C16 Unique Swordshaped Genuine Qi
Inside the stone chamber, Woo Zhengyang sat cross-legged, absorbing and dispersing the surrounding vital energy. After returning from the Profound Arts Pavilion, he didn't rush to practice the Flesh Condensing Technique. His strength had already reached the level of a Three-star Martial Disciple, and further progress wasn't something that could be achieved overnight. Living in the stone chamber had its limitations; a punch against the stone wall echoed like a drum, and Zhengyang, already a focal point of attention, didn't want to draw more onlookers.
After browsing through numerous cultivation techniques at the Profound Arts Pavilion, Woo Zhengyang had decided that the Sword Offering Void Technique was the perfect choice for him. Typically, cultivation techniques focus solely on the level of mastery, with little connection to combat power, but the Sword Offering Void Technique was different.
This technique was created with the ultimate goal of mastering the way of the sword. Everything about it was designed to enhance one's swordsmanship, with the level of mastery being secondary. This is what makes this technique so extraordinary. A sword has two edges; if it doesn't harm the enemy, it harms the wielder.
Sword cultivation is about pursuing the ultimate, and this is evident from the author of this technique. Generally, true energy is sought to be smooth, but the Sword Offering Void Technique seeks sharpness. The first step in refining the meridians with this technique is to condense one's Origin Genuine Qi into ten thousand swords!
Achieving this wasn't particularly difficult. In less than three hours, Woo Zhengyang managed to condense the Origin Genuine Qi within him into tiny sword shapes. Though they were faint, they resembled swords. Once the Origin Genuine Qi took on the sword form, the ordinary Qi stored in his core also began to transform into sword shapes. When all the Qi in his body was condensed into swords, the first step was complete, and he could begin the true process of refining his meridians.
Refining the meridians, as the name suggests, involves using Qi to temper the meridians. After the Origin Genuine Qi is activated, it connects the core with the twelve main meridians, marking the Martial Disciple stage. The refining starts with the twelve main meridians, then moves to the eight extraordinary meridians, and finally the 365 minor meridians.
As the technique progressed, the sword-shaped Origin Genuine Qi overflowed from his core, and Woo Zhengyang broke into a cold sweat. While the sword-shaped Qi remained in his core, it wasn't too bad, but once it surged outside, Woo Zhengyang realized he had been deceived. Each time the Origin Genuine Qi moved within him, it felt like a thousand swords piercing his heart, the pain nearly unbearable.
Similarly, the Heaven and Earth Vital Energy he absorbed condensed into sword shapes within him, and as it coursed through the twelve main meridians, it carried a sharp intensity, putting Woo Zhengyang in extreme agony. At this moment, Woo Zhengyang finally understood why the preface of the Sword Sacrificing Spell emphasized such a rigorous test of willpower. Anyone lacking strong resolve would likely have fainted by now. Woo Zhengyang gritted his teeth and held on, constantly on the brink of collapse.
After a full cycle, Woo Zhengyang felt as if his muscles and veins had been sliced into countless pieces. A mix of blood and sweat trickled down, tinting him a light red. Strangely, amidst the torment, he sensed his body growing stronger, which made him worry about his future. Training the body was already grueling, and now even cultivating his energy was agonizing. Was he really destined to endure such self-inflicted hardship?
Fortunately, after several cycles, the pain began to subside. The sword-shaped energy remained, and his body gradually adapted. Soon, Woo Zhengyang discovered another peculiar aspect of the Sword Sacrificing Spell: the speed of the sword-shaped energy's circulation had more than doubled. This increased speed was crucial for cultivation and martial arts, enhancing the power of his techniques.
Even with the same martial skills, this faster circulation allowed Woo Zhengyang to wield greater power. Considering the sharpness of the sword-shaped energy's contribution to his swordsmanship, he couldn't imagine the extent of his potential combat prowess. He could only wait to test it in the future.
After nine cycles, the cold sweat ceased, and his expression returned to normal. The surrounding vital energy stabilized, steadily absorbed and transformed into his unique sword-shaped energy.
Woo Zhengyang gradually filled his twelve meridians with energy, each one flowing like a mighty river through his body—a truly impressive sight when viewed internally. Typically, when all twelve meridians are filled with energy, one reaches the third level of Qi Refinement, equivalent to a Three-star Martial Disciple, and can even aspire to become a Four-star Martial Disciple.
However, Woo Zhengyang had just begun his training, so it was impossible for him to reach such heights in such a short time. Some people take a year to become a Three-star Martial Disciple. The reason for this lies in the unique nature of his sword-shaped energy. Unlike ordinary energy, which blends seamlessly, his energy repels itself.
The next phase of training is more challenging than standard Qi cultivation. Although energy is gaseous, on closer inspection, it's composed of tiny particles. Only when these particles reach a certain density can they exert enough pressure to break through the barriers between the eight extraordinary meridians and the twelve regular ones.
Woo Zhengyang's sword-shaped energy is also made up of these tiny particles. Upon close examination, it appears rough—taking the shape of a sword but lacking any real power. Forget about breaking through the extraordinary meridians for now; the immediate task is to condense this sword-shaped energy, transforming each piece into particles of a standard size.
As they say, ignorance is bliss.
If someone with a bit more experience were to encounter such a cultivation method, they wouldn't be thrilled but rather terrified. The technique for cultivating Sword-shaped Genuine Qi surpasses the current stage, resembling the condensation of True Essence typical of the late Martial Master Stage.
True Essence is something only practitioners at the Shape Gathering Stage, beyond the Martial Master Stage, can utilize. While Sword-shaped Genuine Qi isn't True Essence, its characteristics are strikingly similar. Due to its sword-like nature, it's extremely dangerous for anyone at the Martial Master Stage to cultivate, let alone Woo Zhengyang, a novice Martial Disciple.
Woo Zhengyang was unaware of these intricacies, and even if he had known, his determination wouldn't have wavered. He diligently compressed each Sword-shaped Genuine Qi, absorbing the surrounding Vital Energy to fill the gaps, then compressed it again, repeating the cycle.
When one strand of Sword-shaped Genuine Qi was compressed to two-thirds of its original size, Woo Zhengyang found he couldn't compress it any further. At this point, each particle of Genuine Qi within it was tightly interconnected, appearing much more refined compared to the others, with the faint outline of a sword emerging.
This compressed Sword-shaped Genuine Qi moved faster than the others. However, its compactness also brought challenges; wherever it traveled, the meridians would throb with a dull ache. Woo Zhengyang, accustomed to such rigorous training, paid no mind and began compressing the second strand of Sword-shaped Genuine Qi...
