C9 Barrier Breaking Pill

Deep beneath the Black Wind Mountain Range, Hua Hsing found himself in a small, confined space. The air here seemed to be richer in energy than the outside world.

"What is this place?" he wondered aloud, his voice echoing slightly in the darkness.

The unfamiliar surroundings made Hua Hsing cautious. He could barely make out the walls enclosing the empty space around him. As he pondered his situation, the large opening above him suddenly vanished.

"What just happened?" he muttered, puzzled.

Determined to understand his new environment and find a way out, Hua Hsing retrieved a match from his Space Ring. With a flick, he lit it, illuminating the space with a warm glow.

Only then did he notice how small the area truly was. At the front, there was a meditation mat.

"It seems like this place was used for cultivation. I wonder who trained here," Hua Hsing mused quietly.

He approached the mat, inspecting it carefully but finding nothing unusual. He then turned his attention to the walls, examining them closely.

After a moment, he discovered four patterns etched into the walls. On the first wall, there was a line of small text above an image depicting a man practicing swordsmanship with a long sword.

"Golden Light Sword Arts."

Hua Hsing noticed the small writing on the wall, which explained that the four patterns on the walls represented the incomplete four swords of the Golden Light Sword Arts.

"The Golden Light Sword Arts consist of seven swords in total. When complete, they rival even the lesser martial arts techniques in power."

"If a disciple of the Azure Edge Sword Sect is fortunate enough to find this place, they can train in the last four swords of the Golden Light Sword Arts."

At the bottom, the name Qih Nantian was written.

"Qih Nantian? Could it be the legendary disciple of the Azure Edge Sword Sect?" Hua Hsing was taken aback when he saw the name.

Qih Nantian was initially unremarkable in the Outer Sect, but during a disciple competition, he unexpectedly demonstrated the Golden Light Sword Arts, showcasing three of the incomplete swords with incredible power.

It was only then that everyone realized Qih Nantian had always been the top disciple in the Outer Sect. After that, he joined the Inner Sect, and a year later, he vanished without a trace.

Qih Nantian's disappearance shook the entire Azure Edge Sword Sect, but no clues were ever found.

"I never imagined this would be Qih Nantian's training ground," Hua Hsing remarked with mild surprise.

Back then, Qih Nantian was hailed as the hope for revitalizing the Azure Edge Sword Sect. He rose like a comet but then suddenly disappeared.

"How did Qih Nantian get the last four moves of the Golden Light Sword Arts?" Hua Hsing wondered aloud. Unable to figure it out, he decided to let it go. With the last four moves of the Golden Light Sword Arts in his possession, Hua Hsing was thrilled.

Wasting no time, he quickly committed the final four moves to memory. Half an hour later, he had memorized all four diagrams, a smile spreading across his face. The complete Golden Light Sword Arts were comparable to a lesser-tier technique, typically reserved for Inner Sect disciples, known for their incredible power.

"If I can master the Golden Light Sword Arts to perfection, I won't fear anyone, even within the Inner Sect," Hua Hsing declared.

Hua Hsing had stumbled upon Qih Nantian's training ground and was delighted to acquire the last four moves of the Golden Light Sword Arts. After memorizing the diagrams, his gaze landed on the lower right corner of the fourth wall.

"To have reached my training ground, we must share a connection. Beneath this wall lies a Barrier Breaking Pill, a small gift for you."

Reading these words, Hua Hsing's heart raced with excitement. "A Barrier Breaking Pill! I can't believe Qih Nantian left one here."

The Barrier Breaking Pill was no ordinary elixir; it was rare even within the Azure Edge Sword Sect. Hua Hsing was amazed to have found one here.

After taking the Barrier Breaking Pill, a martial artist has a fifty percent chance of successfully overcoming a bottleneck and advancing to the next minor stage. Of course, the pill is highly effective for those below the fourth level of the Qi Refining Stage. For higher-level martial artists, its effectiveness diminishes significantly.

"I'll look for it," Hua Hsing said, crouching down to search for the Barrier Breaking Pill. Before long, he found a small box and opened it. Inside lay a pitch-black pill, resting quietly.

On the Ancient Sword Continent, many pill refiners can create extraordinary pills. The most basic are the apprentices, followed by the Pill Refining Masters, and above them are the Pill Refining Great Masters. Apprentices can make ordinary pills, which aren't particularly valuable to sects. However, Pill Refining Masters can craft extraordinary pills, which are quite precious. Pill Refining Great Masters can produce top-grade pills, which are nearly priceless.

"My level has reached the peak of Qi Refining Stage Level Two. If I take the Barrier Breaking Pill, I might reach Level Three," Hua Hsing remarked. He then decided to consume the pill.

Sitting cross-legged on a cushion, Hua Hsing swallowed the Barrier Breaking Pill.

When the Barrier Breaking Pill entered his body, Hua Hsing felt its effects spread instantly, coursing through his limbs and bones. A surge of warmth flowed continuously. He sensed this warmth moving within him, while the surrounding cosmic spiritual energy also entered his body, refining it.

As the pill's effects were about to dissipate, Hua Hsing still didn't feel any signs of breaking through. "Could it be that I can't break through?" he wondered to himself.

However, just as the last trace of the pill's power was about to fade, his Golden Heart began to beat rapidly again. This heartbeat released a powerful aura from within the Golden Heart. Hua Hsing's body absorbed the final trace of the pill's effects, strengthening to a certain level, and emitted a cracking sound.

In the next moment, Hua Hsing's eyes snapped open, and a slight smile appeared on his face. "Qi Refining Stage Level Three."

Indeed, at the last moment, the Golden Heart's beat helped Hua Hsing successfully break through to Qi Refining Stage Level Three. "If I were to face Ma Shan and Douzhi now, I could defeat them instantly," Hua Hsing mused. The gap between Qi Refining Stage Level Three and Level Two was significant.

Upon reaching the third level of the Qi Refining Stage, Hua Hsing felt his strength had become even more formidable. He believed that among the Outer Sect, there were very few disciples who could match him in battle.

"Re Yunzheng, Jiaang Xue, the humiliation you gave me—I will make sure to repay you," Hua Hsing said coldly.

After breaking through his current stage, Hua Hsing began searching for an exit. An hour later, he emerged in a secluded area within the inner part of the Azure Edge Sword Sect.

"I finally made it out. This time, the gains were substantial," Hua Hsing remarked, glancing at the towering ancient trees around him.

Hua Hsing had been in the Black Wind Mountain Range for almost a month and was ready to return. He had achieved his training goals, found the Black Spirit Grass, and even encountered some unexpected surprises.

In an independent courtyard of the Outer Sect, Re Yunzheng, dressed in white, sat quietly with a smile on his face. Across from him sat Jiaang Xue, clad in red, her presence captivating Re Yunzheng.

"Senior Brother Re, why haven't Ma Shan and Douzhi returned yet?" Jiaang Xue asked.

"Don't worry, Junior Sister Jiaang. Both Douzhi and Ma Shan are at the third level of the Qi Refining Stage. Taking down Hua Hsing should be a breeze for them. They probably took the opportunity to train a bit more," Re Yunzheng replied confidently.

"I can't shake this uneasy feeling. It seems like Hua Hsing has changed a lot recently," Jiaang Xue said.

"Hmph, a loser will always be a loser. In five days, the Outer Sect competition will be held, and that will be his end," Re Yunzheng declared sharply.

"I believe in you," Jiaang Xue replied with a smile.

"Jiaang, does your sister know what you're doing?" Re Yunzheng suddenly asked.

Re Yunzheng had feelings for Jiaang Xue and had been pursuing her, so he was aware of some of her affairs. Jiaang Xue was targeting Hua Hsing because her family strongly opposed their engagement, and she wanted to eliminate Hua Hsing to annul the arrangement.

Hearing Re Yunzheng's question, Jiaang Xue paused, then shook her head and fell silent.

"Jiaang..."

"Senior Brother Re, I need to head back. Let me know if there's any news," Jiaang Xue interrupted, standing up and leaving before Re Yunzheng could ask more.

After leaving the Black Wind Mountain Range, Hua Hsing didn't rush back to the Azure Edge Sword Sect. Instead, he headed straight to Breeze City.

Breeze City was the area where the Azure Edge Sword Sect was located. It was a bustling city in Azure Cloud County. Hua Hsing came here to sell some demon beast carcasses.

Upon entering Breeze City, Hua Hsing navigated through the streets from memory until he reached the Breeze branch of the Ancient Sword Commerce Guild. This guild had branches in every city across the continent, though no one knew who controlled it from behind the scenes.

However, almost no martial artist dared to cause trouble at the Ancient Sword Trading Company.

Upon entering, Hua Hsing directly informed the staff that he wanted to sell ten demon beasts, all at the third level of the Qi Refining Stage. This news caught the attention of a Deacon Elder from the Breeze City branch.

Before long, the Deacon Elder escorted Hua Hsing to a VIP room. The elder looked at Hua Hsing for a long moment before speaking, "I hear you wish to sell ten demon beast corpses, all at the third level of the Qi Refining Stage?"

"If the price is right."

"May I see the goods first?" the Deacon Elder asked.

Suddenly, the room was filled with the bodies of ten demon beasts, the air thick with their scent. Yet, the Deacon Elder's eyes lit up, a hint of excitement on his face.

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