Adding Points

Ji Qing carried a basket on his back, and Ji Yao was already asleep inside it.

After several days of arduous travel, Ji Qing had long since fled Liang City's territory.

The sky was gradually darkening, and the nearest city was still dozens of li away. Ji Qing was both exhausted and thirsty.

Even if he could endure it, Ji Yao could not.

Therefore, Ji Qing planned to rest in the small town ahead for the night and resume their journey tomorrow morning.

This small town was called Mule Horse Town.

It lay along a major thoroughfare, with countless merchants and travelers passing through. The town had many inns where mules and horses could rest and travelers could lodge, hence its name.

Ji Qing found an inn with relatively few people.

Leading his horse forward, he slapped the counter, waking the dozing innkeeper.

"Honored guest, how many of you are there?"

"Just one. Give me a superior room, bring up a bucket of bathwater, and send the food to my room."

"Yes, honored guest."

Ji Qing wore a cloak, carried a basket, and held a long saber. He looked every inch a Jianghu martial artist, so the innkeeper did not dare ask too many questions and immediately had the waiter make the arrangements.

It was dinnertime, and the inn's main hall was filled with guests.

Ji Qing swept his gaze around and found quite a few people dressed as Jianghu martial artists in the inn.

At that moment, several martial artists were chatting about the hottest recent event in the Jianghu.

"Hey, have you heard? A huge case happened in Liang City—a man murdered his father and mother, then set fire to wipe out the entire household. The Government Authorities have already issued a wanted notice, offering a reward of a thousand taels of silver for the culprit. Who knows which lucky bastard will get that reward?"

"The man who committed such an utterly unforgivable crime is called Ji Qing. I heard he even once held the rank of xiucai. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Who would have thought a scholar who read the books of sages could be so wolf-hearted and dog-lunged? He murdered his parents, then burned down Ji Manor and slaughtered the whole family."

"If we brothers run into such a wolf-hearted, dog-lunged scum, we will definitely cut him down beneath our blades, reward or no reward!"

"Three heroes, I have also heard about that major case in Liang City. They say this Ji Qing coveted his stepmother's beauty, and when she refused him, he committed such a monstrous crime..."

Some merchants and travelers joined the discussion as well.

Every one of them added fuel to the flames. No one knew how many hands those rumors had passed through, but the entire matter had become utterly unrecognizable.

And "Ji Qing" had become a wolf-hearted, dog-lunged, fickle, immoral, shameless villain whom everyone had the right to kill.

Ji Qing's expression darkened somewhat.

The rumors about him were simply too absurd. They were dumping every shit pot they could find onto his head.

His reputation now stank to high heaven. He was like a rat in the street, chased and beaten by everyone.

Still, this was within Ji Qing's expectations.

He had become a wanted criminal already. Could he really come out and defend himself or clear his name?

Ji Qing ignored their discussion and went straight upstairs into his room.

The waiter soon brought up hot water and served the food.

"Ji Yao, wake up."

Ji Qing woke Ji Yao.

Ji Yao rubbed her eyes. The moment she saw the fragrant dishes, she immediately turned into a little greedy cat and pounced on the table.

After all, the two of them had spent several days fleeing without a proper rest. Along the way, they had eaten little more than dry rations and were long since exhausted and starving.

After eating their fill, Ji Qing first helped Ji Yao wash up and put her to bed. Only then did he sit alone in the bath bucket and enjoy a comfortable hot bath.

Taking advantage of the bath, Ji Qing focused his mind and opened the Demon Record in his head.

Ji Qing: Third-Rate Martial Artist

Jadeite Skill: Minor Accomplishment (Third-Rate Martial Art)

Thirteen Fast Blades: Major Accomplishment (Third-Rate Saber Art)

Origin Point: 4 points

He now had an ample supply of Origin Points, so Ji Qing did not hesitate and immediately murmured in his heart, Upgrade Jadeite Skill.

Consume one Origin Point. Jadeite Skill has reached Major Accomplishment!

Scenes of "training" appeared in Ji Qing's mind.

For years on end, he practiced the Jadeite Skill.

Heaven did not disappoint those who labored hard. At last, one day, his Jadeite Skill reached Major Accomplishment!

For a martial art to reach Major Accomplishment was, in truth, to reach its highest realm.

However, Ji Qing remembered that his martial arts school master had once said that if one encountered a fortunate opportunity and was exceptionally compatible with a martial art, one might cultivate it to the realm of "divine perfection"—the legendary realm of "Completion."

At that point, the martial art would undergo unimaginable changes.

Ji Qing saw that the Jadeite Skill seemed capable of being upgraded further.

So, he prepared to give it a try.

Continue upgrading Jadeite Skill.

Consume one Origin Point. Jadeite Skill has reached Completion. Your Jadeite Skill has attained divine perfection. You have comprehended Inner Force Burst! Internal Force power can be amplified by up to thirty percent!

More scenes appeared in Ji Qing's mind.

His Jadeite Skill had already reached Major Accomplishment, yet he continued cultivating it. One day, he seized a fleeting opportunity and comprehended the method of Inner Force Burst from the circulation route of the Jadeite Skill.

It could increase the eruption of his Internal Force by thirty percent in an instant.

However, Inner Force Burst placed an enormous burden on the meridians and could only be used a few times in battle.

If used too often, the meridians might be damaged.

"The Jadeite Skill is ultimately just an ordinary Third-Rate Martial Art. Even when cultivated to Completion, its thirty-percent Internal Force amplification cannot be considered particularly profound. Forget comparing it to a Second-Rate Martial Artist—even among Third-Rate Martial Artists, it would not count as outstanding."

"My martial arts school master once said that if martial artists want to break through to the next realm, they must either rely on profound and mysterious cultivation methods or pile up several lower-grade ones. If I had a second-rate cultivation method, I could immediately break through and become a Second-Rate Martial Artist. But I currently do not have one. Perhaps I can try cultivating several more third-rate cultivation methods to accumulate Internal Force."

Ji Qing estimated that roughly three third-rate cultivation methods should be enough to break his Internal Force through to the second-rate level.

Since the Jadeite Skill could no longer be upgraded, Ji Qing upgraded Thirteen Fast Blades instead.

Ji Qing's Thirteen Fast Blades had already reached Major Accomplishment, yet it could still be upgraded further.

Upgrade Thirteen Fast Blades.

Consume one Origin Point. Thirteen Fast Blades has reached Completion. You have comprehended the ultimate move, "Thread of Sky."

Scenes immediately appeared in Ji Qing's mind of himself practicing Thirteen Fast Blades day after day.

Thirteen Fast Blades centered on one word: "fast."

There was no unnecessary flair—the faster, the better.

At this realm, Thirteen Fast Blades no longer confined Ji Qing to individual stances and forms. He could unleash it at will, as naturally as plucking something from his hand; every saber form was seamless and perfectly wrought!

Furthermore, through years upon years of saber practice, Ji Qing found a spark of inspiration within Thirteen Fast Blades and comprehended an ultimate move called "Thread of Sky."

With one slash, the saber light flashed brilliantly, its speed like a startled swan in flight!

"Completion in saber arts actually let me comprehend an ultimate move? This move, 'Thread of Sky,' is truly terrifying. If an enemy is caught off guard, it can kill with a single slash!"

Ji Qing's information in the Demon Record had already changed considerably.

Ji Qing: Third-Rate Martial Artist

Jadeite Skill: Completion (Inner Force Burst, thirty-percent amplification)

Thirteen Fast Blades: Completion (Ultimate Move: Thread of Sky)

Origin Point: 1 point

Ji Qing had already maxed out his martial arts. With one Origin Point remaining, he could only save it for now.

Seeing both martial arts at "Completion," Ji Qing was very satisfied.

For ordinary martial artists, cultivating a martial art to Major Accomplishment was already the limit.

As for Completion?

Unless one was a peerless martial arts genius, one might perhaps cultivate one or two martial arts to Completion through a lucky chance.

Otherwise, it was absolutely impossible!

Yet Ji Qing could cultivate every martial art to Completion.

This was his greatest advantage over other martial artists!

Slap.

Ji Qing was narrowing his eyes in thought.

Suddenly, his ears twitched slightly as he heard a faint sound coming from above his head.

"Who's there?"

Ji Qing opened his eyes. With a sweep of his hand, his clothes and saber immediately landed on his body.

He bent his knees slightly, then kicked off fiercely, shooting straight up from the bath bucket and crashing through the roof.

On the rooftop, Ji Qing spotted two black-clad, masked men at a glance.