Villain Ranking's Shocking Change! Leaving the City on Lunar New Year's Day, Amidst Wind and Snow!

Is it possible to "stack" blade techniques?

After careful consideration, Ji Qing believed it was possible!

As long as he could find a core for his blade techniques and improve around that core, it would definitely work.

What was Ji Qing's blade technique core?

Without a doubt, it was speed!

With Ji Qing's current attainments, if he practiced a third-rate blade technique, he could quickly master it on his own.

He only needed one Origin Point to elevate the blade technique to Perfection. At that point, not only would the fused blade techniques' power greatly increase, but he would also gain a special move.

Thinking this, Ji Qing wanted to try it out and see how effective it would be.

He picked a fast blade technique called "Gale Slash" from the library.

It was just a very ordinary third-rate blade technique.

On the first day, Ji Qing achieved minor success.

Three days later, Ji Qing achieved major success.

Ji Qing's speed in practicing "fast blade techniques" was simply too rapid.

After all, all fast blade techniques were similar, with variations on the same theme. That's why Ji Qing could practice them so quickly.

However, Perfection was different.

Perfection required gaining insights from the blade technique.

This required an opportunity.

Some people might gain an opportunity in a single day.

But some people might need decades to gain an opportunity.

Ji Qing naturally wouldn't waste time trying to gain an opportunity.

It was almost impossible to fuse blade techniques that had only reached major success.

They had to be elevated to Perfection!

"Elevate Gale Slash to Perfection."

As one Origin Point was consumed, images flashed through Ji Qing's mind.

He practiced Gale Slash day after day.

He wanted to gain some insight from Gale Slash, to comprehend something.

Time and again, Ji Qing felt as if he was about to grasp the opportunity, but he failed at the last moment.

Finally, one day, Ji Qing felt a gentle breeze.

He was suddenly enlightened and instantly gained comprehension.

"Swish."

Ji Qing slashed out. This slash seemed to merge with the wind, and its speed surged.

"Gale Slash achieved Perfection. Your Gale Slash has reached the realm of divine skill. You have comprehended the special move Airflow Propulsion! As long as there is wind, or any air, your blade technique can accelerate along the airflow!"

"Shua."

Ji Qing opened his eyes.

His "Startling Swan Blade" had integrated another blade technique, Gale Slash.

He had even learned the special move "Airflow Propulsion."

In the future, he could increase his blade speed based on changes in the air and environment.

Now, with the special move Airflow Propulsion, Ji Qing's Startling Swan Blade was even faster.

This also proved Ji Qing's previous deduction: his method of "stacking" third-rate blade techniques was completely feasible!

The Startling Swan Blade improved at lightning speed!

Ji Qing still had three Origin Points left. He could practice three more "fast blade techniques."

The Hundred Battles Sect's library had many third-rate blade techniques, including several "fast blade techniques."

This was why Ji Qing had been staying in the Hundred Battles Sect's library.

He would even continue to practice blade techniques in the future and continue to integrate them into the Startling Swan Blade.

But he would comprehend one special move from each blade technique.

The specific effects were not quantifiable.

Ji Qing thought for a moment. The information on the Demon Record needed to be changed.

His blade techniques primarily focused on speed, with strength as a secondary attribute.

Therefore, it would be more intuitive to use ordinary third-rate blade techniques as a basis.

The increase in blade speed for each blade technique should be represented by specific numbers.

So, Ji Qing carefully felt it out.

The Thirteen Fast Blades, a 30% increase in blade speed, was a very strong fast blade technique.

The Hundred Battles Blade, a 10% increase in blade speed and 20% increase in strength, focused more on power.

The Blade Drawing Technique, a 30% increase in blade speed, significantly boosted blade speed.

The Gale Slash, a 20% increase in blade speed, had a slightly weaker speed increase.

These were the few blade techniques Ji Qing had mastered so far. With a 90% increase in blade speed and a 20% increase in strength, it was no wonder Ji Qing's blade techniques were incredibly fast. A 10% increase in blade speed could already decide life or death, let alone an increase close to double!

That was a blade technique on a completely different level.

"Continue."

So, Ji Qing continued to search for third-rate "fast blade" techniques to cultivate.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten days passed.

Ji Qing stopped.

He heard the faint sound of firecrackers outside.

Counting the time, it was almost New Year's Eve.

"New Year's Eve... a year has passed..."

In this past year, Ji Qing had experienced a lot.

He opened the Demon Record to check his own information.

Ji Qing: Second-Rate Martial Artist (Opened two Extraordinary Meridians)

Supreme Yang Pure Essence Internal Breath Technique: Perfected (Supreme Yang Inner Force, Inner Force Burst increased by 30%, Inner Force Purification, Inner Force Reversion)

Startling Swan Blade: Perfected (Blade speed increased by 150%, Strength increased by 40%)

Grass on Wings: Perfected (Special move: Void Borrowing Strength)

Origin Points: 0 points

His Origin Points were all used up.

He had practiced three more fast blade techniques, all of which had reached the perfected state.

After integrating the three blade techniques into the Startling Swan Blade, the Startling Swan Blade's speed and strength had also greatly improved.

Now, the Startling Swan Blade had integrated a total of seven blade techniques, and its blade speed far exceeded that of ordinary third-rate blade techniques by more than double!

At this point, Ji Qing was very confident. By "piling up" ordinary third-rate blade techniques, he was sure he could also "pile up" a first-rate blade technique that would amaze the world!

However, Ji Qing didn't know exactly how fast the blade speed of a first-rate blade technique, especially a first-rate fast blade technique, was.

After all, Ji Qing had never seen a first-rate blade technique.

But every first-rate blade technique in the martial arts world was a masterpiece of blade techniques!

The appearance of every first-rate blade technique was enough to cause turmoil in the martial arts world.

Any first-rate blade technique or martial art could be passed down for thousands of years!

Therefore, Ji Qing estimated that a first-rate blade technique, especially a fast blade technique, would at least increase speed tenfold!

This was Ji Qing's estimation.

He temporarily set a goal of tenfold blade speed.

If he used this standard, then his Startling Swan Blade was still far from it.

But as long as he had enough Origin Points, Ji Qing was confident that he could "pile up" the Startling Swan Blade to a tenfold increase!

"Great Hero Ji, we're making dumplings for New Year's Eve. Please grace us with your presence, and let's eat dumplings together."

At this moment, Lie Yingniang's voice came from outside.

"Okay! I'll go out and take a look first. I'll be back in the evening."

Ji Qing left the Hundred Battles Sect and went to the outside of the Zhao residence, looking at Ji Yao from a distance.

Ji Yao was accompanied by several maids.

Her clothes were also very new.

The children from the Zhao residence were also playing together, not isolating Ji Yao.

Ji Qing saw the smile on Ji Yao's face.

Clearly, Ji Yao was living very happily.

It seemed that sending Ji Yao to the Zhao residence was the right decision.

Ji Yao did not belong in the martial arts world.

Ji Qing returned to the Hundred Battles Sect and ate dumplings with the members of the Hundred Battles Sect, celebrating New Year's Eve.

This year had passed.

The next day, a new year, a new day.

Ji Qing headed towards the Listening Wind Tower teahouse amidst the wind and snow.

Today was the day the Lingxiao Pavilion's Jianghu rankings would be updated.

All the Jianghu rankings would be refreshed.

Consequently, the entire Listening Wind Tower teahouse had already gathered a large number of martial artists early on.

"It's out."

"The number one spot on the Rising Stars Ranking has changed..."

"There's also the Swordsman Ranking, the Swordsman Ranking..."

"The Villain Ranking is out too. Huh? The fifth spot on the Villain Ranking, Ji Qing the Heartless Blade's Jianghu moniker has been changed to Startling Swan Blade?"

"Startling Swan Blade is more fitting. A fleeting glance, and heads roll..."

"Quick, look at the eighth spot on the Villain Ranking, Poison Demon Ouyang Bo. He was previously twenty-third on the Villain Ranking, how did he suddenly jump to eighth?"

"Poison Demon Ouyang Bo, to test a potent poison, on the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month in the tenth year of Yongchang, poisoned and killed everyone in Great Huai Village, Huangling County. A total of two hundred and eighty-one souls, none survived!"

"This Great Huai Village caused quite a stir in the Jianghu a few months ago. It was said that they killed a giant rat in Great Huai Village, as big as a calf. The Huangling County yamen paraded the giant rat's corpse through the county town for a month. Many people saw it with their own eyes and thought the rat had become a spirit."

"Boom."

Ji Qing, who had been casually listening, felt a roar in his mind upon hearing "Great Huai Village, Huangling County" and "giant rat's corpse."

Ji Qing's gaze immediately fell upon the Villain Ranking.

Under the name "Poison Demon Ouyang Bo," he meticulously read every single character.

Two hundred and eighty-one souls in the entire village, none survived!

Black ink on white paper, every character clear.

But in Ji Qing's eyes, each character seemed to flow with blood!

"Clink."

Ji Qing put down his teacup. Disregarding the wind and snow outside, he turned and left.

On the first day of the first lunar month in the eleventh year of Yongchang, Ji Qing galloped his horse away from Anyang City, heading directly for Great Huai Village in Huangling County!

Seeing is believing.

He had to see for himself!