C1 Golden Heart

On the Ancient Sword Continent, within the borders of Divine Wind Country, lay the Azure Cloud County, nestled atop a majestic mountain range to the west, perpetually shrouded in mist. Among these mountains, countless peaks soared into the clouds, and it was here that the Azure Edge Sword Sect made its home.

At this moment, atop the back mountain peak of the Azure Edge Sword Sect, a fifteen-year-old young man dressed in black sat in quiet contemplation. His eyes, deep and thoughtful, surveyed the expanse of the sect below him. "It's been three days," Hua Hsing murmured to himself.

Just three days prior, Hua Hsing was a university student on Earth. But that night, under an unexpected turn of events, he found himself transported to this place.

It had been a dark night when Hua Hsing, having enjoyed an evening out with classmates, decided to head back to school early due to other commitments. As he neared the campus, the sky abruptly erupted with thunder, and a heavy downpour ensued.

In that moment, whether it was a hallucination or reality, Hua Hsing's vision blurred, and he witnessed the sky rip open. A golden sword hurtled towards him at breakneck speed.

Desperate to evade, he found his body unresponsive. Frozen in terror, he watched as the golden sword plunged straight into his chest. Consciousness fled him shortly after.

When Hua Hsing awoke, he was in a strange new world, miraculously alive once more. It was then he realized he had transcended time and space. His soul had inhabited the body of a deceased disciple from the Azure Edge Sword Sect, who, coincidentally, shared his name.

The original Hua Hsing of the Azure Edge Sword Sect was an Outer Sect disciple, known for his meager talent and sluggish cultivation progress, earning him the scornful label of 'trash' from his peers.

Hua Hsing's demise came three days earlier, following a heated dispute with another Outer Sect disciple. The ensuing fight left him with a low cultivation, beaten into unconsciousness, and ultimately, his death.

Upon awakening, Hua Hsing found himself in an alien environment. Initially, he was somewhat alarmed, but within three days, he had come to terms with his new reality.

He set aside thoughts of Earth. Having traveled through time and space to this place, he resolved to make the best of his life here, holding onto the hope that he might one day return to his home planet.

During this time, Hua Hsing had managed to grasp the intricacies of the Azure Edge Sword Sect. Nestled within Azure Cloud County, a jurisdiction of the Divine Wind Country, the sect was one among many. Yet, it was notably the weakest in the county.

The Azure Edge Sword Sect boasted numerous disciples, categorized into the Outer and Inner Sects. Hua Hsing's demise came at the hands of an Outer Sect disciple named Feng Gan, who had taken offense and ended his life.

"Since I've been resurrected in your body, I vow to seek justice for you," Hua Hsing murmured, his fists clenched with determination.

This world bore no resemblance to Earth; it was a realm where martial prowess was paramount, and all warriors were devoted to their cultivation.

Martial artists here could harness the cosmic spiritual energy to fortify their bodies, achieving might that defied nature itself at higher levels.

Hua Hsing had also come to understand the martial cultivation system of this world. The initial stage for a martial artist was the Qi Refining Stage, followed by the Qi Transforming Stage, with each major stage comprising nine minor levels.

Currently, Hua Hsing was merely a martial artist at the first level of the Qi Refining Stage, making him the weakest among his peers in the Azure Edge Sword Sect.

Except for Hua Hsing, the next weakest Outer Sect disciple was at the second level of the Qi Refining Stage.

Over these three days, Hua Hsing had slowly picked up some cultivation techniques. The foundational step for a martial artist was to absorb the cosmic spiritual energy to enhance one's physique.

A practitioner at the first level of the Qi Refining Stage possessed the strength of a single ox, while one at the second level wielded the power of two oxen—a substantial disparity in force.

"I need to boost my strength," Hua Hsing resolved.

In the Outer Sect, he was labeled as worthless. At fifteen, he was merely at the first level of the Qi Refining Stage. To seek revenge, he knew he must enhance his power.

With a brief moment of contemplation, Hua Hsing rose to his feet and began his cultivation practice.

Eyes narrowed, fists clenched, he threw punch after punch, each one drawing the cosmic spiritual energy into his body, fortifying it.

Soon, he was drenched in sweat, breaths coming in ragged gasps.

"This body is pathetically weak. Just a short session of cultivation and I'm already exhausted," Hua Hsing muttered to himself, understanding now why this body had been deemed useless.

He had barely practiced for fifteen minutes and was already spent.

This wouldn't do; he had to fortify his body first. Only with a robust physique could he sustain his cultivation efforts.

Determined, Hua Hsing persisted in his rigorous physical conditioning.

As he paused for breath after delivering a punch, a series of jarring voices reached him from a distance.

"Is that Hua Hsing? He's still alive?"

"He's one lucky guy. Survived a beating from Senior Brother Feng and all."

"Knocked out cold by Senior Brother Feng three days back, and here he is, up and about. Looks like Senior Brother Feng held back."

On the hillside, three Outer Sect disciples spotted Hua Hsing, their faces twisted in mockery.

A flicker of barely detectable rage crossed Hua Hsing's eyes, but he quickly composed himself and focused on his punching technique.

The trio, irked by his indifference, grew agitated.

"Hua Hsing, you're nothing but trash, just waiting to be thrashed by Senior Brother Feng Gan," one sneered before they all turned to leave.

"Strength is what matters most."

Hua Hsing felt an acute need to bolster his strength. It was the only way to avoid being trampled upon.

If that so-called Senior Brother Feng intended to finish him off, discovering that Hua Hsing had survived would surely provoke another attack.

Feng Gan, a martial artist at the Qi Refining Stage Level Two, possessed the strength of two bulls. Hua Hsing's current physical state was no match for even a single punch from Feng Gan.

"I need to keep cultivating," Hua Hsing muttered through clenched teeth as he resumed his training.

Time ticked away, and before he knew it, two hours had slipped by.

During those hours, Hua Hsing nearly reached his limit several times, but his determination saw him through.

Yet, after the grueling two hours, Hua Hsing's resolve finally wavered.

Gasping for breath and drenched in sweat, he conceded, "I can't keep this up," managing a weary smile.

The thought of sitting down to rest was tempting, but just then, his heart began to throb rapidly.

To his astonishment, a chilling current of air flowed from his heart, coursing through his entire body in an instant.

The next moment, Hua Hsing was astounded to find all traces of exhaustion had vanished, leaving his body surging with newfound energy.

"What's happening? What is this current?" Hua Hsing was baffled by the unexpected turn of events.

He sensed the air emanating from his heart. Yet, as a Qi Refining Stage warrior who had only just begun to harness the cosmic spiritual energy, he was unable to internally view his organs.

The mysterious current within him was palpable, and Hua Hsing's confusion deepened.

But nothing prepared him for the shock that followed.

Glancing down at his body, he realized he could see into his very being, heart included.

The true astonishment came, however, when he saw that his heart had turned to gold.

"My heart... turned golden?" Hua Hsing gasped in disbelief.

The notion of a human heart transforming into gold was beyond his comprehension.

"Could it be because of the golden sword?" The thought struck him suddenly. Recalling the reason for his transmigration, he examined his heart once more and saw that the golden sword that had pierced his chest shared the exact hue of his heart.

What exactly was happening? Could his time travel have been triggered by that golden sword? But then, why had the golden sword vanished?

"Why has my heart turned to gold?"

Shaking off his initial shock, Hua Hsing worked hard to calm himself before inspecting his heart for any changes.

Yet, after a thorough examination, Hua Hsing found that aside from its golden color, his heart seemed no different than before. It became clear to him that his ability to internally view his body was undoubtedly due to the Golden Heart.

"Did the cold airflow appear when I was panting and my heart started beating?" Hua Hsing mused softly.

He resumed his cultivation with renewed vigor. The mysterious airflow provided him with exceptional stamina, allowing him to train for four hours straight before fatigue set in.

"It's happening again."

As Hua Hsing's heart rate accelerated once more, he focused inward, intent on uncovering the phenomenon at play. With each rapid beat, he observed a clear stream flowing from the Golden Heart, infusing his limbs and bones with a burst of energy that revitalized his entire body.

"It truly is the heart," Hua Hsing exclaimed in awe.

After repeating the experiment several times, Hua Hsing came to a realization: whenever his body felt weak, the Golden Heart could emit a refreshing current that instantly replenished his strength.

With a grin spreading across his face, Hua Hsing embraced the notion that surviving a great disaster might indeed be a precursor to future fortune.

Unable to decipher the connection between the golden longsword and the Golden Heart, he decided not to dwell on it. After all, the Golden Heart was not causing any discomfort; rather, it was a source of power.

"With this flow of air current, my cultivation will progress much more quickly," Hua Hsing declared, his fists clenched in determination.

He then set about practicing his martial arts. The technique he was honing was the foundational fist technique of the Azure Edge Sword Sect, known as the Body Refining Fist, designed to enhance physical strength and open to all disciples.

The Body Refining Fist comprised nine levels. Completing the first three levels would bestow upon a practitioner the strength of an ox, equivalent to the prowess of a disciple at the first level of the Qi Refining Stage.

Individuals who have mastered the middle three levels possess the strength of two bulls, which is on par with a disciple at the second level of the Qi Refining Stage. Meanwhile, those who have completed the final three levels boast the strength of three bulls, equivalent to a disciple at the third level of the Qi Refining Stage.

Within the entire Outer Sect of the Azure Edge Sword Sect, only a handful of practitioners have managed to advance their Body Refining Fist technique to the last three levels.

Hua Hsing, having cultivated his Body Refining Fist to the third level, wielded the strength of one bull and had achieved the first level of the Qi Refining Stage.

"Body Refining Fist!"

With a fierce cry, Hua Hsing clenched his fists and unleashed a punch in a flash.

The large stone in the distance shattered instantly, leaving Hua Hsing somewhat astonished.

"How can this be?"

Unbeknownst to him, Hua Hsing's Body Refining Fist had progressed to the formidable fourth level.