Chapter 93: Seeking Guidance from a Senior

Chapter 93: Seeking Guidance from a Senior (Monthly Ticket Request)

Li Xuan glanced calmly at Xie Lingfeng and the other man, and said, "I understand your intentions."

"Please, senior, guide us out of our confusion!" Xie Lingfeng respectfully requested.

"To unravel the doubts within, one must understand the root of the confusion. What cultivation technique do you two practice?" Li Xuan asked, twirling a jade scepter in his hand and smiling faintly.

"We cultivate the Sword Sovereign Cliff's inherited technique," Xie Lingfeng replied.

"How much have you comprehended of the technique?" Li Xuan inquired further.

Xie Lingfeng was taken aback. "I have completely comprehended it in my heart."

Li Xuan smiled mysteriously, his smile full of deep meaning. "Have you truly comprehended it in your heart?"

Xie Lingfeng's confidence wavered at his question. "Have I missed something and failed to fully comprehend it?"

Hu Shan also fell into deep thought, questioning if he had truly understood the technique.

"Bring out your technique, and let me examine it. I will test you two to see if you have truly grasped the true meaning of the technique," Li Xuan said, seeming to have already concluded that they had not comprehended the true essence of the cultivation method.

"Yes, senior!" Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan didn't think twice about it.

They had already assumed that what they were practicing was a false martial art, and they no longer cared about keeping the technique a secret.

Moreover, they believed that a master like Li Xuan would not pay any attention to such a crude and fake martial art.

"Please wait a moment, senior, while I write down the technique," Xie Lingfeng respectfully replied.

"Take your time," Li Xuan nodded.

Shi Er brought paper and brush for the two men.

Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan began to silently write down the cultivation technique.

Li Xuan spoke again, "Write down everything you know about the technique. Perhaps you two are just being greedy and trying to take on more than you can chew, failing to understand its true meaning."

"Yes, senior!" Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan were invigorated by his words.

"Maybe the problem isn't with the technique but with my own failure to comprehend its true meaning, which is why I haven't been able to cultivate true martial arts," Xie Lingfeng thought, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

An hour later, Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan had written down everything they knew and practiced.

Li Xuan took the papers and glanced through them. He truly just skimmed them, not bothering to read the specific contents of the cultivation methods.

As a master, he didn't need to scrutinize every detail.

Besides, he hadn't planned to give an in-depth critique of their techniques.

"Whether it's true or false, as long as your heart is determined on the path of martial arts, you will surely achieve something," Li Xuan said calmly as he put down the papers.

Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan's faces fell in disappointment.

"As expected, it's a fake martial art technique. Senior is just comforting us," Hu Shan's eyes darkened, his heart sinking as the spark of hope that had just ignited was extinguished.

"Please, senior, guide us and show us the way forward on our martial path," Xie Lingfeng pleaded, bowing down.

"Please, senior, guide us out of our confusion!" Hu Shan also bowed down, following Xie Lingfeng's lead.

Li Xuan pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "Your foundations are already set, so it's impossible to start over... However, since you two have cultivated some sort of... let's call it 'qi'.

"Your qi is impure, hence your unstable martial arts and shaky foundation.

"The primary issue is to refine your qi and get back on the right track of martial arts."

This was the solution Li Xuan had already thought of beforehand.

"Senior, how do we refine our qi?" Xie Lingfeng asked respectfully.

When they were in the capital of Qi Country, he had discussed this issue with Xu Yan.

However, since Xu Yan had not yet broken through to the Innate Realm, he couldn't provide a solution.

As long as one could refine their internal martial energy into true qi, it would be considered a return to the right path of martial arts. This first step was crucial.

If they couldn't refine their qi, everything would be in vain.

They would have no choice but to continue practicing the fake martial art and try to break through to the Grand Master realm.

But that was not what Xie Lingfeng wanted.

Even if he became a Grand Master, he would still be unable to enter the Sword Path and become a true martial artist.

"Refining qi is difficult, but it's not impossible," Li Xuan said, not giving any guarantees.

After all, the method he had devised to refine internal martial energy into true qi was based on his own experience of refining blood essence into true qi, with some modifications.

He couldn't assure them of success.

Hu Shan was a bit confused and asked, "Senior, what do you mean?"

Meng Chong couldn't help but explain, "My master means that whether or not you can refine qi depends on your talent and comprehension of the technique.

"You should know that some people can successfully cultivate a technique, while others cannot grasp its essence.

"That's why it's difficult, but at the same time, it's not impossible."

Hu Shan's face turned red with shame as he lowered his head. "I'm sorry, senior. I'm just dull-witted."

His heart was filled with anxiety as he wondered if he would be unable to comprehend and refine qi.

However, Xie Lingfeng remained calm as he firmly believed in his ability to refine qi.

"Please, senior, teach me the method to refine qi!" he requested, bowing respectfully.

"Very well, consider it fate that we met," Li Xuan nodded.

"Thank you, senior!" Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan were thrilled.

"Listen carefully..." Li Xuan proceeded to teach them the method of refining qi.

After hearing the technique, Xu Yan suddenly understood. "So that's how it is!"

It was similar to refining blood essence into innate true qi.

"Have you memorized it?" Li Xuan asked after finishing his explanation.

"Yes, senior!" Xie Lingfeng replied respectfully.

Hu Shan opened his mouth to speak but finally nodded. "Yes, senior, I've memorized it too."

Li Xuan glanced at Hu Shan, knowing full well that he hadn't memorized it, but he didn't bother to call him out. He knew that Hu Shan would ask Xie Lingfeng if he had any doubts.

This also highlighted the difference in their talents.

"Thank you, senior, for imparting the technique!" Xie Lingfeng respectfully knocked his head three times as a show of gratitude.

Hu Shan quickly followed suit, also knocking his head three times.

"Get up," Li Xuan said.

These two truly understood etiquette.

The force of their head knocks was even stronger than when his own disciples had bowed to him.

"Senior, we won't disturb your peace any longer," Xie Lingfeng said with a bow.

"Mhm," Li Xuan nodded.

"Brother Xie, let's spar!" Xu Yan couldn't contain his excitement.

After breaking through to the Innate Realm, he hadn't had a chance to spar with Xie Lingfeng, and now he was eager to test his skills.

"Good!" Xie Lingfeng nodded.

Every time they sparred, he gained new insights.

Meng Chong also looked excited as he turned to Hu Shan and said, "Let's spar too."

Hu Shan was still preoccupied with the qi refinement technique, as he hadn't memorized it all and felt embarrassed to admit that he hadn't remembered it.

"Alright," he reluctantly agreed, his mind elsewhere.

The four of them left the courtyard and headed into the mountains outside the county town.

"Young Master, I didn't memorize all of the qi refinement technique. Can you explain it to me again?" Hu Shan approached Xie Lingfeng, his face awkward.

Xie Lingfeng looked at him speechlessly.

"I... I didn't feel comfortable asking in front of Senior," Hu Shan stammered.

Meng Chong patted his shoulder and said, "Come on, let me see how the Inner Domain Master's martial arts look. I can tell you the parts you didn't remember."

Hu Shan felt even more embarrassed as he was the only one among the four who hadn't memorized the technique.

"Brother Xie, please!"

"Go ahead, Brother Xie. Use your sword." Xu Yan suggested, seeing Xie Lingfeng about to grab a tree branch as well.

"Alright!" Xie Lingfeng's mouth twitched. Was Xu Yan so confident now that he had broken through to the Innate Realm that he wanted to spar with a tree branch instead of a sword?

However, after witnessing Xu Yan's sword intent, Xie Lingfeng dared not underestimate him.

He drew his sword.

"Brother Xu, watch out!"

Xie Lingfeng unleashed his most powerful sword technique, the Flying Rainbow Sword, with his first strike. The sword light flashed and moved at an incredible speed.

Xu Yan pointed his twig, and a sword aura burst forth, shattering the sword light. Then, the sword aura surged like a mighty river, endless and unstoppable.

Xie Lingfeng's heart sank as he felt an overwhelming pressure from the pure and powerful Innate True Qi. It seemed like Xu Yan was using the Myriad Rivers Sword Technique, but it was even more fierce and formidable.

"Is this the power of Innate True Qi?"

Despite Xu Yan only using a twig and not infusing his sword intent, the surging sword aura still gave Xie Lingfeng a strong sense of oppression.

Xie Lingfeng's sword intent was no match for Xu Yan's full-powered attack, enhanced by his Innate True Qi.

Xu Yan's strength after the breakthrough was absurdly strong; he was not a match for him.

The purity and might of Innate True Qi far surpassed his own Martial Arts Inner Qi.

The sparring between Xu Yan and Xie Lingfeng showcased their sharp and powerful sword auras.

Meanwhile, the sparring between Meng Chong and Hu Shan was much more spectacular.

Meng Chong held a large knife, his body shimmering with golden light. He sidestepped swiftly, appearing at Hu Shan's left side in an instant and chopping down with his knife.

Hu Shan's heart skipped a beat, and he stabbed with his sword. *Bang!*

He felt a terrifying force coming from the knife and was shocked by the sheer power of Meng Chong's physical body.

Without hesitation, Hu Shan unleashed the Wild Wind Sword Technique.

Meng Chong continued to attack relentlessly, each strike more powerful than the last. His blood energy bell appeared, and his already robust physique seemed to expand further.

His style was fierce and relentless, channeling all his strength into his knife.

However, Meng Chong was only at the minor completion stage of the Qi Blood Realm, and his strength was inferior to Hu Shan's. Despite his aggressive style, Hu Shan was able to counter each move skillfully.

Suddenly, Meng Chong charged forward, ignoring the swirling sword aura and viciously chopping at Hu Shan with his knife.

"Watch out!"

Hu Shan's expression changed, and he tried to retract his sword, but it was too late.

He could only watch helplessly as the sword aura swept towards Meng Chong, his heart sinking with worry.

If this strike landed, Meng Chong would be seriously injured, if not killed.

Just when he thought the situation couldn't get any worse, something even more astonishing happened.

The sword aura hit Meng Chong, causing the golden light on his body to flicker and crack, but the remaining sword aura only left shallow white marks on his body without inflicting any wounds!

Before Hu Shan could recover from his shock, he saw a ferocious knife light slicing towards him. Realizing the danger, he quickly lifted his sword to block.

*Clang!*

The knife and sword collided, and Hu Shan felt an immense force pressing down on his sword, causing his arm to bend downward. The impact nearly made him lose his grip on the sword, and his feet sank half a foot into the ground.

"How is this possible!"

He had almost failed to block that strike! Although it was a hasty defense, he was still a Grand Master, and with the enhancement of his Martial Arts Inner Qi, he should have been able to withstand Meng Chong's attack, who had just entered the Martial Dao.

Was this the difference between true Martial Dao and false Martial Dao?

Hu Shan's sword trembled and pushed away the knife, and he quickly retreated.

He looked at Meng Chong in astonishment. "Are you alright?"

Meng Chong patted his chest and said, "Of course. Your sword aura is indeed powerful. If you had increased its strength by another fifty percent, you could have injured me!"

Hu Shan was speechless.

Meng Chong's physical body was terrifyingly strong.

Even steel would have been sliced like tofu under the might of Hu Shan's sword aura, yet Meng Chong remained unscathed.

There were only shallow white marks on his skin, which quickly faded away.

His bodily strength was truly awe-inspiring.

"This is the power of the true Martial Dao?"

Hu Shan didn't know how to describe his feelings at that moment.

If Meng Chong broke through to the Innate Realm, even if he went all out, he might not be able to break through Meng Chong's physical defense.

Meng Chong looked at the knife in his hand. During the fight, he had felt that something was missing, preventing him from fully unleashing his strength.

"The martial arts I learned from the Jianghu are inadequate and cannot bring out my full potential. I must find a master to learn knife techniques!" Meng Chong thought to himself as he stabbed the knife into the ground. He clenched his fists and said to Hu Shan, "Come, let's continue!"

"You're not using your knife?" Hu Shan frowned.

"I haven't learned how to use a knife yet, so I don't understand it. I'll use the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist to exchange moves with you." Meng Chong explained directly.

Hu Shan was speechless. How could someone so formidable say that he hadn't learned how to use a knife and didn't understand it?

"With this strength, even a top-tier Martial Artist in the Inner Domain wouldn't be able to take his knife attacks."

Among the Martial Artists in the Inner Domain, those who could withstand Meng Chong's ferocious knife attacks could probably be counted on one hand.

And these top-tier Martial Artists were already at the pinnacle of their realm.

Meng Chong had just entered the Martial Dao and was only at the minor completion stage of the Qi Blood Realm, according to his own assessment.

If he reached the major completion stage, sweeping through the top-tier Martial Artists in the Inner Domain and defeating Grand Masters would likely be a breeze.

Hu Shan's heart raced with excitement and longing. "This is the true power of the Martial Dao! I must condense my true qi and correct my Martial Dao. Once I become a true Martial Artist, will I have the chance to defeat some weaker Grand Masters?"

The thought excited him, and he sheathed his sword, saying, "Then I'll also use my fist techniques to exchange moves with you!"

Meng Chong raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you want to use fist techniques against me?"

Hu Shan's sword techniques were indeed powerful, but in terms of fist techniques, the outcome was uncertain, especially in close-quarters combat.

"Don't underestimate me. Although the Sword Sovereign Cliff is renowned for its sword techniques, our fist, palm, and body techniques are also top-notch."

Hu Shan clenched his fists and took the initiative to attack.

"Watch closely!"

*Boom!*

His fist technique was fierce and fast, reaching Meng Chong's face in an instant.

"Good!"

Meng Chong's eyes lit up, and he roared, his fist shooting out like thunder. His attacks were relentless and swift, and his body moved closer and closer, each strike like thunder and lightning.

He seemed to have transformed into a Vajra Arhat, and in the blink of an eye, he overwhelmed Hu Shan's fist technique.

In an instant, he was right in front of Hu Shan, his thunderous fist strikes finding their way through Hu Shan's defenses. Hu Shan felt overwhelmed and struggled to keep up.

All he could see was the raging wind and thunder, an awe-inspiring and unstoppable force.

He suddenly regretted not using his sword, as Meng Chong's fist techniques were too formidable.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end