Chapter 130: Chapter 130: The Cave Dwelling of a Xuanqi Realm Master
"Finally, I’ve succeeded."
As he relaxed his furrowed brow, Shi Xiaole seemed to unload a heavy burden from himself.
For a span of one month and eight days, he managed to cultivate the Blood Battle Ten Forms up to the initial level of the Transformation Phase.
Was this pace slow?
No, it was not only fast, but frighteningly so.
Take Qiu Wunan for example. Practising the Bloodthirsty Soul Chasing Hand, a similar low-tier martial art, took him several years just to barely reach the Divine Harmony Perfection Phase.
To reach the initial Transformation Phase, who knows how long it would take.
For many people, these low-tier techniques can be fully mastered to become a lifelong hidden trick.
In fact, the top masters in the Cloud Triangle, such as the master of the Astonishing Dragon Castle, ’Nine Appearances of Cloud Dragon’ Yue Changzheng, only practice low-tier internal energy techniques and moves.
With no sleep forthcoming, Shi Xiaole ran out of his room and looked at the crack in the wall, remarking to himself: "In terms of power, the Blood Battle Ten Forms at the initial Transformation Phase are almost approaching a slim chance of survival."
Fairly speaking, a slim chance of survival has more lethality than many low-tier martial arts, but compared with the damage-oriented Blood Battle Ten Forms, it’s obviously inferior.
This discovery excited Shi Xiaole. With his current momentum, he immediately started practicing in the courtyard, completely forgetting himself.
Outsiders would only ever be amazed at Shi Xiaole’s rate of progress. How many of them knew how much effort and heart he had put into it?
With astonishing aptitude, a genius might be temporarily ahead. But that’s not what Shi Xiaole wants. He wants to be ahead for life and to be the best in any era or context.
In a blink of an eye, another twenty-five days had passed.
That day, the courtyard suddenly erupted with an iron-blooded aura.
Shi Xiaole held the Shattered Snow Blade in both hands, leaning forward as he lunged and fiercely slashed at the wall.
Boom!
A crack suddenly appeared in the wall three feet away, with this crack as the center, it splintered like a spider web, displaying the power of the sword.
"Very good, I’ve reached the Transformation Phase’s grand completion."
Even with Shi Xiaole’s composure, he couldn’t help but smile at this moment.
The Blood Battle Ten Forms at the grand completion of the Transformation Phase already surpassed a slim chance of survival in terms of frontal lethality. It might even be inferior to a half-step killer move that integrates 30% of Chaotic Intent Realm.
But don’t forget, the Blood Battle Ten Forms is a continuous unique skill, which is obviously more threatening than a half-step killer move when facing opponents of equal strength.
The only regret is that the low-tier martial art is probably too subtle, so Shi Xiaole temporarily can’t integrate the Chaotic Intent Realm into the Blood Battle Ten Forms.
As for the Chaotic Intent Realm, it originated from the Huashan Sword Technique, making it impossible to integrate with other martial arts.
After the Blood Battle Ten Forms reached the grand completion of the Transformation Phase, Shi Xiaole slowed down his pace.
He had a premonition that to cultivate from grand completion to perfection, more than just hard work is needed. Enlightenment was required as well. Moreover, after two months of selfless hard work, even nerves of iron needed to loosen up a bit.
The bright moon hung in the sky, casting down a hazy radiance.
In the courtyard, Shi Xiaole drained his cup in one gulp, leisurely enjoying his leisure time.
Just now, he had used up his two free draws from the past two months. The first one yielded nothing, but the second draw gave him a set of the high-tier third-rate Palm Skill, the Great Sumi Palm Skill, practiced by the swordsman Jiang Haitian, a disciple of Jin Shiyi.
"Unconsciously, I’ve been in this world for almost a year."
Shi Xiaole sighed leisurely.
The past was like a wisp of smoke, gradually fading from his memory. Strangely enough, he didn’t miss that time at all.
"The most important thing for a person is to seize the present, to set foot in the Martial World, to witness various masters, to travel the world with one’s sword. This life is sufficient."
With his chest broadened, Shi Xiaole drank three more glasses of wine in succession.
"You, fiend! Do you really want to kill me?"
As he put down his drink, a shrill howl echoed in the night.
"Hehe, hand over what you have, and I may let you live. Otherwise..."
In the alley outside the yard, two groups of people were facing off.
The left consisted of a young man and a child, and on the right was a cold-faced, greedy-looking man in black clothes.
"If you want something, you’ll have to step over my dead body."
On the young man’s clear and delicate face was an expression of deep hatred and indignation. He was covered in fresh blood, having apparently been injured earlier.
The strangest thing was the child carrying a bag next to him. Despite facing an enemy filled with killing intent, he remained shockingly calm.
"You won’t drink a toast, so you’ll have to drink a forfeit."
The man in black charged over, swinging his large palm, and his energy immediately swept over the young man and child.
The young man had a Qi Absorption third tier cultivation base and was not weak. Unfortunately, the man in black was a Qi Absorption fifth tier powerhouse. As soon as they clashed, the young man was hit, causing blood to spurt out.
"Young Master Nine, run quickly."
The young man cried out resolutely. He suddenly grabbed the man in black’s leg, disregarding the opponent’s attack, refusing to let go, and treating himself like a punch bag.
In just a moment, the ground was covered with blood, and the panting gradually weakened.
The child’s eyes were moist and his expression moved for a moment. He gritted his teeth and decided to run in the distance. But after a short while, he ran back again.
"Young Master Nine, you have disappointed me."
The young man cried with tears flowing down his face, mixing with the blood. He shouted in despair.
If Young Master Nine were to die at the hands of this man today with his shocking status, how could he face his master?
The man in black laughed heartily, about to kill the young man and rob the child’s belongings, when he suddenly stiffened and tried to dodge to the side as fast as he could.
Chirp.
A faint sword mark appeared where he had been standing.
"Gentleman, when you are in the Martial World, don’t meddle in other people’s affairs."
The man in black looked at the sudden arrival with an icy tone. At this point, the youth, out of strength, had already collapsed on the ground.
"Everyone in the world has a responsibility toward the affairs of the world."
Shi Xiaole said in an indifferent tone.
Although he wasn’t a benevolent swordsman, he still held a basic line of decency. Seeing such a situation and standing by would undoubtedly affect his state of mind.
"Young master, quickly take Lord Nine and go."
The youth cried out with all his might.
He didn’t understand the extent of Shi Xiaole’s power, but he figured that running away would at least afford them a margin of survival.
"Where can you run to?"
Hearing footsteps from far off, and knowing that quite a few people had heard the commotion and were rushing over, the man in black mustered all his strength, and attacked Shi Xiaole with a volley of palm strikes.
His left hand resting still, Shi Xiaole placed his right hand on the handle of his sword, drew it, and sheathed it. In the spark of that moment, there was a thud, and the man in black’s expression froze as his head rolled onto the ground.
"What?!"
The youth on the ground couldn’t help but be shocked, what was happening?
Even the calm child behind him showed a fleeting surprise.
The man in black was simply an ordinary master in the early stages of the Fifth-Tier Qi Absorption Realm, and his sword technique was merely mediocre; how could he withstand Shi Xiaole’s sword strike?
"Protect us, and we can reward you handsomely."
The child stepped forward, and in his calm tone, Shi Xiaole detected a tremble. If this young man intended to harm them, he and Chang Wei would not be able to escape. They might as well take a gamble.
"Help him up, follow me."
Shi Xiaole stepped ahead without turning back.
The child breathed a sigh of relief and hastily supported the severely injured Chang Wei to follow.
Chang Wei was severely damaged, almost beyond medical help. He fainted as soon as they returned to the courtyard.
Then, the child took out a wooden box from his arms and broke a piece of the green lingzhi mushroom inside, stuffing it into Chang Wei’s mouth.
Visibly, Chang Wei’s complexion began to glow.
"This is a Cuihua Immortal Ganoderma, a rarity encountered only once in centuries. It possesses the ability to bring people back from the brink of death." The child gave a small smile and said, "You have saved both me and Chang Wei. A person can’t profit from an act that is his duty, so I’m willing to give you half of the remaining ganoderma."
"No need. I saved you because I wanted to. If you hadn’t run back, I wouldn’t have lifted a finger."
Shi Xiaole declined and walked out, leaving the child dumbfounded.
With the addition of two more people, the courtyard became lively.
On the day Chang Wei woke up and found out that he had used some of the Cuihua Immortal Ganoderma, he slapped himself a few times out of guilt and gratitude. Then he ran to Shi Xiaole, thanking him profusely.
Shi Xiaole waved his hand dismissively.
Crackling sounds of firecrackers echoed continuously, and fireworks lit up the night sky.
Unconsciously, it was New Year’s Eve.
To his amusement, Shi Xiaole found that he spent his first New Year’s Eve in this world with two strangers.
Upon returning to his room after dinner, his bed sported a piece of Cuihua Immortal Ganoderma enclosed in a wooden box.
"Whether you want it is up to you, but I, Xia Xiaonine, don’t like owing others."
Setting down the note, Shi Xiaole wore a helpless smile. His strike had won a once-in-a-century life-saving ganoderma; he felt he had gained quite a bit from the deal.
Due to some considerations, Shi Xiaole started actively teaching Xia Xiaonine martial arts.
Interestingly, Xiaonine had surprisingly strong aptitude. In just a few days, he managed to cultivate a mediocre martial art style to a respectable level.
Whenever Xiaonine mastered one set of martial arts, Shi Xiaole would teach him another.
They repeated this process several times, and although their relationship remained plain, there was a silent understanding between them born of the repetition.
Just like that, another half month passed.
That day, the Martial World of Wangyuan City was suddenly thrown into chaos.
Apparently, someone had discovered a cave in the stone caves outside the city, presumed to be the mansion of a Xuanqi Realm master. Rumor has it, a huge opportunity lay within.
A Xuanqi Realm master was rarity in the vast Cloud Triangle, and was considered top tier even in the Floating River Area. How could the mansion of such a person be simple?
Everyone knew that to advance to the Xuanqi Realm as a martial artist, in addition to having innate aptitude, one also needed high-level internal martial arts.
Among the martial artists in the world, 99% of those who reached the Xuanqi Realm cultivated at least a second-tier low-grade internal martial arts. The odds of someone making it to this realm with a third-tier martial arts was less than one in a hundred.
So upon hearing of the mansion of a Xuanqi Realm master, the nearby martial artists were practically driven mad.
If they were lucky and found high-level martial arts inside, wouldn’t they experience a rapid rise? Even if they didn’t find any martial arts, simply finding other treasures would make the risks worthwhile.
The day after the news broke, the city became a frenzied whirlwind, a large number of warriors gathered at the Stone Cave Mansion. Judging from the momentum, many more will be coming in the next few days.
"Stone Cave Mansion?"
In the courtyard, Shi Xiaole stood up.
Although he was not lacking in martial arts, more was always better. Who would think they had too many scripts? Moreover, the wealth of a Xuanqi Realm master was not only the scripts.
Perhaps, he might find other precious items inside.
"You’re going?"
Xia Xiaonine asked.
"Stay here and keep practicing."
Leaving only that sentence behind, Shi Xiaole vanished into thin air.
