Reverse Phantom Sword Technique

"Begin the draw."

As Wu Liang's words fell, the prize wheel spun at high speed. Before long, its speed gradually slowed until it finally stopped on a slot. Before Wu Liang could see what skill he had obtained, the prompt in his mind had already told him clearly.

Seria: "Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the skill Reverse Phantom Sword Technique."

Seria: "Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the passive skill Weapon Mastery, which comes with Reverse Phantom Sword Technique."

"Heh, getting two skills at once is great, but what's the use of Reverse Phantom Sword Technique? Does it work like in the game, where you pull another weapon out from inside your weapon to attack?"

Seria: "No, Host, you misunderstood. Reverse Phantom Sword Technique is not what you think it is. It is a swordsmanship manual, exclusive swordsmanship for the Sword Saint class. Ah, I can't explain it clearly. You'll understand once you extract it."

"Is that so? Then extract it."

As soon as Wu Liang spoke, two skill books appeared in his storage space. He first turned his attention to Reverse Phantom Sword Technique, and the system's description appeared on the skill book.

Reverse Phantom Sword Technique: Swordsmanship cultivated by Sword Saints. A stance skill. It allows the user to wield a sword at extreme speed. Reverse Phantom Sword Technique used with different swords will produce different additional effects. Greatswords grant Super Armor; katanas inflict Bleeding; shortswords add a second stage of damage; blunt swords add knockback and shockwave effects; lightsabers add Electrocution and Paralysis effects. Once Reverse Phantom Sword Technique is cultivated to its peak, Dual Blade Style can be activated. After all, reality is different from a game. Otherwise, were you planning to just spam Reverse Phantom Sword Technique in every fight?

Weapon Mastery: Passive skill. After learning it, the user can fully master any weapon in hand.

After reading the system's description, Wu Liang knew that Reverse Phantom Sword Technique was undoubtedly useful. However, he would only know exactly how useful after learning it. Wu Liang used both the Reverse Phantom Sword Technique and Weapon Mastery skill books. Immediately, Weapon Mastery transformed into invisible energy and fused with Wu Liang's soul. However, since he had no weapon in hand, its effects could not yet be shown. Reverse Phantom Sword Technique, meanwhile, became a stream of memories that entered Wu Liang's mind. After receiving them, all the techniques for exerting force in Reverse Phantom Sword Technique, as well as how to activate it with various weapons, were instantly carved into his mind, impossible to forget.

After absorbing all the information, Wu Liang opened his eyes and stood up. It had seemed as though he had spent a long time receiving the information in his mind, but only an instant had passed outside. Seeing Wu Liang awaken, the master knew that he had completely mastered his suddenly increased Soul Power, so he said nothing more.

Everything returned to calm. Because the Soul Rings around the camp were floating in the air, they illuminated a large area. Since it was already late, the master did not have everyone move camp. He merely told them all to stay alert.

Half an hour later, the surroundings suddenly fell silent. A faint rustling sound clearly reached the ears of the three of them. There seemed to be a few traces of fishy odor in the air. It was not strong, and even carried a faint sweetness and tea fragrance. A faint pressure also came from the distance.

Tang San's nose twitched, and he blurted out instinctively, "A poisonous creature."

The master waved his right hand repeatedly. This time, he placed both of his rings on Luo San Pao and vigilantly looked toward the source of the rustling. "Tonight is unexpectedly restless."

Wu Liang knew that the Mandala Serpent was about to make its entrance. However, he was not particularly nervous. It was only a venomous snake. He had already killed a six-hundred-year-old wolf king, so what was there to fear from a snake?

He summoned Barak. The burly figure stood silently behind Wu Liang, waiting for his command.

The rustling stopped. Tang San circulated the Mysterious Heaven Skill and pushed Purple Demon Eyes to their limit as he looked in that direction. Vaguely, he seemed to see a dark green triangular snake head rising from the bushes, its ruby-like little eyes staring in their direction. Perhaps intimidated by the realgar powder, it did not continue approaching.

"Teacher, over there." Tang San pointed toward where the snake head had risen. At this moment, the master had no time to wonder why Tang San could see somewhere he himself could not. He quickly took out a fire starter from the Soul Tool on his wrist and threw it in that direction.

The fire starter ignited in the wind, illuminating that area as it tumbled through the air. This time, everyone saw the snake head as well. The master sharply inhaled. "It's a Mandala Serpent. Why would such a vicious creature appear on the outskirts of the Soul Hunting Forest? I hope it's only a ten-year one."

"Hiss, hiss." As though enraged by the fire starter, the snake head slowly rose and hissed at Wu Liang. However, Barak's intimidation was simply too great, and it ultimately did not dare advance.

But just because it did not dare approach did not mean Wu Liang would not attack. Wu Liang pointed at the Mandala Serpent, and Barak, who had been floating behind him, instantly appeared in front of it. Shadow Fist activated, grabbing the Mandala Serpent before it could react. However, since it was meant for Tang San, Wu Liang did not dare let Barak use his full strength. He merely used a claw condensed from Soul Power to seize it and pin it to the ground.

The Mandala Serpent was slapped down and pinned to the ground by Barak, leaving it utterly bewildered. It truly could not understand why the martial soul that had been behind that human had suddenly appeared before it and restrained it so completely that it could not move. The Mandala Serpent struggled desperately, but Barak's Soul Power was simply too strong, rendering it immobile. Only its head remained exposed, snarling viciously at the three of them.

The master said in a deep voice, "The Mandala Serpent's venom is extremely potent. Not only does it cause paralysis, it also severely damages the body's nerves. It is one of the most terrifying poison-type Soul Beasts. Its body is extremely tough, and ordinary blades cannot harm it. Only its mouth and eyes are weak points. But the Mandala Serpent has always protected those two areas well, and it is incredibly fast. Its most terrifying trait is its aggressiveness. Whenever it encounters humans, it will almost certainly attack. But I never expected such a ferocious Mandala Serpent to be dealt with so easily by Wu Liang. Tang San, this Mandala Serpent is nearly four meters long and has cultivation of roughly four hundred years. It is perfectly suited for you. Be careful. Take your short sword and give it the final blow."

Upon hearing this, Tang San looked gratefully at Wu Liang. After receiving Wu Liang's encouragement, he took out his short sword and walked toward the Mandala Serpent that Barak had pinned to the ground. The Mandala Serpent could only watch helplessly as Tang San approached with his short sword aimed at its eye. It had already given up struggling, closing its eyes as it waited to die.

"Pfft."

Tang San's short sword nailed itself into the Mandala Serpent's head, the blade piercing through its eye directly into its brain. Before long, a faint yellow glow gathered above the Mandala Serpent's corpse. Not long after, it condensed into a Soul Ring shining with yellow light. Seeing that the Soul Ring had formed, Tang San walked to the Mandala Serpent's body, sat cross-legged, and began guiding the Soul Ring onto Blue Silver Grass.

The master stared fixedly at the approaching Soul Ring and shouted in a deep voice, "Sit cross-legged and focus your mind on your martial soul."

Tang San obeyed, sitting cross-legged where he was and focusing his attention on the martial soul in his right hand. At this moment, as the hundred-year Mandala Serpent Soul Ring approached, he felt an unprecedentedly powerful pressure. Even the bones throughout his body made faint creaking sounds under that pressure.

Soon, the yellow ring reached the space above Tang San's head. Without giving him any chance to react, the yellow ring suddenly contracted, turning into an incredibly solid golden ring only the size of a bracelet, which fell directly onto the Blue Silver Grass martial soul in his right palm.

Tang San only felt as if his right hand had plunged into magma. A scorching energy surged wildly inward, and the violent heat instantly rushed into his body. In an instant, his insides felt as though they were burning. His body could not help trembling violently.

"No matter how the Soul Ring's power impacts your body, remember to stay conscious. Only then will you be able to better use the Soul Ring's power in the future."

That was the last thing Tang San heard the master say. The next second, he closed his eyes, and his consciousness completely sank into that scorching sea.

The internal energy of the Mysterious Heaven Skill within his body seemed to have been ignited by this sudden power. The heat instantly spread through every part of his body. Tang San felt as though he could breathe fire if he opened his mouth.

What domineering power.

The incoming Soul Ring power instantly washed over Tang San's body. Yet what puzzled him was that such scorching energy had not destroyed the Blue Silver Grass martial soul.

A sudden light flashed through his consciousness. Tang San seemed to see himself immersed in a sea of flames. At the very center of that fiery sea, a solitary stalk of Blue Silver Grass swayed gently with the flames. No matter how fiercely the fire raged, it could not destroy it.

Tang San was overjoyed. This seemed to be the inner vision realm of internal energy. In his previous life, because he had been too old when cultivating the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, he had never experienced such a realm. He had not expected it to appear while absorbing his first Soul Ring.

Under the baking flames, Blue Silver Grass began to change. Its originally slender blades began to lengthen and widen, while their faint blue color gradually deepened. Deep blue grass blades spread through the sea of flames, swimming nimbly like countless salamanders darting through fire.

The pale blue grass blades began turning dark blue, with faint black patterns appearing on them, exactly like the markings on the Mandala Serpent's body.

Boom. All the heat surged out at once. Tang San felt as though that blazing aura had melted his body.

Wu Liang, who had put away his martial soul, stared blankly at Tang San and secretly thought, Does it have to be this exaggerated? Sure, you're the protagonist of this world, but could your aura not be so ridiculously overpowered? Do I not have any pride? Why didn't I undergo so many changes when I absorbed a Soul Ring? Could Barak be some cheap knockoff? Well, it was given by the system after all.

The master did not care what Wu Liang was thinking beside him. When he saw Tang San's martial soul stop changing, he knew that he had succeeded. The former Blue Silver Grass had been less than half a finger wide, but now it had become three fingers wide. Its blades were several times thicker than before and bore strange patterns. Dozens of Blue Silver Grass vines rapidly spread in all directions, their tips raised like more than ten Mandala Serpents hunting for prey.

The Blue Silver Grass did not carry the Mandala Serpent's fishy odor, only a faint tea fragrance. Yet that intoxicating scent was filled with danger.