C16 Tempest's Blade

"I still can't cultivate the Tempest's Blade, a medium-grade skill of the Eternal Green realm, while I'm at the Initial Transcendent level," Chu Feng mused, gazing at the black longsword in his grasp.

He had acquired this longsword a month prior, after defeating Fikdar during the Ralens Tournament.

The tournament had been a revelation for Chu Feng; he recognized that without a proper skill, his combat effectiveness was significantly diminished.

With the tournament behind him, Chu Feng was determined to cultivate a new skill.

After much deliberation, he decided to focus on the Tempest's Blade—the very skill he had recently sold.

In theory, as a medium-grade Eternal Green skill, the Tempest's Blade was beyond Chu Feng's reach with his Initial Transcendent cultivation. Yet, he had no alternative; it was the least formidable skill in his recollection.

Despite numerous attempts, Chu Feng found himself unable to master the skill.

Ultimately, it was his insufficient level of cultivation that was to blame.

"It's time for a breakthrough," Chu Feng murmured, sensing the state of his body.

He then pulled a black pill from his chest—a Barrier Breaking Pill that he had purchased days earlier. He eyed the fragrant pill before swallowing it whole.

Once the pill was ingested, Chu Feng hastily harnessed his Shadow Power, setting it into motion. It surged through him like a mighty river, coursing wildly within.

Soon, under Chu Feng's guidance, his Shadow Power began to scatter toward his limbs.

"Break!" he commanded, his voice booming.

Instantly, the Shadow Power that had gathered in his limbs converged on his elixir field.

"Boom!"

With a thunderous noise echoing in his mind, Chu Feng felt a sudden lightness. He had effortlessly advanced beyond the Initial Transcendent level, ascending to the ranks of the Mystic Ascension warriors!

"Now that's more like it," he said with satisfaction.

Upon examining himself, Chu Feng noted that his elixir field had expanded twofold. Moreover, his Shadow Power had undergone a transformation, emerging far mightier than before.

He had reached the first level of the Mystic Ascension realm!

Chu Feng could have achieved his breakthrough earlier, but he deliberately delayed it to compete in the Initial Transcendent competition. Now, having ascended to the Mystic Ascension realm, he felt a profound sense of lightness, as if shedding a heavy winter coat.

"There are two months left. I must master the Tempest's Blade within this time!" Chu Feng, feeling a boundless energy coursing through him, clenched his fists and spoke with determination.

The techniques of Tempest's Blade, consisting primarily of stabs, slashes, and sweeps, seemed indistinguishable from other Mystic Ascension realm sword skills on the surface. Yet, what sets the Eternal Green sword technique apart is its essence – the spirit.

This spirit, or force, becomes tangible as one advances in their swordsmanship, eventually manifesting as a formidable sword force. At its peak, the Tempest's Blade's force can inflict widespread devastation. A single thrust could be likened to countless arrows piercing the heart, a torrential downpour of pear blossoms, leaving the enemy with no place to hide.

"With my current level of Shadow Power, I suspect I can only manifest the Tempest's Blade's force once," Chu Feng mused, shaking his head.

Aiming too far could lead to a misstep, so Chu Feng resolved to start with the basics. The Tempest's Blade's core lay not only in the elusive sword force but also in the execution of three precise strikes. The first strike would cleave down at the opponent; if they dodged, he would circle the longsword and deliver a horizontal cut to their waist; and should they evade again, a swift leap over the sword followed by a reverse thrust would target their unprotected back.

These three strikes, executed seamlessly, would be nearly impossible for a less formidable opponent to avoid. And for those who could evade these lethal moves, the sword force would come into play.

The sword force, in harmony with the incantation, required complete focus. Supported by Chu Feng's Shadow Power, it could unleash devastating damage.

Chu Feng found mastering the three sword strikes of the Tempest's Blade technique to be within his grasp. Having cultivated this very skill in his past life, he found it came to him naturally in this one.

Yet, the essence lay in mastering the sword force.

A week later, deep in the heart of the Aethelwood, where ancient trees reached for the heavens, obscuring the sun with their vast canopies. The forest, shrouded in an aura of mystery and terror, was a place few dared to tread. Local legends spoke of those who ventured in and were never seen again.

In the seldom-visited middle reaches of the Aethelwood, Chu Feng was the lone figure, trudging towards a clearing with the carcass of a wild bull slung over his shoulder. He dropped the bull with a thunderous thud onto the ground.

"This should draw something out," he mused.

Without further ado, Chu Feng drew a longsword, but it was not the black sword of Fikdar. A week prior, when he had resolved to enter the Aethelwood, he had sold the black sword on the black market and replaced it with the one he now wielded.

Fikdar's black sword, a top-grade treasure of Mystic Ascension, had been exchanged for a medium-grade sword of the same realm. The new treasured sword may not have matched the black sword in quality, but Chu Feng deemed the trade worthwhile.

He had found that the black sword, rather than enhancing his strength while practicing the Tempest's Blade, seemed to hinder him. It dawned on Chu Feng that the black sword was only truly effective in the hands of those who practiced dark arts.

With a swift motion of his treasured sword, the bull's belly was cleaved open, spilling a mass of white entrails.

Simultaneously, a scent wafted from the eviscerated stomach—a scent of death that, to the forest's predators, signaled a feast.

"Roar!"

A growl of fury echoed from behind. Chu Feng spun around to face a magnificent golden tiger, snarling with bared fangs, its gaze locked on the bull's remains.

"An Initial Transcendent realm War Beast? I'm seeking a Mystic Ascension realm War Beast. Get out of here!"

Chu Feng bellowed, and simultaneously, his Shadow Power surged toward the golden tiger.

Sensing the immense strength emanating from Chu Feng, the golden tiger's legs buckled, and fear flickered in its eyes.

It recognized Chu Feng's level of cultivation. Glancing at the carcass of the cow, the tiger suddenly darted into the underbrush behind it and vanished from sight.

Chu Feng's strategy was to attract a Mystic Ascension realm War Beast. By slaying the War Beast and employing the Divine Sigil to assimilate its power, Chu Feng's own cultivation would naturally soar.

Indeed, this approach was quicker than cultivating through the absorption of the world's divine energy.

"Hiss~"

At that moment, a peculiar noise echoed from a distance.

Concurrently, there was a rustling in the nearby bushes, growing louder as it approached Chu Feng directly.

"Has it arrived? I've been waiting for this moment!"

Chu Feng spoke calmly, sensing the approaching presence.

He was certain that the newcomer was no ordinary individual.