Chapter 136: Godslaying

Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Godslaying

Chen Yue cupped his fists. "Greetings, Senior Brother. May I ask your name? I apologize for not noticing your approach."

The young man’s smile grew even wider. He waved his hand, his demeanor easygoing:

"No worries. I’m the one interrupting. My name is Cheng Jue Peak. I was over there looking for something and happened to overhear your conversation with Lin Junshi and the others."

His gaze landed on Chen Yue, his eyes full of undisguised admiration:

"Junior Brother Chen Yue, isn’t it? You’ve only been here for a little over ten days, yet you’ve already caused such a stir and completely humbled Lin Junshi and his cronies. You’ve really got guts, some real courage. It’s been many years since I’ve seen a new disciple this interesting."

A polite smile appeared on Chen Yue’s face. "Senior Brother Cheng, you flatter me. I was simply defending myself."

"’Defending yourself?’"

Cheng Jue Peak chuckled and shook his head. "Your first move was to challenge them to the Life and Death Platform. The guys from the Mutual Aid Association probably never imagined you’d respond like that.

They’re used to slowly grinding people down, but then they ran into you, a wildcard who doesn’t play by the book. Now they’ve gotten themselves into a predicament they can’t get out of, hahaha."

As he finished, the smile on Cheng Jue Peak’s face grew even broader.

Chen Yue could tell from Cheng Jue Peak’s tone that he disliked the Mutual Aid Association, even taking some pleasure in their misfortune. "You must think me rash, Senior Brother. I just believe that constantly backing down will never lead to the outcome I desire."

At these words, the admiration in Cheng Jue Peak’s eyes intensified, and he nodded.

"You’re right, and you acted correctly. The Panshi Sect is huge, with countless disciples. It’s inevitable that the good and the bad are mixed together, breeding some dirty business. Some people get used to ganging up for protection, only to turn around and bully those weaker than them... Heh, I’m getting off track."

He changed his tone, a hint of warning entering his voice. "However, Junior Brother Chen, your cultivation is still a bit weak.

"Lin Junshi is a petty man. After losing face to you today, he absolutely won’t let this go. He might not dare to do anything in the open, but he’ll have plenty of tricks up his sleeve.

"You need to raise your strength as quickly as you can. Once you reach the Refining Organ Realm, many of these problems will naturally vanish."

Chen Yue nodded earnestly. "Thank you for the advice, Senior Brother Cheng. I will keep it in mind."

’This Cheng Jue Peak was obviously showing him goodwill, and his warnings were truly valuable advice.’

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Chen Yue.

’Cheng Jue Peak’s cultivation is profound and his knowledge is vast. Maybe he can answer some of my questions.’

"Senior Brother Cheng, there’s something I’d like to ask. Most disciples in the Sect use the Panshi Skill as their foundation for cultivation. I was wondering, besides cultivating the Panshi Skill step-by-step, are there any other secret techniques in the Sect that could help me improve my cultivation faster?"

’He hadn’t asked Meng Yu Jin this question.’

’Having obtained the first five layers of the Panshi Skill in such a short time, the speed of his cultivation was already shocking. To ask his master how he could go even faster would make him seem greedy and rash.’

’Meng Yu Jin had explicitly warned him not to rush his cultivation. But Cheng Jue Peak was just a senior brother he’d met by chance. Perhaps he could get a different perspective from him.’

Upon hearing the question, Cheng Jue Peak’s brow furrowed slightly.

After a moment of silence, he spoke, his tone more serious than before:

"The Panshi Skill follows the principles of Central Justice and Peace, building a solid foundation. It’s the most reliable cultivation technique our Sect has, proven over hundreds of years. When it comes to increasing your cultivation, faster isn’t always better."

Seeing that Chen Yue was listening intently and patiently, Cheng Jue Peak continued,

"However, if you’re asking about secret techniques that allow one’s cultivation to soar in a short period, they definitely exist. This world is a vast and strange place. The Panshi Sect has a long and storied history, so of course we have some of those in our collection."

He raised a hand, pointing deeper into the Hidden Skills Pavilion, toward a dimly lit corner.

"I’d advise you to just read about the things over there and nothing more. Unless you have zero expectations for your future and no desire whatsoever to reach the profound Innate Acupoint Refining Realm. Otherwise, do not, under any circumstances, attempt them."

Cheng Jue Peak’s gaze returned to the Hidden Blade Technique in Chen Yue’s hands, and his easygoing expression returned.

"This Hidden Blade Technique, on the other hand, is something you might want to consider. It was simplified from the Innate-grade Anger Saber Technique. While its power doesn’t even approach a fraction of the original’s, its underlying concept is profound."

Chen Yue turned to look where Cheng Jue Peak was pointing. In that dim corner stood a single bookshelf, a stark contrast to the densely packed rows in the other areas, as if it had been deliberately set apart.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Cheng!" Chen Yue retracted his gaze and gave Cheng Jue Peak a solemn, cupped-fist salute.

Cheng Jue Peak just smiled and waved it off, his nonchalant air returning. "Don’t mention it; it was just a passing thought. Well, I’ll let you get back to your search. Farewell."

With that, he didn’t linger. He turned and strolled leisurely toward the other side of the Hidden Skills Pavilion, his figure soon vanishing behind the towering bookshelves.

Cheng Jue Peak had only approached because he found this new junior brother’s decisive, unyielding style to his liking. Since they’d met by chance, he’d simply offered a few words of advice.

But that was all.

In his eyes, no matter how exceptionally talented Chen Yue might be, he was currently just at the Bone Forging Realm.

He didn’t believe Chen Yue could reach the Refining Organ Realm anytime soon. That would take several years of painstaking effort, and that was assuming Chen Yue had a smooth journey, ample resources, and encountered no mishaps.

And a lot can happen in a few years.

The infighting within the Sect was just child’s play. The real tempests raged outside its walls.

The Dynasty might appear vast and its rule stable, but in truth, it was rife with internal conflicts and surging undercurrents.

Incidents involving malevolent entities were cropping up endlessly, some occurring naturally, others deliberately orchestrated.

Moreover, various heretical cults were spreading in the shadows, bewitching the minds of the people, even colluding with local factions to plot sedition.

Yet after hundreds of years of peace and internal decay, the Dynasty’s power was a pale shadow of its founding glory. Its control over the regions was deteriorating before one’s very eyes.

There was frequent unrest on the borders as well.

As one of the most prominent sects in Celestial State Prefecture, the Panshi Sect seemed to stand above it all, but in reality, it couldn’t remain uninvolved. News frequently arrived of disciples meeting untimely ends while on missions.

In this climate, apart from his own master and close friends, who would truly spare a lasting thought for the life or death of a single disciple in the Bone Forging Realm?

These thoughts flashed through Cheng Jue Peak’s mind, and he gave a self-mocking smile. ’I’m thinking too much.’ He shook his head, finally turning his full attention back to the records he had come to find.

Chen Yue watched Cheng Jue Peak depart, then turned his attention back to the Hidden Blade Technique in his hand.

He ran his fingertips over the branded characters, feeling a peculiar roughness, as if he could sense the sharp intent the original author had infused into the text.

He opened to the introduction. As his eyes scanned the text line by line, they began to shine.

’This Hidden Blade Technique is completely different from every other saber technique I’ve seen!’

The introduction opened by stating clearly that the saber is the most domineering of all weapons, but its dominance lies not in its form, but in its intent.

The core of this technique was the cultivation of Saber Intent!

It was an unusual technique that valued intent over stances. According to the philosophy of the Hidden Blade Technique, specific saber techniques and the precise control of Qi were not the most important elements; they were simply vessels and tools for carrying one’s intent.

Its true core, the source of its power, lay in one’s ability to condense and sublimate one’s own spirit, will, killing aura, and even one’s understanding and belief in the saber itself into a unique form of Mental Power: Saber Intent!

According to the introduction, if one could successfully cultivate Saber Intent, then with every slash, one could slay the spirit before the body!

Before the blade even arrived, the piercing Saber Intent would strike the opponent’s Heart Spirit, shattering their courage, clouding their judgment, and eroding their will to fight.

Furthermore, Saber Intent—a power sublimated from the Power of Heart and Spirit—was exceptionally profound. It didn’t just make a cultivator’s perception of their surroundings extraordinarily sharp; the slightest rustle of grass or a hidden gaze from the shadows could not escape its senses.

Crucially, the introduction mentioned that Saber Intent was the ultimate expression of hardness and yang energy. It was condensed and pure, giving it a remarkably suppressive and lethal effect against sinister evils and malevolent entities.

No matter how he looked at it, the Hidden Blade Technique was a powerful saber technique with a profound concept and enormous potential.

However, the second half of the introduction to this supposedly coveted saber technique contained a clear warning: it was not recommended for disciples below the Refining Organ Realm!

The reason was the Power of Heart and Spirit.

The very first step in cultivating the Hidden Blade Technique was to be able to skillfully control one’s own Power of Heart and Spirit.

For most Martial Artists, cultivating and strengthening the Power of Heart and Spirit was a slow, arduous process.

In the Panshi Sect, disciples typically had to reach the Refining Organ Realm and cultivate the Panshi Skill to the Fifth Layer before they would even begin to consciously temper and strengthen their Power of Heart and Spirit, all in preparation to one day challenge the abstruse Innate Acupoint Refining Realm.

Before the Refining Organ Realm, whether at the Bone Forging or Marrow Refining Realm, a Martial Artist’s focus was primarily on tempering their physique and building up their Qi Blood.

Although the Power of Heart and Spirit naturally grew along with one’s cultivation, actively trying to temper and control it was exceedingly difficult. Massive effort often led to minimal returns.

Worse, if one’s cultivation foundation was not yet stable, forcibly diverting focus to delve into the Power of Heart and Spirit could interfere with the normal cultivation of Qi Blood, causing one’s progress to slow to a crawl.

This was precisely why the First Three Layers of the Panshi Skill focused on forging the body’s foundation. The Fourth Layer introduced the basics of Heart and Spirit Nourishment, and not until the Fifth Layer did a more systematic Heart and Spirit Tempering Technique truly begin.

It was a system designed for steady, natural progression.

But the Hidden Blade Technique’s requirements meant skipping this entire lengthy period of preparation and adaptation, demanding that the cultivator transform their Power of Heart and Spirit directly into the much more aggressive Saber Intent!

How incredibly difficult was that single step!

Simply possessing Power of Heart and Spirit didn’t guarantee one could condense Saber Intent.

It was like how not everyone who diligently tempered their body could become a true Martial Artist; it involved talent, comprehension, and even a unique understanding of and affinity for the saber.

It was a more esoteric aptitude, one tied to the realms of spirit and will.

Far from being deterred by these harsh conditions and warnings, a smile touched Chen Yue’s lips.

’A high difficulty meant a high barrier to entry. Once mastered, its power and the advantages it conferred would be that much greater.’

’Power of Heart and Spirit?’

’He happened to have a foundation in the Heart Nourishing Technique. Better yet, after fusing it, he had cultivated the Vast Heart Rock Skill, which also nourished his spirit. When it came to his Heart Spirit, he was already far stronger than other disciples at his level—perhaps even equal to some Martial Artists in the Refining Organ Realm.’

’As for comprehension and affinity... he happened to have a little bit of talent for that.’