https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-197-First-Battle-with-a-Xiantian-Expert-the-Complete-Dao-of-the-Blade-/12619268/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-199-Estimating-Strength-Arriving-at-the-Prefecture-City/12619270/
Chapter 198: Slightly Outmatched
In the nameless valley, Lu Qing and Wei Shanhai were locked in an intense battle, neither gaining a clear advantage.
The clashing blades and surging energies carved fissures into the sandy riverbank, a terrifying display of their power.
Up on the hillside, Ma Gu and Wei Zian gaped in astonishment, their eyes wide as they witnessed the unfolding duel.
Even Wei Shanhai was filled with disbelief.
He couldn't believe that even after tapping into his innate true qi, he still couldn't quickly defeat Lu Qing. He only managed to barely suppress him and gain a slight edge.
And this advantage was far from secure, as Lu Qing's resilience was extraordinary. Even when on the defensive, his sword techniques remained fierce and precise.
If Wei Shanhai let his guard down for even a moment, he could easily turn the tables on him.
Wei Shanhai was also astonished by Lu Qing's endurance.
Logically, a warrior who unleashed a burst secret technique would deplete their stamina rapidly, and such a burst couldn't be sustained for long.
Yet, after fighting for so long, Lu Qing showed no signs of fatigue, his breathing remained steady, and his composure was unshaken.
Wei Shanhai wondered about the secret technique Lu Qing was using. Not only was the power unleashed extraordinary, comparable to the initial stage of the Innate Realm, but its effects also lasted an incredibly long time, which was truly baffling.
"Do I need to resort to using a secret technique as well?"
After a prolonged stalemate, such a thought suddenly popped into Wei Shanhai's mind.
However, he quickly dismissed the idea.
It would be embarrassing for him, an Innate Realm cultivator, to use a secret technique against a junior from the Post-Natal Realm, especially when he was already struggling to gain the upper hand.
As Wei Shanhai's thoughts raced, he and Lu Qing clashed blades once more.
Bang!
The crisp sound rang out, but it wasn't the shattering of Wei Shanhai's blade qi; it was Lu Qing's battle sword that finally succumbed to the immense pressure and shattered into pieces.
Lu Qing's body swayed slightly as he dodged the flying shards of his sword, then took a few steps back.
He looked at the hilt in his hand and Wei Shanhai's sword, which remained almost undamaged, and heaved a silent sigh.
The Post-Natal Realm's qi and blood energy were no match for the Innate true qi cultivated from absorbing the heaven and earth's primal qi.
Despite Lu Qing's efforts to protect his sword with his qi and blood energy, the repeated clashes had taken their toll, causing it to shatter.
In contrast, Wei Shanhai's sword, empowered by his Innate true qi, remained largely unscathed.
"Lu Qing, do you want to continue the spar? I recall you have a divine battle sword that you forged yourself. Would you like to retrieve it?" Wei Shanhai asked, feeling a bit disappointed to see Lu Qing's sword break.
He had been enjoying the fight, as Lu Qing's sword intent was even more profound and expansive than his own.
During their exchange, Wei Shanhai even felt that his own sword intent was subtly improving.
He was reluctant to end the spar prematurely.
"No need," Lu Qing shook his head. "I've gained a lot from this battle, and I've had some insights into the doubts in my heart. Thank you, Senior Wei, for your guidance."
"Oh, you've had some insights?" Wei Shanhai asked, a hint of delight in his voice. "Have you glimpsed the path forward and felt the opportunity to enter the Innate Realm?"
Now that he knew Lu Qing had reached the pinnacle of the Post-Natal Realm, he naturally assumed that the bottleneck Lu Qing mentioned was the barrier between the Post-Natal and Innate Realms.
"You could say that," Lu Qing nodded. "The path to the Innate Realm has become much clearer to me. With more accumulation and preparation, I should be able to break through soon."
"That's wonderful!" Wei Shanhai was delighted to hear Lu Qing's progress, feeling that his efforts in sparring with Lu Qing had been well worth it.
Chapter: A Spar and a Revelation
"Senior Wei, how much of your strength did you use during our earlier spar?" Lu Qing asked a very important question.
"In terms of conventional power, I've already used almost all my strength. If we were to continue, I would have to resort to using secret techniques to defeat you," Wei Shanhai replied honestly.
His words were not mere flattery, and his feelings were quite complex.
"I didn't hold back much just now. Aside from not using an Innate Realm secret technique, I pushed my Innate true qi to its limit," he continued, explaining his earlier performance.
Normally, an Innate Realm warrior, even without using secret techniques, could easily crush any Post-Natal Realm master with their innate true qi alone.
Yet, Lu Qing's strength had surprised him. With his explosive secret technique, Lu Qing's power was only slightly weaker than his own.
Combined with his exquisite sword techniques, Lu Qing had left Wei Shanhai at a loss for a short while, and he couldn't find a way to gain the upper hand.
Thinking of this and seeing that Lu Qing's aura remained undiminished, Wei Shanhai couldn't help but ask, "Lu Qing, what secret technique did you use just now? It's incredibly powerful, allowing you to unleash a force comparable to the initial stage of the Innate Realm."
"It's a heritage I acquired by chance. I've been cultivating it for a long time to perfect it," Lu Qing replied vaguely, not wanting to reveal too much.
Perfect Burst was a secret technique of his own creation, and the key to its power lay in his extraordinarily strong soul force.
The Soul Seal Technique was one of Lu Qing's biggest trump cards, and he hadn't even shared it with his master, so he naturally wouldn't divulge it easily.
"I see," Wei Shanhai said, understanding that Lu Qing didn't want to elaborate further, and he didn't press the issue.
At that moment, Wei Zian and Ma Gu descended from the hillside, their faces still bearing the shock of what they had witnessed.
Wei Zian, in particular, was extremely excited and looked at Lu Qing with admiration. "Lu Qing, you're amazing! To be able to match Senior Wei blow for blow is truly incredible!"
"I dare not claim it as a draw. Didn't you see my sword shatter?" Lu Qing smiled. "If we were to continue, I'd be unarmed and no match for Senior Wei."
"You're too humble, Lu Qing. I only had the advantage because of my Innate true qi. If you had used your divine battle sword, the outcome would be hard to predict," Wei Shanhai disagreed.
"But you also have your own divine weapon, so I would still lose..." Lu Qing argued modestly.
The group continued to exchange compliments as they slowly made their way out of the valley.
After leaving the deep mountains and bidding farewell to Wei Shanhai and the others, Lu Qing returned home. He rested to recover his energy and then began to reflect on the insights he had gained from the spar.
There was something Lu Qing had concealed from Wei Shanhai.
The reason he had wanted to spar with Wei Shanhai was not because he had encountered a bottleneck in his cultivation.
With his unique ability, Lu Qing naturally possessed an almost innate skill for comprehension.
There was hardly any technique that he couldn't understand.
The boundary between the Post-Natal and Innate Realms was already clear to him, and he had no confusion about it, knowing that he could cross it at any time.
It was only a vague intuition that had prevented him from taking that step.
Lu Qing's true purpose in inviting Wei Shanhai for a spar was to personally experience the power of the Innate Realm and understand what made it so formidable.
He wanted to use this knowledge as a reference for his future actions.
(End of Chapter)
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