he could avenge a past grievance, only to find that three formidable masters had joined the latter’s side.
Even the weakest among them gave the Fearful Martial Emperor a strong sense of threat, leaving him no choice but to retreat.
Damn, I can only let that kid off for now!
"Since you’ve come, why bother leaving?"
A beam of sword light suddenly streaked from behind.
"Kid, I didn’t come looking for you, but you’ve followed me out. Do you want to die?"
Turning around, the Fearful Martial Emperor didn’t recognize Shi Xiaole but was familiar with his energy. In his mind, his own leniency was already an act of magnanimity. Instead of being grateful, the other party dared to follow, which was simply courting death!
It was merely because Shi Xiaole had appeared under the identity of Le Yan back then, so the Fearful Martial Emperor was unaware of his true identity.
Moreover, the event of the blood battle at the imperial city was under a gag order by the Witch Queen’s shrine, and Shen Yuan and Shen Wu were not ones to gossip, so the spread of the news was extremely slow and still limited to a small circle.
Otherwise, the Fearful Martial Emperor might have changed his mind.
