Three Days of Sword Forging, Strength of Ten Tripods!

"Three days now." Lu Changsheng glanced at his attribute panel. The Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method showed that he had been forging the sword for three days. Over those three days, the sword of qi and blood had undergone a distinct change. Lu Changsheng focused his consciousness on the sword of qi and blood within his body. At present, the sword appeared minuscule, yet after three days of steady accumulation, it had gathered an abundance of qi and blood, radiating a unique, awe-inspiring aura. "Time to test it." With a thought, Lu Changsheng let out a low shout. "Strike!" Instantly, the sword of qi and blood burst through his body. The moment it pierced forth, a faint flash of blood-red sword light flickered before his eyes. *Boom!* Almost in the blink of an eye, the sword reached the designated spot. It struck a massive, solid boulder. Swift, precise, and ruthless! The sword moved as fast as lightning. Yet it did not rely on sharpness to dispatch its target; rather, it relied on the vast reserves of qi and blood compressed within it, which erupted with cataclysmic force. In an instant, the enormous boulder shattered into fragments. Lu Changsheng's pupils contracted slightly. Though he had anticipated something formidable, he was still inwardly shocked. It had only been three days of forging, yet the power of this sword was already close to the strength of ten tripods. After all, Lu Changsheng possessed exceedingly precise control over his strength now. He could tell at a single glance that the power just unleashed easily equaled the strength of ten tripods. Three days yielded the strength of ten tripods; one month would be a hundred tripods, and a year would mean one thousand two hundred tripods! And that was a conservative estimate. After all, as long as Lu Changsheng continued his marrow transformation and blood exchange, his body would accommodate more qi and blood, leading to greater daily dissipation. The sword could then absorb even more qi and blood to forge itself. Its destructive power would keep climbing indefinitely. Lu Changsheng could even set aside an hour each day specifically to forge the sword. By consciously channeling his qi and blood while replenishing himself with medicinal cuisine, his body would readily recover. Under such circumstances, his forging efficiency would surge drastically. When that time came, accumulating the strength of two hundred, five hundred, or even a thousand tripods in a single month would not be impossible. In short, the sword of qi and blood held boundless potential! Having unleashed the sword, Lu Changsheng promptly brought up his attribute panel to look. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 719 (Hidden Dragon in the Depths) Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method: Cast for 0 days Qiantian Treasure Transformation Secret Method: First Layer Triple Waves: Second Wave Ninefold Carp Leaping Dragon Gate Art: Second Layer Divine Dragon Transformation: Second Transformation Nine-Word Thunder Sound Secret Method: Perfection (Incomplete) Sure enough, the accumulated "time" on the Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method had reset to zero. To continue forging, he would have to start counting anew. "The sword of qi and blood must serve as a trump card. I cannot use it unless I am in dire peril." "And once unleashed, it must decide the battle with finality!" Lu Changsheng established a clear role for the sword. A trump card! Once deployed, it had to strike a decisive blow to settle victory and defeat. After all, the method relied on accumulating power over time, and once used, that accumulation had to start all over again. The longer it was nurtured, the more terrifying its might would become. If it were nurtured for one year, three years, five years, or even ten years... Just how horrifying would a single strike be? "Tracking its growth purely by 'time' is too vague. It would be much better if it were quantified clearly." "Let's use the qi and blood accumulated over these three days as a benchmark: three days for the strength of ten tripods, one month for a hundred tripods, and one year for one thousand two hundred tripods. I can define each 'day' by a specific quantity of qi and blood." "For example, ten wisps of qi and blood could count as one day of forging. If I actually accumulate twenty wisps in a single day, the panel will display two days of forging. If I accumulate two hundred wisps, it will display twenty days, even though only one day of real time has passed." With a thought, Lu Changsheng set a standard for the Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method on the attribute panel. This way, he could intuitively gauge just how terrifying the sword's power had become. Otherwise, if a year passed during which Lu Changsheng diligently practiced forging every day and underwent several more rounds of marrow transformation and blood exchange, who could tell how powerful a single year of forging truly was? Setting a fixed amount of accumulated qi and blood as a standard day meant that after one actual year, the panel might show ten years of sword casting. At one thousand two hundred tripods per year, ten years would equal twelve thousand tripods of strength. That would provide a clear and direct reflection of its true might. As if sensing Lu Changsheng's thoughts, the attribute panel indeed adjusted accordingly. Even as he developed his new secret method, Lu Changsheng continued his daily routine as a physician at Miaoshou Garden. On this day, he went to visit his master, Wu Jing. Wu Jing had fallen ill. It was ostensibly just a common cold, yet he showed no sign of recovery. His frail body grew weaker with each passing day. Lu Changsheng had taken Wu Jing's pulse and prescribed medicine several times, but to little effect. He knew this meant Wu Jing's primordial qi was steadily draining away—his natural lifespan was reaching its end. Wu Jing was seventy-nine, on the verge of turning eighty. Since antiquity, reaching seventy had been rare; Wu Jing had already surpassed that milestone. By the average lifespan of this era, he had lived an exceptionally long life. Even so, Lu Changsheng felt heavy-hearted. Seeing Lu Changsheng arrive, a faint smile appeared on Wu Jing's face. "Changsheng, I am old. I don't know how much longer I can hold on. But I have no regrets left." Wu Jing looked profoundly gratified. Meeting Lu Changsheng was perhaps the greatest blessing of his life. His lifelong medical expertise had not been lost to the world. "Master, you will get better," Lu Changsheng consoled him gently before stepping outside. Fresh green sprouts were budding along the roadside trees, vibrant with life. Yet only a few months ago, those very branches had been completely bare. "Trees wither and flourish; men live and die." "Even martial artists cannot escape the limits of natural lifespan, it seems..." Lu Changsheng had not pondered this deeply before. Seeing his master's current condition, however, stirred something unfamiliar in his heart. Upon reaching the Divine Strength Realm, martial artists underwent metamorphosis in every aspect, yet their lifespans saw no noticeable extension. Barring external factors, some Divine Strength martial artists died in their sixties or seventies, while others lived past a hundred. At most, they were slightly healthier than ordinary people and far less susceptible to illness. "If the Divine Strength Realm cannot prolong life significantly, what about realms above it?" Lu Changsheng felt the surging, tempestuous power within him. With such horrifying strength and a body this robust, there was no reason his lifespan would not increase. Lu Changsheng firmly believed that martial arts could grant longevity! All he needed to do was climb steadily toward the peak of martial arts, taking it one step at a time. *** The Dalong Heavenly Cult governed Seven Islands and Thirty-Six Caves. The Thirty-Six Caves were further divided into the Upper Three Caves, the Middle Nine Caves, and the Lower Twenty-Four Caves. Among them, Liyang Cave belonged to the Lower Twenty-Four Caves. On this day, Guo Jiuling, the master of Liyang Cave, finally emerged from seclusion. "Congratulations, Cave Master, on completing your divine arts!" Numerous disciples of Liyang Cave bowed respectfully to welcome Guo Jiuling. "Good, very good." "This seclusion has finally allowed me to attain the Hundred Tripods Realm. When the Thirty-Six Caves are ranked again, our Liyang Cave will have a chance to enter the Middle Nine Caves!" Guo Jiuling appeared elated. The Thirty-Six Caves were re-ranked every ten years. The Upper Three Caves rarely shifted, but the Middle Nine Caves often saw significant turnover. Only a cave master who attained the Hundred Tripods Realm was even eligible to compete for a spot in the Middle Nine Caves. Guo Jiuling swept his gaze across the gathering, but his most valued thirteenth disciple, Li Ji, was nowhere to be seen. Li Ji possessed innate divine strength and was held in high regard by Guo Jiuling. Before entering seclusion, Guo Jiuling had sent Li Ji out to track down the first volume of the Nine-Word Mantra Secret Method, known as the Nine-Word Thunder Sound Secret Method. Only by combining the upper and lower volumes could one obtain the complete Nine-Word Mantra Secret Method. That secret method was extraordinary, possessing an illustrious background. Even among Divine Strength Realm secret methods, its fame resounded far and wide. After uncovering the lead, Guo Jiuling had dispatched Li Ji, confident that securing the Nine-Word Thunder Sound Secret Method would pose little difficulty. "Where is Li Ji? Why hasn't he come?" Guo Jiuling's question caused the disciples below to exchange uneasy glances. In the end, the eldest disciple gritted his teeth and reported, "Master, Junior Brother Li Ji was murdered by a villain in Nanyang Prefecture. He is already dead..." "What? Li Ji is dead?" Guo Jiuling's gaze turned sharp as lightning as he stared fixedly at his eldest disciple. A terrifying aura bore down like Mount Tai, suffocating every disciple in Liyang Cave. "Master, a Tempering Bone Realm subordinate under Junior Brother Li managed to flee back. He stated in person that Junior Brother Li was slain by a Refining Organs Realm martial artist over a year ago..." "Absurd! What Refining Organs martial artist could possibly kill Li Ji?" Guo Jiuling sneered coldly. Though he had many disciples, Li Ji was one of the foremost among them, possessing immense potential to advance into the Divine Strength Realm. Yet now he was dead. Killed by a mere Refining Organs martial artist, no less. "Why didn't you go avenge him?" Guo Jiuling demanded. No one answered; all kept their heads lowered. Li Ji had never been well-liked in Liyang Cave. With Guo Jiuling still in seclusion, who would have dared to act on their own? "Hmph, enough. Did Li Ji obtain the Nine-Word Thunder Sound Secret Method?" "Master, according to his subordinate, Junior Brother Li did seem to obtain it. But with his death, the manual vanished without a trace..." Guo Jiuling fell silent, though his eyes grew colder by the second. "Never mind. This master will personally make a trip to Nanyang Prefecture to retrieve the Nine-Word Thunder Sound Secret Method and avenge Li Ji along the way." "Third, Fifth, Seventh, Eleventh—accompany me down the mountain." The named disciples immediately stepped forward. "Yes, Master." *** Inside the headquarters of the Myriad Poison Cult, candlelight flickered amidst an eerie chill. *Rumble!* A massive stone gate rose. A man wearing a faceless mask strode out from within. The hall was filled with seated martial artists. These were the high-ranking figures of the Myriad Poison Cult—all guardian elders. "Greetings, Cult Master!" "Enough. Rise, all of you." The Cult Master raised a hand, and everyone stood. "Where is Xu Mao?" the Cult Master asked. "Xu Mao greets the Cult Master!" A somewhat plump elderly man knelt respectfully on the ground. This Xu Mao was none other than Squire Xu of Xu Family Manor. He had arrived at the headquarters long ago, but this was his first time meeting the Cult Master. "Xu Mao, did you ever hear of a Zhuang Thirteen while in Nanyang?" "This... I had never heard of him before. It was as though he appeared out of nowhere." "However, I heard this Zhuang Thirteen can turn qi and blood into silken threads, and the martial artist who killed Left Emissary Zhao Xing could do the same. Perhaps the two are connected," Xu Mao replied respectfully. In truth, Xu Mao suspected that Zhao Xing's killer was likely Zhuang Thirteen's disciple or a junior relative—someone closely related to him. Otherwise, how could both know such a unique martial art as turning qi and blood into silken threads? As for the possibility that Zhuang Thirteen was the very person who killed Zhao Xing, Xu Mao had never entertained the thought. Zhuang Thirteen was a Divine Strength Realm expert capable of beating Elder Zhao Wuji to death, whereas Zhao Xing's killer had merely been a Refining Organs martial artist. Only a few months separated the two incidents. How could someone leap from the Refining Organs Realm to beating Elder Zhao Wuji to death in a matter of months? It was utterly impossible! "Elder Zhao Wuji was beaten to death by Zhuang Thirteen of Nanyang. When has our Myriad Poison Cult ever suffered such humiliation?" "This grudge must be avenged!" "Yet Zhuang Thirteen is no weakling. To kill Elder Zhao Wuji, he has likely reached the Hundred Tripods Realm. A lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit, let alone when dealing with a Hundred Tripods Realm expert." "This time, this seat will personally journey to Nanyang alongside four guardian elders. That should guarantee that Zhuang Thirteen is slain without fail." The Cult Master made his decision. Had an ordinary martial artist been killed, they might have let it pass. But Zhao Wuji was a Divine Strength Realm elder; his death was an absolute disgrace to the cult. Zhuang Thirteen of Nanyang had to die! *** *Divine Dragon Transformation perfected, comprehension +18.* A line of small characters appeared before Lu Changsheng's eyes. "The Divine Dragon Transformation is perfected? And it added eighteen points to my comprehension... This truly is an eighteenth-tier martial technique..." Lu Changsheng felt a trace of surprise, though on closer thought, it made complete sense. The Divine Dragon Transformation could only reach perfection upon achieving the Third Transformation. And the Third Transformation directly granted a two-fold boost to his physical strength. Such a tremendous leap was far beyond what ordinary secret methods could achieve. With Lu Changsheng's current foundation of sixty tripods of strength, a two-fold boost added one hundred twenty tripods, bringing him to a staggering total of one hundred eighty tripods. If he deployed the Second Wave on top of that, gaining another fifty percent boost, a full-power strike would deliver two hundred seventy tripods of strength! That was a truly terrifying figure. "It is not yet time for the third carp leap. My spirit, energy, and physical state have not reached their peak; attempting it prematurely would likely end in failure." "Triple Waves, on the other hand... It feels like it should have reached perfection long ago, yet it continues to linger just short of it, as though missing a vital element." Lu Changsheng furrowed his brow. Two months had passed since he created the Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method. Even the Divine Dragon Transformation had reached perfection at the Third Transformation, yet Triple Waves remained stalled. That was abnormal. With Lu Changsheng's comprehension, it should not have taken this long without reaching perfection. He sank into deep thought, searching for the reason. Numerous ideas flashed through his mind. Finally, Lu Changsheng struck upon the answer. "Martial conception!" "Triple Waves simulates surging ocean waves. To grasp the true martial conception of massive waves, one must witness real oceanic billows." "Otherwise, no matter how high my comprehension is, I won't be able to push Triple Waves to perfection." Lu Changsheng understood now. He needed to witness genuine great waves! "Nanyang isn't coastal. To see the ocean, I must go to Zhanhai Prefecture." Lu Changsheng knew of Zhanhai Prefecture; it wasn't particularly far from Nanyang Prefecture, taking only two or three days on horseback. Since it concerned his martial cultivation, Lu Changsheng did not hesitate and quickly made up his mind. He first paid another visit to his master. Wu Jing remained unchanged, extremely frail, with no telling how long he could hold on. After seeing Wu Jing, Lu Changsheng asked Wang Ruhai to watch over Miaoren Hall. With everything arranged, Lu Changsheng led out his docile little mare. Patting its back, Lu Changsheng smiled and said, "Little mare, let's go see the ocean. Giddyap!" The horse seemed excited as well, galloping off with eager strides. In moments, they dashed out of Nanyang City, disappearing into the distance.