Chapter 276 - 194: Lure, Deception, Performance (Part 2)

Chapter 276: Chapter 194: Lure, Deception, Performance (Part 2)

"By the way, Teacher, why are you always here at the Gui Zhen Dojo? This is supposed to be Mr. Tang’s dojo. Why do we always meet here?..."

Yu Fei blurted out all the complaints he usually kept to himself. He had a vague feeling that something was wrong with him, and it had to be related to the tea. It was almost certainly Ye Shuping’s doing.

Ye Shuping continued to listen with a smile, but inwardly, he was suspicious. ’No matter how I look at him, Yu Fei doesn’t seem to have the heart of an innocent child. He must be hiding some secrets. Could the tea leaves have expired? Has the effect weakened?’

He didn’t answer Yu Fei’s questions, instead guiding him to continue revealing his secrets.

With this in mind, he refilled both their cups. He then picked up his own, took a sip, and urged Yu Fei, "You must be thirsty. Come, let’s drink and talk."

Ye Shuping took a small sip. ’There’s nothing wrong with the tea. How strange!’

Yu Fei grew more certain that Ye Shuping was up to no good, yet he couldn’t detect any actual malice. ’Is he just curious?’

He immediately picked up the teacup and drained it in one gulp. Instantly, countless memories flooded his mind. Yu Fei swayed unsteadily. He had a feeling he could drink two more cups at most before he fainted on the spot. While he still had a shred of clarity, he decided to probe Ye Shuping’s opinion of the Tribulation Sword lineage.

Dizzily, Yu Fei asked, "Teacher, do you know of Mr. Lanren, the founder of the Tribulation Sword? He was my teacher’s teacher, Sima Hong!"

Ye Shuping set down his teacup. "I’ve heard of him. What about it?"

Yu Fei feigned indignation. "My teacher, Yan Sea, told me that Mr. Lanren was an excellent person. His death was far too coincidental; there must have been a mastermind behind it. I was planning that once I became powerful in the martial arts, I would have to investigate it and avenge him!"

The moment he spoke, Yu Fei suddenly felt a bone-chilling coldness emanate from Ye Shuping. Mercifully, this was the first time his [Insight] talent had ever worked on Ye Shuping, but what it revealed was killing intent.

This... Yu Fei had no time to react. He could only watch as the chilling intent vanished and reappeared, flickering seven or eight times in rapid succession before disappearing completely.

The sudden burst of killing intent horrified Yu Fei. He had never imagined that the cause of Sima Hong’s death could be connected to Ye Shuping.

Fortunately, the golden particles that formed his soul could restrain his spiritual fluctuations, allowing him to show no outward signs of shock.

Then he heard Ye Shuping say cheerfully, "I have heard your senior sister mention Yan Sea. A resolute man, if a bit... blunt. I never paid much attention to Sima Hong, though I heard he was an ascetic cultivator. You can certainly investigate when you have the power to do so, but you must still prioritize your own cultivation."

Yu Fei’s vision blurred as he looked at the old man, who seemed as benevolent as a grandfather. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his gaze was kind, betraying no hint of the murderous intent that had flashed through him repeatedly moments ago.

He drew a sharp breath.

’This confirms it. Sima Hong’s death is definitely connected to this old geezer. I need to salvage this. I can’t let that bastard Sima Hong cause Ye Shuping to get any funny ideas about me.’

"Teacher, that’s what I originally thought. But then I discovered that my teacher, Yan Sea, had practiced a demonic Cultivation Technique. His cultivation level had dropped, which is why he was teaching martial arts in my hometown. Later, he could barely suppress his descent into madness, and after he finally broke through to the Grandmaster realm, the Evil Qi made his emotions turn extreme.

I looked up information on demonic cultivation techniques at school, and my instincts told me they were no good. Besides, Sima Hong was too irresponsible as a teacher to his students. I feel what he did was wrong!"

Ye Shuping couldn’t help but chuckle. "Oh? Is that what you really think?"

The reason they were called demonic cultivation techniques wasn’t just because of the nature of their power, but because they often involved taking shortcuts, harming others for personal gain, and came with deep, hidden dangers.

Yu Fei swayed his head, deciding to show the old geezer something real. He hadn’t wanted to reveal his hand in front of Ye Shuping, but that brief probe had made him realize Ye Shuping must have played some role in Sima Hong’s death—a role possibly connected to the Tribulation Sword itself.

’In that case, I might as well show him my newly acquired Immeasurable Sword Qi. It would be a good way to show my resolve and draw a clear line between myself and that bastard, Sima Hong.’

"Yes. And I don’t think relying on Evil Qi to strengthen one’s Sword Qi is the righteous path. It might be powerful, but I always felt there was something strange about it."

Suddenly, Yu Fei staggered to his feet. He formed a sword-finger with his right hand and used his left to pull off the black headband on his forehead.

Ye Shuping stared at the sword-shaped mark on Yu Fei’s forehead, utterly astonished.

’This is... It seems to have mutated from the Formless Sword Qi...’

With a dazed look in his eyes, Yu Fei said:

"Teacher, when I broke through to the Inner Qi Realm this time, I had a sudden idea and devoured the Primordial Qi Sword Lotus. My Formless Sword Qi became very strange after that. Please, take a look!"

"Go!"

In an instant, dozens of multi-colored, fantastical swords of light erupted from his hand. They whistled through the air, imbued with various elemental powers, then vanished in a flash. Moments later, the strands of Sword Qi reappeared abruptly and bizarrely in different locations.

Ye Shuping watched intently. He had recently been studying the cultivation techniques of the Tribulation Sword lineage in detail. The power of Formless Sword Qi in the Inner Qi Realm was directly related to a Martial Artist’s Spiritual Power. This was why a heretical Cultivation Technique like the Tribulation Sea Formless Cutting Intent Scripture existed—it slew the enemy, severed their intent, and absorbed the resulting Evil Qi from their death to strengthen one’s own spirit.

However, this method would cause a Martial Artist’s soul to become impure and muddled, breeding a host of inner demons.

He had recently scoured numerous ancient texts. Taoist techniques prized purity and refinement above all; methods like this were considered unorthodox and would never permit the contamination of one’s own soul. The same was true for the Confucian schools.

Only Buddhism possessed something similar—the Vajra Grinding Skill—but it came at the cost of one’s future potential.

Perhaps other methods existed in the ancient era when the three great teachings flourished, but now, thousands of years later, too many scriptures and techniques had been lost. He had searched for nearly a month without any success.

Yu Fei’s Formless Sword Qi was unparalleled in its offensive power; it would be a shame to discard it. He wanted to cultivate Yu Fei into the strongest of Martial Saints, which was why he was so determined to find a way to eliminate its drawbacks.

Ye Shuping reached out his hand, and a strand of crimson Sword Qi landed in his palm.

After a brief inspection, his eyes lit up.

"Wonderful! Simply wonderful! Yu Fei, does this new Sword Qi of yours have a name?"

"It evolved from Formless Sword Qi. I just changed part of the name—let’s call it Immeasurable Sword Qi!"

"Not bad. The core of Formless Sword Qi is the Primordial Energy Sword Lotus, a fact determined by the nature of that rare treasure. That’s why your Formless Sword Qi was so powerful. But ultimately, its foundation rested on an external object. Wait, did you just say you devoured the Primordial Qi Sword Lotus?"

With a single thought from Yu Fei, the swarm of Sword Qi vanished without a trace.

"Yes, Teacher. I used a method from the Star Soul Forging Scripture to devour the Primordial Qi Sword Lotus while it was in its energy state."

Ye Shuping mulled this over. ’I’ve never cultivated the Star Soul Forging Scripture, but I’m familiar with this Spiritual Secret Technique; I was even involved when it was first adapted. In theory, it should be possible. But the starlight condensed by the Star Soul Forging Scripture is inanimate, whereas the Primordial Qi Sword Lotus possesses life. How could Yu Fei have devoured it?’

As he was pondering, he heard Yu Fei complain again.

"Teacher, you have no idea. I had to use ten percent of my Innate Qi just to devour the Primordial Qi Sword Lotus! Afterward, my Formless Sword Qi turned into this. I have no idea how to continue cultivating it now."

Ye Shuping froze. With the addition of something as miraculous as Innate Qi, it was indeed possible to achieve such a feat.

He was overjoyed at the thought. Yu Fei’s move was a stroke of genius, completely changing the future cultivation philosophy for Formless Sword Qi. As he ran through the possibilities, he realized the evolved Immeasurable Sword Qi could be classified as a Spiritual Secret Technique, yet it also combined with the Martial Artist’s own qi to unleash tangible Sword Qi.

’Of the three treasures of a Martial Artist—essence, qi, and spirit—this technique already encompasses two. Its potential is immense.’

"Good, very good. It’s just... I was on the verge of perfecting a Secret Technique to purify the soul, and now it seems it won’t be needed. Ah, well. What can I do? I am your teacher, after all. I’ll help you figure out the subsequent stages of this Cultivation Technique.

It’s called Immeasurable Sword Qi, right?"

"Yes, Teacher! I’ll be troubling you, then!"

Ye Shuping gestured for him to sit, once again refilling the teacup before him.

Yu Fei was speechless. ’This old man is trying to get me to drink myself into a stupor!’ Feeling helpless, he could only bite the bullet and drink.

Instantly, countless memories flooded his mind, only to gradually fade away again.

Looking at the groggy Yu Fei, Ye Shuping took the opportunity to ask the question that puzzled him most.

"Yu Fei, last time... how were you able to see me?"

Yu Fei stared blankly at Ye Shuping as if he were an idiot.

"I didn’t see you..."

"Then how did you find me?"