The sword's blade gleamed brightly, its surface etched with feather-like patterns. Delicate, wavy lines along the razor-sharp edge accentuated its keenness.
The blade measured sixty-three inches in length, with a maximum width of three point two inches and a minimum width of two point five inches. Its thickness ranged from one inch at its thickest to half an inch at its thinnest. The hilt, twenty inches long, resembled a bamboo joint, crafted from dark reddish-brown wood with a matte finish and a faint, tangy aroma. The bronze pommel was shaped like a tiger's head. The sword, without its scabbard, weighed eighteen pounds.
Chen Zong gripped the sword in his left hand, his sharp eyes reflected in the polished steel. The blade flowed like liquid as he gently flexed his wrist, sending dazzling arcs of light dancing across the air with effortless flourishes.
This was the refined iron sword Chen Zong had just acquired. Even at first glance, its superior craftsmanship and aesthetics far surpassed his previous ordinary iron sword—a true masterpiece.
A crack had opened on the tiger's mouth of his right hand, temporarily hindering his swordsmanship. Fortunately, his left hand was nearly as skilled, thanks to years of diligent training.
After deftly executing a few more graceful sword flowers, Chen Zong sheathed the blade.
The refined iron sword's scabbard, crafted entirely from dark reddish-brown wood and adorned with bronze fittings, further enhanced its distinguished appearance.
Setting the sword aside, Chen Zong retrieved the Tiger Sun Bone-Strengthening Ointment.
The egg-sized chunk of brownish ointment emitted a pungent, fishy fragrance. According to the courier who delivered it, this single piece was enough to brew twenty jars of Tiger Yang Bone-Strengthening Wine.
Chen Zong sliced off a tenth of the Tiger Sun Bone-Strengthening Ointment and popped it into his mouth. It seemed to explode on his tongue, leaving his mouth numb for a moment before transforming into a rich, peculiar fragrance.
His body rapidly warmed, and his Blood Qi flowed faster. Chen Zong immediately began practicing the Tiger's Roar Manual.
This tenth of the ointment was roughly equivalent to drinking two full jars of Tiger Yang Bone-Strengthening Wine, and the effects were strikingly evident.
Moments later, Chen Zong felt a sudden jolt through his entire body. A tingling sensation spread across his skin, like an electric current coursing through his veins, bringing indescribable comfort. A smile blossomed on his face.
"Finally, the sixth cycle of Blood Qi Tempering is complete," Chen Zong murmured, his voice a mix of satisfaction and unease. "But I can sense... this isn't my limit yet."
Not reaching his limit meant he could continue tempering, attempting a seventh cycle. This was a cause for celebration, but completing the sixth cycle had already taken a considerable amount of time. The seventh would undoubtedly be more challenging, potentially exceeding the one-year limit.
"The remaining Tiger Sun Bone-Strengthening Ointment will certainly shorten my tempering time somewhat, but not by much," Chen Zong mused. "I need to find a way to accelerate my cultivation."
He believed that even if his cultivation base hadn't broken through to the fourth layer of the Qi Blood Realm by the end of the year, his strong foundation would likely prevent expulsion. Still, such a delay wouldn't be ideal.
Opportunities must be seized proactively.
Nine days later, Chen Zong had finished the last of the Tiger Sun Bone-Strengthening Ointment. His Blood Qi had been tempered slightly, but he was still far from completing the seventh cycle. He estimated it would take at least another three months.
He couldn't help but think of Tang Junluo. As the young master of the Tang Noble Clan, Junluo had been born into privilege. Even if he were a pig, he would enjoy privileges others could only dream of. And as a rare prodigy, the attention he received was immeasurable.
Chen Zong, on the other hand, was merely a disciple from a Branch Clan. The disparity in their backgrounds was undeniable. No matter how powerful a clan might be, its resources remained finite.
Over those nine days, the injury on the web of his right hand had healed, allowing him to resume sword practice. By focusing solely on his left hand, Chen Zong had brought his left-handed swordsmanship nearly on par with his right.
"I could choose another Foundation Establishment Martial Art and easily master it to Great Perfection," Chen Zong mused, "but that improvement offers no advantage compared to directly cultivating the Tiger's Roar Manual, unless I can reach the Perfection Realm. However, achieving Perfection in any Foundation Establishment Martial Art requires months of relentless effort—far too slow."
If others knew what Chen Zong was thinking, they would surely be consumed with envy. To master Foundation Establishment Martial Arts to the Perfection Realm in just a few months—a feat many could only dream of achieving.
"Perhaps I should try to cultivate the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique, Willow Sweep Sword Technique, and Eagle Strike Sword Technique to the Subtlety Realm," Chen Zong mused, his eyes gleaming with determination.
Nine days earlier, during his battle with Tang Junluo of the Tang Clan, the immense pressure had inadvertently shattered the barriers between the three sword techniques, allowing them to flow together seamlessly. This breakthrough granted him a profound new understanding of each technique. Through nine days of diligent practice, he had gradually grasped a faint sense of what lay beyond the Perfection Realm.
Breaking through from Great Perfection Peak to the Perfection Realm had already enhanced his Blood Qi Tempering. Shattering the shackles of Perfection to reach the Subtlety Realm would undoubtedly provide even greater benefits.
His refined iron sword hissed from its scabbard, its polished blade reflecting the sunlight in a dazzling display.
This corner of the Martial Training Ground had practically become Chen Zong's personal sword practice area. Distant figures would occasionally glance over, their gazes a mixture of envy and awe.
Chen Zong unleashed the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique. Sword light danced and wove around illusory afterimages, creating a bewildering spectacle. For a moment, reality and illusion blurred, each strike appearing both real and false. Passersby reeled from the dazzling display, their eyes overwhelmed and their minds reeling.
Chen Zong focused entirely on his training, oblivious to everything around him. As he practiced his sword techniques, he constantly sought deeper understanding, striving to refine his skills with each repetition.
After practicing the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique a hundred times, he moved on to the Willow Sweep Sword Technique, then the Eagle Strike Sword Technique, each performed a hundred times. He took short breaks to recover his stamina and reflect on his progress. Then, he began alternating between the three techniques, searching for the same sensation he had experienced during his battle with Tang Junluo.
Chen Chuyun had left, and the courtyard had been reclaimed by the Clan Hall, leaving Chen Zong without a place to practice the principles of quickness, accuracy, and steadiness. However, he continued to wear fifty-pound iron plates on his arms at all times, even while sleeping, only removing them to bathe.
Though he lacked the proper environment to train in quickness, accuracy, and steadiness, he diligently practiced the Basic Eighteen Forms without fail. He also repurposed the time previously devoted to those principles to further refine his three Foundation Establishment Sword Techniques.
With each day's training, Chen Zong gained new insights.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, ten months had passed since Chen Zong arrived at the Clan Hall.
Following Chen Fenghua, Chen Guzhan, and two others, several more individuals had tempered their Blood Qi to its limit, successfully breaking through to become martial artists. The number of Martial Apprentices steadily dwindled.
"Halfway through the seventh cycle of tempering," Chen Zong muttered to himself, exhaling a long breath after halting his practice of the Tiger's Roar Manual. "Still halfway to go."
He picked up his sword and returned to his usual corner of the Martial Training Ground to resume practicing his sword techniques.
July 20th, 395 of the True Martial Era.
"Phantom Shadow!"
With a low shout, Chen Zong drew his sword. The blade's light intertwined with its afterimages as he executed the six forms of the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique again and again. The movements seemed chaotic, devoid of rhythm or pattern.
As he practiced, Chen Zong suddenly paused. He felt as though he were on the verge of grasping some crucial insight, yet it remained just beyond his reach. The sensation was like a cat's claws scratching at his heart, an unbearable itch he couldn't quite scratch.
Unconsciously, he glanced upward at the sky.
The scorching sun blazed overhead, bathing the world in light. Then, from nowhere, a dark cloud drifted across the sky, obscuring the sun and casting a deep shadow over the surroundings—and over Chen Zong himself.
"Light... Shadow..." Chen Zong's eyes lit up. A flood of inspiration surged through his mind, fragmented and elusive, yet compelling. He plunged into frantic contemplation as the tip of his sword trembled mysteriously. The Silver Azure Dragon danced in the air, its radiance illuminating all directions.
The dark cloud continued its slow journey across the sky. As it shifted, a ray of sunlight pierced through, striking Chen Zong directly in the eyes. The shadows vanished, sending a jolt through his body. Like a lighthouse cutting through the darkness, the countless threads of inspiration in his mind instantly found a pathway, converging with sudden clarity.
"Where light shines, shadows arise... Where light fades, shadows disappear..."
Repeating these words silently, Chen Zong resumed his practice.
He continued to execute the six forms of the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique. With each repetition, the fragments of inspiration in his mind coalesced faster, the elusive insight growing sharper with each swing.
Countless sword lights swirled around Chen Zong, accompanied by a myriad of phantom sword shadows that flickered in and out of existence.
As he practiced, the Phantom Shadow Six Forms grew increasingly fluid. The sword lights and shadows encircling him began to overlap and merge until, finally, a dazzling light erupted from Chen Zong's eyes, like a honed blade drawn from its sheath. His refined iron sword paused momentarily, then drew in the converging light and shadows like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, causing it to emit a blinding radiance that rivaled the sun itself.
"Hah!"
With a sharp cry, Chen Zong thrust his refined iron sword through the air. An intensely brilliant beam of light shot forth, instantly transforming into a web of intertwining shadows. The shift from brightness to darkness made the strike even more difficult to discern.
Simultaneously, Chen Zong's body shuddered violently, as if struck by lightning. His limbs tingled, his blood qi surged, and it began circulating autonomously according to the Tiger's Roar Manual, emitting waves of thunderous roars.
As the shadows dissipated, Chen Zong remained frozen in his sword-thrusting posture, as if immobilized by a binding spell. His skin had turned a frighteningly vivid red, like a boiled shrimp.
A full quarter of an hour passed before his turbulent blood qi, like a raging river, gradually subsided. Chen Zong carefully assessed his condition.
"Excellent!" Chen Zong exclaimed, delighted. "The Phantom Shadow Sword Technique has broken through to Perfection, reaching the Subtlety Realm. The Blood Qi Tempering effect is truly remarkable, fully comparable to the breakthrough from Great Perfection Peak to the Perfection Realm with the True Sword Eight Forms." This single breakthrough would save him at least seven or eight days of arduous training.
Ravenous, Chen Zong hastily retrieved a Vitality Pill and swallowed it. As the pill dissolved, his gnawing hunger gradually subsided.
He swung his refined iron sword, sending it darting forth once more. Light and shadow intertwined, making it impossible to track the blade's trajectory.
"So, this is what they call the Subtlety Realm..."
Now that the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique had reached the Subtlety Realm, Chen Zong finally understood. From initial mastery to Perfection, a martial art remained confined within its inherent limitations. The Subtlety Realm, however, shattered these shackles, transcending the technique's original scope. It granted a profound new comprehension, allowing one to truly make the technique their own.
In simpler terms, before reaching the Subtlety Realm, a martial art felt like someone else's possession. Upon reaching the Subtlety Realm, it became an extension of oneself.
"Subtlety means breaking through the original limits of understanding and applying a sword technique," Chen Zong mused, his eyes gleaming with insight. "It means maximizing every ounce of one's own strength and fully unleashing every iota of the technique's inherent power, using minimal force to deliver maximum destructive force."
His gaze sharpened with keen resolve. "Now that the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique has reached the Subtlety Realm, it can serve as a catalyst. The Willow Sweep Sword Technique and Eagle Strike Sword Technique should also be able to break through and attain the Subtlety Realm."